Northamptonshire Regiment
The Northamptonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1960. In 1960, it was amalgamated with the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment to form the 2nd East Anglian Regiment (Duchess of Gloucester's Own Royal Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire), which was amalgamated with the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk), the 3rd East Anglian Regiment (16th/44th Foot) and the Royal Leicestershire Regiment to form the present Royal Anglian Regiment.
Northamptonshire Regiment
1881–1960
2 Regular battalions
1–2 Militia and Special Reserve battalions
Up to 4 Volunteer and Territorial battalions
Gibraltar Barracks, Northamptonshire (1881–1939)
Quebec Barracks, Northamptonshire (1939–1960)
Black/Buff/Sky Blue
History[edit]
Formation[edit]
The Northamptonshire Regiment was formed as part of the reorganisation of the infantry by the Childers Reforms when the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot (raised in 1741) and the 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot (raised in 1755) were redesignated as the 1st and 2nd battalions of the Northamptonshire Regiment, with the regimental depot at Northampton.[1] The regiment was initially based at Gibraltar Barracks in Northampton.[2]
As well as the two regular battalions, the Northampton and Rutland Militia became the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, and the 1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps became the First Volunteer Battalion. With the enactment of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907, they became the 3rd (Special Reserve) and 4th (Territorial Force) battalions respectively.[3]
In the years 1881–1914, the two regular battalions saw overseas service in Hong Kong, India, Singapore and South Africa, with the regiment receiving battle honours for actions in the North West Frontier Province and the Second Boer War.[4] In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve;[5] the regiment now had one Reserve and two Territorial battalions.[6][7]
Regimental museum[edit]
The Museum of the Northamptonshire Regiment is housed at Abington Park, Northampton.[21]
Colonels of the regiment were:[7]