Shorter histories and books or pamphlets on aspects of the regiment's history will be found throughout the catalogue. 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).
The 18th Division fought in the defence of Singapore and Malaya against the Japanese advance. The Royal Norfolk Regiment | National Army Museum Regiments and Corps The Royal Norfolk Regiment This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. et Cie, S.C.A. They were then fired upon by two machine guns; 97 were killed and the bodies buried in a shallow pit. As it already had two battalions of its own, it wasnt merged with any other unit. 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. A memorial plaque was placed on the barn wall in 1970. All three had earlier been engaged in home defence roles until 1941 when they deployed tothe Middle East. Royal Norfolk Regiment. Officers leather helmet, 9th Regiment of Foot, c1780. [66] The two territorial battalions both served in the Gallipoli campaign in mid-1915. Cpl. Members of 2nd Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment on the march, India, c1935. In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named the 9th Regiment of Foot. [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. Millions of families throughout the UK suffered the loss of close family relatives in the Great War of 1914 -18. 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. [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. It has deployed on a variety of operations across the UK and around the world, including the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. [63] The 2/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, formed in October 1914 as a duplicate of the 1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, had much the same history as the 1/6th Battalion and remained in the United Kingdom until May 1918 when it was disbanded. [25] In November 1805, shortly after the Battle of Trafalgar, the Regiment suffered a significant misfortune: as the 1st battalion sailed for the Hanover Expedition a storm wrecked the troop transport Ariadne on the northern French coast and some 262 men were taken prisoner. They may not be copied, and the links within them may not be harvested for use on your own web pages. 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. Two of these landed at Gallipoli in 1915. [88] Due to an acute shortage of infantrymen in the British Army at the time, the battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ian Freeland, and division were disbanded in late August 1944 and its men used as replacements for other British divisions in the 21st Army Group who had also suffered heavy casualties in Normandy. [89], The 8th Battalion was raised in 1939 alongside the 9th Battalion with many veterans of the First World War. Then, in 1874, it arrived in India, joining the Jowaki expedition (1877-78) on the North-West Frontier, and fighting in the Second Afghan War (1878-80) and the 1888 Burma campaign. [90], The 8th Battalion was renumbered as the 30th Battalion and used for garrison duties in Italy during which the 43rd Infantry Brigade, which included 30th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry and 30th Battalion, Dorset Regiment, was made to appear as a full division for deception purposes. [68], In the Second Battle of Gaza in 1917, the 1/4th and 1/5th battalions suffered 75% casualties, about 1,100 men. 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. Like this page to receive our updates. 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. The Royal Norfolk Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army until 1959. [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. Following further service in the West Indies, Britain and Ireland, the 9th Foot began its first Indian posting in 1835. 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 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. 4th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment in the Great War - The Wartime Memories 2nd Battalion arrived back in England in 1923 after brief spells in India, Iraq and Aden. 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. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. 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. 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. Beauchamp was seen by Private S T Smith to say Hound them out boys! It was the last time he was seen alive and probably the last order he ever gave. Family History - Royal Norfolks.jpg 1,354 635; 355 KB. After the war, the regiment became the Royal Norfolk Regiment on 3 June 1935. He had several worthwhile adventures there. In 1959, it was amalgamated with The Royal Norfolk Regiment to form the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk). 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. A history of the Royal Norfolk Regiment and the Royal Anglian Regiment 1685-2010. . Labels: Army Service Numbers, Norfolk Regiment. [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. Such are almost the words of the announcement under our Yarmouth heading this week. The Musters Returns for Divers Hundreds in the County of Norfolk transcribed by Farrow, Miss Margaret Arabella. It stayed in Mesopotamia for the rest of the war. 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. Other battalions from the regiment served in Palestine and on the Western Front. 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. The regiment was raised for the English Army in Gloucester by Colonel Henry Cornewall as Henry Cornewall's Regiment of Foot at the request of James II in 1685 as part of the response to the Monmouth Rebellion. There it fought at Imphal-Kohima (1944) and many other engagements. [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. The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award available to the armed forces for gallantry in action with the enemy. The entire unit was captured at Castelo de Vide, on the Spanish-Portuguese border, and taken back to France as prisoners of war. In the Army reforms of 1881, it was affiliated with the entire county of Norfolk and was accordingly renamed The Norfolk Regiment. Gordon Forbes Robertson 2nd Btn. Pte. Royal Norfolk Regiment (d.21st May 1940), Pte. In 1805, 1st Battalion was shipwrecked off the French coast on its way from Ireland to Germany. [53] The regiment saw action at Kabul again in 1879 during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Royal Norfolk Regiment Museum - Vintage Photograph 1075941. The Royal Norfolk Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army until 1959. [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. It was formed as the Norfolk Regiment in 1881 under the Childers Reforms of the British Army as the county regiment of Norfolk . [102], The figure of Britannia was officially recognised in 1799 as part of the insignia of the 9th Regiment of Foot. This served alongside 1st Battalion in the Peninsular War (1808-14), before disbanding in 1815. [100] In 1905, the traditional yellow facings were restored for full dress and mess uniforms. 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. And the actual casualty list, recorded between 12th and 31st August 1915, is 11 Officers and 151 Other Ranks killed. Colonel Proctor-Beauchamp. Col.Sgt. In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named the 9th Regiment of Foot. 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. Our ", These were the 3rd Battalion (Special Reserve), with the 4th Battalion at, Further information on this unit can be found in, Horse Guards Letter dated 30 July 1799: "His Majesty has been pleased to confirm to the 9th Regiment of Foot the distinction and privilege of bearing the figure of Britannia as the badge of the Regiment. The first myth is that the 5/Norfolks were called the Sandringham Battalion but this is not correct. In 1788, it began an eight-year deployment in the West Indies. Royal Norfolk Regiment in the Second World War 1939-1945 - The Wartime Lieutenant General Miles Dempsey, the British Second Army commander, stated that by holding their ground in the battle the battalion made the subsequent breakthrough in August possible. Norfolk Record Society Vol VI and VII. [4] In April 1689 the regiment, under Cunningham's command, embarked at Liverpool for Derry for service in the Williamite War in Ireland. Description A wall-mounted bronze plaque with the dedication written in black lettering. And the mystery was, in fact, cleared up by the press very early on. [21] It went on to capture Saint Lucia and Guadeloupe[22] before returning to England in autumn 1796. Email This BlogThis! In 1854, it served at Sevastopol during the Crimean War (1854-56), before moving to Canada two years later.
[80], During the Battle of France in 1940, Company Sergeant-Major George Gristock of the 2nd Royal Norfolks was awarded the Victoria Cross. He was court marshalled again. to help with the costs of keeping the site running. He survived the war and went back to Belfast, but couldn't settle in civilian life and rejoined REME, serving in Palestine. Hindi, English, Punjabi. The 2nd Battalion remained in Britain until June 1942 when it was shipped to India andBurma. Among other monuments it contains memorial stones to the 9th Foot/Royal Norfolk Regiment[98] and to the 1st Bn Royal Norfolk Regiment in the Korean War. [7] It went on to fight at the Battle of Aughrim in July 1691[8] and the siege of Limerick in August 1691. Stevenson Norman. Sgt. [63] The 8th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne as part of the 53rd Brigade of the 18th (Eastern) Division in July 1915[63] and was present on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916. East Norfolk Militia 2015.jpg. This infantry unit was formed in 1964 by merging the four regiments of the East Anglian Brigade. (d.12th February 1942), Mann Horace Frederick. During the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14), the regiment was sent first to Flanders in 1702, then to mainland Spain in 1704. recording and preserving recollections, documents, photographs and small items. Pte. [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. 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. Hall George Henry. 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. We add around 200,000 new records each month. [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. 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. [93], The regiment served in Korea in 195152 during the Korean War, and in Cyprus in the fight against EOKA in 195556. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal (Europe) S. r.l. 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. $12.90 + $10.00 shipping. Royal Norfolk Regiment | The National Archives The battalion landed on Red Queen Beach, the left flank of Sword Beach, at 07:25 on 6 June 1944, D-Day. This infantry unit was raised in 1688 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. 5th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment in the Second World War 1939-1945 Norfolk Militia Officer.jpg 1,170 . Royal Norfolk Regiment - Wikipedia L/Cpl. photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. 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. By 1809, it was back in action, this time on the Iberian Peninsula. 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 infantry unit was raised in 1685 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. On its retreat to Dunkirk in May 1940, 97 of its men were captured and shot by an SS unit at Le Paradis. If you have a general question please post it on our Facebook page. 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. The Regiment was awarded the Royal title in 1935 as part of the King George V silver jubilee celebrations becoming the Royal Norfolk Regiment. Each of these lasted only three years and was mainly used for raids on the Spanish coast and for service in Britain and Portugal. The Royal Norfolk Regiment Galleries. Its early service included guarding the European settlement at Yokohama during the Japanese Civil War (1863-68). The regiment also raised 11 Territorial battalions and four New Army battalions during 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. Captain Frank Peter Barclay, was awarded the Military Cross, and Lance-Corporal Davis the Military Medal. 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. 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 . In 1751, it was renamed the 9th Regiment of Foot. The 99 prisoners were marched to some farm buildings on another farm where they were lined up alongside a barn wall. The two soldiers were later captured by a Wehrmacht unit and spent the rest of the war as prisoners of war. Pte. Entries in the ledger are all made by hand, using pen and ink, and record casualty and sickness details for more than fifteen thousand soldiers of the 1st and 2nd regular battalions, and the 7th, 8th and 9th service battalions of the Norfolk Regiment. Lieutenant John Spring, 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment, c1834, Colour party of the 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment, 1812. the seller's shipping history, and other factors. Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum's Collection - Collections Barnes John. BBC - Remembrance - Memorial Wall In 1782, just before its release, it was given a county association with East Norfolk. [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. [82] The massacre was investigated by the War Crimes Investigation Unit and Knchlein was traced and arrested.