Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)
Encyclopedia
The Loyal Regiment (until 1921 known as The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) was an infantry
regiment
of the line in the British Army
from 1881 to 1970. Today, the regiment's lineage is continued by The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.
of 1881 by the amalgamation of the 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot, 81st (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers) Regiment of Foot, 3rd Duke of Lancaster's Own Royal Lancashire Militia and the 11th and 14th Lancashire Rifle Volunteer Corps. The Loyals were one of seven county regiments recruiting in Lancashire
. The depot was at Preston, and the regimental district also included the towns of Bolton
, Chorley
, Farnworth
, Hindley
. The regiment also recruited in the Isle of Man
. As part of the Cardwell Reforms
, the 47th and 81st regiments were linked. The depot for the linked regiment was Fulwood Barracks at Preston. Beginning in 1873, the regiments which would eventually be re-designated as the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment began moving their depot units to Fulwood. However, it would not be until 1877 that the moves were completed when the required facilities were completed.
The barracks themselves had been completed in 1848 and served as the station for a number of units between 1848 and 1881. Notably, in the 1860s, it was occupied by the 11th Depot Battalion, which served as depot unit for 11th Hussars and of the 1st/10th, 2nd/10th, 1st/11th, 32nd, 41st and 55th Regiments of Foot. In 1861, Private Patrick McCaffery, a 19-year old private with 32nd Regiment shot and killed the Depot's commander, Colonel Hugh Crofton, and Depot's adjutant, Captain John Hanham, with a single shot. The incident began over the McCaffery's punishment for failing to vigorously pursue an investigation into some children who had broken some windows at the barracks. McCaffery was tried and convicted at the Liverpool Assizes
. He was executed on 11 January 1862. It is said that since that time, his ghost haunts the officer's mess at Fulwood barracks.
In 1899, the Loyal Regiment found itself assigned to South Africa. With hostilities seeming likely in the aftermath of the Jameson Raid
, the De Beers
company became increasingly concerned with the security of its operations in Kimberly
. Although a town guard and other volunteer formations had been raised, the De Beers company and citizens of Kimberly petitioned for additional security measures. On 7 October 1899, an artillery battery and four companies of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment were dispatched to secure the town under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Kekewich
. Five days later, with the start of hostilities
, Boer
forces arrived and began to isolate Kimberley
. For the next 126 days, the North Lancs and the local militias would be cut off and subjected to regular shelling from the Boer artillery. The siege was finally lifted when Brigadier-General Sir John French'
s Cavalry Division was able to breakthrough the Boer lines on 15 February 1900.
With its commander and four of its companies under siege in Kimberly, the balance of the 1st Battalion served with Lord Methuen
. Together with the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers
, 2nd Northampton Regiment
, and 2nd King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry)
, they formed the 9th Brigade of the 1st Division. They served with 9th Brigade at the Battles of Belmont
, Modder River
and Magersfotein
.
Following the relief of Kimberly in February 1900, the battalion. The Loyals would remain a part of Methuen's command until July when it was detached to guard Oliphant's Nek. However, on 8 August, they abandoned this task at the orders of Colonel Baden-Powell
and left the area unguarded. This allowed Christiaan de Wet
to escape the British forces attempting to catch him. Although this allowed him escape, it was ruled that orders received by the Loyals were the cause, and the regiment escaped censure.
The end of 1900 found 1st Loyals back with the 9th Brigade. As part of the brigade, they took part in actions around Klerksdorp. Remaining under Lord Methuen's command for the rest of the war, the Loyals provided men to formed into mounted infantry companies
as the war shifted from large engagements into a guerrilla war. The Loyals would continue to serve throughout the guerrilla phase, engaging Boer commandos on a number of occasions until the end of the war with the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging
.
battalions (1/4th, 1/5th, 2/4th, 2/5th, 3/4th, 3/5th, 4/5th, 1/12th(Pioneers), 2/12th, and 14th Battalions), and seven service battalions for the Kitchener's Army
(6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th (Reserve), and 15th Battalions), as well as a home service battalion (13th (Home Service) Battalion).
During the First World War, the 6th Battalion of the Loyal Regiment was raised in August 1914, as part of the "Kitchener Army"'s first wave (sometimes referred to as K1). It was moved to Tildworth and then to Blackdown in February 1915. Eventually it sailed as part of the 38th Brigade of the 13th (Western) Division to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
. As part of the 13th (Western) Division, the battalion served in the Gallipoli Campaign. The division landed at Anzac Cove
on 4 August 1915. After participating in the battles at Anzac Cove and Suvla Bay, the 6th Battalion along with the rest of the division were withdrawn from Suvla and moved to the Helles landing beaches. The division was finally withdrawn from Gallipoli and sent to Egypt to refit in January 1916.
In February 1916, the division was ordered to move to join the Tigris Corps in its operations to relieve the Anglo-Indian garrison besieged at Kut. As part of the Tigris Corps, the battalion attempted to lift the siege of Kut
. Initially deployed along the left bank of the Tigris River, the North Lancs participated in the Battles of Fallahiya, on April 6, 1916, and Sanniyat, on April 9, 1916. The 6th North Lancs managed to break into the Turkish positions at the Sanniyat, but because follow-on forces were unable to link up with them, they along with the rest of the 38th Brigade were eventually driven back.
After the failure of the Tigris Corps to relieve Kut, the 6th North Lancs, as well as the rest of the division remained in theater. Receiving replacement drafts from home, the 6th North Lancs began training to prepare for the winter campaign to retake Kut and drive on Baghdad. After the capture of Kut, the 38th Brigade, of which the 6th North Lancs was a part, was the spearhead for the drive across the Diyala River. After the failure of the first attempt to cross the river, 6th North Lancs were tasked with seizing the beachhead on the far side of the river. Approximately 100 men of the 6th North Lancs were able to make the initial crossing on March 8, 1917. Subjected to multiple counter-attacks through the day, North Lancs held on to the beachhead despite the main force being unable to land more troops. By the end of March 8, 1917, there only 40 effectives left. Throughout the next day, the North Lancs defended their beachhead against a further counter-attack and shelling by the Turkish Army. They were not relieved until the next day when the Turkish forces retreated after their position became untenable because of advances by the British and Indian forces on the right bank of the Tigris River. In the course of two days, 6th North Lancs suffered 31 KIA and 65 wounded.
Following the fall of Baghdad, the 6th North Lancs, participated in the drive north to Kirkuk. At the conclusion of the war, the 6th North Lancs was selected as one of the battalions which would make up the initial occupation force of region (eventually renamed Iraq). They were transferred to the 34th Indian Infantry Brigade for occupation duties in 1918 after the armistice with Turkey on 31 October 1918. The 6th North Lancs were eventually demobilized in 1919.
. The Loyals were dispatched to serve during the Chanak Crisis
. Both battalions of the Loyals served in China during the Warlord Era
and the Chinese Civil War
, protecting the legation in Peking and the international settlements at Tientsin, Canton, and most importantly Shanghai. The 1st Loyals also saw action in policing the British Mandate of Palestine during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine.
in 1943, and Italy
.
Upon the commencement of hostilities in 1939, the 2nd Loyals found themselves stationed in the Far East as part of Singapore Fortress
's Malaya Brigade. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the 2nd Loyals fought in Malaya as part of the delaying action during the Battle of Malaya
. Eventually, the 2nd Loyals surrendered along with the rest of the Singapore
garrison on 15 February 1942. The survivors spent the rest of the war as POWs Japan.
Following the destruction of the 2nd Loyals with its surrender at Singapore, the battalion was reformed in Britain. The 10th Loyals were re-designated as 2nd Loyals on 28 May 1942. Eventually the battalion was deployed as part of 20th Indian Infantry Brigade
of the 10th Indian Infantry Division in Italy during the closing phases of the Italian campaign.
unit for the 18th (East Anglian) Infantry Division and re-designated as the 18th Battalion Reconnaissance Corps. The 18th Recce (5th Loyals) was transferred with the rest of the 18th (East Anglian) Division as reinforcements for Singapore. They arrived at Singapore late in the campaign without much of their equipment and were used as regular infantry until the surrender on 15 February 1942. Like the men of the 2nd Loyals captured in Singapore, the men spent the rest of the war as prisoners of the Japanese.
The 6th Loyals were also converted in 1941 from their infantry role. Like the 5th Loyals, they were converted and re-designated as 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment, joining the 2nd Infantry Division on 30 April 1941. With the rest of the division, it was transferred to Indian where it would be engaged against the Japanese Army, notably in India at Kohima
and then as part of Slim's offensive to re-capture Burma.
.
92 LAA Regt RA landed in Normandy as part of 3rd British Infantry Division on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and performed notable service during Operation Tonga
in defence of Pegasus Bridge and Horsa Bridge. 92 LAA was disbanded in 1946.
from 1957 to 1959. C Company was dispatched to Aden during the Emergency in 1966. The Regiment was amalgamated with The Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Volunteers)
to form The Queen's Lancashire Regiment in 1970.
during the Boer War
. Annually, the regiment would celebrate this battle honor on 15 February. The next anniversary on the calendar commemorated the victory at the Battle of Maida
, where the 1st Battalion of the 81st Regiment
, won the battle honour carried by the Loyals. Annually, the regiment commemorated the battle with a parade and dinner in the mess. Annually on 13 September, the Loyals commemorated Quebec Day. This celebrated the 47th Regiment's participation in the capture of Quebec under General Wolfe. Men of the 1st Battalion of the Loyals, successors to the 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot, were eligible to become members of the Wolfe Society. The anniversary was marked by a trooping of the colours while the regimental band played the 47th Regiment's slow march followed by Quebec. On New Year's Eve, the Sergeants' Mess of the Loyals would hold a ball in celebration of Tarifa Day. The ball commemorated the defense of Tarifa by the 47th Regiment in 1811 against a determined assault by the French army.
, the commander of the 1/81st Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Kempt, had a dinner made from a tortoise found near the battle. He turned the shell of the tortoise into a snuff box and presented it to the officer's mess.
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...
from 1881 to 1970. Today, the regiment's lineage is continued by The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.
Formation, 1881
The regiment was formed as part of the Childers reformsChilders 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....
of 1881 by the amalgamation of the 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot, 81st (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers) Regiment of Foot, 3rd Duke of Lancaster's Own Royal Lancashire Militia and the 11th and 14th Lancashire Rifle Volunteer Corps. The Loyals were one of seven county regiments recruiting in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. The depot was at Preston, and the regimental district also included the towns of Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, Chorley
Chorley
Chorley is a market town in Lancashire, in North West England. It is the largest settlement in the Borough of Chorley. The town's wealth came principally from the cotton industry...
, Farnworth
Farnworth
Farnworth is within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. It is located southeast of Bolton, 6 miles south-west of Bury , and northwest of Manchester....
, Hindley
Hindley, Greater Manchester
Hindley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. Lying three miles east of Wigan it covers an area of 1044 hectares. Historically a part of Lancashire, Hindley which includes Hindley Green borders the towns of Ince-in-Makerfield and Leigh within Wigan...
. The regiment also recruited in the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. As part of the 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:...
, the 47th and 81st regiments were linked. The depot for the linked regiment was Fulwood Barracks at Preston. Beginning in 1873, the regiments which would eventually be re-designated as the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment began moving their depot units to Fulwood. However, it would not be until 1877 that the moves were completed when the required facilities were completed.
The barracks themselves had been completed in 1848 and served as the station for a number of units between 1848 and 1881. Notably, in the 1860s, it was occupied by the 11th Depot Battalion, which served as depot unit for 11th Hussars and of the 1st/10th, 2nd/10th, 1st/11th, 32nd, 41st and 55th Regiments of Foot. In 1861, Private Patrick McCaffery, a 19-year old private with 32nd Regiment shot and killed the Depot's commander, Colonel Hugh Crofton, and Depot's adjutant, Captain John Hanham, with a single shot. The incident began over the McCaffery's punishment for failing to vigorously pursue an investigation into some children who had broken some windows at the barracks. McCaffery was tried and convicted at the Liverpool Assizes
Assizes (England and Wales)
The Courts of Assize, or Assizes, were periodic criminal courts held around England and Wales until 1972, when together with the Quarter Sessions they were abolished by the Courts Act 1971 and replaced by a single permanent Crown Court...
. He was executed on 11 January 1862. It is said that since that time, his ghost haunts the officer's mess at Fulwood barracks.
Boer War, 1899–1902
In 1899, the Loyal Regiment found itself assigned to South Africa. With hostilities seeming likely in the aftermath of the Jameson Raid
Jameson Raid
The Jameson Raid was a botched raid on Paul Kruger's Transvaal Republic carried out by a British colonial statesman Leander Starr Jameson and his Rhodesian and Bechuanaland policemen over the New Year weekend of 1895–96...
, the De Beers
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
company became increasingly concerned with the security of its operations in Kimberly
Kimberley, Northern Cape
Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War...
. Although a town guard and other volunteer formations had been raised, the De Beers company and citizens of Kimberly petitioned for additional security measures. On 7 October 1899, an artillery battery and four companies of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment were dispatched to secure the town under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Kekewich
Robert Kekewich
Major General Robert George Kekewich CB was a Victorian era British Army officer.Kekewich was the second son of Trehawke Kekewich, of Peamore House, near Exeter, Devon, and the grandson of Samuel Trehawke Kekewich...
. Five days later, with the start of hostilities
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...
, Boer
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
forces arrived and began to isolate Kimberley
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...
. For the next 126 days, the North Lancs and the local militias would be cut off and subjected to regular shelling from the Boer artillery. The siege was finally lifted when Brigadier-General Sir John 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...
s Cavalry Division was able to breakthrough the Boer lines on 15 February 1900.
With its commander and four of its companies under siege in Kimberly, the balance of the 1st Battalion served with Lord Methuen
Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen
Field Marshal Paul Sanford Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen GCB, GCMG, GCVO was a British military commander.-Early life:...
. Together with the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers
Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Originally raised in 1674, the regiment was amalgamated with three other fusilier regiments in 1968 to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.-Origins:...
, 2nd Northampton 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...
, and 2nd King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry)
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755. The regiment's traditions and history are now maintained by The Rifles.-The 51st Foot:...
, they formed the 9th Brigade of the 1st Division. They served with 9th Brigade at the Battles of Belmont
Battle of Belmont (1899)
The Battle of Belmont is the name of an engagement of the Second Boer War near the town of Belmont, 23 November 1899, where the British under Lord Methuen assaulted a Boer position on a kopje....
, Modder River
Battle of Modder River
The Battle of Modder River was an engagement in the Boer War, fought at Modder River, on 28 November 1899...
and Magersfotein
Battle of Magersfontein
The Battle of MagersfonteinSpelt incorrectly in various English texts as "Majersfontein", "Maaghersfontein" and "Maagersfontein". was fought on 11 December 1899, at Magersfontein near Kimberley on the borders of the Cape Colony and the independent republic of the Orange Free State...
.
Following the relief of Kimberly in February 1900, the battalion. The Loyals would remain a part of Methuen's command until July when it was detached to guard Oliphant's Nek. However, on 8 August, they abandoned this task at the orders of Colonel Baden-Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
and left the area unguarded. This allowed 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...
to escape the British forces attempting to catch him. Although this allowed him escape, it was ruled that orders received by the Loyals were the cause, and the regiment escaped censure.
The end of 1900 found 1st Loyals back with the 9th Brigade. As part of the brigade, they took part in actions around Klerksdorp. Remaining under Lord Methuen's command for the rest of the war, the Loyals provided men to formed into mounted infantry companies
Mounted infantry
Mounted infantry were soldiers who rode horses instead of marching, but actually fought on foot . The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry...
as the war shifted from large engagements into a guerrilla war. The Loyals would continue to serve throughout the guerrilla phase, engaging Boer commandos on a number of occasions until the end of the war with the signing of 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...
.
First World War, 1914–1918
The Regiment raised a number of extra war service battalions during The Great War. In all the Loyal North Lancs raised 21 battalions of infantry for service at home and abroad. Of these, there were the two regular battalions (the 1st and 2nd Battalions), the initial reserve battalion (3rd Battalion), ten 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:...
battalions (1/4th, 1/5th, 2/4th, 2/5th, 3/4th, 3/5th, 4/5th, 1/12th(Pioneers), 2/12th, and 14th Battalions), and seven service battalions for the Kitchener's 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...
(6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th (Reserve), and 15th Battalions), as well as a home service battalion (13th (Home Service) Battalion).
During the First World War, the 6th Battalion of the Loyal Regiment was raised in August 1914, as part of the "Kitchener Army"'s first wave (sometimes referred to as K1). It was moved to Tildworth and then to Blackdown in February 1915. Eventually it sailed as part of the 38th Brigade of the 13th (Western) Division to join 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...
. As part of the 13th (Western) Division, the battalion served in the Gallipoli Campaign. The division 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...
on 4 August 1915. After participating in the battles at Anzac Cove and Suvla Bay, the 6th Battalion along with the rest of the division were withdrawn from Suvla and moved to the Helles landing beaches. The division was finally withdrawn from Gallipoli and sent to Egypt to refit in January 1916.
In February 1916, the division was ordered to move to join the Tigris Corps in its operations to relieve the Anglo-Indian garrison besieged at Kut. As part of the Tigris Corps, the battalion attempted to lift the siege of Kut
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...
. Initially deployed along the left bank of the Tigris River, the North Lancs participated in the Battles of Fallahiya, on April 6, 1916, and Sanniyat, on April 9, 1916. The 6th North Lancs managed to break into the Turkish positions at the Sanniyat, but because follow-on forces were unable to link up with them, they along with the rest of the 38th Brigade were eventually driven back.
After the failure of the Tigris Corps to relieve Kut, the 6th North Lancs, as well as the rest of the division remained in theater. Receiving replacement drafts from home, the 6th North Lancs began training to prepare for the winter campaign to retake Kut and drive on Baghdad. After the capture of Kut, the 38th Brigade, of which the 6th North Lancs was a part, was the spearhead for the drive across the Diyala River. After the failure of the first attempt to cross the river, 6th North Lancs were tasked with seizing the beachhead on the far side of the river. Approximately 100 men of the 6th North Lancs were able to make the initial crossing on March 8, 1917. Subjected to multiple counter-attacks through the day, North Lancs held on to the beachhead despite the main force being unable to land more troops. By the end of March 8, 1917, there only 40 effectives left. Throughout the next day, the North Lancs defended their beachhead against a further counter-attack and shelling by the Turkish Army. They were not relieved until the next day when the Turkish forces retreated after their position became untenable because of advances by the British and Indian forces on the right bank of the Tigris River. In the course of two days, 6th North Lancs suffered 31 KIA and 65 wounded.
Following the fall of Baghdad, the 6th North Lancs, participated in the drive north to Kirkuk. At the conclusion of the war, the 6th North Lancs was selected as one of the battalions which would make up the initial occupation force of region (eventually renamed Iraq). They were transferred to the 34th Indian Infantry Brigade for occupation duties in 1918 after the armistice with Turkey on 31 October 1918. The 6th North Lancs were eventually demobilized in 1919.
Between the wars
Even though The Great War ended with the Armistice, battalions of the Loyal Regiment remained active in the early post-war years. The 2nd Loyals were sent to Ireland for service 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...
. The Loyals were dispatched to serve during the Chanak Crisis
Chanak Crisis
The Chanak Crisis, also called Chanak Affair in September 1922 was the threatened attack by Turkish troops on British and French troops stationed near Çanakkale to guard the Dardanelles neutral zone. The Turkish troops had recently defeated Greek forces and recaptured İzmir...
. Both battalions of the Loyals served in China during the Warlord Era
Warlord era
The Chinese Warlord Era was the period in the history of the Republic of China, from 1916 to 1928, when the country was divided among military cliques, a division that continued until the fall of the Nationalist government in the mainland China regions of Sichuan, Shanxi, Qinghai, Ningxia,...
and the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
, protecting the legation in Peking and the international settlements at Tientsin, Canton, and most importantly Shanghai. The 1st Loyals also saw action in policing the British Mandate of Palestine during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine.
Regular Army battalions
At the outbreak of the Second World War, the 1st Loyals were part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, attached to the 1st Infantry Division. The 1st Loyals would remain with the 2nd Brigade throughout the war, participating in the fighting in France in 1940, including acting as part of the rearguard for the Dunkirk evacuation. Eventually, the 1st Loyals would see action in TunisiaTunisia Campaign
The Tunisia Campaign was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African Campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces. The Allies consisted of British Imperial Forces, including Polish and Greek contingents, with American and French corps...
in 1943, and Italy
Italian 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...
.
Upon the commencement of hostilities in 1939, the 2nd Loyals found themselves stationed in the Far East as part of Singapore Fortress
Malaya Command
The Malaya Command was a command of British Commonwealth forces formed in the 1920s for the coordination of the defences of Malaya and Singapore.-History:...
's Malaya Brigade. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the 2nd Loyals fought in Malaya as part of the delaying action during the Battle of Malaya
Battle of Malaya
The Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
. Eventually, the 2nd Loyals surrendered along with the rest of the 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...
garrison on 15 February 1942. The survivors spent the rest of the war as POWs Japan.
Following the destruction of the 2nd Loyals with its surrender at Singapore, the battalion was reformed in Britain. The 10th Loyals were re-designated as 2nd Loyals on 28 May 1942. Eventually the battalion was deployed as part of 20th Indian Infantry Brigade
20th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 20th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in September 1940, by the conversion of the Khojak Brigade and assigned to the 9th Indian Infantry Division...
of the 10th Indian Infantry Division in Italy during the closing phases of the Italian campaign.
Territorial battalions
In addition to the two regular battalions, the Loyal Regiment also had three Territorial Army battalions (4th, 5th, and 6th Battalions) at the start of the war. The 5th Battalion was converted at in 1941 into a Reconnaissance CorpsReconnaissance Corps
The Reconnaissance Corps or simply Recce Corps was a short-lived elite corps of the British Army whose units provided the mobile spearhead of infantry divisions from the Far East to Europe during the Second World War. It was formed from Infantry Brigade Reconnaissance Groups on 14 January 1941...
unit for the 18th (East Anglian) Infantry Division and re-designated as the 18th Battalion Reconnaissance Corps. The 18th Recce (5th Loyals) was transferred with the rest of the 18th (East Anglian) Division as reinforcements for Singapore. They arrived at Singapore late in the campaign without much of their equipment and were used as regular infantry until the surrender on 15 February 1942. Like the men of the 2nd Loyals captured in Singapore, the men spent the rest of the war as prisoners of the Japanese.
The 6th Loyals were also converted in 1941 from their infantry role. Like the 5th Loyals, they were converted and re-designated as 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment, joining the 2nd Infantry Division on 30 April 1941. With the rest of the division, it was transferred to Indian where it would be engaged against the Japanese Army, notably in India at Kohima
Battle of Kohima
The Battle of Kohima was the turning point of the Japanese U Go offensive into India in 1944 in the Second World War. The battle was fought from 4 April to 22 June 1944 around the town of Kohima in northeast India. It is often referred to as the "Stalingrad of the East".The battle took place in...
and then as part of Slim's offensive to re-capture Burma.
Service Battalions
The 7th Battalion of The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) was a wartime infantry unit raised at the regimental headquarters, Fulwood Barracks, Preston, on July 4, 1940. The bulk of the regiment's recruits were men from Merseyside, Cheshire and Lancashire, who had been called up for military service. The regiment was initially based in Caernarvon, North Wales. It was later on anti-invasion duties in Liverpool, the Scarborough coast, Darlington and Redcar. On November 13, 1941, the battalion was converted to the 92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
The 92nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery was a British Army mobile light anti-aircraft regiment active during the Second World War....
.
92 LAA Regt RA landed in Normandy as part of 3rd British Infantry Division on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and performed notable service during Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga was the codename given to the airborne operation undertaken by the British 6th Airborne Division between 5 June and 7 June 1944 as a part of Operation Overlord and the Normandy Landings during the Second World War....
in defence of Pegasus Bridge and Horsa Bridge. 92 LAA was disbanded in 1946.
Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire), 1946–1970
The Loyal Regiment continued to serve during the sunset of the British Empire. Battalions of the regiment served in the Palestine Mandate. The 1st Battalion served in the Malayan EmergencyMalayan 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....
from 1957 to 1959. C Company was dispatched to Aden during the Emergency in 1966. The Regiment was amalgamated with The Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Volunteers)
The Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Volunteers)
The Lancashire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army.It was formed, as a consequence of defence cuts implemented in the late 1950s, by the amalgamation of the 1st Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment and 1st Battalion, The South Lancashire Regiment on 1 July 1958, forming the...
to form The Queen's Lancashire Regiment in 1970.
Battle honours
The following are the battle honours earned Loyal Regiment. This includes those awarded to the 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot, 81st (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers) Regiment of Foot, the predecessors of the Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire).- Peninsula Campaign: Maida, Corunna, Tarifa, Vittoria, San Sebastian, Nive, Peninsula.
- First Anglo-Burmese War, 1824–1826: Ava
- Crimean War, 1854–1856: Alma; Inkermann Sevastopol.
- Second Afghan War, 1878–1880: Ali Masjid, Afghanistan 1878-9
- Anglo-Boer War, 1899–1902: Defence of Kimberley, South Africa 1899-1902; Mediterranean 1900-01
- First World War, 1914–1918: Mons; Aisne 1914, 1918; Ypres 1914, 1917, 1918; Somme 1916, 1918; Lys; Hindenburg Line; Suvla; Gaza; Baghdad; Kilimanjaro. Retreat from Mons; Marne 1914, 1918; Langemarck 1914; Gheluvelt; Nonne Bosschen; Givenchy 1914; Aubers; Festubert 1915; Loos; Albert 1916; Bazentin; Pozières; Guillemont; Ginchy; Flers-Courcelette; Morval; Ancre Heights; Ancre 1916; Arras 1917, 1918; Scarpe 1917; Arleux; Messines 1917; Pilckem; Menin Road; Polygon Wood; Poelcapelle; Passchendaele; Cambrai 1917, 1918; St Quentin; Bapaume 1918; Estaires; Bailleul; Kemmel; Béthune; Scherpenberg; Soissonnais-Ourcq; Drocourt-Quéant; Epéhy; Canal du Nord; St Quentin Canal; Courtrai; Selle; Sambre; France and Flanders 1914-18; Doiran 1917; Macedonia 1917; Sari Bair; Gallipoli 1915; Egypt 1916; Nebi Samwil; Jerusalem; Jaffa; Tell'Asur; Palestine 1917-18; Tigris 1916; Kut al Amara 1917; Mesopotamia 1916-18; East Africa 1914-16.
- Second World War, 1939–1945: Dunkirk 1940; Djebel Kess Kiss; Gueriat el Atach Ridge; North Africa 1943; Anzio; Fiesole; Monte Grande; Italy 1944-5; Johore; Singapore Island. North-West Europe 1940; Banana Ridge; Medjez Plain; Djebel Bou Aoukaz 1943 I; Gab Gab Gap; Rome; Gothic Line; Monte Gamberaldi; Monte Ceco; Batu Pahar; Malaya 1941-2
Anniversaries
As with many British Army regiments, the Loyals accumulated a number of traditional observances during their existence. The first to happen each year was the celebration of the regiment's defence of KimberleySiege 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...
during the 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...
. Annually, the regiment would celebrate this battle honor on 15 February. The next anniversary on the calendar commemorated the victory at the Battle of Maida
Battle of Maida
The Battle of Maida on 4 July 1806 saw a British expeditionary force fight a First French Empire division outside the town of Maida in Calabria, Italy during the Napoleonic Wars. John Stuart led 5,200 British troops to victory over about 6,000 French soldiers under Jean Reynier, inflicting...
, where the 1st Battalion of the 81st Regiment
81st Regiment of Foot (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers)
The 81st Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1793 and amalgamated into The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in 1881.-Raising of the Regiment:...
, won the battle honour carried by the Loyals. Annually, the regiment commemorated the battle with a parade and dinner in the mess. Annually on 13 September, the Loyals commemorated Quebec Day. This celebrated the 47th Regiment's participation in the capture of Quebec under General Wolfe. Men of the 1st Battalion of the Loyals, successors to the 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot, were eligible to become members of the Wolfe Society. The anniversary was marked by a trooping of the colours while the regimental band played the 47th Regiment's slow march followed by Quebec. On New Year's Eve, the Sergeants' Mess of the Loyals would hold a ball in celebration of Tarifa Day. The ball commemorated the defense of Tarifa by the 47th Regiment in 1811 against a determined assault by the French army.
Nicknames
The Loyal Regiment inherited its nicknames from its predecessor formations. The regiment's uniform, which was initially scarlet with white facings and the Lancashire rose on their cap badges earned them the name "Cauliflowers" because of the similar looks. For their service under Wolfe during the Seven Years War, as well as his earlier service in the regiment, they were known as "Wolfe's Own". As they recruited and were affiliated with Lancashire, they were also known as the "Lancashire Lads".Possessions
Over the years, the Loyals, as well as their predecessors acquired a number of possession which were prized by the regiment. Important to every regiment of the British Army was its silver. In 1958, in honor of the Queen Elizabeth II, the regiment's officers purchased an equestrian statute which was placed in front of the commanding officer's place setting. Before the junior lieutenant's place setting, there was placed a silver fox statute, acquired by the regiment in 1928. Finally, there was the Subaltern's Cup. This was a silver goblet which was part of the place setting of the senior lieutenant of the regiment. It was used as part of a drinking ritual when the senior lieutenant was finally promoted to captain. Perhaps the oldest of the regiment's treasures was a snuff box made from a tortoise shell. After the Battle of MaidaBattle of Maida
The Battle of Maida on 4 July 1806 saw a British expeditionary force fight a First French Empire division outside the town of Maida in Calabria, Italy during the Napoleonic Wars. John Stuart led 5,200 British troops to victory over about 6,000 French soldiers under Jean Reynier, inflicting...
, the commander of the 1/81st Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Kempt, had a dinner made from a tortoise found near the battle. He turned the shell of the tortoise into a snuff box and presented it to the officer's mess.
Victoria Cross recipients
- Private John McDermondJohn McDermondJohn McDermond 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:...
(47th Regiment of Foot, later 1st Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) 5 November 1854, Inkerman, Crimea. - Private Henry Edward KennyHenry Edward KennyHenry Edward Kenny VC , was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
(1st Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) 25 September 1915, Loos, France. - (Temporary) Lieutenant Thomas Orde Lawder WilkinsonThomas Orde Lawder WilkinsonThomas Orde Lawder Wilkinson VC , was a Canadian soldier who was posthumously awarded 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:Wilkinson was born and raised in his early years...
(7th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) 5 July 1916, posthumously. - Lieutenant Richard Basil Brandram JonesRichard Basil Brandram JonesRichard Basil Brandram Jones 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....
(8th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment), 21 May 1916, Vimy, France, posthumously. - Lieutenant Willward Alexander Sandys-Clarke (1st Battalion, Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)), 23 April 1943, Guiriat El Atach, Tunisia, posthumously.