 Under threat of invasion by the French Revolutionary government from 1793, and with insufficient military forces to repulse such an attack, the British government under William Pitt the Younger decided in 1794 to increase the Militia and to form corps of volunteers for the defence of the country.The mounted arm of the volunteers became known as the "Gentlemen and Yeomanry Cavalry".The Bedfordshire Yeomanry was first raised in 1797 as independent troops.