Bolton Rifles
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The Bolton Rifles, later the 5th Battalion,
Loyal North Lancashire Regiment The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (until 1921 known as the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was in existence from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Lancashire Re ...
, was a volunteer unit of the
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
from 1859 until 1967. It served on the Western Front during the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, and in the
Far East The Far East is the geographical region that encompasses the easternmost portion of the Asian continent, including North Asia, North, East Asia, East and Southeast Asia. South Asia is sometimes also included in the definition of the term. In mod ...
during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, when one battalion was captured at the
Fall of Singapore The fall of Singapore, also known as the Battle of Singapore, took place in the South–East Asian theatre of the Pacific War. The Empire of Japan captured the British stronghold of Singapore, with fighting lasting from 8 to 15 February 1942. S ...
.


Volunteer Force

The enthusiasm for the
Volunteer movement The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement throughout the British Empire in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrate ...
following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs) composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
in time of need. One such unit was the 3rd Sub-Division of Lancashire Rifle Volunteers formed at
Bolton Bolton ( , locally ) is a town in Greater Manchester in England. In the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, Bolton is between Manchester, Blackburn, Wigan, Bury, Greater Manchester, Bury and Salford. It is surrounded by several towns and vill ...
,
Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...
, on 2 December 1859 following meetings at
Little Bolton Town Hall Little Bolton Town Hall is a municipal building in All Saints Street, Little Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. The structure, which was the meeting place of the trustees of Little Bolton, is a Grade II listed building. History The town hall ...
on 13 July and 15 November. Generally known locally as The Bolton Rifles, it was named the 27th Lancashire RVC in February 1860, by which time it consisted of four companies (at Bolton, Deane,
Farnworth Farnworth is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, southeast of Bolton, 4 miles south-west of Bury (7 km), and northwest of Manchester. Within the historic county of Lancashire, Farnworth lies on ...
and
Kearsley Kearsley ( ) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. The population at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census was 14,212. Within the Historic County of Lancashire, it lies northwest of Manchester, ...
) commanded by Major William Gray, MP with a headquarters at a rented house in Crook Street. It had increased to six companies headquartered in Bridge Street by 1861, when Gray was promoted to lieutenant-colonel, and eight by 1863, headquartered at the old workhouse in Fletcher Street. The smaller 82nd Lancashire RVC (raised at
Hindley Hindley may refer to: Places * Hindley, Greater Manchester, England ** Hindley (ward), an electoral ward of the Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council * Hindley, Northumberland, England Other uses * Hindley (surname) * Hindley Manufacturing, Ameri ...
on 14 June 1861) was attached to it. Paul McCormick, 'The Bolton Rifles and Volunteers 1859–1900' at Loyals 1918–19 website.
/ref>Frederick, p. 191.Westlake, pp. 141–52.Beckett, Appendix VII.Lancashire Record Office, ''Handlist 72''.
/ref>''Army List'', various dates. The Bolton Rifles' uniform was originally light grey with green
facings A facing colour, also known as facings, is a common tailoring technique for European military uniforms where the visible inside lining of a standard military jacket, coat or tunic is of a different colour to that of the garment itself.René Char ...
and a grey cap, later changing to scarlet with green facings and regulation spiked helmet. Under the scheme of 'localisation' introduced by the
Cardwell Reforms The Cardwell Reforms were a series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell between 1868 and 1874 with the support of Liberal prime minister William Ewart Gladstone. Gladstone paid little attentio ...
, Regular infantry battalions became linked in pairs assigned to particular counties or localities, and the county
Militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...
and Volunteers were affiliated to them. From 1873 the 27th Lancashire RVC, with the attached 82nd, was assigned to 'Sub-District No 12', headquartered in Preston and brigaded with the
47th Foot The 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in Scotland in 1741. It served in North America during the Seven Years' War and American Revolutionary War and also fought during the Napoleonic Wars and ...
, the
81st Foot The 81st Regiment of Foot (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers) was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1793. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot to form the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment i ...
, the
3rd Royal Lancashire Militia The 3rd Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster's Own) was an auxiliary regiment raised in the county of Lancashire in North West England during the French Revolutionary War. It later became part of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Al ...
, and the 6th Administrative Battalion of Lancashire RVCs at Preston. In 1876 it fully absorbed the 82nd Lancashire RVC. The 27th was renumbered as the 14th Lancashire RVC in 1880, and in 1883 it became the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the
Loyal North Lancashire Regiment The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (until 1921 known as the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was in existence from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Lancashire Re ...
formed from the 47th and 81st Foot and 3rd Royal Lancashire Militia under the
Childers Reforms The Childers Reforms of 1881 reorganised the infantry regiments of the British Army. The reforms were done by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers during 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell Reforms. The reorganisation w ...
. At the same time it absorbed L and M Companies from the 1st VB of the
Manchester Regiment The Manchester Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1958. The regiment was created during the 1881 Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot and the 96th R ...
; these had originally been the 76th Lancashire RVC (raised at
Farnworth Farnworth is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, southeast of Bolton, 4 miles south-west of Bury (7 km), and northwest of Manchester. Within the historic county of Lancashire, Farnworth lies on ...
on 3 July 1860). The new battalion adopted the scarlet uniform with white facings of the Loyals. The
Stanhope Memorandum The Stanhope Memorandum was a document written by Edward Stanhope, the Secretary of State for War of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, on 8 December 1888. It set out the overall strategic aims of the British Empire, and the way the B ...
of December 1888 introduced a Mobilisation Scheme for Volunteer units, which would assemble in their own brigades at key points in case of war. In peacetime these brigades provided a structure for collective training. The Volunteer Battalions of the Loyals were assigned to the Mersey Brigade, which was later split up and the Loyals reassigned to the Northern Counties Brigade based in Preston. In 1902 this was also split, the Loyals staying with the new North East Lancashire Brigade based in Preston. Finally, in 1906 the brigade was entitled the North Lancashire Brigade and two battalions of the
King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army. It served under various titles and fought in many wars and conflicts, including both the First and the Second World Wars, from 1680 to 1959. In 1959, the ...
were brigaded with the Loyals. During the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...
the battalion formed a service company of six officers and 172 volunteers to serve alongside the Regulars, earning the
Battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or Military operation, operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In ...
South Africa 1900–1902.


Territorial Force

When the
Volunteers Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergenc ...
were subsumed into the new
Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...
(TF) under the
Haldane Reforms The Haldane Reforms were a series of far-ranging reforms of the British Army made from 1906 to 1912, and named after the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane. They were the first major reforms since the " Childers Reforms" of the e ...
of 1908, the battalion became the 5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment: * HQ at Bolton * A, B, C & E Companies at Bolton * D Company at Farnworth * F Company at Astley Bridge * H Company at
Little Hulton Little Hulton is a suburb in the City of Salford, Greater Manchester, England, south of Bolton, northwest of Salford, Greater Manchester, Salford, and northwest of Manchester. Within the boundaries of the Historic counties of England, histo ...
The North Lancashire Brigade now formed part of the West Lancashire Division of the TF.Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 133–9.James, pp. 88–9.


World War I


Mobilisation

Annual training for the West Lancashire Division had just begun at
Kirkby Lonsdale Kirkby Lonsdale () is a town and civil parish in the Westmorland and Furness district of Cumbria, England, on the River Lune. Historically in Westmorland, it lies south-east of Kendal on the A65. The parish recorded a population of 1,771 in ...
when war was declared on 4 August 1914, and all units at once returned to their headquarters for mobilisation. On 10 August the TF was invited to volunteer for Overseas Service and all the units of the West Lancashire Division did so.Wylly, p. 202. Following this the
War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...
issued instructions on 15 August to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas.Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 1–7. The 2/5th Bn Loyals was formed at Bolton in October 1914 and became part of the 2/1st North Lancashire Bde in the 2nd West Lancashire Division. A 3/5th Bn was raised in 1915 to provide drafts to the other battalions when they were serving overseas and the Loyals even formed a 4/5th Bn, which served on the Western Front.Loyals at Long, Long Trail.
/ref>
/ref>John Downham, ''The Regiments in the Great War'' at Lancashire Infantry Museum.
/ref>


1/5th Loyals

The 1/5th Bn mobilised in Bolton and moved to
Chipping Sodbury Chipping Sodbury is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of South Gloucestershire, in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is situated 13 miles (21 km) north-east of Bristol and directly east of Yate. The town ...
in
Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...
, where it guarded the railway line from
Wootton Bassett Royal Wootton Bassett , formerly Wootton Bassett, is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, with a population of 13,570 at the 2021 Census. In the north of the county, it lies to the west of the town of Swindon and northeast of ...
to
Avonmouth Docks The Avonmouth Docks are part of the Port of Bristol, in England. They are situated on the northern side of the mouth of the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, opposite the Royal Portbury Dock on the southern side, where the river joins the River S ...
. In November it moved to
Sevenoaks Sevenoaks is a town in Kent with a population of 29,506, situated south-east of London, England. Also classified as a civil parishes in England, civil parish, Sevenoaks is served by a commuter South Eastern Main Line, main line railway into Lo ...
in
Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
and prepared for overseas service.55 Division at Long, Long Trail.
/ref>


6th Division

Many units from the West Lancashire Division went to France to provide reinforcements for the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), and the 1/5th Loyals was one of these, disembarking at
Le Havre Le Havre is a major port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the Seine, river Seine on the English Channel, Channe ...
on 13 February 1915. Two days later it joined the Regulars of the 16th Brigade in 6th Division at
Armentières Armentières (; , ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is part of the Métropole Européenne de Lille. The motto of the town is ''Pauvre mais fià ...
. Parties went into the line on 22 February for instruction by experienced units, and the battalion suffered its first casualties on 27 February.Becke, Pt 1, p. 75. In mid-March 16 Brigade moved north to the
Ypres Salient The Ypres Salient, around Ypres, in Belgium, was the scene of several battles and a major part of the Western Front during World War I. Location Ypres lies at the junction of the Ypres–Comines Canal and the Ieperlee. The city is overlooked b ...
but 1/5th Loyals remained in the Armentières sector, temporarily attached to 17th Brigade and taking turns in holding the line. At the beginning of June the remainder of 6th Division moved to Ypres, where the casualties suffered in line-holding rose.Wylly, p. 204.


50th Division

But on 11 June 1916 the 1/5th Loyals left 6th Division and moved to
Vlamertinge Vlamertinge is a village in the Belgium, Belgian province of West Flanders and a borough of the city of Ypres. The village center of Vlamertinge lies just outside the city center of Ypres, along the main road N38 to the nearby town of Poperinge. ...
, where it joined
151st (Durham Light Infantry) Brigade The Durham Light Infantry Brigade was formed in 1902 to command the part-time Volunteer battalions of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI). Previously these had been in a combined Tyne and Tees Brigade with battalions of the Northumberland Fusilier ...
in
50th (Northumbrian) Division The Northumbrian Division was an infantry Division (military), division of the British Army, formed in 1908 as part of the Territorial Force with units drawn from the north-east of England, notably Northumberland, County Durham, Durham and the ...
. It was held in reserve at Hooge for the second British attack on Bellewaarde of 16 June. During the night of 16/17 June the battalion was ordered up to
Sanctuary Wood Sanctuary Wood is an area east of Ypres, Belgium which was the site of fighting on the Ypres Salient in World War I. Memorials * Hill 62 Memorial * Sanctuary Wood Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery * Sanctuary Wood Museum Hill 62 See a ...
to reinforce 5th Bn
Border Regiment The Border Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, which was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot and the 55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot. After service in ...
of
149th (Northumberland) Brigade The Northumberland Brigade was formed in 1908 as part of the Territorial Force of the British Army with four battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers. The brigade was numbered as 149th (Northumberland) Brigade in 1915 and served with the 50th ...
, although it was not heavily engaged.Becke Pt 2a, pp. 93–100. 1/5th Loyals remained with 50th Division holding trenches in the Ypres area until November 1915, when it was sent for training. It temporarily joined 26th Bde in
9th (Scottish) Division The 9th (Scottish) Division, was an infantry division of the British Army during the First World War, one of the Kitchener's Army divisions raised from volunteers by Lord Kitchener to serve on the Western Front during the First World War. A ...
on 21 December 1915.Wylly, p. 205.


55th Division

At the beginning of 1916 the West Lancashire Division was reformed in France as the
55th (West Lancashire) Division The 55th (West Lancashire) Division was an infantry division of the British Army's Territorial Force (TF) that saw extensive combat during the First World War. It was raised initially in 1908 as the West Lancashire Division. Following the ou ...
and the 1/5th Loyals returned to it on 8 January 1916 at
Hallencourt Hallencourt () is a Communes of France, commune in the Somme (department), Somme Departments of France, department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Hallencourt is situated at the junction of the D21, D53 and D173 roads, some sout ...
near
Abbeville Abbeville (; ; ) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is the of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of Ponthieu. Geography Location A ...
, joining the
166th (South Lancashire) Brigade The 166th (South Lancashire) Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service in the World War I, First World War and remained in the United Kingdom throughout the World War II, Second World War. Origin The brigade was ...
). In February the division relieved a French division in the line south of
Arras Arras ( , ; ; historical ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of the Artois region, with a ...
. During the early summer the division carried out a number of trench raids to divert attention from the
Somme __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France * Somme, Queensland, Australia * Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river), a river in France Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Somme'' (book), ...
sector where a great offensive was being prepared.55 Division at Regimental warpath.
/ref>


Guillemont

On 25 July the 55th Division was relieved and travelled south to join in the
Somme offensive The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 Nove ...
. It moved into the line opposite
Guillemont Guillemont () is a commune approximately east of Albert in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. It, like much of the surrounding area, is primarily an agricultural community, but is known for its large Commonwealth Wa ...
on 30 July and prepared to attack on 8 August (the
Battle of Guillemont The Battle of Guillemont (3–6 September 1916) was an attack, during the Battle of the Somme in the First World War, by the British Fourth Army against the German 2nd Army near the village of Guillemont in northern France. The village is on ...
).
164th (North Lancashire) Brigade The 164th (North Lancashire) Brigade was an infantry brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlar ...
made the initial attack, and 1/5th Loyals moved out early on to support it. B and C Companies were sent on to occupy trenches running north between the Trones–Guillemont road and Railway Support Trench, C Company then continuing to join 1/8th Bn King's Liverpool Regiment (the
Liverpool Irish The Liverpool Irish is a unit of the British Army's Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Territorial Army, raised in 1860 as a Volunteer Force (Great Britain), volunteer corps of infantry. Conversion to an anti-aircraft regiment occurred in 1947, but th ...
) in the front line. Soon afterwards A and D Companies were ordered up to join 2/5th Bn
Lancashire Fusiliers The Lancashire Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that saw distinguished service through many years and wars, including the Second Boer War, and the World War I, First and World War II, Second World Wars. It had many diffe ...
. However, the attack had failed with heavy casualties and the division was ordered to repeat it the following day. This time 1/5th Loyals and the 1/10th King's Liverpool (
Liverpool Scottish The Liverpool Scottish, known as "the Scottish", was a unit of the British Army, part of the Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Army Reserve (formerly the Territorial Army), raised in 1900 as an infantry battalion of the King's Regiment (Liverpool), K ...
) were to lead. There was no preliminary bombardment, only a short covering barrage beginning at 04:20. The Liverpool Scottish followed this barrage closely and got as far as the enemy
wire file:Sample cross-section of high tension power (pylon) line.jpg, Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample d ...
, which was uncut. But because of the late arrival of the orders and the crowded trenches on the way up, the 1/5th Loyals could not get into position until after 05:00, long after the barrage had ended. Nevertheless, the battalion 'made a most gallant assault' at 05:25; unable to reach the enemy trenches they were forced back to their starting point. Every officer with the right hand companies became a casualty. Battalion losses totalled 33 killed, 85 wounded and 20 missing. During August the battalion received a draft of reinforcements and returned to the line on 5 September, but it took no direct part in the division's battles of that month except to hold reserve trenches. At the end of the month the division moved to the Ypres area, where the battalion occupied a reserve line on the
Yser Canal The Ieperlee (or ''Ypres-Ijzer Canal'') is a canalized river that rises in Heuvelland in the Belgian province of West Flanders and flows via the city of Ypres (Ieper) into the Yser at Fort Knokke. The river is long. Its name is derived from ...
, suffering numerous casualties from artillery fire. Thereafter it took its turns in holding the front line, the only notable action being a large raid carried out in January 1917, which was only partially successful and resulted in heavy losses in proportion to the numbers engaged: 8 killed, 50 wounded and 2 missing from a party of 144.


Pilckem Ridge

The battalion remained in the Salient during the early months of 1917, carrying out diversionary activities during the Battle of Messines. 55th Division was then involved on the opening day of the Third Ypres Offensive (the
Battle of Pilckem Ridge The Battle of Pilckem Ridge (31 July – 2 August 1917) was the opening attack of the Third Battle of Ypres in the First World War. The British Fifth Army (United Kingdom), Fifth Army, supported by the Second Army (United Kingdom), Second Army o ...
on 31 July). The 55th Division attacked with 166th Bde on the left, 1/5th Loyals and 1/5th King's Own leading. At 05:30 the battalion went 'over the top', attacked the opposing German trench on a frontage of 350 yards and penetrated 400 yards into the German position. The First and Second Objectives were taken, and 164th Bde passed through to take the third objective, the
Gheluvelt Zonnebeke (; ) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of , , Passendale, Zandvoorde and Zonnebeke proper. On January 1, 2006, Zonnebeke had a total population of 11,758. The to ...
–
Langemarck Langemark is a village in the Belgian province of West Flanders, and a subdivision of the municipality of Langemark-Poelkapelle. The village has about 5,000 inhabitants. Besides the village center, there are also three smaller hamlets on the ...
Line. The Germans counter-attacked at 14:35 once the protective
artillery barrage In military usage, a barrage is massed sustained artillery fire (shelling) aimed at a series of points along a line. In addition to attacking any enemy in the kill zone, a barrage intends to suppress enemy movements and deny access across tha ...
had ended and before the line could be consolidated. The division was forced to fall back to the second objective, where it established a strong position. Casualties among 1/5th Loyals up to the time it was relieved amounted to 158 all ranks killed, wounded and missing. The division was withdrawn for rest and retraining at St Omer.


Menin Road

55th Division returned to the line for the
Battle of the Menin Road Ridge The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, sometimes called "Battle of the Menin Road", was the third British general attack of the Third Battle of Ypres in the First World War. The battle took place from 20 to 25 September 1917, in the Ypres Salient ...
, starting on 20 September. The objective was essentially the same as the third objective of 31 July, except that this time 166th Bde was in support, with 1/5th Loyals assigned to 165th Bde. The
creeping barrage In military usage, a barrage is massed sustained artillery fire (shelling) aimed at a series of points along a line. In addition to attacking any enemy in the kill zone, a barrage intends to suppress enemy movements and deny access across tha ...
began at 05.45 and the 164th and 165th Bdes attacked. Severe fighting ensued, and at 09.45 two companies of 1/5th Loyals were ordered forward to reinforce 1/6th King's Liverpool Regiment and attack Hill 37. They captured the hill at 11:00 but lost it to a counter-attack at 11:20, after which the Germans occupied it in great strength. Fighting continued round the hill all afternoon before it finally fell into British hands at 17:00, but by then a gap had opened between Hill 37 and a position known as the Capitol. The other two companies of 1/5th Loyals were sent to capture Gallipoli Copse and get into contact with Hill 37 on their right and the Capitol on their left. They captured Gallipoli Copse by 18:20 and completed the line. The battalion's casualties amounted to 167 all ranks.


Cambrai

The division now moved south to recuperate in the Somme sector. The battalion was not involved in the division's attack on Guillemont Farm on 20 September, which was a diversion to assist the British attack at
Cambrai Cambrai (, ; ; ), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord department and in the Hauts-de-France region of France on the Scheldt river, which is known locally as the Escaut river. A sub-pref ...
. The division then took over a wider front, which left it stretched and vulnerable to the German counter-attack. On the morning of 30 November 1/5th Loyals was holding the sector from Banteau Ravine to Wood Road. At 07:00 the Germans opened a heavy bombardment on the divisional frontage, keeping all the roads under fire and cutting off communications. They then attacked through a heavy mist and penetrated the line on the battalion's left, threatening
Villers-Guislain Villers-Guislain () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. The graveyard a Gauche Woodcontains the casualties who died during the Battle of Épehy when British troops were deployed between Gouzeaucourt and Villers-Guislain. He ...
. 1/5th Loyals made a stand and suffered heavy casualties, but delayed the enemy advance. In the afternoon they were forced to withdraw, but Limerick Post, held by a composite party of 1/5th Loyals and the
Liverpool Scottish The Liverpool Scottish, known as "the Scottish", was a unit of the British Army, part of the Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Army Reserve (formerly the Territorial Army), raised in 1900 as an infantry battalion of the King's Regiment (Liverpool), K ...
held out, despite being surrounded. A counter-attack by 1/4th Loyals coming from reserve saved the situation, briefly retaking Villers-Guislain and eventually digging in at Vaucellette Farm before nightfall. The party at Limerick Post made their way back to British lines at 05.00 the following morning. 1/5th Loyals' casualties had been appalling: only two were known to be killed and 30 wounded, but 402 were posted missing. When the BEF's manpower crisis in early 1918 led to each brigade being reduced by one battalion, the shattered 1/5th Loyals was an obvious candidate for disbandment. A number of officers and men were cross-posted to the 1/4th and 2/4th Loyals in late January, and on 4 February 1918 the remainder of the battalion merged with the 2/5th Bn in 57th Division (''see below'') which from then on was simply called the 5th Bn. During its service on the Western Front with 55th Division, 1/5th Loyals' casualties totalled 30 officers and 408 other ranks killed, 28 officers and 1333 ORs wounded, 1 officer and 45 ORs missing.


Commanding officers

The following officers commanded 1/5th Loyals during the First World War: * Lt-Col G. Hesketh, DSO, TD * Lt-Col G.D. Morton, MC


2/5th Loyals

The battalion was formed at Bolton in October 1914 and was assigned to the 2/1st North Lancashire Bde in the 2nd West Lancashire Division in Spring 1915. These were redesignated 170th Bde and
57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division The 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division was an infantry formation of the Territorial Force created in 1914 as part of the massive expansion of the British Army during the First World War. It served on the Western Front during 1917 and 1918. The ...
respectively in August 1915. A serious shortage of equipment hampered the training of the 2nd Line TF units and the only weapons available were .256-in Japanese Ariska rifles.57 Division at Long, Long Trail.
/ref>
/ref> In September 1915 the 57th Division assembled round
Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
in
Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
, with the 2/5th Loyals at
Ashford Ashford may refer to: Places Australia *Ashford, New South Wales *Ashford, South Australia *Electoral district of Ashford, South Australia Ireland *Ashford, County Wicklow *Ashford Castle, County Galway United Kingdom *Ashford, Kent, a town **B ...
. Serious training could now begin, and Lee-Enfield service rifles were issued in November (though these were not in good condition). Lewis guns arrived towards the end of February 1916. In July the division was moved to
Aldershot Command Aldershot Command was a Home Command of the British Army. History After the success of the Chobham Manoeuvres of 1853, reformers of the British Army decided to create a permanent training camp at Aldershot. To begin the preliminary work a smal ...
and the 2/5th Loyals went to Blackdown Camp.Wylly, p. 216–7.


In the line

In January 1917 the division was deemed fit for service and crossed to France, the 2/5th Loyals landing at
Le Havre Le Havre is a major port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the Seine, river Seine on the English Channel, Channe ...
on 9 February 1917 under the command of Lt-Col C.G. Hitchins. The division joined
II ANZAC Corps The II ANZAC Corps (Second Anzac Corps) was an Australian and New Zealand First World War army corps. Formed in early 1916 in Egypt in the wake of the failed Gallipoli campaign, it initially consisted of two Australian divisions, and was sent t ...
and took over a sector of the front line on 25 February. Having gained experience of trench warfare, it began carrying out trench raids in May. On 1 June the battalion marched to Armentières and the following day relieved an Australian battalion in
Ploegsteert Wood Ploegsteert Wood was a sector of the Western Front in Flanders in World War I, part of the Ypres Salient. It is located around the Belgian village of Ploegsteert, Wallonia. Intense fighting took place as part of the Battle of Armentieres betwe ...
; together with 2/4th Loyals it now formed part of 'Geddes Force' under 3rd Australian Division, assigned to form the right flank of the attack on
Messines Ridge The Battle of Messines (7–14 June 1917) was an attack by the British Second Army (General Sir Herbert Plumer), on the Western Front, near the village of Messines ( Dutch: Mesen) in West Flanders, Belgium, during the First World War. The ...
on 7 June. The battalion was heavily shelled throughout the 10-day detachment


Passchendaele

In mid-September 57th Division was withdrawn from the line and underwent a month's training before moving to the Ypres Salient to participate in the
Second Battle of Passchendaele The Second Battle of Passchendaele was the culminating attack during the Third Battle of Ypres of the First World War. The battle took place in the Ypres Salient area of the Western Front, in and around the Belgian village of Passchendaele, be ...
. At 05.40 on 26 October 170th Bde attacked through appalling mud that clogged rifles and Lewis guns. 2/5th Loyals attacked with three companies leading. These had scarcely gone more than 50 yards before they came under intense machine gun fire, which caused a great number of casualties. All the company officers in these waves became casualties and the battle was fought by the sergeants and junior NCOs. Eight machine guns were captured and small groups reached and held some shell craters about 500 yards from the start line, but the decision was made to withdraw them to defend the starting line. The battalion was relieved that night. In its first major action it had suffered 48 killed or died of wounds, 153 wounded and 87 missing.


Pioneers

On 4–5 February 1918 the 1/5th Bn from 55th Division (''see above'') and 4/5th Bn (''see below'') merged with the 2/5th Bn, which from then on was simply called the 5th Bn. It also received large drafts from the ('
Kitchener's Army The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, as Kitchener's Mob, was an (initially) all-volunteer portion of the British Army formed in the United Kingdom from 1914 onwards following the outbreak of hostilities in the F ...
') 8th and 9th Service Bns Loyals. The merged battalion reorganised on a three-company basis, left 170th Bde, and became the divisional
pioneer Pioneer commonly refers to a person who is among the first at something that is new to a community. A pioneer as a settler is among the first settling at a place that is new to the settler community. A historic example are American pioneers, perso ...
battalion, at the recommendation of the divisional commander, who recognised the large number of former coal-miners in its ranks. It was immediately put to work strengthening the division's defences. The division remained in quiet sectors during the
German spring offensive The German spring offensive, also known as ''Kaiserschlacht'' ("Kaiser's Battle") or the Ludendorff offensive, was a series of German Empire, German attacks along the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during the World War I, First Wor ...
, but the 5th Loyals were moved about frequently on different pioneer tasks, suffering a trickle of casualties as a result. Once the Allied
Hundred Days Offensive The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allied offensives that ended the First World War. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Western Front, the Allies pushed the Imperial Germa ...
was under way, the pioneers were distributed by companies to follow closely behind the advancing troops and improve the roads in the forward area. On 27 September the 57th Division forced the line of the
Canal du Nord The Canal du Nord (, literally ''Canal of the North'') is a long canal in northern France. The canal connects the Canal latéral à l'Oise in Pont-l'Évêque to the Sensée Canal in Arleux. The French government, in partnership with coal-min ...
. 170th Brigade's attack was led by the pioneers of the 5th Loyals, with two companies of 2/4th Loyals in support for mopping-up and then defending the captured ground. On 9 October the 5th Loyals were among the first troops to liberate the town of
Cambrai Cambrai (, ; ; ), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord department and in the Hauts-de-France region of France on the Scheldt river, which is known locally as the Escaut river. A sub-pref ...
. Again, they were among the first British troops to enter
Lille Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...
, and afterwards the battalion provided a
Guard of honour A guard of honour (Commonwealth English), honor guard (American English) or ceremonial guard, is a group of people, typically drawn from the military, appointed to perform ceremonial duties – for example, to receive or guard a head of state ...
for President
Georges Clemenceau Georges Benjamin Clemenceau (28 September 1841 – 24 November 1929) was a French statesman who was Prime Minister of France from 1906 to 1909 and again from 1917 until 1920. A physician turned journalist, he played a central role in the poli ...
when he visited the city on 16 October. The battalion was at
Tournai Tournai ( , ; ; ; , sometimes Anglicisation (linguistics), anglicised in older sources as "Tournay") is a city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Hainaut Province, Province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies by ...
when the
Armistice with Germany {{Short description, none This is a list of armistices signed by the German Empire (1871–1918) or Nazi Germany (1933–1945). An armistice is a temporary agreement to cease hostilities. The period of an armistice may be used to negotiate a peace t ...
was signed. After hostilities ceased, the battalion was assigned to 171st Bde, clearing and evacuating stores in the Arras area, where
demobilisation Demobilization or demobilisation (see spelling differences) is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and milita ...
began in January 1919. By the end of March the units had been reduced to cadres and the last left France in June. 5th Loyals was disembodied on 25 June.


3/5th Loyals

This battalion was formed at Fletcher Street Barracks in Bolton in April 1915. It moved to Weeton Camp, near
Kirkham, Lancashire Kirkham aka Kirkam-in-Amounderness Hundred, Amounderness is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Borough of Fylde in Lancashire, England, midway between Blackpool and Preston, Lancashire, Preston and adjacent to the ...
, in June, where it went under canvas with the other 3rd Line battalions of the North Lancashire Brigade. In October it moved to
Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately north of Liverpool and west of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. It is the main settlement in the Borough of Blackpool ...
, where it was accommodated in
billet In European militaries, a billet is a living-quarters to which a soldier is assigned to sleep. In American usage, it refers to a specific personnel position, assignment, or duty station to which a soldier can be assigned. Historically, a billet w ...
s in the South Shore District under the command of Lt-Col F.W. Foley. The battalion's role was to provide drafts for the 1/5th and 2/5th Bns, and it appears not to have been short of recruits. At this date TF men could not be transferred from one regiment to another without their consent, but in April 1916 the battalion's Honorary Colonel, the
Earl of Derby Earl of Derby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby, under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the en ...
(who was also
Under-Secretary of State for War Undersecretary (or under secretary) is a title for a person who works for and has a lower rank than a secretary (person in charge). It is used in the executive branch of government, with different meanings in different political systems, and is a ...
), asked for 200 volunteers to transfer to the 2/4th King's Own: 212 immediately offered themselves. In June there were enough trained men to form a 4/5th Bn to replace the under-recruited 2/4th King's Own in 170th Bde for overseas service (''see below''). The 3/5th Loyals was then in training at
Oswestry Oswestry ( ; ) is a market town, civil parish and historic railway town in Shropshire, England, close to the England–Wales border, Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5 road (Great Britain), A5, A483 road, A483 and A495 road, A495 ro ...
, changing its designation to 5th Reserve Bn on 8 April 1916. On 1 September 1916 it was absorbed into the 4th Reserve Bn as part of the Training Reserve.


4/5th Loyals

This battalion joined 170th Bde in 57th Division at Ashford. It landed at Le Havre on 12 February 1917 and thereafter its service was the same as the 2/5th Bn. On 26 October it attacked at Passchendaele at 05.45, following the barrage at a distance of 25–50 yards despite the mud and waterlogged shell craters. The reserve company had to pass through the enemy's retaliatory barrage, and there was light machine-gunning. But once the battalion reached the Green Line at 06.20 it was held up by a crossfire from enemy pillboxes. A few of these pillboxes were captured and a counter-attack was driven off, but for most of the day the battalion lay in the mud suffering heavy casualties from machine guns and air attack. At 21.00 the battalion was withdrawn, having suffered 66 killed, 170 wounded and 53 missing. On 4 February 1918 the 4/5th merged with 1/5th and 2/5th Bns to form the divisional pioneer battalion (''see above'').


14th Loyals

The men of the TF who had not signed up for overseas service were separated from their battalions in 1915 and formed into Provisional Battalions for coast defence. These men from the 2/4th, 3/4th, 2/5th and 3/5th Loyals were formed into the 42nd Provisional Battalion at
Herne Bay, Kent Herne Bay is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in South East England. It is north of Canterbury and east of Whitstable. It neighbours the ancient villages of Herne and Reculver and is part of the City of Canterbury local government ...
, on 1 September 1915 and joined 9th Provisional Brigade, later in 218th Brigade in 73rd Division at
Witham Witham () is a town and civil parish in the Braintree district, in the county of Essex, England. In the 2011 census, it had a population of 25,353. It is twinned with the town of Waldbröl, Germany. Witham stands on the Roman road between the ...
in
Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
. The Home Service men continued serving in home defence until 1916, when the Military Service Act swept away the Home/Overseas service distinction and the provisional battalions took on the dual role of home defence and physical conditioning to render men fit for drafting overseas. The 42nd Provisional Battalion officially became the 14th Bn Loyals (TF) at
Broadstairs Broadstairs () is a coastal town on the Isle of Thanet in the Thanet district of east Kent, England, about east of London. It is part of the civil parish of Broadstairs and St Peter's, which includes St Peter's, and had a population in 2011 ...
on 1 January 1917. The battalion never served overseas, and as the men were drafted away it was disbanded on 17 December 1917.


Interwar

The TF was reconstituted on 2 February 1920 and the 5th Loyals was reformed at Bolton. The 55th (West Lancashire) Division began to reform in April 1920 as part of Western Command. The 5th Loyals were once again in 164th (North Lancashire) Brigade. The TF was reorganised as the Territorial Army (TA) in 1921. In 1938, as part of the modernisation of the army, the 55th was converted into the 55th (West Lancashire) Motor Division, and 164th Bde was disbanded. The 5th Loyals was converted into a divisional motorcycle battalion. When the TA was doubled in size after the
Munich Crisis The Munich Agreement was reached in Munich on 30 September 1938, by Nazi Germany, the United Kingdom, the French Republic, and the Kingdom of Italy. The agreement provided for the German annexation of part of Czechoslovakia called the Sudete ...
, 5th Loyals spun off a duplicate battalion at Macclesfield 3 May 1939. Initially the regiments followed the World War I practice and used '1/' and '2/' prefixes, but on 16 May the Loyals designated the new unit the 6th Battalion, re-using the number of a
Kitchener's Army The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, as Kitchener's Mob, was an (initially) all-volunteer portion of the British Army formed in the United Kingdom from 1914 onwards following the outbreak of hostilities in the F ...
battalion of 1914–18.


World War II


Mobilisation

The TA was mobilised on 1 September 1939, just before the outbreak of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The 5th and 6th Loyals mobilised at
Derby Barracks, Bolton Derby Barracks is a former military installation in Fletcher Street, Bolton, Greater Manchester. History The original Fletcher Street drill hall was designed as the headquarters of the 27th Lancashire Rifle Volunteer Corps and established by co ...
, as motorcycle battalions in 55th Division. However, from 15 September the division's duplicate units, including 6th Loyals, were formed into the
59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division The 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army that was formed during the Second World War and fought in the Battle of Normandy. In March 1939, after Germany re-emerged as a significant military power ...
. Neither of these divisions joined the British Expeditionary Force in France, and were still training in the UK when the
Battle of France The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembour ...
broke out. 5th Loyals had just been transferred to a new
20th Independent Infantry Brigade (Guards) The 20th Independent Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army, raised during the Second World War. History The brigade was formed in Aldershot Command in April 1940.Joslen, p. 262. It served during the Battle of France in 194 ...
on 24 April 1940 but was left behind when the brigade was hurriedly sent to the Defence of Boulogne on 22 May 1940.


18th Battalion Reconnaissance Corps

In January 1941 the
Reconnaissance Corps The Reconnaissance Corps, or simply Recce Corps, was a service branch of the British Army, formed during the World War II, Second World War, whose units provided reconnaissance for infantry Division (military), divisions. It was formed from infan ...
was formed to provide reconnaissance ('recce') units for infantry divisions. A number of existing motor-cycle infantry battalions were transferred to the new corps, and 5th Loyals joined 18th Division at Madeley Heath, Staffordshire, as its recce battalion. It was redesignated 18th Battalion, Reconnaissance Corps on 26 April 1941.Frederick, pp. 11–2.Doherty, p. 3. The basic equipment of the new battalions was Humber Light Reconnaissance Cars,
Universal Carrier The Universal Carrier, a development of the earlier Bren Gun Carrier from its light machine gun armament, was one of a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers-Armstrongs and other companies. The first carriers – the Br ...
s, and 15-
hundredweight The hundredweight (abbreviation: cwt), formerly also known as the centum weight or quintal, is a British imperial and United States customary unit of weight or mass. Its value differs between the United States customary and British imperial sy ...
light trucks, though much of the early equipment used in training was improvised, such as
Beaverette Standard Car 4x2, or Car Armoured Light Standard, better known as the Beaverette, was a British improvised armoured car produced during the Second World War. History The first version of the vehicle was built in 1940 by Standard Motor Company at ...
s in place of the Humber LRCs. 18th Battalion was the first unit of the new Recce Corps to see action. Along with 18th Division it had been shipped from England bound for
Middle East Command Middle East Command, later Middle East Land Forces, was a British Army Command established prior to the Second World War in Egypt. Its primary role was to command British land forces and co-ordinate with the relevant naval and air commands to ...
, but while in the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
it was diverted to the Far East following the
Japanese invasion of Malaya The Malayan campaign, referred to by Japanese sources as the , was a military campaign fought by Allied and Axis forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 15 February 1942 during the Second World War. It was dominated by land battles between ...
. After staging in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, it followed the main body of the division to
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
, landing on 5 February 1942. Having lost the bulk of its weapons and equipment when Japanese dive-bombers attacked its troopship '' Empress of Asia'', the unit hastily re-equipped as an infantry battalion and moved into the northern sector of the defences of
Singapore Island Singapore Island, also known as mainland Singapore and Pulau Ujong, is the main constituent island of the sovereign island country and city-state of the Republic of Singapore. It is located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, between th ...
.Doherty, pp. 9, 51. Two companies were detached to 54th Bde, the remainder were with divisional HQ. The British commander, Lt-Gen
Arthur Percival Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, (26 December 1887 – 31 January 1966) was a British Army officer. He saw service in the First World War and built a successful military career during the interwar period, but is best known for his de ...
, considered that the village of
Bukit Timah Bukit Timah ( ), often abbreviated as Bt Timah, is a planning area and residential estate located in the westernmost part of the Central Region of Singapore. Bukit Timah lies roughly from the Central Business District, bordering the Central ...
was the key to the defence and on 10 February he ordered 18th Division to form an ''ad hoc'' force to occupy it. Commanded by Lt-Col L.C. Thomas, it was known as 'Tomforce' and consisted of 18th Recce Bn, 4th Bn
Royal Norfolk Regiment The Royal Norfolk Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army until 1959. Its predecessor regiment was raised in 1685 as Henry Cornwall's Regiment of Foot. In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named ...
, 1/5th Bn
Sherwood Foresters The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence for just under 90 years, from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Worcestershire Regiment to ...
, a battery of 85th Anti-Tank Regiment,
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
, and a battery of 5th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Japanese tanks were attacking Bukit Timah and the village was in flames. Tomforce was ordered to send 18th Recce Bn forward but the position had been lost by midnight, so the battalion was disposed across the road, supporting an Australian road block. Tomforce counter-attacked on 11 February, with 4th Norfolks on the right, 18th Recce astride the road in the centre and 1/5th Sherwood Foresters on the left, but it was facing two Japanese divisions and was driven back. That afternoon it came under 'ferocious aerial and artillery attack', which it held off with support from the heavy coastal artillery ( 9.2-inch and 6-inch guns) at Connaught and Siloso Batteries. By 13 February the whole force was defending a perimeter covering Singapore city, with the remnants of Tomforce still holding the Burkit Timah road. The battalion continued to hold its positions, and carried out counter-attacks until the surrender of the whole British force in Singapore on 18 February. 18th Recce Bn had suffered 55 officers and men killed, and a further 264 died as prisoners of war before the end of the war.


2nd Reconnaissance Regiment

The 6th Loyals, like its parent unit, was also trained as a motorcycle battalion. Having left 59th Division in June 1940, it joined 2nd Division, a
Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...
formation, on 30 November, and remained with it until the end of the war. It was redesignated 2nd Battalion, Reconnaissance Corps on 26 April 1941. The Recce Corps later adopted cavalry nomenclature, and the unit was redesignated again as 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment on 6 June 1942, with squadrons replacing companies.Joslen, pp. 39–40. By then it was in India, the 2nd Division having been transferred there in April 1942, arriving at Bombay in early June. It went into training at
Poona Pune ( ; , ISO 15919, ISO: ), previously spelled in English as Poona (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1978), is a city in the state of Maharashtra in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan plateau in Western ...
, but training was interrupted by internal security duties necessitated by the unrest after the arrest of
Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...
, and then anti-bandit duties later in the year.Doherty, pp. 51–4. The regiment was reorganised, gaining an additional squadron (D Sqn), while A and later C Sqns were equipped with amphibious LVT-1 Alligators and assigned to 36th Indian Division for a proposed operation on the coast of
Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...
. However, the operation was cancelled, the two squadrons relinquished the equipment and returned to the regiment. The Reconnaissance Corps formally became part of the
Royal Armoured Corps The Royal Armoured Corps is the armoured arm of the British Army, that together with the Household Cavalry provides its armour capability, with vehicles such as the Challenger 2 and the Warrior tracked armoured vehicle. It includes most of the Ar ...
on 1 January 1944. In the spring of 1944, during the Japanese advance on Kohima, the division moved up to
Dimapur Dimapur () is the largest city and municipality in the Indian state of Nagaland. As of 2024 , the municipality had a population of 172,000. The city is the main gateway and commercial centre of Nagaland. Located near the border with Assam along ...
in
Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...
. At first, 2nd Recce Rgt had A Sqn disposed along 18 miles of the Dimapur–Kohima road, with the rest of the regiment in a defensive 'Box' at Zubza. In late April, HQ Sqn moved to Punjab Hill and D Sqn to Lone Tree Hill. Then in May, after the division had relieved the garrison of Kohima, the regiment was given an infantry role, to force the enemy off the high jungle-covered slopes of Aradura Spur, which they had held since the beginning of the battle. The operation began on 11 May with an attack on Pulebadze Ridge, which eventually sucked in the whole regiment. The conditions were extreme, with
porters Porters may refer to: * Porters, Virginia, an unincorporated community in Virginia, United States * Porters, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community in Wisconsin, United States * Porters Ski Area, a ski resort in New Zealand * Porters (TV series), '' ...
the only means of transport, and the Japanese defenders were willing to accept heavy casualties. After weeks of attritional fighting, 2nd Recce Rgt was withdrawn at the end of the month for resupply. Although the Aradura Spur was not taken, the
Japanese 31st Division The was an infantry Division (military), division of the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the . The 31st Division was raised during World War II in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 22, 1943, out of Kawaguchi Detachment and parts of the 13th ...
was virtually destroyed. It was not until the autumn of 1944 that the regiment was committed to an active role in Fourteenth Army's offensive to re-capture Burma. By then D Sqn had been disbanded and the regiment had been reorganised as a light recce regiment. For five weeks in January and February 1945 it was used as a decoy to persuade the Japanese that the attack was going to be made on the Sagaing Hills from the north. It later provided a covering force ('Hookforce') for an RAF airstrip at Sadaung consisting of C Sqn under Major Hook with A Company of the
Nepalese Army The Nepali Army (), also referred to as the Gorkhali Army (; see ''Gurkha, Gorkhas''), formally known as "Royal Nepal Army" is the Ground warfare, land Military branch, service branch of the Nepalese Armed Forces, Nepali Armed Forces. After t ...
's Mahindra Dal Regiment. During the advance through Burma the regiment's main problem was a shortage of vehicles: it only had enough carriers for four Troops, and scout cars for two Troops. However it operated aggressively: Lieutenant Tarmey's troop developed the tactic of driving into enemy positions 'with Brens firing before dismounting and rolling
grenade A grenade is a small explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a Shell (projectile), shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A mod ...
s into Japanese
bunker A bunker is a defensive military fortification designed to protect people and valued materials from falling bombs, artillery, or other attacks. Bunkers are almost always underground, in contrast to blockhouses which are mostly above ground. T ...
s'. Corporal McAleer of this troop won a
Military Medal The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the British Armed Forces, armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, below commissioned o ...
, while in the course of several actions by Lt Sutton's troop, Sergeant Rothwell gained a
Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military ...
. The regiment continued its active role until after the Fourteenth Army had advanced beyond
Mandalay Mandalay is the second-largest city in Myanmar, after Yangon. It is located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, 631 km (392 mi) north of Yangon. In 2014, the city had a population of 1,225,553. Mandalay was founded in 1857 by Ki ...
, suffering relatively few casualties given the amount of combat it saw. It was withdrawn on 7 April 1945, and the war had ended before it could return to action.


Postwar

Both battalions formally passed into 'suspended animation' as infantry under their old titles of 5th an 6th Bns on 1 July 1946. When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, the 5th Loyals was reformed at Derby Barracks, Bolton, and absorbed the 6th Bn. By 1950 it had the following dispositions:5th Bn Loyals at Regiment.org.
/ref>
/ref> * HQ and D Company at Bolton * S Company at Bolton and Little Hulton * A Company at Kimberly Barracks, Preston * B Company at Farnworth * C Company at Hindley On the reduction of the TA in 1967, the battalion became D Company (Loyals) in the
Lancastrian Volunteers The Lancastrian Volunteers was a short lived Territorial Army infantry regiment of the British Army, composed of companies from the North West affiliated regiments. History The regiment was formed in 1967, by the amalgamation of the 8 Territor ...
. From 1971 it was part of 2nd Bn Lancastrian Volunteers, which in 1975 became 4th (Volunteer) Bn, The Queen's Lancashire Regiment. C Company retained a platoon at Bolton, which remained as C Company of 4th Bn when the rest of the company was transferred to 5th Bn
Royal Regiment of Fusiliers The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (often referred to as, "The Fusiliers") is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division. Currently, the regiment has two battalions: the 1st Battalion, part of the Regular Army, is an ...
, but the Bolton connection ended in 1992.Lancastrian Volunteers at British Army 1945 on.
/ref>


Honorary Colonels

The following officers served as Honorary Colonel of the unit: * William Gray, the first CO, appointed 5 February 1872. *
Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby (4 April 1865 – 4 February 1948), styled The Hon. Edward Stanley from 1886–93 and Lord Stanley from 1893 to 1908, was a British peer, soldier, Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politic ...
appointed 17 May 1899 (concurrently Hon Col of the 4th Bn Loyals from 1909)


See also

*
John Hick John Harwood Hick (20 January 1922 – 9 February 2012) was an English philosopher of religion and theologian, who taught in the United States for the larger part of his career. In philosophical theology, he made contributions in the areas o ...


Notes


References

* Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 1: The Regular British Divisions'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1934/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . * Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2a: The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56)'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1935/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . * Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions,'' London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . * Ian F.W. Beckett, ''Riflemen Form: A Study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859–1908'', Aldershot: Ogilby Trusts, 1982, . * Rev J.O. Coop, ''The Story of the 55th (West Lancashire) Division'', Liverpool: ''Daily Post'' Printers, 1919/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2002, . * Richard Doherty, ''The British Reconnaissance Corps in World War II'', Oxford: Osprey, 2007, . * Col John K. Dunlop, ''The Development of the British Army 1899–1914'', London: Methuen, 1938. * Gen Sir Martin Farndale, ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Far East Theatre 1939–1946'', London: Brasseys, 2002, . * J.B.M. Frederick, ''Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978'', Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, . * Brig E.A. James, ''British Regiments 1914–18'', London: Samson Books, 1978, /Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2001, . * Lt-Col H.F. Joslen, ''Orders of Battle, United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/London: London Stamp Exchange, 1990, /Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2003, . * Maj-Gen S. Woodburn Kirby, ''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War Against Japan'' Vol I, ''The Loss of Singapore'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1957. * N.B. Leslie, ''Battle Honours of the British and Indian Armies 1695–1914'', London: Leo Cooper, 1970, . * War Office, ''Army Council Instructions Issued During January 1916'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1916. * War Office, ''Army Council Instructions Issued During December 1916'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1916. * War Office, ''Titles and Designations of Formations and Units of the Territorial Army'', London: War Office, 7 November 1927. * Col H.C. Wylly, ''The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment 1914–1918'', Vol II: ''1914–1919'', London: Royal United Service Institution, 1933.


External sources


Mark Conrad, ''The British Army, 1914'' (archive site)

British Army units from 1945 on

British Military History

Great War Forum

Lancashire Infantry Museum

Lancashire Record Office, ''Handlist 72''

The Long, Long Trail

The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment 1914–1918

Orders of Battle at Patriot Files




{{refend Rifle Volunteer Corps of the British Army Military units and formations in Lancashire Military units and formations in Bolton Military units and formations established in 1859 Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)