The Glorious Glosters

[Whizz_Bang]

March 5th 1694 a Warrant was issued to Colonel John Gibson (Lieutenant-Govorner of Portsmouth) to raise "Volontiers"

The Regiment sailed for Alicante to take part in the Battle of Almanza. April 27th 1707. The Battle was a defeat for the British, but under strange circumstances. The British were commanded by a Frenchman (Henri de Massue, Earl of Galway) and the French commanded by James FitzJames (an Englishman.)

March 1757 the 28th sailed for Canada. The British army laid siege to the French fortified town at Louisberg. In July the French surrendered, having lost 1000 killed to the British loss of 171. In June 1759 they sailed as part of 9000 strong force under Major-General Wolfe to take Quebec.

June 28th the 28th Foot were put ashore to secure a landing area. But the assault upon Quebec was delayed by Wolfe's illness. Before dawn, September 13th 1759 lines of boats packed with British soldiers sailed silently past the French sentries. The lead Regiment was the 28th. The 28th led the way, scaling the heights of Abraham, before the sun rose the British force was taking up positions before Quebec.

Wolfe took up position with the 28th. The French were astonished to see the thin line of Red coats. The French attacked. Stopped dead by the British volley, the French lines wavered. Wolfe drew his sword and at the head of the 28th ordered advance. The French fled and 5 days later Quebec surrendered. But early in the battle Wolfe was wounded in the wrist, ignoring this he continued to advance until shot in the body. He lay wounded and upon told of his victory, died.

The Penninsular campaign - Battle honours gained at Talavera, Albuhera & Vittoria.
Battle honours for Quatre Bras & Waterloo.

1914-18 - 22 battalions fielded.

1944 - 2nd Battalion Glosters, 56th Independent Brigade join the 49th west riding Division.

Jan 1951 - Battle of the Imjin River. Korea.

Interstingly.... the Glosters tradition of wearing 2 cap badges stems way before the Imjin.

Note the smaller badge on the rear of this war time Tommy's cap.

[Whizz_Bang]

From the 2nd Bn diaries.

1919 - 4th January sailed for South Russia.
8th January disembarked at Batum, Armenia and moved to Tiflis.
May - Battalion relievd. First Cadre sent home to join Foreign Service Details at Chiseldon.
11th October - Battalion reformed, sailed for India.
9th November - Arrived at Ahmednagar.
1920 - Detachment to Peshawar. In October Battalion moved to Rawalpindi.
1921 - Detachments to Amritza, Lahore, and Multan.
1922 - Rawalpindi
1923 - Third year at Rawalpindi. In April the Battalion moved from West Ridge to Victoria Barracks. Each company went to the Hills (Upper Barian) in turn for 6 weeks to escape the hot weather. In April Colonel Rawson retired and was Succeeded by Colonel Wilkinson.
In October the Battalion left the Punjab for Jhansi, United Provinces, 750 miles by train.
1924 - January, 'A' Company left to garrison fort and barracks. Rest of Battalion moved to Saugor for 10 days of manoeuvres (125 mile march both ways).
During summer, detachments of 100 men from 'D' and then 'B' Company sent for 3 months each to Purundhar, near Poona. 100 men from 'A' and 'D' Company to Chaubattia, near Rhaniket. Families went to Pachmarhi.
1925 - 2nd Lieut. C.E.A. Firth promoted Lieut.
Lieut. L.C. Evans promoted Captain.
Capt. & Brevet Major H.F.L. Hilton-Green, DSO, MC promoted Major.
Capt. & Brevet Major A.C. Vicary, DSO, MC promoted Major.
Lieut. J. Vicary, MC promoted Capt.
2nd Lieuts. T.H. Clarke and H.L.W. Bird posted to Bn.
Capt. C.E.K. Bagot, MC psoted to Bn.
Capt. A. Furley, MC appointed Adjutant and Quartermaster, Small Arms School, Pachmarhi.
Lieut. D.E. Baker appointed Adjutant 1st Bn G.I.P. Railway Regt (A.F.I.), Bombay.
Capt. & Brevet Major N.F. Somerset, DSO, MC appointed Staff-Capt., HQ, Southern Command, Poona.
Lieut. F.W. Priestly appointed Officiating Assistant Embarkation Staff Officer, Bombay.

Officers proceeded on leave to UK during the year:
Major A.F. Chapman; Major H.F.L. Hilton-Green, DSO, MC; Major J.R. Guild, DSO; Capt. R.M. Grazebrook, OBE, MC; Lieut. T.H. Barnard.
1926 - Major H.F.L. Hilton-Green, DSO, MC returned to Bn from duty with Simla Rifles.
Major Cox attended Staff College, Quetta.
Capt. R.P. Power posted to Depot.
2nd Lieuts. Bryant and Butler posted to Bn from Sandhurst. Capt. Pope posted from 1st Bn.
Lieut. Jenkyn posted to Indian ASC.
Pte R. Leighton commended by District Commander for gallantry in volunteering to be lowered on a rope down a 40-ft well to rescue a woman who had fallen in. He brought her up but she was dead.
Regimental Tattoo put on by HQ Wing:
Programme:
9.30pm Fall in.
Entry of Band and Drums (March, 'Georgia')
Retreat. 'First Post' Sounded by the Bugles. March 'The Hundred Pipers'
Scottish Patrol 'The Gathering o' the Clans', The Band
Gymnastic Display (commanded by CSM F. Daffurn)
Marches, The Band. 'The young May moon is beaming, love' (the tune played by the 28th Foot as they marched onto the battlefield of Quatre Bras, 1815). 'Cheer, boys cheers' (the tune played by the 61st as they marched into camp on Delhi Ridge, 1857).

Representation of 18th Century Military Punishments.

The Drums march in the prisoners and escort to the slow march 'De Rosen'. The following sentences are then promulgated by the Provost (Sergt. Phipps) and the punishments carried out:
a) John Andrews, of the Grenadier Company, is sentenced to sit the wooden horse for sleeping on his post.
b) James O'Connell, convicted of theft, is sentenced to be tied neck and heels.
c) Andrew Pearson is convicted of absence without leave, and sentenced to be picketed.
d) Peter Simple is convicted of slaughtering his Colonel's horse, and of selling the hide. He is sentenced to the Halberts to be flogged and branded.
e) Elizabeth Williams and Peter M'Conachy are then marched in to the tune of 'The Rogues' March'. These 2 prisoners are convicted of trying to persuade men to desert to the French service. The woman is sentenced to be put into the cart, that she may watch the punishment of the man, who is tied to the cart and whipped out of barracks by the smallest drummer of the Regiment. (This actual case occurred in Scotland in 1746). 'The Rogues' March' was the tune played when a man was drummed out of a regiment, and the following doggerels were sung to it:-
"Fifty (lashes) I got for selling my coat,
Fifty for selling my blanket;
If I ever 'list for a soldier again,
The devil shall my serjeant!'
The uniforms worn throughout the performance were of the 61st Foot, 1768.
Grande Finale: The Battle of Salamanca.
1928 - September, during a rugby tournament at Cawnpore, Lieut. Firth rescued a drowning Indian from the River Jumna.
December, Battalion embarked at Bombay for England. During voyage 5178396 Pte J. Wilkins, 'A' Coy. died.
26th December arrived at Southampton and moved to Gravesend.
Captain Pope and Lieut. Bird posted to Depot.
Captain Furley, Lieuts. Sheppard and Townsend transferred to the "Special List" of Quartermasters, Indian Army.
Major Capel posted from Depot.
Lieut. D.E. Baker rejoined Bn.
Capt. Mirehouse to Staff College, Quetta.
Lieut. Clarke transferred to Indian Army Ordnance Corps.
Lieut. Wintle to the RASC.
Lieut. Firth to 1st Bn, as Adjutant.
2nd Lieuts. V.F.D. Tarrant and G.P. Wethered posted to Bn
1929 - War Office Letter, No.54/Infy/6464 (30 Nov. 1929) "His Majesty The King has been pleased to approve of the facings of the Gloucestershire Regiment being changed from white to yellow."
February - 'D' Coy. became a Machine Gun Company, with 12 Vickers guns.
August - Bn marched to Shorncliffe for exercises.
Brevet-Lieut-Col. V.N. Johnson joined Bn.
Major H.F.L. Hilton-Green, DSO, MC retired.
Brevet-Major J.R. Guild, Capt. R.P. Power and Capt. L.A.W.B. Lachlan promoted Major. Major Power posted to 1st Bn.
Brevet-Major L.H. Cox appointed to staff at Bulford, Salisbury Plain.
Capt. C.E.K. Bagot replaced as Adjutant by Capt. L.C. Evans
Lieuts. T.H. Barnard, D.E. Baker, and B.J.V. Vigrass to be Capts. (Capt. D.E. Baker retired).
Lieut. M.M.A. Bryant appointed to West African Frontier Force.
2nd Lieuts. G.P. Wethered and V.F.D. Tarrant joined Bn. 2nd Lieut. Tarrant then posted to 1st Bn.
2nd Lieut. D.W. Biddle joined Bn, then posted to 1st Bn.
2nd Lieuts. A.E. Wilkinson, C.W.A. Bath, and K.G. Merritt joined the Bn.
CSM Tymms to be RQMS (vice Walliker, retired)
CSM Lester to 'D' Coy.
CSM Woodward to HQ Wing, duty as ships Sergt-Major during trooping season.
CQMS Hann to be CSM 'B' Coy.
CQMS Cannell to 'B' Coy.
Sergt. Dower to be CSM, posted to Depot.
Sergt. Goode to be CQMS, then CMS and posted to 5th Bn
Sergt. Clifford to be CQMS, 'D' Coy.
Sergt. Perry to be CQMS, then CMS 'A' Coy.
Sergt. Drinkwater to be CQMS 'A' Coy.
29th May - 5179703 Pte J. Wilkins, HQ Wing, "at considerable personal risk, succeeded in stopping a runaway horse on the Range and avoided serious damage to government property."
1930 - Training at Gravesend.
August Bn trained at Ludgershall with the 4th, 5th, and 6th Battalions.
September in camp at Southwold, Suffolk.

1931 - May the Bn put on a display at Olympia.
July Bn (626 strong) marched to Shorncliffe for 3 months training.
Oct. Bn returned to Gravesend by 'bus convoy'

1932 - Left Gravesend 22nd Nov. for Catterick Camp, Yorkshire.
Strength 27 officers, 616 other ranks.

1933 - July Battalion at Bellerby Weapon Training Camp.
August-September Brigade Training, including the Battalion's first ever exercise with tanks.
1934 - Combined Operations Training, including a 50 miles cruise into the North Sea on HMS Achilles.
14th Dec. Battalion put on stand-by to sail for Egypt, due to the tension between Britain and Italy.

RSM W. Middlecote, DCM posted as RSM at the depot. Replaced by RSM G. Pearce.
7th January Battalion sailed from Southampton for Egypt, along with the 2nd Cheshires and 1st York & Lancaster Regiments. Sailed on the Cunard White Star Liner 'Scythia'. Landed at Alexandria on 17th Jan. and moved by train to Sidi Bishr Camp.
23rd Feb. marched to Mersa Matruh. Water was scarce and the Royal Engineers opened up some Roman wells to provide a better supply. A guard was mounted at the Roman wells to protect the supply.
27th July moved by train from Mersa back to Sidi Bishr Camp.
22nd December sailed for England from Alexandria on HMT Neuralia.
Training began for conversion to a Machine-Gun Regiment.
1937 - 1st Jan. arrived at Southampton. Disembarked 2nd Jan. By train to Plymouth. Based at Seaton Battacks, Crownhill.
Battalion given 2 months leave, returning by 1st March.
1st April Battalion officially became a Mechanized Machine-Gun Battalion.
September Brigade Training at Willsworthy Camp, Dartmoor.
14th Sept. moved to the Artillery Practice Camp at Okehampton (field firing exercises)
Returned to Crownhill 2nd October.
19th Oct. HRH The Duke of Gloucester launched the cruiser 'Gloucester'. 200 men of the 2nd Bn sent to Devonport Dockyard to form a Royal Guard of Honour for the ceremony.
1938 - Lieut-Col. L.H. Cox, MC posted to a Brigade at Malta. Lieut-Col. N.F. Somerset, DSO, MC appointed to command 2nd Bn.


2nd Bn rugby team won the Army Rugby Cup.
Orders arrived to convert back to a Rifle Battalion in 1939.