[57], The 1st battalion was stationed in Gibraltar from 1887, then in British India. L/Cpl. This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. And They Loved Not Their Lives Unto Death: The History of Worstead and Westwicks War Memorial and War Dead by Steve Smith. Colonel Proctor-Beauchamp. ", Charles Harbord Suffield (5th Baron), Alys Lowth 1913 My memories, 18301913 p103 "THE NORFOLK ARTILLERY of transfers from the East and West Norfolk Militia and a few volunteers. Captain Frank Peter Barclay, was awarded the Military Cross, and Lance-Corporal Davis the Military Medal. 2nd Battalion arrived back in England in 1923 after brief spells in India, Iraq and Aden. A horse drawn tram with troops on the way to relieve Kut, 1916, A Turkish print celebrating the victory at Kut, 1916. His next experience was as light. The regiment was renamed to the Royal Norfolk Regiment on 3 June 1935 to celebrate 250 years since the regiment was first raised and also to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V. In 1940, the first decorations for gallantry awarded to the British Expeditionary Force in France were gained by men of the 2nd Battalion. Hindi, English, Punjabi. We are now on Facebook. Bedwell William Charles. [64] The 2nd Battalion was serving in Bombay, India in the 18th (Belgaum) Brigade, part of the 6th (Poona) Division, of the British Indian Army, upon the outbreak of war. If you have a general question please post it on our Facebook page. (d.9th June 1944), Spilling Clifford Frederick William. However, the battalion was disbanded in 1943 due to the British government lowering the age of conscription to the British Armed Forces to 18 earlier in the year. Many of them had evidently been killed in a farm, as a local Turk, who owns the place, told us that when he came back he found the farm covered with the decomposing bodies of British soldiers, which he threw into a small ravine. Together with the 5th and 6th battalions, the 7th was assigned to the 53rd Infantry Brigade, part of the 18th Infantry Division until November when it assigned to pioneer duties in France with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). The Territorial 7th Battalion also served in France, where most of its soldiers were captured. 540 officers and men left Queenstown in the SS Orotava the following month for Cape Town. [24] It also took part in the Ferrol Expedition in August 1800 under Sir James Pulteney. [84][85], The 4th, 5th and 6th battalions, all part of the Territorial Army, served in the Far East. Royal Norfolk Regiment. But on 15th February 1916 the Lynn News reported that one officer was now recovering from wounds in a hospital as a prisoner of the Turks in Constantinople and noted: This news of Capt. Privacy Policy and William Haverson DCM. In July 1916, reinforcements enabled 2nd Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment to re-form. [100] When the regiment was redesignated as the "Royal Norfolk Regiment" in 1935, it was specially permitted to retain the yellow facings instead of changing to blue. Norfolk Regiment (d.17th Dec 1991). Pte. Labels: Army Service Numbers, Norfolk Regiment. Copyright Historic UK Ltd. Company Registered in England No. The battalion spent most of its time in the UK guarding against a German invasion. These records in series WO 98 are the registers of the Victoria Cross between 1856 and 1944. Royal Norfolk Regiment. Drum head service, The Leicestershire Regiment, c1920. William George Frank Clarke 2nd Btn Norfolk Regiment, L/Cpl. We know he was at Kohimaand and that he was wounded. Posted by Paul Nixon. Royal Norfolk Regiment, Pte. See also Norfolk Military History, See also the page on Norfolk Military History. 4th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment was a unit of the Territorial Force with its HQ in St Giles, Norwich, they were part of the Norfolk and Suffolk Infantry Brigade, East Anglian Division. It spent 12 years there, fighting in the First Afghan War (1839-42) and the First Sikh War (1845-46). This total comes from a database called Soldiers Died in the Great War. It then served in Hong Kong and on Cyprus(1954-56) during the EOKA emergency. Members of 2nd Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment on the march, India, c1935. The men of these battalions, and other East Anglian battalions of other regiments, ended up as prisoners of war when Singapore fell in February 1942. (d.2nd August 1943), Mann Horace Frederick. The 1/5th included men recruited from the Royal estate at Sandringham. [45][46][47][48][49][50][51], The regiment fought in the Crimean War at the siege of Sevastopol in winter of 1854[52] In 1866 it landed at Yokohama, Japan as part of the British garrison stationed there in protection of British commercial and diplomatic interests in the recently opened treaty port. I did not hear him again afterwards. I am aware that William was listed as a full Corporal in March 1940, when my natural mother, Kathleen was born in the South Shields area of Tyneside. - Royal Norfolk Regiment during the Second World War -, 1st Norfolk Regiment during the advance on Wanssum, 26th of November 1944 IWM (B 12156). William Herbert McQuitty 2nd Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment. We could only identify two Privates Barnaby and Carter. He apparently said "they will be bombing the babes in the woods next". In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named the 9th Regiment of Foot. This Force consisting of 4th Royal Norfolk Regiment, Sherwood Foresters and the Divisional Reconnaissance Battalion moved to Bukit Timah, some 5 miles west of Singapore Town. It was formed as the Norfolk Regiment in 1881 under the Childers Reforms of the British Army as the county regiment of Norfolk . This, in turn, converted into a battalion of The Royal Anglian Regiment in 1964. Bill became Regimental Sergeant Major of the Regiment and trained fresh troops for the now famous D-Day invasion of France in June 1944 which eventually led to the fall of Nazi Germany. Barnes John. The National Army Museum works with a network of Regimental and Corps Museums across the UK to help preserve and share the history and traditions of the Army and its soldiers. They were scattered over an area of about one square mile, at a distance of at least 800 yards behind the Turkish front line. Records of 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment from other sources. (d.12th February 1942), Mann Horace Frederick. By 1809, it was back in action, this time on the Iberian Peninsula. The Royal Norfolk Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army until 1959. 5th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment served with 53rd Infantry Brigade, 18th Division in a home defence role until late 1941 when they were posted to the Far East. By the end of the war in Europe, the 1st Battalion had gained a remarkable reputation and was claimed by Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery, the 21st Army Group commander, as 'second to none' of all the battalions in the 21st Army Group. To find out more about how we collect, store and use your personal information, read our Privacy Policy. Dad was a real larrikin. On the night of 7/8 August 1944, Captain David Auldjo Jamieson of D Company was awarded the Victoria Cross for his heroic leadership which greatly helped to fend off several enemy counter-attacks in a 36-hour period. He served with the regiment at Vimeiro (1808), Corunna (1809), Barrosa (1811) and Vitoria (1813), and was wounded leading the 'forlorn hope' during the storming of San Sebastian (1813). The 1st Royal Norfolks had suffered 20 officers and 260 other ranks killed with well over 1,000 wounded or missing in 11 months of almost continuous combat. By 1747, this unusual shade had evolved into yellow, which was retained until 1881 when, in common with all English and Welsh regiments, the newly renamed Norfolk Regiment was given white distinctions on its scarlet tunics. Legend has it that the regiments association with the figure of Britannia, which formed part of its official insignia from 1799, dates back to this campaign. Members of 1st Battalion, The Royal Norfolk Regiment, c1946. The Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum archive holds a unique record of many soldiers who were on active service with the regiment during the First World War. Making a last stand in the open they were outnumbered and surrendered to a unit of the 2nd Infantry Regiment of the SS 'Totenkopf' (Death's Head) Division, under SS Obersturmfuhrer Fritz Knchlein. For the Canadian regiment, see, British infantry regiments of the First World War, The other regiment linked with Norfolk, the. In fact what was known as E Company (The Sandringham Company) ceased to exist on February 8th 1915, when during a major reform they converted to a 4 company battalion, merging with C Company to become Kings Company. [4] In April 1689 the regiment, under Cunningham's command, embarked at Liverpool for Derry for service in the Williamite War in Ireland. The regiment also raised 11 Territorial battalions and four New Army battalions during the conflict. [101] Another distinction of the Norfolk Regiment was the inclusion of a black line in the gold braid of officers' uniforms from 1881 onwards. The large hardback volume, originally intended and printed as a recruitment register, has 400 pages, each recording 39 soldiers. [67] A BBC TV drama, All the King's Men (1999), starring David Jason as Captain Frank Beck, was based upon their story. In 1782, just before its release, it was given a county association with East Norfolk. Simply enter your email address below to start receiving our monthly email newsletter. Inspection of the Norfolk Artillery Militia (commanded by Lord Suffield) by Sir Evelyn Wood. This decision was due to a growing shortage of manpower, especially in the British Army and in the infantry in particular and the young soldiers of the disbanded 70th were sent to other battalions of the regiment serving overseas. Neither of these battalions saw service overseas and remained in the United Kingdom throughout the war as part of the Home Forces with the 9th Battalion apparently being disbanded in August 1944 when its parent unit (25th Brigade attached to 47th (Reserve) Infantry Division) was disbanded. Thoroughly enjoyed it. In 1751, it was renamed the 9th Regiment of Foot. The battalion was renumbered as the 9th Battalion in October and was assigned to the 220th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home), part of Norfolk County Division in early 1941. 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment saw action during the Battle of France and were evacuated from Dunkirk. privacy policy, GB/NNAF/C603 (Former ISAAR ref: GB/NNAF/O38197 ). This infantry unit was formed in 1964 by merging the four regiments of the East . Supported by recent research, it dispels many of the myths attached to the battalion including disappearing into a cloud of smoke. The regiment raised a new 2nd Battalion in 1804. Some census taken to show who was available to serve in 1803 survive. [7] It went on to fight at the Battle of Aughrim in July 1691[8] and the siege of Limerick in August 1691. (d.16th Aug 1944), Woolnough Roy Victor . [2] In January 1788, the regiment embarked for the West Indies and took part in the capture of the island of Tobago and in the attack on Martinique. [29] Following the retreat from Corunna, the regiment buried Sir John Moore (commander of the British forces in the Iberian peninsula) and left Spanish soil. The 51st Division was stationed on the Maginot Line and therefore escaped encirclement with the rest of the BEF during the Battle of France where they spent some time attached to the French 10th Army. In 1959, the Royal Norfolk Regiment was amalgamated with the Suffolk Regiment, to become the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk); this later amalgamated with the 2nd East Anglian Regiment (Duchess of Gloucester's Own Royal Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire), the 3rd East Anglian Regiment (16th/44th Foot) and the Royal Leicestershire Regiment to form the Royal Anglian Regiment, of which A Company of the 1st Battalion is known as the Royal Norfolks. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Pte. It appears that barely a family or community across the UK escaped World War I untouched, except that is for the Thankful Villages, The British Tommy is a term used and recognised all around the world. [33] It also saw action at the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812, the siege of Badajoz in March 1812[33] and the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812. The Royal Norfolk Regiment Living History Group, also known as 'The Holy Boys' (a nickname of the Norfolk Regiment), began life in 1989 with a small group of Norfolk Regiment enthusiasts. The regiment did good work, both at home and abroad, and ", Sancroft Holmes, Diary of the Norfolk Artillery 18531908, A Norfolk diary: passages from the diary of the Rev. [83], The 2nd Battalion, still as part of the 4th Infantry Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division, also served in the Far East in the Burma campaign participating in battles such as the Battle of Kohima until the end of the war against Japan in 1945. A memorial plaque was placed on the barn wall in 1970. Norfolk Record Society Vol VI and VII. [92], The 70th (Young Soldiers) Battalion was raised in late 1940 for those young soldiers, mostly around the ages of 18 or 19, who had volunteered for the Army and therefore had not reached the compulsory age for conscription. (d.21st July 1944), Littlejohns Leslie Victor . Barker Stanley John. [54], The regiment was not fundamentally affected by the Cardwell Reforms of the 1870s, which gave it a depot at Gorleston Barracks in Great Yarmouth from 1873, or by the Childers Reforms of 1881 as it already possessed two battalions, there was no need for it to amalgamate with another regiment. In 1959, it was amalgamated with The Royal Norfolk Regiment to form the 1st East Anglian Regiment. The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, [94] In 1959 the Royal Norfolk Regiment was amalgamated as part of the reorganisation of the British Army resulting from the 1957 Defence White Paper becoming part of a new formation, the 1st East Anglian Regiment, part of the East Anglian Brigade. Cpl. Register with your email address now, we can then send you an alert as soon as we add a record close matching the one you were searching for. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 261046 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible. He said as they made their way down into one of the basements it appeared as if there were lots of burned and distorted bodies standing around, only find out that they were all store mannequins. The 74th Division was then sent to reinforce the BEF in France, where the 12th Norfolks were detached to the 31st Division, with which the battalion served during the final Hundred Days Offensive. 1st Battalion spent the interwar years in Belfast, the West Indies, Egypt and Shanghai, before returning to India in 1929. The entire unit was captured at Castelo de Vide, on the Spanish-Portuguese border, and taken back to France as prisoners of war. [89], The 8th Battalion was raised in 1939 alongside the 9th Battalion with many veterans of the First World War. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [80], During the Battle of France in 1940, Company Sergeant-Major George Gristock of the 2nd Royal Norfolks was awarded the Victoria Cross. In 1799, it was sent to the Low Countries to fight in the Helder campaign. If you would like to know how we handle complaints, please click here Learn more about Product Partnerships Limited - opens in a new window or tab . In total, six members of the Norfolk or Royal Norfolk Regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross: Regimental titles in italics indicate they were disbanded or renumbered before 1881. This article is about the British regiment. Details and locations are to be found in the book "Militia Lists and Musters 1757-1876" compiled by Jeremy Gibson and Mervyn Medlycott, 3rd edition 1994 and published by the Federation of Family History Societies. This article is designed to tell the true story of what happened to the 1/5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment on 12th August 1915 at Kuchuck Anafarta Ova, Gallipoli, during World War One. They would remain so until August 1945, during which time they were used as forced labour on projects such as the Death Railway through Burma. Stanley John "Tanker" Barker 2nd Btn. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events, All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, 1688: muster roll of Sir Henry Cornwell's Regiment and other forces at Chester, 1709-42: musters at Worcester (1709) and Minorca (1742), 1765-71: Lt General William Whitmore's accounts for equipping the regiment, c1845-46: 3rd company's order book, India, National Army Museum Templer Study Centre, 1735-46: muster rolls, accounts and rosters of Major-General Reade's Regiment, 1883-96: Colonel EHH Combe's scrapbook rel the 2nd Volunteer battalion, especially rel the mess at annual camps, About our [99], The dress worn by the Regiment's predecessor units in the late 17th and early 18th centuries included orange and subsequently green facings. The Great War saw an estimated 10 million lives lost, with more than twice of that number wounded. Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods. In May 1940, it was assigned to the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. There were also 20 women and 12 children aboard. [2] Cornewall resigned his post following the Glorious Revolution and command went to Colonel Oliver Nicholas in November 1688. In 1959, it was amalgamated with The Royal Norfolk Regiment to form the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk). (d.6th August 1944), Wright William Stephen. It is incorrect because it recruited from all over North Norfolk, with companies being raised by towns as far apart as Great Yarmouth and Dereham. In June 1685, Henry Cornewall raised a regiment at Gloucester to help King James II suppress the Monmouth Rebellion. please Both battalions were used mainly to supply reinforcements to those battalions of the regiment that were overseas. Each entry records the individual soldiers number, rank, name, and battalion or battalions. If you have any unwanted Lieutenant John Spring, 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment, c1834, Colour party of the 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment, 1812. In November 1914, it was sent to Mesopotamia, but suffered such heavy casualties that it had to merge with 2nd Battalion, The Dorsetshire Regiment in February 1916, forming the English Battalion. The regiment also raised several hostilities-only battalions. [3] In December 1688, Nicholas was also removed due to his personal Jacobite sympathies and command passed to John Cunningham. In May 1959 it returned to England and on 29 August 1959 was amalgamated with the 1st Battalion The Royal Norfolk Regiment to form the 1st East Anglian Regiment. These were mainly used in home defence roles and as a source of reinforcements for the overseas battalions. They may not be copied, and the links within them may not be harvested for use on your own web pages. photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. He had several worthwhile adventures there. [39], The regiment was sent to Canada with most of Wellington's veteran units to prevent the threatened invasion by the United States, and so arrived in Europe too late for the Battle of Waterloo. [13] The regiment was then based in Menorca from summer 1718 to 1746. They were part of the 185th Infantry Brigade originally assigned to the 79th Armoured Division but the brigade (including the 2nd Royal Warwickshire Regiment and 2nd King's Shropshire Light Infantry) transferred to the 3rd Infantry Division, with which it would remain with for the rest of the war. RSM. [14] The regiment was renamed the 9th Regiment of Foot in 1751 when all British regiments were given numbers for identification instead of using their Colonel's name. The Suffolk Regiment. On its retreat to Dunkirk in May 1940, 97 of its men were captured and shot by an SS unit at Le Paradis. 10thFeb 2023 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. Add a Name to this List The latter also served in South Africa from 1905 to 1908. These pages are for personal use only. Always the disciplinarian, as befits an RSM, the rows of seeds in his garden were immaculately straight. The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers and the free to access part of the website is funded by donations from our visitors. [76] The 9th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne as part of the 71st Brigade in the 24th Division in August 1915 for operations on the Western Front. In 1959, it was amalgamated with The Suffolk Regiment to form the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk). Helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by IX Officer.jpg 245 309; 27 KB. William John O'Brien Daunt, CBE, 19511959: Brig. The 2/4th and 2/5th were part of the 2nd Norfolk and Suffolk Brigade, 2nd East Anglian Division, later, in August 1915, they became 208th (2/1st Norfolk and Suffolk) Brigade, 69th (2nd East Anglian) Division. Both John Niel Randle and George Arthur Knowland were posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion in the Far East, both for extraordinary heroism. This led to other theories that they had been kidnapped by aliens who had landed in flying saucers and a book and TV adaptation depicted a highly charged new solution to the mysteries, suggesting they had been executed by the Turks. The Regiment was first formed in 1685 by Henry Cornewall as Henry Cornewalls Regiment of Foot during the Monmouth Rebellion, when James Scott the 1st Duke of Monmouth (the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II and the current Kings nephew) unsuccessfully attempted to overthrow the unpopular King James II but his small force was swiftly put down at the Battle of Sedgemoor. If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here. [69] The 1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion was in Norwich on the outbreak of war: however, the 1/6th never served overseas and remained instead in Norfolk throughout the war until 1918 when it was sent to Ireland. [65], The two Territorial Force battalions, the 4th and 5th, were both part of the Norfolk and Suffolk Brigade, part of the East Anglian Division. Please enter your password, it must be 8 or more characters, I agree to Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement, 2 people in our Early 19th Century records, 2511 people in our Victorian Conflicts records, Many exclusive records, found only on our site, 1 on 1 Personal assistance from military photo and document experts, Access to Orbats mapping tool, allowing you to trace your WW1 ancestors steps. I inquired a lot about them but all I could find out was that they had disappeared-vanished. Apparently the Norfolk's had got the nickname of "the babes in the woods" after the place where they were camped. In 1948, it became a single-battalion regiment within the new East Anglian Brigade. The 18th Division fought in the defence of Singapore and Malaya against the Japanese advance. Please enter your password, it must be 8 or more characters, I agree to Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement, 20 people in our Victorian Conflicts records, Many exclusive records, found only on our site, 1 on 1 Personal assistance from military photo and document experts, Access to Orbats mapping tool, allowing you to trace your WW1 ancestors steps. This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. After his discharge, Dad was in the Indian Police until the Pakistan India separation they then went home to the UK. They served with the British Fourteenth Army, known as the 'Forgotten Army' as their actions were generally over-looked and the main focus was in the North West Europe campaign. However, one of the aims of this project is to provide access to the unique body of information in a way that appeals to the wider community, by providing context in an engaging way, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum, Shirehall, Market Avenue, Norwich NR1 3JQ. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. Details and locations are to be found in the book "Militia Lists and . [104][105] It subsequently became a central part of the badge of the Norfolk Regiment. Up to 4 Territorial and Volunteer battalions. Claude John Wilkinson, DSO, This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 12:36. The Royal Norfolk Regiment Galleries. It was originally made from the bronze cannon captured during the Crimean War (1854-1856). In the ensuing campaign in North-West Europe, the regiment won two of its five Victoria Crosses of the war, the highest number for any single regiment. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web. [67], On 12 August 1915, the 1/5th Battalion suffered heavy losses at Gallipoli when it became isolated during an attack. I heard the Colonel call out when we approached the huts I have referred to, but I did not see him then. Stevenson Norman. [79] The 1st Battalion continued to fight with distinction through the Normandy Campaign and throughout the North West Europe campaign. [41], The regiment saw action at Kabul in August 1842 during the First Anglo-Afghan War[42] and at the Battle of Mudki and the Battle of Ferozeshah in December 1845[43] and the Battle of Sobraon in February 1846 during the First Anglo-Sikh War.