The Bedfordshire Yeomanry Leave for the Front

Wednesday 9th June 1915: Readers may remember us mentioning that a few members of the Bedfordshire Yeomanry are already at the front – all members of B squadron. Today the rest of the regiment has left Stansted [Essex] in the early morning in five trains, one each for A Squadron, C Squadron, D Squadron, the machine-gun section and the headquarters. They expect to reach Southampton about 3 p.m. when they will embark on two ships – all the horses plus Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. S. C. Peel, Major W. Selby-Lowndes, Major Benning, Captain Headlam and Second Lieutenant Jones on S. S. North West Miller and everyone else on SS Duchess of Hamilton.

The strength of the Regiment leaving England is 23 officers, 577 other ranks and 613 horses and mules. The commanding officer is Lieutenant-Colonel Peel, his second-in-command Major S. J. Green and the adjutant Captain G. C. M. Tyrrell of 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers. The medical officer is Surgeon-Major H. Skelding, the veterinary officer Lieutenant J. Wright, the machine-gun officer Second Lieutenant L. E. Jones and the signals officer Second Lieutenant P. G. Payne. The others officers are attached as follows: A Squadron – Major A. C. S. Benning, Captain J. Holmes, Lieutenant G. de la P. Hargreaves and Lieutenant H. F. Lascelles; C Squadron - Lieutenant W. Swannell, Second Lieutenant S. L. Trevor, Second Lieutenant G. L. Foster and Second Lieutenant R. Smee; D Squadron – Major J. B. Walker, Captain Headlam, Lieutenant G. Proby, Second Lieutenant J. E. P. Howey and Second Lieutenant C. Hollebane. 

Source: WW1/WD2