158-657: Second World War The Northumberland Hussars was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army , transferred to the Royal Artillery for the duration of the Second World War . It was disbanded as an independent Territorial Army unit in 1967, a time when the strength of the Territorial Army was greatly reduced. The regiment's name lives on in the title of the command and support squadron of
316-659: A Neutrality Pact in April 1941, and Japan adopted the doctrine of Nanshin-ron , promoted by the Navy, which took its focus southward and eventually led to war with the United States and the Western Allies. In Europe, Germany and Italy were becoming more aggressive. In March 1938, Germany annexed Austria , again provoking little response from other European powers. Encouraged, Hitler began pressing German claims on
474-578: A cautious French probe into the Saarland . The Western Allies also began a naval blockade of Germany , which aimed to damage the country's economy and war effort. Germany responded by ordering U-boat warfare against Allied merchant and warships, which would later escalate into the Battle of the Atlantic . On 8 September, German troops reached the suburbs of Warsaw . The Polish counter-offensive to
632-531: A 12-battalion to a 9-battalion basis in February 1918 (brigades from four to three battalions) and the 1/7th Battalion was transferred to 42nd (East Lancashire) Division as Pioneers on 12 February 1918 where it remained for the rest of the war. It took part in the following battles with 50th Division: and with the 42nd Division: The 2/4th and 2/5th Battalions were formed at Blyth in November 1914 and
790-663: A 3rd Line was formed to act as a reserve, providing trained replacements for the 1st and 2nd Line regiments. The 1st Line regiment was mobilised in August 1914, at the Army Riding School in Newcastle upon Tyne , and attached to the Yorkshire Mounted Brigade . In September, it joined the 7th Infantry Division at Lyndhurst . On 6 October it landed at Zeebrugge with the division. In April 1915,
948-422: A 3rd Line was formed to act as a reserve, providing trained replacements for the 1st and 2nd Line units. When 2nd Line battalions were formed, the 1st Line took on a fractional designation so, for example, 4th Battalion became 1/4th Battalion ( first fourth ) and its 2nd Line was designated 2/4th Battalion ( second fourth ); in due course the 3rd Line was formed as the 3/4th Battalion ( third fourth ). In
1106-524: A pretext to initiate the invasion. The first German attack of the war came against the Polish defences at Westerplatte . The United Kingdom responded with an ultimatum for Germany to cease military operations, and on 3 September, after the ultimatum was ignored, Britain and France declared war on Germany. During the Phoney War period, the alliance provided no direct military support to Poland, outside of
1264-781: A pretext to worsen relations. On 29 August, Hitler demanded that a Polish plenipotentiary immediately travel to Berlin to negotiate the handover of Danzig , and to allow a plebiscite in the Polish Corridor in which the German minority would vote on secession. The Poles refused to comply with the German demands, and on the night of 30–31 August in a confrontational meeting with the British ambassador Nevile Henderson , Ribbentrop declared that Germany considered its claims rejected. On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland after having staged several false flag border incidents as
1422-475: A secret protocol that defined German and Soviet "spheres of influence" (western Poland and Lithuania for Germany; eastern Poland , Finland, Estonia , Latvia and Bessarabia for the Soviet Union), and raised the question of continuing Polish independence. The pact neutralised the possibility of Soviet opposition to a campaign against Poland and assured that Germany would not have to face the prospect of
1580-718: A similar pact and rejected ceding part of its territory to the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union invaded Finland in November 1939, and was subsequently expelled from the League of Nations for this crime of aggression. Despite overwhelming numerical superiority, Soviet military success during the Winter War was modest, and the Finno-Soviet war ended in March 1940 with some Finnish concessions of territory . In June 1940,
1738-410: A two-battalion regiment, usually bearing a "county" title. Existing two-battalion regiments of foot (1st to 25th inclusive) were redesignated, whereas the single-battalion foot regiments were paired to become the 1st or 2nd battalions of the new regiments. At the same time the existing militia and rifle volunteer units of the district became battalions of their regiments, the militia numbered after
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#17327874455041896-531: A two-front war, as it had in World War I. Immediately afterwards, Hitler ordered the attack to proceed on 26 August, but upon hearing that the United Kingdom had concluded a formal mutual assistance pact with Poland and that Italy would maintain neutrality, he decided to delay it. In response to British requests for direct negotiations to avoid war, Germany made demands on Poland, which served as
2054-581: The 15th (Lowland) Infantry Division , with which it remained until the end of the war. The regiment was disbanded from Regular service in the Royal Artillery and returned to the TA Order of battle in 1946 when it was equipped with Cruiser Tanks as the 50th (Northumbrian) Divisional Reconnaissance Regiment and re-occupied the Army Riding School. The regimental headquarters and 'A' Squadron moved to Debden Gardens in Heaton , Newcastle upon Tyne in 1954. After
2212-497: The 35th and 36th Battalions (T.F.) of the regiment. Kitchener was one of the few people in 1914 to realize that the war was not going to be a short one; he believed that it would last three years and would require an army of 70 divisions. He eschewed the Territorial Force ;– partly due to the limitations imposed by its terms of service but also due to the poor impression he formed when observing
2370-547: The 62nd Brigade , 21st Division at Halton Park . They moved to France in September 1915. They were amalgamated on 1 August 1917 as the 12th/13th (Service) Battalion . The combined battalion remained in 62nd Brigade, 21st Division on the Western Front for the rest of the war. The 12th/13th Battalion was disbanded at Catterick on 1 May 1919. They fought in the following battles: The 14th (Service) Battalion
2528-720: The 66th Division . Its last move was on 20 September 1918, when it was assigned to the 197th Brigade as Lines of Communication troops. It was disbanded in France in June 1919. While attached to 34th Division, it saw action at: The 19th Battalion was a Pals battalion raised in Newcastle on 16 November 1914 by the Lord Mayor and City. On 8 February 1915 it became a Pioneer Battalion and in July joined 35th Division at Masham . It
2686-604: The Anglo-German Naval Agreement and the German–Polish declaration of non-aggression . The situation became a crisis in late August as German troops continued to mobilise against the Polish border. On 23 August the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact with Germany, after tripartite negotiations for a military alliance between France, the United Kingdom, and Soviet Union had stalled. This pact had
2844-689: The British Empire , with fighting in the Balkans , Mediterranean, and Middle East , the aerial Battle of Britain and the Blitz , and naval Battle of the Atlantic . Through a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany took control of much of continental Europe and formed the Axis alliance with Italy , Japan , and other countries. In June 1941, Germany led the European Axis in an invasion of
3002-641: The D-Day landings. For the next six months, they joined thousands of allied servicemen training in Britain for the assault on the French Coast . In preparation for the assault, the Northumberland Hussars equipped their 99th and 288th batteries with eight 6pdrs and four M10 SP A/Tk Guns – a normal infantry division A/Tk battery had four 6pdrs and eight 17pdrs . In addition, the regiment
3160-581: The German Revolution of 1918–1919 , and a democratic government, later known as the Weimar Republic , was created. The interwar period saw strife between supporters of the new republic and hardline opponents on both the political right and left. Italy, as an Entente ally, had made some post-war territorial gains; however, Italian nationalists were angered that the promises made by the United Kingdom and France to secure Italian entrance into
3318-853: The German invasion of Poland and the United Kingdom and France 's declaration of war on Germany two days later on 3 September 1939. Dates for the beginning of the Pacific War include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, or the earlier Japanese invasion of Manchuria , on 19 September 1931. Others follow the British historian A. J. P. Taylor , who stated that the Sino-Japanese War and war in Europe and its colonies occurred simultaneously, and
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#17327874455043476-550: The Italian Front , where they remained, still in 68th Brigade, 23rd Division. The 10th Battalion was reduced to cadre in Italy in 1918. They were disbanded in Newcastle on 11 and 25 June 1919. They fought in the following major battles: The 12th and 13th (Service) Battalions were formed at Newcastle on 22 September 1914, also as part of Kitchener's Third New Army – K3 – and were assigned to
3634-576: The Italian mainland , and Allied offensives in the Pacific—cost the Axis powers their initiative and forced them into strategic retreat on all fronts. In 1944, the Western Allies invaded German-occupied France at Normandy , while the Soviet Union regained its territorial losses and pushed Germany and its allies westward. At the same time, Japan suffered reversals in mainland Asia, while the Allies crippled
3792-553: The Japanese Navy and captured key islands . The war in Europe concluded with the liberation of German-occupied territories ; the invasion of Germany by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union, culminating in the fall of Berlin to Soviet troops; Hitler's suicide ; and the German unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945 . Following the refusal of Japan to surrender on the terms of the Potsdam Declaration ,
3950-699: The Land Rover RWMIK in 2014. The Newcastle Discovery Museum includes the regimental museum of the Light Dragoons and the Northumberland Hussars. The Northumberland Hussars was awarded the following battle honours (honours in bold are emblazoned on the regimental colours ): Honorary Distinction : Badge of the Royal Regiment of Artillery with year-dates "1940–45" and five scrolls: " North Africa ", " Greece ", " Middle East ", " Sicily ", " North-West Europe " Prior to World War I
4108-695: The League of Nations as a force to preserve peace. Both Italy and Ethiopia were member nations, but the League did little when the former clearly violated Article X of the League's Covenant . The United Kingdom and France supported imposing sanctions on Italy for the invasion, but the sanctions were not fully enforced and failed to end the Italian invasion. Italy subsequently dropped its objections to Germany's goal of absorbing Austria . When civil war broke out in Spain, Hitler and Mussolini lent military support to
4266-611: The Manchester Regiment's 5th and 8th Reserve Battalions ). At the same time, the Third Line Groups were renamed as Reserve Brigades T.F. The Northumbrian Reserve Brigade T.F. commanded 4th (Reserve) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, 4th (Reserve) Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, 4th (Reserve) Battalion, Green Howards, and 5th (Reserve) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry in the Hornsea area as part of
4424-731: The Nationalist rebels , led by General Francisco Franco . Italy supported the Nationalists to a greater extent than the Nazis: Mussolini sent more than 70,000 ground troops, 6,000 aviation personnel, and 720 aircraft to Spain. The Soviet Union supported the existing government of the Spanish Republic . More than 30,000 foreign volunteers, known as the International Brigades , also fought against
4582-675: The North Eastern Railway at Hull in September 1914. It became a pioneer battalion on 11 January 1915 and was assigned to the 32nd Division at Catterick in June. It was taken over by the War Office on 1 September 1915, and landed at Havre on 21 November with 32nd Division. On 19 October 1916 it moved to GHQ Railway Construction Troops, 2 September 1917 back to 32nd Division, 15 November back to GHQ Railway Construction Troops and finally on 31 May 1918 to 52nd (Lowland) Division as Pioneer Battalion where it remained until
4740-574: The Queen's Own Yeomanry (QOY), a Formation Reconnaissance Regiment based in Newcastle upon Tyne . In 1794, King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger was Prime Minister of Great Britain and, across the Channel, Britain was faced by a French nation that had recently guillotined its King and possessed a revolutionary army numbering half a million men. The Prime Minister proposed that
4898-690: The Rome–Berlin Axis . A month later, Germany and Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact , which Italy joined the following year. The Kuomintang (KMT) party in China launched a unification campaign against regional warlords and nominally unified China in the mid-1920s, but was soon embroiled in a civil war against its former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) allies and new regional warlords . In 1931, an increasingly militaristic Empire of Japan , which had long sought influence in China as
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5056-472: The Royal Field Artillery between 1920 and 1922. As the 14th most senior regiment in the order of precedence , the regiment was retained as horsed cavalry. In February 1940, the regiment transferred to the Royal Artillery (RA) as the 102nd Light Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Tank Regiment, RA (Northumberland Hussars) ; two batteries were equipped with 2 pounder Anti-Tank Guns (2pdr A/Tk Guns),
5214-620: The Second Boer War . The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each for the Imperial Yeomanry equipped as Mounted infantry . The regiment provided: The mounted infantry experiment was considered a success and the regiment was designated the Northumberland Imperial Yeomanry (Hussars) from 1901 to 1908. In accordance with
5372-590: The Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact in April 1941. By contrast, the Germans were steadily making preparations for an attack on the Soviet Union, massing forces on the Soviet border. Hitler believed that the United Kingdom's refusal to end the war was based on the hope that the United States and the Soviet Union would enter the war against Germany sooner or later. On 31 July 1940, Hitler decided that
5530-598: The Stresa Front in April 1935 in order to contain Germany, a key step towards military globalisation ; however, that June, the United Kingdom made an independent naval agreement with Germany, easing prior restrictions. The Soviet Union, concerned by Germany's goals of capturing vast areas of Eastern Europe , drafted a treaty of mutual assistance with France. Before taking effect, though, the Franco-Soviet pact
5688-709: The Sudetenland , an area of Czechoslovakia with a predominantly ethnic German population. Soon the United Kingdom and France followed the appeasement policy of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and conceded this territory to Germany in the Munich Agreement , which was made against the wishes of the Czechoslovak government, in exchange for a promise of no further territorial demands. Soon afterwards, Germany and Italy forced Czechoslovakia to cede additional territory to Hungary, and Poland annexed
5846-473: The Suez Canal Defences, and in July to France where it spent the rest of the war (still in 34th Brigade, 11th Division). It was disbanded on 27 June 1919 at Newcastle. It fought in the following battles: The 9th (Service) Battalion was formed at Newcastle on 8 September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army – K2 – and was assigned to the 52nd Brigade , 17th (Northern) Division at Wareham . In July 1915 it moved to
6004-428: The Tanggu Truce was signed in 1933. Thereafter, Chinese volunteer forces continued the resistance to Japanese aggression in Manchuria , and Chahar and Suiyuan . After the 1936 Xi'an Incident , the Kuomintang and CCP forces agreed on a ceasefire to present a united front to oppose Japan. The Second Italo-Ethiopian War was a brief colonial war that began in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war began with
6162-549: The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 ( 7 Edw. 7 , c.9 ) which brought the Territorial Force into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service . Therefore, TF units were split in August and September 1914 into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. Later,
6320-457: The Third New Army (K3) had a much higher proportion of battalions from the more populous north of England, notably Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland ( 10th , 11th , 12th , 13th and 14th (Service) Battalions ). The Fourth New Army (K4) was formed from men of the Reserve and Special Reserve battalions which were over establishment. Originally formed into the 30th – 35th Divisions, these were broken up so
6478-421: The Training Reserve was reorganized with the battalions becoming more specialized in their training. Young Soldier Battalions took in recruits aged 18 years and one month and, after basic training, posted them to one of two linked Graduated Battalions . Eventually, 23 Young Soldier Battalions and 46 Graduated Battalions were formed. On 27 October 1917, these were allocated to 23 infantry regiments and thereby
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6636-466: The Trans-Olza region of Czechoslovakia. Although all of Germany's stated demands had been satisfied by the agreement, privately Hitler was furious that British interference had prevented him from seizing all of Czechoslovakia in one operation. In subsequent speeches Hitler attacked British and Jewish "war-mongers" and in January 1939 secretly ordered a major build-up of the German navy to challenge British naval supremacy. In March 1939, Germany invaded
6794-506: The Treaty of Craiova . The loss of one-third of Romania's 1939 territory caused a coup against King Carol II, turning Romania into a fascist dictatorship under Marshal Ion Antonescu , with a course set towards the Axis in the hopes of a German guarantee. Meanwhile, German-Soviet political relations and economic co-operation gradually stalled, and both states began preparations for war. In April 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway to protect shipments of iron ore from Sweden , which
6952-401: The United Kingdom and France to declare war on Germany. Poland was divided between Germany and the Soviet Union under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact , in which they had agreed on " spheres of influence " in Eastern Europe. In 1940, the Soviets annexed the Baltic states and parts of Finland and Romania . After the fall of France in June 1940, the war continued mainly between Germany and
7110-402: The War Office on 15 August 1915, and landed at Havre on 8 January 1916 with 34th Division. It was reduced to cadre strength on 18 May 1918. On 17 June 1918, it was transferred to the infantry and assigned to the 116th Brigade , 39th Division . It moved again on 29 July 1918, when it was assigned to the 118th Brigade , 39th Division. On 16 August 1918, it was assigned as Divisional Troops to
7268-1235: The War Office took them over in 1915 and the raisers' expenses were refunded. These units formed the Fifth and Sixth New Armies (later called the new Fourth and Fifth New Armies when the original Fourth New Army was broken up). The Northumberland Fusiliers raised the largest number of pals battalions of any regiment, notably including the Tyneside Scottish and Tyneside Irish Brigades: 16th (Newcastle) , 17th (NER Pioneers) , 18th (1st Tyneside Pioneers) , 19th (2nd Tyneside Pioneers) , 20th (1st Tyneside Scottish) , 21st (2nd Tyneside Scottish) , 22nd (3rd Tyneside Scottish) , 23rd (4th Tyneside Scottish) , 24th (1st Tyneside Irish) , 25th (2nd Tyneside Irish) , 26th (3rd Tyneside Irish) , and 27th (4th Tyneside Irish) battalions. The locally recruited – pals – battalions formed depot companies and in 1915 these were grouped into local reserve battalions to provide reinforcements for their parents. The regiment formed 28th , 29th (Tyneside Scottish) , 30th (Tyneside Irish) , 31st , 32nd , 33rd (Tyneside Scottish) , and 34th (Tyneside Irish) Reserve Battalions. The regiment formed eight other battalions. The 37th (Home Service) Battalion
7426-426: The Wehrmacht rapidly advanced to the Channel and cut off the Allied forces in Belgium, trapping the bulk of the Allied armies in a cauldron on the Franco-Belgian border near Lille. The United Kingdom was able to evacuate a significant number of Allied troops from the continent by early June, although they had to abandon almost all their equipment. On 10 June, Italy invaded France , declaring war on both France and
7584-438: The Western Front where it was to remain until the end of the war. On 3 August 1917, it was transferred to the 103rd Brigade , 34th Division . On 25 September 1917, it absorbed the 2/1st Northumberland Hussars and became the 9th ( Northumberland Hussars ) Battalion . On 26 May 1918, it was transferred to the 183rd Brigade , 61st (2nd South Midland) Division . It was disbanded on 1 November 1919 in France. It fought in
7742-451: The aftermath of World War I and the rise of fascism in Europe and militarism in Japan . Key events leading up to the war included Japan's invasion of Manchuria , the Spanish Civil War , the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War , and Germany's annexations of Austria and the Sudetenland . World War II is generally considered to have begun on 1 September 1939, when Nazi Germany , under Adolf Hitler , invaded Poland , prompting
7900-408: The allies decided to evacuate Crete; the regiment had to withdraw across the mountains from the town of Suda to the evacuation beaches at Sphakia , a distance of 50 miles. Many troops did get away, but owing to heavy shipping losses, the embarkation was stopped on 31 May and over 200 men from the regiment were left behind and ordered to surrender to the advancing German forces. Evacuated to Egypt ,
8058-404: The reunification of East and West Germany to take place and resolved most post–World War II issues. No formal peace treaty between Japan and the Soviet Union was ever signed, although the state of war between the two countries was terminated by the Soviet–Japanese Joint Declaration of 1956 , which also restored full diplomatic relations between them. World War I had radically altered
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#17327874455048216-458: The 14 most senior regiments were to be retained as cavalry (though the Lovat Scouts and the Scottish Horse were also to remain mounted as "scouts"). Eight regiments were converted to Armoured Car Companies of the Royal Tank Corps (RTC), one was reduced to a battery in another regiment, one was absorbed into a local infantry battalion, one became a signals regiment and two were disbanded. The remaining 25 regiments were converted to brigades of
8374-526: The 2/4th Battalion on 8 April 1918 at Ipswich. The 2/7th Battalion was formed at Alnwick on 26 September 1914 and assigned to the 188th (2/1st Northumberland) Brigade, 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division in January 1915. In January 1917 the battalion moved to Egypt as a garrison battalion. It was disbanded on 15 September 1919. The 3rd Line battalions were formed in June 1915 at Hexham (3/4th), Newcastle (3/5th and 3/6th) and Alnwick (3/7th). On 8 April 1916 they became Reserve Battalions at Catterick :
8532-597: The 2/6th Battalion at Newcastle on 28 December 1914. In January 1915 they were assigned to the 188th (2/1st Northumberland) Brigade , 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division at Swalwell Camp near Newcastle. In November 1915, the brigade moved to York and in July 1916 the Division was broken up; the battalions remained with the brigade at York. In November 1916, the battalions were assigned to the 217th Brigade , 72nd Division at Clevedon . They moved to Northampton in January 1917 and to Ipswich in May. The 2/5th and 2/6th Battalions were disbanded on 6 and 5 December 1917 and
8690-446: The 2nd Reserve battalions, they became part of the Training Reserve on 1 September 1916. Almost all Territorial Force battalions had formed a 3rd Line – designated with the fractional 3/ – by June 1915; they supplied reinforcements to their parent 1st and 2nd Lines. In the autumn of 1915 they were brought together in 14 Third Line Groups, one for each of the pre-war T.F. divisions – those of
8848-421: The 3/4th Battalion was redesignated as 4th (Reserve) Battalion , 3/5th as 5th (Reserve) , 3/6th as 6th (Reserve) , and 3/7th as 7th (Reserve) . On 1 September 1916, the 4th (Reserve) Battalion absorbed the other three. After March 1917 it was at Atwick , Hornsea , to South Dalton in early 1918 and by July 1918 was at Rowlston (near Hornsea) where it remained in the Northumbrian Reserve Infantry Brigade until
9006-406: The 3rd (Militia) Battalion and the rifle volunteers formed the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Volunteer Battalions of the regiment. Further reforms by Haldane in 1908 saw the militia transferred to a new " Special Reserve " as "Reserve" – 3rd battalions – or "Extra Reserve" – 4th and subsequent – battalions. The volunteer battalions were renumbered in
9164-445: The 69 line infantry regiments raised one battalion for the First (K1) and for the Second New Armies (K2) designated as Service battalions and numbered after the existing Territorial Force battalions (so 8th and 9th (Service) Battalions for the Northumberland Fusiliers). This rigid structure did not take account of the differing ability of regiments to raise troops based upon the population of their recruiting areas. Therefore,
9322-618: The 8th – 14th battalions. The introduction of conscription caused a reorganisation of the reserve battalions as the regimental system could not cope with the number of new recruits. A new, centralized, system was put in place, called The Training Reserve . On 1 September 1916, the 15th Battalion became part of the new organisation. The locally recruited Service battalions of the Fifth and Sixth New Armies – the Pals battalions – formed depot companies and in 1915 these were grouped into Local Reserve battalions to provide reinforcements for their parents. Like
9480-492: The 8th – 14th battalions. In September 1916, it was absorbed by the other Training Reserve battalions of the 1st Reserve Brigade. The 16th was a Pals battalion , raised in Newcastle in September 1914 by the Newcastle and Gateshead Chamber of Commerce. It was taken over be the War Office in April 1915 and in June 1915, the 16th (Newcastle) Battalion was assigned to the 96th Brigade , 32nd Division at Catterick . On 22 November 1915, it landed at Boulogne and remained on
9638-409: The Allies were attempting to cut off . Denmark capitulated after six hours , and despite Allied support , Norway was conquered within two months. British discontent over the Norwegian campaign led to the resignation of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain , who was replaced by Winston Churchill on 10 May 1940. On the same day, Germany launched an offensive against France . To circumvent
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#17327874455049796-400: The Axis war against the Soviet Union, in Romania's case partially to recapture territory ceded to the Soviet Union . In early June 1940, the Italian Regia Aeronautica attacked and besieged Malta , a British possession. From late summer to early autumn, Italy conquered British Somaliland and made an incursion into British-held Egypt . In October, Italy attacked Greece , but the attack
9954-421: The Blitz , but largely ended in May 1941 after failing to significantly disrupt the British war effort. Using newly captured French ports, the German Navy enjoyed success against an over-extended Royal Navy , using U-boats against British shipping in the Atlantic . The British Home Fleet scored a significant victory on 27 May 1941 by sinking the German battleship Bismarck . In November 1939,
10112-454: The Counties form a force of Volunteer Yeoman Cavalry that could be called upon by the King to defend the country against invasion or by the Lord Lieutenant to subdue any civil disorder within the country. However, it was not until 1819 that The Newcastle Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry was raised. Shortly afterward, in 1831, the regiment was used against its own countrymen, putting down the miners' strikes of that year. In 1849 an Army Riding School
10270-405: The European Axis declaring war on the US. Japan conquered much of coastal China and Southeast Asia , but its advances in the Pacific were halted in mid-1942 after its defeat in the naval Battle of Midway ; Germany and Italy were defeated in North Africa and at Stalingrad in the Soviet Union. Key setbacks in 1943—including German defeats on the Eastern Front, the Allied invasions of Sicily and
10428-402: The First World War and have no known grave, are commemorated on panel 5 of the Menin Gate . A fifth, Shoeing Smith G. Stephenson, was added to Panel 60 in 2017. Post war, a commission was set up to consider the shape of the Territorial Force ( Territorial Army from 1 October 1921). The experience of the First World War made it clear that cavalry was surfeit. The commission decided that only
10586-407: The French Territorials in the Franco-Prussian War – and did not make use of the framework envisioned by Haldane. He launched his appeal for 100,000 volunteers on 7 August 1914 to form a New Army of six divisions (and support units) and within a few days this target had been reached; by the end of September, half a million volunteers had come forward to form the New Armies. Each of
10744-410: The French possessions of Syria and Lebanon , assisted by the Free French . With the situation in Europe and Asia relatively stable, Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union made preparations for war. With the Soviets wary of mounting tensions with Germany, and the Japanese planning to take advantage of the European War by seizing resource-rich European possessions in Southeast Asia , the two powers signed
10902-426: The Germans, and the last large operational unit of the Polish Army surrendered on 6 October . Despite the military defeat, Poland never surrendered; instead, it formed the Polish government-in-exile and a clandestine state apparatus remained in occupied Poland. A significant part of Polish military personnel evacuated to Romania and Latvia; many of them later fought against the Axis in other theatres of
11060-405: The Humber Garrison. Along with the Special Reserve battalions, the T.F. Reserve battalions remained as regimental reserves. New recruits were posted to them first until they were up to strength, then to the Training Reserve. When drafts were needed for the overseas units, they were taken first from the regimental reserves; if there were insufficient trained replacements then recourse was made to
11218-443: The Lord Mayor and City on 14 October (1st), 26 September (2nd), 5 November (3rd) and 16 November 1914 (4th). In March 1915 they moved to Alnwick and together they formed 102nd (Tyneside Scottish) Brigade , 34th Division in June 1915. They were taken over by the War Office on 15 August 1915, moved to Salisbury Plain at the end of the month and crossed to France in January 1916. Due to extremely heavy casualties suffered during
11376-512: The Nationalists. Both Germany and the Soviet Union used this proxy war as an opportunity to test in combat their most advanced weapons and tactics. The Nationalists won the civil war in April 1939; Franco, now dictator, remained officially neutral during World War II but generally favoured the Axis . His greatest collaboration with Germany was the sending of volunteers to fight on the Eastern Front . In July 1937, Japan captured
11534-533: The Northumberland Fusiliers gained the 51st (Graduated) , 52nd (Graduated) and 53rd (Young Soldier) Battalions . A number of reserve battalions served during the war. They recruited and trained drafts for the active service units and were designated by use of (Reserve) after the battalion number. These had a number of different origins and had a variety of fates. The Childers Reforms of 1881 created regimental districts, each allocated
11692-729: The Northumberland Fusiliers joining the Northumbrian Third Line Group, along with those of the East Yorkshire Regiment , the Green Howards , and the Durham Light Infantry . In April 1916 they dropped the fractional designation and became Reserve Battalions T.F. On 1 September 1916 the reserve territorial battalions of each regiment were amalgamated into a single unit (or two units in certain large regiments, for example
11850-512: The Northumberland Hussars wore the standard khaki service dress with regimental insignia for nearly all occasions. Second World War Asia-Pacific Mediterranean and Middle East Other campaigns Coups World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers . Nearly all
12008-511: The Royal Navy putting three Italian battleships out of commission after a carrier attack at Taranto , and neutralising several more warships at the Battle of Cape Matapan . Italian defeats prompted Germany to deploy an expeditionary force to North Africa; at the end of March 1941, Rommel 's Afrika Korps launched an offensive which drove back Commonwealth forces. In less than a month, Axis forces advanced to western Egypt and besieged
12166-602: The Soviet Union occupied the entire territories of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as the Romanian regions of Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina, and the Hertsa region . In August 1940, Hitler imposed the Second Vienna Award on Romania which led to the transfer of Northern Transylvania to Hungary. In September 1940, Bulgaria demanded Southern Dobruja from Romania with German and Italian support, leading to
12324-815: The Soviet Union , opening the Eastern Front and initially making large territorial gains. Japan aimed to dominate East Asia and the Asia-Pacific , and by 1937 was at war with the Republic of China . In December 1941, Japan attacked American and British territories in Southeast Asia and the Central Pacific , including Pearl Harbor in Hawaii , which resulted in the US and the UK declaring war against Japan, and
12482-641: The Soviet Union and Mongolia . The Japanese doctrine of Hokushin-ron , which emphasised Japan's expansion northward, was favoured by the Imperial Army during this time. This policy would prove difficult to maintain in light of the Japanese defeat at Khalkin Gol in 1939, the ongoing Second Sino-Japanese War and ally Nazi Germany pursuing neutrality with the Soviets. Japan and the Soviet Union eventually signed
12640-756: The Soviet Union should be eliminated and aimed for the conquest of Ukraine , the Baltic states and Byelorussia . However, other senior German officials like Ribbentrop saw an opportunity to create a Euro-Asian bloc against the British Empire by inviting the Soviet Union into the Tripartite Pact. In November 1940, negotiations took place to determine if the Soviet Union would join the pact. The Soviets showed some interest but asked for concessions from Finland, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Japan that Germany considered unacceptable. On 18 December 1940, Hitler issued
12798-660: The Training Reserve. The 1st Battalion was a regular army battalion, stationed in Portsmouth at the outbreak of World War I. It was assigned to the 9th Brigade , 3rd Infantry Division and remained with it throughout the war. It landed at Le Havre on 14 August 1914 and remained on the Western Front until the Armistice with Germany . It fought in the following major battles: The 2nd Battalion
12956-402: The US dropped the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August. Faced with an imminent invasion of the Japanese archipelago , the possibility of further atomic bombings, and the Soviet declaration of war against Japan and its invasion of Manchuria , Japan announced its unconditional surrender on 15 August and signed a surrender document on 2 September 1945 , marking
13114-581: The United Kingdom and France guaranteed their support for Polish independence ; when Italy conquered Albania in April 1939, the same guarantee was extended to the Kingdoms of Romania and Greece . Shortly after the Franco - British pledge to Poland, Germany and Italy formalised their own alliance with the Pact of Steel . Hitler accused the United Kingdom and Poland of trying to "encircle" Germany and renounced
13272-489: The United Kingdom attacked on 3 July in an attempt to prevent its seizure by Germany. The air Battle of Britain began in early July with Luftwaffe attacks on shipping and harbours . The German campaign for air superiority started in August but its failure to defeat RAF Fighter Command forced the indefinite postponement of the proposed German invasion of Britain . The German strategic bombing offensive intensified with night attacks on London and other cities in
13430-461: The United Kingdom. The Germans turned south against the weakened French army, and Paris fell to them on 14 June. Eight days later France signed an armistice with Germany ; it was divided into German and Italian occupation zones , and an unoccupied rump state under the Vichy Regime , which, though officially neutral, was generally aligned with Germany. France kept its fleet, which
13588-660: The United States was assisting China and the Western Allies, and had amended the Neutrality Act to allow "cash and carry" purchases by the Allies. In 1940, following the German capture of Paris, the size of the United States Navy was significantly increased . In September the United States further agreed to a trade of American destroyers for British bases . Still, a large majority of the American public continued to oppose any direct military intervention in
13746-421: The Western Front until 7 February 1918 when it was disbanded at Elverdinghe . Its personnel were transferred to the T.F. battalions: A Company to 1/4th , B Company to 1/5th and C Company to 1/6th in 50th Division, D Company to 1/7th in 42nd Division and the remainder to the 13th Entrenching Battalion. The battalion fought in the following battles: The 17th Battalion was also a Pals battalion, raised by
13904-606: The Yellow River ; this manoeuvre bought time for the Chinese to prepare their defences at Wuhan , but the city was taken by October. Japanese military victories did not bring about the collapse of Chinese resistance that Japan had hoped to achieve; instead, the Chinese government relocated inland to Chongqing and continued the war. In the mid-to-late 1930s, Japanese forces in Manchukuo had sporadic border clashes with
14062-476: The battalions could train recruits and send drafts to the first three New Armies. The regiment raised the 15th (Reserve) Battalion in this manner. While the first four New Armies were being raised, a number of units were also being raised by committees in cities and towns, and by other organizations and individuals – the Pals battalions . These were housed, clothed and fed by their committees until
14220-510: The capital Nanking in December 1937. After the fall of Nanking, tens or hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed combatants were murdered by the Japanese . In March 1938, Nationalist Chinese forces won their first major victory at Taierzhuang , but then the city of Xuzhou was taken by the Japanese in May. In June 1938, Chinese forces stalled the Japanese advance by flooding
14378-403: The conflict well into 1941. In December 1940, Roosevelt accused Hitler of planning world conquest and ruled out any negotiations as useless, calling for the United States to become an " arsenal of democracy " and promoting Lend-Lease programmes of military and humanitarian aid to support the British war effort; Lend-Lease was later extended to the other Allies, including the Soviet Union after it
14536-399: The country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service . Therefore, TF units were split into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line ( home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. 2nd Line units performed the home defence role, although in fact most of these were also posted abroad in due course. Later,
14694-526: The creation of a " New Roman Empire ". Adolf Hitler , after an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the German government in 1923, eventually became the Chancellor of Germany in 1933 when Paul von Hindenburg and the Reichstag appointed him. Following Hindenburg's death in 1934, Hitler proclaimed himself Führer of Germany and abolished democracy, espousing a radical, racially motivated revision of
14852-654: The directive to prepare for an invasion of the Soviet Union. List of Northumberland Fusiliers battalions in World War I#9 This is a list of Northumberland Fusiliers battalions in World War I . When the First World War broke out in August 1914, the Northumberland Fusiliers , a fusilier infantry regiment of the British Army , consisted of 7 battalions , eventually expanding to 52 battalions, although not all existed at
15010-757: The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian Empires. To prevent a future world war, the League of Nations was established in 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference . The organisation's primary goals were to prevent armed conflict through collective security, military, and naval disarmament , as well as settling international disputes through peaceful negotiations and arbitration. Despite strong pacifist sentiment after World War I , irredentist and revanchist nationalism had emerged in several European states. These sentiments were especially marked in Germany because of
15168-699: The duplication of the Territorial Force battalions and the formation of Kitchener's New Armies . Of the 45 battalions raised during the war, 10 were Territorial Force and 27 were New Army. In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 ( 7 Edw. 7 , c.9 ) which brought the Territorial Force into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside
15326-662: The end of May completed the German conquest of the Balkans. Partisan warfare subsequently broke out against the Axis occupation of Yugoslavia , which continued until the end of the war. In the Middle East in May, Commonwealth forces quashed an uprising in Iraq which had been supported by German aircraft from bases within Vichy-controlled Syria . Between June and July, British-led forces invaded and occupied
15484-405: The end of the war. It was disbanded at Newcastle on 27 June 1919. The battalion took part in the following battles with 32nd Division: and with 52nd Division: The 18th Battalion was a Pals battalion raised in Newcastle on 15 October 1914 by the Lord Mayor and City. On 8 February 1915 it became a Pioneer Battalion and in July joined 34th Division at Kirkby Malzeard . It was taken over by
15642-514: The end of the war. It was disbanded on 17 April 1919 at Rowlston. The 8th (Service) Battalion was formed at Newcastle on 19 August 1914. as part of Kitchener's First New Army – K1 – and was assigned to the 34th Brigade , 11th (Northern) Division at Grantham . In July 1915 it departed for the Mediterranean and landed at Gallipoli on 7 August. In January 1916 it moved to Egypt where it formed part of
15800-463: The end of the war. World War II changed the political alignment and social structure of the world, and it set the foundation of international relations for the rest of the 20th century and into the 21st century. The United Nations was established to foster international cooperation and prevent conflicts, with the victorious great powers—China, France, the Soviet Union, the UK, and the US—becoming
15958-402: The end of the war. Following the conversion, the regiment was unofficially considered to be a Royal Horse Artillery unit. In April 1941, the 'Hussars', and other elements from the 2nd Support Group, joined the 1st Armoured Brigade for Operation Lustre , (the move to Greece). At this time, the regiment had a strength of 578 men, 168 vehicles and 48 x 2pdrs. After their arrival, the regiment
16116-575: The first step of what its government saw as the country's right to rule Asia , staged the Mukden incident as a pretext to invade Manchuria and establish the puppet state of Manchukuo . China appealed to the League of Nations to stop the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. Japan withdrew from the League of Nations after being condemned for its incursion into Manchuria. The two nations then fought several battles, in Shanghai , Rehe and Hebei , until
16274-521: The first three New Armies (K1, K2 and K3). The divisions were broken up on 10 April 1915; the infantry brigades and battalions became reserve formations and the other divisional troops were transferred to the divisions of the Fifth and Sixth New Armies. 15th (Service) Battalion became a 2nd Reserve battalion and was redesignated as 15th (Reserve) Battalion . It remained in 89th Brigade which now became 1st Reserve Brigade . It provided replacements for
16432-419: The first three New Armies meant that they were broken up and the infantry battalions were used to provide and train reinforcements. On 10 April 1915, the infantry battalions became reserve formations to be known as 2nd Reserve battalions (in the sense that they were second to the original Reserve and Extra Reserve battalions). The 15th Battalion became the 15th (Reserve) Battalion and provided replacements for
16590-428: The following battles with 17th Division: with the 34th Division: and with the 61st Division: The 10th and 11th (Service) Battalions were formed at Newcastle on 22 September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Third New Army – K3 – and were assigned to the 68th Brigade , 23rd Division at Bullswater, near Frensham . In August 1915 they moved to the Western Front and in November 1917 to
16748-661: The formation of 'D' Squadron (The Northumberland Hussars) at Fox Barracks in Cramlington , Northumberland in 1986: the squadron was equipped with Fox armoured reconnaissance vehicles . In 1999 'D' Squadron and Headquarters Squadron amalgamated to form 'D' Squadron, (The Northumberland Hussars) at Fenham Barracks and the amalgamated squadron was equipped with CVR(T) Sabre and then FV107 Scimitar Tracked Armoured Reconnaissance vehicles. Then 'D' Squadron changed its name with Army 2020 to form command and support Squadron (The Northumberland Hussars) Queen's Own Yeomanry, equipped with
16906-510: The formation of the TAVR in 1967, the regiment was reduced to cadre strength at the Barrack Road drill hall in 1969. The unit was then reformed as Headquarters Squadron (The Northumberland Hussars), the Queen's Own Yeomanry at Fenham Barracks , Newcastle upon Tyne and equipped with Ferret and Alvis Saracen Armoured Cars in 1971. The Northumberland Hussars designation was preserved on
17064-412: The formation of the 2nd Line battalion in December 1914 – was identical to that of the 4th Battalion. This history of the 7th Battalion – redesignated as 1/7th Battalion with the formation of the 2nd Line battalion in September 1914 – was identical to that of the 4th Battalion until February 1918. British divisions on the Western Front were reduced from
17222-864: The former Chinese imperial capital of Peking after instigating the Marco Polo Bridge incident , which culminated in the Japanese campaign to invade all of China. The Soviets quickly signed a non-aggression pact with China to lend materiel support, effectively ending China's prior cooperation with Germany . From September to November, the Japanese attacked Taiyuan , engaged the Kuomintang Army around Xinkou , and fought Communist forces in Pingxingguan . Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek deployed his best army to defend Shanghai , but after three months of fighting, Shanghai fell. The Japanese continued to push Chinese forces back, capturing
17380-419: The highly experienced 50th Infantry Division set sail for England, arriving at Liverpool on 5 November 1943; the regiment had returned to the UK after an absence of almost three years. The Northumberland Hussars were, by this stage, a very experienced unit with six major battles, including two amphibious landings under their belts. They were an obvious choice to be placed at the forefront of Operation Overlord ,
17538-479: The independent 56th , which had been attached to the division for the assault) would continue the push inland, supported by the 8th Armoured Brigade and the rest of the anti-tank units. The 50th Infantry Division was considered to have performed very well in Normandy; out of the three divisions that were veterans of the desert (the others being 7th Armoured Division and 51st (Highland) Infantry Division ), it
17696-525: The invasion of the Ethiopian Empire (also known as Abyssinia ) by the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy ( Regno d'Italia ), which was launched from Italian Somaliland and Eritrea . The war resulted in the military occupation of Ethiopia and its annexation into the newly created colony of Italian East Africa ( Africa Orientale Italiana , or AOI); in addition it exposed the weakness of
17854-659: The main theatre of war , engaged in static trench warfare on the Western Front in Belgium and France , but also participated in fighting on the Macedonian front , the Gallipoli Campaign , the Sinai and Palestine Campaign and the Italian Front . At the outbreak of the First World War , the Northumberland Fusiliers consisted of seven battalions: The expansion in battalions mostly came through two sources:
18012-497: The other two were light anti-aircraft (LAA) batteries. Following conversion, the regiment joined the 2nd Armoured Division 's 2nd Support Group . In October 1940, the division set sail for the Middle East, arriving in the new year. Two months later, the 'Hussars' converted to a three-battery anti-tank regiment, with one LAA battery re-equipping with 2-pdrs and the other, 'A' Battery, transferring to 25th LAA Regiment , in which it served as 274 (Northumberland Hussars) LAA Battery until
18170-502: The permanent members of its security council . The Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers , setting the stage for the Cold War . In the wake of European devastation, the influence of its great powers waned, triggering the decolonisation of Africa and Asia . Most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery and expansion . World War II began in Europe on 1 September 1939 with
18328-589: The political European map with the defeat of the Central Powers —including Austria-Hungary , Germany , Bulgaria , and the Ottoman Empire —and the 1917 Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia , which led to the founding of the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, the victorious Allies of World War I , such as France, Belgium, Italy, Romania, and Greece, gained territory, and new nation-states were created out of
18486-599: The port of Tobruk . By late March 1941, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia signed the Tripartite Pact ; however, the Yugoslav government was overthrown two days later by pro-British nationalists. Germany and Italy responded with simultaneous invasions of both Yugoslavia and Greece , commencing on 6 April 1941; both nations were forced to surrender within the month. The airborne invasion of the Greek island of Crete at
18644-414: The regiment as a training unit until the end of the war. On 8 October 1914, each Reserve and Extra Reserve battalion of the line infantry regiments were instructed to form a Service battalion. The battalions thus raised, including the 15th (Service) Battalion , were used to form the divisions of Kitchener's Fourth New Army . The divisions were never fully formed; the need for trained reinforcements for
18802-565: The regiment began re-equipping and was brought back up to strength with men from the 106th (Lancashire Hussars) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery , which unit had been suspended due to losses incurred in the fighting on Crete. In addition, the Fourth Rhodesian Anti-Tank Battery, Southern Rhodesia Artillery was incorporated into the regiment as D Battery for the remainder of the North Africa campaign. The 102nd
18960-590: The regiment was split up This lasted until May 1916, when the squadrons were reunited in France to act as the Cavalry unit for XIII Corps . The regiment would then move between Corps , being attached to the VIII Corps in August 1917, III Corps in November 1917 and, finally, XII Corps in October 1918 where it remained until the end of the war. The 2nd Line regiment was formed in October 1914. In April 1916,
19118-473: The regiment was split up: In February 1917, the regiment reassembled and, on 19 March 1917, it moved to France, where it constituted XIX Corps Cavalry Regiment a few days later. It was the only 2nd Line Yeomanry regiment to be posted overseas on active service in the First World War. On 28 August 1917, the regiment moved to Étaples for infantry training; this completed on 25 September, at which time
19276-639: The regiment wore a dark blue review order modelled on that of the regular hussar regiments of the British Army. However the six bands of braid across the front of the tunic were silver for officers and white for other ranks. Officers had red morocco shoulder belts, while troopers wore leather bandoliers. The historic fur busbies , with white over red plumes, were issued to all ranks for special occasions such as coronation parades. Dark blue overalls (tight fitting cavalry trousers) with double white stripes were worn for off duty wear and dismounted parades. After 1914
19434-455: The regulars – thus 3rd (Millitia) Battalion, 4th (Millitia) Battalion, etc. – and the volunteers in a separate sequence – 1st Volunteer Battalion, 2nd Volunteer Battalion, etc. As the 5th (Northumberland) (Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot already had two battalions, it simply became the Northumberland Fusiliers as the county regiment of Northumberland . The Northumberland Light Infantry Militia became
19592-722: The remainder of Czechoslovakia and subsequently split it into the German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and a pro-German client state , the Slovak Republic . Hitler also delivered an ultimatum to Lithuania on 20 March 1939, forcing the concession of the Klaipėda Region , formerly the German Memelland . Greatly alarmed and with Hitler making further demands on the Free City of Danzig ,
19750-494: The same sequence as the regulars and millitia. Hence, the 3rd (Millitia) Battalion became the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion and the volunteers became the 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers. Almost all of the Special Reserve battalions remained in the United Kingdom throughout the war, training replacements and providing drafts to the regular battalions. The 3rd (Reserve) Battalion remained part of
19908-502: The same time, of which 29 served overseas. It was the second largest infantry regiment of the British Army during World War I , surpassed only by the 88 battalions of the London Regiment . The Northumberland Fusiliers earned 67 battle honours and was awarded five Victoria Crosses , but at the cost of over 16,000 soldiers killed in action , and many thousands wounded . The Northumberland Fusiliers mostly saw action in
20066-462: The significant territorial, colonial, and financial losses imposed by the Treaty of Versailles . Under the treaty, Germany lost around 13 percent of its home territory and all its overseas possessions , while German annexation of other states was prohibited, reparations were imposed, and limits were placed on the size and capability of the country's armed forces . The German Empire was dissolved in
20224-498: The start or prelude to World War II. The exact date of the war's end also is not universally agreed upon. It was generally accepted at the time that the war ended with the armistice of 15 August 1945 ( V-J Day ), rather than with the formal surrender of Japan on 2 September 1945, which officially ended the war in Asia . A peace treaty between Japan and the Allies was signed in 1951. A 1990 treaty regarding Germany's future allowed
20382-593: The strong Maginot Line fortifications on the Franco-German border, Germany directed its attack at the neutral nations of Belgium , the Netherlands , and Luxembourg . The Germans carried out a flanking manoeuvre through the Ardennes region, which was mistakenly perceived by the Allies as an impenetrable natural barrier against armoured vehicles. By successfully implementing new Blitzkrieg tactics,
20540-439: The summer of 1915, personnel of 2nd and 3rd line battalions who had not volunteered for overseas service were formed into Provisional Battalions . They were used to form Provisional Brigades and later Home Service divisions ( 71st , 72nd , and 73rd Divisions ); on 1 January 1917 they became numbered battalions of line infantry regiments. In the case of the Northumberland Fusiliers, the 21st and 22nd Provisional Battalions became
20698-415: The two wars became World War II in 1941. Other proposed starting dates for World War II include the Italian invasion of Abyssinia on 3 October 1935. The British historian Antony Beevor views the beginning of World War II as the Battles of Khalkhin Gol fought between Japan and the forces of Mongolia and the Soviet Union from May to September 1939. Others view the Spanish Civil War as
20856-482: The unit amalgamated with the 9th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers as the 9th (Northumberland Hussars) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers . The 3rd Line regiment was formed at Gosforth Park in February 1915 and then move to Stocksfield-on-Tyne . In the summer, it was affiliated to the 5th Reserve Cavalry Regiment at York . In January 1917, it was absorbed into the 5th Reserve Cavalry Regiment at Tidworth . Four Northumberland Hussars, who died in
21014-440: The unit landed at Suda on the island of Crete . However, some elements were evacuated to Alexandria. On the island, they were equipped with rifles and tasked to fight as infantry on the Akrotiri Peninsula between Canea and Suda. On 15 May, they again came under air attack; 11 German gliders also landed in the regimental area. By 26 May, the peninsula was under allied control and the gliders had all been destroyed. On 27 May,
21172-455: The war and were posted to the Tyne Defences. The 4th Battalion was redesignated as 1/4th Battalion with the formation of the 2nd Line battalion in November 1914. In April 1915, the brigade was posted to France and on 14 May was redesignated as 149th (Northumberland) Brigade in 50th (Northumbrian) Division . On 15 July 1918, the battalion was reduced in strength to a cadre and transferred to Lines of Communication duties. On 16 August 1918, it
21330-409: The war as part of the Tyne Garrison and provided drafts to the regular (1st and 2nd) battalions. The battalion was disembodied on 29 July 1919 (personnel transferred to the 1st Battalion on 12 July) but was not formally disbanded until April 1953. In peacetime, the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Battalions formed the Northumberland Brigade , Northumbrian Division . They were mobilised on the outbreak of
21488-407: The war were not fulfilled in the peace settlement. From 1922 to 1925, the Fascist movement led by Benito Mussolini seized power in Italy with a nationalist, totalitarian , and class collaborationist agenda that abolished representative democracy, repressed socialist, left-wing, and liberal forces, and pursued an aggressive expansionist foreign policy aimed at making Italy a world power, promising
21646-475: The war. Germany annexed western Poland and occupied central Poland ; the Soviet Union annexed eastern Poland ; small shares of Polish territory were transferred to Lithuania and Slovakia . On 6 October, Hitler made a public peace overture to the United Kingdom and France but said that the future of Poland was to be determined exclusively by Germany and the Soviet Union. The proposal was rejected and Hitler ordered an immediate offensive against France, which
21804-404: The west halted the German advance for several days, but it was outflanked and encircled by the Wehrmacht . Remnants of the Polish army broke through to besieged Warsaw . On 17 September 1939, two days after signing a cease-fire with Japan , the Soviet Union invaded Poland under the supposed pretext that the Polish state had ceased to exist. On 27 September, the Warsaw garrison surrendered to
21962-483: The world order , and soon began a massive rearmament campaign . France, seeking to secure its alliance with Italy, allowed Italy a free hand in Ethiopia , which Italy desired as a colonial possession. The situation was aggravated in early 1935 when the Territory of the Saar Basin was legally reunited with Germany, and Hitler repudiated the Treaty of Versailles, accelerated his rearmament programme, and introduced conscription. The United Kingdom, France and Italy formed
22120-439: The world's countries —including all the great powers —participated, with many investing all available economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities in pursuit of total war , blurring the distinction between military and civilian resources. Tanks and aircraft played major roles , with the latter enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and delivery of the only two nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II
22278-554: Was invaded by Germany. The United States started strategic planning to prepare for a full-scale offensive against Germany. At the end of September 1940, the Tripartite Pact formally united Japan, Italy, and Germany as the Axis powers . The Tripartite Pact stipulated that any country—with the exception of the Soviet Union—that attacked any Axis Power would be forced to go to war against all three. The Axis expanded in November 1940 when Hungary , Slovakia , and Romania joined. Romania and Hungary later made major contributions to
22436-457: Was a regular army battalion, stationed in Sabathu , India as part of the 9th ( Sirhind ) Brigade, 3rd (Lahore) Division at the outbreak of World War I. It departed Karachi on 20 November 1914, arrived at Plymouth on 22 December and proceeded to Winchester where it joined the 84th Brigade , 28th Division . It moved to the Western Front in January 1915 and on to the Salonika front in November. In June 1918, it left 28th Division and
22594-456: Was assigned to the 118th Brigade , 39th Division . It was disbanded on 10 November 1918. It took part in the following battles with 50th Division: This history of the 5th Battalion – redesignated as 1/5th Battalion with the formation of the 2nd Line battalion in November 1914 – was identical to that of the 4th Battalion. This history of the 6th Battalion – redesignated as 1/6th Battalion with
22752-403: Was attached to the 7th Armoured Division for Operation Crusader , in November 1941. By February 1942, the 'Hussars' had moved to the 1st Armoured Division , with whom they participated in the Battle of Gazala . In October 1942, they became part of the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division , with whom they took part in the Second Battle of El Alamein and fought in Sicily . In October 1943,
22910-454: Was considered to have performed the best. It was one of the driving forces behind the British advance, but was exhausted by the end of the battle. It later played a minor role in Operation Market Garden , where the 231st Infantry Brigade was detached to help support the advance of the Guards Armoured Division . In December 1944, when the rest of the division returned to Britain, the Northumberland Hussars remained in Northern Europe as part of
23068-476: Was deployed to hold the Metamorphos Pass in conjunction with the Greek Horse Artillery. On 22 April, they were subjected to dive bombing and tank attacks. Together with their New Zealand allies, the 'Hussars' acted as a rearguard. After a 12-hour battle and a 160-mile march through the night, they reached Athens on 25 April. The next day, they headed off to the nearby Rafina Beach and waited to be evacuated, having by now destroyed their guns and equipment. Most of
23226-411: Was disbanded on 16 July 1919 in France. It took part in the following battles: The 15th (Service) Battalion was formed at Darlington in October 1914, as part of Kitchener's original Fourth New Army – K4 – and was assigned to the 89th Brigade , 30th Division . The Fourth New Army was not fully formed when the decision was made to use it to provide replacements for
23384-454: Was established in Northumberland Road for the use of the regiment. In 1876, the regiment was renamed the Northumberland (Hussars) Yeomanry Cavalry . The Yeomanry was not intended to serve overseas, but due to the string of defeats during Black Week in December 1899, the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army. A Royal Warrant was issued on 24 December 1899 to allow volunteer forces to serve in
23542-405: Was formed at Newcastle on 22 September 1914, also as part of Kitchener's Third New Army – K3 – and was assigned to the 21st Division at Halton Park , initially as Army Troops, but from February 1915 as a Pioneer Battalion . It moved to France in September 1915 where it remained with 21st Division on the Western Front for the rest of the war. The 14th Battalion
23700-464: Was formed in April 1918 to replace the 36th Battalion when it moved to the Western Front . The 38th Battalion was formed in June 1918, but was absorbed into the 22nd Battalion before the end of the month. The regiment raised three Garrison Battalions ( 1st , 2nd , and 3rd ) of officers and men unfit for active service but considered fit for garrison duty at home and overseas, thereby releasing fitter troops for front line service. In May 1917,
23858-424: Was on the strategically important Bayeux – Caen road. The 231st Brigade would be supported by the 234th SP and 288th batteries. The 198th SP Battery was scheduled to land six hours after the first assault. Once the leading brigades had secured their objectives, they were to consolidate their position with the help of the 'Hussars' two other batteries. Meanwhile, the follow-up infantry Brigades (the 151st and
24016-403: Was postponed until the spring of 1940 due to bad weather. After the outbreak of war in Poland, Stalin threatened Estonia , Latvia , and Lithuania with military invasion, forcing the three Baltic countries to sign pacts allowing the creation of Soviet military bases in these countries; in October 1939, significant Soviet military contingents were moved there. Finland refused to sign
24174-411: Was reinforced by the 198th and 234th SP A/Tk Batteries (both with 12 M10s), which were detached from XXX Corps 's 73rd Anti-Tank Regiment RA . The 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division was to assault Gold Beach with the 69th and 231st Infantry Brigades . The 69th Brigade, supported by the 99th battery, would land at La Rivière and move south toward Crépon and Creully to Saint-Léger , which
24332-657: Was repulsed with heavy Italian casualties; the campaign ended within months with minor territorial changes. To assist Italy and prevent Britain from gaining a foothold, Germany prepared to invade the Balkans, which would threaten Romanian oil fields and strike against British dominance of the Mediterranean. In December 1940, British Empire forces began counter-offensives against Italian forces in Egypt and Italian East Africa . The offensives were successful; by early February 1941, Italy had lost control of eastern Libya, and large numbers of Italian troops had been taken prisoner. The Italian Navy also suffered significant defeats, with
24490-441: Was required to go through the bureaucracy of the League of Nations, which rendered it essentially toothless. The United States, concerned with events in Europe and Asia, passed the Neutrality Act in August of the same year. Hitler defied the Versailles and Locarno Treaties by remilitarising the Rhineland in March 1936, encountering little opposition due to the policy of appeasement . In October 1936, Germany and Italy formed
24648-420: Was taken over by the War Office in August 1915, and landed at Havre on 29 January 1916 with 35th Division. It remained with the 35th Division as Pioneers on the Western Front for the rest of the war. 19th Battalion was disbanded on 30 April 1919 at Ripon . The 35th Division was involved in the following battles: The 1st – 4th Tyneside Scottish Battalions were Pals battalions raised in Newcastle by
24806-480: Was the deadliest conflict in history, resulting in 70 to 85 million deaths , more than half being civilians. Millions died in genocides , including the Holocaust of European Jews, as well as from massacres, starvation, and disease. Following the Allied powers' victory, Germany , Austria , Japan , and Korea were occupied, and war crimes tribunals were conducted against German and Japanese leaders . The causes of World War II included unresolved tensions in
24964-419: Was transferred to France where it joined the 150th Brigade , 50th (Northumbrian) Division for the rest of the war. During the war, it fought in the following battles with 28th Division: and with 50th Division: The 3rd Battalion was a Special Reserve battalion based in Newcastle upon Tyne at the outbreak of war. In August 1914 it moved to East Boldon (near Sunderland ) where it remained throughout
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