The Duke of Wellington's Regiment
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Template:The Duke of Wellington's Regiment
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (officially, the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)) is a regiment in the British Army which was formed by the amalgamation in 1881 of the 33rd (formed in 1702) and the 76th Regiments of Foot (formed in 1787). The title 'The Duke of Wellington's Regiment' had been granted to the former 33rd Regiment by Queen Victoria on 18 June 1853, following the death of the Duke of Wellington the previous September.
Battalions from the Regiment have served in most land conflicts involving British forces since its formation. The regiment was engaged in the Boer War; in many of the greatest battles of World War I (the Battle of Mons, the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Passchendaele, and the Battle of Cambrai); as part of the British Expeditionary Force in France at the beginning of World War II, forming part of the rearguard at Dunkirk, in North Africa, Italy, and France after D-Day, and in Burma; in the Korean War, particularly at the Battle for the Hook; in police actions in Cyprus, Kenya and Hong Kong; and, more recently, in Northern Ireland, Bosnia Kosovo and the 2003 Iraq War.
Nine soldiers from the regiment have been awarded the Victoria Cross, and Corporal Wayne Mills of the 1st Battalion became the first recipient of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross in 1994.
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Formation and name
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 33rd and 76th Regiments of Foot.
The 33rd Regiment was originally formed in 1702 as Huntingdon's Regiment of Foot, and served in the American Revolution, in India under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel (later full Colonel) Arthur Wellesley, at the Battle of Waterloo, in the Crimean War and in Abyssinia. Owing to its links with Wellington, the title 'The Duke of Wellington's Regiment' was granted to the 33rd Regiment on 18 June 1853, on the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo in the year following Wellington's death. Subsequently, the regiment was presented with a new stand of Regulation Colours on the 28 February 1854, emblazoned with its new distinctions of the name of the Duke of Wellington, his crest and motto, by the Colonel of the Regiment, Lieutenant General Sir Henry D'Oyley. The regiment departed for the Crimea the following day.
The 76th Regiment was raised for service in India by the East India Company in 1787, serving in India until 1806, and then in the Peninsula War in 1809 and again in 1813, and in the British-American War in 1813, before undertaking garrison duties in Canada, the West Indies, Bermuda, Malta, Corfu, India and Burma.
In 1881, Viscount Cardwell undertook wide-ranging reforms of the British armed forces, including the end of flogging in both the Royal Navy and the Army. As part of the reforms, the 33rd and 76th Regiments of Foot were linked under the territorial system as the 1st and 2nd Battalions, The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
Duties of Empire (1881–1914)
1st Battalion
The 1st Battalion (formerly the 33rd Regiment) returned to England in 1889 after a number of years stationed in India. In 1895, the Battalion deployed to Malta in the Mediterranean and returned home again in 1898.
The 1st Battalion began the first year of the 20th century at war when it arrived in South Africa in 1900 as reinforcements for British forces fighting Boers in the Boer War. The Battalion took part in the Relief of Kimberley in February 1901 and which had been under siege by the Boers since October 1899. The Battalion also took part in the siege of Paardeberg which was eventually captured by the British after the Boers surrendered on 27 February 1901. The Battalion saw action at the British victory at Driefontein on 10 March 1901.
On 29 November 1901, Lieutenant-Colonel George Evan Lloyd, the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, was killed in action at Rhenoster Kop. The 1st Battalion saw numerous small-scale actions against the elusive Boer commandos for the duration of the war, returning home in 1902. The regiment gained the Battle Honour "Relief of Kimberley" and the Theatre Honour "South Africa 1900-02".
The 1st Battalion's stay in England was relatively brief: it departed for India in 1905 where it would remain until 1921.
2nd Battalion
Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion (formerly the 76th Regiment) had deployed to Bermuda in 1896 for garrison duty, where they remained until 1888 when it arrived in Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1891 they moved to the West Indies and in 1893 moved to South Africa leaving just before the start of the Boer War, for service in Burma. The Battalion was stationed in Ireland when the First World War began in 1914.
World War I (1914–1918)
The Regiment raised twenty four battalions during the First World War. The various battalions of the 'Dukes' (Regular, Territorial Force and Service) took part in several of the greatest battles of World War I: the Battle of Mons, the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Passchendaele, and the Battle of Cambrai.
In all, during the course of World War I, the Regiment suffered many casualties and over 8,000 dead, having fought in nearly every theatre of the war. The Regiment's service was recognised by the award of 72 Battle Honours, 10 of which are emblazoned on the King's Colour.
2nd Battalion
The 1st Battalion (Regular) remained in India throught the war, but the 2nd Battalion (Regular) first saw action at the Battle of Mons. It then fought a rearguard action at the Le Cateau, a vital action during the retreat from Mons. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the British forces inflicted severe casualties on the Germans. The British soldier's ability to fire the Lee-Enfield rifle with deadly accuracy and speed was certainly a deciding factor in the engagement. Although it was a victory for the Germans, at least tactically, the brave actions of the British soldiers that fought the rearguard effectively saved the war for the Allies.
The 2nd Battalion also fought at the Battle of the Marne, the Battle of the Aisne, the Battle of La Bassée and the brutal first Battle of Ypres. First Ypres began as an offensive battle, with the attacking and exposed British infantry taking heavy casualties from German machine guns. The battle soon bogged down into trench warfare. The BEF suffered some 54,100 casualties, astonishing figures that would be eclipsed within two years.
The 2nd Battalion was also at the Battle of Hill 60. The British placed six mines under Hill 60. Most of the hill was blown away when the mines were detonated, causing many casualties to the German forces defending it. The British then launched a massive bombardment, followed by an assault that led to vicious hand-to-hand fighting. About 150 Germans were killed in the action and the British lost seven. That night the Germans counter-attacked, inflicting numerous casualties on the British defenders, and retook the hill. The 'Dukes', along with the 2nd Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry assaulted the hill, recapturing it after some fighting. They were subsequently relieved by four regiments, with one in reserve. The Germans counter-attacked two days later, but were repelled by those regiments, in which an officer from the 1st Surreys won a VC for his actions during the defence of the hill.
Other battalions
If Ypres ripped the heart out of the old Regular army, then the Somme certainly ripped the heart out of Kitchener's New Army. The Battle of Cambrai saw the first large scale use of tanks, but the Germans regained nearly all the territory that they had lost within a week.
Inter-War (1919–1938)
In 1919, the 1st Battalion took part in the Third Afghan War and eventually returned home in 1921 where it arrived in Ireland during tumultuous times there. It was stationed in Germany as part of the Army of Occupation in 1922. It was posted to Malta in 1935, the last overseas deployment for the battalion in the inter-war period. The Battalion returned to the UK in 1937.
The 2nd Battalion was posted to Ireland in 1919 before it deployed to Egypt in 1922. It was based in Singapore in 1926, and returned to India in 1928.
Meanwhile, the Regiment's title had altered slightly in 1921 to its present-name of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding).
World War II (1939–1945)
1st Battalion
In World War II, the 1st Battalion was immediately sent to France as part of the 3rd Infantry Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division of 1st Corps of the BEF. During the retreat to Dunkirk, the 'Dukes' forming part of the rearguard.
The 'Dukes' next fought in North Africa, fighting with distinction in a number of actions and gaining several Battle Honours. They fought at the Battle of Medjez Plain, as well as the Battle of Djebel bou Aoukaz, taking the town on 27 April 1943. The town however, was re-taken by German forces on the 30 April, after heavy fighting. On the 5 May, the British forces re-took the town from the Germans.
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The 'Dukes' also fought in Italy, taking part in the Anzio Campaign in early 1944 in an attempt to outflank the Gustav Line and force a German retreat from Monte Cassino. The Regiment was involved at the Battle of Campoleone, when two veteran German divisions (one armoured, the other a parachute division) attacked. The British forces defended stoutly, suffering 1,000 casualties in the first day alone. They only withdrew after further heavy fighting took place. The 'Dukes' fought with distinction at the Battle of Monte Ceco in October 1944 where Private Richard Henry Burton, of the 1st Battalion, was awarded a VC for his courageous action in the battle. The regiment also won a Battle Honour for the engagement.
The 'Dukes' returned to France in 1944, with the 1/6th and 1/7th Battalions landing just after D-Day during the Normandy Landings. They fought at Tilly-sur-Seulles, where during the course of the battle from the 14 June to the 19 June, the town changed hands between the British and the Germans more than twenty times. All this fighting reduced the town to a heap of rubble. The Dukes moved on and soon met the Germans at Fontenay le Pesnil. Heavy fighting ensued, with a number of German units from the elite 12th SS Panzer Division putting up stiff resistance.
2nd Battalion
In the Far East, the 2nd Battalion took part in the rearguard action at the Battle of Sittang Bridge in February 1942 and in the Battle of Paungde in March that year. The plan was to advance and occupy Paungde. The strike force advanced on the 29 March, but had to fight Japanese forces just north-east of their objective in the area of Padigon. The force made some progress in the Paungde area before meeting stiff resistance. Due to their orders not to be cut off, the 2nd 'Dukes' and the 7th Hussars withdrew. A Japanese regiment had crossed the west bank of the Irawaddy River, digging in at Shwedaung, just behind the British strike force. An engagement ensued, with the Indian 17th Infantry Division attacking, the Japanese held the town. The British force suffered heavy casualties in fighting their way through Shwedaung to rejoin the 17th Indian Division.
They were trained as Chindits but, as part of the 23rd Brigade, did not join in Wingate's second expedition in March 1944 sent by General Slim to operate behind Japanese lines, who were at that time attacking India. They were, however, later formed into two columns, the 33rd and 76th to operate behind the Japanese lines during the fierce battles for Imphal and Kohima.
Korean War (1952–1956)
The 1st Battalion was deployed to Korea in 1952, two years after the Korean War had broken out. They were part of the 1st Commonwealth Division.
The Hook
In 1953, the 1st Battalion relieved the Black Watch, who had been defending a position known as The Hook, a crescent shaped ridge, which was of tactical importance in the Commonwealth sector. From the 10 May to 28 May, the 1st Battalion suffered some fifty eight casualties from artillery and mortar fire.
The third Battle for the Hook began on 28 May. An initial bombardment of the British positions took place, with the Chinese forces charging the forward British positions once the bombardment ceased. The fighting that ensued was bloody and more akin to the battles that the 'Dukes' had fought in the World War I. Shells were now raining down on the Hook from artillery and mortars, from both the Chinese and UN forces. The Chinese launched a second attack but were cut down by heavy fire from the Commonwealth forces. Further attacks occurred on 28 May, but all were defeated in heavy fighting.
Just 30 minutes into 29 May, the Chinese forces launched another attack but, as before, they were were beaten back. The 'Dukes' then began advancing up the line of the original trenches to dislodge the remaining Chinese forces in the forward trenches. The 'Dukes' secured the Hook at 3:30am. The battle cost the Dukes 28 dead and 121 wounded. The Chinese had about 250 killed, with over 800 being wounded. For their action, the Regiment was awarded the Battle Honour 'The Hook 1953'. Later, the 1st Battalion's Headquarter Company was renamed 'Hook Company'
The 'Dukes' embarked for Gibraltar on 13 November 1953, where they arrived on 10 December. In May 1954, during a visit to Gibraltar by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, the Commanding Officer of 'The Dukes' (Lieutenant Colonel FR St P Bunbury) and a further 10 officers and other ranks received decorations for their actions in Korea. The 'Dukes' were the last of the British infantry regiments to leave Korea.
General Franco of Spain objected to the Queen visiting Gibraltar and promptly closed the Spanish/Gibraltar border, thus confining the 'Dukes' to Gibraltar until September 1955 when they left to return to the UK. The border did not reopen until 1985, when the 'Dukes' were again stationed in Gibraltar.
Post-Korean War (1956–2005)
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Garrison duties
After the bloody encounters in the Korean War, the 'Dukes' were occupied by a series of garrison duties. The 'Dukes' were first deployed to Gibraltar, then to Cyprus in 1956, where they participated in anti-terrorist operations against EOKA. The following year, the 'Dukes' deployed to Northern Ireland. They moved back to the mainland in 1959, joining the new UK Strategic Reserve, as part of 19 Infantry Brigade.
In 1960, the 'Dukes' deployed to Kenya at the request of the Governor. In 1968, the 'Dukes' deployed to Hong Kong for internal security duties, just a year after the riots there, when young followers of Chairman Mao besieged Government House. Thousands of bombs were planted during the riots, which killed fifteen people in that terror campaign.
The 'Dukes' returned to the UK in 1970. Then deployed to Northern Ireland a number of times during the bloodiest years of 'The Troubles'. Their first deployment was in 1971, during one of the bloodiest times in the Province in which 43 British soldiers were killed. Many civilians and terrorists also died in that year. They also had further tours in 1973, 1976, 1977 and 1979. The 'Dukes' lost one officer and four soldiers during these deployments.
In 1985, the 'Dukes' deployed to Belize for a six-month tour of duty there.
Bosnia (1994–1995)
In March 1994, the 'Dukes' deployed to Bosnia, with an area of responsibility covering Bugojno, Vitez, Travnik and the besieged enclave of Gorazde. The latter was under siege for much of the war. It was declared a UN Safe Zone in that year. The 'Dukes' were one of the first units to enter the town. The Regiment pushed the Bosnian-Serb Army from their positions around the town to a distance of over one mile. Their objective in doing this was to create a safe zone for the town. While at Gorazde, Private Shaun Taylor of C Company was killed during an engagement with Bosnian-Serb forces while manning an observation post. The engagement lasted fifteen minutes, with over 2,000 rounds of ammunition being expended by the 'Dukes'. Seven of the Bosnian-Serb soldiers were killed in the fire-fight. Gorazde remained a safe zone, being held by British troops from 1994-95. It was the only safe zone to survive the war and avoided the tragedies that occurred in other UN safe zones such as Srebrenica and Zepa.
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Corporal Wayne Mills of the 1st Battalion became the first recipient of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, second only to the Victoria Cross. On 29 April 1994, a patrol led by Corporal Mills came under heavy small-arms fire from a group of Bosnian-Serbs. The patrol returned fire, killing two of the attackers. The patrol then withdrew, but the attackers persisted in firing on the patrol. The patrol soon reached an open clearing, where it was obvious they would be highly vulnerable to fire from the attackers. Corporal Mills then performed an astonishing feat of bravery. He turned back and engaged the group in a fire-fight, delaying the attackers long enough to allow the rest of his patrol to cross the clearing. While doing this brave act, Corporal Mills shot the leader of the group, with the rest scattering into the woods. Due to that action he returned to his patrol safely.
Lieutenant-Colonel David Santa-Olalla received the Distinguished Service Order for his inspirational leadership and courage during the 'Dukes' deployment to Bosnia. He personally arranged for the mutual withdrawal of Serbian and Muslim forces from the besieged town of Gorazde, just as the Geneva talks were being held on the town. He was a truly competent leader during the Bosnia deployment, being first on the scene whenever an incident occurred.
1995–2003
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In March 1995, the 'Dukes' were again posted to Northern Ireland for a two year tour of duty. In March 1997, a composite company from the 1st Battalion was deployed to the Falkland Islands. In 1998, C Company deployed for a tour of duty in South Amargh.
In February 2001, a company from the 'Dukes' deployed to Kosovo, with the objective of preventing arms and munitions being transported from Albania into Kosovo, then onto FYMOV 'Former Yugolav Republic Of Macedonia', now known as the Republic of Macedonia. The deployment ended in July that year.
Iraq (2003–2005)
In 2003, the 'Dukes' were part of Operation Telic, the invasion of Iraq, as part of 1 (United Kingdom) Armoured Division. Also that year, in Osnabruck, Germany, where the 'Dukes' are based, the Regiment celebrated its 300th year in existence. Over 2000 past and present members converged at Osnabruck in Germany to take part in the celebrations. The 'Dukes' were presented with new Colours by HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented by The Colonel of The Regiment Major-General Sir Evelyn John Webb-Carter KCB, due to the ill health of the Queen's representative, the Duke of Wellington.
The 'Dukes' returned, as part of 4 (Armoured) Brigade, to the South-East of Iraq, in October 2004, to join the British-led Multi-National Division (South East), as a fully equipped armoured infantry battalion with Warrior Armoured Personnel Carriers.
The future
In December 2004, as part of the re-organisation of the infantry, it was announced that the Duke of Wellington's Regiment would be amalgamated with the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire and the Green Howards', all Yorkshire based regiments in the Kings Division to form the Yorkshire Regiment though this has yet to be ratified by each regiments 'Board of Colonels', any of which could opt to disband prior to amalgamation. The Colonels have also yet to decide on a suitably distinctive insignia and Cap Badge for the new 'Super Regiment'. The amalgamation of the regiments will not take place before July 2006 and may even even take until 2008 before it is finally ratified.
Battle honours
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- Dettingen, Hindoostan, Mysore, Seringapatam, Ally Ghur, Delhi 1803, Leswaree, Deig, Corunna, Nive, Peninsula, Waterloo, Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol, Abyssinia, Relief of Kimberley, South Africa 1900-02
- First World War:
- Mons, Le Cateau, Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914 and 1918, Aisne 1914, La Bassée 1914, Ypres 1914, 1915 and 1917, Nonne Bosschen, Hill 60, Gravenstafel, St. Julien, Aubers, Somme 1916 and 1918, Albert 1916 and 1918, Bazentin, Delville Wood, Pozières, Flers-Courcelette, Morval, Thiepval, Le Transloy, Ancre Heights, Arras 1917 and 1918, Scarpe 1917 and 1918, Arleux, Bullecort, Messines 1917 and 1918, Langemarck 1917, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Cambrai 1917 and 1918, St Quentin, Ancre 1918, Lys, Estaires, Hazebrouck, Bailleul, Kemmel, Bethune, Scherpenberg, Tardenois, Amiens, Bapaume 1918, Drocourt-Quéant, Hindenburg Line, Havrincourt, Épéhy, Canal du Nord, Selle, Valenciennes, Sambre, France and Flanders 1914-18, Piave, Vittorio Veneto, Italy 1917-18, Suvla, Landing at Suvla, Scimitar Hill, Gallipoli 1915, Egypt 1916
- Second World War:
- Dunkirk 1940, St. Valery-en-Caux, Tilly sur Seulles, Odon, Fontenay Le Pesnil, North-West Europe 1940 and 1944-45, Banana Ridge, Medjez Plain, Gueriat el Atach Ridge, Tunis, Djebel Bou Aoukaz 1943, North Africa 1943, Anzio, Campoleone, Rome, Monte Ceco, Italy 1943-45, Sittang 1942, Paungde, Kohima, Chindits 1944, Burma 1942-44
Other information
- Regimental Headquarters: Wellesley Park, Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK, HX2 0BA
- E-Mail: rhq@dukesrhq.demon.co.uk
- The 'Dukes' have a proud rugby tradition. They have produced in their history three players for the British and Irish Lions squad, seven English internationals, three Scottish internationals and one Irish international. The 'Dukes' themselves have a fearsome reputation on the rugby field, winning the Army Cup no less than fourteen times, and as runners-up eight times.
Regimental colours
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The Regimental Colours
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment is the only British regiment to carry four colours on parade. The first pair of colours are the standard set of Regulation Colours, which all Regiments are presented with. The second pair is a set of Honorary Colours, which were originally presented to the 76th Regiment of Foot in 1808 for their actions at Allyghur and Dehli in 1803. The Honorary Colours are approximately four times the physical size of the Regulation Colours.
Victoria Cross recipients
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- Drummer Michael Magner
- Private James Bergin
- Sergeant James Firth
- Second Lieutenant James Palmer Huffam
- Second Lieutenant Henry Kelly
- Private Arnold Loosemore
- Private Arthur Poulter
- Private Richard Henry Burton
- Private Henry Tandey
- Private Henry Tandey was awarded his VC during his service with 'The Dukes' and donated his medals to the Regimental Museum in Halifax, West Yorkshire. On Special Occasions and parades he would sign them out to wear. Regretfully, the last time he signed them out he passed away. Unknowingly, the medals were sold and a private collector subsequently presented the medals to the Regimental Museum of The Green Howards, a regiment in which he had earlier served.
- Acting-Sergeant Hanson Victor Turner
- Although Hanson Victor Turner was 'originally' a 'Duke', he was serving with The West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own) when he was awarded his VC. When his medal was put up for sale it was purchased by the Halifax Town Council, as he was a Halifax resident. It is displayed in the Duke of Wellington's Museum for ease of access.
See Also
External links
- Regimental website (http://www.army.mod.uk/dukes/index.htm)