The
Bedfordshire Regiment in the Great War
(Site
built by and © Steven Fuller, 2003 to 2010)
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A brief history of the Regiment between 1688 and
2009
The formation of Douglas' Regiment of Foot
The regiment that would become the 16th
Regiment of Foot and later the Bedfordshire Regiment was initially
raised during a period of turmoil in Europe. In the late Seventeenth
century, Europe was in the grip of religious, military and political
upheaval, with several major powers vying for supremacy and
the emerging American continent about to rear its head. Not
four decades earlier the English Civil War had been fought,
the Thirty Years War in Europe had finished as had an eighty
year war between the Netherlands and Spain. The Ming Dynasty
had come to an end in China, war, famine and plague swept Europe
and the New Worlds of America, killing huge numbers of people.
Only two decades earlier the Bubonic plague swept London, killing
an estimated 100,000 people, closely followed by the Great Fire
of London one short year later.
Despite many achievements and much progress
being made, including Isaac Newton's "Mathematical Principles"
being published, the 1680's saw numerous wars, sieges, plots
to overthrow and assassinate various royalty and heads of state.
By 1688 King Louis XIV of France had the Grand Alliance of England,
Spain, Holland, Sweden, Savoy and the Holy Roman Empire arrayed
against him and was at war with almost every European power.
In England during the autumn of 1688 and
following his "Declaration of Indulgence" towards Catholics
and nonconformists, King James II was facing the threat of the
Dutch William, Prince of Orange who had brought an army to England
on the behest of seven English Lords. The King was in a precarious
position and, in response he authorised the raising of the last
of a series of twelve new battalions of Pikemen and Musketeers.
The last of these was raised by the distinguished veteran Scottish
soldier Archibald Douglas and, although initially named after
the Colonels who commanded them, this regiment would in time
become the 16th Regiment of Foot.
A cadre of officers and professional soldiers
who had served with him in what would become The Royal Scots
followed Douglas and formed the nucleus of the new regiment.
With the first men being enlisted from Uxbridge in Middlesex,
they were moved to Reading and completed the raising of the
new regiment. In November they moved to Southwark but religious
and political manoeuvring against King James II caused the army
to choose where their allegiance lay. Sir Archibald Douglas
remained loyal to the catholic King James II, whereas the rest
of the regiment chose to side with the protestant Prince of
Orange, thus splitting the man who had raised them from the
men he had enlisted. The 2nd in command, Robert Hodges, became
the new Colonel, being officially commissioned as such on the
last day of 1688 by the new King of England, William III (the
Prince of Orange). Within months the newly formed regiment was
in action on the European continent and would be engaged on
European battlefields almost continually until 1712.
Archibald Douglas' Regiment of Foot
- 1688. The Regiment is formed on 9 October and is initially
known by the Colonel's names until 1751. It is the last in
the batch referred to as the 'senior' regiments who are raised
during the last year of King James II's reign, which saw the
organisation of a more permanent army. Having been raised
around Uxbridge and Reading they are initially quartered at
Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire. When the Prince of Orange
takes over the throne from James II, Douglas refuses to serve
under the new King and Robert Hodges is given command of the
regiment. Just six other officers take the oath with Hodges,
including Hans Hamilton who would rise to command the regiment
from 1713
Robert Hodges' Regiment of Foot
- 1688. Hodges took over the regiment within weeks of its
formation and set to training them in readiness for the inevitable
fighting they would see, given the instability throughout
Europe.
- 1689 to 1695. The War of the League
of Augsburg.
- 1689. Embarked for Holland where they help the Dutch fight
the French. They are engaged at the battle
of Walcourt and later march to Bruges that October.
- 1690. March to Brussels in June.
- 1691. Join the army at South Brabant in March.
- 1692. Engaged at the battle of
Steenkirk when Colonel Robert Hodges is killed at the
head of his regiment's advance by a cannon ball.
The Earl of Derby's Regiment of Foot
- 1693. Engaged at the battle
of Landen in July. Quartered at Dendermond later that
year.
- 1694. Join the army in the field in
May and return to garrison Dendermond after the year's campaign.
- 1695. Engaged at the Siege
and capture of Namur.
- 1696. Join the army at Brabant.
- 1697. Embark to Ireland after the Treaty
of Ryswick ceases hostilities.
- 1701-1712. The
War of the Spanish Succession.
- 1701. Leave Carrickfergus 7th June and
embark for Holland to help the Dutch fight the French. Reviewed
by King William III 21st September.
- 1702. Moved to Rosendael and encamp
at Cranenburg. Engaged at the Seige
of Kayserswerth and later marched to Nimeguen. War
declared against France. Engaged at the sieges
of Venloo, Ruremonde and Stevenswaert. as well as the
capture of the Citadel at Liege
on 23rd October. Return to Holland later that year to winter
quarters.
- 1703. March towards Maestricht at the
end of April. Engaged at the siege
and capture of Huy and Limburg on the 28th September.
Return to Holland again for the winter.
- 1704. Moved to Germany. Engaged at the
battle of Schellenburg, the
Danube crossing and the battle
of Blenheim. The remnants of the battalion
return to Holland after Blenheim.
Francis Godfrey's Regiment of Foot
- 1705. Engaged during the assaults
on Helixum and Neer-Hespen.
- 1706. Engaged at the battle
of Ramilies and the surrender of the principle
towns of Brabant, after which they are quartered at Ghent.
- 1707. The Regiment are in the field all year but their
French opponents avoid any engagements.
- 1708. Moved to England to repel a French invasion in support
of "The Pretender", arriving at Tynemouth 21st March. The
Navy had already done the job for them so they are returned
to Flanders and march to Ghent, after which they are engaged
at the Battle
of Oudenarde and the siege
and capture of Lille and it's Citadel on the 9th December.
On arrival at Lille, Sergeant Littler swims a defended moat
armed just with just a hatchet and releases the drawbridge,
thus allowing the army to move onwards. For his gallantry
he is given the rare honour of being commissioned from the
ranks into what would become the 3rd Foot (the Buffs).
- 1709. Engaged at the siege and
capture of Tournay (which finally fell in September),
and the bloodiest battle of that century - the Battle
of Malplaquet on the 11th September. They were
later engaged at the siege and surrender
of Mons, after which they are quartered at Ghent.
- 1710. Engaged in forcing the French lines at Pont
a Vendin, the siege and surrender
of Douay (which fell on the 27th June), Bethune
(fell in August), Aire and
St. Venant. They are quartered
again at Ghent that winter.
Henry Durrell's Regiment of Foot
- 1711. Engaged in the forcing of the French lines at Arleux
on the 5th August and the siege
of Bouchain, where they garrison for the winter.
- 1712. Moved to Tournay in April and encamp at Cateau-Cambresis.
Involved in the capture of Quesnoy
(which fell on the 4th July) before the end of hostilities,
when they are moved to defend Dunkirk.
Hans Hamilton's Regiment of Foot
- 1714. Moved to Scotland in April, landing at Leith. Stationed
at Stirling from September.
Richard Irving's Regiment of Foot
- 1715-1716. Suppression of the
Scottish Rebellions.
- 1715. Garrisoned at Fort William and
did not take the field during the hostilities that autumn.
John Cholmeley's Regiment of Foot
- 1717. Served entirely on home service throughout this period,
in England, Scotland and Ireland.
The Earl of Deloraine's Regiment of Foot
- 1724. Served entirely on home service throughout this period,
in England, Scotland and Ireland.
Roger Handasyde's Regiment of Foot
- 1730. On home service until mobilised in 1740. Colonel Handasyde
commanded the regiment until his death in 1763.
- 1739-41. The War of Jenkin's
Ear against Spain.
- 1740. Initially encamped at Newbury. Spend some months
as Marines and return to Portsmouth when their task is complete.
A detachment embark on an expedition to the West Indies at
the year's end.
- 1741. Land on Jamaica in January and are later posted at
Carthagena in South America where almost the entire detachment
is annihilated by disease.
- 1742. The
War of the Austrian Succession commences but
the Regiment are held at home being rebuilt.
- 1745. Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) arrives
in Scotland and the suppression
of the Scottish rebellions starts again but the regiment
were held on the south coast to repel the threat of French
invasion.
- 1746. In March the Regiment leaves Gravesend for Edinburgh
following the Scottish victory at the Battle
of Falkirk (Falkirk Muir). They wait on ships
whilst the battle
of Culloden is fought and are sent north to
Nairn, landing on the 1st May. Garrisoned at Elgin until moved
to Fort Augustus (on the south-west bank of Loch Ness) the
following summer.
- 1747. The regiment is ranked as the 16th regiment of foot.
- 1749. The regiment is moved to Ireland and reduced to the
levels of a peacetime unit, where it remained for almost 20
years.
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The 16th Regiment of Foot
- 1751. On the 1st July the Regiment is officially named the
'16th Regiment of Foot' and standardisation of some regiments
within the army, including the 16th Foot, takes place. Their
uniform becomes almost completely scarlet with yellow facings
and two battle flags are carried; the Kings colour (the Union
Jack) and the Regimental Colour (Yellow with the Union flag
in one corner and the golden Romanised numerals for the 16th
regiment in the middle). The regimental nickname 'The
Old Sixteenth' is used, reflecting the regiments long
service.
- 1755. War restarts with France.
Several expeditions involving the 16th Foot are cancelled
and they remain in Ireland.
- 1767. Moved to Florida and enjoyed a comfortable period
of service for 13 years. HQ based at Pensacola with several
small detachments spread over the countryside.
- 1775-1782. War
of American Independence.
- 1776. Withdrawn from Florida and moved to New York briefly
but returned to Florida soon after, due to their familiarity
with the locals who called for their return!
- 1789. War with France, Spain
and Holland.
- 1779. Withdrew to Baton Rouge and a detachment (including
some 16th Foot men) are made POW's in September by the Spanish
Governor of Louisiana. Engaged with French and American forces
at Savannah and repel a siege
in Georgia in October.
- 1781. Defended Pensacola
against an overwhelming Spanish force.
The 16th (the Buckinghamshire) Regiment of Foot
- 1782. Their losses in America force their
return to England from South America, arriving in March. On
the 31st August the Regiment is authorised to use the title
'The 16th (the Buckinghamshire) Regiment of Foot' to encourage
enlistment from that region and create a county identity.
The American War finished.
It is about now that the nickname 'The
Old Bucks' is initially used, reflecting the regiment's
long service.
- 1784. Moved to Ireland as a small peacetime
regiment.
- 1790. Embarked for Nova Scotia 18th
August.
- 1791. Removed to Jamaica as a result
of the unrest caused by the French Revolution, where they
serve for 5 years.
- 1793. A detachment leaves Jamaica for
St. Domingo.
- 1794. An entire detachment are sent
to St. Domingo and perish from fever, apart from 1 Officer
and 1 Sergeant who rejoin at Jamaica.
- 1795. Engaged in the Maroon
Wars on Jamaica.
- 1796. The Maroons submit. The remnants
of the regiment lave for England at the end of the year, landing
at Greenwich the next year.
- 1797. Moved to Scotland.
- 1798. Quartered in Fifeshire and Fort
George.
- 1799 Moved back to England, arriving
at Margate, later billeting at Horsham in Sussex.
- 1800. Sailed to Cork in Ireland.
- 1803-1815. Wars
with France.
- 1804. 7th January; embarked to the West
Indies, landing at Barbados on 26th March, 573 strong. 7th
April; sail from Barbados and are engaged at the battle
of Surinam. The regiment would waste away here until
1811. 27 Officers and over 500 men died of disease with more
being invalided home with Yellow Fever.
- 1806. Attacked at Surinam, losing 75%
of the command yet winning the small scale battle.
The 16th (the Bedfordshire) Regiment of Foot
- 1809. In May the Regiment exchanges county
titles with 'The 14th (the Bedfordshire) Regiment of Foot'
and becomes known as 'The 16th (the Bedfordshire) Regiment
of Foot'. This was on request of the Colonel of the 14th (Bedfordshire)
Regiment - Colonel and Adjutant General Sir Harry Calvert
- who owned large estates in Buckinghamshire.
- 1810. Detachments start to return to
England from Barbados and Surinam, leaving in 1810 and 1811.
- 1812. The last detachment leaves the
West Indies. The very last group are ship wrecked off the
Irish Coast with the loss of a few men, 1 wife and several
children, along with all regimental documentation, equipment
and property being lost. After rebuilding with English and
Irish volunteers they march to quarters at Sunderland in July.
1813. Moved to Perth in Scotland that March and to Ireland
in July.
- War with the
United States
- 1814. Embarked from Monkstown in Ireland
in the spring for Canada as an advanced guard to the army
being sent there. Landed in Quebec on the 29th May before
moving to Chambly, later Montreal and finally to Fort Wellington.
- 1815. Rushed back to England in response
to Napoleon's revival, leaving Quebec in July and arriving
at Portsmouth in August before being moved to join Wellington's
army at Ostend. Moved into the army of occupation in Paris
and finally sent back to England. They miss the battle
of Waterloo due to their transport from Canada being
late and, once the treaty was concluded, march back to Calais
and arrive at Dover very late in December.
- 1816. Moved to Ireland. Land at Monkstown
3rd February and stationed at Fermoy, Limerick and Cashel
in turn.
- 1817. Moved to Kilkenny.
- 1819. Moved to Athlone in Ireland. Embarked
from Cork 25th August, headed for Ceylon. Having spent a month
in Cape Town they finally land at Columbo on February 20th
1820.
- 1821. In August they march to Kandy,
returning to Columbo in 1824.
- 1826. Left Columbo for Pont de Galle
in July.
- 1828. Moved to Bengal, leaving Ceylon
in 4 detachments starting November and the final group landing
at Calcutta by January 1829, where they are stationed for
several years.
- 1831. Moved to Chinsura by steam boats.
- 1833. March to Ghazepore but orders
are altered en route and the regiment moves to Cawnpore, arriving
28th February 1834.
- 1840. Moved to Dinapore, arriving January
and moving to the Presidency in November.
- 1841. Return to England after 21 years
of foreign service and are stationed at Dover on their return.
Issued with the new type "Percussion" arms in August and move
to Winchester in December.
- 1842. Left Winchester in April for Gosport,
then to Portsmouth in August. New colours are presented to
the regiment on the 22nd September.
- 1843. Moved to Manchester in May then
to Ireland in July. Stationed at Newbridge and later Burr.
- 1844. March to Naas in February and
onto Dublin where they remain between April and December,
after which they move to Cork.
- 1845. Moved to Buttevant in June and
back to Cork in October to prepare for foreign service again.
- 1846. 6 Companies (the foreign service
element of the peacetime regiment) move to Gibraltar, leaving
on 17th and 19th January and arriving 11th February. The Depot
Companies remain in Ireland.
- 1847. The 6 Companies on foreign service
are moved to Corfu, leaving 9th March and landing 27th March.
- 1848. The 4 Depot Companies leave Cork
to join the rest of the regiment who are at Guernsey. The
depot arrive on 4th May.
- 1850. Moved back to Jamaica, spending
the next 7 years there and missing the Crimean
War as a result.
- 1855. The Beds and Herts Militia battalions
are amongst the first to train at the newly acquired training
grounds at Aldershot.
- 1857. The battalion leave the West Indies
and return to England in June.
- 1858. The 2nd battalion of the 16th
Foot are raised in Ireland. All line regiments up to the 25th
are expanded to include a 2nd battalion following reforms
resulting in the glaring deficiencies shown up in the Crimean
War and the Indian Mutinies.
- 1859. The 2nd battalion is stationed
in Ireland.
- 1861. The 1st battalion sent to Montreal,
later to defend the border with America against Fenian
raiders. The 2nd are sent to Halifax in Canada on their
first foreign service and spend their time in Nova Scotia.
- 1866. The 1st battalion are involved
in several small engagements along the borders around Niagara
against the attempted invasion by
American Fenian's.
- 1866. 2nd battalion are sent to the
West Indies.
- 1869. 2nd battalion return home and
are posted to Curragh in Ireland.
- 1870. 1st battalion join the 2nd in
Curragh. The British Army is reorganised including the abolishment
of purchasing commissions and the raising of a Reserve army
amongst other things.
- 1876. The Regimental Barracks and Depot
are completed on the Kempston Road, about 1 mile west of Bedford
town centre. The building cost around £50,000 at the time
and stood on a 23 acre site, 13 of which were used for encampments,
drill and recreation grounds. The main building was formed
into three sides of a quadrangle, housing the entire stores,
powder magazines, Officers and men's quarters, including some
married person's quarters, canteens, Mess Halls and other
such areas. The 1st battalion remained stationed in Ireland
whilst the 2nd battalion were sent to Madras in India.
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The Bedfordshire Regiment
- 1881. The 2nd battalion move to Burma.
On 1 July, the Regiment is renamed 'The Bedfordshire Regiment'
as a part of the Childers reforms, although the title the
16th Foot is still used for many years afterwards, even during
the Great War. Bedford becomes the official centre for the
regiment. The Bedfordshire Light Infantry Militia and Hertfordshire
Militia form the 3rd and 4th Regimental battalions and the
Volunteer units from both counties are also folded into the
county Regiment. As a result, the 1st and 2nd battalions remain
the regular units, the 3rd and 4th battalions become the Militia
units, with the three Volunteer battalions becoming the 1st
and 2nd Hertfordshire Rifle Volunteer Corps and the 1st Bedfordshire
Rifle Volunteer Corps. In a strange twist, when Battle Honours
are introduced to the new regimental flags that year, the
regiment are the only one to have none of the recognised honours,
despite having served through many wars and for over 200 years!
A committee is formed and several of their past battles are
recognised, rectifying the embarrassing situation.
- 1885. The 2nd battalion move to Bellary,
India.
- 1887. The three Volunteer Rifle Corps
units in the regiment are renamed the 1st (Hertfordshire)
Volunteer battalion, the 2nd (Hertfordshire) Volunteer battalion
and the 3rd Volunteer battalion.
- 1889. The 2nd battalion move to Secunderabad.
- 1890. 1st battalion move to Malta between
February and December, thereafter to India, arriving on the
20th December.
- 1891. The 2nd battalion return to England,
arriving at Devonport.
- 1895. The
Chitral Expedition.
- 1895. On 3rd April, the 1st battalion
are engaged at Malakand Pass,
naming the steep hill they took that day Bedfordshire Hill.
The 1st and 2nd in command are mentioned in despatches as
a result.
- 1896. The 2nd battalion move to Litchfield.
- 1898. The 2nd battalion move to Dublin.
- 1899. The 1st battalion move to Mooltan,
India.
- 1899 to 1902, the
South African (Boer) Wars.
- 1900. The 2nd battalion land in South
Africa on 2nd January, with elements from the 4th Militia
battalion arriving on the 21st March. Many of the men from
the 2nd Volunteer battalion offered themselves for service
and a Company was formed who served between 1900 and 1902.
At home, a further Volunteer battalion is raised, becoming
the 4th (Huntingdonshire) Volunteer battalion.
- 1902. The 1st battalion moved to Jhansi.
- 1903. The 2nd battalion return to England
and are stationed at Colchester.
- 1904 sees them move to Borden Camp and
onto Tidworth in 1906.
- 1907. The 1st battalion moved to Aden
and the 2nd are sent to Gibraltar.
- 1908. The 1st battalion returned to
England, to be stationed at Aldershot. Under the Territorial
and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (a part of Haldene's reforms),
the Territorial Army is formed. The regiment's two Militia
units are renamed and reorganised into the 3rd (Reserve) and
4th (Special Reserve) battalions, the 1st and 2nd Volunteer
battalions merge to become the Hertfordshire battalion and
the 3rd and 4th Volunteer units merge into the 5th battalion
(TF).
- 1909. The Hertfordshire battalion leave
the regiment, becoming the 1st battalion, the Hertfordshire
Regiment (TF) 1910. The 2nd battalion move to Bermuda.
- 1912. Whilst the 2nd battalion were
preparing to leave Bermuda for Bloemfontein on the 16th January,
the German Cruiser 'Hansa' arrived and docked there for three
weeks. Several parties were held and friendships formed between
the Bedfordshire Officers and German Naval Officers, who only
a couple of years later, would be at war.
- 1913. The 1st battalion is moved to
Mullingar in Ireland.
- 1914 to 1918, the
First World War (The Great War).
- 1914. The 1st
battalion are in Ireland and the 2nd are stationed
at Pretoria, South Africa. Both are recalled immediately to
fight in the war against Germany and her allies. The 1st battalion
land in France with the first wave of the British Expeditionary
Force and are heavily engaged at the battles
of Mons, Le Cateau, the retreat to Paris, the Marne, the Aisne,
La Bassee and the First Battle
of Ypres. The
2nd battalion arrive in France early in October, within
the 7th Division, who were to lose 90% of their number before
Christmas stopping the Prussian Guard breaking through at
the First Battle of Ypres.
The 5th Territorial
Army battalion is held in East Anglia and, although
expecting to be deployed abroad, are held back until the following
summer. The Regiment's pre war Reservists are all committed
before Christmas and replacements start to include men who,
until August 1914, were civilians. Three 'Service' battalions
(the 6th,
7th and 8th)
are raised within Lord Kitcheners New Armies, in addition
to several additional supporting units. The 9th and 10th Service
battalions are raised to guard the British coast and provide
replacements for the battalions abroad. A second line Territorial
battalion is also raised, being the
2nd/5th battalion, to provide the 1st/5th with
reinforcements and take over duties providing home defence
once they were mobilised and sent abroad.
- 1915. The 1st battalion endure the atrocious
fighting at Hill 60 in April
and May, which saw Edward
Warner win a posthumous Victoria Cross and sees them
take on hundreds of replacement men who had enlisted from
civilian life the previous autumn. The 2nd battalion are heavily
engaged at the battle of Neuve Chapelle
in March, which saw Captain
Foss win a Victoria Cross, and the
battle of Loos in September. Both battalions are also
engaged in several more battles that spring, albeit in more
minor roles. In July the 6th and 7th battalions arrive in
France, followed by the 8th in August. Although the 6th and
7th spend their first eleven months away from any set piece
actions, the 8th find themselves thrown headlong into the
battle of Loos in September and in the week before Christmas
are subjected to a ferocious barrage and raid, losing over
200 men in the process. The Territorial soldiers in the 1st/5th
battalion land on the Gallipoli peninsular 11 August and are
heavily
engaged north of Suvla bay within days. They assault
Turkish positions, gaining their objectives despite losing
around 300 men and are reduced to around 170 men by the time
the British Army withdraws in December. Two garrison battalions
are raised and provide the garrisons in India and Burma until
disbanded in 1919.
- 1916. All battalions on the Western
Front are engaged in the battle
of the Somme, with the 7th being one of the few British
battalions to not only make it into the German trenches, but
also being able to hold their gains despite the best efforts
of the German defenders. The 4th
Special reserve battalion are mobilised and sent to
France in August and all six battalions on that front are
engaged in the ferocious battles that year, losing thousands
of men between them. In September, Lieutenant
Adlam of the 7th battalion wins a Victoria Cross whilst
leading his men against the "impregnable" Schwaben redoubt.
The 1st/5th battalion are retired to Egypt and spend the first
few months being rebuilt around Cairo, before moving east
and guarding the Suez Canal for the rest of 1916.
- 1917. Many of the Regiment's battalions
in France are engaged in following the German army back to
the Hindenburg Line and stretcher-bearer Christopher
Cox wins the 7th battalions second Victoria Cross
at Achiet le Grand in March. All six battalions on the Western
Front are heavily committed to the battle
of Arras in April and May, with the 6th coming out
of their final assault with just 58 men. The
Third Battle of Ypres and the battle
of Cambrai later that year sees all battalions engaged
again, although two of them find themselves in attacks that
are called off again and again, sparing them some of the carnage
endured by other units. The 1st battalion are rushed to northern
Italy after the disastrous fighting there almost finishes
the Italian army. The 1st/5th advance across the Sinai Peninsular
with the British and Commonwealth forces and are engaged in
all three battles of Gaza.
In July, they 'cover themselves in glory' during a raid against
positions on Umbrella
Hill, opposite Gaza and are the northern flank of
the entire assault against Gaza in November. They are also
heavily engaged in defensive battles
late in November as the Turkish army tries to force the weak
section of the Allied lines as Jerusalem falls.
- 1918. In February the 8th battalion
are disbanded as the British army reorganises and March sees
the German Spring Offensives
fall on the southern end of the British lines on the Western
Front. The 2nd, 4th and 7th battalions are all engaged from
the opening day of the battles, conduct desperate fighting
withdrawals over massive tracts of land and find themselves
a shadow of their former selves. Lieutenant-Colonel
Collings-Wells, in command of the 4th battalion, wins
a posthumous Victoria Cross in the process. The 1st and 6th
battalions are amongst the units rushed into the area but
both arrive after the fighting has fizzled out or moved into
other sectors. In May, the 6th and 7th are disbanded as the
British army shrinks further, leaving just the 1st, 2nd and
4th on the Western Front. The 1st/5th are engaged in the March
offensives in Palestine but, with many Divisions being
rushed to France after the German offensives begin, operations
in the Middle east pause despite the Turkish forces being
close to the end. A patrol almost ends in disaster in September
but Samuel
Needham saves the situation and wins a Victoria Cross
in the process. The battalion are again engaged in the battle
of Megiddo and the armistice with Turkey is signed
in October. On the Western front, in August 1918 the Allies
start their final '100 days' offensives
that would lead to the end of hostilities in Europe. All three
battalions are engaged in the ferocious fighting and by 11
November 1918, find themselves not far from where the battles
of Mons and Le Cateau were fought over four years earlier.
The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
- 1919. By the summer, all remaining battalions
have been disbanded and reformed back in England, with 51st
and 52nd (Graduated) and 53rd (Young Soldiers) battalions
being posted to the "Army of the Rhine" (the British Army
of occupation in Germany), between them forming the 2nd Eastern
Brigade. On 29 July the Bedfordshire regiment incorporates
the title Hertfordshire into its name in recognition of the
long standing connection between the two counties. It becomes
the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire regiment and is reorganised
to its peacetime complement. The 1st and 2nd battalions remain
the regiment's Regular units, with the 3rd and 4th being placed
in "suspended animation" and never reform again in the real
sense. The regiments two Transport Workers battalions were
disbanded in August and September and the regiment's three
Garrison battalions were all brought home at the end of the
year, finally being disbanded completely in January 1920.
The 2nd battalion move to India in October, being based in
Trimulgherry, Decan until moved onto Secunderabad.
- 1920. The 1st battalion is posted to
Ireland from 5 July and spent the next 18 months separated
into detachments, policing a large area around Ulster. The
Territorial Army is reconstituted and the 5th battalion reforms
to become a part time, Territorial Army unit once again.
- 1921. On 11 November, after a remarkable
effort raising the funds to do so, the regimental memorial
opposite the Keep at Kempston Barracks was unveiled.
- 1922. The 1st battalion return to Colchester,
arriving 4 February and are moved to Aldershot in 1923. The
2nd battalion in India are inspected by the Prince of Wales
26 January and move to Kamptee shortly afterwards. At the
annual camp in Cardington, the 5th Territorial battalion were
given a speech by the Chief of the Imperial General Staff,
General the Earl of Cavan. In it he made the memorable remark;
"You men of Bedford, you began the
war very little known. You ended the war the best known of
the whole of the British line. No Regiment has a finer record
than you have". In April the regimental journal "The
Wasp" made it first appearance and is still running at the
time of writing (May 2009).
- 1924. King George V reviews the 1st
battalion at Aldershot and presents them with new colours.
- 1925. The regiment is awarded no less
than seventy battle honours from the First World War. The
1st battalion leave Aldershot in November, bound for Malta.
The 2nd battalion leave India and arrive at Baghdad, Iraq
on 13 January, to assist in training the local army to take
over the policing of their country. The 5th Territorial battalion
represent the regiment in Regular Army manoeuvres.
- 1926. The 2nd battalion leave Baghdad
for Karachi (now in Pakistan) in March, moving back to England
after a brief stop. On the way back home, on 14 April, they
meet the 1st battalion who are based at Malta - a rare event
in the regiment's history. On Sunday 20 June, whilst based
at Dover, the 2nd battalion hold a commemoration service,
having completed 19 years of foreign service. On 16 November
the 2nd battalion moved temporarily to Bedford for two ceremonies
that saw them welcomed home to Bedford and, the following
day, they were presented with new colours by the Prince of
Wales at Luton.
- 1927. In February, the 1st battalion
leave Malta for Shanghai, China and form part of the International
Defence Force, who had the job of protecting the port from
the Chinese Nationalist threat during the Chinese Civil War.
- 1928. By May the 1st battalion are concentrated
at Weihai, Shandong, then move to Northern China. They move
by sea to Chinwangtao (Qinhuangdao) and finally to Kuyeh by
rail, where they were assigned the role of protecting the
mining facility there. By November the unrest has settled
down and the battalion are moved to Hong Kong.
- 1929. The 1st battalion arrive at Mhow
in central India 25 March, where they would remain for the
next four years. October saw the 2nd battalion move to Quebec
Barracks, Borden Camp, Aldershot.
- 1933. The 1st battalion move to Dehra
Run, 230 km north of Delhi, becoming the British element of
the Ghurkha Brigade.
- 1936. The 1st battalion move a further
50km north to Chakrata, India, which was a very basic a hill
station around 8,000 feet above sea level. In response to
Italy's invasion of Abyssinia, British forces are reinforced
in the Middle East. February sees the 2nd battalion leave
Colchester for Egypt. On 1 June they move to Palestine as
tensions build between Arabs and Jews in the area, arriving
at their camp just north of Jerusalem the same day. They take
part in small scale operations to quell the revolt all over
Palestine until leaving for England late November. From 7
December until the outbreak of the Second World War, they
are based at Gravesend.
- 1938. The regiment celebrates its 250th
anniversary and dozens of occasions are arranged both at home
and abroad. In September the 1st battalion are hurriedly moved
to Bombay amidst rising tensions in Europe and are embarked
with two other battalions, bound for Europe. In the event,
they are diverted and disembark at Haifa as the tensions in
Europe are resolved, but the Arab / Jewish problems in Palestine
are still very active.
- 1939 to 1945, the
Second World War.
- 1939. On 3 September, war with Germany
is declared. The 1st battalion, who had been posted to Cairo
in Egypt that July, would serve the entire war in Eastern
theatres and are moved to Palestine in November to prepare
for the coming fighting. The 2nd battalion are mobilised into
the 10th Brigade, 4th Division, moving to Aldershot 23 September,
where the Division is concentrating. They then move to France,
landing at Cherbourg 1 October, then to Carvin on the French
/ Belgian border and 10km south-west of Lille. The battalion
are posted to several positions along the Maginot Line during
the phase referred to as the Phoney
War. The 5th Territorial battalion are mobilised 25
August and C and D Companies from the Luton area are immediately
separated to form the nucleus of a new battalion, called the
6th Territorial battalion. Both would be engaged in extensive
guard duties in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and have little
time for training over the next year.
- 1940. The 2nd battalion are moved into
Belgium in response to the German invasion of Holland and
Belgium and the beginning of the Battle
of France. The battalion line the canal bank around
Escanaffles, 30km north-east of Lille, and make first contact
with reconnaissance parties of the German army 20 May. After
2 days of resisting German Blitzkreig tactics, skirmishing
and counter attacking, the Brigade flanks are overrun and
they are ordered to provide the rearguard for the withdrawal
late 22 May. They move due west until reaching positions north
of Lille and hold between 23rd and 26th May, skirmishing and
patrolling. Orders to withdraw overnight on the 27th are issued
and the battalion are heavily attacked that evening, withdrawing
through Ploegteert to the Wytschaete area once darkness falls.
On the 28th they are engaged again and orders to retire north
follow the next day, along with instructions to destroy all
arms and ammunition as they did so. Moving through the growing
chaos, they pass through Furnes and are again engaged in a
rearguard action that day, south of Oust Dunkerque. On the
31st they are again engaged as the German army presses forward,
trying to capture the remaining army being evacuated from
the beaches around Dunkirk.
At 2am on 1 June the battalion were ordered to evacuate and
moved through La Panne on the coast to the beaches, where
they endured the attentions of the Luftwaffe who bomb and
strafed the beach and all vessels evacuating troops across
the English Channel. At length, the battalion are reformed
at Yeovil, having lost just 130 men despite being heavily
engaged in several rearguard actions. By 1 July the elements
of the 2nd battalion who had made it back to England have
been reinforced back up to strength and are in defensive positions
around Bognor Regis, Sussex. In October they move to Arlseford
in Hampshire, then onto Totton in November. In May the 5th
battalion are moved to Norfolk in response to the invasion
threat and are inspected by King George VI on 23 August.
- 1941. In March the 1st battalion move
to Alexandria in Egypt, where they concentrate and moved onto
Athens, Greece. Their isolated post was to be the island of
Lemnos, where the 5th battalion spent time in 1915, but they
are evacuated before it is possible for the advancing Germans
to cut their route back to Egypt off completely. They are
returned to Alexandria, Egypt in April to provide anti air
defences and then move onto a camp near the Suez Canal in
May, where they become part of the 14th Brigade, 6th Division.
A further move to Syria in June follows, to provide internal
security as part of the Army of Occupation. In October the
Division become the 70th and move to Tobruk
on the Libyan coast, where it fights during the defence
of Tobruk. The 2nd battalion return to Arlesford in
February and take part in several big exercises over the summer.
That October saw a further move to Barton Stacey in Hampshire
and at the end of November they are posted to Fleet. The 5th
battalion spend between January and April in Galashiels, Scotland
before being moved to Uttoxeter, Staffordshire for a few weeks
in April and then onto Atherstone in Warwickshire. In September
they move again to Litchfield, Staffordshire before leaving
home shores from Liverpool on 29 October. Although initially
intended for the Middle East, Japan's entry into the war causes
a change of destination. Their route takes them via Nova Scotia,
Trinidad, Cape Town and Bombay, before spending a week at
Ahmednagar in India.
- 1942. 1st battalion move back to Egypt
in February. They leave for Malaya 1 March but are diverted
to India as both Singapore and Rangoon had fallen by then.
After a pause, they are moved inland to Ranchi, 200 miles
west of Calcutta and provide various security detachments.
In February the 2nd battalion are moved to Inveraray, Argyllshire
and spend almost a year in advanced training. The 5th battalion
leave India 19 January as the situation in the Far East deteriorates
rapidly and land at Singapore
Harbour 29 January, only to be rushed east to Changi. 2 days
later the remnants of the Allied forces that had been fighting
the Japanese were concentrated on Singapore Island, ready
for a last stand. Within 2 weeks Singapore has fallen and
the battalion spent the rest of the war in the notoriously
brutal Japanese POW camps.
- 1943. In August the 1st battalion move
to Bangalore, Southern India, becoming part of the Division's
Long Range Penetration Group, also known as Brigadier
Wingate's Chindit force, who were engaged in irregular
Special Forces operations. The 2nd battalion are moved to
Carronbridge in Dumfriesshire in February and leave for foreign
service from Glasgow in 11 March. They land at Algiers (El
Jazair), Algeria 23 March as part of V Corps in the British
First Army and are engaged in the Tunisian
Campaign from 7 April. Within a week huge gains are
made but the battalion lose around 250 men including their
C.O. Between 6 and 13 May the battalion are also engaged in
Operation Vulcan and face
the elite Hermann Goring Parachute Division in the massive
battle to capture Tunis and
eliminate the Axis army in North Africa. By the end of operations,
almost 240,000 Axis prisoners have been taken with several
thousands of them surrendering to the 2nd battalion as they
moved ever forward. Their Division is left out of the initial
Italian assaults and spends until December resting and training
in Algeria. In mid December the battalion embark from Algiers,
arriving at Port Said, Egypt on 22 December. They are moved
to the Suez Canal, being based at Kubrit (Kubrr), a few km
north of Suez (As Suways). The 1st Hertfordshires are posted
to Gibraltar in April, having served to that point entirely
on the British mainland.
- 1944. The 1st battalion leave India
in March for Burma, where they fight in the Chindits
until August. They return to Bangalore, India in August and
remain there until the end of the war. The 2nd battalion's
Division are earmarked to assault Rhodes but the operation
is cancelled and mid February sees them move to Italy, landing
at Naples (Napoli) 21 February. They are engaged in the long,
costly advance, including assaulting Monte
Cassino in May. In December they are moved to Greece
to help sweep communist guerrillas from the island. On 25
July the 1st Hertfordshires leave Gibraltar and arrived at
Naples, Italy on 29 July. They are moved into the 1st Division
and are engaged throughout the Italian campaign, losing close
to 350 men in the process.
- 1945. The 1st battalion is in India
until August remaining in Dehra Dun until the end of hostilities.
The 2nd battalion spend the final period of the war in Greece
and remain there afterwards whilst general stability returns.
The Japanese prisoners of war from the 5th battalion return
home in several detachments late that year. Although exact
numbers are unknown, around a third of those captured at Singapore
died in captivity. The 1st Hertfordshires leave Italy and
arrive at Haifa, Palestine on 31 January. In May they move
to Beirut, which was to be their final posting as the war
ends a week later. The 6th, 9th, 70th and 71st battalions,
who were all raised for the war and served exclusively in
the UK, are all disbanded as the war closes.
- 1946. On 14 February the regiment provide
the Honour Guard for Princess Elizabeth's visit to Bedford.
In April, the 1st battalion move back to Chakrata, the hill
station at the base of the Himalayas where they had been posted
before the war had started. The 1st Hertfordshires remain
on internal security detail in Palestine until disbanded and
reformed at home in October.
- 1947. The Territorial Army is reformed
on 1 January and after hostilities have ceased, the only battalions
not disbanded are the 1st, 2nd and 5th (Territorial). However,
the 2nd battalion, who are in Egypt, are placed in "suspended
animation" from May, with the personnel being transferred
to other units and the cadre returning to England in June.
The 1st battalion leave Bombay, India in November for the
last time following Indian independence and are posted to
Tripoli, Libya.
- 1948. In July the 1st battalion leave
Tripoli for Greece. After exactly 100 years of service, the
2nd battalion are absorbed by the 1st at a ceremony in Salonika
(Thessalonika), Greece that October, being only the third
time in their history that both battalions have met. This
leaves just one Regular and one Territorial unit in the regiment.
- 1950. In January the 1st battalion are
the last British unit to leave Greece and return to Bury St.
Edmunds by mid February. Blenheim
Day in June saw them visit the Depot at Kempston to
mark their return home after 25 years of foreign service.
On 11 November the regimental Second World War memorial at
Kempston is unveiled in the presence of the Queen, the Colonel
of the regiment and an assortment of other dignitaries. Soon
after, the battalion moves to Warminster.
- 1951. A draft from the regiment is sent
to the Korean War as replacements
for British losses suffered during the Chinese offensives
but the 1st battalion remain in England until posted to the
Guards Brigade in Egypt in response to the Suez
Crisis. On 29 November they arrive at Cyprus and wait
for orders.
- 1952. In July, the 1st battalion arrives
at El Balah (Ballah) in the Suez Canal zone, to guard British
military installations amidst the trouble and Egyptian transformation
to a Republic.
- 1953. On 25 October the Queen Mother
(honorary Colonel in Chief) presents the 5th Territorial battalion
with new colours.
- 1954. In December the Guards Brigade
in Egypt is broken up and the 1st battalion are shipped home,
arriving at Tidworth in Hampshire before Christmas.
- 1955. On 25 April The Queen Mother (honorary
Colonel in Chief) inspects the 1st battalion and presents
them with new colours at Tidworth.
- 1956. The 1st battalion is posted to
Goslar, West Germany, around 80km south-east of Hannover,
to guard the "Iron Curtain" for the first time, during what
would become known as The Cold War.
- 1957. Eighteen battle honours from the
Second World War are granted to the regiment.
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The 3rd East Anglian Regiment (16th/44th Foot)
- 1958. After 270 years of continuous,
loyal service to the country, on 1 June the 1st battalion,
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire regiment is merged with the
1st battalion, the Essex regiment to form the 3rd East Anglian
Regiment and are based in Dortmund, West Germany.
- 1959. The Queen Mother chooses to remain
the honorary Colonel in Chief of the new regiment and presents
their new colours. Later that year they are moved to Malaya,
serving in the 28 Commonwealth Brigade in the operations
against Communist Guerrillas.
- 1961. In May the Territorial Army is
again reduced and the 5th battalion is merged with the 1st
battalion of the Hertfordshire regiment, becoming the Bedfordshire
and Hertfordshire Regiment (TA).
- 1962. The 3rd East Anglian Regiment
is posted to help police the troubles
in Northern Ireland.
The Royal Anglian Regiment
- 1964. On 1 September the three regiments
forming the East Anglian Brigade are merged with the Royal
Leicestershire regiment into the first Large Regiment of Infantry
unit in the British army and become the Royal Anglian Regiment.
The 3rd East Anglian regiment becomes the 3rd battalion (16th/44th
Foot) of the Royal Anglian Regiment. The Territorial battalions
from all six counties within the regimental region are affiliated
to the regiment.
- 1967. The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Regiment (TA) is folded into the 5th (Volunteer) battalion,
the Royal Anglian Regiment.
- 1970. The 4th battalion is reduced to
Company strength.
- 1971. The 6th and 7th Territorial battalions
of the Royal Anglian regiment are formed.
- 1975. The 4th battalion is disbanded.
- 1992. The 3rd battalion is disbanded
on the 5th October, its personnel being folded into the 1st
battalion (the "Vikings") and the 2nd battalion (the "Poachers").
- 1996. By this time the territorial battalions
within the regiment have been reduced to just the 6th and
7th.
- 1999. The two remaining Territorial
units of the regiment are merged and renamed the East of England
regiment.
- 2006. On 1 April, the Territorial East
of England Regiment is renamed as the 3rd battalion (the "Steelbacks")
of the Royal Anglian regiment.
- 2010. At the time of writing, D Company
(Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire) of the 2nd battalion (the
"Poachers") are the direct ancestors of Douglas' Regiment
of Foot who were originally formed in 1688. Since the formation
of the Royal Anglian regiment, in addition to British and
West German postings, it has served operationally in Aden,
Cyprus, Malta, Northern Ireland, the Persian Gulf, Croatia,
Bosnia, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan. When exercises
are added to the list of countries the Regiment has been present
in, there are not many parts of the globe they have not set
foot on during the last decade. The documentary "Ross Kemp
in Afghanistan" originally shown on television in 2007 featured
the 1st battalion in Afghanistan during their tour in 2006
and a well reported "friendly fire" incident in August 2007
killed three men of the 1st battalion as well as injuring
two others. On the lighter side, the band of the Royal Anglian
Regiment played the "Blackadder Goes Forth" theme for the
comedy series. The 2nd battalion still celebrate Blenheim
Day on 13 August each year, having been the Bedfordshire regiments
annual day.
Regimental Museums and societies
Sources
This history has been built
by using several sources as a basis (listed below) and adding
details from a number of more specific sources as I have come
across them.
- The regiment's history up to 1848 was
based on a rare book called "Historical Record of the Sixteenth,
or Bedfordshire regiment of Foot; containing an account of
the formation of the regiment in 1688 and of its subsequent
services to 1848", which was compiled by Richard Canon Esq.,
of the Adjutant General's Office, Horse Guards.
- The period from 1848 to 1914 includes
elements from Sir F. Maurice's "16th Foot" published in 1931.
- From 1914 to 1958 is comprised mainly
information taken from "The History of the Bedfordshire and
Hertfordshire Regiment, volume II" compiled by a regimental
history committee in 1986, which also provides additional
information from the earlier periods (taken from volumes I
and II).
- All era's are bolstered up with details
collected from various historical sources such as documents
held by the National Archives and the Bedford County Records
Office, and including other more general items such as the
"Dictionary of National Biography", "United Service Magazine",
"The Annual Register", The Times newspaper, London Gazettes
and many other more focused or specialised sources.
Below are links to other pages of information
from before and after the Great War:
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