Cambridgeshire Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Cambridgeshire Regiment was a territorial infantry regiment of the British Army
from 1908 to 1961.
formed in Cambridgeshire in 1860. By 1880 the volunteer units in the county had amalgamated as the battalion
-size 1st Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps. In the following year, as part of the Childers Reforms
, the 1st Cambridgeshire RVC were nominated as a volunteer battalion of the Suffolk Regiment
. In 1887 the unit was renamed as the 3rd (Cambridgeshire) Volunteer Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment.
The 3rd Volunteer Battalion sent voluntary detachments to reinforce the regular Suffolk Regiment in the Second Boer War
, earning the battle honour:
in 1908, the 3rd VB became The Cambridgeshire Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment (TF). In the following year the Cambridgeshires were constituted a separate regiment, with the title 1st Battalion, The Cambridgeshire Regiment, although remaining part of the "corps" of the regular Suffolk Regiment
On the outbreak of the First World War, the Territorial Force was doubled in size, with the Cambridgeshire Regiment forming a 2/1st Battalion. In 1915 a further increase in the size of the TF led to the formation of 3/1st and 4/1st Battalions.
The regiment's 1/1st Battalion fought on the Westen Front, and twenty seven battle honour
s were awarded in 1925. Those in bold type were selected as representative honours, and were placed on the King's colours of the regiment after the war:
The last known veteran of the Cambridgeshire Regiment in World War I was Pte. George Edward White (28/02/1899 - March 2000) who died aged 101. He also served in the Suffolk Regiment
In 1939, just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, the TA was again doubled in size. Consequently a 2nd Battalion was raised. Both battalions served in the Far East, and were in Singapore
at the time of its fall.
The regiment received the award of four battle honours for the conflict:
role, becoming the 629th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
(The Cambridgeshire Regiment). In 1956 the regiment returned to its traditional role and designation as 1st Battalion, The Cambridgeshire Regiment (TA).
There was a general reduction in the size of the Territorial Army in 1961, and 1st Cambridgeshires were amalgamated with the 4th Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment to form the Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Regiment (TA). Since 1967 the lineage of the Cambridgeshire Regiment has been continued by the Royal Anglian Regiment
.
The history of the Cambridgeshire Regiment and its predecessors and successors is recorded at the Royal Anglian Regiment Museum based at the Land Warfare Hall of the Imperial War Museum Duxford
.
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...
from 1908 to 1961.
Pre 1908
The regiment had its origins in the rifle volunteer corpsVolunteer Force (Great Britain)
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the...
formed in Cambridgeshire in 1860. By 1880 the volunteer units in the county had amalgamated as the battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
-size 1st Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps. In the following year, 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....
, the 1st Cambridgeshire RVC were nominated as a volunteer battalion of the Suffolk Regiment
Suffolk Regiment
The Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the Royal Norfolk Regiment as the 1st East Anglian Regiment in 1959...
. In 1887 the unit was renamed as the 3rd (Cambridgeshire) Volunteer Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment.
The 3rd Volunteer Battalion sent voluntary detachments to reinforce the regular Suffolk Regiment in the Second Boer War
Second 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...
, earning the battle honour:
- South Africa 1900–01
1908–1919
On the formation of the Territorial ForceTerritorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
in 1908, the 3rd VB became The Cambridgeshire Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment (TF). In the following year the Cambridgeshires were constituted a separate regiment, with the title 1st Battalion, The Cambridgeshire Regiment, although remaining part of the "corps" of the regular Suffolk Regiment
On the outbreak of the First World War, the Territorial Force was doubled in size, with the Cambridgeshire Regiment forming a 2/1st Battalion. In 1915 a further increase in the size of the TF led to the formation of 3/1st and 4/1st Battalions.
The regiment's 1/1st Battalion fought on the Westen Front, and twenty seven battle honour
Battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
s were awarded in 1925. Those in bold type were selected as representative honours, and were placed on the King's colours of the regiment after the war:
- Ypres 1915 '17
- Gravenstafel
- St Julien
- Frezenberg
- Somme 1916 '18
- Thiepval
- Ancre Heights
- Ancre 1916
- Pilckem
- Menin Road
- Polygon Wood
- Broodseinde
- Poelcapelle
- Passchendaele
- St Quentin
- Rosieres
- Lys
- Kemmel
- Scherpenberg
- Amiens
- Albert 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...
- Bapume 1918Second Battle of BapaumeThe Second Battle of Bapaume was a battle of World War I that took place at Bapaume, Francebetween 21 August and 3 September 1918. It followed the Battle of Amiens and is also referred to as the second phase of that battle...
- Hindenburg Line
- Epéhy
- St Quentin Canal
- Pursuit to Mons
- France and Flanders 1915-18
The last known veteran of the Cambridgeshire Regiment in World War I was Pte. George Edward White (28/02/1899 - March 2000) who died aged 101. He also served in the Suffolk Regiment
1920–1947
The Territorial Force was reformed as the Territorial Army in 1920, and the 1st Battalion was reraised.In 1939, just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, the TA was again doubled in size. Consequently a 2nd Battalion was raised. Both battalions served in the Far East, and were in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
at the time of its fall.
The regiment received the award of four battle honours for the conflict:
- Johore
- Batu Pahat
- Singapore Island
- Malaya 1942
1947–1961
In 1947 the regiment was converted to an artilleryArtillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
role, becoming the 629th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
(The Cambridgeshire Regiment). In 1956 the regiment returned to its traditional role and designation as 1st Battalion, The Cambridgeshire Regiment (TA).
There was a general reduction in the size of the Territorial Army in 1961, and 1st Cambridgeshires were amalgamated with the 4th Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment to form the Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Regiment (TA). Since 1967 the lineage of the Cambridgeshire Regiment has been continued by the Royal Anglian Regiment
Royal Anglian Regiment
The Royal Anglian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division.The regiment was formed on 1 September 1964 as the first of the new large infantry regiments, through the amalgamation of the four regiments of the East Anglian Brigade.* 1st Battalion from the...
.
The history of the Cambridgeshire Regiment and its predecessors and successors is recorded at the Royal Anglian Regiment Museum based at the Land Warfare Hall of the Imperial War Museum Duxford
Imperial War Museum Duxford
Imperial War Museum Duxford is a branch of the Imperial War Museum near the village of Duxford in Cambridgeshire, England. Britain's largest aviation museum, Duxford houses the museum's large exhibits, including nearly 200 aircraft, military vehicles, artillery and minor naval vessels in seven...
.
External links
- The Cambridgeshire Regiment (regiments.org), accessed September 7, 2007
- Roll of Honour entry
- The Cambridgeshire Regiment in 1914-1918 (www.1914-1918.net), accessed September 7, 2007
- Cambridgeshire 'Regimental family' revisits scene of finest hour (Ministry of Defence), accessed September 7, 2007
- Cambs. Regt - History (Cambridgeshire History), accessed September 7, 2007
- Cambridgeshire Regiment World War 2 - Deaths Database