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At the outset of war in 1914 the Berkshire Yeomanry already had a substantial number of men ready to mobilise – 27 officers, 457 men and 430 horses formed the volunteer unit and were ready for action within days.

Once the recruiting campaign began, men were clamouring to enlist and by September 1914 two regiments had formed with a waiting list to join.

There were squadrons located in Windsor, Newbury and Wantage as well as B Squadron which was based at Yeomanry House in Reading, also the headquarters for the regiment and the Territorial Force.

Arthur Budgett, the man on whom Michael Morpurgo based Captain Nicholls in his book War Horse, was an officer with the Berkshire Yeomanry.

Whilst farmers signed up with their horses, many townsmen had no access to them and so a riding school was established in the grounds of Yeomanry House. Here men learnt to ride and care for their horse as well as basic training in skills needed to be a soldier, including drill and weapon training, map reading and scouting. Training took six months.

Yeomanry House today houses Reading’s Register Office and Berkshire Family History Society with Berkshire Record Office on the site of the riding school.

Location: Reading Register Office, Yeomanry House, Castle Hill, Reading RG1 7TA
Image: Champion Regtl Jumping Section, Berkshire Yeomanry 1912 courtesy of Berkshire Yeomanry Museum.
Recruitment advert voiced by Simon Thomas. Extracts from letters and newspaper voiced by Duncan Mclarty, John Baish and Joanne Babbage. Extracts from letters, recruitment ad and Maidenhead Advertiser courtesy of Berkshire Yeomanry Museum.
Presented by Janice Hunter.

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