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North Staffordshire Regiment

October 20, 2023

The North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, which was in existence between 1881 and 1959. The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot was created on 21 April 1758 from the 2nd Battalion of the 11th Regiment of Foot.[2] In 1881, under the Childers Reforms, the 64th Regiment of Foot was merged with the 98th (Prince of Wales's) Regiment of Foot (originally raised in 1824) to form the Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment). In 1921 the regimental title was altered to the North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's).

Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment)
North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's)
Cap badge of the North Staffordshire Regiment.
Active1881–1959
Disbanded31 January 1959
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeInfantry
RoleLine infantry
Garrison/HQWhittington Barracks, Lichfield
Nickname(s)The Black Knots
ColorsMaroon, black and silver
MarchGod Bless the Prince of Wales (slow march)
The Days We Went a'Gypsying (quick march)
Anniversaries31 July, Third Battle of Ypres
Commanders
Colonel of
the Regiment		The Prince of Wales

I have always thought that if one was prepared to take the rough with the smooth they would ultimately balance out, but this has not been the case with the North Staffordshire Regiment, who throughout their history, have had far too much of the rough and far too little of the smooth.

Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks[1]

Formed at a time when the British Empire was reaching its peak, the regiment served all over the Empire, in times of both peace and war, and in many theatres of war outside the Empire. It fought with distinction in World War I and World War II, as well as in other smaller conflicts around the world. These other wars included the Second Sudanese War, the Second Boer War, the Anglo-Irish War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War.

In 1959, as part of a defence review, the North Staffordshire Regiment, by now reduced to only a single regular battalion, was amalgamated with the South Staffordshire Regiment to form the Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's) which was, in 2006, amalgamated with the Cheshire Regiment and the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot) to form the Mercian Regiment. Today the traditions of the North Staffordshire Regiment are continued by the Mercian Regiment.

Formation history Edit

Main articles: 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot and 98th (Prince of Wales's) Regiment of Foot

The Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire) Regiment was formed under the Childers Reforms on 1 July 1881, by the amalgamation of the 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot and 98th (Prince of Wales's) Regiment of Foot.[3] These two regular regiments became, respectively, the 1st and 2nd battalions of the new regiment.[3] The Militia and Rifle Volunteers forces of North Staffordshire were also incorporated into this new regiment, and a permanent depot was established at Whittington Barracks, Lichfield, which also housed the newly formed South Staffordshire Regiment.[4]

The 64th Regiment of Foot was originally raised in 1756 as the 2nd Battalion of the 11th (Devonshire) Foot, and was renumbered the 64th in 1758. It had a long history of overseas service with much less time spent in Europe. It had served in the West Indies during the Seven Years' War, America during the American War of Independence, South America, the West Indies and Canada during the Napoleonic Wars. Subsequent long periods were spent in Ireland and the West Indies before action was seen in India during the Indian Mutiny. At the time of the forming of the amalgamation with the 98th Foot, the 64th was based in Ireland.[5]

The 98th Regiment of Foot, raised in 1824 in Chichester, had a much shorter history, but like the 64th had spent the majority of its time overseas spending a long time in South Africa before seeing action in China in the First Anglo-Chinese (or Opium) War and India on the North West Frontier. It was based in Afghanistan when the amalgamation occurred.[5]

The battalions that constituted the regiment in 1881 were as follows:

Volunteers and Territorials Edit

The 2nd and 5th Staffordshire Rifle Volunteer Corps were designated the 1st and 2nd Volunteer battalions, North Staffordshire Regiment, in 1883. Together with the Volunteer battalions of the South Staffordshire Regiment, they formed the Staffordshire Volunteer Infantry Brigade in 1888. This brigade was intended to assemble at Wolverhampton in time of war, while in peacetime it acted as a focus for collective training of the Volunteers. On the formation of the Territorial Force in 1908, the two Volunteer battalions were renumbered as the 5th and 6th battalions of the North Staffordshire Regiment, forming part of the Staffordshire Brigade in the North Midland Division.[6][7]

The reserve battalions of the regiment were also reorganised in 1908 by the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907, with the two militia battalions being re-designated the 3rd (Special) and 4th (Special Reserve) battalions, and the volunteer battalions being re-designated as Territorial Force and renumbered as the 5th and 6th battalions (TF): they were based at College Road in Hanley and Horninglow Street in Burton upon Trent respectively.[8]

Early service (1881–1914) Edit

Garrison duties and the Mahdist War Edit

 
Officers of the 2nd Battalion, India 1908

The 1st Battalion was stationed in Ireland at the time of the amalgamation. It moved to England in 1883, and the following year to the West Indies, based mainly in Barbados, but with detachments on other islands. It moved to Natal in 1887, to Mauritius in 1890, to Malta in 1893 and to Egypt in 1895. From there the 1st Battalion took part in operations in the Second Sudanese War under Lord Kitchener.[9] During the campaign, the 1st Battalion were based initially at Wadi Halfa but moved to Gemai to avoid a cholera outbreak. In September the battalion took part in the action against the Dervish Army at Hafir, which was decisive in ending the campaign. As a result, the North Staffordshire Regiment received the unique "Hafir" battle honour, given to no other British regiment.[10][11]

Second Boer War Edit

The 2nd Battalion was stationed in India in 1881 when the North Staffordshire Regiment was formed, and remained there until 1886. During this time period, it took part in an expedition to the Zhob Valley in 1884, thus making it the first battalion in the regiment to see active service.[3] In 1886, it returned to England via Aden, and then deployed to Ireland in 1893. In 1899, 2nd Battalion mobilised and moved to South Africa, where it took part in the Second Boer War. Forming part of 15th Brigade in the 7th Division,[12] the majority of the battalion saw little action throughout the conflict, being mostly occupied in garrison duties in Johannesburg in 1900.[13] In 1901, the battalion was part of a mobile column under Brigadier-General Dartnell in the Eastern Transvaal which carried out a scorched earth campaign.[13]

More action was seen by the mounted infantry company of the regiment that had been formed on arrival in South Africa. In January 1900 Lord Roberts, commander of the British forces in South Africa, ordered that every infantry battalion in South Africa was to raise a company of mounted infantry. These companies were to be detached from their parent units and operate as part of eight independent mounted infantry battalions.[14] The North Staffords company thus formed became part of the 8th Battalion, Mounted Infantry. This unit was involved in the pursuit of Koos de la Rey and was present when he was captured at Wildfontein.[15] The militia and volunteer battalions also saw service in the Second Boer War. The 4th Battalion was deployed in the Cape Colony and later the Bechuanaland Protectorate before being replaced by the 3rd Battalion.[16] Additionally, the two volunteer companies which formed from the 1st and 2nd Volunteer battalions served alongside the 2nd Battalion at various times.[17] As a result of these contributions and those of the two regular battalions, the regiment was awarded the "South Africa 1900–1902" battle honour.[18]

At the war's end in June 1902, the 2nd battalion returned to England on the SS Galeka in October that year,[19] but the home posting was brief. In the following year, it returned to India, remaining there until 1919.[20]

Meeting in India Edit

The 1st Battalion was stationed in India from 1897 until 1903. The battalion was divided between barracks in Jhansi and Nowgong until late 1902, when it was reunited at Bombay.[21] The following year, the 1st and 2nd Battalions met for the first time, and no fewer than 590 men from the 1st Battalion were transferred to the 2nd Battalion.[10] Thus 1st Battalion was reduced to a small cadre, which served for nine years upon its return to Lichfield and other stations in England, before moving to Buttevant in Ireland in 1912.[22]

First World War (1914–1918) Edit

The North Staffordshire Regiment was heavily committed to the fighting during the First World War, and over the course of the conflict, was expanded to 18 battalions, some by duplication of the Territorial Force battalions and others, labelled "service" battalions raised as part of Field Marshal Kitchener's New Army. These battalions saw service in a number of theatres including on the Western Front, at Gallipoli, in the Middle East, and India.[23] The following list details the involvement of these battalions:

  • 1st Battalion – served in France from September 1914 until November 1918;
  • 2nd Battalion – served in India throughout the war;
  • 3rd (Reserve) Battalion – operated as a training battalion in the United Kingdom throughout the war;
  • 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion – garrison battalion in Guernsey 1914–1916. Returned to United Kingdom in 1916. Served in France 1917–1918;
  • 1/5th Battalion Territorial Force (TF) – mobilised in 1914, and served in France from 1915 to 1918;
  • 1/6th Battalion TF – mobilised in 1914, served in France from 1915 to 1918;
  • 2/5th Battalion TF – formed in 1914, moved to Ireland in 1916 where it was involved in the Easter Rising, served in France 1917–1918. Merged with 1/5th Battalion in February 1918;
  • 2/6th Battalion TF – formed in 1914, moved to Ireland in 1916 where it was involved in the Easter Rising, served in France 1917–1918. Merged with 1/6th Battalion in July 1918;
  • 3/5th Battalion TF – formed in 1915. Renamed 5th (Reserve) Battalion in April 1916. Served as a training battalion in England 1915–1918;
  • 3/6th Battalion TF – formed in 1915. Renamed 6th (Reserve) Battalion in April 1916. Merged with 5th (Reserve) Battalion in September 1916;
  • 7th (Service) Battalion – formed in 1914. Took part in Gallipoli Campaign July 1915 – January 1916. Evacuated to Egypt. Served in Mesopotamia from February 1916. From July 1918 were part of North Persia Force (Dunsterforce) and ended the war in Baku, Azerbaijan.
  • 8th (Service) Battalion – formed in 1914. Served in France 1915–1918;
  • 9th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers) – formed as a service battalion in 1914. Became a pioneer battalion in 1915. Served in France and Belgium 1915–1919;
  • 10th (Reserve) Battalion – formed as a service battalion in 1914. Became a reserve battalion in 1915. Renamed as 3rd Training Reserve Battalion of 1st Reserve Brigade in 1916;
  • 11th (Reserve) Battalion – formed as a service battalion in 1914. Became a reserve battalion in 1915. Renamed as 4th Training Reserve Battalion of 1st Reserve Brigade in 1916;
  • 12th (Service) Battalion – formed 1918 in France from 11th Garrison Guard Battalion. Renamed as a service battalion and continued to serve in France;
  • 1st (Garrison) Battalion – formed in 1916. Served in France 1916–1918. Renamed 13th (Garrison) Battalion in July 1918;
  • 2nd (Home Service Garrison) Battalion – formed in 1916. Became 17th Battalion Royal Defence Corps in 1917.[23]

The numbering of the Territorial Force battalions was laid down by War Office instructions issued in 1914 and 1915. On joining the Territorial Force men were asked if they would serve overseas (foreign service) or just volunteered for service in the United Kingdom (home service) and their service records amended accordingly. At the declaration of war all Territorial battalions were mobilised and on 15 August 1914 the War Office issued instructions for those men who had volunteered for foreign service to be separated out into what were called first line battalions. Home service men were placed in second line battalions. Thus there would now be a first line 5th Battalion and a second line 5th Battalion. On 24 November 1914, as the first line battalions began to go overseas, additional instructions were issued allowing the raising of a third line battalion once the first line battalion was on foreign service. In January 1915 these designations were simplified and the battalions called the 1/5th, 2/5th and 3/5th battalions respectively.[24][25]

The battalions that served in France took part in many of the major actions of the war including the 1915 Battle of Neuve Chapelle, the 1915 Battle of Loos, the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917 and the Battle of Amiens in 1918.[26]

 
Officers of the 1st Battalion, photographed in Cambridge in August 1914, shortly before embarking for France on 8 September. Of those who sailed, only five would still be with the battalion by the end of January 1915, most of the remainder having been killed or wounded.[27] Those pictured include Lieut.-Colonel V. W. de Falbe, D.S.O., Battalion Commanding Officer (seated row, centre); and junior subaltern 2nd Lieut. Vyvyan Pope, who later commanded the battalion June 1917–March 1918 (back row, third from left).

Military service Edit

1st Battalion

The 1st Battalion went to France in September 1914 as part of 17th Brigade in 6th Division.[28] It took part in the First Battle of Ypres being based in the Armentières sector on the southern flank of the battle.[29][30] In December 1914 it was in trenches in the Rue-du-Bois area (near Fleurbaix), and participated in the Christmas truce, where British and German soldiers fraternised in no man's land.[31][32]

In March 1915 it carried out a successful action in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, capturing the village of L'Epinette.[33]

In October 1915 17th Brigade was exchanged with 71st Brigade of 24th Division, as part of an official policy of mixing Regular with New Army units. Immediately on joining 24th Division, the battalion was moved to 72nd Brigade within the same division. It was to remain part of this formation until the end of the war.[34]

In April and June 1916 the battalion suffered casualties of well over 500 in two serious gas attacks, on both occasions when in trenches north of Wulverghem (near Messines).[35]

In August–September 1916, the 24th Division participated in the Battle of the Somme. The 1st Battalion was engaged in the fighting around Guillemont and later the defence of Delville Wood, suffering a total of more than 350 casualties.[36][37]

In June 1917, the battalion was involved (and suffered over 150 casualties) in the assault on Messines Ridge, one of the most successful British offensives of the war.[38] This battle formed a prelude to the Third Battle of Ypres, when the battalion took part in the initial assault on 31 July 1917. Its objectives were to capture the German frontline trench called Jehovah trench, the second line trench called Jordan trench and the remains of Bulgar Wood. These three objectives were 1,000 yards (910 m), 1,500 yards (1,400 m) and 1,750 yards (1,600 m) from the British front line. The battalion managed to capture both trenches and a platoon reached Bulgar Wood before events around them forced a retreat from Bulgar Wood and Jordan trench. The battalion dug in on the Jehovah trench line having lost 11 officers and 258 other ranks as casualties, almost 50% of the battalion strength.[39][40][41] After the war, the anniversary of this attack became the main Regimental Day.[42]

On 21 March 1918, the 1st Battalion was in front-line trenches near Saint-Quentin when the German Army launched Operation Michael, the opening attack in their Spring Offensive. The battalion was virtually wiped out, losing 19 officers and 662 men in the attack itself and the withdrawal which followed.[43][44] The battalion was subsequently re-formed, and in the last weeks of the war in October 1918 took part in the Battle of the Selle, in which it suffered nearly 200 casualties.[45]

 
137th Brigade (including 1/6th Battalion North Staffs) at the Riqueval Bridge on the St Quentin Canal, October 1918
2nd Battalion

The 2nd Battalion was one of only eight regular battalions of the British Army to remain in India throughout the war.[46] It took part in operations on the North West Frontier in 1915, as a result of which the regiment was awarded the battle honour "North West Frontier, India, 1915".[47] Amusingly, the commanding officer at this time was Major Fox and the adjutant Captain Squirell.[48] Although it was a Regular Army battalion, it received very few replacements during the war. From a pre-war establishment strength of a HQ plus eight companies,[49] after the 1915 North West Frontier campaign the battalion comprised only a HQ company and four rifle companies.[48] By 1919 the strength of the regiment was reduced by a third compared to the pre-war establishment with 20 officers and 538 enlisted men on the regimental roll.[50] Over 60% of the enlisted men had joined the battalion since the 1915 campaign and only five officers fought in both the 1915 campaign and the Third Afghan War in 1919.[50]

1/5th and 1/6th Battalions

The 1/5th and 1/6th battalions arrived in France in February 1915 as part of 137th (Staffordshire) Brigade of 46th (North Midland) Division.[51] Among the first Territorial Force units to go to France, these two battalions took part in the 1915 Battle of Loos, especially the battles around the Hohenzollern Redoubt in 1915, and at Gommecourt on the northern flank of the Battle of the Somme.[52]

By September 1918 the 1/5th Battalion had been reduced to a cadre[53] and had been transferred away from 46th Division. The 1/6th remained and with the rest of 137th Brigade took part in the storming of the St Quentin Canal.[53][54] It was a company of the 1/6th Battalion, led by acting Captain A. H. Charlton, that seized the Riqueval Bridge over the St Quentin Canal on 29 September before the Germans could fire the explosive charges, an action for which Charlton was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order.[2]

12th Battalion

The 12th Battalion formed part of 40th Division and served in France on the River Lys during the advance in Flanders (18 August to 6 September 1918) and the Fifth Battle of Ypres, and in France and Belgium during the final weeks of the war.[55]

Awards and decorations Edit

Altogether, the regiment was awarded 52 battle honours, but it was ruled that only ten could be carried on the colours.[56]

Victoria Crosses Edit

Four Victoria Crosses were awarded to men of the North Staffordshire Regiment during World War I:

Reputation for profanity Edit

Even by the standards of the British Army, the Regiment (and the 1st Battalion in particular) seems to have gained a reputation during the First World War for profane language. When the 1st Battalion was relieved in the front line following its defence of Delville Wood in September 1916, one of the advanced posts was missed out by mistake. The Lance-Corporal in command, suspecting something was amiss, sent a man back to the front-line trench to investigate. The soldier realised he was at some risk of being shot by his own side, and so "when he had crawled within shouting distance he enquired politely but firmly what —— bastards were holding that —— trench. The 9th East Surreys, who were the troops thus addressed, recognised the North Stafford idiom and let him in unhurt".[61] Bernard Martin, who served as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 1st Battalion, records another incident which probably took place in 1917, when (very unusually) the battalion was addressed at a church parade by a general, who railed against "the disgusting word many of you utter every time you speak. ... I tell you again this indecent word is not to be used any longer. It is so common amongst you that it has become the shameful nickname by which your battalion is known throughout my Division". As the parade ended, one soldier was heard to ask, "What was that bugger gassing about?"; to which another replied, "Buggered if I know, I was having a kip. Where's the old bugger gone now?".[62]

Interwar years (1918–1939) Edit

The 1st Battalion was posted to the Curragh, Ireland after the armistice, becoming involved in the Irish War of Independence until 1922, when it moved to Gibraltar. In the following year it was moved to Thrace, where it played a peace-keeping role in the conflict between Greek and Turkish forces. In 1923 it moved to India and remained in the Far East until 1948.[63]

The 2nd Battalion was stationed in India in 1919 when Afghan forces crossed the border and occupied some Indian territory, sparking the brief Third Anglo-Afghan War. During this conflict, the battalion was involved very early on, firstly in the investing of Peshawar City, where Afghan sympathisers were mooting a holy war[64] and on 11 May 1919 when they were involved in a bayonet charge on the Afghan forces at Bagh, near Landi Kotal.[65][66][67] For their involvement, the regiment received the battle honour "Afghanistan NWF 1919".[68] The battalion returned to England via Egypt and the Sudan in 1921, and was quickly redeployed to Ireland. On the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922, it returned to the regimental depot at Lichfield. Until 1939, it spent time in "home stations". Apart from England, this included service in Gibraltar from 1930 to 1932 and a year in Palestine in 1936–7.[20]

The 3rd and 4th (Special Reserve) Battalions were placed in suspended animation in 1921, finally being disbanded in 1953.[69]

The Territorial Force was reconstituted as the Territorial Army in 1920, and the 5th and 6th battalions were reformed, still with the 137th (Staffordshire) Brigade of 46th (North Midland) Division. In 1936, the 5th Battalion was converted to an anti-aircraft searchlight unit of the Royal Engineers as 41st (North Staffordshire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion while remaining 'part of the corps of the North Staffordshire Regiment'.[70] It was transferred to the Royal Artillery in August 1940 as the 41st (5th North Staffordshire) Searchlight Regiment TA.[71] In the same year the remaining 6th Battalion was transferred to 166th Infantry Brigade, 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division after the HQ of the 46th Division became 2nd Anti-Aircraft Division. Throughout the spring and summer of 1939, due to the increasing threat posed by Nazi Germany, the size of the Territorial Army was doubled, and the 6th Battalion formed a duplicate 7th Battalion.[72]

In 1921, the regimental title was altered to The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's).[73] In 1937, the black facings formerly worn by the 64th Foot were restored, replacing the white colour that had been imposed on all non-royal English regiments in 1881.[74][75]

The London, Midland and Scottish Railway renamed one of their Royal Scot class locomotives, number 6141 (formerly Caledonian), after the regiment.[76]

Second World War (1939–1945) Edit

In September 1939, the North Staffordshire Regiment consisted of two Regular and two Territorial battalions – the 1st and 2nd Regular and the 6th and 7th Territorials.[72] Following the outbreak of the Second World War on 3 September 1939, the regiment was expanded as it had been during the First World War. This expansion, however, was limited this time only to the addition of two more battalions – the 8th and 9th battalions, of which both were raised in 1940 but later converted to other roles.[77][78] The roles of the two regular battalions were reversed this time, with the 1st Battalion serving in India and Burma throughout the war, while the 2nd Battalion were deployed in North Africa and Italy.[79]

The North Staffordshire Regiment was awarded 22 battle honours for the Second World War but, as at the end of the First World War, only 10 could be displayed on the colours.[56]

Regular Army Edit

The 1st Battalion was in British India on the outbreak of the Second World War and saw no action until 1942, when one company that was stationed on the Andaman Islands were involved in the defence of the islands during the Japanese invasion.[80] In 1943, the battalion served for six months in Burma, with the 36th Indian Infantry Brigade, part of the 26th Indian Infantry Division, before being withdrawn to India again.[80] For the rest of the war, the battalion was employed mainly on internal security duties and saw no further action.[80]

 
Troops of the 2nd Battalion on exercise with the Royal Tank Regiment in France, 1940

The 2nd Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Donald Butterworth, was sent to France shortly after the outbreak of war in September 1939 as part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade (alongside the 1st Loyal Regiment and 1st Gordon Highlanders), 1st Infantry Division and was part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), and was involved in the battles of France and Belgium before eventually being evacuated from Dunkirk on 1 June 1940.[81] Following that, the 2nd Battalion spent years on home defence in the United Kingdom preparing for a possible German invasion of England which never arrived. The battalion remained in the United Kingdom until 1943 when, still as part of 1st Infantry Division, it sailed to North Africa and took part in the campaign in Tunisia, British First Army.[79] The battalion did not participate in the invasion of Sicily or the initial invasion of Italy but was one of the lead units in the Anzio landings in January 1944, under command of US Fifth Army, where they suffered extremely heavy casualties.[82] On 7 February the battalion suffered 323 casualties attempting to capture Buonriposo Ridge which they captured but were forced to surrender the ridge after expending their ammunition.[83] By May, following Operation Diadem, the battalion had absorbed eight drafts of replacements.[82] Now fighting as part of the British Eighth Army, the 2nd Battalion continued to serve in Italy, fighting around the Gothic Line, until January 1945 when the battalion and the rest of 1st Infantry Division were transferred to Palestine.[80]

Territorial Army Edit

The 41st (5th North Staffordshire Regiment) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Engineers, previously the 5th North Staffords, served in Anti-Aircraft Command as part of the air defence of the Midlands from 1939 to 1944. The regiment became the first complete searchlight regiment to land in Normandy after the D-Day landings of 6 June 1944. It served with 21st Army Group, as part of 31st (North Midland) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, until the end of the war in Europe and then undertook garrison duty in Lower Saxony.[84]

The two Territorial battalions formed part of 176th Infantry Brigade (which included both the 6th and 7th North Staffords and the 7th South Staffords) of 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division. The division trained in the United Kingdom for many years until it landed in Normandy in June 1944 as part of Operation Overlord where they fought in the Battle for Caen and gained an excellent reputation during Operation Charnwood and the Second Battle of the Odon.[80] However, only the 6th Battalion landed in France as the 7th Battalion had been transferred elsewhere in 1942, being replaced in the 176th Brigade by the 7th Royal Norfolks. The 6th Battalion had been in France for less than two months when, in August 1944, along with other infantry units of 59th Division, it was broken up to supply replacements to other British units, due to a severe shortage of infantry replacements throughout the Army at the time.[72] The 7th Battalion, upon leaving 59th Division, served with the 207th and 228th Infantry brigades in the Orkney and Shetland islands in 1943–1945, and later the 25th Brigade, before being transferred in 1945 as an administrative unit in the 183rd Brigade within the 61st Infantry Division and, in 1945 after the war in Europe was over, was preparing for a move to the Far East to fight the Japanese but they surrendered before the division arrived.[85] The battalion was disbanded after the war in 1947.[85]

Hostilities-only Edit

The 8th Battalion was initially raised as a training battalion in 1940 and was assigned to the 205th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) and was mainly concerned in home defence duties. The 8th Battalion was transferred to the Royal Artillery in March 1942 and converted to the 180th Field Regiment.[86] The regiment served with the 48th Infantry (Reserve) Division in a training role until it was disbanded in August 1944.[87]

The 9th Battalion was, like the 8th Battalion, also initially raised as a training battalion, and was assigned to the 224th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home). The 9th Battalion was transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps in December 1941, becoming 154th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps, retaining their North Staffords cap badge on the black beret of the Royal Armoured Corps, as did all other infantry units converted in this way. The regiment was assigned to 36th Army Tank Brigade alongside RAC regiments converted from infantry battalions.[88][78][85] However, the regiment was disbanded in July 1943.[89]

Postwar service (1945–1959) Edit

Following the independence of India in 1947, all infantry regiments in the British Army were reduced to a single regular battalion. Accordingly, the 1st Battalion left India to take part in a ceremony officially amalgamating with the 2nd Battalion in Egypt in 1948.[90] The new 1st Battalion remained in Egypt until 1950, when it returned to the depot in Staffordshire. A year later, the battalion was posted to the disputed port city of Trieste. In 1953, the battalion was transferred to Korea, where they were stationed on garrison duties as part of the United Nations force established at the end of the Korean War. In 1954, it moved to Hong Kong, where the regiment's 200th anniversary was celebrated in 1956.[91]

Amalgamation Edit

In July 1957, a defence review was announced, which resulted in the amalgamation of the North Staffordshire Regiment with the South Staffordshire Regiment, with the new regiment becoming part of the new administrative Mercian Brigade. The amalgamation of the 1st Battalions of the two regiments took place on 31 January 1959 at Minden, Germany, to form the 1st Battalion, Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's).[92]

In 1947, 41 Searchlight Regiment was reformed in the Territorial Army as 576 (5th Bn, The North Staffordshire Regiment) Searchlight Regiment RA (TA), later becoming 576 Light Anti-Aircraft/Searchlight Regiment (576 LAA/SL). When AA Command was disbanded in 1955 and the number of air defence units reduced, 576 LAA/SL Regiment was amalgamated with 349 (Lancashire Yeomanry) LAA and 493 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiments as 441 LAA/SL Regiment.[93]

The 6th Battalion continued as a Territorial unit of the new regiment without a change of title. In 1961, it merged with the 441st Light Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, the successor to the 5th North Staffords, to become the 5th/6th Battalion.[94] The combined battalion was abolished in 1967 on the creation of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve in 1967.[94]

The Staffordshire Regiment only had a separate existence from 1959 to 2007. As part of the reforms proposed in the 2003 Defence White Paper, Delivering Security in a Changing World, the regiment was merged with the Cheshire Regiment and the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment to form the Mercian Regiment. The amalgamation took place on 1 September 2007 in Tamworth Castle Grounds, when the Staffordshire Regiment became the 3rd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment. Subsequently, in 2014, The Mercian Regiment reduced its number of regular battalions from three to two, with the 3rd Battalion being disbanded and the personnel being redeployed into the 1st and 2nd Battalions.[95]

Regimental museum Edit

The Staffordshire Regiment Museum is based at Whittington Barracks near Lichfield.[96]

Battle honours Edit

The following lists all battle honours awarded to the Regiment or inherited by the regiment from the 64th Foot and 98th Foot.[97]

Prior to 1914 all battle honours awarded to a unit were displayed upon the colours.[98] However the number of battle honours awarded during the First World War was such that it was ordered that no more than 24 honours were to be carried on the colours, of which no more than 10 were to be honours relating to the First World War.[99] Similarly, following the Second World War it was ordered that up to 10 honours relating to that conflict could be displayed on the colours, in addition to honours already carried.[100] The choice of the honours to be displayed were at the discretion of regimental committees. The honours chosen by the North Staffordshire Regiment to be carried on the colours are shown in capitals in the following list.[56]

Honours awarded to the 64th Foot Edit

Honours awarded to the 98th Foot Edit

1881–1914 Edit

1914–1919 Edit

1939–1945 Edit

Regimental Colonels Edit

Colonels of the Regiment were:[101]

*1959 Regiment amalgamated with the South Staffordshire Regiment to form the Staffordshire Regiment

Football Edit

Main article: North Staffordshire Regiment F.C.

The 2nd Battalion's football team was a member of the Irish Football League for three seasons, 1896–99, while the battalion was stationed at the Victoria Barracks, Belfast.[102]

See also Edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to North Staffordshire Regiment.

References Edit

Notes
  1. ^ Cook 1970, Introduction.
  2. ^ a b "No. 31583". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 October 1919. p. 12221.
  3. ^ a b c d Cook 1970, p. 62.
  4. ^ The brief history of the Staffordshire Regiment, part 1 2010, p. 3.
  5. ^ a b Cook 1970, pp. 127–128.
  6. ^ Westlake 2010, pp. 217–22.
  7. ^ Becke 2007, pp. 61–67.
  8. ^ Cook 1970, p. 72.
  9. ^ Cook 1970, pp. 67–71.
  10. ^ a b Cook 1970, p. 71.
  11. ^ Rodger 2003, p. 64.
  12. ^ Cook 1970, p. 73.
  13. ^ a b Cook 1970, p. 75.
  14. ^ Badsey 2008, p. 97.
  15. ^ Cook 1970, p. 76.
  16. ^ Cook 1970, pp. 77–78.
  17. ^ Cook 1970, p. 78.
  18. ^ Rodger 2003, p. 69.
  19. ^ "The Army in South Africa - Troops returning home". The Times. No. 36881. London. 24 September 1902. p. 7.
  20. ^ a b Cook 1970, p. 128.
  21. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence - The Army in India". The Times. No. 36896. London. 11 October 1902. p. 12.
  22. ^ Chris Baker. "The North Staffordshire Regiment". Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  23. ^ a b Chappell 2009, Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment).
  24. ^ Baker 2009, The Territorial Force 1914–1918.
  25. ^ Beckett 1991, p. 229.
  26. ^ Cook 1970, Chapter 10.
  27. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, p. 15.
  28. ^ Cook 1970, p. 81.
  29. ^ Cook 1970, p. 82.
  30. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, pp. 5–12.
  31. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, pp. 13–15.
  32. ^ Musgrove Knibb 2014, pp. 72–80: an eye-witness account of the truce in a letter home by Captain R.J. Armes.
  33. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, pp. 16–18.
  34. ^ Chappell 2009, 24th Division.
  35. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, pp. 28–32, 113.
  36. ^ Cook 1970, pp. 84–87.
  37. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, pp. 34–44, 113.
  38. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, pp. 50–51, 113.
  39. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, pp. 54–61, 113.
  40. ^ Cook 1970, p. 88–89.
  41. ^ Tanner 2017.
  42. ^ Cook 1970, p. 89.
  43. ^ Cook 1970, pp. 90–92.
  44. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, pp. 68–83.
  45. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, pp. 91–94, 114.
  46. ^ Green 2019, p. 6.
  47. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, pp. 99–101, 105.
  48. ^ a b War Diary 1915.
  49. ^ Historical Record 1908.
  50. ^ a b Green 2019, p. 28–29.
  51. ^ Chappell 2009, 46th Division.
  52. ^ Cook 1970, p. 92.
  53. ^ a b Chappell 2009, 59th Division.
  54. ^ Rickard 2007, Battle of Cambrai-St. Quentin, 27 September-9 October 1918.
  55. ^ Chappell 2009, 40th Division.
  56. ^ a b c Swinson 1972, p. 241.
  57. ^ "No. 30338". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 October 1917. p. 10677.
  58. ^ "No. 31108". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 January 1919. p. 308.
  59. ^ "No. 30122". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 1917. p. 5701.
  60. ^ "No. 30523". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 February 1918. p. 2005.
  61. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, p. 42.
  62. ^ Martin 1987, pp. 132–133: Martin names the general as "General Pawson", but this appears to be a pseudonym.
  63. ^ Cook 1970, p. 156.
  64. ^ Third Afghan War 1919 Official Account 1926, p. 30.
  65. ^ History of the 1st & 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'), 1914–1923 1932, pp. 102–104.
  66. ^ Barthorp 2002, p. 152.
  67. ^ Third Afghan War 1919 Official Account 1926, pp. 31–35.
  68. ^ Rodger 2003, p. 208.
  69. ^ Bellis 2003, p. 116.
  70. ^ Cook 1970, p. 105.
  71. ^ Palmer 2010, p. 6.
  72. ^ a b c Cook 1970, p. 118.
  73. ^ Army Order 509/1920
  74. ^ G.O. 41/1881 1 May 1881 amended by G.O.70/1881 1 July 1881. "X. The facings, and the Officers lace will be the same for all regiments belonging to the same Country (Royal and Rifle Regiments excepted), and will as follows: English Regiments: Facings – White, Pattern of Lace – Rose"
  75. ^ Regimental customs and traditions of the Mercian Regiment 2009, p. 2.
  76. ^ Rowledge 1989, p. 64.
  77. ^ The brief history of the Staffordshire Regiment, part 2 2009, p. 2.
  78. ^ a b Bellis 2003, p. 117.
  79. ^ a b Cook 1970, p. 110.
  80. ^ a b c d e Cook 1970, p. 117.
  81. ^ Cook 1970, p. 109.
  82. ^ a b Cook 1970, p. 112.
  83. ^ Cook 1970, p. 113.
  84. ^ 41 AA Bn RE/41 SL Rgt RA War Diaries, August 1939–December 1945, The National Archives (TNA), Kew files WO 166/3059, WO 166/7792, WO 166/11502, WO 166/14873, WO 171/1203, WO 171/5089.
  85. ^ a b c The Staffords in WWII & (undated), p. 34.
  86. ^ Heath 2005, A right military cock-up.
  87. ^ Evans 2008, Field artillery formations and regiments of the Royal Artillery in World War 2.
  88. ^ Forty 1998, p. 51.
  89. ^ Bellis 2003, p. 35.
  90. ^ Cook 1970, p. 120.
  91. ^ Cook 1970, p. 129.
  92. ^ Cook 1970, p. 122.
  93. ^ Litchfield 1992, p. 32.
  94. ^ a b Cook 1970, p. 124.
  95. ^ "Mercian Regiment: Final marches for disbanded battalion". BBC News. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  96. ^ "No frills but plenty of guts". The Staffordshire Regiment Museum. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  97. ^ Cook 1970, various.
  98. ^ Rodger 2003, p. 9.
  99. ^ Army Order 338/1922 paragraph 1(d).
  100. ^ Army Council Instruction 58/1956 paragraph 5.
  101. ^ . regiments.org. Archived from the original on 27 February 2007. Retrieved 9 January 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  102. ^ "Northern Ireland – Final League Tables 1890–1998". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
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October 20, 2023
north, staffordshire, regiment, prince, wales, line, infantry, regiment, british, army, which, existence, between, 1881, 1959, 64th, staffordshire, regiment, foot, created, april, 1758, from, battalion, 11th, regiment, foot, 1881, under, childers, reforms, 64t. The North Staffordshire Regiment Prince of Wales s was a line infantry regiment of the British Army which was in existence between 1881 and 1959 The 64th 2nd Staffordshire Regiment of Foot was created on 21 April 1758 from the 2nd Battalion of the 11th Regiment of Foot 2 In 1881 under the Childers Reforms the 64th Regiment of Foot was merged with the 98th Prince of Wales s Regiment of Foot originally raised in 1824 to form the Prince of Wales s North Staffordshire Regiment In 1921 the regimental title was altered to the North Staffordshire Regiment Prince of Wales s Prince of Wales s North Staffordshire Regiment North Staffordshire Regiment Prince of Wales s Cap badge of the North Staffordshire Regiment Active1881 1959Disbanded31 January 1959Country United KingdomBranch British ArmyTypeInfantryRoleLine infantryGarrison HQWhittington Barracks LichfieldNickname s The Black KnotsColorsMaroon black and silverMarchGod Bless the Prince of Wales slow march The Days We Went a Gypsying quick march Anniversaries31 July Third Battle of YpresCommandersColonel ofthe RegimentThe Prince of Wales I have always thought that if one was prepared to take the rough with the smooth they would ultimately balance out but this has not been the case with the North Staffordshire Regiment who throughout their history have had far too much of the rough and far too little of the smooth Lieutenant General Sir Brian Horrocks 1 Formed at a time when the British Empire was reaching its peak the regiment served all over the Empire in times of both peace and war and in many theatres of war outside the Empire It fought with distinction in World War I and World War II as well as in other smaller conflicts around the world These other wars included the Second Sudanese War the Second Boer War the Anglo Irish War and the Third Anglo Afghan War In 1959 as part of a defence review the North Staffordshire Regiment by now reduced to only a single regular battalion was amalgamated with the South Staffordshire Regiment to form the Staffordshire Regiment Prince of Wales s which was in 2006 amalgamated with the Cheshire Regiment and the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment 29th 45th Foot to form the Mercian Regiment Today the traditions of the North Staffordshire Regiment are continued by the Mercian Regiment Contents 1 Formation history 2 Volunteers and Territorials 3 Early service 1881 1914 3 1 Garrison duties and the Mahdist War 3 2 Second Boer War 3 3 Meeting in India 4 First World War 1914 1918 4 1 Military service 4 2 Awards and decorations 4 2 1 Victoria Crosses 4 3 Reputation for profanity 5 Interwar years 1918 1939 6 Second World War 1939 1945 6 1 Regular Army 6 2 Territorial Army 6 3 Hostilities only 7 Postwar service 1945 1959 8 Amalgamation 9 Regimental museum 10 Battle honours 10 1 Honours awarded to the 64th Foot 10 2 Honours awarded to the 98th Foot 10 3 1881 1914 10 4 1914 1919 10 5 1939 1945 11 Regimental Colonels 12 Football 13 See also 14 ReferencesFormation history EditMain articles 64th 2nd Staffordshire Regiment of Foot and 98th Prince of Wales s Regiment of Foot The Prince of Wales s North Staffordshire Regiment was formed under the Childers Reforms on 1 July 1881 by the amalgamation of the 64th 2nd Staffordshire Regiment of Foot and 98th Prince of Wales s Regiment of Foot 3 These two regular regiments became respectively the 1st and 2nd battalions of the new regiment 3 The Militia and Rifle Volunteers forces of North Staffordshire were also incorporated into this new regiment and a permanent depot was established at Whittington Barracks Lichfield which also housed the newly formed South Staffordshire Regiment 4 The 64th Regiment of Foot was originally raised in 1756 as the 2nd Battalion of the 11th Devonshire Foot and was renumbered the 64th in 1758 It had a long history of overseas service with much less time spent in Europe It had served in the West Indies during the Seven Years War America during the American War of Independence South America the West Indies and Canada during the Napoleonic Wars Subsequent long periods were spent in Ireland and the West Indies before action was seen in India during the Indian Mutiny At the time of the forming of the amalgamation with the 98th Foot the 64th was based in Ireland 5 The 98th Regiment of Foot raised in 1824 in Chichester had a much shorter history but like the 64th had spent the majority of its time overseas spending a long time in South Africa before seeing action in China in the First Anglo Chinese or Opium War and India on the North West Frontier It was based in Afghanistan when the amalgamation occurred 5 The battalions that constituted the regiment in 1881 were as follows 1st Battalion 64th 2nd Staffordshire Regiment of Foot 2nd Battalion 98th Prince of Wales s Regiment of Foot 3rd Militia Battalion King s Own 2nd Staffordshire Light Infantry Militia based in Stafford 4th Militia Battalion King s Own 3rd Staffordshire Rifle Militia based in Newcastle under Lyme 1st Volunteer Battalion 2nd Staffordshire Staffordshire Rangers Rifle Volunteer Corps based in Stoke on Trent 2nd Volunteer Battalion 5th Staffordshire Rifle Volunteer Corps based in Lichfield but later moved to Burton on Trent 3 Volunteers and Territorials EditThe 2nd and 5th Staffordshire Rifle Volunteer Corps were designated the 1st and 2nd Volunteer battalions North Staffordshire Regiment in 1883 Together with the Volunteer battalions of the South Staffordshire Regiment they formed the Staffordshire Volunteer Infantry Brigade in 1888 This brigade was intended to assemble at Wolverhampton in time of war while in peacetime it acted as a focus for collective training of the Volunteers On the formation of the Territorial Force in 1908 the two Volunteer battalions were renumbered as the 5th and 6th battalions of the North Staffordshire Regiment forming part of the Staffordshire Brigade in the North Midland Division 6 7 The reserve battalions of the regiment were also reorganised in 1908 by the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 with the two militia battalions being re designated the 3rd Special and 4th Special Reserve battalions and the volunteer battalions being re designated as Territorial Force and renumbered as the 5th and 6th battalions TF they were based at College Road in Hanley and Horninglow Street in Burton upon Trent respectively 8 Early service 1881 1914 EditGarrison duties and the Mahdist War Edit nbsp Officers of the 2nd Battalion India 1908The 1st Battalion was stationed in Ireland at the time of the amalgamation It moved to England in 1883 and the following year to the West Indies based mainly in Barbados but with detachments on other islands It moved to Natal in 1887 to Mauritius in 1890 to Malta in 1893 and to Egypt in 1895 From there the 1st Battalion took part in operations in the Second Sudanese War under Lord Kitchener 9 During the campaign the 1st Battalion were based initially at Wadi Halfa but moved to Gemai to avoid a cholera outbreak In September the battalion took part in the action against the Dervish Army at Hafir which was decisive in ending the campaign As a result the North Staffordshire Regiment received the unique Hafir battle honour given to no other British regiment 10 11 Second Boer War Edit The 2nd Battalion was stationed in India in 1881 when the North Staffordshire Regiment was formed and remained there until 1886 During this time period it took part in an expedition to the Zhob Valley in 1884 thus making it the first battalion in the regiment to see active service 3 In 1886 it returned to England via Aden and then deployed to Ireland in 1893 In 1899 2nd Battalion mobilised and moved to South Africa where it took part in the Second Boer War Forming part of 15th Brigade in the 7th Division 12 the majority of the battalion saw little action throughout the conflict being mostly occupied in garrison duties in Johannesburg in 1900 13 In 1901 the battalion was part of a mobile column under Brigadier General Dartnell in the Eastern Transvaal which carried out a scorched earth campaign 13 More action was seen by the mounted infantry company of the regiment that had been formed on arrival in South Africa In January 1900 Lord Roberts commander of the British forces in South Africa ordered that every infantry battalion in South Africa was to raise a company of mounted infantry These companies were to be detached from their parent units and operate as part of eight independent mounted infantry battalions 14 The North Staffords company thus formed became part of the 8th Battalion Mounted Infantry This unit was involved in the pursuit of Koos de la Rey and was present when he was captured at Wildfontein 15 The militia and volunteer battalions also saw service in the Second Boer War The 4th Battalion was deployed in the Cape Colony and later the Bechuanaland Protectorate before being replaced by the 3rd Battalion 16 Additionally the two volunteer companies which formed from the 1st and 2nd Volunteer battalions served alongside the 2nd Battalion at various times 17 As a result of these contributions and those of the two regular battalions the regiment was awarded the South Africa 1900 1902 battle honour 18 At the war s end in June 1902 the 2nd battalion returned to England on the SS Galeka in October that year 19 but the home posting was brief In the following year it returned to India remaining there until 1919 20 Meeting in India Edit The 1st Battalion was stationed in India from 1897 until 1903 The battalion was divided between barracks in Jhansi and Nowgong until late 1902 when it was reunited at Bombay 21 The following year the 1st and 2nd Battalions met for the first time and no fewer than 590 men from the 1st Battalion were transferred to the 2nd Battalion 10 Thus 1st Battalion was reduced to a small cadre which served for nine years upon its return to Lichfield and other stations in England before moving to Buttevant in Ireland in 1912 22 First World War 1914 1918 EditThe North Staffordshire Regiment was heavily committed to the fighting during the First World War and over the course of the conflict was expanded to 18 battalions some by duplication of the Territorial Force battalions and others labelled service battalions raised as part of Field Marshal Kitchener s New Army These battalions saw service in a number of theatres including on the Western Front at Gallipoli in the Middle East and India 23 The following list details the involvement of these battalions 1st Battalion served in France from September 1914 until November 1918 2nd Battalion served in India throughout the war 3rd Reserve Battalion operated as a training battalion in the United Kingdom throughout the war 4th Extra Reserve Battalion garrison battalion in Guernsey 1914 1916 Returned to United Kingdom in 1916 Served in France 1917 1918 1 5th Battalion Territorial Force TF mobilised in 1914 and served in France from 1915 to 1918 1 6th Battalion TF mobilised in 1914 served in France from 1915 to 1918 2 5th Battalion TF formed in 1914 moved to Ireland in 1916 where it was involved in the Easter Rising served in France 1917 1918 Merged with 1 5th Battalion in February 1918 2 6th Battalion TF formed in 1914 moved to Ireland in 1916 where it was involved in the Easter Rising served in France 1917 1918 Merged with 1 6th Battalion in July 1918 3 5th Battalion TF formed in 1915 Renamed 5th Reserve Battalion in April 1916 Served as a training battalion in England 1915 1918 3 6th Battalion TF formed in 1915 Renamed 6th Reserve Battalion in April 1916 Merged with 5th Reserve Battalion in September 1916 7th Service Battalion formed in 1914 Took part in Gallipoli Campaign July 1915 January 1916 Evacuated to Egypt Served in Mesopotamia from February 1916 From July 1918 were part of North Persia Force Dunsterforce and ended the war in Baku Azerbaijan 8th Service Battalion formed in 1914 Served in France 1915 1918 9th Service Battalion Pioneers formed as a service battalion in 1914 Became a pioneer battalion in 1915 Served in France and Belgium 1915 1919 10th Reserve Battalion formed as a service battalion in 1914 Became a reserve battalion in 1915 Renamed as 3rd Training Reserve Battalion of 1st Reserve Brigade in 1916 11th Reserve Battalion formed as a service battalion in 1914 Became a reserve battalion in 1915 Renamed as 4th Training Reserve Battalion of 1st Reserve Brigade in 1916 12th Service Battalion formed 1918 in France from 11th Garrison Guard Battalion Renamed as a service battalion and continued to serve in France 1st Garrison Battalion formed in 1916 Served in France 1916 1918 Renamed 13th Garrison Battalion in July 1918 2nd Home Service Garrison Battalion formed in 1916 Became 17th Battalion Royal Defence Corps in 1917 23 The numbering of the Territorial Force battalions was laid down by War Office instructions issued in 1914 and 1915 On joining the Territorial Force men were asked if they would serve overseas foreign service or just volunteered for service in the United Kingdom home service and their service records amended accordingly At the declaration of war all Territorial battalions were mobilised and on 15 August 1914 the War Office issued instructions for those men who had volunteered for foreign service to be separated out into what were called first line battalions Home service men were placed in second line battalions Thus there would now be a first line 5th Battalion and a second line 5th Battalion On 24 November 1914 as the first line battalions began to go overseas additional instructions were issued allowing the raising of a third line battalion once the first line battalion was on foreign service In January 1915 these designations were simplified and the battalions called the 1 5th 2 5th and 3 5th battalions respectively 24 25 The battalions that served in France took part in many of the major actions of the war including the 1915 Battle of Neuve Chapelle the 1915 Battle of Loos the Battle of the Somme in 1916 the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917 and the Battle of Amiens in 1918 26 nbsp Officers of the 1st Battalion photographed in Cambridge in August 1914 shortly before embarking for France on 8 September Of those who sailed only five would still be with the battalion by the end of January 1915 most of the remainder having been killed or wounded 27 Those pictured include Lieut Colonel V W de Falbe D S O Battalion Commanding Officer seated row centre and junior subaltern 2nd Lieut Vyvyan Pope who later commanded the battalion June 1917 March 1918 back row third from left Military service Edit 1st BattalionThe 1st Battalion went to France in September 1914 as part of 17th Brigade in 6th Division 28 It took part in the First Battle of Ypres being based in the Armentieres sector on the southern flank of the battle 29 30 In December 1914 it was in trenches in the Rue du Bois area near Fleurbaix and participated in the Christmas truce where British and German soldiers fraternised in no man s land 31 32 In March 1915 it carried out a successful action in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle capturing the village of L Epinette 33 In October 1915 17th Brigade was exchanged with 71st Brigade of 24th Division as part of an official policy of mixing Regular with New Army units Immediately on joining 24th Division the battalion was moved to 72nd Brigade within the same division It was to remain part of this formation until the end of the war 34 In April and June 1916 the battalion suffered casualties of well over 500 in two serious gas attacks on both occasions when in trenches north of Wulverghem near Messines 35 In August September 1916 the 24th Division participated in the Battle of the Somme The 1st Battalion was engaged in the fighting around Guillemont and later the defence of Delville Wood suffering a total of more than 350 casualties 36 37 In June 1917 the battalion was involved and suffered over 150 casualties in the assault on Messines Ridge one of the most successful British offensives of the war 38 This battle formed a prelude to the Third Battle of Ypres when the battalion took part in the initial assault on 31 July 1917 Its objectives were to capture the German frontline trench called Jehovah trench the second line trench called Jordan trench and the remains of Bulgar Wood These three objectives were 1 000 yards 910 m 1 500 yards 1 400 m and 1 750 yards 1 600 m from the British front line The battalion managed to capture both trenches and a platoon reached Bulgar Wood before events around them forced a retreat from Bulgar Wood and Jordan trench The battalion dug in on the Jehovah trench line having lost 11 officers and 258 other ranks as casualties almost 50 of the battalion strength 39 40 41 After the war the anniversary of this attack became the main Regimental Day 42 On 21 March 1918 the 1st Battalion was in front line trenches near Saint Quentin when the German Army launched Operation Michael the opening attack in their Spring Offensive The battalion was virtually wiped out losing 19 officers and 662 men in the attack itself and the withdrawal which followed 43 44 The battalion was subsequently re formed and in the last weeks of the war in October 1918 took part in the Battle of the Selle in which it suffered nearly 200 casualties 45 nbsp 137th Brigade including 1 6th Battalion North Staffs at the Riqueval Bridge on the St Quentin Canal October 19182nd BattalionThe 2nd Battalion was one of only eight regular battalions of the British Army to remain in India throughout the war 46 It took part in operations on the North West Frontier in 1915 as a result of which the regiment was awarded the battle honour North West Frontier India 1915 47 Amusingly the commanding officer at this time was Major Fox and the adjutant Captain Squirell 48 Although it was a Regular Army battalion it received very few replacements during the war From a pre war establishment strength of a HQ plus eight companies 49 after the 1915 North West Frontier campaign the battalion comprised only a HQ company and four rifle companies 48 By 1919 the strength of the regiment was reduced by a third compared to the pre war establishment with 20 officers and 538 enlisted men on the regimental roll 50 Over 60 of the enlisted men had joined the battalion since the 1915 campaign and only five officers fought in both the 1915 campaign and the Third Afghan War in 1919 50 1 5th and 1 6th BattalionsThe 1 5th and 1 6th battalions arrived in France in February 1915 as part of 137th Staffordshire Brigade of 46th North Midland Division 51 Among the first Territorial Force units to go to France these two battalions took part in the 1915 Battle of Loos especially the battles around the Hohenzollern Redoubt in 1915 and at Gommecourt on the northern flank of the Battle of the Somme 52 By September 1918 the 1 5th Battalion had been reduced to a cadre 53 and had been transferred away from 46th Division The 1 6th remained and with the rest of 137th Brigade took part in the storming of the St Quentin Canal 53 54 It was a company of the 1 6th Battalion led by acting Captain A H Charlton that seized the Riqueval Bridge over the St Quentin Canal on 29 September before the Germans could fire the explosive charges an action for which Charlton was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order 2 12th BattalionThe 12th Battalion formed part of 40th Division and served in France on the River Lys during the advance in Flanders 18 August to 6 September 1918 and the Fifth Battle of Ypres and in France and Belgium during the final weeks of the war 55 Awards and decorations Edit Altogether the regiment was awarded 52 battle honours but it was ruled that only ten could be carried on the colours 56 Victoria Crosses Edit Four Victoria Crosses were awarded to men of the North Staffordshire Regiment during World War I Sergeant John Carmichael 9th Battalion for gallantry on 8 September 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres 57 Lance Corporal William Harold Coltman 1 6th Battalion for gallantry on the nights of 3 amp 4 October 1918 near Sequehart France 58 Acting Lieutenant Colonel Edward Elers Delaval Henderson 7th Battalion attached 9th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment for gallantry on 25 January 1917 in Mesopotamia This award was made posthumously 59 Lance Corporal John Thomas 2 5th Battalion for gallantry on 30 November 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai 60 Reputation for profanity Edit Even by the standards of the British Army the Regiment and the 1st Battalion in particular seems to have gained a reputation during the First World War for profane language When the 1st Battalion was relieved in the front line following its defence of Delville Wood in September 1916 one of the advanced posts was missed out by mistake The Lance Corporal in command suspecting something was amiss sent a man back to the front line trench to investigate The soldier realised he was at some risk of being shot by his own side and so when he had crawled within shouting distance he enquired politely but firmly what bastards were holding that trench The 9th East Surreys who were the troops thus addressed recognised the North Stafford idiom and let him in unhurt 61 Bernard Martin who served as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 1st Battalion records another incident which probably took place in 1917 when very unusually the battalion was addressed at a church parade by a general who railed against the disgusting word many of you utter every time you speak I tell you again this indecent word is not to be used any longer It is so common amongst you that it has become the shameful nickname by which your battalion is known throughout my Division As the parade ended one soldier was heard to ask What was that bugger gassing about to which another replied Buggered if I know I was having a kip Where s the old bugger gone now 62 Interwar years 1918 1939 EditThe 1st Battalion was posted to the Curragh Ireland after the armistice becoming involved in the Irish War of Independence until 1922 when it moved to Gibraltar In the following year it was moved to Thrace where it played a peace keeping role in the conflict between Greek and Turkish forces In 1923 it moved to India and remained in the Far East until 1948 63 The 2nd Battalion was stationed in India in 1919 when Afghan forces crossed the border and occupied some Indian territory sparking the brief Third Anglo Afghan War During this conflict the battalion was involved very early on firstly in the investing of Peshawar City where Afghan sympathisers were mooting a holy war 64 and on 11 May 1919 when they were involved in a bayonet charge on the Afghan forces at Bagh near Landi Kotal 65 66 67 For their involvement the regiment received the battle honour Afghanistan NWF 1919 68 The battalion returned to England via Egypt and the Sudan in 1921 and was quickly redeployed to Ireland On the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 it returned to the regimental depot at Lichfield Until 1939 it spent time in home stations Apart from England this included service in Gibraltar from 1930 to 1932 and a year in Palestine in 1936 7 20 The 3rd and 4th Special Reserve Battalions were placed in suspended animation in 1921 finally being disbanded in 1953 69 The Territorial Force was reconstituted as the Territorial Army in 1920 and the 5th and 6th battalions were reformed still with the 137th Staffordshire Brigade of 46th North Midland Division In 1936 the 5th Battalion was converted to an anti aircraft searchlight unit of the Royal Engineers as 41st North Staffordshire Regiment Anti Aircraft Battalion while remaining part of the corps of the North Staffordshire Regiment 70 It was transferred to the Royal Artillery in August 1940 as the 41st 5th North Staffordshire Searchlight Regiment TA 71 In the same year the remaining 6th Battalion was transferred to 166th Infantry Brigade 55th West Lancashire Infantry Division after the HQ of the 46th Division became 2nd Anti Aircraft Division Throughout the spring and summer of 1939 due to the increasing threat posed by Nazi Germany the size of the Territorial Army was doubled and the 6th Battalion formed a duplicate 7th Battalion 72 In 1921 the regimental title was altered to The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales s 73 In 1937 the black facings formerly worn by the 64th Foot were restored replacing the white colour that had been imposed on all non royal English regiments in 1881 74 75 The London Midland and Scottish Railway renamed one of their Royal Scot class locomotives number 6141 formerly Caledonian after the regiment 76 Second World War 1939 1945 EditIn September 1939 the North Staffordshire Regiment consisted of two Regular and two Territorial battalions the 1st and 2nd Regular and the 6th and 7th Territorials 72 Following the outbreak of the Second World War on 3 September 1939 the regiment was expanded as it had been during the First World War This expansion however was limited this time only to the addition of two more battalions the 8th and 9th battalions of which both were raised in 1940 but later converted to other roles 77 78 The roles of the two regular battalions were reversed this time with the 1st Battalion serving in India and Burma throughout the war while the 2nd Battalion were deployed in North Africa and Italy 79 The North Staffordshire Regiment was awarded 22 battle honours for the Second World War but as at the end of the First World War only 10 could be displayed on the colours 56 Regular Army Edit The 1st Battalion was in British India on the outbreak of the Second World War and saw no action until 1942 when one company that was stationed on the Andaman Islands were involved in the defence of the islands during the Japanese invasion 80 In 1943 the battalion served for six months in Burma with the 36th Indian Infantry Brigade part of the 26th Indian Infantry Division before being withdrawn to India again 80 For the rest of the war the battalion was employed mainly on internal security duties and saw no further action 80 nbsp Troops of the 2nd Battalion on exercise with the Royal Tank Regiment in France 1940The 2nd Battalion under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Donald Butterworth was sent to France shortly after the outbreak of war in September 1939 as part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade alongside the 1st Loyal Regiment and 1st Gordon Highlanders 1st Infantry Division and was part of the British Expeditionary Force BEF and was involved in the battles of France and Belgium before eventually being evacuated from Dunkirk on 1 June 1940 81 Following that the 2nd Battalion spent years on home defence in the United Kingdom preparing for a possible German invasion of England which never arrived The battalion remained in the United Kingdom until 1943 when still as part of 1st Infantry Division it sailed to North Africa and took part in the campaign in Tunisia British First Army 79 The battalion did not participate in the invasion of Sicily or the initial invasion of Italy but was one of the lead units in the Anzio landings in January 1944 under command of US Fifth Army where they suffered extremely heavy casualties 82 On 7 February the battalion suffered 323 casualties attempting to capture Buonriposo Ridge which they captured but were forced to surrender the ridge after expending their ammunition 83 By May following Operation Diadem the battalion had absorbed eight drafts of replacements 82 Now fighting as part of the British Eighth Army the 2nd Battalion continued to serve in Italy fighting around the Gothic Line until January 1945 when the battalion and the rest of 1st Infantry Division were transferred to Palestine 80 Territorial Army Edit The 41st 5th North Staffordshire Regiment Searchlight Regiment Royal Engineers previously the 5th North Staffords served in Anti Aircraft Command as part of the air defence of the Midlands from 1939 to 1944 The regiment became the first complete searchlight regiment to land in Normandy after the D Day landings of 6 June 1944 It served with 21st Army Group as part of 31st North Midland Anti Aircraft Brigade until the end of the war in Europe and then undertook garrison duty in Lower Saxony 84 The two Territorial battalions formed part of 176th Infantry Brigade which included both the 6th and 7th North Staffords and the 7th South Staffords of 59th Staffordshire Infantry Division The division trained in the United Kingdom for many years until it landed in Normandy in June 1944 as part of Operation Overlord where they fought in the Battle for Caen and gained an excellent reputation during Operation Charnwood and the Second Battle of the Odon 80 However only the 6th Battalion landed in France as the 7th Battalion had been transferred elsewhere in 1942 being replaced in the 176th Brigade by the 7th Royal Norfolks The 6th Battalion had been in France for less than two months when in August 1944 along with other infantry units of 59th Division it was broken up to supply replacements to other British units due to a severe shortage of infantry replacements throughout the Army at the time 72 The 7th Battalion upon leaving 59th Division served with the 207th and 228th Infantry brigades in the Orkney and Shetland islands in 1943 1945 and later the 25th Brigade before being transferred in 1945 as an administrative unit in the 183rd Brigade within the 61st Infantry Division and in 1945 after the war in Europe was over was preparing for a move to the Far East to fight the Japanese but they surrendered before the division arrived 85 The battalion was disbanded after the war in 1947 85 Hostilities only Edit The 8th Battalion was initially raised as a training battalion in 1940 and was assigned to the 205th Independent Infantry Brigade Home and was mainly concerned in home defence duties The 8th Battalion was transferred to the Royal Artillery in March 1942 and converted to the 180th Field Regiment 86 The regiment served with the 48th Infantry Reserve Division in a training role until it was disbanded in August 1944 87 The 9th Battalion was like the 8th Battalion also initially raised as a training battalion and was assigned to the 224th Independent Infantry Brigade Home The 9th Battalion was transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps in December 1941 becoming 154th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps retaining their North Staffords cap badge on the black beret of the Royal Armoured Corps as did all other infantry units converted in this way The regiment was assigned to 36th Army Tank Brigade alongside RAC regiments converted from infantry battalions 88 78 85 However the regiment was disbanded in July 1943 89 Postwar service 1945 1959 EditFollowing the independence of India in 1947 all infantry regiments in the British Army were reduced to a single regular battalion Accordingly the 1st Battalion left India to take part in a ceremony officially amalgamating with the 2nd Battalion in Egypt in 1948 90 The new 1st Battalion remained in Egypt until 1950 when it returned to the depot in Staffordshire A year later the battalion was posted to the disputed port city of Trieste In 1953 the battalion was transferred to Korea where they were stationed on garrison duties as part of the United Nations force established at the end of the Korean War In 1954 it moved to Hong Kong where the regiment s 200th anniversary was celebrated in 1956 91 Amalgamation EditIn July 1957 a defence review was announced which resulted in the amalgamation of the North Staffordshire Regiment with the South Staffordshire Regiment with the new regiment becoming part of the new administrative Mercian Brigade The amalgamation of the 1st Battalions of the two regiments took place on 31 January 1959 at Minden Germany to form the 1st Battalion Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales s 92 In 1947 41 Searchlight Regiment was reformed in the Territorial Army as 576 5th Bn The North Staffordshire Regiment Searchlight Regiment RA TA later becoming 576 Light Anti Aircraft Searchlight Regiment 576 LAA SL When AA Command was disbanded in 1955 and the number of air defence units reduced 576 LAA SL Regiment was amalgamated with 349 Lancashire Yeomanry LAA and 493 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiments as 441 LAA SL Regiment 93 The 6th Battalion continued as a Territorial unit of the new regiment without a change of title In 1961 it merged with the 441st Light Anti Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery the successor to the 5th North Staffords to become the 5th 6th Battalion 94 The combined battalion was abolished in 1967 on the creation of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve in 1967 94 The Staffordshire Regiment only had a separate existence from 1959 to 2007 As part of the reforms proposed in the 2003 Defence White Paper Delivering Security in a Changing World the regiment was merged with the Cheshire Regiment and the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment to form the Mercian Regiment The amalgamation took place on 1 September 2007 in Tamworth Castle Grounds when the Staffordshire Regiment became the 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment Subsequently in 2014 The Mercian Regiment reduced its number of regular battalions from three to two with the 3rd Battalion being disbanded and the personnel being redeployed into the 1st and 2nd Battalions 95 Regimental museum EditThe Staffordshire Regiment Museum is based at Whittington Barracks near Lichfield 96 Battle honours EditThe following lists all battle honours awarded to the Regiment or inherited by the regiment from the 64th Foot and 98th Foot 97 Prior to 1914 all battle honours awarded to a unit were displayed upon the colours 98 However the number of battle honours awarded during the First World War was such that it was ordered that no more than 24 honours were to be carried on the colours of which no more than 10 were to be honours relating to the First World War 99 Similarly following the Second World War it was ordered that up to 10 honours relating to that conflict could be displayed on the colours in addition to honours already carried 100 The choice of the honours to be displayed were at the discretion of regimental committees The honours chosen by the North Staffordshire Regiment to be carried on the colours are shown in capitals in the following list 56 Honours awarded to the 64th Foot Edit GUADALOUPE 1759 MARTINIQUE 1794 ST LUCIA 1803 SURINAM RESHIRE BUSHIRE KOOSH AB PERSIA LUCKNOWHonours awarded to the 98th Foot Edit The DRAGON superscribed CHINA PUNJAUB1881 1914 Edit HAFIR SOUTH AFRICA 1900 19021914 1919 Edit ARMENTIERES 1914 SOMME 1916 1918 ARRAS 1917 MESSINES 1917 1918 YPRES 1918 ST QUENTIN CANAL SELLE SARI BAIR KUT AL AMARA 1917 NORTH WEST FRONTIER INDIA 1915 AFGHANISTAN NWF 1919 Aisne 1914 1918 Loos Albert 1916 1918 Bazentin Delville Wood Pozieres Guillemont Ancre Heights Ancre 1916 Scarpe 1917 Arleux Pilckem Langemarck 1917 Menin Road Polygon Wood Broodseinde Poelcapelle Passchendaele Cambrai 1917 1918 St Quentin Bapaume 1918 Rosieres Avre Lys Bailleul Kemmel Hindenburg Line Havrincourt Canal du Nord Beau revoir Courtrai Valenciennes Sambre France and Flanders 1914 18 Suvla Gallipoli 1915 16 Egypt 1916 Tigris 1916 Baghdad Mesopotamia 1916 18 Baku Persia 1918 1939 1945 Edit DYLE YPRES COMINES CANAL CAEN BRIEUX BRIDGEHEAD MEDJEZ PLAIN NORTH AFRICA 1943 ANZIO ROME MARRADI BURMA 1943 Defence of Escaut Orne Noyers Mont Pincon North West Europe 1940 1944 Djebel Kess Kiss Gueriat al Atach Ridge Gab Gab Gap Carroceto Advance to Tiber Gothic Line Italy 1944 5Regimental Colonels EditColonels of the Regiment were 101 1881 1904 1st Battalion only to 1891 Gen Charles Algernon Lewis 1881 1891 2nd Battalion Gen Sir Robert Percy Douglas Bt 1904 1905 Gen Francis Peyton CB 1905 1911 Gen Sir George Digby Barker GCB 1911 1921 Maj Gen Thomas Francis Lloyd 1921 1936 Maj Gen Sir Arthur Reginald Hoskins KCB CMG DSO 1936 1945 Brig Gen Louis John Wyatt DSO 1945 1955 Maj Gen William Donovan Stamer CB CBE DSO MC 1955 1958 Brig Hon Maj Gen Charles Roger Alan Swynnerton CB DSO 1958 1959 Brig Gerald Ernest Thubron DSO OBE 1959 Regiment amalgamated with the South Staffordshire Regiment to form the Staffordshire RegimentFootball EditMain article North Staffordshire Regiment F C The 2nd Battalion s football team was a member of the Irish Football League for three seasons 1896 99 while the battalion was stationed at the Victoria Barracks Belfast 102 See also Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to North Staffordshire Regiment Category North Staffordshire Regiment officers Category North Staffordshire Regiment soldiersReferences EditNotes Cook 1970 Introduction a b No 31583 The London Gazette Supplement 3 October 1919 p 12221 a b c d Cook 1970 p 62 The brief history of the Staffordshire Regiment part 1 2010 p 3 a b Cook 1970 pp 127 128 Westlake 2010 pp 217 22 Becke 2007 pp 61 67 Cook 1970 p 72 Cook 1970 pp 67 71 a b Cook 1970 p 71 Rodger 2003 p 64 Cook 1970 p 73 a b Cook 1970 p 75 Badsey 2008 p 97 Cook 1970 p 76 Cook 1970 pp 77 78 Cook 1970 p 78 Rodger 2003 p 69 The Army in South Africa Troops returning home The Times No 36881 London 24 September 1902 p 7 a b Cook 1970 p 128 Naval amp Military intelligence The Army in India The Times No 36896 London 11 October 1902 p 12 Chris Baker The North Staffordshire Regiment Retrieved 21 February 2016 a b Chappell 2009 Prince of Wales s North Staffordshire Regiment Baker 2009 The Territorial Force 1914 1918 Beckett 1991 p 229 Cook 1970 Chapter 10 History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 p 15 Cook 1970 p 81 Cook 1970 p 82 History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 pp 5 12 History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 pp 13 15 Musgrove Knibb 2014 pp 72 80 an eye witness account of the truce in a letter home by Captain R J Armes History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 pp 16 18 Chappell 2009 24th Division History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 pp 28 32 113 Cook 1970 pp 84 87 History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 pp 34 44 113 History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 pp 50 51 113 History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 pp 54 61 113 Cook 1970 p 88 89 Tanner 2017 Cook 1970 p 89 Cook 1970 pp 90 92 History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 pp 68 83 History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 pp 91 94 114 Green 2019 p 6 History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 pp 99 101 105 a b War Diary 1915 Historical Record 1908 a b Green 2019 p 28 29 Chappell 2009 46th Division Cook 1970 p 92 a b Chappell 2009 59th Division Rickard 2007 Battle of Cambrai St Quentin 27 September 9 October 1918 Chappell 2009 40th Division a b c Swinson 1972 p 241 No 30338 The London Gazette Supplement 16 October 1917 p 10677 No 31108 The London Gazette Supplement 3 January 1919 p 308 No 30122 The London Gazette Supplement 8 June 1917 p 5701 No 30523 The London Gazette Supplement 13 February 1918 p 2005 History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 p 42 Martin 1987 pp 132 133 Martin names the general as General Pawson but this appears to be a pseudonym Cook 1970 p 156 Third Afghan War 1919 Official Account 1926 p 30 History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 1932 pp 102 104 Barthorp 2002 p 152 Third Afghan War 1919 Official Account 1926 pp 31 35 Rodger 2003 p 208 Bellis 2003 p 116 Cook 1970 p 105 Palmer 2010 p 6 a b c Cook 1970 p 118 Army Order 509 1920 G O 41 1881 1 May 1881 amended by G O 70 1881 1 July 1881 X The facings and the Officers lace will be the same for all regiments belonging to the same Country Royal and Rifle Regiments excepted and will as follows English Regiments Facings White Pattern of Lace Rose Regimental customs and traditions of the Mercian Regiment 2009 p 2 Rowledge 1989 p 64 The brief history of the Staffordshire Regiment part 2 2009 p 2 a b Bellis 2003 p 117 a b Cook 1970 p 110 a b c d e Cook 1970 p 117 Cook 1970 p 109 a b Cook 1970 p 112 Cook 1970 p 113 41 AA Bn RE 41 SL Rgt RA War Diaries August 1939 December 1945 The National Archives TNA Kew files WO 166 3059 WO 166 7792 WO 166 11502 WO 166 14873 WO 171 1203 WO 171 5089 a b c The Staffords in WWII amp undated p 34 Heath 2005 A right military cock up Evans 2008 Field artillery formations and regiments of the Royal Artillery in World War 2 Forty 1998 p 51 Bellis 2003 p 35 Cook 1970 p 120 Cook 1970 p 129 Cook 1970 p 122 Litchfield 1992 p 32 a b Cook 1970 p 124 Mercian Regiment Final marches for disbanded battalion BBC News 24 June 2014 Retrieved 30 August 2015 No frills but plenty of guts The Staffordshire Regiment Museum Retrieved 22 October 2011 Cook 1970 various Rodger 2003 p 9 Army Order 338 1922 paragraph 1 d Army Council Instruction 58 1956 paragraph 5 The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales s regiments org Archived from the original on 27 February 2007 Retrieved 9 January 2017 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Northern Ireland Final League Tables 1890 1998 Rec Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation 21 November 2013 Retrieved 12 May 2014 SourcesBadsey Stephen July 2008 Doctrine and Reform in the British Cavalry 1880 1918 Birmingham Studies in First World War History Farnham Surrey Ashgate Publishing ISBN 978 0 7546 6467 3 Retrieved 5 July 2009 Baker Chris 2009 The Territorial Force 1914 1918 www 1914 1918 net Retrieved 5 July 2009 Barthorp Michael 2002 Afghan Wars and the North West Frontier 1839 1947 2nd ed London Cassell ISBN 0 304 36294 8 Becke Major A F 2007 1935 History of the Great War Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2a The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st Line Territorial Force Divisions 42 56 reprint ed Naval amp Military Press ISBN 978 1 847347 39 8 Beckettt Ian F W 1982 Riflemen Form A study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859 1908 Aldershot Ogilby Trusts ISBN 0 85936 271 X Beckett Ian F W 1991 The amateur military tradition 1558 1945 Manchester University Press ISBN 978 0 7190 2912 7 Retrieved 5 July 2009 Bellis Malcolm 2003 British Regiments 1939 1945 Armour and Infantry 2nd ed Crewe M A Bellis ISBN 0 9529693 3 5 The brief history of the Staffordshire Regiment part 1 PDF Ministry of Defence 2010 Retrieved 9 October 2010 The brief history of the Staffordshire Regiment part 2 PDF Ministry of Defence 2006 Archived from the original PDF on 7 September 2012 Retrieved 24 April 2009 Chappell P 2009 The Regimental Warpath 1914 1918 warpath orbat com Archived from the original on 18 January 2010 Retrieved 25 May 2009 Cook Hugh 1970 The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales s Famous Regiments London Leo Cooper ISBN 0 85052 056 8 Dunlop Colonel John K 1938 The Development of the British Army 1899 1914 London Methuen Evans Nigel 2008 Field artillery formations and regiments of the Royal Artillery in World War 2 British Artillery in World War Two Tripod com Retrieved 24 April 2009 Forty George 1998 British Army Handbook 1939 1945 Stroud Sutton Publishing ISBN 0 7509 1403 3 General Staff Branch Army Headquarters India 2004 1926 The Third Afghan War 1919 Official Account reprint ed Naval amp Military Press ISBN 1 84342 799 0 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Green James 2019 Frontier Assault The North Staffordshire Regiment in the Third Afghan War 1919 ISBN 978 1096217107 Heath Henry 18 August 2005 WW2 People s War A right military cock up BBC Retrieved 21 April 2009 An Historical Record of the 2nd Battalion The Prince of Wales North Staffordshire Regiment Mooltan Punjab India F Bremner 1908 History of the 1st amp 2nd Battalions The North Staffordshire Regiment The Prince of Wales 1914 1923 Longton Royal Press 1932 Litchfield Norman E H 1992 The Territorial Artillery 1908 1988 Their Lineage Uniforms and Badges Nottingham Sherwood Press ISBN 0 9508205 2 0 MacDonald Alan 2008 A Lack of Offensive Spirit The 46th North Midland Division at Gommecourt 1st July 1916 West Wickham Iona Books ISBN 978 0 9558119 0 6 Martin Bernard 1987 Poor Bloody Infantry a subaltern on the Western Front 1916 1917 London John Murray ISBN 0 7195 4374 6 Musgrove Knibb Joss 2014 First Lines Gazelle Press ISBN 978 0 9930574 0 3 Palmer Rob 2010 2 Anti Aircraft Division 1936 38 PDF Archived from the original PDF on 23 September 2015 Regimental customs and traditions of the Mercian Regiment Ministry of Defence 2009 Archived from the original on 17 August 2012 Retrieved 23 April 2009 Rickard J 13 September 2007 Battle of Cambrai St Quentin 27 September 9 October 1918 Military History Encyclopedia on the Web Retrieved 25 May 2009 Rodger Alexander 2003 Battle Honours of the British Empire and Commonwealth Land Forces 1662 1991 Marlborough Wiltshire The Crowood Press ISBN 1 86126 637 5 Rowledge John W P 1989 LMS Engines names numbers types amp classes Trowbridge Wiltshire Redwood Burn ISBN 0 7153 9381 2 41 5th N Staffs Searchlight Regt RA TA The Royal Artillery 1939 1945 Archived from the original on 28 September 2011 Retrieved 22 April 2009 The Staffords in WWII Staffordshire Regiment Museum n d Swinson Arthur 1972 A Register of the Regiments and Corps of the British Army The Ancestry of the Regiments and Corps of the Regular Establishment London Archive Press ISBN 0 85591 000 3 Tanner Jim 2017 The First Day of Third Ypres the 1st Battalion the Prince of Wales s North Staffordshire Regiment Stand To The Journal of the Western Front Association 109 45 51 War Diary 2nd Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment 29 August 1915 to 9 December 1915 War Office 1915 Westlake Ray 2010 Tracing the Rifle Volunteers Barnsley Pen and Sword ISBN 978 1 84884 211 3 Young A British Army units from 1945 on Royal Artillery Territorial Army 1947 67 Archived from the original on 10 January 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title North Staffordshire Regiment amp oldid 1160556381, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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