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115-537: 1 Militia and Special Reserve Battalion Up to 6 Territorial and Volunteer battalions The Hampshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army , created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot and the 67th (South Hampshire) Regiment of Foot . The regiment existed continuously for 111 years and served in

230-703: A new formation; 3rd Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment moved to 20th Armoured BCT as mechanised infantry; 1st Royal Irish Regiment moves to 16th Air Assault Brigade as 'light strike reconnaissance infantry'; and the Irish Guards will remain part of the brigade. The following units will join the brigade in 2022: The Black Watch (3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland) from 51st Infantry Brigade; 1st Royal Anglian Regiment from British Forces Cyprus (will join on return from Cyprus in 2023); 3rd The Rifles joins in 2024 from 51st Infantry Brigade; 4th Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment joins from 7th Infantry Brigade; and finally

345-727: A previous commander of the brigade). The brigade landed in North Africa at Algiers in November 1942 and fought with 78th Division throughout the Tunisian campaign which ended with the Axis surrender in May 1943. It then served with 78th Division throughout the campaigns in Sicily and Italy . During World War II the brigade comprised the following units: During World War II the brigade

460-527: A three-company basis. On 16 May, the battalion was relieved. Two days later, Cassino was captured by the Polish II Corps . In June 1944, the battalion was back in the line near the village of Villastrada, between Lake Chiusi and Lake Trasimeno to north of Rome. On 24 June, a major attack was launched on that section of the Trasimene Line by 2nd Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry supported by

575-540: A three-week fight for the village of Hottot, against the German Panzer-Lehr-Division , in June 1944. This culminated in a major assault on 11 July. The 1st Battalion was withdrawn from the line the next day, testimony to the hard fighting. The battalion was in the vanguard of the assault towards Villiers Bocage later in the month. There were stiff fights at St Germain d’Ectot and Launay. Villiers Bocage

690-623: The 1st Hermann Göring Parachute Panzer Division . On 22 July, the 1st Battalion was engaged in hard fighting for Agria, which only fell on 29 July. The 1st Battalion was reduced to three companies after the battle. There was further hard fighting to capture the Regalbuto Ridge, which ended the Sicilian Campaign. The 1st Battalion suffered 18 officers and 286 other ranks killed or wounded in action in Sicily. On 8 September 1943,

805-810: The 2nd Wessex Division and then sailed for Egypt in April 1917 and to France in May 1918. The 2/5th Battalion sailed for India in December 1914 as part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade in the 2nd Wessex Division and then sailed for Egypt in April 1917 before being disbanded in Palestine in August 1918. The 2/7th Battalion sailed for India in December 1914 as part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade in the 2nd Wessex Division and then moved to Mesopotamia in September 1917. The 10th (Service) Battalion landed at Gallipoli in August 1915 and

920-467: The 7th Armoured Brigade Group . In February 1961, the brigade groups were reorganised again, to comprise a signal squadron, armoured regiment, three infantry battalions, field artillery regiment, engineer squadron, and one AAC reconnaissance flight. The brigade's structure following its conversion to a brigade group was as follows: In November 1965, the brigade groups became 'brigades' once again, dropping their support units. In October 1966, just after

1035-661: The 7th Division . After the Napoleonic Wars, the Militia fell into disuse, although regimental colonels and adjutants continued to appear in the Army List . Whilst muster rolls were still prepared during the 1820s, the element of compulsion was abandoned. For example, the City Of York Militia & Muster Rolls run to 1829. They used a pre-printed form with a printer's date of Sept 1828. The Militia

1150-620: The Battle of Krithia . In 1916, the 2nd Battalion was evacuated to Alexandria due to a mixture of heavy casualties from combat, disease and the terrible weather conditions. In March 1916, the battalion was sent to France and would serve on the Western Front for the rest of the war, participating in the battle of Albert and Le Transloy rides, alongside the 1st Battalion. The 1/4th Battalion landed at Karachi in India in November 1914 as part of

1265-693: The British Army , in the Army Reserve . These are the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (formed in 1539) and the Jersey Field Squadron (The Royal Militia Island of Jersey) (formed in 1337). 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East The 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade is a brigade of the British Army which is intended to train and assist foreign forces. In 2021, under

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1380-502: The ELAS . The troops were welcomed everywhere, and there was no fighting. Then, in April 1945, the brigade began to return to Italy for the final offensive . By 1 May, the brigade was back in the line around Forlimpopoli; but the war ended before the brigade was in action again. The 20th Beach Group ("A" and "B" companies) invaded Sicily as part of Operation Husky in July 1943. The role of

1495-699: The First Battle of the Marne , the First Battle of the Aisne , and the Battle of Messines . In 1914, on Christmas Day, men of the 1st Battalion participated in the legendary Christmas Truce of 1914 where British and German soldiers fraternised in No man's land . In 1915, the battalion took part in the Second Battle of Ypres , famous for its use of poison gas . In 1916 it fought at Albert and Le Transloy , which

1610-572: The Future Army changes, the brigade was redesignated, formerly being the 11th Infantry Brigade & HQ South East. Prior to the Army 2020 changes in 2013, the brigade was temporarily activated for deployment to Afghanistan. Originally formed in the Second Boer War , the brigade was engaged during both World Wars . British Army brigades had traditionally been ad hoc formations known by

1725-496: The Future Soldier changes were announced, and the brigade will transition from an infantry brigade into a security force assistance formation. In late 2021, the brigade was renamed as 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade , dropping its regional commitments, and will reorganise by 2022. The brigade's mission was described as follows: The 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade draws on personnel and expertise from across

1840-675: The Haldane reforms , 11th Brigade at Colchester became part of 4th Division , and remained so until the outbreak of World War I . When war broke out in August 1914 the 11th Infantry Brigade mobilised as part of the 4th Division . It was one of the British units sent overseas to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force and fought on the Western Front for the next four years. During World War I

1955-537: The North Irish Horse , a steady advance was made. The 2/4th Battalion was then taken out of the line again – some platoons were down to ten men each with no officer. The battalion then attacked Santa Lucia, which was captured on 30 July 1944 after a small but fierce battle. The enemy then withdrew, and the battalion moved up to the River Arno. On 10 August, the battalion was withdrawn. In September 1944,

2070-700: The Peace of Vereeniging . They returned home three months later, arriving in late September 1902, and a few days after their return was entertained to a large celebratory banquet by the Mayor of Portsmouth . A third militia battalion was formed from the former Hampshire Militia , with headquarters in Winchester . The battalion was embodied in January 1900 for service in South Africa, and disembodied in December

2185-766: The Second Boer War , World War I and World War II . An Army Order of the 28 November 1946 stated, due to distinguished service in the Second World War, the regiment would be re-titled as the Royal Hampshire Regiment . On 9 September 1992, after over 111 years' service, the Royal Hampshire Regiment was amalgamated with the Queen's Regiment to form a new large regiment , the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment , which continues

2300-654: The "2/4th Hampshire Training Centre", three officers and 188 other ranks were assigned to 'porterage duties' and a detachment of 50 men was assigned to help the Provost Corps with traffic duties. The battalion was back in the line in Italy, near Garigliano, as part of 28th Infantry Brigade , in 4th Infantry Division in February 1944. This was the same ground where the Hampshire Brigade had suffered through

2415-629: The 128th Brigade sailed from Alexandria, and subsequently landed in Taranto. The move north through Italy was at an easy pace. In August 1944, the 128th Brigade started its assault on the " Gothic Line ", a line of German defences across the Etruscan Apennines. The Hampshire brigade, with the North Irish Horse under command, led the 46th Division's assault (along with the 46th Reconnaissance Regiment ). The brigade's first target

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2530-598: The 1st (Malta) Infantry Brigade (with 1st Dorset Regiment and 2nd Devonshire Regiment ). This later became the 231st Infantry Brigade . Duties in Malta included airfield repair and working as stevedores in the docks. Malta was subjected to a prolonged siege and, by July 1942, the food situation had become serious, but the situation eased as the Allies ' fortunes improved in the North African campaign . In April 1943,

2645-490: The 1st Guards Brigade, which was now part of the 78th Infantry Division . They disembarked at Algiers on 21 November and joined the British First Army . Later that month, the battalion moved to Tebourba. The following day the 2nd Battalion were attacked by heavy shelling and, on 1 December, the battalion was attacked by a force four times its size, which was able to outflank it and rake it with enfilading fire. This

2760-563: The 231st Brigade landed in Italy , coming ashore at Potro San Venere near Pizzo. The 1st Battalion was involved in fighting as the Germans withdrew northwards. By October 1943, the 1st Battalion was back in Sicily waiting for transport back to the United Kingdom and, by November, the battalion was back in the United Kingdom for the first time in 22 years. The battalion was allocated to the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division , one of

2875-468: The 231st Brigade, including the 1st Hampshires, was moved to Alexandria, then subsequently to Cairo and Suez, where it trained as an independent assault brigade . Then, in July 1943, the 1st Battalion invaded Sicily as part of the first wave of Operation Husky , the Allied invasion of Sicily . The beach landing went smoothly, but the 1st Battalion ran into resistance at Vizzini on 13 July when it ran into

2990-609: The 28th Brigade, the 2/4th attempted to cross the River Pioppeta. The tank bridge sank in the mud, and the battalion took 100 casualties in two minutes. The 2/4th waded the river and, in spite of heavy casualties and fierce resistance, the advance continued. During this advance, Captain Richard Wakeford was awarded the Victoria Cross . By 6.30pm, all objectives had been captured, and the 2/4th reorganised on

3105-505: The 2nd Battalion moved to Cherbourg, France with the 1st Guards Brigade , alongside the 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards and the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards , attached to 1st Infantry Division . It then moved to Sille-le-Guillaume, and from there 250 miles north to take its allocated place on the "Gort Line", which it reached on 3 October. Later that month, the battalion moved to the Belgian/French border and, in February 1940,

3220-500: The 3rd Royal Welsh moved to the 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade. Under the changes, the Coldstream and Irish Guards moved from London District, the 3rd Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment moved from 7th Infantry Brigade, and the 1st and 2nd Battalions, Royal Irish Regiment moved from 160th (Welsh) Brigade. In 2019 with the brigade completely reorganised, its structure was now as follows by the end of 2021: On 30 November 2021,

3335-520: The 4th (Rawalpindi) Brigade in the 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division before moving to Basra in March 1915: it remained in Mesopotamia and Persia for the rest of the war. The 1/5th Battalion landed at Karachi in India in November 1914: it remained in India for the rest of the war. The 1/6th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Battalion landed at Karachi in India in November 1914: it remained in India for the rest of

3450-426: The 4th Battalion was split into the 1/4th Battalion and the 2/4th Battalion. The 1/4th, 2/4th and 5th Battalions were all grouped into the 128th Infantry Brigade (the "Hampshire Brigade") and the 7th Battalion was part of the 130th Infantry Brigade . Both brigades were part of the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division . However, on 6 June 1942, the 128th Brigade was detached from the 43rd Division until 15 August, when it

3565-491: The 5th Battalion suffered 29 officer and over 400 other rank casualties. The 128th Brigade, still part of the X Corps, moved up to the River Volturno, behind which the Germans had withdrawn. On 10 October, the 1/4th Battalion captured the town of Castel Volturno, alongside the river, and on 12 October the 1/4th made a night assault across the river, establishing a small bridgehead. The 2nd and 5th battalions moved across

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3680-716: The Army, to build the capacity of allied and partner nations. Routinely deployed around the world, Security Force Assistance units contribute to conflict prevention and resilience at an early stage. This activity is underpinned by the Defence's global foundation. The brigade headquarters will remain in Aldershot, drop its regional commitments, and unit moves will be as follows: Coldstream Guards move to 4th Light Brigade Combat Team (BCT) – formerly 4th Infantry Brigade & HQ North East; 2nd Royal Irish Regiment move to 19th Reserve Brigade –

3795-546: The Beach Group was to land supplies until a harbour could be captured. On 12 July, 20 Beach Group moved inland, behind the advancing infantry, but by 22 July the half-battalion was in the line, capturing Mount Scalpello . On 4 August, the half-battalion moved to Catania, where it remained on garrison duty. In September 1943, the 21st Beach Group ("C" and "D" companies) invaded Salerno. The assault went in at dawn against stiff opposition and, rather than take its allotted role,

3910-502: The British, was trying to overthrow the Greek Government . On arrival, the 2/4th Battalion was split up, primarily defending the airfield, then clearing ELAS forces from Athens. This did involve some fighting, and the 2/4th Battalion lost three men killed. The 2/4th Battalion then settled down to peace-keeping duties. In May 1945, the battalion was moved to Crete to take charge of the Germans, who had surrendered, and they ended

4025-584: The Germans attacked again, and 'D' Company was overrun, but 2/4th Battalion hung on to their remaining positions. On 2 March, the Germans withdrew, and on 5 March the 2/4th Battalion was relieved by the 8th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of 36th Brigade of the 78th Battleaxe Division . The 2/4th Battalion had suffered 243 men killed or missing. During March, the brigade was engaged on defensive patrolling, under heavy shelling. 1/4th Battalion lost 100 casualties during March, but 5th Battalion received 5 officers and 150 men as replacements. On 5 April,

4140-693: The Germans started a general assault against the Salerno bridgehead, which made good progress; the US VI Corps were almost driven into the sea. However, the arrival of US paratroops and the British 7th Armoured Division turned the tide. The 128th Brigade was in the hills above Salerno, and the fighting was hard, but on 20 September the Germans began to withdraw northwards, and the pressure eased. All three battalions had suffered – 2nd Battalion suffered 304 casualties, 1/4th Battalion suffered 159 casualties and

4255-528: The Gothic Line proper, crossing the River Foglia and assaulting Monte Gridolfo. This was heavily defended, with all cover cleared from its bare slopes. Nevertheless, the men of the 2nd Battalion assaulted them with great vigour, and by dawn on 31 August they had captured the first crest. The 1/4th Battalion passed through, driving deeper into Gothic Line. During this assault, Lieutenant Gerard Norton

4370-520: The Guards Armoured, then started the attack towards Eindhoven, which was the attack designed to relieve the British and Polish airborne troops fighting at Arnhem , who had dropped as part of Operation Market Garden , which ended in a failure. The battalion, as part of 231st Infantry Brigade, was charged with defending the "Corridor" formed by the armoured advance. In October, the 1st Battalion moved up to Nijmegen and moved onto "The Island",

4485-561: The Hampshire Brigade's assault on Forli during November. During 22 November, the 2/4th attacked and captured a bridgehead over the River Cosina against heavy shelling; this was the battalion's last action in Italy. In December 1944, the battalion was flown to Greece in the bomb-bays of Wellington and Liberator bombers in response to the outbreak of the Greek Civil War , arriving on 12 December. The ELAS , armed and trained by

4600-562: The Home Office administered the Militia and Yeomanry, until such time as they were Embodied. The resultant ‘confusion and inconvenience’ it caused, from 1854 to 1855, resulted in being administered exclusively by the War Office from that time onwards. Under the reforms introduced by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers in 1881, the remaining militia infantry regiments were redesignated as numbered battalions of regiments of

4715-539: The Italian winter. The battalion was relieved for short periods on a regular basis before returning to the line. In May 1944, the battalion assisted the brigade's two other battalions (2nd King's and 2nd Somersets ) in crossing the River Rapido as part of the assault on Monte Cassino . The river and bank were under intense enemy fire, and the river so swift that swimmers from 2/4th had to cross with lines to enable

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4830-464: The Militia which engaged a recruit for a term of service, a volunteer could quit his corps with fourteen days notice, except while embodied for war or training with the regular forces. Volunteer Corps required recruits to fund their own equipment, however, effectively barring those with low incomes. The militia was transformed into the Special Reserve by the military reforms of Haldane in

4945-500: The Royal Artillery supported the 128th Brigade. Early progress was good, but when the mist cleared all four battalions were caught in the open under heavy fire, and losses mounted. The rifle companies of 1/4th Battalion only had 3 officers and 80 men left between them, and the 2/4th Battalion had to reorganise onto a three-company basis. Tunis fell and the North African campaign was over in May 1943. The 128th Infantry Brigade

5060-405: The Rubicon. The weather was atrocious, and movement was slowed by deep mud, and supply was difficult. Fighting continued until 9 October. A steady advance was made, and by 12 November the River Montone was crossed; on 26 November the River Lamone was reached. This was crossed on 3 December in the face of stiff opposition, and by 6 December the Brigade had captured Casa Nova. The Brigade was relieved

5175-422: The Somali coast, they served alongside a naval detachment that stormed and captured the forts at Illig. The 2nd Battalion was deployed to South Africa as reinforcement for the British Army during the Second Boer War in January 1900, and took part in an action at Karee Siding on 29 March 1900, when one officer and 11 troops died. The battalion served in South Africa throughout the war, which ended in June 1902 with

5290-447: The United Kingdom (some were evacuated on 2 June). The battalion managed to carry away 100% of their small-arms, mortars and anti-tank rifles. It was congratulated by the Minister for War, Mr Anthony Eden . The battalion then spent two years on home defence, training and preparing for a German invasion that never arrived. In November 1942, the battalion, Hampshire Regiment sailed for North Africa , taking part in Operation Torch with

5405-417: The advance on Standerton. However, after the defeat of the main Boer field armies and the development of guerrilla warfare, all the divisions and brigades were broken up to form ad hoc 'columns' and garrisons. After the Boer War, 11th Brigade became a permanent formation in 1902, stationed at Portsmouth . By 1907 it was part of 6th Division in Eastern Command . In the Expeditionary Force established by

5520-475: The assault divisions for the invasion of North West Europe , which had an excellent reputation after fighting in the Mediterranean theatre . On 6 June 1944, the 1st Battalion came ashore as part of Operation Overlord without any supporting tanks. Despite facing machine gun fire, the men captured Le Hamel and Arromanches after a hard fight. By the end of D-Day , the 1st Battalion had suffered 182 casualties, 64 of them being killed in action. The battalion started

5635-699: The bare rock made cover difficult. In eight days, the 5th Battalion suffered 200 casualties. Supply was particularly difficult, as supplies had to be carried up by mules and porters for 3 to 4 hours from the nearest road. On 7 February, the 5th Battalion attacked Mount Cerasola, a successful assault. On 10 February, the 5th Battalion was relieved. The Hampshire Brigade was relieved later in the month. It moved south to Naples and, on 16 March, sailed for Egypt, and subsequently moved to Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and back to Egypt. All battalions were brought up to strength, largely from gunners from disbanded Middle-East Anti-Aircraft units who were retrained as infantrymen. On 27 June,

5750-431: The battalion began its assault on the Gothic Line, attacking across the River Marano and capturing Casa Bagli. All the first day objectives were achieved, and the 2/4th defended them on 16 September against German counter-attacks. On 17 September, the battalion captured Cerasola; it was relieved the following day. The battalion then moved north behind the British Eighth Army 's advance, arriving in time to stand by to support

5865-461: The battalion spent three weeks on the Maginot Line before returning to Metz. The battalion crossed into Belgium in response to the German invasion of Belgium and, by 14 May, was digging into a defensive position. While an attack never came, with the retreat of the Dutch and the French Ninth Army , the 1st Division was ordered to retreat on 16 May. A slow retreat then commenced, ending at Dunkirk . The battalion began to be embarked from Dunkirk for

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5980-460: The boats through the minefields down to the river, and in the darkness confusion reigned. Only a few men managed to get across, and these were withdrawn at daylight. The Hampshire Brigade then assaulted Monte Damiano, a bare, razor-backed feature, already strewn with British dead from 56th (London) Infantry Division . The assault was made by the 1/4th and 2nd battalions in daylight, and immediately came under heavy mortar and machine-gun fire. The attack

6095-433: The boats to get across. Troops got across the river, but could make little headway against the storm of machine gun fire. The 2/4th could not get across to join their fellow battalions, and so, on 12 May, it came under command of 12th Infantry Brigade and crossed via a bridge on 13 May. Supported by the 17th/21st Lancers 's Sherman tanks , the 2/4th Battalion attacked along the river, taking 200 prisoners. On 14 May, back in

6210-466: The bridgehead over the river Waal but behind the river Lek. In October 1944, the battalion attacked north of Bemmel, and expanded the bridgehead up to the Wettering Canal. The battalion then went onto the defensive until the end of November. The battalion then moved back to Ypres in Belgium, and subsequently was moved back to the United Kingdom with the rest of the 50th Division, and the men were mainly used as replacements for other infantry battalions, with

6325-401: The brigade had the following composition: During the war the brigade participated in the following actions: 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 During World War I the brigade was commanded by the following officers: The 11th Infantry Brigade was originally part of the 4th Infantry Division as it was during the First World War, serving with it during the Battle of France and

6440-418: The brigade handed over its positions and moved 100 miles south to El Ala. The 128th Brigade subsequently captured the Fondouk Gap, allowing the 6th Armoured Division to pass through and debouche onto the Kairouan Plain. In April 1943, the 128th Infantry Brigade attacked Bou Arada. The 16th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry was added to the brigade for the attack. Five Field regiments and two Medium regiments of

6555-418: The brigade was disbanded and its units returned to their peacetime headquarters. In 2012, following the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 , the Army 2020 programme was announced. As part of the mergers, the 2nd (South East) Infantry Brigade, which had regional responsibility for the south east counties ( Kent , Surrey , and Sussex ), and 145th (South) Brigade, which had regional responsibility for

6670-457: The exception of a small training cadre consisting of 12 officers and 100 other ranks. The battalion ended the war in Louth, Lincolnshire. Since D-Day, the 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment had suffered over 1,281 casualties, including 231 officers and men killed in action, the rest being either wounded or missing in action. The 2nd Battalion was also a Regular Army battalion and started the war in Aldershot, Hampshire, England. In September 1939,

6785-421: The fall of Tunis on 13 May 1943, the 2nd Battalion joined the 128th (Hampshire) Brigade attached to 46th Infantry Division . The Hampshire Regiment had a number of Territorial Army (TA) battalions, whose ranks were swelled throughout 1939 when the TA was ordered to be doubled in size. During 1939, due to the number of new recruits, the 5/7th Battalion was split into the 5th Battalion and the 7th Battalion, and

6900-492: The following day, and moved well to the rear. From 24 August (when the 128th Brigade moved up to the Gothic Line) to 7 December, when they were relieved, the 128th (Hampshire) Brigade had suffered 1,276 casualties. In January 1945 the 2nd Battalion and the 5th Battalion embarked from Taranto and disembarked in Piraeus , Greece, two days later. 1/4th Battalion arrived on 22 January. The 128th (Hampshire) Brigade (now known as "Tigerforce") split its battalions, and set about disarming

7015-418: The formation they had been part of: On the brigade's return in April 2010, a total of 650 soldiers from the 12 regiments of the brigade marched through Winchester in Hampshire accompanied by three bands to celebrate their return. Later in June, around 120 soldiers then marched past the Palace of Westminster ( Parliament of the United Kingdom ). Just a few months after the brigade's return in 2010,

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7130-425: The guns, whose crews stood and died firing over open sights at the German tanks. Only nine gunners survived. At 5pm, 'B' Company of the 5th Battalion, reduced to 30 men, was overrun. At dusk, the battalion considered its position untenable, and it withdrew to a feature known as "Hampshire Farm". Of the four Rifle Companies , only 'C' Company, less a single platoon , and 30 men of 'D' Company, remained. The German force

7245-406: The half-battalion was moved straight into the line. However, there was little action until 13 September, when the half-battalion was attacked by armoured half-tracks. This happened again on 15 September when 'D' Company was overrun. However, the half-tracks did not assault 'D' Company as such, they ran over the slit trenches until picked off by 6pdr anti-tank guns . On 17 September, the half-battalion

7360-412: The latter the Special Reserve ; the regiment now had one Reserve battalion and five Territorial battalions. During the First World War , the regiment expanded to 34 battalions. By the end of the First World War, the Hampshire Regiment had lost 7,580 officers and men killed in action. The 1st Battalion was a Regular Army unit stationed in Colchester on the outbreak of war in August 1914. The battalion

7475-513: The line, ranking after the two regular battalions. Typically, an English, Welsh or Scottish regiment would have two militia battalions (the 3rd and 4th) and Irish regiments three (numbered 3rd – 5th). The militia must not be confused with the volunteer units created in a wave of enthusiasm in the second half of the nineteenth century. In contrast with the Volunteer Force , and the similar Yeomanry Cavalry, they were considered rather plebeian. Volunteer units appealed to better-off recruits as, unlike

7590-421: The militia were an entirely infantry force, but the 1852 Act introduced Militia Artillery units whose role was to man coastal defences and fortifications, relieving the Royal Artillery for active service. Some of these units were converted from existing infantry militia regiments, others were newly raised. In 1877 the militia of Anglesey and Monmouthshire were converted to Royal Engineers . Up to 1855,

7705-426: The name of their commander or numbered as part of a division. However, units involved in the Second Boer War in 1899–1900 were organised into sequentially numbered brigades that were frequently reassigned between divisions. The Army Corps sent from Britain in 1899 comprised six brigades in three divisions while the troops already in South Africa were intended to constitute a fourth division. The rapid deterioration of

7820-435: The publication of the 1966 Defence White Paper , the 7th Armoured and 11th Infantry brigades experimented with a new brigade organisation with two armoured regiments and two 'mechanised' battalions equipped with the new FV432 armoured personnel carrier . With the increasing availability of the new vehicle, all of the infantry battalions within the BAOR were to become mechanised. The brigade's structure just before conversion

7935-526: The reforming post 1906 Liberal government. In 1908 the militia infantry battalions were redesignated as "reserve" and a number were amalgamated or disbanded. Altogether, 101 infantry battalions, 33 artillery regiments and two engineer regiments of special reservists were formed. In contrast with the soldier serving in the militia, those who served under Special Reserve terms of service had an obligation to serve overseas, as stipulated in paragraph 54. The standards of medical fitness were lower than for recruits to

8050-405: The regiment: At the turn of the 20th century, there were two regular battalions of the regiment. The 1st battalion was stationed at Malta from 1884, then transferred to British India where it had various postings. In early 1903 the battalion transferred from Lucknow to Aden . In April 1904 three companies were attached to the Royal Navy and saw service in the Somaliland campaign . Landing on

8165-399: The regular infantry. The possibility of enlisting in the army under Regular terms of service were facilitated under paragraph 38, one precondition was that the recruit 'fulfils the necessary physical requirements.' A further contrast was the replacement of several weeks of preliminary training with six months of full time training upon enlisting in the Special Reserve. Upon mobilisation,

8280-492: The rest of the army. Only single men aged 20–22 were to be conscripted (given a free suit of civilian clothes as well as a uniform), and after six months full-time training would be discharged into the reserve. The first intake was called up, but the Second World War was declared soon afterwards, and the militiamen lost their identity in the rapidly expanding army. Two units still maintain their militia designation in

8395-438: The river in support, but the entire 128th Brigade was soon engaged in a stiff fire-fight. The brigade advanced some 2,500 yards, and then dug in behind a canal as the Germans bought up tanks. The brigade remained in the low-lying, swampy, mosquito-ridden land between the river and the canal until the Germans withdrew due to a breakthrough elsewhere. The brigade then advanced along Route 7, meeting little resistance. The 128th Brigade

8510-472: The road behind them was cut. The battalion broke into small groups and attempted to break through to allied lines, reuniting at Medjez-el-Bab; many, including the Commanding Officer , were captured. The battalion, which had started the battle with 689 men, was down to 194 men. The battalion was withdrawn from the line and in December, nine officers and 260 other ranks joined the 2nd Battalion. After

8625-551: The same year. A Volunteer battalion was also formed to serve in South Africa. Men from this battalion were involved in the worst train accident during the war, near Barberton , on 30 March 1902. Following the accident, the battalion returned to the United Kingdom, arriving at Southampton in May 1902. In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and

8740-649: The situation led the War Office to announce on 11 November 1899 that a 5th Division was to be formed and sent out. This consisted of the new 10th and 11th (Lancashire) Brigade s and concentrated at Estcourt on 8 January 1900 for the campaign for the Relief of Ladysmith . The 11th (Lancashire) Brigade was constituted as follows: As well as Spion Kop and Tugela Heights, the brigade served at Trichard's Drift, Tabanyama, Vaal Krantz , Wessel's Nek, Waschbank, Botha's Pass, Alleman's Nek, Volkrust, Wakkerstroom, and

8855-482: The south-central region ( Thames Valley ( Berkshire , Buckinghamshire , and Oxfordshire ), Hampshire , and the Isle of Wight ) were merged to form the new 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East . The brigade's organisation was as follows by 2015: In 2017, a supplement to the Army 2020 programme was announced entitled the Army 2020 Refine which reversed many of the unit-level changes. In addition to

8970-584: The special reserve units would be formed at the depot and continue training while guarding vulnerable points in Britain. The special reserve units remained in Britain throughout the First World War , but their rank and file did not, since the object of the special reserve was to supply drafts of replacements for the overseas units of the regiment. The Special Reserve reverted to its militia designation in 1921, then to Supplementary Reserve in 1924, though

9085-471: The tanks of the 12th Canadian Armoured Regiment . 2/4th Hampshires was to follow on, but its entry into battle was delayed until the next day. Having passed through the village of Vaiano, which was unoccupied, an attack was launched on a ridge being held by the German 1st Parachute Division . Although "C" Company established a foothold on the ridge, occupying a farmhouse, that night a fierce German counter-attack

9200-561: The traditions of the Royal Hampshires. The Hampshire Regiment was formed on 1 July 1881 under the Childers reforms from the merger of the 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot and the 67th (South Hampshire) Regiment of Foot along with the militia and rifle volunteers of the county of Hampshire . As part of the formation of the regiment, the following Volunteer Force and Militia units were placed under command of

9315-498: The truck they were travelling in. Three soldiers were killed outright, while a further four died later from their wounds. In the Second World War , the Hampshire Regiment had six battalions that fought abroad (the 1st, 2nd, 1/4th, 2/4th, 5th and 7th), whilst more battalions stayed at home. By the end of the Second World War, 2,094 officers and men of the Hampshire Regiment had died. The 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment

9430-626: The unit level changes, several of the regional brigades formed under the initial Army 2020 programme were disbanded or reduced to Colonel-level commands. In 2019, a Field Army reorganisation saw these brigades lose their units permanently with the following changes occurring to the former units: Grenadier Guards and Welsh Guards transferred to London District (on rotation) and replaced by the Coldstream Guards and Irish Guards respectively, Royal Gurkha Rifles moved to 16th Air Assault Brigade, The London Regiment transferred to London District, and

9545-532: The units were effectively placed in "suspended animation" until disbanded in 1953. The term militiaman was briefly revived in 1939. In the aftermath of the Munich Crisis Leslie Hore-Belisha , Secretary of State for War , wished to introduce a limited form of conscription , an unheard of concept in peacetime. It was thought that calling the conscripts 'militiamen' would make this more acceptable, as it would render them distinct from

9660-554: The war there. The 7th Battalion was a Territorial Army unit, originally the 5/7th Battalion until it was split into the 5th and 7th battalions when the Territorial Army was doubled in size in the spring and summer of 1939. The 7th Battalion remained in the United Kingdom training long and hard for many years until after the D-Day landings of 6 June 1944 . Militia (United Kingdom) A separate voluntary Local Militia

9775-737: The war. The 1/7th Battalion landed at Karachi in India in November 1914: it remained in India until January 1918 when it moved to Aden . The 1/8th ( Isle of Wight Rifles, Princess Beatrice's ) Battalion landed at Suvla Bay in Gallipoli as part of the 163rd Brigade in the 54th (East Anglian) Division on 9 August 1915 and, having been evacuated from Gallipoli in December 1915, moved to Egypt and then to Palestine. The 1/9th (Cyclist) Battalion sailed for India in February 1916 and then to Vladivostok in October 1918. The 2/4th Battalion sailed for India in December 1914 as part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade in

9890-616: Was evacuated from Dunkirk in late May 1940. It remained with the division in the United Kingdom up until 6 June 1942 when it was reassigned to join 78th Infantry Division (commanded by Vyvyan Evelegh , a previous commander of the brigade) which was being newly formed to take part in Operation Torch , the Allied landings in French North Africa , as part of the British First Army (commanded by Kenneth Anderson , also

10005-647: Was a Regular Army unit that was deployed on Garrison duties in El Daba, Egypt at the beginning of the war. It moved to Palestine on peace keeping duties in December 1939 and then moved to Moascar in Egypt, then to Mearsa Matruh in Summer 1940. One of its duties was to look after the large number of Italian prisoners after the fall of Sidi Barrani. In February 1941, the 1st Battalion arrived in Malta , where it became part of

10120-486: Was also a significant source of recruits for the Regular Army, where men had received a taste of army life. An officer's commission in the militia was often a 'back door' route to a Regular Army commission for young men who could not obtain one through purchase or gain entry to Sandhurst . Under the act, Militia units could be embodied by Royal Proclamation for full-time service in three circumstances: Until 1852

10235-566: Was as follows: As a result of the above defence white paper and experimentations, the BAOR was completely reorganised with the 11th Infantry Brigade becoming an armoured formation in the end of 1970. The new formation, 11th Armoured Brigade , was reformed, thus ending the infantry lineage. On 15 October 2007, Helmand Task Force 11 formed its planning cell at Aldershot Garrison , expanding into 11th Light Brigade in November 2007 for deployment to Afghanistan ( Operation Herrick ). The brigade

10350-468: Was assigned to the 11th Brigade , 4th Division . With the division, the battalion joined the British Expeditionary Force and was sent overseas to France in August 1914, landing at Le Havre on 23 August. The 1st Battalion saw its first combat against the German Army at Le Cateau . The battalion served on the Western Front for the rest of the war, participating in many battles in 1914 alone such as

10465-458: Was attacked in overwhelming strength in February 1943 as the Germans began Operation "Ox Head", a corps-level assault by German Paratroopers , elements of 10th Panzer Division and the 501st Heavy Tank Battalion. The 5th Battalion was supported by 155th Battery, Royal Artillery . The Germans had to take the Hampshires' hilltop positions before they could attack the artillery, knocking out all

10580-405: Was awarded the Victoria Cross . On 1 September, the 5th Battalion took the lead, and by 2 September had captured Meleto. The Gothic Line had been breached. A fighting advance continued northwards. On 5 September the 128th Brigade was relieved, and sent to the rear for rest, but they were back in the line by 11 September. The 128th Brigade began an assault on Montescudo in September 1944. Montescudo

10695-535: Was commanded by the following officers: In January 1946, following the end of the campaign in Europe, the brigade was dissolved and its units dispersed to other brigades and commands. In 1950, the brigade was reformed in West Germany . The organisation of the brigade during the 1950s was as follows: On 1 April 1956, the 4th Infantry Division was reformed in the BAOR, and its brigades: 10th, 11th, and 12th

10810-566: Was created in 1808 before being disbanded in 1816. By 1813 the British Army was experiencing a shortage of manpower to maintain their battalions at full strength. Some consideration was given to recruiting foreign nationals; however, on 4 November 1813 a bill was introduced to Parliament to allow Militia volunteers to serve in Europe. In the event only three battalions were raised, and these were sent to serve under Henry Bayly . On 12 April 1814 they arrived in Bordeaux , where they were attached to

10925-646: Was defended by the German 100th Mountain Regiment, and they put up a desperate resistance. Other elements of the Brigade assaulted Trarivi, which was captured by 16 September. On 18 September, the brigade was relieved. All three battalions were short of men, even after replacements were received from the 1st Battalion, Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) . The Hampshire Brigade crossed the River Fiumicino, and then

11040-500: Was delayed for one critical day. Later in the month, the Hampshire Brigade was attacked at Hunt's Gap by the German force that had been delayed at Sidi N'sir. 2/4th was the main Battalion engaged, with 1/4th Battalion in support. The 2/5th Leicesters was attached to the brigade as well. The situation was so precarious that the 2nd Hampshires, still training its new recruits, was put into the line alongside 1/4th Battalion. The brigade

11155-491: Was for 56 days on enlistment, then the recruits would return to civilian life but report for 21–28 days training per year. The full army pay during training and a financial retainer thereafter made a useful addition to the men's civilian wage. Of course, many saw the annual camp as the equivalent of a paid holiday. The militia thus appealed to agricultural labourers, colliers and the like, men in casual occupations , who could leave their civilian job and pick it up again. The militia

11270-498: Was made by the Germans, who overran the company headquarters. Fighting was close and confused, and the company ran low on ammunition. It was forced back to literally the last ditch, but hung on. At dawn the next day, 26 June, the battalion counter-attacked and managed to recapture its previous positions; the Germans were withdrawing to the Arezzo Line. The 2/4th Battalion followed up, coming into action again on 21 July. Supported by

11385-430: Was made with great dash, but it failed, with heavy casualties. The 5th Battalion was put under the command of the 138th Infantry Brigade , part of the 46th Division, to assault Mounts Ornito and Cerasola in February 1944. The assault met little opposition, although the Germans put in spirited counter-attacks on Mount Ornito, which were all driven off. However, as the days passed, the casualties mounted from heavy shelling;

11500-442: Was moved back into reserve and, by 23 September, it was back on the beaches unloading cargo. In November 1943, the two-halves of the 2/4th Battalion were re-united at Pontecagnano near Salerno. However, there was no immediate employment, and orders were received to send cadres to the three battalions in the 128th (Hampshire) Brigade (this was rescinded after protests). However, six officers and 77 other ranks were posted away to form

11615-580: Was only lightly engaged, it was not so depleted. On 12 August, the 1st Battalion was withdrawn from the line. The battalion was motorised and joined with the 11th Armoured Division for the breakout attack later in the month. There was no fighting and, on 31 August, the 1st Battalion crossed the river Seine at Vernon and swept on to Amiens. The battalion was then placed under command of the Guards Armoured Division and swept into Brussels on 3 September. The battalion, still under command of

11730-410: Was opposed by shore batteries firing shrapnel, and the beaches were raked by machine gun fire. 2nd Battalion and 1/4th Battalion made steady progress, but 5th Battalion had been landed in the wrong place and suffered heavily. A German counter-attack overran 'B' Company and the battalion HQ of 5th Battalion. The 5th Battalion lost 40 men killed and over 300 were wounded or taken prisoner. On 12 September,

11845-476: Was part of the larger Somme offensive . The 2nd Battalion was also a Regular Army battalion that was serving in India at the outbreak of war and arrived in England on 22 December 1914. In early 1915, the battalion became part of the 88th Brigade , assigned to the 29th Division . The 2nd Battalion took part in the Battle of Gallipoli when engaged in the fatal Landing at Cape Helles in April 1915 and fought in

11960-513: Was reconstituted to consist of 2nd Battalion, 1/4th Battalion and 5th Battalion. The 2/4th Battalion was split into two to form two Defence Units of two Beach Groups . Their role was to protect the maintenance area of a Beach Group when it made a landing where no port was available. The 128th Infantry Brigade was one of three British brigades that made an assault landing at Salerno in Italy as part of British X Corps under command of US Fifth Army , led by Mark Clark in September 1943. The landing

12075-470: Was reformed by conversion of the old 61st Lorried Infantry Brigade based in Minden . In 1958, following the 1957 Defence White Paper , the brigade was redesignated as 11th Infantry Brigade Group. As a brigade group, it picked up not just infantry but supporting elements such as artillery. It was shifted to the 2nd Division . And in 1964, the brigade was transferred to the 1st Division , sitting alongside

12190-458: Was revived by the Militia Act 1852 ( 15 & 16 Vict. c. 50), enacted during a period of international tension. As before, units were raised and administered on a county basis, and filled by voluntary enlistment (although conscription by means of the militia ballot might be used if the counties failed to meet their quotas). It was intended to be seen as an alternative to the army. Training

12305-645: Was sent to Ireland to fight the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence . On 20 February 1921, soldiers from the battalion took part in the Clonmult ambush during which the IRA suffered significant losses. On 31 May 1921, seven soldiers, all with the band of the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment were on their way to the rifle range at Youghal County Cork when a road mine exploded under

12420-416: Was stood up alongside 52nd Infantry Brigade thus providing the Army with two infantry brigades available for deployment to either Afghanistan (Operation Herrick) or Iraq ( Operation Telic ). On 10 October 2009, the brigade deployed to Helmand Province , replacing 19th Light Brigade and would remain until April 2010. The brigade's order of battle on deployment to Afghanistan was as follows alongside

12535-493: Was supported by plenty of artillery and the Churchill tanks of the North Irish Horse . Extensive minefields and heavy dive bombing kept the German tanks at bay. On 28 February, a pre-dawn attack penetrated the 2/4th battalion's 'B' Company positions, but heroic resistance and the tanks of the North Irish Horse kept the Germans at bay until dusk, when 'B' Company was overrun. 'C' Company was overrun by German infantry. On 1 March,

12650-417: Was taken on 4 August, following which the 50th Division was taken out of the line. In August 1944, a brigade attack was launched towards Conde, and the battalion attacked St Pierre la Vielle. The fighting was particularly hard and, after the 11-hour battle, three of its Rifle companies were severely reduced – 'B' Company had 25 men, 'C' Company had 35 men, and 'D' Company was down to just 12 men; as 'A' Company

12765-435: Was the start of three days of fierce close combat, fought at close quarters and featuring bayonet charges and counter-charges. The battalion was forced back a mile and a half and, on 3 December, Major Wallace Le Patourel was awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry in leading counter-attacks against the enemy. After three days, the battalion retreated through Tebourba, only to find all other troops had been withdrawn and

12880-576: Was then taken out of the line for R&R . In November 1943, the Hampshire Brigade moved up to the River Garigliano. It was relieved on 11 January, and moved back to the River Volturno. They were selected as the Assault Brigade of the 46th Infantry Division, and trained in river crossings. Then, in January 1944, the Hampshire Brigade made a night assault across the swift flowing River Garigliano. The brigade had severe problems getting

12995-460: Was then transferred to Salonika in October 1915. The 11th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers) landed at Le Havre in December 1915. The 12th (Service) Battalion landed in France in September 1915, but moved to Salonika in November 1915. The 14th (Service) Battalion (1st Portsmouth) landed at Le Havre in March 1916. The 15th (Service) Battalion (2nd Portsmouth) landed in France in May 1916. The 2nd Battalion

13110-472: Was to cross the River Metauro and take Monte Bartolo. The assault went to plan against little opposition, and Mount Bartolo was captured by the morning of 29 August. The brigade had marched 25 miles to cover 12 miles as the crow flies, and climbed 1,500 feet. Only the 1/4th Battalion had come across serious opposition, engaging in heavy fighting around Montegaudio. Later in the month the brigade assaulted

13225-475: Was transferred to the 46th Infantry Division , where it would remain for the rest of the war. In January 1943, the brigade left Britain with the rest of the 46th Infantry Division, for North Africa, as part of Operation Torch . The brigade disembarked at Algiers on 17 January, moving to Bone, where it remained until the end of January, when the brigade moved to Hunts Gap. The 5th Battalion was sent 12 miles further ahead to Sidi Nsir. The 5th Battalion at Sidi N'sir

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