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From the pages of the Rifles website http://www.army.mod.uk/infantry/regts/the_rifles/ REPRESENTATIONAL BATTLE HONOURS A battle honour is an official acknowledgement rewarded to military units for their achievements in specific wars or operations of a military campaign. Granted only through the British monarch's Royal Authority, the rewarding of battle honours is a military tradition practiced not only in Britain but also in Commonwealth countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc. Battle honours are usually presented in the form of a name of a country, a region or a city where the regiment's distinguished act took place together with the year when it occurred. In the British Army a unit's battles honours can normally be found engraved, painted or embroidered on: The Queen's Colour or King's Colour The Regimental Colour The Queen's Truncheon of the Royal Gurkha Rifles Drums of the regimental band and/or pipes and drums The baldric worn by the Bugle/Drum Major of the regimental band/pipes and drums The Bugle/Drum Major's band mace A regimental pipes and drums' pipe banners The Cap Badge of Rifle Regiments back to top of page Not every battle fought would automatically result in the granting of a battle honour and sometimes a regiment or a battalion could obtain more than one battle honour in the same operation for outstanding military accomplishments. Additionally, a regiment need not have defeated the adversary in order to win a battle honour. For instance, although the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps were unable to stop the invading Japanese army from capturing Hong Kong in 1941, the unit was nevertheless awarded the battle honour "Hong Kong" for its gallant actions and casualty rates. For the British Army, the need to adopt a system to recognize military units' battlefield accomplishments was apparent since its formation in the later part of the 17th century. Although the granting of battle honours had already been in place at the time (for example Gibraltar, Dettingen, Plassey, Minden etc), it was not until 1784 that Infantry units were authorized to bear battle honours on their colours. Before then, a regiment's colours were practical tools for rallying troops in the battle field and not quite something for displaying the unit's past distinctions. During that period, a regiment needed only to engage the enemy with musketry before it was eligible for a battle honour. However, the need to develop a centralized system to oversee the selection and granting of battle honours soon arised in the 19th century following the increase of military engagements that British Army units were involved in around the globe. Thus in 1882, a committee was formed to adjudicate applications of battle honour claims. This committee, later called the Battles Nomenclature Committee in the Second World War, still maintains its functions in the British Army today. The Rifles do not carry Colours (being a Rifle Regiment). Instead, all officers and soldiers wear them on their person. Traditionally these were incorporated on cap and belt badges of Rifle Regiments and this tradition continues today with the wearing of the Belt Badge incorporating representative battle honours. back to top of page The belt badge, which was personally approved by HM The Queen (click here to download a larger image with HM The Queen's signature) has a number of component parts and all are of historic significance. The Peninsula scroll adorns the Maltese Cross. The Peninsula War (180814) witnessed the first modern use of British Light Infantry and Rifle troops. All our former antecedent Regiments were represented during this campaign and where, during the Battle of Corunna in 1809 the founding father of The Rifles, General Sir John Moore, was killed. Opposite The Peninsula Scroll is the Normandy Scroll, representing the honours awarded to our founding regiments during the Normandy Campaign, which was initiated on 6th June 1944. It was the largest amphibious assault landing in military history (Operation Overlord). The following are the remaining representative Battle Honours worn by The Rifles on the Belt Badge: (includes links about the battles to other websites - these are not under the control of The Rifles are are linked to to provide the user a greater understanding of the battles and campaigns) Battle Honour Awarded To Campaign and Significance ~ Pre-Napoleonic ~ Gibraltar 1704- Som LI, DCLI 05 War of the Spanish Succession/Europe • This was a significant day in history as Britain captured Gibraltar and has held it ever since. • ‘The Garrison did more than could humanly be expected and the English Marines [of which the Som LI and DCLI were part] gained immortal glory'. • It is the oldest Rifles Battle Honour and was the first Regimental link with the Royal Navy. • SCLI Regtl Day * Dettingen (1743) Devons, Som LI, DCLI, War of the Austrian Succession/Europe • This was a significant battle in British Army history as it was the last time a British monarch (George II) commanded in battle • ‘No mean professional achievement to have defeated an army thought to be the best in Europe ' Plassey (1757) Dorsets Seven Years War/India back to top of page • This was the beginning of the establishment of British influence in India and saw the British Army capture Bengal • As a result the French were driven out of northern India, destroying French trade in India • Robert Clive triumphs against overwhelming odds (2900 v 50000) for the loss of less than 70 men • A unique honour (since R Munster Fus and R Dublin Fus disbanded in 1922) Minden (1759) KOYLI Seven Years War/Europe • The British Army was deployed to support the Prussian Army under Frederick The Great against the threat posed by France and Austria. Minden was a significant victory, which saw theAllies reopen communications with Hanover. • Lord Sackville refused to support the Infantry who were ordered to ‘Advance on the beat of drum'. This order was misinterpreted as ‘Advance to the beat of drum.' Therefore 6 British and 3 Hanoverian bns advanced against the French cavalry in hazardous 'Line' formation. But their discipline and courage repelled 3 French cavalry charges and smashed the French infantry • ‘Those unsurpassable six, in industrious valour unsurpassable' Thomas Carlyle • It was KOYLI's ‘greatest battle honour' and Regtl Day - Minden Day celebrated on 1st August with White Rose of Yorkshire worn on headdress Quebec (1759) Glosters, Ox and Bucks LI, KRRC Seven Years War/North America back to top of page • At the same time as the British were fighting the French in Europe, war was being waged in North America. The victory at Quebec allowed Britain to seize Canada. • Quebec was a Joint and manoeuvrist action. Gen James Wolfe (32), weak from tuberculosis, leads his men across the St Lawrence river in darkness, in boats with muffled oars, to the foot of a steep wooded cliff. 300 feet above are the Plains of Abraham - with open access to Quebec. Battle lasts an hour before the French flee Martinique Glosters, Ox and Bucks LI, KRRC, Dorset, Seven Years War /West Indies; Napoleonic Som LI Wars/West Indies (x 2) • Combines 3 awards : • Martinique 1762: Glosters, Ox and Bucks LI, KRRC • Martinique 1794: Dorset, Ox and Bucks LI • Martinique 1809: Som LI, KRRC • Many antecedents of The Rifles served in the West Indies and it is right that this region should be commemorated on the cross/belt badge. By way of example, the DLI (the 68 th ) served in the West Indies three times from 1764-1806, losing the equivalent of 4 bns alone to disease during that period. The DLI earned their nickname ‘Faithful' (emblazoned on the Colours to this day) from this period back to top of page • Geographically, the West Indies pushes us towards South America . . . perhaps allowing The Rifles to claim that we have fought on every continent?! ~ NAPOLEONIC WARS ~ Marabout (1801) Dorsets Napoleonic Wars/N Africa • A subset of ‘Egypt with Sphinx' which is commemorated in the Back Badge • A unique honour – in addition to the ‘Sphinx' badge awarded to many Regiments, the 54 th were given a French cannon as a trophy. However, in 1840 the War Office decided to re-house the cannon at RMA Woolwich. In return 54 th were permitted to use the inscription 'Marabout' under the ‘Sphinx' rather than the usual 'Egypt.' Cannon now displayed at 'The Keep' in Dorchester. • Fort Marabout was 54th' s objective, key to Alexandria's defences. The 54th dragged Royal Artillery guns across the sand and rock, under the burning Egyptian sun, into a position to support the attack, under cover of musket fire and sharpshooters of the light companies. Musket and cannon fire so effective that enemy surrendered * Waterloo (1815) Glosters, DCLI, Ox and Bucks LI, KOYLI, Rifle Brigade back to top of page Napoleonic Wars • Wellington's best known battle and resulted in the final defeat of Napoleon and peace in Europe for 99 years, shaped modern Europe • ‘Did more than any other battle I know towards the true object of all battles – the peace of the world.' Duke of Wellington ~ IMPERIAL CONQUEST ~ Afghanistan Som LI, Rifle Indian Sub-continent Brigade, KOYLI, KRRC, Devons, • Afghanistan's position as a buffer state Royal between the Russian Empire and British Berkshires, DLI, India, meant that the British and Indian KSLI authorities were anxious to ensure that a pro-British Emir was always on the throne at Kabul. Currently topical, ‘Afghanistan' c ombines 5 awards : • Affghanistan 1839: Som LI. NB . Double ‘f' as awarded in 1839 only • Afghanistan 1878-1879: Rifle Brigade • Afghanistan 1878-1880: KOYLI, KRRC • Afghanistan 1879-1880: Devons, KSLI, Royal Berkshire • Afghanistan 1919: Som LI, DLI Jellalabad (1842) Som LI Indian Subcontinent/Afghanistan • ‘ . . . upheld the honour of the British Army for five months in a hostile country surrounded by a treacherous enemy where their comrades in arms had met with unparalleled disaster.' (Sir Henry Everett: History of The Somerset Light Infantry: 1685-1914 ) • A unique honour ‘with Mural Crown, borne on Regtl Colour' • 13th LI was besieged by a superior force of Afghans in Jellalabad from Nov 1841 to Apr 1842. Legendary courage and resilience. 13 th broke out on 7 Apr 1842 and defeated an Afghan force estimated to be six times bigger. Queen Victoria was so impressed that she ordered that the Regt should: be known as 'Prince Albert's Regiment of Light Infantry' after her Consort; and approved the change of the Regiment's uniform facings from yellow to royal blue. A special campaign medal was struck to commemorate the siege. Regimental badge to include the name 'Jellalabad' (in a scroll at the top), a mural crown (referring to the fortress walls of Jellalabad) and the initials 'PA' (Prince Albert). The Prime Minister referred to the Regiment as the 'Illustrious Garrison'. back to top of page • Jellalabad Day celebrated on 7 Apr - ‘Of all the Battle Honours bestowed upon the Regiment none surpasses that of 'Jellalabad' . Som LI's ‘greatest battle honour' and Regtl Day Ferozeshah (1845) Wiltshires Indian Sub-continent/1st Sikh War • One of the most bitterly contested battles ever fought by the British in India (1800 British and 5000 Sikh casualties) • In 1845 the 62nd was stationed in India and was engaged in the First Sikh War. At the battle of Ferozeshah on 2Ist / 22nd December 1845 the 62nd led the main attack and suffered heavy casualties on the first day, losing 18 out of 23 officers and 281 out 500 other ranks. When the battle resumed next morning most of the companies were commanded by sergeants. A ceremonial parade is now held annually on which, in appreciation of the service rendered by the sergeants at Ferozeshah, the Colours are handed over by the Commanding Officer to the Warrant Officers and Sergeants for the rest of the day and handed back in a ceremony at midnight. Uniquely the RSM alone commands the escort to the Colours during the parade... Delhi (1857) and Lucknow (1857-1858) Glosters, Ox and Bucks LI, KRRC DCLI, KSLI Indian Subcontinent/Indian Mutiny back to top of page • Recapture of Delhi the decisive factor in the suppression of the Mutiny • On 7 Jun 1857 a hastily raised force of 4,000 men succeeded in occupying a ridge overlooking Delhi. But too weak to retake the city and faced by over 30,000 mutineers. Reinforcements arrived from the Punjab, incl a siege train of 32 guns and 2,000 men under Brig-Gen John Nicholson. • By 14 Sep the British had about 9,000 men before Delhi. A third were British while the rest were Sikhs, Punjabis and Gurkhas. Breaches were made in the city walls, a gate was blown and after a week's vicious street fighting, Delhi was back under British control • 10 RGJ VCs (KRRC: 8; 52 nd : 2). Close affiliation with RGR based on this battle. 150 th Anniversary of Delhi in 2007 and will be celebrated in major commemoration ceremony at RMAS run jointly with RGR Indian Subcontinent/Indian Mutiny • On 4 Jul 1857 mutineers attacked the Lucknow Residency, defended by Sir Henry Lawrence and 1500 troops incl the 32 nd and loyal Bengal sepoys. Lawrence killed early on so command passed to Col John Inglis of the 32 nd (‘The Defender of Lucknow') • Maj-Gen Sir Henry Havelock (late Som LI) broke into Lucknow on 25 Sep but his force was too weak to evacuate the defenders. On 16 Nov Lt Gen Sir Colin Campbell's force, enraged by the slaughter of 200 British dependants at Cawnpore, stormed the Secundra Bagh and killed 2000 mutineers. Campbell evacuated the Residency and finally captured Lucknow in Mar 1858, having first had to clear the mutineers in Cawnpore. • Queen Victoria ordered that the 32 nd ‘in consideration of the enduring gallantry displayed in the defence of the Residency of Lucknow . . . be clothed, equipped and trained as a light infantry regt.' back to top of page • If Delhi was the symbolic centre of the Indian Mutiny, and Cawnpore provided its most horrific episode, it was Lucknow that caught the imagination of the British public. • DCLI's ‘greatest battle honour' and Regtl Day. Lucknow Day celebrated on 17 Nov; Lucknow Silver; 8 x LI VCs (4 each to DCLI and KSLI) New Zealand Wiltshires, Ox and Bucks LI, DLI Australasia • The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Maori Wars, refer to a series of conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872. The wars were fought over disputed land being sold to the European settlers by the native Maori. At least 2 VCs: Sjt John Murray (DLI) and Capt Frederick Smith (Ox and Bucks LI). • Combines 2 awards, New Zealand having been awarded 3 times: • New Zealand 1846-1847 (Wiltshires) • New Zealand 1860-1861 (No Rifles recipient) • New Zealand 1863-1866 (Ox and Bucks LI, DLI) Pekin 1860 KRRC, Wiltshires Second Chinese War/Far East • Relations between China and Britain were strained following the1839 Opium War and, in 1856, Chinese authorities seized the Arrow , a British-registered ship owned by a local pirate being used to raid Chinese ships. The British consul in China demanded that the Chinese released the Arrow , its commander and its crew, and apologise. The Chinese refused. Without consulting the British government, the consul threatened military force. Eventually, the Chinese agree to all the consul's terms except the apology. When the Prime Minister, Viscount Palmerston, learnt of the situation, he saw it as a chance to open up all of China to British trade. He backed the consul and declared war. The conflict lasted until October 1860, when troops under British command marched to Peking and burnt the emperor's Summer Palace. Britain dictated terms for peace (Treaty of Tien-tsin) – they included trade access to the vast Chinese interior for a wide range of goods, including opium. back to top of page • A rare, though not unique Battle Honour for The Rifles , but one that takes us into the heart of Asia South Africa Devons, Som LI, Glosters, DCLI, Dorset, Ox and Bucks LI, Royal Berkshires, KOYLI, KSLI, KRRC, Wiltshires, DLI, Rifle Brigade, Volunteer Battalions Africa/South Africa • Combines 5 awards, South Africa having been awarded 7 times: • South Africa 1835 (No Rifles recipient) • South Africa 1846-1847 (Rifle Brigade) • South Africa 1851-1853 (Ox and Bucks LI, KRRC, Rifle Brigade) • South Africa 1877-1879 (No Rifles recipient) • South Africa 1878-1879 (Som LI) • South Africa 1879 (KRRC, Wiltshires) • South Africa 1899-1902 (Devons, Som LI, Glosters, DCLI, Dorset, Ox and Bucks LI, Royal Berkshires, KOYLI, KSLI, KRRC, Wiltshires, DLI, Rifle Brigade,) Volunteer Bns also provided reinforcement Coys to Reg Bns from 1900-1902. Herefords retained this battle honour. • Allows The Rifles to commemorate the Anglo-Zulu War (Som LI – unlike the 24th (later the RRW) – defeated the Zulus at Kambula and Ulundi in 1879) and the Boer War back to top of page • 3 X LI VCs (incl Rorke's Drift) ~ CRIMEAN WAR ~ * Inkerman (1854) Glosters, Royal Berkshires, DLI, Rifle Brigade back to top of page Crimean War • ‘One of the greatest actions the British Army has fought having been victorious in the face of odds of five-to-one' • Inkerman is described as “The Soldier's Battle”, a reference to the ferocity of the fighting, the importance of the role of battalions, companies and even small parties of men and the foggy isolation of the soldiers who were thrown on their own initiative • 24/50 bns of the Russian Field Army were defeated • ‘Inkerman Chain' pre-dates this famous Crimean War battle of 1854 by 25 years. (Just 3/16 offrs killed or died of wounds) • DLI's ‘greatest battle honour' and Regtl Day; Inkerman Day celebrated on 5 Nov ( . . . with fireworks and bonfires . . . ) ~ FIRST WORLD WAR ~ Nonne Boschen (1914) Glosters, Ox and Bucks LI, Royal Berkshires, KRRC, Wiltshires. First World War/NW Europe • 11 Nov 1914 antecedents of The Rifles achieved fame at Nonne Boschen by routing the Prussian Potsdam Guards, almost 100 years after they had defeated the French Imperial Guard at Waterloo. 17,500 Germans attacked a British force of 7850. The Germans advanced to Nonne Boschen wood, where they were stopped dead and thrown back by an incredible charge of the Ox and Bucks LI. The Glosters were in reserve and moved forward to assist in the counterattack. The Germans had failed. back to top of page • "None of the survivors who were present at Ypres on the 11th November 1914 will ever forget the final and violent effort of the Germans on that day to break through the British line. Twelve battalions of the famous Prussian Guard, with other German troops, were brought up to accomplish what their comrades had failed to do. Four of the most renowned regiments of the German Army, each consisting of 3 battalions of fresh troops, advanced against a thin line of British troops, who for 3 weeks had been engaged in incessant fighting and were almost worn out from fatigue." * Ypres 191415-16-17-18 and * Somme 1916, 1918 Devons, Som LI, Glosters, DCLI, Dorsets, Ox and Bucks LI, Royal Berkshires, KOYLI, HerefordsKSLI, DLI, KRRC, Rifle Brigade First World War/NW Europe • 1914 . As the main body of the BEF was fighting its way forward in the Flemish Hills, so the 7th Division and 3rd Cavalry Division were falling back westwards from Ghent. They met and formed a continuous body of troops around Ypres. Misinformed Wiltshires, DLI, by intelligence about the overwhelming Devons, Som LI, German strength advancing towards them, Glosters, DCLI, Sir John French ordered the BEF to Dorsets, Ox and advance to capture Menin with a view to Bucks LI, Royal moving on towards Courtrai. The initial Berkshires, battle of encounter soon changed into KOYLI, KSLI, KRRC, Rifle Brigade dogged defence by the BEF against huge odds, as the enemy attacked in force with the intention of breaking through to outflank the Allies on the River Yser. Despite very heavy losses, the defence held - although there were times when it seemed that Ypres must be lost. With the Belgian Army along the Yser on the British left also desperately holding on, the German Army failed in this last colossal attempt of 1914 to break the enemy line and turn its flank. Ypres, and the Old Contemptibles, achieved immortal fame. • 1917 . ‘ . . . not a battle to delight those who admire Napoleonic modes and methods, or devotees of civilized behaviour. It clearly did not delight the modernists who held, and hold, that modern techniques oriented to new methods could have overcome the slogging match on the Western Front.' back to top of page Further research required for 1915, 1916, 1918 First World War/NW Europe • One of the most important campaigns in which the British Army has ever been engaged, the dogged fighting on the Somme has shaped modern memory of the First World War • After a disastrous opening for the British attack, the Allied offensive pushed on yard by yard through a hot summer and eventually halted as the mud of winter closed in. Little ground had been taken, but the German army had been mortally wounded. Vittoria Devons, Veneto (1918) Glosters, Ox and Bucks LI, Royal Berkshires, KOYLI, DLI • 29 Oct - 4 Nov 1918. British forces led the way in dramatic advance across the River Piave to a decisive victory over the Austrians which led to the AustroHungarian surrender and the disintegration of their Empire. • The Allies, disappointed and angered at the Italians inability to counterattack against the Austrians, attempted to persuade the Italians to action. Assurances were at last received from Diaz (Italian Cin-C) on 6 Oct 1918. A combined Italian force comprising 57 divisions, of which 3 were British (7 Div, 23 Div, - XIV Corps under Lord Cavan) and 2 French, along with a single U.S. regiment. Ranged against them were 52 nominal AustroHungarian divisions. The plan was for Allied forces to break through across the Piave, separating the Austrian armies in the mountains from those on the Vittorio Veneto plain, and then to wheel westwards. 'The appearance of the British (at the Bund) created universal terror' (Austrian Official History). XIV Corps was the only attacking formation to achieve all of its objectives on the day. In so doing it captured 2,500 prisoners and 54 guns, and advanced 3000 yards from the river. The British were way ahead of the Italian units on either flank. Mounted and cyclist troops continued the advance as fast as could be achieved . . . Gen Shoubridge (Comd 7 Div) said: 'You have only to march like Hell and the war is won'. The advance continued until 4 Nov until halted by the Austrians signing the Armistice. • British open-warfare offensive tactics won the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, as did incredible bravery and feats of engineering . . . artillery support was light, and logistics constrained by the bridging capacity at the rivers. The Allies - and without question the two British Divs of XIV Corps led the way utterly defeated two Austrian Armies on this front. • Prime Minister David Lloyd George strongly believed that it was possible to defeat Germany through attacking its neighbours elsewhere, particularly in Italy. While this proved not to be the case, there is no doubt that the defeat of the Austrians at Vittorio Veneto contributed to German anxiety and the signing of the Armistice at back to top of page Compiegne. • 8KOYLI in reserve – KOYLI history refers to manoeuvre, not contact) 12 (Svc) Bn DLI Megiddo (1918) Som LI, DCLI, Dorsets, Wiltshires, First World War/Middle East • The ancient fortress of Megiddo appears in the New Testament as Armageddon, the location of the millennial battle between the forces of good and evil • Name given to the action that launched the final Allied offensive against the Turks in Palestine and Syria. Deceiving the Turkish high command that his next offensive would be launched across the Jordan River, General Sir Edmund Allenby secretly concentrated his forces on the coastal plain. His offensive began with a massed infantry assault that tore a hole in the Turkish line and allowed the mounted forces to be unleashed into the Turkish rear to sever the routes vital for supply and reinforcement. Within 24 hours the mounted troops had advanced over 50 kilometres into the Turkish rear areas. Meggido brought about a rapid Turkish collapse, facilitating a rapid advance on Damascus by the Allied mounted troops. back to top of page • Joint and asymmetric . . . Turkish supply lines disrupted by Lawrence of Arabia's attacks on the Hejaz Railway and the RAF cut their communications with headquarters, helping to delay attempts to halt the cavalry wheel until it was too late • Allenby routed the Turks in one of the war's most decisive battles and there was nothing to stop him advancing further north, with Damascus as the immediate prize ~ SECOND WORLD WAR ~ Calais 1940 KRRC, Rifle Brigade Second World War/NW Europe • 22 and 23 May 1940 a small British force was disembarked in Calais IOT keep the port open and establish LoC with Dunkirk. 30 Inf Bde consisted of the 2 KRRC, the 1 Rifle Brigade, 1 Queen Victoria's Rifles and 3 RTR. On 23 May, the Germans began shelling the town and the next day surrounded it and opened a heavy bombardment. Fighting continued in and around Calais until 26 May when short of food and ammunition and with numerous casualties the Bde was overwhelmed. • "The Rifle Brigade, the 60th Rifles and the Queen Victoria's Rifles, with a bn of British tanks and 1000 Frenchmen - in all about 4000 strong-defended Calais to the last. The British Brigadier was given an hour to surrender. He spurned the offer, and 4 days of intense street fighting passed before silence reigned over Calais, which marked the end of a memorable resistance. Only 30 unwounded survivors were brought off by the Royal Navy, and we do not know the fate of their comrades. Their sacrifice was not however, in vain. At least two armd divs, which otherwise would have been turned against the British Expeditionary Force, had to be sent to overcome them. They have added another page to the glories of the Light Division and the time gained enabled the Gravelines Walnlieu to be flooded and to be held by French troops; and thus it was that the port of Dunkirk was kept open." Winston Churchill (4 Jun 1940) * El Alamein (1942) KRRC, DLI, Rifle Brigade Second World War/Africa back to top of page • "Before Alamein we never had a victory, after Alamein we never had a defeat." Winston Churchill Kohima (1944) Royal Berkshires, DLI, Dorsets Second World War/Far East • Selected to represent the Burma Campaign. The Battle of Kohima (NE India) was fought from 4 Apr-22 Jun 1944. British and Indian forces were besieged by the Japanese, eventually relieved on 22 Jun. • The British and Indian forces lost around 4000 men dead, wounded and missing. The Japanese had lost 7000. The battle was ultimately to prove to be the turning point of the Burma Campaign. Lord Mountbatten described it as: ‘Probably one of the greatest battles in history . . . in effect the Battle of Burma . . . naked unparalleled heroism . . . the Britsh/Indian Thermopylae.' • Inscribed on the Commonwealth Cemetery War Memorial at Kohima, near the famous tennis court, is the well known epitaph: ‘When You Go Home, Tell Them of Us and Say For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today' Pegasus Bridge (1944) Ox and Bucks LI (also held by the Para Regt) Second World War/NW Europe back to top of page • 6th (Airborne) Div's 'coup de main' on the night of5/index.htm6Jun 1944, securing the eastern flank of the Allied invasion. 3 gliders dropped within yards of the target, the road bridge across the Caen canal. 181 soldiers, mostly from D Coy 2 nd Ox and Bucks LI under Maj John Howard, captured the bridge in just ten minutes, becoming the first objective seized on D Day • Joint and manoeuvrist * Normandy [Landing] (1944) Devons, Dorsets, Ox and Bucks LI, Royal Berkshires, Second World War/NW Europe KSLI, Glosters, DLI, Rifle Brigade, KOYLI, DCLI, Wiltshires, Som LI, KRRC, Herefords (V) • Representing: • Normandy Landing: Devons, Dorsets, Ox and Bucks LI, Royal Berkshires, KSLI • Port en Bessin: Devons • Villers Bocage: Glosters, Dorsets, DLI, Rifle Brigade • Tilly sur Seulles: Devons, Dorsets, DLI • The Odon: Som LI, KSLI, Wiltshires, Rifle Brigade, Herefords (V) • Fontenay le Pesnil: KOYLI • Cheux: DCLI back to top of page • Defence of Rauray: DLI, Herefords (V) • Caen: Devons, Som LI, Dorsets, Ox and Bucks LI, KSLI, Wiltshires, • Carpiquet: Ox and Bucks LI • Hill 112: Som LI, DCLI, Wiltshires • Esquay: Ox and Bucks LI • Bourguebus Ridge: KSLI, Wiltshires, Rifle Brigade, Herefords(V) • Troarn: KSLI • Maltot: Wiltshires • Etc etc • 6 Jun 1944, saw the largest amphibious assault landing in military history (Operation Overlord). The allies, who were stalled in Italy, needed to land on mainland Europe and open another front against the Germans. Italy 1943-45 - Devons, Som LI, Anzio (1944) DCLI, Dorsets, Berks, KOYLI, Second World War/NW Europe KSLI, KRRC, Wilts, DLI, Ox and Bucks LI, RB • The Allies invaded mainland Italy on 3 Sep 1943. Italy surrendered 5 days later and the Germans took over the fight. This forced the Allies to a complete halt in the winter of 1943-1944, south of Rome. • Following the landing at Anzio on 22 Jan 1944, the Allies were able to break through but it was the eventual (12 Jan-18 May 1944) but costly (54,000 Allied/20,000 Germans lost) victory at Monte Cassino that paved the way to taking Rome on 4 Jun 1944. Allied advances that winter were slow because of troop re-deployments to France. In early April, the Allies broke through the Gothic Line and gradually enclosed the main German forces leading to their surrender in Italy on 2 May 1945. back to top of page • 58 Italian Theatre Battle Honours awarded to antecedents of The Rifles, including the unique ‘Incontro’ to 2DCLI – ‘a model of what a daylight attack by a bn gp on a strong posn should be.’ • The KSLI's Regimental Day was Anzio Day (11 May) ~ POST 1945 ~ Korea [The] Imjin (1951) Korea was awarded three times: • Korea 19501951 (Glosters) • Korea 19511952 (KSLI) • Korea 19521953 (DLI) Glosters, KSLI, DLI Korean War/Far East • In Jun 1950, Russian-backed North Korea attacked US-backed South Korea (recognised by the UN as the lawful authority for all Korea) and by Aug 1950 almost all had fallen to the North. UN Comd, Gen Douglas MacArthur, launched a successful amphibious landing 200 miles behind en lines and struck North to Chinese border. Chinese attacked but lines stabilised along 38th parallel between Jan and Jun 1951, followed by 2 years of semistatic warfare. An Armistice was signed on 27 Jul 1953. Around 4½ million deaths on all sides. During the spring of 1951 three divisions of the 63rd Chinese Communist Army chose an historic invasion route along which to mount an attack on Seoul. Astride their route of advance lay this valley, where 29 Bde had prepared its position overlooking the Imjin River • Although UN and Korean forces were heavily defeated, they did manage to delay the invading troops so that the bulk of their forces could move south to regroup. The bravery of the Glosters was widely saluted and gained official recognition. VCs awarded to the CO, Lt Col Carne, and to Lt Curtis, attached from the DCLI (another example of Rifles antecedents fighting together) back to top of page • After the battle the "Glorious Glosters" could only muster 67 Offrs and men. There were 59 dead and 526, of whom 180 were wounded, had fallen into enemy hands. Of these 34 died in captivity. Though minor in scale the battle's ferocity caught the imagination of the world . • In addition to Imjin, The Glosters gained the Battle Honours of ‘Hill 327’ and ‘Korea 1950-51’ whilst the LI gained ‘KowangSan’, ‘Hill 227’ (a fierce defensive battle unique to the KSLI) and ‘Korea 1951-53’. Iraq 2003 Devons, Som LI, Glosters, Dorsets, Ox and Bucks LI, Wiltshires, DCLI, KOYLI, LI The founding regiments have fought and been awared battle honours in Iraq as follows: • Mesopotamia 1914-1918 (Devons, Som LI, Glosters, Dorsets, Ox and Bucks LI, Wiltshires) • Iraq 1920 (DCLI, KOYLI) • Iraq 1941 (No Rifles recipients) • Iraq 2003 (LI) • This is the newest Rifles Battle Honour and visible on the Belt Badge