East Lancashire Regiment
Encyclopedia
The East Lancashire Regiment was, from 1881 to 1958, an infantry
regiment of the British Army
. The regiment was formed under the Childers Reforms
by the amalgamation of two 30th and 59th Regiments of Foot with the militia
and rifle volunteer
units of eastern Lancashire. Following a series of mergers since 1958, its lineage is today continued by the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.
(raised in 1702) and the 2nd Battalion from the 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot
(raised 1755).
Under the system introduced in 1881, one battalion of each infantry regiment was to serve at a home station while the other was in a foreign garrison or on active service. Due to the emergency caused by the outbreak of war in South Africa in 1899 most home service battalions were dispatched to the conflict.
The militia was a reserve force that was only liable to service in the United Kingdom
and in peace time assembled for period of annual training. In time of war it could be "embodied" or mobilised. When the war that broke out in South Africa in 1899 began to absorb a large amount of the regular army's resources, the terms of service of the militia were altered to allow them to serve in the war. The 3rd Battalion was embodied in January 1900 and served in South Africa until 1902. It was disembodied in March 1902. The battalion was awarded the battle honour "South Africa 1900–1902".
The volunteer battalions were organised for home defence purposes, and their members were subject to regular drills and training. Like the militia battalion, elements of the volunteers fought in South Africa. While members of the Volunteer Force could not be required to serve overseas, members from the battalions were voluntarily formed into Active Service Companies, providing reinforcements for the regular battalion. Both volunteer battalions were awarded battle honours for the war.
the militia and volunteer force were reconstituted as the "Special Reserve" and "Territorial Force
" (TF). Territorial battalions were renumbered in series after the special reserve battalions. The resulting titles were:
The Territorial Force was restructured into 14 infantry divisions, and the 4th and 5th Battalions formed part of the East Lancashire Division
. It was as part of that division that were to be mobilised in 1914.
The size of the regiment was increased during the conflict, reaching a total of 17 battalions.
Each regiment was permitted to select ten battle honours to be borne on the King's Colours. These are shown in bold type.
Four members of the regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross
for gallantry:
of the 1st Battalion was awarded the Victoria Cross
for gallantry at Dunkirk on 31 May – 1 June 1940.
was a sphinx upon a plinth inscribed "EGYPT". The sphinx had been awarded to the 30th Foot in 1802 to mark its participation in repelling the French invasion of Egypt The collar badge selected was the Red Rose of Lancaster
to mark the regiment's county affiliation. In 1897 a khaki
uniform featuring a slouch hat
was introduced, and a metal cap badge
was devised for each regiment or corps. The badge of the East Lancs was the sphinx and "Egypt" above the rose, the whole enclosed within a laurel wreath
topped by a crown. The laurel wreath had formed part of the insignia of the 59th Foot. A scroll inscribed "EAST LANCASHIRE" at the base of the badge completed the design. This design of cap badge was maintained for the rest of the regiment's existence, subject to changes in the style of crown, and was worn on the later service dress
and battle dress
uniforms.
were announced that significantly reduced the size of the army. As a result the East Lancashire Regiment was amalgamated with The South Lancashire Regiment on 1 July 1958 to form The Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Volunteers). In 1970 The Lancashire Regiment was in turn amalgamated with The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment to form The Queen's Lancashire Regiment
. In 2006 the Queen's Lancashire Regiment was merged with the King's Own Royal Border Regiment and The King's Regiment
to form a new large regiment
, the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.
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 of 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...
. The regiment was formed under 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....
by the amalgamation of two 30th and 59th Regiments of Foot with the militia
Militia (United Kingdom)
The Militia of the United Kingdom were the military reserve forces of the United Kingdom after the Union in 1801 of the former Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of Ireland....
and rifle volunteer
Volunteer 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...
units of eastern Lancashire. Following a series of mergers since 1958, its lineage is today continued by the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.
Regular battalions
The 1st Battalion was formed from the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot
The 30th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1702 and amalgamated into The East Lancashire Regiment in 1881.-Predecessor regiment:...
(raised in 1702) and the 2nd Battalion from the 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot
59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot
The 59th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1755 in response to the threat of renewed war with France. It was amalgamated with the 30th Regiment of Foot in 1881 to form The East Lancashire Regiment as part of the Childers Reforms.-Formation and numbering:In...
(raised 1755).
Under the system introduced in 1881, one battalion of each infantry regiment was to serve at a home station while the other was in a foreign garrison or on active service. Due to the emergency caused by the outbreak of war in South Africa in 1899 most home service battalions were dispatched to the conflict.
| 1st Battalion | 2nd Battalion | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Years | Location | Years |
| India (Took part in the Chitral Expedition Chitral Expedition The Chitral Expedition was a military expedition in 1895 sent by the British authorities to relieve the fort at Chitral which was under siege after a local coup.-Background to the conflict:Chitral was at the extreme north west of British India... of 1895) |
1881 – 1897 | England | 1881 – 1883 |
| Ireland | 1883 – 1893 | ||
| Gibraltar | 1893 – 1895 | ||
| England | 1895 – 1897 | ||
| England and Jersey | 1897 – 1900 | India | 1897 – 1911 |
| South Africa (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... ) |
1900 – 1902 | ||
| Ireland | 1905 – 1908 | ||
| England | 1908 – 1914 | South Africa | 1911 – 1914 |
Militia and volunteer/territorial battalions
The 1881 reforms also linked the militia and rifle volunteer units of the area into the regimental structure:- The 5th Royal Lancashire Militia was redesignated as the 3rd (Militia) Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment.
- The 2nd Lancashire Rifle Volunteer Corps, based at Blackburn: renamed to 1st Volunteer Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment in 1889
- The 3rd Lancashire Rifle Volunteer Corps, based at BurnleyBurnleyBurnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
: renamed to 2nd Volunteer Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment in 1889
The militia was a reserve force that was only liable to service in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and in peace time assembled for period of annual training. In time of war it could be "embodied" or mobilised. When the war that broke out in South Africa in 1899 began to absorb a large amount of the regular army's resources, the terms of service of the militia were altered to allow them to serve in the war. The 3rd Battalion was embodied in January 1900 and served in South Africa until 1902. It was disembodied in March 1902. The battalion was awarded the battle honour "South Africa 1900–1902".
The volunteer battalions were organised for home defence purposes, and their members were subject to regular drills and training. Like the militia battalion, elements of the volunteers fought in South Africa. While members of the Volunteer Force could not be required to serve overseas, members from the battalions were voluntarily formed into Active Service Companies, providing reinforcements for the regular battalion. Both volunteer battalions were awarded battle honours for the war.
1908 reorganisation
In 1908, under the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907
The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the auxiliary forces of the British Army by transferring existing Volunteer and Yeomanry units into a new Territorial Force ; and disbanding the Militia to form a new Special Reserve of the...
the militia and volunteer force were reconstituted as the "Special Reserve" and "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:...
" (TF). Territorial battalions were renumbered in series after the special reserve battalions. The resulting titles were:
- 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion
- 4th Battalion (TF) (formerly 1st Volunteer Battalion)
- 5th Battalion (TF) (formerly 2nd Volunteer Battalion)
The Territorial Force was restructured into 14 infantry divisions, and the 4th and 5th Battalions formed part of the East Lancashire Division
42nd (East Lancashire) Division
The 42nd Division was a Territorial Force division of the British Army. Originally called the East Lancashire Division, it was redesignated as the 42nd Division on 25 May 1915. It was the first Territorial division to be sent overseas during the First World War. The division fought at Gallipoli,...
. It was as part of that division that were to be mobilised in 1914.
First World War
| Battalion | Notes | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Regular battalion | Western Front August 1914–1918 |
| 2nd | Regular battalion | in South Africa at outbreak of war, Western Front November 1914 – 1918 |
| 3rd | Special Reserve | Embodied at Preston August 1914, served in home stations at Plymouth and Marske by the Sea |
| 1/4th | Redesignation of 4th (TF) Battalion on formation of duplicate 2/4th in September 1914 | Egypt September 1914, Gallipoli 1915, Egypt 1916, Western Front 1917 - 1918. Redesignated as 4th Battalion in 1918 |
| 2/4th | Duplicate of 4th Battalion formed September 1914 | Home service until March 1917, Western Front March 1917 – February 1918, when it was absorbed by 1/4th. |
| 3/4th | Formed March 1915 as duplicate of 1/4th | Depot and training unit remained in UK |
| 1/5th | Redesignation of 5th (TF) Battalion on formation of duplicate 2/5th in September 1914 | Egypt September 1914, Gallipoli 1915, Egypt 1916, Western Front 1917 - 1918. |
| 2/5th | Duplicate of 5th Battalion formed September 1914 | Home service until March 1917, Western Front March 1917 – 1918. Disbanded July 1918. |
| 3/5th | Formed March 1915 as duplicate of 1/5th | Depot and training unit remained in UK. |
| 6th | Service battalion formed August 1914. | Gallipoli July 1915, Egypt January 1916, Mesopotamia February 1916 – 1918 |
| 7th | Service battalion formed September 1914 | Western Front 1915 – 1918. Disbanded February 1918. |
| 8th | Service battalion formed September 1914 | Western Front 1915 – 1918. Disbanded February 1918., officers and men transferred to 11th Battalion |
| 9th | Service battalion formed September 1914 | Western Front September – November 1915. Salonika November 1915 – 1918. |
| 10th | Service battalion formed October 1914 | Home Service. Converted to reserve battalion 1915, redesignated 47th Training Reserve Battalion 1916 and ceased to be part of the regiment. |
| 11th | "Accrington Pals": Service battalion formed September 1914 by mayor and corporation of Accrington Accrington Accrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn... |
Egypt December 1915 – March 1916, Western Front March 1916 – 1918 |
| 12th | Reserve battalion formed May 1915 | Redesignated 75th Training Reserve Battalion 1916 and ceased to be part of the regiment. |
| 13th | Redesignation of 8th Garrison Guard Battalion July 1918. | Western Front |
Battle honours
The regiment was awarded the following battle honours for the war:- Le Cateau
- Retreat from Mons
- Marne 1914
- Aisne 1914, '18
- Armentières 1914
- Neuve Chapelle
- Ypres 1915, '17, '18
- St Julien
- Frezenberg
- Bellewaarde
- Aubers
- Somme 1916, '18
- Albert 1916, '18
- Bazentin
- Pozières
- Le Transloy
- Ancre 1916, '18
- Arras 1917, '18
- Scarpe 1917, '18
- Arleux
- Oppy
- Messines 1917
- Pilckem
- Langemarck 1917
- Polygon Wood
- Broodseinde
- Poelcapelle
- Passchendaele
- St Quentin
- Bapaume 1918
- Rosières
- Villers Bretonneux
- Lys
- Estaires
- Hazebrouck
- Bailleul
- Kemmel
- Hindenburg Line
- Canal du Nord
- Cambrai 1918
- Selle
- Valenciennes
- Sambre
- France and Flanders 1914–18
- Kosturino
- Doiran 1917, '18
- Macedonia 1915–18
- Helles
- Krithia
- Suvla
- Sari Bair
- Gallipoli 1915
- Rumani
- Egypt 1915–17
- Tigris 1916
- Kut al Amara 1917
- Baghdad
- Mesopotamia 1916–17
Each regiment was permitted to select ten battle honours to be borne on the King's Colours. These are shown in bold type.
Victoria Crosses
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for gallantry:
- Drummer Spencer John BentSpencer John BentSpencer John Bent VC, MM was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1st Battalion (Le Gheer, Belgium, 1 –2 November 1914) - Private William YoungWilliam Young (VC)William Young VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 8th Battalion (Fonquevillers, France, 22 December 1915) - Second Lieutenant Alfred Victor SmithAlfred Victor SmithAlfred Victor Smith VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1/5th Battalion (Helles, Galliopoli, Turkey, 23 December 1915) - Second Lieutenant Basil Arthur HorsfallBasil Arthur HorsfallSecond Lieutenant Basil Arthur Horsfall, VC was a British-Ceylonese recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early life:Born on 4 October 1887 in Colombo, Ceylon , Horsfall...
, attached to 11th Battalion (Between Moyenneville and Ablainzevelle, France, 21 March 1918)
Inter war
Between the Wars the East Lancs served in many conflicts including Baluchistan, Afghanistan, Ireland, Turkey, Palestine and the North West Frontier of India.| 1st Battalion | 2nd Battalion | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Years | Location | Years |
| West Indies | 1919–22 | Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
1919–1923 |
| Malta Malta Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in... |
1922–1923 | ||
| Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world... |
1923–1924 | England | 1923–1933 |
| India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
1924–1931 | ||
| China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... |
1932–1933 | ||
| England | 1933–1934 | Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
1933–1937 |
| Saarland Saarland Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states... |
1934–1935 | ||
| England | 1935–1936 | ||
| Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west... |
1936–1939 | ||
| India | 1937–1939 |
Second World War
The regiment was again increased in size for the duration of the war, although not to such an extent as in 1914–1918. Firstly, prior to the outbreak of hostilities in 1939, the entire Territorial Army was doubled in size, with each unit forming a duplicate. Secondly, a number of wartime battalions were formed.| Battalion | Notes | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Regular battalion | North West Europe 1940, 1944 – 1945 |
| 2nd | Regular battalion | In India at outbreak of war. To United Kingdom in 1940. South Africa, Madagascar and East Africa 1942 –1943, India and Burma 1943 – 1945 |
| 4th | Territorial battalion. Formed 1939 when 4th/5th Battalion was duplicated. | North West Europe 1940 |
| 5th | Territorial battalion. Formed 1939 when 4th/5th Battalion was duplicated. | North West Europe 1944–1945. Formed part of 197th Brigade (with the 1/7th Royal Warwicks and the 2/5th Lancashire Fusiliers Lancashire Fusiliers The Lancashire Fusiliers was a British infantry regiment that was amalgamated with other Fusilier regiments in 1968 to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.- Formation and early history:... ), 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division during its few months in action following the D-Day landings in the area of Galmanche near Epron during Operation Charnwood Operation Charnwood Operation Charnwood was a Second World War Anglo-Canadian offensive that took place from 8–9 July 1944, during the Battle of Normandy. The operation was intended to at least partially capture the German-occupied French city of Caen , which was an important Allied objective during the opening stages... . |
| 6th | Home Defence battalion formed August 1939. | Renumbered 30th 1941. |
| 7th | Raised 1940, disbanded 1941. | |
| 8th | Raised 1940, converted to 141 Regiment Royal Armoured Corps Royal Armoured Corps The Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army... 1941, dispersed 1944. |
|
| 30th (renumbered from 6th Battalion 1941) | Home Defence battalion | Disbanded 1943 |
Battle honours
A total of eighteen battle honours were awarded. As with honours for the First World War, ten were selected for display on the colours, indicated in bold:- Defence of Escaut
- Dunkirk 1940
- Caen
- Falaise
- Nederrijn
- Lower Maas
- Ourthe
- Rhineland
- Reichswald
- Weeze
- Rhine
- Ibbenburen
- Aller
- North-West Europe 1940 '44-45
- Madagascar
- North Arakan
- Pinwe
- Burma 1944-45
Victoria Cross
Acting Captain Harold Marcus Ervine-AndrewsHarold Marcus Ervine-Andrews
Lieutenant Colonel Harold Marcus Ervine-Andrews VC was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
of the 1st Battalion was awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for gallantry at Dunkirk on 31 May – 1 June 1940.
Post war
In 1948 the regiment was reduced to a single regular battalion. They served in the Middle East, Malaya, the Suez Canal Zone, and Aden.Badges
When the two regiments of foot merged in 1881, new badges were designed. The headdress badge selected for the centre of the full dress helmetPith helmet
The pith helmet is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of cork or pith...
was a sphinx upon a plinth inscribed "EGYPT". The sphinx had been awarded to the 30th Foot in 1802 to mark its participation in repelling the French invasion of Egypt The collar badge selected was the Red Rose of Lancaster
Red Rose of Lancaster
The Red Rose of Lancaster is the county flower of Lancashire.The exact species or cultivar which the red rose relates to is uncertain, but it is thought to be Rosa gallica officinalis....
to mark the regiment's county affiliation. In 1897 a khaki
Khaki
This article is about the fabric. For the color, see Khaki . Kaki, another name for the persimmon, is often misspelled "Khaki".Khaki is a type of fabric or the color of such fabric...
uniform featuring a slouch hat
Slouch hat
A slouch hat is a wide-brimmed felt or cloth hat with a chinstrap, most commonly worn as part of a military uniform. It is a survivor of the felt hats worn by certain 18th century armies. Since then, the slouch hat has been worn by military personnel from many nations including Australia, Britain,...
was introduced, and a metal cap badge
Cap badge
A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as well as uniformed civilian groups such as the Boy...
was devised for each regiment or corps. The badge of the East Lancs was the sphinx and "Egypt" above the rose, the whole enclosed within a laurel wreath
Laurel wreath
A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
topped by a crown. The laurel wreath had formed part of the insignia of the 59th Foot. A scroll inscribed "EAST LANCASHIRE" at the base of the badge completed the design. This design of cap badge was maintained for the rest of the regiment's existence, subject to changes in the style of crown, and was worn on the later service dress
Service dress
Service Dress may refer to any of several military uniforms:*Service Dress *Service Dress, a uniform of the United States Navy*Service Dress, a uniform of the United States Air Force...
and battle dress
Battle Dress
Battle Dress was the specific title of a military uniform adopted by the British Army in the late 1930s and worn until the 1960s. Several other nations also introduced variants of Battle Dress during the Second World War, including Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and the...
uniforms.
Amalgamation
In 1957 defence cuts1957 Defence White Paper
The 1957 White Paper on Defence was a British white paper setting forth the perceived future of the British military. It had profound effects on all aspects of the defence industry but probably the most affected was the British aircraft industry...
were announced that significantly reduced the size of the army. As a result the East Lancashire Regiment was amalgamated with The South Lancashire Regiment on 1 July 1958 to form The Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Volunteers). In 1970 The Lancashire Regiment was in turn amalgamated with The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment to form The Queen's Lancashire Regiment
Queen's Lancashire Regiment
The Queen's Lancashire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the King's Division...
. In 2006 the Queen's Lancashire Regiment was merged with the King's Own Royal Border Regiment and The King's Regiment
The King's Regiment
The King's Regiment, officially abbreviated as KINGS, was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the King's Division. It was formed on 1 September 1958 by the amalgamation of The King's Regiment which had been raised in 1685 and The Manchester Regiment which traced its history to 1758...
to form a new large regiment
Large regiment
A large regiment is a multi-battalion infantry formation of the British Army. First formed in the 1960s, large regiments are the result of the amalgamation of three or more existing single-battalion regiments, and perpetuate the traditions of each of the predecessor units.-Origins:Following the...
, the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.