1939 To 1946
The Regiment was mobilised at Gosforth Park in September 1939 and later that year was reorganised as an Anti-Tank Regiment within the 2nd Armoured Division whereupon its involvement with horses ended. It sailed for the Middle East in November 1940 and then embarked for Greece in March 1941, immediately deploying to the North to face the German advance. A fighting withdrawal then commenced until the order to pull out of Greece came in the later part of April.
Some of the Regiment evacuated to Alexandria and others were landed in Crete, where they took part in the now famous defence against German paratroops. The evacuation of Crete was ordered in May 1941 and some of the Regiment got away, but 6 officers and 212 other ranks were left behind and ordered to surrender.
The Northumberland Hussars was reinforced and then reorganised, with one Battery leaving to become 274 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery. They all fought in the great battles of the Western Desert, including El Alamein, and were in action for much of that period right through to the advance into Tunisia. In June 1943 the Regiment was withdrawn and subsequently took part in the invasion of Sicily. Later that year it returned to England and commenced training for the invasion of France, being re-equipped with M10 self-propelled guns.
The Northumberland Hussars along with 274 Battery sailed for Normandy on ‘D’ Day. They advanced through France and into Belgium and Holland, seeing action throughout that time, and in the autumn the Regiment was re-equipped with Valentine self-propelled 17 pounder guns and prepared for the drive for the Siegfried Line and the advance to the Rhine. The Regiment entered its first German town, Cleve, on 8 February 1945.
The Regiment was then withdrawn to Belgium to refit and to train for the first crossing of the Rhine. When all hostilities ceased on 4 May the Regiment was employed in rounding up prisoners and collecting equipment. In October 1946 the order to disband was received.