The first myth is that the 5/Norfolks were called the Sandringham Battalion but this is not correct. [27], In June 1808, the regiment sailed to Portugal for service in the Peninsular War. [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. It was here that the surviving officers managed to take stock of what had happened and Major W Barton and Lieutenant Evelyn Beck led the survivors back to friendly lines when it became dark. 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. Although archives and the reserve collections are still held in the Shirehall, the principal museum display there closed in September 2011, and relocated to the main Norwich Castle Museum, reopening fully in 2013. The Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum displays are divided into two main sections: the 20th century; covering two World Wars plus the National Service years, including the Korean War and the. 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. In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named the 9th Regiment of Foot. Lieutenant John Spring, 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment, c1834, Colour party of the 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment, 1812. This served alongside 1st Battalion in the Peninsular War (1808-14), before disbanding in 1815. On 6 August 1944 at Sourdeval, Sidney Bates of B Company was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his great courage in the Battle of Sourdevallee against the crack 10th SS Panzer Division. The 2nd Battalion remained in Britain until June 1942 when it was shipped to India andBurma. Son of Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Manning, of Feltwell. A history of the Royal Norfolk Regiment and the Royal Anglian Regiment 1685-2010. . There it fought at Imphal-Kohima (1944) and many other engagements. ", 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. Royal Norfolk Regiment (d.28th May 1940), Sgt. 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. 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. [60], In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve;[61] the regiment now had one Reserve and three Territorial battalions. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. 2nd Btn. Militia Musters for Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire for 1781-82 Volume 3 have been published on CD by. [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. Throughout most of their existence, all three battalions remained in the United Kingdom assigned to coastal defence duties and training to repel a German invasion and, in October 1941, the division left, destined for the Middle East. Bedwell William Charles. [101] Another distinction of the Norfolk Regiment was the inclusion of a black line in the gold braid of officers' uniforms from 1881 onwards. 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. 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. 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. An officer of the 9th Foot at the Battle of Ferozeshah, 1845, Shako, 9th (The East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot, 1844. This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. To distinguish them, all battalions adopted the '1/' or '2/' prefix (1/4th Norfolks as a 1st Line unit, 2/4th Norfolks as a 2nd Line unit). 26th May 1940 Shelling 26th May 1940 Moves 27th May 1940 Massacre 27th May 1940 In Action 27th May 1940 On the Move 27th May 1940 Withdrawal 28th May 1940 On the Move Private Sidney Pooley 1/5th Norfolk Regiment. In 1782, just before its release, it was given a county association with East Norfolk. [26] The Times reported that some 300 men had been captured, including 11 officers (two of them colonels). 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. [102], The figure of Britannia was officially recognised in 1799 as part of the insignia of the 9th Regiment of Foot. [34] It saw further combat at the siege of Burgos in September 1812,[35] the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813[36] and the siege of San Sebastin in September 1813. Royal Norfolk Regiment Museum - Vintage Photograph 1075941. 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. Lord Hastings was their first commandant; their second was Lieut-Col. Astley. Like this page to receive our updates. [96] Its exhibits illustrate the history of the Regiment from its 17th-century origins to its incorporation into the Royal Anglian Regiment in 1964, along with many aspects of military life in the Regiment. In May 1940, it was assigned to the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. 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. The Wartime Memories Project is a non profit organisation run by volunteers. The Suffolk Regiment. $12.90 + $10.00 shipping. It was captured at Saratoga the following year and interned for the rest of the conflict. The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers and the free to access part of the website is funded by donations from our visitors. 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. 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. The museum moved from the Britannia Barracks, now part of Norwich prison, to the Shirehall and then to the Norwich Castle Museum. 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. In October 1940 the battalion was assigned to 205th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home), then the 220th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home). There were also 20 women and 12 children aboard. 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. I know absolutely nothing about how the officers and men disappeared. Formed in 1881, this infantry unit served with the British Army until 1958, when it was merged into the 3rd East Anglian Regiment. 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. Cunningham led a failed attempt to relieve the besieged city of Derry. Search Artists, Songs, Albums. Pte (d.1st March 1945), Sales Albert George Sidney. But who was the original Tommy Atkins. "First time @NAM_London today. It's not just medals, weaponry and uniforms. 2nd Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment crossing a river, Orange River Colony, 1907. Norfolk Regiment (d.17th Dec 1991). [93], The regiment served in Korea in 195152 during the Korean War, and in Cyprus in the fight against EOKA in 195556. In this attack the 1st Battalion suffered 150 casualties. William Haverson DCM. 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. A memorial plaque was placed on the barn wall in 1970. [103][104] Regimental tradition claimed that it was granted to the regiment by Queen Anne in 1707 in recognition of its service at the Battle of Almanza. [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. We could only identify two Privates Barnaby and Carter. [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. In July 1916, reinforcements enabled 2nd Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment to re-form. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. 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.
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. [66] The two territorial battalions both served in the Gallipoli campaign in mid-1915. The regiment raised a new 2nd Battalion in 1804. 1st Battalion returned home from India in 1907. Some entries include details of wider interest, such as the place of burial immediately after death in battle that would, presumably, have come from sources other than routine Army Records Office printouts. Following further service in the West Indies, Britain and Ireland, the 9th Foot began its first Indian posting in 1835. 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
[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. It landed in Normandy on D-Day (6 June 1944). 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. [13] The regiment was then based in Menorca from summer 1718 to 1746. - Royal Norfolk Regiment during the Second World War -, 1st Norfolk Regiment during the advance on Wanssum, 26th of November 1944 IWM (B 12156). [79] The 1st Battalion continued to fight with distinction through the Normandy Campaign and throughout the North West Europe campaign. After the war, the regiment became the Royal Norfolk Regiment on 3 June 1935. Hindi, English, Punjabi. Hall George Henry. Pte. Like this page to receive our updates. The Musters Returns for Divers Hundreds in the County of Norfolk transcribed by Farrow, Miss Margaret Arabella. 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. Crew and passengers were saved and conducted to Calais. In 1959, it was amalgamated with The Royal Norfolk Regiment to form the 1st East Anglian Regiment. [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. Our The 1/5th included men recruited from the Royal estate at Sandringham. Since then. [10], The regiment embarked for Holland in June 1701 and took part in the sieges of Kaiserswerth and of Venlo in spring 1702 during the War of the Spanish Succession. [100] In 1905, the traditional yellow facings were restored for full dress and mess uniforms. The Norfolk Regiment fought in the First World War on the Western Front and in the Middle East. [95], The history of the Royal Norfolk Regiment and its predecessors and successors is recorded at the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum. Records of 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment from other sources. We are now on Facebook. The 7th Royal Norfolks suffered heavy casualties when the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division was surrounded and had no choice but to surrender, on 12 June 1940, with only 31 members of the battalion managing to return to Britain. 2nd Battalion arrived back in England in 1923 after brief spells in India, Iraq and Aden. Socit en Commandite par Actions Registered Office: 22-24 Boulevard Royal L-2449, Luxembourg). Three of its Territorial battalions (4th, 5th and 6th) were captured at Singapore in 1942. 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. If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. None of them ever came back. This directly quoted Hamiltons after action report. This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. [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. Want to find out more about your relative's service? As with countless engagements in World War One, the bodies of the men who fell that day did not have the luxury of a burial detail. Members of 2nd Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment on the march, India, c1935. [3] In December 1688, Nicholas was also removed due to his personal Jacobite sympathies and command passed to John Cunningham. [83], The bodies of the murdered soldiers were exhumed in 1942 by the French and reburied in the local churchyard which now forms part of the Le Paradis War Cemetery. Then the next bit of family history starts around Hull after the evacuation. Drum head service, The Leicestershire Regiment, c1920. 1st Battalion spent the interwar years in Belfast, the West Indies, Egypt and Shanghai, before returning to India in 1929. Pte. 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. 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 . A myth grew up long after the War that the men had advanced into a mist and simply disappeared. Pte. This infantry regiment was raised in 1755. 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. Captain Wilkinson, 9th Regiment LCCN2001698865.jpg. [7] It went on to fight at the Battle of Aughrim in July 1691[8] and the siege of Limerick in August 1691. On taking command of the Norfolk Artillery, he resigned the Volunteers, and was appointed Honorary Colonel. In the Army reforms of 1881, it was affiliated with the entire county of Norfolk and was accordingly renamed The Norfolk Regiment. [97], St Saviour's Chapel in Norwich Cathedral is the chapel of the Royal Norfolk and Royal Anglian Regiments. The Royal Leicestershire Regiment. Two of these landed at Gallipoli in 1915. This infantry unit was formed in 1964 by merging the four regiments of the East Anglian Brigade. 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. In May 1776, the 9th Foot was shipped to Quebec for service in the American War of Independence (1775-83). 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. 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. 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). Discover more about The Royal Norfolk Regiment by visiting the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum at Norwich Castle. Therefore, Territorial units were split into 1st Line units, which were liable to serve overseas, and 2nd Line units, which were intended to act as a reserve for the 1st Line serving overseas. Add a Name to this List
Sgt. [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. It was originally made from the bronze cannon captured during the Crimean War (1854-1856). Britcher Arthur Alfred. William John O'Brien Daunt, CBE, 19511959: Brig. It served with the British Army until 1958, when it was merged into the 3rd East Anglian Regiment.