Yorkshire Regiment

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The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot) (YORKS) is one of the large infantry regiments of the British Army. The regiment is the only line infantry or rifles unit to represent a single geographical county in the new infantry structure, serving as the county regiment of Yorkshire covering the historical areas of: the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Riding of Yorkshire, West Riding of Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and the current county areas of: North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. Though the districts to the east of Barnsley are part of the recruiting area of The Rifles any person who expresses a wish to serve in the Yorkshire Regiment can do so. Some recruits have applied from overseas countries, such as Jamaica, Kenya and Fiji. The same conditions exist for Officers and many actively seek to join it, due to its prominence in the sport of Rugby. The regiment's antecedent units also recruited in areas that are now part of Northumberland, Cumbria, Lancashire and Tameside. The 3rd Battalion (Duke of Wellington's) (formerly the Duke of Wellington's Regiment) was given the Freedom of Mossley in Tameside on (8 July 1967) when Mossley was part of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

[edit] Formation

The regiment's formation was announced on (16 December 2004) by Geoff Hoon and General Sir Mike Jackson as part of the restructuring of the infantry - it was formed from the merger of three regular battalions, plus a TA battalion:

The regiment was officially formed on the (6 June 2006). The TA battalion re-badged in TA Centres on the same day, but later paraded publicly to rebadge in York on Saturday 10 June in the Museum Gardens, York. That same afternoon the affiliated Army Cadet Forces and Combined Cadet Forces detachments (approx 50) rebadged in Imphal Barracks, York.

HRH The Duke of York KG KCVO has been appointed Colonel-in-Chief and His Grace The Duke of Wellington KG LVO OBE MC DL the Deputy Colonel-in-Chief by HM The Queen.

The 1st Battalion, serving as light role infantry, is based at Oxford Barracks in Münster, Germany as Mechanised (light role) infantry in 20 Armoured Brigade. The battalion currently has elements deployed in Iraq and Kosovo. The Battalion Commanding Officer is Lieutenant Colonel JC Price MBE.

The 2nd Battalion, serving as light role infantry, is based at Weeton Barracks in Weeton under the command of 52 Infantry Brigade. This is the first Regimental amalgamation the Green Howards have undergone in their 308 year history. The current Battalion Commanding Officer is Lieutenant Colonel SJ Downey OBE.^[1]

The 3rd Battalion, serving as armoured infantry, is based at Battlesbury Barracks in Warminster, as part of 1 Mechanised Brigade. They retain the set of honorary colours presented to the 76th Foot, for service in India; however, these will only be on parade when the 3rd Battalion is in attendance. This is the only British battalion to carry two stands of colours. The current Battalion Commanding Officer is Lieutenant Colonel AM Pullan.

The 4th Battalion (Territorial Army Reserve Infantry) has its headquarters in Worsley Barracks, York and forms part of 15 (North East) Brigade. The TA Battalion supports the Regular Army on mobilisation and also forms the Civil Contingency Reaction Force (CCRF) in support of the emergency services if required. The headquarter company has also taken onto strength an assault pioneer platoon, based in Scarborough, re-rolled from 'A' Company of the Tyne-Tees Regiment. The battalion has personnel currently deployed on:- OP TELIC (IRAQ), OP OCULUS (BOSNIA) and OP HERRICK (AFGHANISTAN). The current Battalion Commanding Officer is Lieutenant Colonel DK Rhodes TD.

The 4th Battalion carries the four stands of Colours of the antecedent units of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions of The Yorkshire Volunteers clearly demonstrating its recent changing but ultimately circular recent history. All these Colours will be replaced along with the regular battalions Colours in 2010.

[edit] Current operations

[edit] Afghanistan

The 2nd Battalion (Green Howards) of the regiment were deployed to the Helmand Province of Afghanistan in September, 2007 in a Mentoring and Liaison role with the Afghan National Army. Whilst there they took part in the Battle of Musa Qala during which Sgt Lee Johnson was killed shortly after 10am on the (8 December 2007), in the lead up to the operation to retake the town from the Taliban forces, after his Vector armoured vehicle ran over a landmine.^[2] Sgt Johnson had previously received a MID for assisting his Company commander, Major Jake Little, to extract soldiers who were surrounded by Taliban fighters. Major Little was later awarded a Military Cross for his "inspirational leadership" to extract his men.^[3] Acting Sergeant John Cockburn was also awarded a Military Cross for his actions in the same tour of duty.^[4]

The 2nd Battalion returned to their barracks in Weeton, Lancashire during April, 2008 and were presented with their service medals at a parade there on (30 April 2008) ^[5] by Major General Andrew Farquhar, Honorary Colonel of the Battalion, along with Brigadier Andrew Mackay, of 52 Infantry Brigade, and Brigadier Mike Griffiths, of 42 (North West) Brigade.

[edit] Yorkshire Regiment beer

On St George's Day (23 April 2008), Paul and Phil Lee, the owners of the Cropton Brewery & New Inn, released a new beer called Yorkshire Warrior. The beer, which is only available in eight North Yorkshire pubs, was produced to celebrate the proud achievements of the regiment and to commemorate the sacrifices the soldiers and families of the regiment have endured.^[6][7] The information on the bottle label states The full proceeds of the beer sales go directly to the regimental benevolent fund to help support those regimental members who require help following their discharge from the service.

[edit] Battle honours

[edit] Pre 1914

Namur 1695, Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenaarde, Malplaquet, Louisburg, Quebec 1759, Martinique 1762, Havannah, St Lucia 1778, Martinique 1794 and 1809, Tournay, Dettingen, Belle Isle, Hindoostan, Mysore, Seringapatam, Ally Ghur, Delhi 1803, Leswaree, Deig, Corunna, Nive, Peninsula, Guadaloupe 1810, Waterloo, Bhurtpore, Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol, Abyssinia, New Zealand, Tirah, Afghanistan 1879-80, Relief of Ladysmith, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeburg, South Africa 1900-02

[edit] First World War

Mons, Le Cateau, Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914 and 1918, Aisne 1914 and 1918, Armentières 1914, La Bassée 1914, Ypres 1914, 1915, 1917 and 1918, Langemarck 1914 and 1917, Gheluvelt, Nonne Bosschen, Neuve Chapelle, Hill 60, Gravenstafel, St. Julien, Frezenberg, Bellewaarde, Aubers, Festubert, Hooge 1915, Loos, Somme 1916 and 1918, Albert 1916 and 1918, Bazentin, Delville Wood, Pozières, Flers-Courcelette, Morval, Thiepval, Le Transloy, Ancre Heights, Ancre 1916, Arras 1916, 1917 and 1918, Scarpe 1917 and 1918, Arleux, Oppy, Bullecourt, Hill 70, Messines 1917 and 1918, Pilckem, Langemarck 1917, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Cambrai 1917 and 1918, St Quentin, Bapaume 1918, Rosieres, Ancre 1918, Villiers Bretonneux, Lys, Estaires, Hazebrouck, Bailleul, Kemmel, Bethune, Scherpenberg, Marne 1918, Tardenois, Amiens, Drocourt-Quéant, Hindenburg Line, Havrincourt, Epéhy, Canal du Nord, St Quentin Canal, Beaurevoir, Selle, Valenciennes, Sambre, France and Flanders 1914-18, Piave, Vittorio Veneto, Italy 1917-18, Struma, Doiran 1917, Macedonia 1915-1918, Suvla, Landing at Suvla, Scimitar Hill, Gallipoli 1915, Egypt 1915-1916, Archangel 1918.

[edit] Between the Wars

Afghanistan 1919

[edit] Second World War

Otta, Norway 1940, Withdrawal to Escaut, Defence of Arras, French Frontier 1940, Ypres-Comines Canal, Dunkirk 1940, St. Valery-en-Caux, Normandy Landing, Tilly sur Seulles, Odon, Fontenay Le Pesnil, Caen, Bourguebus Ridge, Troarn, Mont Pincon, St Pierre La Vielle, Gheel, Nederrijn, Aam, Venraij, Rhineland, Schaddenhof, Brinkum, Bremen, North-West Europe 1940 and 1944-45, Jebel Defeis, Keren, Ad Teclescan, Abyssinia 1940-41, Gazala, Cauldron, Mersa Matruh, Defence of Alamein Line, El Alamein, Mareth, Wadi ZigZaou, Akarit, North Africa 1940-42, 1942-43 and 1943, Banana Ridge, Medjez Plain, Gueriat el Atach Ridge, Tunis, Djebel Bou Aoukaz 1943, North Africa 1943, Primasole Bridge, Landing in Sicily, Lentini, Sicily 1943, Minturno, Anzio, Campoleone, Rome, Monte Ceco, Italy 1943-44 and 43-45, Sittang 1942, Pegu 1942, Paungde, Yenangyaung 1942, North Arakan, Maungdaw, Defence of Sinzweya, Imphal, Bishenpur, Kanglantonbi, Kohima, Meiktila, Capture of Meiktila, Defence of Meiktila, Rangoon Road, Pyawbwe, Arakan beaches, Chindits 1944, Sittang 1945, Burma 1942-45.

[edit] Post War

Korea 1952-53, The Hook 1953, Iraq 2003

[edit] Alliances

[edit] Order of Precedence

[edit] Lineage

[edit] References

[edit] External links