royal norfolk regiment records

[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. 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. 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. please Other battalions from the regiment served in Palestine and on the Western Front. 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. Royal Norfolk Regiment in the Second World War 1939-1945 - The Wartime Alfred William Goose 2nd, 7th & 50th Btn Royal Norfolk Regiment, Gnr. It's not just medals, weaponry and uniforms. 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. These were mainly used in home defence roles and as a source of reinforcements for the overseas battalions. [59] 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. 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. [45][46][47][48][49][50][51], The regiment fought in the Crimean War at the siege of Sevastopol in winter of 1854[52] In 1866 it landed at Yokohama, Japan as part of the British garrison stationed there in protection of British commercial and diplomatic interests in the recently opened treaty port. In May 1776, the 9th Foot was shipped to Quebec for service in the American War of Independence (1775-83). the name of the archive where they are held, and reference information to help you find the collection. 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 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. East Norfolk Militia 2015.jpg. 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. He was also a School Governor, Parish Councillor, Secretary of the British Legion and was largely responsible to raising money for the clock on Mulbarton Church tower, placed as a reminder of those men who fought and died for our freedom. (d.16th Aug 1944), Woolnough Roy Victor . 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. It returned to Europe too late to take part at Waterloo (1815), but it joined the Army of Occupation in France. THE SUFFOLK REGIMENT, 1685-1959 | The National Archives Records of 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment from other sources. The 1st Royal Norfolks had suffered 20 officers and 260 other ranks killed with well over 1,000 wounded or missing in 11 months of almost continuous combat. 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. Barclay would later lead the 1st Battalion in the North West Europe campaign towards the end of the war. 1st Battalion was still in India on the outbreak of the Second World War. Neither of these battalions saw service overseas and remained in the United Kingdom throughout the war as part of the Home Forces with the 9th Battalion apparently being disbanded in August 1944 when its parent unit (25th Brigade attached to 47th (Reserve) Infantry Division) was disbanded. to help with the costs of keeping the site running. 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). [105], The Royal Norfolk Regiment held an anniversary on 25 April for the Battle of Almansa, which they inherited along with the regimental nickname of the "Holy Boys" from the 9th Regiment of Foot. Copyright Historic UK Ltd. Company Registered in England No. The first myth is that the 5/Norfolks were called the Sandringham Battalion but this is not correct. We knew that some of the men had been killed and others been wounded, so it did not seem at all unlikely that these others had been captured by the enemy. Norfolk Record Society Vol VI and VII. The Royal Leicestershire Regiment. 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. Always the disciplinarian, as befits an RSM, the rows of seeds in his garden were immaculately straight. [30] 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. All three had earlier been engaged in home defence roles until 1941 when they deployed tothe Middle East. 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. Barker George Henry. [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. Its early service included guarding the European settlement at Yokohama during the Japanese Civil War (1863-68). (d.8th July 1944). As it already had two battalions of its own, it wasnt merged with any other unit. A myth grew up long after the War that the men had advanced into a mist and simply disappeared. What happened to the Sandringhams during the disastrous Dardanelles campaign in the middle of their first battle, on the afternoon of August 12 1915? Some census taken to show who was available to serve in 1803 survive. Unit History: Royal Norfolk Regiment - Forces War Records 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. [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. Over the next 40 years, the regiment served in Ireland, Minorca, Gibraltar and the West Indies. One of them, 1/5th Battalion, included the Sandringham Company, raised on the royal estate. After the war, the regiment became the Royal Norfolk Regiment on 3 June 1935. [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. This infantry regiment was raised in 1755. [23] The next period of active service was the unsuccessful Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland under the Duke of York when the regiment took part in the Battle of Bergen in September 1799 and the Battle of Alkmaar in October 1799. It was captured at Saratoga the following year and interned for the rest of the conflict. Email This BlogThis! 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. We know he was at Kohimaand and that he was wounded. 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. [57], The 1st battalion was stationed in Gibraltar from 1887, then in British India. If you have a general question please post it on our Facebook page. This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. Mrs Haverson died in 1985 and Bill spent his last years in Wymondham. North Walsham, Norfolk.JPG. This Force consisting of 4th Royal Norfolk Regiment, Sherwood Foresters and the Divisional Reconnaissance Battalion moved to Bukit Timah, some 5 miles west of Singapore Town. Barker Stanley John. Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest. Stanley John "Tanker" Barker 2nd Btn. They were then fired upon by two machine guns; 97 were killed and the bodies buried in a shallow pit. [100] In 1905, the traditional yellow facings were restored for full dress and mess uniforms. The Royal Norfolk Regiment Living History Group - Facebook The Royal Norfolks - THE MASSACRE AT LE PARADIS - HELL IN PARADISE 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. Royal Norfolk Regiment - Wikiwand [40] The 1st Battalion participated in the Army of Occupation in France, whilst the 2nd Battalion was disbanded at the end of 1815. The battalion remained in Italy until it was disbanded in 1946. 6th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment in the Second World War 1939-1945 Play Ep 117: Royal Norfolk Regiment - Battle of Kohima Part 3 Song by from the English album Pete & Gary's Military History - season - 3. 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment in the Second World War 1939-1945 Pte. (d.19th May 1940), Parker Kenneth Alfred. Armiger William Charles. ", 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. I know absolutely nothing about how the officers and men disappeared. Simply enter your email address below to start receiving our monthly email newsletter. [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. [20], On 31 August 1782, the regiment was linked with Norfolk as part of attempts to improve recruitment to the army as a whole and it became the 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot. [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. Two of these landed at Gallipoli in 1915. Royal Norfolk Regiment, L/Cpl. [95], The history of the Royal Norfolk Regiment and its predecessors and successors is recorded at the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum. Sgt. 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. photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. This information will help us make improvements to the website. . This infantry unit was formed in 1964 by merging the four regiments of the East Anglian Brigade. Lord Hastings was their first commandant; their second was Lieut-Col. Astley. 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. But on 15th February 1916 the Lynn News reported that one officer was now recovering from wounds in a hospital as a prisoner of the Turks in Constantinople and noted: This news of Capt. This decision was due to a growing shortage of manpower, especially in the British Army and in the infantry in particular and the young soldiers of the disbanded 70th were sent to other battalions of the regiment serving overseas. [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. These records in series WO 98 are the registers of the Victoria Cross between 1856 and 1944. Royal Norfolk Regiment, Pte. 2nd Battalion arrived back in England in 1923 after brief spells in India, Iraq and Aden. It continued in British Army service until the 1881 reforms, when it was amalgamated with the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot to form The Northamptonshire Regiment. In May 1940, it was assigned to the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. The years covered run from August 1914 through to the early months of 1919 and the return home of prisoners of war. They were part of the 185th Infantry Brigade originally assigned to the 79th Armoured Division but the brigade (including the 2nd Royal Warwickshire Regiment and 2nd King's Shropshire Light Infantry) transferred to the 3rd Infantry Division, with which it would remain with for the rest of the war. In January 1900, the regiment raised a 3rd (Militia) Battalion for service during the Boer War (1899-1902) in South Africa. The whole thing quite bears out the original theory that they did not go very far on, but got mopped up one by one, all except the ones who got into the farm.. They gained the "Holy Boys" nickname during the Peninsular War from the misidentification by a Spanish soldier of Britannia on their cap badge as the Virgin Mary. [63] The 10th (Service) Battalion, raised in 1914, became the 10th (Reserve) Battalion in April 1915. [99], The dress worn by the Regiment's predecessor units in the late 17th and early 18th centuries included orange and subsequently green facings. All 300 survivors were captured. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below. The Royal Norfolk Regiment at Britannia Barracks in Norwich in 1938. Like this page to receive our updates. 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 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. Supported by recent research, it dispels many of the myths attached to the battalion including disappearing into a cloud of smoke. [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. I inquired a lot about them but all I could find out was that they had disappeared-vanished. The history of Norfolk: from original records and other vol.2 p468 Robert Hindry Mason 1884, History of freemasonry in Norfolk, 1724 to 1895 Hamon Le Strange 1896 --p296 " this company was the first nucleus of the battalion, now the 3rd Volunteer Norfolk Regiment, of which he became Lieut.-Colonel. The role of the Holding battalion was to temporarily 'hold' men who were homeless, medically unfit, awaiting orders, on a course or returning from abroad. (d.2nd August 1943), Mann Horace Frederick. Col.Sgt. Pte. [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. The Musters Returns for Divers Hundreds in the County of Norfolk transcribed by Farrow, Miss Margaret Arabella. (d.21st May 1940) Clarke William George Frank. Pte. 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. BBC - Remembrance - Memorial Wall Want to find out more about your relative's service? And They Loved Not Their Lives Unto Death: The History of Worstead and Westwicks War Memorial and War Dead by Steve Smith. 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. The Great War saw an estimated 10 million lives lost, with more than twice of that number wounded. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. It landed in Normandy on D-Day (6 June 1944). The large hardback volume, originally intended and printed as a recruitment register, has 400 pages, each recording 39 soldiers. Hall George Henry. Up to 4 Territorial and Volunteer battalions. The regiment was granted a Royal prefix in 1935 to mark King George Vs silver jubilee, as well as its own 250th anniversary, becoming The Royal Norfolk Regiment in the process. Like this page to receive our updates. [84][85], The 4th, 5th and 6th battalions, all part of the Territorial Army, served in the Far East. (d.27th January 1942) The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Gordon Forbes Robertson 2nd Btn. In 1960, it was amalgamated with The Northamptonshire Regiment to form the 2nd East Anglian Regiment. This infantry unit was raised in 1688 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. Crew and passengers were saved and conducted to Calais. Musters of 1523, 1569, 1572, 1574 and 1577. [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. [2] Cornewall resigned his post following the Glorious Revolution and command went to Colonel Oliver Nicholas in November 1688. Pte. 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. 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. Lieutenant John Spring, 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment, c1834, Colour party of the 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment, 1812. [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. He said as they made their way down into one of the basements it appeared as if there were lots of burned and distorted bodies standing around, only find out that they were all store mannequins. If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here. [104][105] It subsequently became a central part of the badge of the Norfolk Regiment. The Royal Norfolk Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army until 1959. (d.2nd Aug 1943), Nelson Clifford Reginald. [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. (d.26th Jan 1942), Budd Frederick William. The regiment then took part in the disastrous Walcheren expedition to the Low Countries in summer 1809. [68], In the Second Battle of Gaza in 1917, the 1/4th and 1/5th battalions suffered 75% casualties, about 1,100 men. Private 1432, Cecil Ernest Bullimore, killed in action on 12th August 1915. There it fought at Imphal-Kohima (1944) and many other engagements. Nominal Roll of Officers on Posted Strength. 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. Want to know what life was like during the War? G Coy were based at the Guildhall, Thetford. Papers and photographs relating to the general and in particular the social history of the Royal Navy from the 17th century to the present day. The Royal Leicestershire Regiment | National Army Museum Royal Norfolk Regiment. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. For the Canadian regiment, see, British infantry regiments of the First World War, The other regiment linked with Norfolk, the. The two soldiers were later captured by a Wehrmacht unit and spent the rest of the war as prisoners of war. The treatment of prisoners after the fall of Kut al Amara in April 1916 mirrors what later befell the Royal Norfolks in the Far East during the Second World War. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal (Europe) S. r.l. In 1854, it served at Sevastopol during the Crimean War (1854-56), before moving to Canada two years later. We add around 200,000 new records each month. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project have lost contact with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. 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. If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small [101] Another distinction of the Norfolk Regiment was the inclusion of a black line in the gold braid of officers' uniforms from 1881 onwards. This, in turn, converted into a battalion of The Royal Anglian Regiment in 1964. Thought the presentation & interpretation made the subject accessible". Captain Wilkinson, 9th Regiment LCCN2001698865.jpg. It deployed to the Western Front on the outbreak of the First World War (1914-18), remaining there throughout the conflict. 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. In 1959, it was amalgamated with The Royal Norfolk Regiment to form the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk). In 1751, it was renamed the 9th Regiment of Foot. Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods. [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. 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment saw action during the Battle of France and were evacuated from Dunkirk. Militia Musters for Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire for 1781-82 Volume 3 have been published on CD by. GENUKI: Norfolk Military Records, Norfolk The Royal Norfolk Regiment Museum, which includes the relevant archives, covers the history of the Regiment from 1685 and on through the amalgamations to show how the 9th of Foot's traditions are still maintained within A (Norfolk) Company of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment today.