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===Second Boer War===
DueThe Yeomanry was not intended to serve overseas, but due to the string of defeats during [[Black Week]] in December, 1899, the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army. On DecemberA 13,Royal 1899,Warrant thewas decisionissued on 24 December 1899 to allow volunteer forces to serve in the [[Second Boer War]] was made. A The Royal Warrant wasasked issuedstanding onYeomanry December[[regiment]]s 24,to 1899provide thatservice officially[[Company created(military unit)|companies]] of approximately 115 men each for the [[Imperial Yeomanry]].<ref name=Mileham27>{{harvnb|Mileham|1994|p=27}}</ref> The regiment formed the 24th (Westmorland and Cumberland) Company of the 8th Battalion in 1900.<ref name=MillsIY>{{Wayback | url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/ImpYeo.htm | title=Imperial Yeomanry at regiments.org by T.F.Mills | date=20070529010837 | df=yes }}</ref>
The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each. In addition to this, many British citizens (usually [[upper-middle class]]) volunteered to join the new regiment.<ref>{{Cite journal
| title = Boer War Notes
| url = http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Regiments/BoerWarNotes.html
| accessdate = 2007-06-11
|date=Mar 2002
| author = Stevenson, Wf
| volume = 148
| issue = 1
| pages = 91–5; discussion 89–90
| issn = 0035-8665
| pmid = 12026888
| journal = Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps}}</ref> Although there were strict requirements, many volunteers were accepted with substandard horsemanship/marksmanship; however, they had significant time to train while awaiting transport.
The first contingent of recruits for the Imperial Yeomanry comprised 550 [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]]s and 10,371 men in 20 [[battalion]]s, each generally with four [[Company (military unit)|companies]].<ref name=MillsIY>{{Wayback | url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/ImpYeo.htm | title=Imperial Yeomanry at regiments.org by T.F.Mills | date=20070529010837 | df=yes }}</ref> The battalions arrived in [[South Africa]] between February and April, 1900.<ref>{{Cite web
| last =
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| title = Boer War - Imperial Yeomanry Battalions
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| url = http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Regiments/ImperialYeomanryCompaniesBoerBn.html
| accessdate = 2007-07-03}}</ref> On arrival, the regiment served throughout the zone of operations.
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The Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry provided troops for the 24th (Westmorland and Cumberland) Company, 8th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry.<ref>{{Cite web|title=anglobeorwar|url=http://www.angloboerwar.com/forces/army_IY.htm}}</ref>
===First World War===
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