Pottered History - 1st Bn York & Lancs

2 Bn 12th Regiment of Foot

1756 - London
1758 - Renamed 65th

65th Regiment of Foot

1758 - West Indies
1759 - Guadeloupe
1762 - Martinique, Cuba
1764 - England
1769 - Massachusetts, Boston
1755 - Bunker Hill
1776 - England
1780 - Margate, Kent
1782 - Renamed

65th (2ndYorkshire North Riding) Regiment of Foot

1782 - Gibraltar
1783 - Ireland
1784 - Canada
1791 - Nova Scotia
1793 - West Indies
1794 - England & Scotland
1800 - South Africa (Regt split into 2 Coys Ceylon & 2 Coys Kandian)
1803 - Bombay, Surat
1804 - Baroda, Indore, Kotah, Malwa
1805 - Bhurtpore, Dholpore, Bundelcund, Kotah
1806 - Surat
1809 - Surat
1810 - Bombay (see note 1)
1811 - Bombay
1812 - Dhewrah
1813 - Baroda
1815 - Fort Anjar, Kutch, Booj
1816 - Booj, Ahmednuggar (see note 2), Bombay
1817 - Kirkee, Coryguam, Poona
1818 - Coryguam (see note 3)
1819 - Fort George, Kutch, Sirur
1820 - Kirkee, Poona, Kutch, Surat
1821 - See note 4
1822 - Bombay
1822 (Aug) - England & Scotland

1824 - Ireland
1845 - England

1829 - West Indies & Demerara

1837 - Nova Scotia

1841(Aug) - England
1843 - Ireland
1845 - New South Wales
1847 - Wellington
1851 - England, Chatham

1853 (May) - Tasmania

1853 (July) - Wellington
1863 - Auckland
1865 (Oct) - Depart NZ for England
1867 - Ireland
1871 - India
1873 - Pontefract, England
1881 - Renamed (See Note 5)

1st Bn York & Lancs Regiment

1881 - India: Bengal

1882 - Aden
1884 (Feb) - Sudan
1884 (Sept) - England: Dover

1885 - Sheffield

1888 - Ireland: Birr

1891 - Cork

1895 - England: Colchester

1899 - South Africa 11 Bde

1902 - India: Mhow

1905 - Quetta

1910 - Karachi

1913 - Jubbulpore

1915 - France and Flanders 28 Div

1915 - Macedonia
1919 - Tidworth
1921 - Ireland: Clomel
1922 - Germany
1924 - Aldershot
1928 - Londonderry
1932 - Portsmouth
1935 - York
1936 - Egypt
1937 - Palestine, York
1939 - France & Belgium (BEF)
1940 - UK & Norway
1942 - India, Persia & Iraq
1943 - Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Sicily & Italy
1944 - Egypt, Palestine & Syria
1945 - NW Europe, Germany
1948 - (see note 6)
1952 - Sudan & Egypt
1955 - UK
1956 - Suez, UK
1958 - Aden
1959 - Berlin
1962 - Germany: Munster
1963 - Swaziland
1965 - Cyprus
1966 - 1 x Coy Aden (B Coy)
1968 - UK, North Weald, Essex
1968 - Disbanded

Notes

1. 1809 The 65th was sent from Bombay to Arabia as part of an expeditionary force to suppress Qawasim pirates who preyed on shipping in the Persian Gulf. After destroying several pirate forts it returned to India.

2. The action in Arabia of 1809 only served to suppress Arabic pirate activity for a few years, and did not destroy it completely. In 1817, the 65th was again sent to the Persian Gulf and this time they succeeded in destroying all pirate forts and forcing the Arab chiefs of the pirates to submit to British dominion. For this action, and the one of 1809, the 65th was awarded the unique battle honour 'Arabia'.

3. The 65th Regiment of Foot played a significant part in the Pindari Campaign or 3rd Mahratta War

4. The 65th were again called to Arabia to fight pirates, this time members of the Beni Bu Ali tribe. Once more, all the pirate forts and ships were destroyed.

5. Amalgamated with 84th to form 1st & 2nd Bn York & Lancs Regiment

6. Amalgamated with 2nd Bn without change of Title.

Roll of Honour (Sudan) - 1st Battalion York and Lancaster

Below is a list of those Officers and men of the 1st battalion York and Lancaster Regiment killed in action Sudan February - March 1884.

Roll Of Honour 1st Bn York & Lancaster Regiment

1. 1568 Pte Samuel Le Blaneq - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

2. Pte Robert Brightmore - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

3. 2070 Pte Thomas Brook - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

4. 1190 Pte John Brophy - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

5. 1156 Pte Robert Burnet - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

6. 2085 Pte Robert Cripps - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

7. 766 Pte William Earnshaw - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

8. 2120 Pte Alfred Fennell - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

9. 887 Pte John Fisher - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

10. 297 Pte Charles Head - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

11. 2191 Pte George Higginson - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

12. 171 Pte Isaac Hops - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

13. 1657 Sgt Samuel Johnson - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

14. 300 Pte Andrew Kirby - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

15. 693 Pte James Law - "reported dead" at Tamaai 13th March 1884

16. 735 Pte Peter Malloy - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

17. 1616 Cpl William James Maynard - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

18. 1286 Lance-Corporal Richard Mayors - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

19. 2339 Pte McCombe - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

20. 30 Pte Albert Pinn - Killed at Tamaai 14th March 1884

21. 1830 Pte John Richards - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

22. 2739 L/Cpl George Robinson - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

23. 1840 Pte Charles Rookyard - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

24. 1665 Pte John Roy - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

25. 2762 Pte John Sheldon - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

26. 2121 Pte Benjamin Smith - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

27. 1583 Pte John Steele - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

28. 1522 Pte James Storey - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

29. 2788 Pte John Taylor - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

30. 1262 Pte William Webb - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

31. 593 Pte William West - Killed at Tamaai 13th March 1884

32. *Captain H.G.W. Ford - Killed at Suakin 14th March 1884

*Captain Harry George Wakelyn FORD was born in 1848. He was gazetted as Ensign to the 11th Foot in 1865, but did not join this regiment. He subsequently served in the 7th {the Royal Fusiliers}, in the Ceylon Rifle Regiment, and in this became Lieutenant in 1871. He afterwards joined the 56th {"the Pompadours"} and the York and Lancaster Regiment, to which he was gazetted Captain in 1880, and with which he was killed in action at Tamasi. Captain FORD was the youngest son of William M. FORD, Staff Surgeon A.M.D., who died at Cephalonia, Ionian Islands, in 1850, in the exercise of the profession during the outbreak of cholera among the British troops there, and who had seen active service in China and at the Cape of Good Hope during the Kaffir War. Captain FORD was grandson of the late Lieut.-Colonel Charles SMITH, of Whittlesea, J.P.and D.L. of the Isle of Ely, who was wounded at Waterloo, where he fought with his brothers, the late Lieut.-General Sir Harry G.W. SMITH, Baronet of Aliwal, G.C.B., and the late Colonel Thomas Lawrence SMITH, C.B., for many years Barrack-master at Chatham and Aldershot.

Sudan - March 1884

The 1st Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment also took part in the battle of Tamani which occurred in March 1884. A naval officer wrote the following account of the battle:

Battle of Tamani - 1884

When the column arrived within half a mile of the position occupied by the main force of Osman Digma, they encamped for the night. At eight in the evening, Commander Rolfe, R.N., performed a most daring action; he started alone to reconnoitre the camp of the enemy, and made his way close up to their fires, and was able to bring back the news that the enemy were quiet and evidently meditated no immediate attack; the men were therefore able to lie down quietly and sleep for a while. At one o’clock, however, the enemy gathered round the position and kept up a fire all night.

The next day the advance was made, not in squares as before, but in two brigades. In the first of these, with the 42nd and 65th, were the marines and Naval Brigade. As the brigade advanced, the enemy swarmed down to the attack, and the soldiers with their rifles, and the sailors with their machine guns, opened a tremendous fire upon them; but the Arabs still came on with desperate bravery. The brigade was in square, and the 42nd, who were in front, charged the enemy at the double, cheering loudly; but this movement left a gap between them and the 65th, who formed the right face of the square, and, before the gap could be closed up, great hordes of Arabs charged down and burst into the square.

For a while all was confusion. The 65th fell back on the marines. The Naval Brigade, surrounded by the broken soldiers, were unable to use their guns, and, as the confused mass fell back, had to leave these behind them; but with great coolness they removed portions of the machinery, so that when the guns fell into the hands of the enemy they were unable to use them against us.

Wildly the Arabs pressed down upon the retreating troops, but the second brigade, under General Buller, came up in splendid order, their volleys sweeping away the enemy. This gave the retreating troops time to reform their ranks, and they at once advanced again in line with Buller’s brigade; and the enemy were put to flight, after suffering a loss of over 5000 men.

Amongst those who fell in this action were Lieutenant Montresor, R.N., Lieutenant Almack, R.N., and Lieutenant Houston, R.N., with seven of their men who were killed at their guns.

Sudan - Feb 1884

While researching my family history I discovered my Great Great Grandfather had been in the 1st Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment and had taken part in the battles of El Teb and Tamani in the Sudan in 1884. What follows in an account of the action at El Teb written by a naval officer and outlines the part the 1st Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment played in the battle.

Battle of El Teb – February 1884

In the meanwhile the British Government, under the leadership of Mr. Gladstone, had come to the conclusion that the advanced posts of the Egyptian Government in the Soudan could no longer be held, and pressed upon that Government the necessity of withdrawing the garrisons. The Egyptians reluctantly accepted the advice of their powerful “ally,” but were unable of themselves to execute its purpose. The British Government then applied to General Gordon, who had been formerly governor of the Soudan, and who had more influence over the Arab tribes than any other European of modern times, to undertake the task of the evacuation of Khartoum, the civil population of which numbered about 11,000. General Gordon at once responded to the call of his country, and set out for Khartoum, which he reached with General Stewart as his sole companion on the 16th of February.

At first all seemed well, and Gordon was able to send down some widows and children, 2500 in all, to Korosko, but the events above related at once destroyed all hope of a peaceful retreat; and it became evident that help from without would become necessary if the population were to be saved; but the two British officers never doubted that their country would aid them in their time of need.

The sensation caused in England by the events around Suakim now became so great that Mr. Gladstone’s Government could no longer evade their responsibility, and now took the step which, had it been taken six weeks earlier, would have saved thousands of lives. English troops were set in motion from Egypt, some regiments were stopped on their way home from India up the Red Sea, and a force was assembled at Suakim under General Graham; when these were collected they were taken down to Trinkatat by sea, and the disembarkation there began on the 23rd of February 1884.

As usual, all the hard work to be done fell upon the sailors, who worked incessantly—landing stores through the surf, working up to their necks in water. On the 26th, having accomplished this work, a Naval Brigade, consisting of all the marines and sailors who could be spared from the men-of-war, was landed to take part in the expedition, taking with them several gatlings and light ship guns; all of which were dragged by them through the deep sand, no means of transport being available. Two or three days now elapsed before the advance commenced, as some of the troops had not yet arrived; but on the 65th Regiment coming into port in the Serapis transport, orders were given for the advance to commence. As soon as the 65th landed, they crossed a lagoon, or shallow salt-water lake, which lay behind Trinkatat, and joined the main body, who had already taken post on the other side.

The column consisted roughly of 3000 infantry, 750 cavalry and mounted infantry, 115 men of the Naval Brigade, and about 200 artillery and engineers; of these 150 were left at Trinkatat, and 200 men at the camping ground across the lagoon, which had been entrenched by General Baker and bore his name. The troops advanced in a hollow square. The Gordon Highlanders formed the front face, the Irish Fusiliers the right face, the 65th the left, and the 42nd Highlanders formed the rear of the square. The Rifles marched inside the square next to the Fusiliers, the marines next to the Rifles, the sailors, with six gatling guns, were stationed to the left of the Gordon Highlanders; while the eight seven-pounder guns belonging to the fleet, which had been transferred to the camel battery, were in the centre of the square in reserve. Two squadrons of cavalry were to scout far out on the front and flanks, the rest of the cavalry were to remain in readiness for action in the rear of the square.

Soldiers and sailors were alike in good spirits, and longing to meet the foe and to avenge the massacre of Baker’s troops on the very ground across which they were about to march; but they knew that the work would be no child’s play, and that the greatest steadiness would be needed to resist the tremendous rush of the fanatics. The march began in the morning, and the enemy’s scouts were seen falling back as the cavalry dashed out ahead. Their main position was in the neighbourhood of some wells. It was marked by a number of banners floating in the light air on a low ridge which was swarming with men; guns could be seen in position at various points along the position, which extended about a mile in length.

As the column approached the ridge, the natives took up their post behind it; but, as in a direct advance against it, the column would be swept by the fire of their guns and musketry, without being able to make any adequate return against the concealed foes, General Graham determined to turn it by working round its flank. Accordingly, after a halt, the column continued its march in an oblique direction across the face of the position.

At a few minutes before eleven, the cavalry scouts moved away from the front of the column and left it face to face with the enemy, who were now but a few hundred yards away. Their heads could be seen popping up behind the bushes and earthworks, and every moment it was expected that they would rise from their hiding-places and charge down upon the column which was marching past their front at a distance of about 400 yards.

The assault did not come, but a sudden fire of musketry broke out from the face of the position, and the Krupp guns, captured from Baker’s force, in their batteries opened fire on the column. The effect was at once visible, several men in the square fell out from the ranks wounded; but fortunately the enemy fired high, and the storm of shot and shell, for the most part, passed harmlessly over the column. Without returning a shot, the column moved steadily on in the line which would soon place them across the end of the enemy’s position, and enable them to take it in the rear.

It was very trying to the nerve of the troops to march on without firing while pelted with such a storm of missiles. General Baker was badly wounded in the face by a bullet from a shell, and many men were struck, but by this time the column had reached the desired position; they had passed round the enemy’s line, and were almost in their rear. They halted now, and the men lay down, while the sailors opened fire upon the enemy with the gatlings, and the men of the camel battery with their seven-pounders,—six guns of the enemy replying. These were well handled and aimed, for the garrison of Tokar had three days before surrendered, and were now fighting in the ranks of their captors, whose guns were all worked by the Egyptian artillerymen.

By twelve o’clock the English guns had silenced those of the enemy, and the word was given for an advance against their position; the bagpipes struck up, the men sprang to their feet cheering, and the column, still keeping its formation as a square, marched straight at the enemy’s position. The Arabs ceased firing as the British approached, and when the column was close at hand they leapt to their feet and charged furiously down.

The change of the direction of the march had altered the position of the column, the flank of the square was now its front, and the brunt of the attack fell on the 42nd, 65th, and the Naval Brigade. Groups of twenty and thirty Arabs rushed fiercely down upon them, but they were swept away by the fire of the musketry and the machine guns; but in some places the Arabs came to close quarters, but were unable to break through the line of bayonets.

The column had now reached the position, and with a cheer rushed over the bank of sand. From every bush around them the Arabs leapt up and flung themselves upon the troops. Admiral Hewett himself led the sailors and joined in the hand-to-hand fight. A party of fanatics nearly succeeded in breaking in between the sailors and the 65th, but Captain Wilson, of the Hecla, threw himself into the gap, and, fighting desperately, drove back the assailants.

There was a short halt when the post was captured, to reform the column before moving forward to the attack of the main position of the enemy, of which we were now well in rear; and after a short artillery duel the column again advanced. The whole ground was covered with trenches and innumerable little rifle-pits, all hidden by the close growing bushes, and every foot was contested, the Arabs leaping from their defences and dashing recklessly on the British bayonets. Great numbers of them were slaughtered; and they fought with a desperate courage which extorted the admiration of our soldiers.

At last the column, which was now extended into line, passed across the whole of the position occupied by the enemy and emerged in front; the main body of the enemy withdrawing sullenly. Of the Naval Brigade two men were killed, and Lieutenant Royds and six sailors wounded. No more fighting took place; a portion of the column advanced to Tokar, which the enemy evacuated at their approach, and brought off such of the townspeople as wished to leave.

York & Lancaster Regiment

I'm researching a distant relative who served in the 1st battalion York and Lancaster Regiment between 1871 and 1888. I've got Muster rolls for 1877 until 1888. I'm really after any information prior to this can anyone help?