Leicestershire & Derbyshire
(Prince Albert's Own Yeomanry)
 Cadre, 1969
222 Field Ambulance RAMC (V)  (Sponsor Unit)

The LDY cadre was formed on the first of January 1969.

The M.O.D declared the Cadre regiments would not have Honorary Colonels, as only units being commanded by Lt. Colonels were entitled. However, H R H Prince Philip disagreed and remained as Honorary Colonel. 

The Cadre comprised of three officers and 5 other Ranks.

The LDY Cadre was an R.A.C Cadre but was administered by 222 (Leicestershire) Field Ambulance R.A.M.C. The Cadre did its training with H.Q. Squadron, The Royal Yeomanry Regiment (V) R.A.C. This latter Regiment being an Armoured Recce Regiment.

During the Cadre's life it formed Escort to the Lord Mayor of Leicester mounted on horses provided by the Army School of Equitation at Melton Mowbray. It was also honoured when the Salonika Association laid up their Standard by being asked to provide Escort to Leicester Cathedral.


 Royal Armoured Corps

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

Hon. Colonel



RHQ

Eight Man Cadre
OC Major Bowlby
2ic Captain B Burchnall
Lt Gardner
SSM Les Richardson
SQMS D Stonehouse
Sgt. Tom Wallace
Sgt. R Kalmand
Cpl. J Sills

Bellerby Camp (Yorkshire) 1969
The LDY (PAO) are on camp as part of the new Royal Yeomanry Regiment (formed in 1967).

Leicester Mercury
June 7-21 1969
Six of the eight strong cadre of the Leicestershire and Derbyshire (P.A.O) Yeomanry based at Brentwood road. T.A.V.R. Centre, left Leicestershire today to spend a fortnights annual training with the London Headquarters' Squadron of the Royal Yeomanry in camp at Catterick, Yorkshire.
By coincidence , the Officer commanding the Yeomanry cadre, Major Pat Bowlby, a farmer of Culverthorpe Hall, near Grantham will be with his younger brother, Major Rupert Bowlby, a landscape Gardens designer, of Kingston-on-Thames, for he commands the Royal Yeomanry Headquarters' Squadron.
The local cadre will take over specific appointments with the Royal yeomanry Squadron for the duration of the camp at, for instance, the cadre second-in-command of the Royal Yeomanry headquaters.
On Sunday week the Royal Yeomanry, the biggest Regiment either regular or Reserve in the British Army, is holding a Parade at Catterick  at which is hoped that the Leicestershire and Derbyshire (PAO) Yeomanry Guidon will be on parade, with six other cadres that will be at camp.


LDY Guidon Party 1969 (Cadre Regiment)
Sgt R Kalmand, SQMS Stonehouse and Sgt Wallace.
Sherwood Rangers in front and the North Irish Horse behind.

The Cadre
by Cpl. John Sills LDY PAO
(November 2008)

On formation, the Cadre took over and catalogued museum items returned from other Drill halls (John Sills was responsible for this). I stores were found 8 dark bottle green jumpers of superior quality to issue jumpers. These were issued to the Cadre.

Cravats were bought from funds and issued to the Cadre. Uniform remained battle Dress, but, Olive Drab combats were on issue and used in the field.

Some training was undertaken in classrooms. Personally I was able to train on occasions with 46 Field Squadron, 38 Signals Regt. which had been formed at Brentwood Road, Leicester. Most of the personnel were ex-LDY (the LDY was offered a Squadron of Signals but the Officers and Old Comrades refused it in the hope that we would get an Armoured role, but instead we got a Cadre).

The Cadre trained with both the Berskshire & Westminter Dragoons (HQ Sqn, The Royal Yeomanry Regiment) and the then "B" Sqn RY, the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. On one occasion, going by car to the Watford Gap service area, mounting a Ferret Scout car and "recce'ing" up to Husbands Bosworth and fighting back down to Watford Gap. On another occasion I bussed to Carlton in Nottingham and joined the SRY which motored to Warcop camp, Westmoreland. I fired their main armourment and did Troop training. They were, at the time, equipped with Ferret and Saladins, in which I managed to get some driving instruction. The LAD were equipped with a "White" half-track.

We did two Camps, one at Thetford (Bodney) and one at Leyburn, at which 8 Guidons were paraded at Aysgarth. At the Thetford Camp we joined HQ RY and took part in the exercise "Yeoman's Charge" in 1968. At Leyburn we took part in the exercise in 1969.

In 1969 we were approached by the Leicester Gallipoli Association who asked us to take part in the laying up of their Standard in Leicester Cathedral, this was done in Blues. I cannot remember whether the Standard was carried by us or wether we just formed the escort. The Derbyshire Yeomanry had taken part in the Gallipoli Battle and that is why we were asked.

We carried out the vigil guard on the Regimental Memorial and organised the Comrades Association re-unions, also taking the silver to the DY reunion. Most things are hazy about the Cadre as so much changed so quickly and it is 30 years ago. Also, apart from major Bowlby, Colonel Gardiner, Major Birchnall and myself all of the other Cadre men have now passed on and as a consequence I cant confirm things.

In 1971 we prepared to raise a Squadron and recieved No. 2 Dress and DP Combat kit.


The Cafe Royal 1969
2/Lt B Salter, Lt "Kip" Gardener, O/Cdt A Hilton and Lt Luke Smith. Lt Luke Smith is wearing an original Leicestershire (PAO) Yeomanry mess kit with "silver lace" leg stripes (Field Officer : Major and above).