Wiltshire Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Wiltshire Regiment was an infantry
regiment
of the line in the British Army
, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot
and the 99th Duke of Edinburgh's (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot.
The regiment was originally formed as The Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment), taking the county affiliation from the 62nd Foot (which became the 1st Battalion) and the honorific from the 99th Foot (which became the 2nd Battalion). In 1921 the titles switched to become The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's)
After service in the First and Second World Wars, it was amalgamated into The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire)
in 1959. Following further mergers, the regiment's lineage is today continued by The Rifles
. The regiment's depot was at Devizes
.
. In 1758, the battalion was redesignated as the 62nd Regiment of Foot. Although a regiment of the line, many of its companies were initially deployed as marines, serving with Admiral Boscawen's fleet during the Siege of Louisbourg
in 1758. The balance of the regiment remained in Ireland where they defended Castle Carrickfergus
from a French invasion force in 1758.
After its initial baptism, the regiment would go on to see active service in the American Revolutionary War
. Being used as light infantry, the regiment took part in General John Burgoyne
's doomed campaign
, culminating in the Battles of Saratoga. Twelve years after the end of the American Revolution, the regiment would fight against revolutionary and imperial France. Taking part in campaigns in West Indies, Sicily, and the Peninsula where they won the battle honours "Nive" and "Peninsula".
Following the conclusion of the Napoleonic wars, the 62nd rotated through the expanding British Empire. They would serve as parts of garrisons in Canada and Ireland before being dispatched to India. While in India, the 62nd became part of General Sir Gough
's army during the First Sikh War
. During the war, although it lost its colours twice to various mishaps, the regiment would earn its proudest honour at the Battle of Ferozeshah
. In tribute to the service of its sergeants, who commanded the regiment when virtually all the officers were killed or incapacitated, the regiment would celebrate every 21 December as Ferozeshah Day.
Eventually, the regiment rotated back to the Home Islands in time to be available for the Crimean War
. From 1854 to 1856, the regiment served in the Crimea, mainly as part of the forces besieging the port of Sevastopol. The 62nd took part in the failed attack on the Great Redan Bastion, suffering heavy casualties.
With the end of the Crimean War, the 62nd returned to its task of policing the British Empire. During its last quarter century as an independent regiment, the 62nd would serve in Canada, Ireland, India, as part of Aden garrison. As part of Cardwell reforms
in 18711, the 62nd was linked with 99th Regiment of Foot. With Childers reforms
, the two regiments were amalgamated into a single regiment, the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment, in 1881.
and the 99th Foot which was re-designated as the 100th Regiment of Foot
. In 1832, the new 99th Regiment received its county title, becoming the 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot.
During its early years, the 99th spent much of its time in the Pacific. The first detachments of the 99th Regiment arrived in Australia with transported convicts
aboard the transport ship North Briton, destined for Tasmania, in 1842. The rest of the 99th arrived on with successive shipments of convicts. The 99th rotated through various colonial posts during much of 1842 until being ordered to Sydney, Australia. However, the 99th soon earned an unsavory reputation, alienating the locals to such an extent that an additional regiment had to be assigned to Sydney. The 11th Regiment of Foots's principal job was keeping the men of the 99th under control.
The 99th remained in Tasmania for three years before being dispatched to New Zealand to take part in the New Zealand land wars
. Detachments of the 99th took part in the Hutt Valley Campaign
, seeing action at the Battle of Battle Hill
. three government soldiers and at least nine Ngāti Toa were killed. Following the capture of Te Rauparaha
in 1846, the Regiment would depart New Zealand and return to Australia, although detachments would be sent as needed to reinforce the British forces in New Zealand for the next few years to keep the peace. For its service in the First Maori War
, the regiment earned its first battle honour: New Zealand.
In 1856, the regiment rotated back to the British Isles. The 99th spent its next two years at various garrisons in Ireland, until in 1858, it was ordered to join the Aldershot garrison. While at Aldershot, the regiment earned its reputation as an extraordinarily well drilled and well turned out regiment.
Following its tour of duty at Aldershot, the regiment rotated to India in 1859. After serving at various Indian stations, the 99th was called to active service to form part of General Sir Hope Grant's force during the Second Opium War. Assigned to the 2nd Division, commanded by Major-General Sir Robert Napier, the 99th took part in the Third Battle of Taku Forts
and the Battle of Palikao
. The regiment also participated in the Sack of Peking, where among the loot carried off, the regiment took a Pekinese dog which belonged to the Chinese Empress. The dog, named Lootie, was taken back to England where it was presented to Queen Victoria. For its service in China, the regiment earned the battle honour: Pekin 1860. Rather than return the 99th to India, the regiment was ordered to join the Hong Kong garrison, securing the new Kowloon territory acquired by the Convention of Peking
. The regiment would remain in Hong Kong until 1865.
From 1865 until 1868, the 99th served in South Africa. While in South Africa, Prince Alfred
, the Duke of Edinburgh, inspected the regiment as part of a tour of the colony. The regiment impressed him so much that he took a continued interest in the regiment for the rest of his life. This culminated in permission being granted to re-title the regiment. In 1874, the 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot became the 99th (Duke of Edinburgh’s) Regiment. After returning to England in 1868, the regiment returned to South Africa in 1878 in time to take part in the Anglo-Zulu War
.
Assigned to Lord Chelmsford's
column, they marched to the relief of British forces under Colonel Charles Pearson
besieged by the Zulu impis. At the Battle of Gingindlovu
, the 99th helped defeat a Zulu impi
s which tried to overrun the British while laagered. Although it would not participate in the final battle at Ulundi
, the 99th was honoured for its service in Anglo-Zulu War, being awarded the battle honour South Africa 1879.
It would be the last battle honour earned by the 99th as an independent regiment. In 1881, following up on the earlier Cardwell Reforms
of 1872, the 99th was merged with 62nd Regiment of Foot as part of the Childers reforms
to the British Army. The new regiment would be known as The Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment).
. Arriving in time to take part in Lord Roberts
' campaign against the Boers. Upon arrival, the 2nd Wilts were brigaded with the 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment
, 1st Royal Irish Regiment, and 2nd Worcestershire Regiment
to form the 12th Brigade under Major General Clements.
Although initially assigned to Lieutenant General Kelly-Kenny
's Sixth Division, the brigade was used as an independent force. Dispatched to the Colesberg district, they were soon on the defensive against Boer raids once the cavalry under Major-General French
were withdrawn to be used to use in the relief of Kimberly
. Assigned to garrison an exposed position at the town of Rensburg, the 2nd Wilts lost 14 men killed, 57 wounded, and more than a 100 prisoners taken. Eventually, the brigade commander was forced to pull back the Wiltshires to prevent the Boer Commandos from breaking through and threatening other towns. However, in issuing the order to retreat from Rensburg, two companies of the 2nd Wiltshires, assigned to outpost duty, were never given the word of the retreat. When they tried to reenter what had been the main camp for the battalion, they found it occupied by the Boers. Although they attempted to escape, the Boer commandos soon caught up with the two companies, and after a fight, forced them to abandon the surrender.
Despite losing almost a third of its strength, once Lord Robert's operations began to succeed, the Boer reaction allowed the 12th Brigade, and the 2nd Wilts, to go back on the offensive against the Boer Republics. Although a part of the Sixth Division, the brigade did not take part in the ill-fated attack on Bloody Sunday
during the Battle of Paardeberg
. Instead the Wilts were tasked with guarding Bloemfontein and Kroonstad. Eventually, the 12th Brigade was ordered to move in conjunction with another independent brigade and capture the town of Bethlehem
, where Christiaan de Wet
's commando was operating from. Although the town was taken, De Wet escaped. Pausing to resupply, Clemments' brigade attempted to destroy De Wet's commando at the Battle of Slabbert's Nek (23–24 July 1900). With the Royal Irish Regiment, two companies of the 2nd Wilts conducted a night assault up the Nek, capturing the ridge overlooking the Boer position. Although they cleared the Nek, taking 4000 prisoners, the British forces had not been in time to capture De Wet and some his commando who managed to escape to the mountains.
After the capture of Bethlehem, the Boer War was moving from its second phase and into the third, guerrilla, phase. the 12th Brigade was broken up and its units sent out to other commands. The 2nd Wilts would join Major-General Paget and the West Riding Regiment
in patrolling the areas northeast and northwest of Pretoria. After being moved to help block De Wet's attempt to raid the Cape Colony in February 1901, it was assigned to defend the Pretoria-Pietersburg rail line with the 2nd battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment
.
In addition to protecting the Pretoria-Pietersburg line, the 2nd Wilts also contributed four companies of infantry to Lieutenant-Colonel Grenfell's column. Along with the Kitchener Fighting Scouts, 12th Mounted Infantry, and some artillery, left Pietersburg in May 1901. Between May and July 1901, the Wiltshires participated in Grenfell's operations, capturing 229 Boer commandos and 18 wagons.
The combination of the blockhouses, sweeper operations and concentration camps proved to be too much for the Boers. In 1902, the war ended as the last of the Boer commandos surrendered and the Treaty of Vereeniging
was signed. With the war over, the 2nd Wiltshires returned to the England in 1903.
At the start of World War I
, the Wiltshire Regiment, like most of the rest of the British Army, consisted of two regular battalions (1st and 2nd), a reserve battalion (3rd), and a Territorial Force battalion. Eventually, the Wiltshire Regiment expanded to ten battalions, seven of which served overseas. These included three additional Territorial Force
battalions (1/4th, 2/4th, and 3/4th Battalions) as well as four service battalions (5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th battalions) formed for the Kitchener Army
formations.
At the outbreak of war, the 2nd Wilts was serving as part of the Gibraltar Garrison. Recalled home to Britain, the 2nd Wilts was attached to the 21st Brigade, part of the 7th Division. As part of the 21st Brigade, the 2nd Wilts arrived in France in October 1914, in time to take part in the First Ypres
, where it suffered heavy casualties in helping to stop the German advance. In December 1915, the 21st Brigade transferred to the 30th Infantry Division. In three years of action on the Western Front, the 2nd Wilts took part in most of the major engagements, including the battles of Neuve Chapelle
, Aubers
, Loos
, Albert
, Arras
and Third Ypres.
In May 1918, the 2nd Wilts received orders to join the 58th Brigade, part of the 19th (Western) Division. As part of the 19th Division, the 2nd Wilts would see action with the division through Hundred Days Offensive
. In 1919, with the division's disbandment, the 2nd Wilts returned to its pre-war duties of policing the Empire.
, each regiment, in addition to having two battalions would also have two reserve formations associated with it. One would be special reserve battalion, while the other would be the Territorial Force
unit. In the case of the Wiltshire Regiment, the 3rd battalion was the special reserve formation. The 3rd Wiltshires came into active service during 1914. It would remain in the home islands throughout the war. For most of the war, it would act as the depot and training unit for the battalions of the Wiltshire Regiment. In 1917, it moved from the depot at Devizes to join the Portland Garrison in 1915. In 1917, the 3rd Wilts would be transferred to the Thames and Medway garrison.
During the war, the Wiltshire's Territorial component would expand from one battalion to three. The 1/4 Wilts was called into service in 1914 and dispatched to India. For the next three years, it performed internal security duties in India until being transferred to Egypt in 1917. There it continued to perform security duties until joining the 75th Infantry Division, part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force
. While serving with the 75th Division, 1/4 Wilts would see action at the Battle of Megiddo
.
2/4 Wiltshire Regiment came into being in October 1914. Like the 1/4 Wilts, it was also dispatched to India. However, unlike the 1/4, 2/4 Wilts never saw action in the First World War. Instead, the battalion took over garrison duties, freeing first-line units up for action against the Central Powers.
The final Territorial Force unit of the Wiltshire Regiment was 3/4 battalion. Raised in October 1915, the battalion converted into the 4th Reserve Battalion in April 1916. The battalion remained in the Home Islands throughout the war, finishing the war as part of the Dublin garrison.
in the 40th Brigade. With the rest of the division, it transferred in June 1915 from England to the Mediterranean theatre, joining the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
. Initially assigned to reinforce the forces at Cape Helles
on 6 July 1915, the division was temporarily withdrawn and then landed at ANZAC Cove
to support the operations there. With the rest of the division, it was withdrawn to Egypt in January 1916 before being dispatched to Mesopotamia as part of the ill-fated attempt to relieve the garrison
of Kut.
The battalion remained in Mesopotamia for the rest of war, participating in the recapture of Kut
. Once a further offensive was approved, 5th Wilts became one of the first two battalions to cross the Diyalah River, breaking the Turkish defenses containing the initial crossing attempt by the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Following the Diyala crossing, the battalion participated in the fall of Baghdad
, and operations north of there. With the signing of the Armistice, the battalion demobilized in 1919.
, Battle of the Somme, and Third Ypres. Due to losses sustained in Passchendaele campaign, the 6th Battalion would be amalgamated with the Wiltshire Yeomanry
to form the 6th (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) battalion on 9 September 1917. Eventually, the battalion would be reduced to cadre strength. The excess personnel would be used as replacements for the 2nd Battalion which assumed its place in the 58th Brigade. The cadre was returned to England on 18 June 1918 and the battalion brought up to strength by absorbing the 9th Battalion of the Dorset Regiment
.
Now assigned to the 14th (Light) Division, the 6th Wilts became part of the 42nd Infantry Brigade. With the rest of the division, it returned to France in July 1918, seeing action in the Battle of Avre
.
. In September 1915, the division was transferred to France before being reassigned to the Mediterranean as part of the British forces fighting in Salonika
. As part of the division, the battalion was engaged in The Battle of Horseshoe Hill in 1916, and First
and Second Battles of Dorian
in 1916 and 1917.
In June 1918, the 7th Wilts transferred to France, arriving there in July 1918. After the German Spring Offensive
s, many divisions needed be rebuilt with fresh battalions to replace those decimated by the German offensives. Once in theatre, 7th Wilts was assigned to the 150th Infantry Brigade of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division. As part of the 50th Division, the battalion took part in the October 1918 battles, including Battle of St. Quentin Canal, the Battle of the Beaurevoir Line, and the Battle of Cambrai
during the Hundred Days Offensive
.
. After the treaty
, the 1st Battalion would then see service in Egypt in 1930 and Shanghai in 1931. The battalion was then made part of the Singapore garrison in 1932, where it would remain for four years. In 1936, the battalion would be assigned to India.
Following the Great War, the 2nd Battalion was sent to Hong Kong. In 1921, the battalion began nine years as part of Indian Army. The battalion became part of the Shanghai garrison in 1929 before being rotated back to the Home Islands in 1933. The 2nd Battalion was dispatched to join the British Forces policing the Palestinian Mandate. The battalion served there during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine.
as part of the Eastern Army. The 1st Wilts were transferred to the 4 Indian Infantry Brigade, part of 26th Indian Infantry Division
, in October 1943.Louis Allen, Burma, The Longest War 1941–1945, (London: Phoenix Press, 2001) p. 656. As part of the 26th Division, the 1st Wilts took part in the Battle of the Admin Box
. Before Slim's offensive to recapture Burma, 1st Wilts was rotated back to serve along the North-West Frontier.
The 2nd Battalion, Wiltshire, began the war as part of the 13th Infantry Brigade, part of the British 5th Infantry Division
of the BEF. The 2nd Wilts fought in a series of engagements during the Battle of France
, most notably at the Battle of Arras
. After being evacuated at Dunkirk, the Wiltshires participated in Operation Ironclad, the capture of Vichy-held Madagascar. Following Madagascar, the Wiltshires, as well as the rest of the brigade were sent to the Middle East. As part of 13th Infantry Brigade, the Wiltshires spent the early part of 1943 operating in Persia, Iraq, and Syria throughout. Eventually, the brigade participated in Operation Husky
and the follow-on invasion of the Italian mainland
in 1943. During the Italian campaign, the 2nd Wilts would win battle honours for its actions at Garigliano River crossing, as well as taking part in the Moro River Campaign, Anzio
and the subsequent capture of Rome. Eventually the battalion, as well as the rest of the brigade would be withdrawn from the Italian Campaign. After a brief period to refit, in Palestine, the 2nd Wilts returned to Italy in late 1944. The 5th Division, which the 2nd Wilts were a part, joined the British 2nd Army in North-West Europe in to participate in the final drive into Germany in April 1945. They took part in the Elbe River crossing as well as the encirclement of Army Group B
.
4th and 5th battalions of the Wiltshire Regiment were both Territorial Army units called up to active duty with the start of the Second World War. The 4th Wilts had been the original TA battalion assigned to the Wiltshire Regiemnt when the TA was reorganized during the 1920s. The 5th Wilts was formed as the second line TA unit as part of the expansion in March 1939. From 1939 to 1944, they remained in England, both attached to 129 Infantry Brigade, part of 43 (Wessex) Division. Although 5th Wilts was a second line TA unit, it was assigned to a first line brigade and division.
As part of 129 Brigade, the 4th Wilts and 5th Wilts, participated in the Normandy Campaign, landing in France on 24 June 1944. Upon arriving in theatre, the division became part of Lieutenant-General Sir Richard O'Connor
's VIII Corps. Both battalions would be heavily engaged in many battles during the campaign across North-West France, the low countries, and Germany. During the Normandy Campaign, this included the Battle of Odom
, the fight for Hill 112, and the capture of Mont Picon
.
After the breakout from Normandy, the 5th Wilts would be one of the first two British battalions to force a crossing of the Seine River. On 25 August 1944, they, along with the 4th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry, crossed the Seine in paddled assault boats. Once across, the 5th Wiltshires had to stand-off a counter-attack from the German forces including three Tiger tanks of 205 Heavy Tank Battalion. Because of an error in landing on an island in the Seine, rather than far shore, by the other battalion, 4th Somerset Light Infantry, the 5th Wilts found themselves cutoff initially. Despite the heavy counter-attack from the German defenders, the 5th Wilts was able to hold and extend the beachhead enough to allow reinforcements to be brought over. Eventually, by the daybreak on 26 August 1944, the Somersets were reembarked and brought to the right landing site. The 4th Wilts were ferried over while elements of the 214 Brigade managed to cross at a damaged bridge in order to relieve the 5th Wilts.
During the Operation Market-Garden
, the 4th and 5th Wilts, as part of the 43 (Wessex) Division formed part of the relief force which tried to reach the paratroopers of the US 82nd and 101st
Divisions, as well as the British 1st Airborne Division. After the ensuing stalemate, both battalions participated in the Geilenkirchen Offensive
in October 1944. The Wiltshire battalions also played a significant part in the 43rd's fighting in Roer Salient
, as well as the capture of Bremen.
In addition to the TA battalions which deployed to combat theatres, the Wiltshire regiment also formed four other battalions. The 7th battalion, was created after the outbreak of hostilities in 1939. Although it was a war service battalion, the 7th Wiltshires remained in Great Britain as part of the home defence forces. Initially assigned to 214 Infantry Brigade, it would be transferred to 135 Infantry Brigade in 1942. The 7th Wilts would not see active service during the war.
The Wiltshire Regiment would also form two purely home defence units after the outbreak of war. The 6th Wilts were absorbed by the Dorsetshire Regiment as their Young Soldier Companies in 1940. The 30th Wiltshires was another of the Home Guard units raised by the Wiltshire Regiment.
. For the remainder of its existence, the Wilts would remain a one battalion regiment.
After the end of the Second World War, the Wiltshire regiment would add one more campaign to its list. Although initially earmarked to be sent to Malaya during the Emergency
, the Wilt's orders were changed en route and they joined the Hong Kong garrison in 1950. After returning home to Britain in 1953, the Wilts were ready for foreign service once more. The Wilts final campaign as an independent regiment came in 1956, when it deployed to Cyprus as reinforcements for the British garrison during the Cyprus Emergency. The battalion, deployed in response to EOKA attacks which escalated in 1955, remained on Cyprus until its amalgamation in 1959. The Wiltshires would be amalgamated with The Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) to form The Duke Of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire)
on 9 June 1959. The ceremony took place at Albany Barracks, Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight.
:
until it too was amalgamated to form part of The Rifles
.
The Wiltshire Regiment was also known as the Wilts, The Splashers, The Springers, and The Moonrakers. The earliest nickname may have been the Splashers. This name came about from an incident during the Seven Years War when the regiment ran out of ammunition and were forced to melt their buttons down to make musket balls. Thereafter, their buttons had a dent, known as a "splash", in them. The next name, The Springers, came from the regiment being used in the light infantry role during the American Revolution. A common command for light infantry to advance while skirmishing, was to "spring up". The nickname Moonrakers
came from the Wiltshire region itself. According to a local legend, customs officials had came across some yokels raking a pond to retrieve some kegs of alcohol. The men explained themselves by pointing to the reflection of the moon in the water and claiming they were trying to retrieve the roundel of cheese there. Hence the name, “Moonrakers”. When the regiment was affiliated with Wiltshire, the nickname followed.
The second battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment (formerly the 99th Regiment of Foot) brought its own nicknames with them when the regiments were amalgamated in 1881. During its time as a separate regiment, the 99th Foot was known for the smartness of its drill. This earned it an assignment guarding Queen Victoria's pavilion during tour of duty there in 1858. As a result, the 99th became known as the "Queen's Pets". It is also said that the expression "dressed to the nines" originated as a reference to the 99th. As part of their drill, their uniforms were kept in immaculate condition which other regiments attempted to emulate, or dressing to the nines.
| align="center" colspan="4"|Lineage
|-
| width="25%" rowspan="20" align="center" | The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's)
| width="25%" colspan="3" align="center"| 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot
|-
| width="50%" colspan="3" align="center"| 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot
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...
of the line in the British Army
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...
, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot
62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot
The 62nd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, which was raised as a line regiment in 1756 and saw service through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries...
and the 99th Duke of Edinburgh's (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot.
The regiment was originally formed as The Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment), taking the county affiliation from the 62nd Foot (which became the 1st Battalion) and the honorific from the 99th Foot (which became the 2nd Battalion). In 1921 the titles switched to become The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's)
After service in the First and Second World Wars, it was amalgamated into The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire)
The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire)
The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army.-History:It was formed on 9 June 1959 after defence cuts implemented in the late 1950s saw the amalgamation of The Royal Berkshire Regiment and The Wiltshire Regiment , forming The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment...
in 1959. Following further mergers, the regiment's lineage is today continued by The Rifles
The Rifles
The Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...
. The regiment's depot was at Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
.
62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot
The senior partner in the amalgamated Wiltshire Regiment was the 62nd Regiment of Foot. The 62nd was formed in 1756, originally as the second battalion of the 4th Regiment of FootKing's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
The King's Own Royal Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line of the British Army, which served under various titles from 1680 to 1959. Its lineage is continued today by the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.-History:...
. In 1758, the battalion was redesignated as the 62nd Regiment of Foot. Although a regiment of the line, many of its companies were initially deployed as marines, serving with Admiral Boscawen's fleet during the Siege of Louisbourg
Siege of Louisbourg (1758)
The Siege of Louisbourg was a pivotal battle of the Seven Years' War in 1758 which ended the French colonial era in Atlantic Canada and led directly to the loss of Quebec in 1759 and the remainder of French North America the following year.-Background:The British government realized that with the...
in 1758. The balance of the regiment remained in Ireland where they defended Castle Carrickfergus
Battle of Carrickfergus (1760)
The Battle of Carrickfergus took place in February 1760 in Carrickfergus, Kingdom of Ireland during the Seven Years War. A force of 600 French troops landed under the command of the Privateer François Thurot overwhelmed the small garrison of the town and captured its castle.When word of the capture...
from a French invasion force in 1758.
After its initial baptism, the regiment would go on to see active service in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. Being used as light infantry, the regiment took part in General John Burgoyne
John Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762....
's doomed campaign
Saratoga campaign
The Saratoga Campaign was an attempt by Great Britain to gain military control of the strategically important Hudson River valley in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War...
, culminating in the Battles of Saratoga. Twelve years after the end of the American Revolution, the regiment would fight against revolutionary and imperial France. Taking part in campaigns in West Indies, Sicily, and the Peninsula where they won the battle honours "Nive" and "Peninsula".
Following the conclusion of the Napoleonic wars, the 62nd rotated through the expanding British Empire. They would serve as parts of garrisons in Canada and Ireland before being dispatched to India. While in India, the 62nd became part of General Sir Gough
Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough
Field Marshal Sir Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough, KP, GCSI, KCB, PC , was an Irish British Army officer. He was said to have commanded in more general actions than any other British officer of the 19th century except the Duke of Wellington.- Early career :Born at Woodstown House, Co...
's army during the First Sikh War
First Anglo-Sikh War
The First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company between 1845 and 1846. It resulted in partial subjugation of the Sikh kingdom.-Background and causes of the war:...
. During the war, although it lost its colours twice to various mishaps, the regiment would earn its proudest honour at the Battle of Ferozeshah
Battle of Ferozeshah
The Battle of Ferozeshah was fought on 21 December and 22 December 1845 between the British and the Sikhs, at the village of Ferozeshah in Punjab. The British were led by Sir Hugh Gough and Governor-General Sir Henry Hardinge, while the Sikhs were led by Lal Singh.The British emerged victorious,...
. In tribute to the service of its sergeants, who commanded the regiment when virtually all the officers were killed or incapacitated, the regiment would celebrate every 21 December as Ferozeshah Day.
Eventually, the regiment rotated back to the Home Islands in time to be available for the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
. From 1854 to 1856, the regiment served in the Crimea, mainly as part of the forces besieging the port of Sevastopol. The 62nd took part in the failed attack on the Great Redan Bastion, suffering heavy casualties.
With the end of the Crimean War, the 62nd returned to its task of policing the British Empire. During its last quarter century as an independent regiment, the 62nd would serve in Canada, Ireland, India, as part of Aden garrison. As part of Cardwell reforms
Cardwell Reforms
The Cardwell Reforms refer to a series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell between 1868 and 1874.-Background:...
in 18711, the 62nd was linked with 99th Regiment of Foot. With Childers reforms
Childers Reforms
The Childers Reforms restructured the infantry regiments of the British army. The reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms....
, the two regiments were amalgamated into a single regiment, the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment, in 1881.
99th Duke of Edinburgh's (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot
The 99th Regiment of Foot was raised in 1824 in Edinburgh by Major-General Gage John Hall. It was unrelated to earlier units designated as the 99th Regiment of the British Army, including the 99th Regiment of Foot (Jamaica Regiment)99th Regiment of Foot (Jamaica Regiment)
The 99th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1780 and disbanded in 1783.It was raised in the Midlands for service in the West Indies, and spent three years stationed in Jamaica as a garrison unit before being returned to England to be disbanded....
and the 99th Foot which was re-designated as the 100th Regiment of Foot
100th Regiment of Foot (Prince Regent's County of Dublin Regiment)
The 100th Regiment of Foot was raised in Ireland in 1804 for service in the Napoleonic Wars. After a few weeks, Lieutenant Colonel John Murray was appointed to command; he was to remain in this post for most of the regiment's active service.The 100th were transferred to Nova Scotia in 1805, with...
. In 1832, the new 99th Regiment received its county title, becoming the 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot.
During its early years, the 99th spent much of its time in the Pacific. The first detachments of the 99th Regiment arrived in Australia with transported convicts
Convicts in Australia
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, large numbers of convicts were transported to the various Australian penal colonies by the British government. One of the primary reasons for the British settlement of Australia was the establishment of a penal colony to alleviate pressure on their...
aboard the transport ship North Briton, destined for Tasmania, in 1842. The rest of the 99th arrived on with successive shipments of convicts. The 99th rotated through various colonial posts during much of 1842 until being ordered to Sydney, Australia. However, the 99th soon earned an unsavory reputation, alienating the locals to such an extent that an additional regiment had to be assigned to Sydney. The 11th Regiment of Foots's principal job was keeping the men of the 99th under control.
The 99th remained in Tasmania for three years before being dispatched to New Zealand to take 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...
. Detachments of the 99th took part in the Hutt Valley Campaign
Hutt Valley Campaign
The Hutt Valley Campaign of 1846 during the New Zealand land wars could almost be seen as a sequel to the Wairau Affray. The causes were similar and the protagonists almost the same...
, seeing action at the Battle of Battle Hill
Battle of Battle Hill
The Battle Hill engagement took place between 6–13 August 1846, during the New Zealand land wars and was one of the last engagements of the Hutt Valley Campaign....
. three government soldiers and at least nine Ngāti Toa were killed. Following the capture of Te Rauparaha
Te Rauparaha
Te Rauparaha was a Māori rangatira and war leader of the Ngāti Toa tribe who took a leading part in the Musket Wars. He was influential in the original sale of conquered Rangitane land to the New Zealand Company and was a participant in the Wairau Incident in Marlborough...
in 1846, the Regiment would depart New Zealand and return to Australia, although detachments would be sent as needed to reinforce the British forces in New Zealand for the next few years to keep the peace. For its service in the First Maori War
Flagstaff War
The Flagstaff War – also known as Hone Heke's Rebellion, the Northern War and erroneously as the First Māori War – was fought between 11 March 1845 and 11 January 1846 in and around the Bay of Islands, New Zealand...
, the regiment earned its first battle honour: New Zealand.
In 1856, the regiment rotated back to the British Isles. The 99th spent its next two years at various garrisons in Ireland, until in 1858, it was ordered to join the Aldershot garrison. While at Aldershot, the regiment earned its reputation as an extraordinarily well drilled and well turned out regiment.
Following its tour of duty at Aldershot, the regiment rotated to India in 1859. After serving at various Indian stations, the 99th was called to active service to form part of General Sir Hope Grant's force during the Second Opium War. Assigned to the 2nd Division, commanded by Major-General Sir Robert Napier, the 99th took part in the Third Battle of Taku Forts
Battle of Taku Forts (1860)
The Third Battle of Taku Forts was an engagement of the Second Opium War, part of the British and French 1860 expedition to China. It took place at the Taku Forts near Tanggu District , approximately 60 kilometers southeast of Tianjin City .-Background:The aim of the allied French-British...
and the Battle of Palikao
Battle of Palikao
The Battle of Palikao was fought at the bridge of Palikao by Anglo-French forces against China during the Second Opium War on the morning of 21 September 1860...
. The regiment also participated in the Sack of Peking, where among the loot carried off, the regiment took a Pekinese dog which belonged to the Chinese Empress. The dog, named Lootie, was taken back to England where it was presented to Queen Victoria. For its service in China, the regiment earned the battle honour: Pekin 1860. Rather than return the 99th to India, the regiment was ordered to join the Hong Kong garrison, securing the new Kowloon territory acquired by the Convention of Peking
Convention of Peking
The Convention of Peking or the First Convention of Peking is the name used for three different unequal treaties, which were concluded between Qing China and the United Kingdom, France, and Russia.-Background:...
. The regiment would remain in Hong Kong until 1865.
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the third Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and reigned from 1893 to 1900. He was also a member of the British Royal Family, the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha...
, the Duke of Edinburgh, inspected the regiment as part of a tour of the colony. The regiment impressed him so much that he took a continued interest in the regiment for the rest of his life. This culminated in permission being granted to re-title the regiment. In 1874, the 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot became the 99th (Duke of Edinburgh’s) Regiment. After returning to England in 1868, the regiment returned to South Africa in 1878 in time to take part in the Anglo-Zulu War
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
.
Assigned to Lord Chelmsford's
Frederic Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford
General Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford GCB, GCVO, was a British general, best known for his commanding role during the Anglo-Zulu war. The centre column of his forces was defeated at the Battle of Isandlwana, a crushing victory for the Zulus and the British army's worst ever...
column, they marched to the relief of British forces under Colonel Charles Pearson
Charles Pearson (British Army officer)
Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Knight Pearson KCMG CB was a military commander in the British Army during the Anglo-Zulu War . Pearson was born in Somerset to Commander Charles Pearson of the Royal Navy...
besieged by the Zulu impis. At the Battle of Gingindlovu
Battle of Gingindlovu
The Battle of Gingindlovu was fought on 2 April 1879 between a British relief column sent to break the Siege of Eshowe and a Zulu impi of king Cetshwayo.-Prelude:...
, the 99th helped defeat a Zulu impi
Impi
An Impi is an isiZulu word for any armed body of men. However, in English it is often used to refer to a Zulu regiment, which is called an ibutho in Zulu. Its beginnings lie far back in historic tribal warfare customs, where groups of armed men called impis battled...
s which tried to overrun the British while laagered. Although it would not participate in the final battle at Ulundi
Battle of Ulundi
The Battle of Ulundi took place at the Zulu capital of Ulundi on 4 July 1879 and was the last major battle of the Anglo-Zulu War. The British army finally broke the military power of the Zulu nation by defeating the main Zulu army and immediately afterwards capturing and razing the capital of...
, the 99th was honoured for its service in Anglo-Zulu War, being awarded the battle honour South Africa 1879.
It would be the last battle honour earned by the 99th as an independent regiment. In 1881, following up on the earlier Cardwell Reforms
Cardwell Reforms
The Cardwell Reforms refer to a series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell between 1868 and 1874.-Background:...
of 1872, the 99th was merged with 62nd Regiment of Foot as part of the Childers reforms
Childers Reforms
The Childers Reforms restructured the infantry regiments of the British army. The reforms were undertaken by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms....
to the British Army. The new regiment would be known as The Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment).
Second Boer War
Following amalgamation of the 62nd and 99th regiments into the Duke of Edinburgh (Wiltshire Regiment) in 1881, the regiment rotated through various posts of the British Empire. In 1899, the 1st Wilts were stationed in India, while the 2nd Wilts were on Guernsey. This changed in 1899 when the 2nd Wilts were dispatched to South Africa to take part in the Second Boer WarSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. Arriving in time to take part in Lord Roberts
Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts
Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, Bt, VC, KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, KStJ, PC was a distinguished Indian born British soldier who regarded himself as Anglo-Irish and one of the most successful British commanders of the 19th century.-Early life:Born at Cawnpore, India, on...
' campaign against the Boers. Upon arrival, the 2nd Wilts were brigaded with the 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment was the final title of an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army originally formed in 1688...
, 1st Royal Irish Regiment, and 2nd Worcestershire Regiment
Worcestershire Regiment
The Worcestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 29th Regiment of Foot and the 36th Regiment of Foot....
to form the 12th Brigade under Major General Clements.
Although initially assigned to Lieutenant General Kelly-Kenny
Thomas Kelly-Kenny
General Sir Thomas Kelly-Kenny GCB GCVO was a British Army general who served in the Second Boer War.-Military career:Kelly-Kenny was born on 27 February 1840 at Doolough Lodge, Treanmanagh near Mullagh in County Clare, Ireland. He was educated as a lay student at St. Patrick's College, Carlow, he...
's Sixth Division, the brigade was used as an independent force. Dispatched to the Colesberg district, they were soon on the defensive against Boer raids once the cavalry under Major-General French
John French, 1st Earl of Ypres
Field Marshal John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, ADC, PC , known as The Viscount French between 1916 and 1922, was a British and Anglo-Irish officer...
were withdrawn to be used to use in the relief of Kimberly
Siege of Kimberley
The Siege of Kimberley took place during the Second Boer War at Kimberley, Cape Colony , when Boer forces from the Orange Free State and the Transvaal besieged the diamond mining town. The Boers moved quickly to try to capture the British enclave when war broke out between the British and the two...
. Assigned to garrison an exposed position at the town of Rensburg, the 2nd Wilts lost 14 men killed, 57 wounded, and more than a 100 prisoners taken. Eventually, the brigade commander was forced to pull back the Wiltshires to prevent the Boer Commandos from breaking through and threatening other towns. However, in issuing the order to retreat from Rensburg, two companies of the 2nd Wiltshires, assigned to outpost duty, were never given the word of the retreat. When they tried to reenter what had been the main camp for the battalion, they found it occupied by the Boers. Although they attempted to escape, the Boer commandos soon caught up with the two companies, and after a fight, forced them to abandon the surrender.
Despite losing almost a third of its strength, once Lord Robert's operations began to succeed, the Boer reaction allowed the 12th Brigade, and the 2nd Wilts, to go back on the offensive against the Boer Republics. Although a part of the Sixth Division, the brigade did not take part in the ill-fated attack on Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday (1900)
For other incidents referred to by this name, see Bloody Sunday.Bloody Sunday of February 18, 1900, was a day of high Imperial casualties in the Second Boer War.It occurred on the first day of the Battle of Paardeberg...
during the Battle of Paardeberg
Battle of Paardeberg
The Battle of Paardeberg or Perdeberg was a major battle during the Second Anglo-Boer War. It was fought near Paardeberg Drift on the banks of the Modder River in the Orange Free State near Kimberley....
. Instead the Wilts were tasked with guarding Bloemfontein and Kroonstad. Eventually, the 12th Brigade was ordered to move in conjunction with another independent brigade and capture the town of Bethlehem
Bethlehem, Free State
Bethlehem is a town in the eastern Free State province of South Africa that is situated on the Liebenbergs river along a fertile valley just south of the Rooiberg Mountains on the N5 highway....
, where Christiaan de Wet
Christiaan De Wet
Christiaan Rudolf de Wet was a Boer general, rebel leader and politician.He was born on the Leeuwkop farm, in the district of Smithfield in the Boer Republic of the Orange Free State...
's commando was operating from. Although the town was taken, De Wet escaped. Pausing to resupply, Clemments' brigade attempted to destroy De Wet's commando at the Battle of Slabbert's Nek (23–24 July 1900). With the Royal Irish Regiment, two companies of the 2nd Wilts conducted a night assault up the Nek, capturing the ridge overlooking the Boer position. Although they cleared the Nek, taking 4000 prisoners, the British forces had not been in time to capture De Wet and some his commando who managed to escape to the mountains.
After the capture of Bethlehem, the Boer War was moving from its second phase and into the third, guerrilla, phase. the 12th Brigade was broken up and its units sent out to other commands. The 2nd Wilts would join Major-General Paget and the West Riding Regiment
Duke of Wellington's Regiment
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
in patrolling the areas northeast and northwest of Pretoria. After being moved to help block De Wet's attempt to raid the Cape Colony in February 1901, it was assigned to defend the Pretoria-Pietersburg rail line with the 2nd battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment
Northamptonshire Regiment
The Northamptonshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1960. Its lineage is now continued by The Royal Anglian Regiment.-Formation:The regiment was formed as part of the reorganisation of the infantry by the Childers reforms...
.
In addition to protecting the Pretoria-Pietersburg line, the 2nd Wilts also contributed four companies of infantry to Lieutenant-Colonel Grenfell's column. Along with the Kitchener Fighting Scouts, 12th Mounted Infantry, and some artillery, left Pietersburg in May 1901. Between May and July 1901, the Wiltshires participated in Grenfell's operations, capturing 229 Boer commandos and 18 wagons.
The combination of the blockhouses, sweeper operations and concentration camps proved to be too much for the Boers. In 1902, the war ended as the last of the Boer commandos surrendered and the Treaty of Vereeniging
Treaty of Vereeniging
The Treaty of Vereeniging was the peace treaty, signed on 31 May 1902, that ended the South African War between the South African Republic and the Republic of the Orange Free State, on the one side, and the British Empire on the other.This settlement provided for the end of hostilities and...
was signed. With the war over, the 2nd Wiltshires returned to the England in 1903.
The First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Wiltshire Regiment, like most of the rest of the British Army, consisted of two regular battalions (1st and 2nd), a reserve battalion (3rd), and a Territorial Force battalion. Eventually, the Wiltshire Regiment expanded to ten battalions, seven of which served overseas. These included three additional Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
battalions (1/4th, 2/4th, and 3/4th Battalions) as well as four service battalions (5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th battalions) formed for the Kitchener Army
Kitchener's Army
The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, Kitchener's Mob, was an all-volunteer army formed in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of hostilities in the First World War...
formations.
Regular Army battalions
Upon mobilization and declaration of war, the 1st Wilts deployed to France as part of the 3rd Infantry Division's 7th Brigade, landing in France on 14 August 1914. The 1st Wilts remained with the 3rd Division until the 7th Brigade was transferred to the 25th Division on 18 October 1915. The 1st Wilts served with the 25th Division until was transferred on 21 June 1918. On 21 June 1918, the 1st Wilts joined the 110th Brigade, part of the 21st Division, with which it served for the rest of the war.At the outbreak of war, the 2nd Wilts was serving as part of the Gibraltar Garrison. Recalled home to Britain, the 2nd Wilts was attached to the 21st Brigade, part of the 7th Division. As part of the 21st Brigade, the 2nd Wilts arrived in France in October 1914, in time to take part in the First Ypres
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
, where it suffered heavy casualties in helping to stop the German advance. In December 1915, the 21st Brigade transferred to the 30th Infantry Division. In three years of action on the Western Front, the 2nd Wilts took part in most of the major engagements, including the battles of Neuve Chapelle
Battle of Neuve Chapelle
The Battles of Neuve Chapelle and Artois was a battle in the First World War. It was a British offensive in the Artois region and broke through at Neuve-Chapelle but they were unable to exploit the advantage.The battle began on 10 March 1915...
, Aubers
Second Battle of Artois
The Second Battle of Artois, of which the British contribution was the Battle of Aubers Ridge, was a battle on the Western Front of the First World War, it was fought at the same time as the Second Battle of Ypres. Even though the French under General Philippe Pétain gained some initial victories,...
, Loos
Battle of Loos
The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. It marked the first time the British used poison gas during the war, and is also famous for the fact that it witnessed the first large-scale use of 'new' or Kitchener's Army...
, Albert
Battle of Albert (1916)
The Battle of Albert, 1 July – 13 July 1916, was the opening phase of the British and French offensive that became the Battle of the Somme.-Haig's desire to break through versus Rawlinson's "bite and hold":...
, Arras
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
and Third Ypres.
In May 1918, the 2nd Wilts received orders to join the 58th Brigade, part of the 19th (Western) Division. As part of the 19th Division, the 2nd Wilts would see action with the division through Hundred Days Offensive
Hundred Days Offensive
The Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...
. In 1919, with the division's disbandment, the 2nd Wilts returned to its pre-war duties of policing the Empire.
Territorial Force and Special Reserve
Under the pre-war British Army system, created during the Haldane reformsHaldane Reforms
The Haldane Reforms were a series of far-ranging reforms of the British Army made from 1906 to 1912, and named after the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane...
, each regiment, in addition to having two battalions would also have two reserve formations associated with it. One would be special reserve battalion, while the other would be the Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
unit. In the case of the Wiltshire Regiment, the 3rd battalion was the special reserve formation. The 3rd Wiltshires came into active service during 1914. It would remain in the home islands throughout the war. For most of the war, it would act as the depot and training unit for the battalions of the Wiltshire Regiment. In 1917, it moved from the depot at Devizes to join the Portland Garrison in 1915. In 1917, the 3rd Wilts would be transferred to the Thames and Medway garrison.
During the war, the Wiltshire's Territorial component would expand from one battalion to three. The 1/4 Wilts was called into service in 1914 and dispatched to India. For the next three years, it performed internal security duties in India until being transferred to Egypt in 1917. There it continued to perform security duties until joining the 75th Infantry Division, part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force
Egyptian Expeditionary Force
The Egyptian Expeditionary Force was formed in March 1916 to command the British and British Empire military forces in Egypt during World War I. Originally known as the 'Force in Egypt' it had been commanded by General Maxwell who was recalled to England...
. While serving with the 75th Division, 1/4 Wilts would see action at the Battle of Megiddo
Battle of Megiddo (1918)
The Battle of Megiddo took place between 19 September and 1 October 1918, in what was then the northern part of Ottoman Palestine and parts of present-day Syria and Jordan...
.
2/4 Wiltshire Regiment came into being in October 1914. Like the 1/4 Wilts, it was also dispatched to India. However, unlike the 1/4, 2/4 Wilts never saw action in the First World War. Instead, the battalion took over garrison duties, freeing first-line units up for action against the Central Powers.
The final Territorial Force unit of the Wiltshire Regiment was 3/4 battalion. Raised in October 1915, the battalion converted into the 4th Reserve Battalion in April 1916. The battalion remained in the Home Islands throughout the war, finishing the war as part of the Dublin garrison.
5th (Service) Battalion
The 5th Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment was formed at Devizes in August 1914. Soon thereafter, the battalion was assigned to the 13th (Western) Division, taking the place of the 8th Welsh RegimentWelch Regiment
The Welch Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1969.-History:It was formed as the Welsh Regiment during the Childers Reforms of 1881, by the amalgamation of the 41st Regiment of Foot and the 69th Regiment of Foot...
in the 40th Brigade. With the rest of the division, it transferred in June 1915 from England to the Mediterranean theatre, joining the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
The Mediterranean Expeditionary Force was part of the British Army during World War I, that commanded all Allied forces at Gallipoli and Salonika. This included the initial naval operation to force the straits of the Dardanelles. Its headquarters was formed in March 1915...
. Initially assigned to reinforce the forces at Cape Helles
Landing at Cape Helles
The landing at Cape Helles was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli peninsula by British and French forces on April 25, 1915 during the First World War. Helles, at the foot of the peninsula, was the main landing area. With the support of the guns of the Royal Navy, a British division...
on 6 July 1915, the division was temporarily withdrawn and then landed at ANZAC Cove
Anzac Cove
Anzac Cove is a small cove on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. It became famous as the site of World War I landing of the ANZAC on April 25, 1915. The cove is a mere long, bounded by the headlands of Ari Burnu to the north and Little Ari Burnu, known as Hell Spit, to the south...
to support the operations there. With the rest of the division, it was withdrawn to Egypt in January 1916 before being dispatched to Mesopotamia as part of the ill-fated attempt to relieve the garrison
Siege of Kut
The siege of Kut Al Amara , was the besieging of 8,000 strong British-Indian garrison in the town of Kut, 100 miles south of Baghdad, by the Ottoman Army. Its known also as 1st Battle of Kut. In 1915, its population was around 6,500...
of Kut.
The battalion remained in Mesopotamia for the rest of war, participating in the recapture of Kut
Second Battle of Kut
The Second Battle of Kut was fought on February 23, 1917, between British and Ottoman forces at Kut, Mesopotamia .The battle was part of the British advance to Baghdad begun in December 1916 by a 50,000-man British force organized in two army corps.The British, led by Frederick Stanley Maude,...
. Once a further offensive was approved, 5th Wilts became one of the first two battalions to cross the Diyalah River, breaking the Turkish defenses containing the initial crossing attempt by the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Following the Diyala crossing, the battalion participated in the fall of Baghdad
Fall of Baghdad (1917)
The British Indian Army fought the Ottoman Empire in the First World War. On 11 March 1917, after a series of defeats, it captured Baghdad after a two-year campaign.-Arrival of General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude:...
, and operations north of there. With the signing of the Armistice, the battalion demobilized in 1919.
6th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Devizes in September 1914, the 6th Battalion was soon assigned to the 19th (Western) Division, eventually being assigned to the 58th Infantry Brigade. In July 1915, the battalion was sent to France with the rest of the division. It would see action at the Battle of the LoosBattle of Loos
The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. It marked the first time the British used poison gas during the war, and is also famous for the fact that it witnessed the first large-scale use of 'new' or Kitchener's Army...
, Battle of the Somme, and Third Ypres. Due to losses sustained in Passchendaele campaign, the 6th Battalion would be amalgamated with the Wiltshire Yeomanry
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom established in 1794. It was disbanded as an independent Territorial Army unit in 1967, a time when the strength of the TA was greatly reduced...
to form the 6th (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) battalion on 9 September 1917. Eventually, the battalion would be reduced to cadre strength. The excess personnel would be used as replacements for the 2nd Battalion which assumed its place in the 58th Brigade. The cadre was returned to England on 18 June 1918 and the battalion brought up to strength by absorbing the 9th Battalion of the Dorset Regiment
Dorset Regiment
The Dorset Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1958, the county regiment of Dorset. Until 1951 it was formally called The Dorsetshire Regiment, although usually known as "The Dorsets".-History:...
.
Now assigned to the 14th (Light) Division, the 6th Wilts became part of the 42nd Infantry Brigade. With the rest of the division, it returned to France in July 1918, seeing action in the Battle of Avre
Second Battle of the Somme (1918)
During the First World War, the Second Battle of the Somme of 1918 was fought on the Western Front from the end of the summer, in the basin of the Somme River...
.
7th (Service) Battalion
Also formed at the Wiltshire Regiment's depot in Devizes in September 1914, the 7th Battalion was part of the Third New Army (or K3) of Kitchener's scheme. Soon after formation, the battalion became part of the 79th Infantry Brigade, assigned to the 26th Division26th Division (United Kingdom)
The 26th Division was a unit of the British Army during World War I, the last division to be raised under the K3 elistment scheme. Although the division began to assemble in September 1914, it was not fully deployed on the Western Front until the following year. In November 1915, the division was...
. In September 1915, the division was transferred to France before being reassigned to the Mediterranean as part of the British forces fighting in Salonika
Macedonian front (World War I)
The Macedonian Front resulted from an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. The expedition came too late and in insufficient force to prevent the fall of Serbia, and was complicated by the internal...
. As part of the division, the battalion was engaged in The Battle of Horseshoe Hill in 1916, and First
Battle of Doiran (1916)
In the beginning of August 1916 three French and one British divisions with 45,000 men and 400 guns launched an offensive against the Bulgarian positions at Lake Dojran, defended by the Second Thracian Infantry Division. The attack began on 9 August with heavy artillery fire on the positions of the...
and Second Battles of Dorian
Battle of Doiran (1917)
During the Second conference of the Military Counsel of the Entente in Chanties, it was decided to continue with the attempts at a breakthrough. The task for the Entente forces on the Macedonian Front was to inflict major defeats on the Bulgarian army and effect a wide breakthrough in the Balkans...
in 1916 and 1917.
In June 1918, the 7th Wilts transferred to France, arriving there in July 1918. After the German Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
s, many divisions needed be rebuilt with fresh battalions to replace those decimated by the German offensives. Once in theatre, 7th Wilts was assigned to the 150th Infantry Brigade of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division. As part of the 50th Division, the battalion took part in the October 1918 battles, including Battle of St. Quentin Canal, the Battle of the Beaurevoir Line, and the Battle of Cambrai
Battle of Cambrai (1918)
The Battle of Cambrai was a battle between troops of the British First, Third and Fourth Armies and German Empire forces during the Hundred Days Offensive of the First World War. The battle took place in and around the French city of Cambrai, between 8 and 10 October 1918...
during the Hundred Days Offensive
Hundred Days Offensive
The Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...
.
8th (Service) Battalion
Formed from volunteers at Weymouth in November 1914, the 8th Battalion was part of Kitchener's Fourth New Army. Originally assigned to the 34th Division, the War Office decided to convert the battalion into a reserve battalion. Eventually in September 1916, the battalion was absorbed into the 8th Reserve Brigade at Wareham. The battalion never deployed overseas.Between the wars
In 1921, the regiment was retitled as The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's). The regiments two battalions returned to policing the British Empire. The 1st Battalion would serve as part of the Dublin garrison during the Irish War of IndependenceIrish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
. After the treaty
Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the secessionist Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of...
, the 1st Battalion would then see service in Egypt in 1930 and Shanghai in 1931. The battalion was then made part of the Singapore garrison in 1932, where it would remain for four years. In 1936, the battalion would be assigned to India.
Following the Great War, the 2nd Battalion was sent to Hong Kong. In 1921, the battalion began nine years as part of Indian Army. The battalion became part of the Shanghai garrison in 1929 before being rotated back to the Home Islands in 1933. The 2nd Battalion was dispatched to join the British Forces policing the Palestinian Mandate. The battalion served there during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine.
Regular Army battalions
At the start of the Second World War, the Wiltshire Regiment found its two regular battalions stationed in India (1st Battalion) and Palestine (2nd Battalion). Eventually two more battalions would be raised for the war. The 1st Battalion remained in India, performing internal security duties at the outset of the war. During the reorganization of the Burma front in 1943, the battalion became responsible for guarding the lines of communications and support for the Arakan offensiveArakan Campaign 1942–1943
The Arakan Campaign of 1942–1943 was the first tentative Allied attack into Burma, following the Japanese conquest of Burma earlier in 1942...
as part of the Eastern Army. The 1st Wilts were transferred to the 4 Indian Infantry Brigade, part of 26th Indian Infantry Division
Indian 26th Infantry Division
The 26th Indian Infantry Division, was part of the Indian Army during World War II. It fought in the Burma Campaign.-History:When the Japanese invaded Burma in 1942, the various units in training or stationed around Barrackpur near Calcutta in India were hastily formed into the "Calcutta" Division...
, in October 1943.Louis Allen, Burma, The Longest War 1941–1945, (London: Phoenix Press, 2001) p. 656. As part of the 26th Division, the 1st Wilts took part in the Battle of the Admin Box
Battle of the Admin Box
The Battle of the Admin Box took place on the Southern Front of the Burma Campaign from 5 February to 23 February 1944, in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II...
. Before Slim's offensive to recapture Burma, 1st Wilts was rotated back to serve along the North-West Frontier.
The 2nd Battalion, Wiltshire, began the war as part of the 13th Infantry Brigade, part of the British 5th Infantry Division
British 5th Infantry Division
The 5th Infantry Division is a regular army division of the British Army. It was established by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsula War, as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, and has been active for most of the period since, including the First World War and the...
of the BEF. The 2nd Wilts fought in a series of engagements during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, most notably at the Battle of Arras
Battle of Arras (1940)
The Battle of Arras took place during the Battle of France, in the early stages of World War II. It was an Allied counterattack against the flank of the German army, that took place near the town of Arras, in north-eastern France. The German forces were pushing north toward the channel coast, in...
. After being evacuated at Dunkirk, the Wiltshires participated in Operation Ironclad, the capture of Vichy-held Madagascar. Following Madagascar, the Wiltshires, as well as the rest of the brigade were sent to the Middle East. As part of 13th Infantry Brigade, the Wiltshires spent the early part of 1943 operating in Persia, Iraq, and Syria throughout. Eventually, the brigade participated in Operation Husky
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
and the follow-on invasion of the Italian mainland
Allied invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
in 1943. During the Italian campaign, the 2nd Wilts would win battle honours for its actions at Garigliano River crossing, as well as taking part in the Moro River Campaign, Anzio
Operation Shingle
Operation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
and the subsequent capture of Rome. Eventually the battalion, as well as the rest of the brigade would be withdrawn from the Italian Campaign. After a brief period to refit, in Palestine, the 2nd Wilts returned to Italy in late 1944. The 5th Division, which the 2nd Wilts were a part, joined the British 2nd Army in North-West Europe in to participate in the final drive into Germany in April 1945. They took part in the Elbe River crossing as well as the encirclement of Army Group B
Army Group B
Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II.-Battle for France:The first was involved in the Western Campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in Rotterdam...
.
Territorial and war service battalions
In addition to the two regular army battalions, the Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's) raised six other war service battalions. Two of these would be used on foreign service (4th and 5th Battalions), while the other four remained in Great Britain as home defence units.4th and 5th battalions of the Wiltshire Regiment were both Territorial Army units called up to active duty with the start of the Second World War. The 4th Wilts had been the original TA battalion assigned to the Wiltshire Regiemnt when the TA was reorganized during the 1920s. The 5th Wilts was formed as the second line TA unit as part of the expansion in March 1939. From 1939 to 1944, they remained in England, both attached to 129 Infantry Brigade, part of 43 (Wessex) Division. Although 5th Wilts was a second line TA unit, it was assigned to a first line brigade and division.
As part of 129 Brigade, the 4th Wilts and 5th Wilts, participated in the Normandy Campaign, landing in France on 24 June 1944. Upon arriving in theatre, the division became part of Lieutenant-General Sir Richard O'Connor
Richard O'Connor
General Sir Richard Nugent O'Connor KT, GCB, DSO & Bar, MC, ADC was a British Army general who commanded the Western Desert Force in the early years of World War II...
's VIII Corps. Both battalions would be heavily engaged in many battles during the campaign across North-West France, the low countries, and Germany. During the Normandy Campaign, this included the Battle of Odom
Operation Epsom
Operation Epsom, also known as the First Battle of the Odon, was a Second World War British offensive that took place between 26 and 30 June 1944, during the Battle of Normandy...
, the fight for Hill 112, and the capture of Mont Picon
Operation Bluecoat
Operation Bluecoat was an attack by the British Second Army at the Battle of Normandy during the Second World War, from 30 July – 7 August 1944. The geographical objectives of the attack were to secure the key road junction of Vire and the high ground of Mont Pinçon...
.
After the breakout from Normandy, the 5th Wilts would be one of the first two British battalions to force a crossing of the Seine River. On 25 August 1944, they, along with the 4th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry, crossed the Seine in paddled assault boats. Once across, the 5th Wiltshires had to stand-off a counter-attack from the German forces including three Tiger tanks of 205 Heavy Tank Battalion. Because of an error in landing on an island in the Seine, rather than far shore, by the other battalion, 4th Somerset Light Infantry, the 5th Wilts found themselves cutoff initially. Despite the heavy counter-attack from the German defenders, the 5th Wilts was able to hold and extend the beachhead enough to allow reinforcements to be brought over. Eventually, by the daybreak on 26 August 1944, the Somersets were reembarked and brought to the right landing site. The 4th Wilts were ferried over while elements of the 214 Brigade managed to cross at a damaged bridge in order to relieve the 5th Wilts.
During the Operation Market-Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
, the 4th and 5th Wilts, as part of the 43 (Wessex) Division formed part of the relief force which tried to reach the paratroopers of the US 82nd and 101st
101st Airborne Division (United States)
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
Divisions, as well as the British 1st Airborne Division. After the ensuing stalemate, both battalions participated in the Geilenkirchen Offensive
Operation Clipper
During the Second World War, Operation Clipper was an Allied offensive by British XXX Corps to reduce the Geilenkirchen salient in mid-November 1944...
in October 1944. The Wiltshire battalions also played a significant part in the 43rd's fighting in Roer Salient
Operation Blackcock
Operation Blackcock was the code name for the clearing of the Roer Triangle formed by the towns of Roermond, Sittard and Heinsberg. It was conducted by the 2nd British Army in January 1945 between 14 and 26 January 1945. The objective was to drive the German 15th Army back across the Rivers Rur and...
, as well as the capture of Bremen.
In addition to the TA battalions which deployed to combat theatres, the Wiltshire regiment also formed four other battalions. The 7th battalion, was created after the outbreak of hostilities in 1939. Although it was a war service battalion, the 7th Wiltshires remained in Great Britain as part of the home defence forces. Initially assigned to 214 Infantry Brigade, it would be transferred to 135 Infantry Brigade in 1942. The 7th Wilts would not see active service during the war.
The Wiltshire Regiment would also form two purely home defence units after the outbreak of war. The 6th Wilts were absorbed by the Dorsetshire Regiment as their Young Soldier Companies in 1940. The 30th Wiltshires was another of the Home Guard units raised by the Wiltshire Regiment.
Post-war and amalgamation
As part of Britain's post-war reduction, each regiment was required to reduce its strength by one battalion. In the case of the Wiltshire Regiment, this meant amalgamating the 1st and 2nd Battalions. This was done on 10 January 1949 while the regiment was part of the British Army of the RhineBritish Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
. For the remainder of its existence, the Wilts would remain a one battalion regiment.
After the end of the Second World War, the Wiltshire regiment would add one more campaign to its list. Although initially earmarked to be sent to Malaya during the Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
, the Wilt's orders were changed en route and they joined the Hong Kong garrison in 1950. After returning home to Britain in 1953, the Wilts were ready for foreign service once more. The Wilts final campaign as an independent regiment came in 1956, when it deployed to Cyprus as reinforcements for the British garrison during the Cyprus Emergency. The battalion, deployed in response to EOKA attacks which escalated in 1955, remained on Cyprus until its amalgamation in 1959. The Wiltshires would be amalgamated with The Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) to form The Duke Of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire)
The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire)
The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army.-History:It was formed on 9 June 1959 after defence cuts implemented in the late 1950s saw the amalgamation of The Royal Berkshire Regiment and The Wiltshire Regiment , forming The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment...
on 9 June 1959. The ceremony took place at Albany Barracks, Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight.
Battle honours
- Peninsula War: NiveBattle of the NiveThe Battles of the Nive were fought towards the end of the Peninsular War. Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish army defeated Marshal Nicolas Soult's French army in a series of battles near the city of Bayonne.Unusually, for most of the battle, Wellington...
; PeninsulaPeninsular WarThe Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
- First Sikh WarFirst Anglo-Sikh WarThe First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company between 1845 and 1846. It resulted in partial subjugation of the Sikh kingdom.-Background and causes of the war:...
1845–1846: FerozeshahBattle of FerozeshahThe Battle of Ferozeshah was fought on 21 December and 22 December 1845 between the British and the Sikhs, at the village of Ferozeshah in Punjab. The British were led by Sir Hugh Gough and Governor-General Sir Henry Hardinge, while the Sikhs were led by Lal Singh.The British emerged victorious,...
- 1st Maori WarFlagstaff WarThe Flagstaff War – also known as Hone Heke's Rebellion, the Northern War and erroneously as the First Māori War – was fought between 11 March 1845 and 11 January 1846 in and around the Bay of Islands, New Zealand...
, New Zealand 1845–1847: New Zealand
- Crimean WarCrimean WarThe Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
1854–1856: Sevastopol
- Second China WarSecond Opium WarThe Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war pitting the British Empire and the Second French Empire against the Qing Dynasty of China, lasting from 1856 to 1860...
1856-60: Pekin 1860
- South Africa and the Zulu WarAnglo-Zulu WarThe Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
1877–79: South Africa 1879
- Anglo-Boer WarSecond Boer WarThe Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
1899–1902: South Africa 1900–1902
- The Great WarWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
1914–1918: MonsBattle of MonsThe Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. It was a subsidiary action of the Battle of the Frontiers, in which the Allies clashed with Germany on the French borders. At Mons, the British army attempted to hold the line of the...
; Messines 1914Battle of Messines (1914)The battle of Messines was a battle fought in October 1914 between the German Empire and the British Empire, as part of the Race to the Sea. It took place between the river Douve and the Comines-Ypres canal.-External links:* at historyofwar.org...
, 1917Battle of MessinesThe Battle of Messines was a battle of the Western front of the First World War. It began on 7 June 1917 when the British Second Army under the command of General Herbert Plumer launched an offensive near the village of Mesen in West Flanders, Belgium...
, 1918; YpresFirst Battle of YpresThe First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
1914, 1917; Somme 1916, 1918Second Battle of the Somme (1918)During the First World War, the Second Battle of the Somme of 1918 was fought on the Western Front from the end of the summer, in the basin of the Somme River...
; Arras 1917Battle of Arras (1917)The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
; Bapaume 1918Second Battle of the Somme (1918)During the First World War, the Second Battle of the Somme of 1918 was fought on the Western Front from the end of the summer, in the basin of the Somme River...
; MacedoniaMacedonian front (World War I)The Macedonian Front resulted from an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. The expedition came too late and in insufficient force to prevent the fall of Serbia, and was complicated by the internal...
1915–18; Gallipoli 1915–16; PalestineSinai and Palestine CampaignThe Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
1917–18; BaghdadFall of Baghdad (1917)The British Indian Army fought the Ottoman Empire in the First World War. On 11 March 1917, after a series of defeats, it captured Baghdad after a two-year campaign.-Arrival of General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude:...
. Le CateauBattle of Le CateauThe Battle of Le Cateau was fought on 26 August 1914, after the British, French and Belgians retreated from the Battle of Mons and had set up defensive positions in a fighting withdrawal against the German advance at Le Cateau-Cambrésis....
; Retreat from MonsGreat RetreatThe Great Retreat, also known as the Retreat from Mons, is the name given to the long, fighting retreat by Allied forces to the River Marne, on the Western Front early in World War I, after their holding action against the Imperial German Armies at the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914...
; Marne 1914First Battle of the MarneThe Battle of the Marne was a First World War battle fought between 5 and 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German Army under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. The battle effectively ended the month long German offensive that opened the war and had...
; Aisne 1914First Battle of the AisneThe First Battle of the Aisne was the Allied follow-up offensive against the right wing of the German First Army & Second Army as they retreated after the First Battle of the Marne earlier in September 1914...
, 1918Third Battle of the AisneThe Third Battle of the Aisne was a battle of the German Spring Offensive during World War I that focused on capturing the Chemin des Dames Ridge before the American Expeditionary Force could arrive completely in France. It was one of a series of desperate offensives, known as the Kaiserschlacht,...
; La Bassée 1914Battle of La BasséeThe Battle of La Bassée was a battle between British and German forces in northern France in October 1914, and was part of the Race to the Sea....
; Armentières 1914Battle of ArmentièresThis battle was part of Race to Sea campaign. During this battle the British successfully held the line in their sector, against repeated German assaults.To the south it merged into the battle of La Bassée, to the north into the battle of Messines....
; Langemarck 1914First Battle of YpresThe First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
; Nonne BosschenFirst Battle of YpresThe First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
; Neuve ChapelleBattle of Neuve ChapelleThe Battles of Neuve Chapelle and Artois was a battle in the First World War. It was a British offensive in the Artois region and broke through at Neuve-Chapelle but they were unable to exploit the advantage.The battle began on 10 March 1915...
; AubersSecond Battle of ArtoisThe Second Battle of Artois, of which the British contribution was the Battle of Aubers Ridge, was a battle on the Western Front of the First World War, it was fought at the same time as the Second Battle of Ypres. Even though the French under General Philippe Pétain gained some initial victories,...
; Festubert 1915Battle of FestubertThe Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army in the Artois region of France on the western front during World War I. It began on May 15, 1915 and continued until May 25.-Context:...
; LoosBattle of LoosThe Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. It marked the first time the British used poison gas during the war, and is also famous for the fact that it witnessed the first large-scale use of 'new' or Kitchener's Army...
; Albert 1916Battle of Albert (1916)The Battle of Albert, 1 July – 13 July 1916, was the opening phase of the British and French offensive that became the Battle of the Somme.-Haig's desire to break through versus Rawlinson's "bite and hold":...
, 1918Battle of Albert (1918)Battle of Albert was the third battle by that name fought during World War I, following the First Battle of Albert, and the Second Battle of Albert, with each of the series of three being fought roughly two years apart...
; PozièresBattle of PozièresThe Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
; Le Transloy; Ancre HeightsBattle of the Ancre HeightsThe Battle of the Ancre Heights was a prolonged battle of attrition in October 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. Lieutenant General Hubert Gough's Reserve Army had finally managed to break out of the positions it had occupied since the start of the Somme fighting and Gough intended to maintain...
; Ancre 1916Battle of the AncreThe Battle of the Ancre was the final act of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Launched on 13 November 1916 by the British Fifth Army of Lieutenant General Hubert Gough, the objective of the battle was as much political as military.-Prelude:The Allied commanders were due to meet at Chantilly on 15...
; Scarpe 1917; Pilckem; Menin Road; Polygon Wood; BroodseindeBattle of BroodseindeThe Battle of Broodseinde was the most successful attack of the Battle of Passchendaele. Using the "bite and hold" tactic , the Allied forces conducted an attack on well-entrenched German forces and showed that it was possible for the allies to overcome even the stoutest German...
; PoelcapelleBattle of PoelcappelleThe Battle of Poelcappelle marked the end of highly successful British attacks during the Battle of Passchendaele. Pitting the attacking forces against relatively intact German defences in rain and muddy conditions like those in August, the main attack was a failure and only the diversionary attack...
; Passchendaele; St Quentin; Lys; Bailleul; KemmelKemmelbergThe Kemmelberg, also known as Kemmel Hill or Mont Kemmel, is a 156m high hill near Kemmel in the municipality of Heuvelland in West Flanders, Belgium....
; Scherpenberg; Hindenburg Line; EpéhyBattle of EpéhyThe Battle of Épehy was a World War I battle fought on 18 September 1918, involving the British Fourth Army against German outpost positions in front of the Hindenburg Line.- Prelude :...
; Canal du NordBattle of the Canal du NordThe Battle of Canal du Nord was part of a general Allied offensive against German positions on the Western Front during the Hundred Days Offensive of World War I. The battle took place in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, along an incomplete portion of the Canal du Nord and on the outskirts...
; St Quentin Canal; Beaurevoir; Cambrai 1918Battle of Cambrai (1918)The Battle of Cambrai was a battle between troops of the British First, Third and Fourth Armies and German Empire forces during the Hundred Days Offensive of the First World War. The battle took place in and around the French city of Cambrai, between 8 and 10 October 1918...
; Selle; SambreBattle of the Sambre (1918)The Second Battle of the Sambre was part of the final European Allied offensives of World War I.-Background:...
; France and Flanders 1914-18Western Front (World War I)Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
; Doiran 1917Battle of Doiran (1917)During the Second conference of the Military Counsel of the Entente in Chanties, it was decided to continue with the attempts at a breakthrough. The task for the Entente forces on the Macedonian Front was to inflict major defeats on the Bulgarian army and effect a wide breakthrough in the Balkans...
; SuvlaLanding at Suvla BayThe landing at Suvla Bay was an amphibious landing made at Suvla on the Aegean coast of Gallipoli peninsula in the Ottoman Empire as part of the August Offensive, the final British attempt to break the deadlock of the Battle of Gallipoli...
; Sari BairBattle of Sari BairThe Battle of Sari Bair , also known as the August Offensive, was the final attempt made by the British in August 1915 to seize control of the Gallipoli peninsula from the Ottoman Empire during First World War.The Battle of Gallipoli had raged on two fronts, Anzac and Helles, for three months since...
; GazaThird Battle of GazaThe Third Battle of Gaza was fought in 1917 in southern Palestine during the First World War. The British Empire forces under the command of General Edmund Allenby successfully broke the Ottoman defensive Gaza-Beersheba line...
; Nebi Samwil; JerusalemBattle of Jerusalem (1917)The Battle of Jerusalem developed from 17 November with fighting continuing until 30 December 1917 during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
; MegiddoBattle of Megiddo (1918)The Battle of Megiddo took place between 19 September and 1 October 1918, in what was then the northern part of Ottoman Palestine and parts of present-day Syria and Jordan...
; Sharon; Tigris 1916; Kut al Amara 1917Second Battle of KutThe Second Battle of Kut was fought on February 23, 1917, between British and Ottoman forces at Kut, Mesopotamia .The battle was part of the British advance to Baghdad begun in December 1916 by a 50,000-man British force organized in two army corps.The British, led by Frederick Stanley Maude,...
; Mesopotamia 1916-18Mesopotamian CampaignThe Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...
.
- Second World WarWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
1939–1945: Defence of ArrasBattle of Arras (1940)The Battle of Arras took place during the Battle of France, in the early stages of World War II. It was an Allied counterattack against the flank of the German army, that took place near the town of Arras, in north-eastern France. The German forces were pushing north toward the channel coast, in...
; Hill 112; Maltot; Mont PinçonOperation BluecoatOperation Bluecoat was an attack by the British Second Army at the Battle of Normandy during the Second World War, from 30 July – 7 August 1944. The geographical objectives of the attack were to secure the key road junction of Vire and the high ground of Mont Pinçon...
; Seine 1944; Cleve; Garigliano Crossing; AnzioOperation ShingleOperation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
; Rome; North ArakanArakan Campaign 1942–1943The Arakan Campaign of 1942–1943 was the first tentative Allied attack into Burma, following the Japanese conquest of Burma earlier in 1942...
. Ypres-Comines Canal; OdonOperation EpsomOperation Epsom, also known as the First Battle of the Odon, was a Second World War British offensive that took place between 26 and 30 June 1944, during the Battle of Normandy...
; CaenBattle for CaenThe Battle for Caen from June-August 1944 was a battle between Allied and German forces during the Battle of Normandy....
; Bourguébus RidgeBattle of Verrières RidgeThe Battle of Verrières Ridge was a series of engagements fought as part of the Battle of Normandy, in western France, during the Second World War. The main combatants were two Canadian infantry divisions—with additional support from the Canadian 2nd Armoured Brigade—against elements of three...
; La Varinière; Nederrijn; Roer; Rhineland; Goch; Xanten; Rhine; Bremen; North-West Europe 1940Battle of FranceIn the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, 1944–5; Solarino; Simeto Bridgehead; Sicily 1943Allied invasion of SicilyThe Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
; Minturno; Advance to TiberBattle of Monte CassinoThe Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
; Italy 1943–4Italian Campaign (World War II)The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
; Middle East 1942; Point 551; Mayu Tunnels; Ngakyedauk PassBattle of the Admin BoxThe Battle of the Admin Box took place on the Southern Front of the Burma Campaign from 5 February to 23 February 1944, in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II...
; Burma 1943–4.
Victoria Crosses
The following members of the Regiment were awarded the Victoria CrossVictoria 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....
:
- Captain Reginald Frederick Johnson HaywardReginald Frederick Johnson HaywardReginald Frederick Johnson Hayward VC, MC & Bar was a British Army officer, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British and Commonwealth forces, during the First World War.-Biography:Hayward was born in Swartberg, East...
VC, MC & Bar: 1st Battalion—21/22 March 1918 - Sergeant Maurice Rogers VC, MM: 2nd Battalion—3 June 1944 (posthumous)
Regimental traditions and nicknames
In honour of the sergeants who took command of the regiment during the Battle of Ferozeshah, 21 December was a regimental anniversary of the 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot. When amalgamated with the 99th Duke of Edinburgh's (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot in 1881, the anniversary was incorporated into the new The Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment). Each 21st of the December, the regiment's colours would be passed to the keeping of the non-commissioned officers for 24 hours. This tradition continued through its descendants, the 1st Battalion, Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire RegimentRoyal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire was an infantry regiment of the British Army.It was formed in 1994 by the amalgamation of two English regiments.*The Gloucestershire Regiment...
until it too was amalgamated to form part of The Rifles
The Rifles
The Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...
.
The Wiltshire Regiment was also known as the Wilts, The Splashers, The Springers, and The Moonrakers. The earliest nickname may have been the Splashers. This name came about from an incident during the Seven Years War when the regiment ran out of ammunition and were forced to melt their buttons down to make musket balls. Thereafter, their buttons had a dent, known as a "splash", in them. The next name, The Springers, came from the regiment being used in the light infantry role during the American Revolution. A common command for light infantry to advance while skirmishing, was to "spring up". The nickname Moonrakers
Moonrakers
Moonrakers is the colloquial name for people from Wiltshire, a county of South West England in the West Country.-Legend:This refers to a folk story set in the time when smuggling was a significant industry in rural England, with Wiltshire lying on the smugglers' secret routes between the south...
came from the Wiltshire region itself. According to a local legend, customs officials had came across some yokels raking a pond to retrieve some kegs of alcohol. The men explained themselves by pointing to the reflection of the moon in the water and claiming they were trying to retrieve the roundel of cheese there. Hence the name, “Moonrakers”. When the regiment was affiliated with Wiltshire, the nickname followed.
The second battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment (formerly the 99th Regiment of Foot) brought its own nicknames with them when the regiments were amalgamated in 1881. During its time as a separate regiment, the 99th Foot was known for the smartness of its drill. This earned it an assignment guarding Queen Victoria's pavilion during tour of duty there in 1858. As a result, the 99th became known as the "Queen's Pets". It is also said that the expression "dressed to the nines" originated as a reference to the 99th. As part of their drill, their uniforms were kept in immaculate condition which other regiments attempted to emulate, or dressing to the nines.
Lineage
|-style="text-align: center; background: #F08080;"| align="center" colspan="4"|Lineage
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| width="25%" rowspan="20" align="center" | The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's)
| width="25%" colspan="3" align="center"| 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot
62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot
The 62nd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, which was raised as a line regiment in 1756 and saw service through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries...
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| width="50%" colspan="3" align="center"| 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot
99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot
The 99th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1824 and amalgamated into The Duke of Edinburgh's in 1881....