Northamptonshire 48th / 58th Regiment

[Guv]

Northamptonshire 48th / 58th Regiment

THE STEELBACKS

The Northamptonshire Regiment was re-formed in 1741 during the war of Austrian Succession as the 59th Regiment of line, it became the now familiar 48th Regiment after the Army re-organisation of 1748.

Finding its genesis during the English Civil War as a part of the King’s army of Oxford, the Northamptons have amassed an impressive 114 Battle Honours during their glorious history. During the Second World War Northamptonshire fielded 12 Battalions in all theatres of combat and on the home front.

The Tommy Atkins Historical Society portrays an Infantry Platoon in the 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, (The Steelbacks) 17th Infantry Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, during the 1943-1944 Campaign in Italy and early 1945 in Germany & The Elbe.

This we think will help to study the difficult battles for Sicily and Italy by “the D-Day Dodgers”, without whom a successful beachhead in Normandy would never have been possible.

More information on the Regiment and it's history will be posted as time allows.

[Guv]

The Regiment was raised in 1741 during the War of Austrian Succession as the 59th of line.
In 1745 it took part in the campaigning against the Young Pretender , fighting at the Battles of Falkirk and Culloden. It became the 48th Regiment after Army reorganisation in 1748. The 48th received its first battle honour in the Americas at the Battle of Louisburg, an honour not given until 1882 . The regiment was involved in the capture of Quebec under Wolf's command . The 48th was present at the capture Martinique and Havanah in the West Indies before returning to serve in Ireland in 1763.

The Regiment returned to the West Indies in 1773. This area of the world became a graveyard for British troops, with disease running rampant through the ranks .The remnants of the 48th were captured by the French who had entered the war of American Independence.

Repatriated back to England in 1780, the war office began recruitment of troops in the Northampton District and it then became the Northamptonshire Regiment.

It was not until 1788 that the 48th reached its full compliment of troops and was once again deployed to the West Indies. But yet again ,as fortune would have it, in 1793 the Regiment returned to England as it was so depleted, due to again illness.

The French activity had increased in the West Indies, the regiment was again committed to the area in
1795. By late August 1797, only 50 of the original 847 troops to leave England were able to fight , again due to rampant disease.

After returning to England yet again to recruit troops, in August 1799 ,the 48th departed for Gibraltar.
A member of the 48th, Ensign Thomas Bell, custodian of the colours, planted the colours at St Angelo in Malta when the regiment recaptured the island from the French in September of 1800. In 1802 from Malta ,the regiment returned to England .

The second Battalion 48th was raised at Manchester as a limited line battalion of existing full service
lines, the trek to the Peninsula had began. Both Battalions of the 48th were despatched to this area .
As history shows very few of the original 900 or so troops were to survive this war. Only one Battalion was
to eventually return to England, a combination of the 1/48th and the 2/48th.
On 10th of April 1814, the 48th regiment fought its last battle in Europe at Toulouse, a battle that need not have been fought, Napoleon had already abdicated on the 6th of April 1814.

For the 48th the war was over. Since the regiment entered France they had lost 13 killed and 117 wounded. The regiment retired to Pauillac, it was from here that a battle weary 48th regiment returned to Ireland on the 19th of June 1814.


This ode was written by J W Croker for the 48th after their heroism at Talavera

"Now from the summit, at his call,
A gallant legion firm and slow
Advances on victorious Gaul;
Undaunted, tho' their leader's low!
Fixed, as the high and buttressed mound,
That guards some leaguered city round,
They stand unmoved --"

More to follow....................................

[Ian]

When will part two of the exciting History of the Northampton Regiment be written.

[OLL]

Anyone interested in hearing a potted history of the 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regt, 3rd Div. My granddad was in them. Ill post it if you like, well interesting stuff!

[Whizz_Bang]

Bring it on Oll, always interested in the nations finest.... although non so fine as the Tigers.

[Guv]

Aaah Regimental pride........

I have seen more bar-fights started over "My mob's better than your mob" than all the other excuses put together.

Experience suggests - The British Army is the best - full stop and keep it at that.

[Ian]

If any of you lads visit old book shops, look out for Regimental Histories by a company called Gale & Polden Ltd, Aldershot. This Company now out of business, printed most of the British Army regimental histories.

Snap them up, no matter what unit, someone out there will want it, and if its on the regiment named above, give Guv first refusal.