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65th (2nd Yorkshire, North Riding) Regiment of Foot
Encyclopedia
The 65th Regiment of Foot was a British Army
infantry
regiment
formed in 1758 from the redesignation of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Regiment of Foot. In 1881 it would become the 1st Battalion
, York and Lancaster Regiment
when amalgamated with the 84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot
.
islands of Guadeloupe (1759) and Martinique
(1762). They were also involved in the expedition to capture Havana, Cuba
in 1762. In 1764 the 65th Foot returned to England
, where the regiment refilled its ranks.
In 1768 the 65th Foot was shipped to Boston
, Massachusetts
as part of the garrison. A few years later in 1775 the American War of Independence began. The regiment's first action in the war was at the Battle of Bunker Hill
in 1775 where their Grenadier
and Light
Companies were involved in the attack.
In 1776 the remnants of the 65th Foot were drafted into other regiments and the officers sent home to reform. In 1782 they received the title 2nd Yorkshire, North Riding Regiment.
In 1789 war had broken out with France again and Spain
and the 65th were sent in 1782 to the fortress at Gibraltar
which had fallen to British forces. After this regiment was sent to Canada
in 1784 and Nova Scotia
in 1791. In 1794 the 65th Foot were shipped back to the West Indies to take part in the attack on Santo Domingo
in Haiti
and a second attack on Martinique and then St Lucia.
in 1800 and on to Ceylon where they were involved in the Kandian War
and the Mahratta War
both in 1803. The Napoleonic War was still going strong and the regiment was dispatched to the island of Mauritius
in 1810 where they took part in the capture of the island. After this they were shipped back to India where they remained until 1821. During this time they were briefly involved in the campaign against the Oman
Coast Pirates in the Persian Gulf
as well as numerous uprisings and small wars in India.
.
They went back to Britain in 1841 but were on the move again in 1845 when they were shipped to Australia
and in 1846 to New Zealand
where they took part in the New Zealand land wars
. This is where they got the nickname Hickety Pip, from the Māori
pronunciation of their number. The 65th's first action took place at Horokiri, north of Wellington, in August, 1846, they then fought in Wanganui
in 1847. Their next engagements were in the Taranaki War
s of 1860 to 1861 and in the Waikato campaign of 1863 to 1865, where Colour-sergeant Edward McKenna
and Lance Corporal
John Ryan
won the Victoria Cross
at Camerontown. The regiment returned to England from Onehunga
in June 1865.
By 1871 they were back in India where they were based when the Childer's Reform of the British Army occurred. The 65th Foot became the 1st Battalion
, York and Lancaster Regiment
while the 84th Foot became the 2nd Battalion
.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
formed in 1758 from the redesignation of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Regiment of Foot. In 1881 it would become the 1st Battalion
1st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
The 1st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment was formed in 1881 from the 65th Regiment of Foot .- Early history :After amalgamation in the army reform of 1881 the new 1st Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment were based in Bengal, India. In 1882 they were shipped to Aden while the 2nd...
, York and Lancaster Regiment
York and Lancaster Regiment
-History:It was formed in 1881 through the amalgamation of two other regiments:*65th Regiment*84th RegimentThe title of the regiment was derived not from the cities of York and Lancaster, or from the counties...
when amalgamated with the 84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot
84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot
The 84th Regiment of Foot was a regiment in the British Army. In 1881 it was amalgamated with the 65th Regiment of Foot to create the York and Lancaster Regiment, with the 84th becoming the 2nd Battalion....
.
Seven Years' War
After the regiment was formed in 1758 it was sent to the fever ridden West Indies to aid in the capturing of the FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
islands of Guadeloupe (1759) and Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
(1762). They were also involved in the expedition to capture Havana, Cuba
British expedition against Cuba
The Battle of Havana was a military action from March to August 1762, as part of the Seven Years' War. British forces besieged and captured the city of Havana, which at the time was an important Spanish naval base in the Caribbean, and dealt a serious blow to the Spanish navy...
in 1762. In 1764 the 65th Foot returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where the regiment refilled its ranks.
American Revolution
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
as part of the garrison. A few years later in 1775 the American War of Independence began. The regiment's first action in the war was at the Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
in 1775 where their Grenadier
Grenadier (soldier)
A grenadier was originally a specialized soldier, first established as a distinct role in the mid-to-late 17th century, for the throwing of grenades and sometimes assault operations. At this time grenadiers were chosen from the strongest and largest soldiers...
and Light
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
Companies were involved in the attack.
In 1776 the remnants of the 65th Foot were drafted into other regiments and the officers sent home to reform. In 1782 they received the title 2nd Yorkshire, North Riding Regiment.
In 1789 war had broken out with France again and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and the 65th were sent in 1782 to the fortress at Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
which had fallen to British forces. After this regiment was sent to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1784 and Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
in 1791. In 1794 the 65th Foot were shipped back to the West Indies to take part in the attack on Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
and a second attack on Martinique and then St Lucia.
India and Mauritius
The 65th Foot were shipped to South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1800 and on to Ceylon where they were involved in the Kandian War
Kandian Wars
The Kandyan Wars refers generally to the period of warfare between the British colonial forces and the Kingdom of Kandy, on the island of what is now present day Sri Lanka, between 1796 and 1818...
and the Mahratta War
Second Anglo-Maratha War
The Second Anglo-Maratha War was the second conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India.-Background:...
both in 1803. The Napoleonic War was still going strong and the regiment was dispatched to the island of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
in 1810 where they took part in the capture of the island. After this they were shipped back to India where they remained until 1821. During this time they were briefly involved in the campaign against the Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
Coast Pirates in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
as well as numerous uprisings and small wars in India.
New Zealand
After a short period in England the regiment was back in Canada by 1837 in time for the rebellions of 1837 and 1838Rebellions of 1837
The Rebellions of 1837 were a pair of Canadian armed uprisings that occurred in 1837 and 1838 in response to frustrations in political reform. A key shared goal was the allowance of responsible government, which was eventually achieved in the incident's aftermath.-Rebellions:The rebellions started...
.
They went back to Britain in 1841 but were on the move again in 1845 when they were shipped to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and in 1846 to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
where they took part in the New Zealand land wars
New Zealand land wars
The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872...
. This is where they got the nickname Hickety Pip, from the Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
pronunciation of their number. The 65th's first action took place at Horokiri, north of Wellington, in August, 1846, they then fought in Wanganui
Wanganui Campaign
The Wanganui Campaign was centered on the settlement that eventually became the city of Wanganui, New Zealand, which was established in 1841. By 1846 it had some two hundred European settlers. Following the conflict in the north, known as the Flagstaff War and the recent and nearby Hutt Valley...
in 1847. Their next engagements were in the Taranaki War
First Taranaki War
The First Taranaki War was an armed conflict over land ownership and sovereignty that took place between Māori and the New Zealand Government in the Taranaki district of New Zealand's North Island from March 1860 to March 1861....
s of 1860 to 1861 and in the Waikato campaign of 1863 to 1865, where Colour-sergeant Edward McKenna
Edward McKenna
Ensign Edward McKenna VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
and Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
John Ryan
John Ryan (VC 1863)
John Ryan VC was born in Borrisoleigh, County Tipperary and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:Ryan was about 24 years old, and a Lance Corporal...
won the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
at Camerontown. The regiment returned to England from Onehunga
Onehunga
Onehunga is a suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand and the location of the Port of Onehunga, the city's small port on the Manukau Harbour. It is eight kilometres south of the city centre, close to the volcanic cone of One Tree Hill, Maungakiekie....
in June 1865.
By 1871 they were back in India where they were based when the Childer's Reform of the British Army occurred. The 65th Foot became the 1st Battalion
1st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
The 1st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment was formed in 1881 from the 65th Regiment of Foot .- Early history :After amalgamation in the army reform of 1881 the new 1st Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment were based in Bengal, India. In 1882 they were shipped to Aden while the 2nd...
, York and Lancaster Regiment
York and Lancaster Regiment
-History:It was formed in 1881 through the amalgamation of two other regiments:*65th Regiment*84th RegimentThe title of the regiment was derived not from the cities of York and Lancaster, or from the counties...
while the 84th Foot became the 2nd Battalion
2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
The 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment was formed by the redesignation of the 84th Regiment of Foot in 1881.-History:...
.
Colonels
- 1814–1851: Thomas Grosvenor
- 1851–1855: Samuel Benjamin AuchmutySamuel Benjamin AuchmutySir Samuel Benjamin Auchmuty GCB was an Anglo-Irish soldier.He was the second son of Samuel Auchmuty and his wife Elizabeth, only daughter of Francis Savage. Auchmuty entered the British Army as ensign in 1797 and served first in the French Revolutionary Wars and subsequently in the Napoleonic Wars...
- 1855–?: Henry Balneavis