Duke of Wellington's Regiment
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.
"33rd Regiment of Foot" redirects here. For other infantry regiments, see 33rd Regiment.
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment
(West Riding)
1 July 1702 – 6 June 2006
Kingdom of England (1702–1707)
Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1800)
United Kingdom (1801–1881)
One Battalion (at final amalgamation)
"The Dukes",
"The Havercake Lads",
"The Pattern",
"The Immortals",
"The Pigs",
"The Old Seventy-Sixth",
"The Old Seven and Sixpennies",
"The Duke of Boot's
Virtutis Fortuna Comes (Latin: "Fortune is the companion of virtue")
Colours: 2 Regulation & 2 Honorary
Red
Quick: The Wellesley
St George's Day (23 April)
Waterloo Day (18 June)
See #Battle honours
Lieutenant Colonel Phil Lewis OBE
In 1702, Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days the regiment was named Huntingdon's Regiment after its Colonel. As Colonel succeeded Colonel the name changed, but in 1751 regiments were given numbers, and the regiment was from that time officially known as the 33rd Regiment of Foot. In 1782, the regiment's title was changed to the 33rd (or First Yorkshire West Riding) Regiment, thus formalising an association with the West Riding of Yorkshire which, even then, had been long established. The first Duke of Wellington died in 1852 and in the following year Queen Victoria, in recognition of the regiment's long ties to him, ordered that the regiment's title be changed to the 33rd (or The Duke of Wellington's) Regiment. In 1881, following the Childers Reforms, the 33rd was linked with the 76th Regiment of Foot, who shared their depot in Halifax. The 76th had first been raised in 1745, by Simon Harcourt and disbanded in 1746, re-raised in 1756, disbanded again in 1763, before being raised again in 1777, disbanded in 1784 and finally re-raised, in 1787, for service in India, by the Honourable East India Company.[1][2] The two regiments became, respectively, the 1st and 2nd battalions of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. In 1948, the 1st and 2nd battalions were amalgamated into a single battalion, the 1st Battalion. On 6 June 2006, the 'Dukes' were amalgamated with the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire and the Green Howards to form the Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot). As the youngest regiment, the 'Dukes' became the 3rd Battalion, as each battalion retained their antecedent regiment's name in brackets. Following further mergers, in 2012, the battalion was redesignated as the new 1st Battalion (1 Yorks) of the regiment. At this point, the antecedent regimental names were dropped from the battalion titles.[3]
Battalions from the regiment had served in most land conflicts involving British forces since its formation, from the Wars of the Austrian and Spanish successions, through the American war of Independence and various campaigns in India and Africa, the Napoleonic Wars, the Second Boer War and many of the greatest battles of the First World War (the Battle of Mons, the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Passchendaele, the Battle of Cambrai) and the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919. During the Second World War, the regiment fought as part of the British Expeditionary Force in France, forming part of the rearguard at Dunkirk; in North Africa; Italy and in France, following the D-Day landings, and as Chindits in Burma. In Korea, the 'Dukes' desperate defence of the Hook position halted the last major Chinese attempt to break the United Nations Line before the truce, in July 1953, brought the war to an end. In Cyprus, the battalion was successful in Operation Golden Rain, destroying a major EOKA terrorist group operating in the Troodos Mountains in 1956. In 1964, the battalion joined the NATO deterrence in Germany on the front line in the Cold War and from 1971 was regularly engaged in 'The Troubles' in Northern Ireland until 1997. They were amongst the first units to cross the border from Kuwait in the 2003 Iraq War.
Nine soldiers from the regiment have been awarded the Victoria Cross, and Corporal Wayne Mills of the 1st Battalion became the first recipient of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross in 1994, whilst serving with the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Volunteers[edit]
The invasion scare of 1859 led to the creation of the Volunteer Force and huge enthusiasm for joining local Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs).[34] A large number of individual RVCs were raised in the West Riding; some amalgamated into larger units, and the rest of the smaller units were grouped into administrative battalions. For example, the RVCs raised in Halifax were amalgamated as the 4th Yorkshire (West Riding) RVC in 1860. The senior unit in the 5th Admin Bn at Huddersfield was the 6th Yorkshire (West Riding) RVC, officially entitled the Huddersfield Rifles in 1868. In 1880 the 5th Admin Bn was consolidated as a new 6th Yorkshire (West Riding) RVC. Similarly, the 2nd Admin Bn at Skipton-in-Craven was consolidated as a new 9th Yorkshire (West Riding) RVC in 1880.[35][36][37]
Childers Reforms of 1881[edit]
The Childers Reforms (and as a continuation of the Cardwell Reforms) brought the Militia into the regimental system, and the two battalions of 6th West York Militia became the 3rd and 4th Battalions of the Duke of Wellington's.[38] The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (33rd) was amalgamated with the 76th to become the 1st and 2nd Battalions.[39]
At the same time the three West Riding Volunteer battalions became linked with the regiment.[39] In February 1883, as part of the Childers Reforms, these three corps were designated as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Volunteer Battalions of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. By 1887 they had adopted the same uniform as the parent unit.[36] Under the mobilisation scheme introduced by the Stanhope Memorandum of December 1888 the Volunteer Battalions of the Duke of Wellington's were assigned to the West Yorkshire Volunteer Infantry Brigade in Northern Command and in the event of war were expected to mobilise at Leeds.[40][41]
Territorial Force[edit]
When the Territorial Force (TF) was formed under the Haldane Reforms in 1908, Volunteer Battalions were renumbered as battalions of their parent regiments. The Duke of Wellington's 1st VB became the 4th Battalion, (4DWR), at Prescott Street in Halifax. The 2nd VB formed two new battalions: the 5th Battalion, (5DWR), at St Paul's Street in Huddersfield, and the 7th Battalion, (7DWR), at Scar Lane in Milnsbridge. The 3rd VB became the 6th Battalion, (6DWR), at Otley Road in Skipton. The former West Yorkshire Brigade was split in two, and the four TF battalions of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment composed the new 2nd West Riding Brigade in the West Riding Division.[36][50][51][52]
First World War[edit]
Regular Army[edit]
The 1st Battalion remained in India throughout the war, serving first with the 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division and then with the 1st (Peshawar) Division.[53]
The 2nd Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 13th Brigade in the 5th Division in August 1914 for service on the Western Front.[53] It first saw action at the Battle of Mons. It then fought a rearguard action at the Battle of Le Cateau, an action during the retreat from Mons. The 2nd Battalion also fought at the First Battle of the Marne, the Battle of the Aisne, the Battle of La Bassée and the brutal first Battle of Ypres.[54] The 2nd Battalion was also at the Battle of Hill 60 during which the British launched a massive bombardment, followed by an assault that led to vicious hand-to-hand fighting. The 8th Battalion saw service in the Gallipoli Campaign and the 10th Battalion was in action at Piave in Italy.[54]
Territorial Force[edit]
The 1/4th, 1/5th, 1/6th and 1/7 th battalions landed in France as part of the 147th (2nd West Riding) Brigade in the 49th (West Riding) Division in April 1915 for service on the Western Front and served together until the Armistice in November 1918.[53] They saw action on the Somme, at Ypres, during the German spring offensive and the final Allied Hundred Days Offensive.[52]
In August 1914 the Territorial Force formed 2nd Line units, distinguished from the 1st Line by the addition of '2/' to the battalion number, the parent units taking '1/'. The 2/4th, 2/5th, 2/6th and 2/7th Battalions of the Duke of Wellingtons formed 186th (2/2nd West Riding) Brigade in 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division. The division's training was hampered by the lack of equipment and by the need to provide drafts to the 1st Line units serving overseas, but finally landed in France in January 1917 and served on the Western Front until the Armistice.[53] It fought at Arras, Cambrai, in the Spring Offensive and the Hundred Days, and was the only TF division selected to form part of the Allied occupation force in the Rhineland after the war.[55]
The Territorial Force battalions also formed 3rd Line units, which remained in the UK training and supplying drafts for the battalions overseas.[53]
New Armies[edit]
The 8th (Service) Battalion landed at Suvla Bay in Gallipoli as part of the 32nd Brigade in the 11th (Northern) Division in August 1915; the battalion was evacuated in January 1916 and moved to France in July 1916 for service on the Western Front.[53] The 9th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 52nd Brigade in the 17th (Northern) Division in July 1915 also for service on the Western Front while the 10th (Service) Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 69th Brigade in the 23rd Division in August 1915 also for service on the Western Front.[53]
Inter-war (1919–1938)[edit]
In 1919, the 1st Battalion took part in the Third Anglo-Afghan War and eventually returned home in 1921.[54] Meanwhile, the regiment's title altered slightly in 1921 to Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding).[56]
In the 1930s the increasing need for anti-aircraft (AA) defence for Britain's cities was addressed by converting a number of TA infantry battalions into searchlight battalions of the Royal Engineers (RE). The 5th Duke of Wellington's was one unit selected for this role, becoming 43rd (5th Duke of Wellington's) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers (5DWR) in 1936, retaining its Duke of Wellington's cap badge.[57][58]
In 1938, the 4th Battalion at Halifax was converted into 58th (Duke of Wellington's Regiment) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery (4DWR).[58][59] A duplicate unit, the 68th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery was formed in 1939, with headquarters at Cleckheaton.[60]
Second World War[edit]
1st Battalion[edit]
The Second World War was declared on 3 September 1939, and the 1st Battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Edmund Charles Beard, was immediately sent to France as part of the 3rd Infantry Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division of 1st Corps of the BEF. During the retreat to Dunkirk, the 'Dukes' formed part of the rearguard.[61]
The 'Dukes' fought in the North African Campaign, fighting with distinction in a number of actions and gaining several Battle Honours, as part of the 3rd Infantry Brigade. They fought at the Battle of Medjez Plain and the Battle of Banana Ridge and in the Battle of Djebel bou Aoukaz. The Bou was a ridge dominating the Medjez el Bab to Tunis road.[61]
The 'Dukes' also fought in the Italian Campaign. They took part in the Anzio Campaign, in an attempt to outflank the Gustav Line and force a German retreat from Monte Cassino. The 'Dukes' fought with distinction at the Battle of Monte Cece in October 1944 where Captain Arthur Burns was awarded a DSO and Private Richard Henry Burton of the 1st Battalion was awarded a Victoria Cross for his courageous action in the battle.[61]
Postwar[edit]
When the TA was reformed in 1947, the 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions became the 382nd (Duke of Wellington's Regiment) Anti-Tank Regiment (later Medium Regiment), 578th (5th Bn, The Duke of Wellington's Regiment) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, and 673rd (Duke of Wellington's Regiment) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment respectively of the Royal Artillery. In 1955 the three regiments merged into the 382nd, each providing one battery. In 1957 some of the 5th Bn battery transferred to the 7th Bn (still in the infantry role) and formed the 5/7th Bn, thereby bringing together both parts of the former 2nd Volunteer Bn. Finally, in 1961, the rest of 382 Rgt converted to infantry and merged with the 5/7th Bn, bringing together all four Territorial battalions of the regiment as the West Riding Battalion, which in 1967 became part of the Yorkshire Volunteers.[51][57][58][59][82][83][84][85][86][87]
Post-Korean War (1956–2006)[edit]
Garrison duties[edit]
After the bloody encounters in the Korean War, the 'Dukes' were occupied by a series of garrison duties. The 'Dukes' were first deployed to Gibraltar, then to Cyprus in 1956, where they participated in anti-terrorist operations against EOKA. The following year, the 'Dukes' deployed to Northern Ireland. They moved back to the mainland in 1959, joining the new UK Strategic Reserve, as part of 19 Infantry Brigade.[91] On 6 August 1959 the Regimental Depot, at Wellesley Barracks, was closed down. training of new recruits was undertaken at the Kings Division depot at Strensall Barracks.[92]
The 'Dukes' returned to the UK in 1970. Then deployed to Northern Ireland a number of times during The Troubles. In one deployment in 1972 three soldiers were killed.[91]
In 1983 they provided the garrison regiment in Gibraltar.[93]
In 1985, the 'Dukes' deployed to Belize for a six-month tour of duty, taking part in operation 'Holdfast'.[91] In 1987 the 'Dukes' deployed again to Northern Ireland for a two-year tour, based in Palace Barracks, just outside the City of Belfast.[91]
Bosnia (1994–1995)[edit]
In March 1994, the 'Dukes' deployed to Bosnia, with an area of responsibility covering Bugojno, Vitez, Travnik and the besieged enclave of Goražde. The latter was under siege for much of the war. It was declared a UN Safe Zone in that year. The 'Dukes' were one of the first units to enter the town. The regiment pushed the Bosnian-Serb Army from their positions around the town to a distance of over one mile. Their objective in doing this was to create a safe zone for the town. While at Goražde, Private Shaun Taylor of C Company was killed during an engagement with Bosnian-Serb forces while manning an observation post. The engagement lasted fifteen minutes, with over 2,000 rounds of ammunition being expended by the 'Dukes'. Seven of the Bosnian-Serb soldiers were killed in the fire-fight. Goražde remained a safe zone, being held by British troops from 1994 to 1995. It was the only safe zone to survive the war and avoided the tragedies that occurred in other UN safe zones such as Srebrenica and Žepa.[94]
Regimental memorial[edit]
On 17 May 2019 a bronze memorial to the regiment, made by Devon sculptor, Andrew Sinclair,[102] and his partner Diane, was unveiled, by the 9th Duke of Wellington in the Woolshops area of Halifax.[103]
Regimental museum[edit]
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment Museum is based at Bankfield House, in Halifax, Yorkshire.[104]
The regiment's battle honours were as follows:[38]
Uniforms[edit]
On formation in 1702 as the Earl of Huntingdon's Regiment a red coat lined with yellow was worn, together with yellow breeches. Later in the 18th Century the coats had red facings but white linings which showed in the turn-backed skirts. For the remainder of its history the regiment was unusual in that the collars, cuffs and shoulder straps of its red coats were also red (most British regiments had facings of contrasting colours). This continued to be the case with the scarlet tunic worn by all ranks in full dress until 1914 and by bandsmen until amalgamation (see illustrations above). Officers were distinguished by silver buttons and braid until 1830 and thereafter by gold. After 1893 the badge of the Duke of Wellington was worn.[105]
Victoria Cross recipients have been:[106]
Sport[edit]
The 'Dukes' had a long and proud Rugby tradition. They produced in their history 11 international players, 7 English, 1 Irish and 3 Scottish, with over 50 players capped for the army against the Navy & Air Force since 1914.[108]
For Rugby union they list:- Capt (Bull) Faithfull, England (3 Caps) 1924. Lieutenant WF (Horsey) Brown, Army & Ireland (12 Caps), 1925–1928. Captain Mike Campbell-Lamerton, Army, London Scottish, Scotland (23 Caps), British Lions in South Africa in 1962, Captain of the British Lions in Australia & New Zealand in 1966. Lieutenant CF Grieve and FJ Reynolds Toured South Africa in 1938 with the British Lions. In the early 1950s DW Shuttleworth and EMP Hardy provided the Half back pairing for England. Corporals Waqabaca and Ponjiasi played for Fiji. Brigadier DW Shuttleworth became the President of the English Rugby Football Union during the 1985/86 season. In 1957–1959, whilst stationed in Northern Ireland, the 'Dukes' played rugby throughout Ulster. At the end of the tour the Ulster Team honoured the regiment by playing them at Ravenhill, with the 'Dukes' winning 19 – 8. In 1960 during an emergency posting to Kenya the Kenyan Champions Nakuru heard the Dukes were there and challenged them to a match. The Kenya Regiment loaned them their team strip to wear. The 'Dukes' won the match.[108]
The regiment's rugby league internationals include: Brian Curry, England, 1956; Norman Field, GB, 1963; Roy Sabine, GB; Jack Scroby, Army 1959, GB Halifax & Bradford Northern; Charlie Renilson, Scotland, GB, 1965 and Arthur 'Ollie' Keegan, GB.[109]
Several members of the regiment played cricket for the Free Foresters Cricket Club and Pte Brian Stead played for the Yorkshire County Cricket Club.[110]