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. 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). [19] It surrendered at the Battle of Saratoga in autumn 1777 and its men then spent three years as prisoners of war as part of the Convention Army. Some resources are difficult to classify. This infantry unit was formed in 1964 by merging the four regiments of the East . An officer of the 9th Foot at the Battle of Ferozeshah, 1845, Shako, 9th (The East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot, 1844. [67] A BBC TV drama, All the King's Men (1999), starring David Jason as Captain Frank Beck, was based upon their story. This served alongside 1st Battalion in the Peninsular War (1808-14), before disbanding in 1815. The battalion fought in the Palestine Campaign at the Third Battle of Gaza (the Battles of Beersheba and Nebi Samwi) in 1917, and distinguished itself at the Battle of Tell Azur in March 1918. [7] It went on to fight at the Battle of Aughrim in July 1691[8] and the siege of Limerick in August 1691. 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. Barker Stanley John. 19th April 1917 Attack Made 14th October 1918 At 0900 Companies training started in attack If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small [86], The 7th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment was formed in May 1939 as a 2nd Line Territorial Army duplicate of the 5th Battalion and, therefore, contained many former members of the 5th. [13] The regiment was then based in Menorca from summer 1718 to 1746. This fought at Poplar Grove (1900) and several other actions. Members of 2nd Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment on the march, India, c1935. The Regiment went on to serve during Third Anglo-Burmese War (1885-87), Anglo - Boer War (1899-1902) and two World Wars. Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. Lieutenant John Spring, 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment, c1834, Colour party of the 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment, 1812. On its retreat to Dunkirk in May 1940, 97 of its men were captured and shot by an SS unit at Le Paradis. [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. And They Loved Not Their Lives Unto Death: The History of Worstead and Westwicks War Memorial and War Dead, A dispatch by Sir Ian Hamilton reported, . Our [68], In the Second Battle of Gaza in 1917, the 1/4th and 1/5th battalions suffered 75% casualties, about 1,100 men. In 1889, it was replaced in India by 1st Battalion, which had spent the previous three decades in the Mediterranean, Gibraltar, South Africa, Ireland and Britain. (d.2nd Aug 1943), Nelson Clifford Reginald. 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. There is already considerable interest in the Casualty Book, both from local family historians and historians of the Regiment but also from the wider First World War research community. Inscription 2ND BATTALION/ THE ROYAL NORFOLK REGIMENT/ (NAMES)/ WHEN YOU GO HOME/ TELL THEM OF US AND SAY/ FOR YOUR TOMORROW/ WE GAVE OUR TODAY/ THIS NOW FAMOUS INSCRIPTION APPEARS ON THE MEMORIAL ERECETD AT KOHIMA IN ASSAM BY THE/ 2ND DIVISION AFTER WHAT WAS ONE OF THE DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE 2ND WORLD . 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. Armiger William Charles. Norfolk Regiment (d.17th Dec 1991). 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. Lord Hastings was their first commandant; their second was Lieut-Col. Astley. It served with the British Army until 1958, when it was merged into the 3rd East Anglian Regiment. [21] It went on to capture Saint Lucia and Guadeloupe[22] before returning to England in autumn 1796. [63][71][72][73][74][75], The 7th (Service) Battalion, Norfolk Regiment was raised in August 1914 from men volunteering for Kitchener's New Armies: it landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 35th Brigade in the 12th (Eastern) Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front. The Wartime Memories Project is a non profit organisation run by volunteers. The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers and the free to access part of the website is funded by donations from our visitors. Royal Norfolk Regiment (d.21st May 1940), Pte. And there is an excellent article printed in the Lynn News from a survivor: I did not see anything of the missing officers after I got lost. William Herbert McQuitty 2nd Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment. Coxon will come as a relief to not only his friends but also to those who are still awaiting news of other officers and men of the 5th Norfolks. We know he was at Kohimaand and that he was wounded. Play Ep 117: Royal Norfolk Regiment - Battle of Kohima Part 3 Song by from the English album Pete & Gary's Military History - season - 3. [79] The 1st Battalion continued to fight with distinction through the Normandy Campaign and throughout the North West Europe campaign. [24] It also took part in the Ferrol Expedition in August 1800 under Sir James Pulteney. Want to find out more about your relative's service? The Norfolk Regiment fought in the First World War on the Western Front and in the Middle East. He was also the local Poppy Day organiser. 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. And the mystery was, in fact, cleared up by the press very early on. At first, like others, I thought that the officers and men who are now reported missing had returned to other trenches but later I found that this was not the case. A myth grew up long after the War that the men had advanced into a mist and simply disappeared. (d.8th July 1944). Royal Norfolk Regiment, L/Cpl. Virtually all of them were taken down when they bunched up in a gap covered by a machine gun. In 1733, official permission was given to change from bright green back to light orange facings. His next experience was as light. He was a collar and tie man and was concerned about his appearance to the end. 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. 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. If you have any unwanted Discover more about The Royal Norfolk Regiment by visiting the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum at Norwich Castle. It spent 12 years there, fighting in the First Afghan War (1839-42) and the First Sikh War (1845-46). The 2nd Battalion remained in Britain until June 1942 when it was shipped to India andBurma. [11] In March 1704, the regiment embarked for Lisbon and took part in the Battle of Almansa in April 1707[12] before returning to England in summer 1708. 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. 2nd Btn. Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods. The years covered run from August 1914 through to the early months of 1919 and the return home of prisoners of war. Pte. please 1st Battalion was still in India on the outbreak of the Second World War. [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. 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. [4] The regiment briefly returned to England, but in May 1689 Cunningham was replaced by William Stewart, under whom the regiment took part in a successful relief of Derry in summer 1689. A memorial plaque was placed on the barn wall in 1970. They were scattered over an area of about one square mile, at a distance of at least 800 yards behind the Turkish front line. 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. All 300 survivors were captured. On 11th February it went into action west of the racecourse and met a strong Japanese attack on Singapore from the north west. During the attack I did not see anything of Capt Pattrick. It turned out that my mother was an army nurse already in India and she nursed him. Royal Norfolk Regiment Museum - Vintage Photograph 1075941. Col.Sgt. Sgt. Follow the harrowing history of the conflict with our WW1 chronology. In 1959, it was amalgamated with The Suffolk Regiment to form the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk). Part of the 15th Brigade, 5th Division the battalion left Belfast on 14 August and immediately embarked for France, where they became part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). The local papers initially reported the loss of 5th Norfolk officers on 28th August 1915 and accounts from men who were there were published soon after, especially in the Yarmouth Mercury and the Lynn News. In 1854, it served at Sevastopol during the Crimean War (1854-56), before moving to Canada two years later. Benjamin John Armstrong 1949 p284 "Two evenings were devoted to the entertainment, and the Corn Hall was crowded. The regiment then took part in the disastrous Walcheren expedition to the Low Countries in summer 1809. He was court marshalled again. In 1959, it was amalgamated with The Royal Norfolk Regiment to form the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk). The Royal Norfolk Regiment Galleries. Add a Name to this List The Regimental Depot in Norwich must have decided to make the record, and from the differing handwriting, it is plain that a number of clerks in the Regimental Depot Orderly Room were involved in the keeping of the record. Want to know what life was like during the War? Pte. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google The Norfolks were in France at the very start of World War 2 and in that desperate rearguard action leading to the miraculous evacuation of British troops at Dunkirk in 1940, Bill Haverson and his platoon succeeded in holding Aire Bridge on La Basse Canal in Northern France to allow battalion survivors to escape to fight again. In 1964, it was amalgamated with three other regiments of the East Anglian Brigade to form The Royal Anglian Regiment. [58], The 3rd (Militia) Battalion (the former 1st Norfolk Militia) was embodied in January 1900 for service during the Second Boer War in South Africa. The Territorial 7th Battalion also served in France, where most of its soldiers were captured. [82], The 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Eric Hayes, were attached to the 4th Infantry Brigade, part of the 2nd Infantry Division, which was holding the line of the La Basse Canal and covering the retreat to Dunkirk. [66] The two territorial battalions both served in the Gallipoli campaign in mid-1915. Want to know what life was like during the War? A small element of the Norfolks managed to reach a small vineyard and another element managed to get to a group of small cottages where they were joined by Colonel Proctor-Beauchamp and the Adjutant. This, in turn, converted into a battalion of The Royal Anglian Regiment in 1964. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal (Europe) S. r.l. Davis Frederick Lloyd. Millions of families throughout the UK suffered the loss of close family relatives in the Great War of 1914 -18. These records in series WO 98 are the registers of the Victoria Cross between 1856 and 1944. A horse drawn tram with troops on the way to relieve Kut, 1916, A Turkish print celebrating the victory at Kut, 1916. Scots Guards records are currently held by the Scots Guards Archives. Listen Ep 117: Royal Norfolk Regiment - Battle of Kohima Part 3 song online free on Gaana.com. Records of 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment from other sources. 540 officers and men left Queenstown in the SS Orotava the following month for Cape Town. In 1948, it became a single-battalion regiment within the new East Anglian Brigade. This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. I did not see any wood into which the officers and men could have disappeared, and I certainly did not see them charge into a wood: in fact the Norfolks did not charge as far as my knowledge goes. A history of the Royal Norfolk Regiment and the Royal Anglian Regiment 1685-2010. . Terms of Service apply. [63], The 2/4th and 2/5th battalions were both raised in September 1914 from the few men of the 4th and 5th battalions who did not volunteer for Imperial Service overseas when asked. 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. 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. (d.6th August 1944), Wright William Stephen. (d.27th January 1942) Royal Norfolk Regiment (d.28th May 1940), Sgt. The regiment raised a 2nd Battalion for a third and final time in 1857. Mrs Haverson died in 1985 and Bill spent his last years in Wymondham. [102], The figure of Britannia was officially recognised in 1799 as part of the insignia of the 9th Regiment of Foot. What happened to the Sandringhams during the disastrous Dardanelles campaign in the middle of their first battle, on the afternoon of August 12 1915? By 1809, it was back in action, this time on the Iberian Peninsula. [16], Following the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763 and the end of the war, the regiment moved to a posting at St Augustine, Florida, where it remained until 1769. In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named the 9th Regiment of Foot. 1st Battalion spent the interwar years in Belfast, the West Indies, Egypt and Shanghai, before returning to India in 1929. [9], In 1701, over the objections of General William Selwyn, the threat of war led the English government to post an Independent Company of regular soldiers, detached from the 2nd Regiment of Foot, to Bermuda, where the militia continued to function as a standby in case of war or insurrection. Crew and passengers were saved and conducted to Calais. Pte. (d.21st July 1944), Littlejohns Leslie Victor . L/Cpl. ", History, Gazetteer and Directory of Norfolk, and the City and -p335 William White 1864 "The Militia Babracks, a handsome range of red brick buildings adjoining the Naval Hospital, were erected in 1856 for the accommodation of the staffs of the East Norfolk Militia and the Norfolk Artillery Militia. Two of these landed at Gallipoli in 1915. [27], In June 1808, the regiment sailed to Portugal for service in the Peninsular War. 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. Simply enter your email address below to start receiving our monthly email newsletter. Since then. 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. Supported by recent research, this article may perhaps help to clarify what actually happened to the 5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment and acknowledges their bravery and tenacity in the face of an extremely determined enemy. (d.12th February 1942), Mann Horace Frederick. Bedwell William Charles. These pages are for personal use only. Hall George Henry. 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. In 1959, it was amalgamated with The Suffolk Regiment to form the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk). Musters of 1523, 1569, 1572, 1574 and 1577. The fee is currently 30 and there may be a lengthy wait for this service. [63] The 10th (Service) Battalion, raised in 1914, became the 10th (Reserve) Battalion in April 1915. The Royal Norfolk Regimental Galleries in Norwich Castle have a rich and varied collection of objects, photographs and archive material illustrating the county Regiment's 300-year history. 5th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment during the Second World War 1939-1945. [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. This infantry unit has origins dating back to 1688. [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. It was joined there by 2nd Battalion later that year. 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. Supported by recent research, it dispels many of the myths attached to the battalion including disappearing into a cloud of smoke. The Suffolk Regiment. 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. Pte. In 1782, just before its release, it was given a county association with East Norfolk. ", 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. He died in Belfast in 1962 and is buried in the Roselawn Cemetery. There were also 20 women and 12 children aboard. In fact, they lay where they fell until 1919 when the battalions Chaplin the Reverend Pierrepoint Edwards found them and reported at the time: We have found the 5th Norfolks there were 180 in all; 122 Norfolk and a few Hants and Suffolks with 2/4th Cheshires. Helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by [5] The regiment also saw action at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690,[6] the siege of Limerick in August 1690[6] and the siege of Athlone in June 1691. Pte. [70] However, both battalions were disbanded in 1918: the 2/4th in June and the 2/5th in May. It is likely that this is the Second Battalion which was sent to France - Photograph courtesy of Ralston Ryder 1939 The photographs above and below from two separate collections were taken of the 2nd Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment at Oxney Camp in September 1939. 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. Meanwhile, 2nd Battalion joined the British Expeditionary Force in September 1939. Such are almost the words of the announcement under our Yarmouth heading this week. [Norwich Record Society: Vols I,VI,VII (1931/5/6)] Militia Regiment and Musters. This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. At the time of going to press, no further information is available than the bare fact that they are missing.. recording and preserving recollections, documents, photographs and small items. Records of Royal Norfolk Regiment from other sources. Barker Stanley John. This infantry unit was raised in 1688 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. Want to find out more about your relative's service? The profits, they say, amount to 40. William Haverson DCM. [31], The regiment returned to the Peninsula in March 1810 and fought under Wellington at Battle of Bussaco, Portugal in September 1810,[32] the Battle of Sabugal in April 1811 and the Battle of Fuentes de Ooro in May 1811. [28] It saw action at the Battle of Rolia and the Battle of Vimeiro in August 1808. I inquired a lot about them but all I could find out was that they had disappeared-vanished. Captain Wilkinson, 9th Regiment LCCN2001698865.jpg. (d.16th Aug 1944), Woolnough Roy Victor . 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. Like this page to receive our updates. However, there is no evidence that it was used before the 1770s, and it was not listed as an authorised device in the royal warrants of 1747, 1751 or 1768. Claude John Wilkinson, DSO, This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 12:36. Harold Hayes 2nd Btn. privacy policy, GB/NNAF/C603 (Former ISAAR ref: GB/NNAF/O38197 ). 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. It returned to Europe too late to take part at Waterloo (1815), but it joined the Army of Occupation in France. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. The regiment fought with distinction in the Second World War, in action in the Battle of France and Belgium, the Far East, and then in the invasion of, and subsequent operations in, North-west Europe. Its predecessor regiment was raised in 1685 as Henry Cornwall's Regiment of Foot. One of them, 1/5th Battalion, included the Sandringham Company, raised on the royal estate. 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. He had several worthwhile adventures there. [53] The regiment saw action at Kabul again in 1879 during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. . 26th May 1940 Road Blocks 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment were holding Le Paradis, Le-Cornet Malo and Riez-du-Vinage in an attempt to block the enemy's road to Dunkirk. To find out more about how we collect, store and use your personal information, read our Privacy Policy. We could only come to the conclusion that they had advanced too far, had been captured and made prisoners of war. [2] During the Seven Years' War the Regiment won its first formal battle honour as part of the expedition that captured Belle le from the French in 1761. 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). (d.19th May 1940), Parker Kenneth Alfred. This information will help us make improvements to the website. Pte. (d.9th June 1944), Spilling Clifford Frederick William. This coincided with the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars (1793-1802), during which the regiment took part in the captures of Tobago (1793), Martinique (1794) and St Lucia (1794). He apparently said "they will be bombing the babes in the woods next". The second myth has to be covered by considering a number of claims: We know that a number of the Norfolks managed to advance 1400 yards to a sunken road before stopping and awaiting the rest of the battalion.