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The York and
Lancaster Regiment. regimental art prints of the York and Lancaster regiments.
These superb art prints of this disbanded regiment 1968. are available
direct form Cranston Fine Arts |
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The York and Lancaster Regiment is built of
the formerly linked battalions of the 65th (2nd
York North Riding) and the 84th (York and Lancaster).
In 1756 the 12th Foot had a 2nd
battalion, which, two years later, became the 65th.
It was called the “2nd Yorkshire North Riding
Regiment” in 1782, a title it retained until the present
territorialisation system was introduced.
The new regiment first saw active service at Guadaloupe and
Havannah, 1759 to 1762, and then embarked for America, to fight at
Bunker’s Hill, but going home afterwards; it returned to the West
Indies in 1794, to take part in the attack on Martinique and Guadaloupe.
A curious method of enlistment was adopted in the regiment when
it came home: “Parish boys,” from the Scottish poorhouse, who had
been enlisted for the 16th, were posted to the 65th.
After routine duty at the Cape in 1801, the
regiment sailed for India, and fought under Lake at Guzert, Mawla, and
Bhurtpore; after which, in 1809, it saw active service against the
Wahabees, in the Persian Gulf, and assisted to destroy Ras-ul-Khynah and
other piratical holds.
Present at the reduction of Mauritius, it
returned to India for the operations in Kattiwar, Guzerat, and Cutch;
the Pindari War, and the capture of Poonah; in the Persian Gulf at
Ras-ul-Khymah again; once more in Cutch at the taking of Dwarka; in the
Persian Gulf, for the third time, on the destruction of the stronghold
of the Beni-boo Ali tribe; finally to return home in 1822, with the
reward, for continual and gallant service in the East, of bearing on the
colours the Royal Tiger, with “India” and “Arabia.”
The 65th saw active service in
the New Zealand campaign-during which Sergeant McKenna and
Lance-Corporal J. Ryan won the Victoria Cross-after 1846; but after that
saw no further fighting until the Suakim disturbances, when, on its way
home, it was landed to fight at El Teb and Tamai.
The 84th regiment first appears
from 1759 to 1764; then as the “Royal Highland Emigrants” in 1775,
which became the 84th in 1778, and was disbanded in 1784,
when its uniform was similar to the 42nd; and finally in
1893, when the present regiment came into being, and incorporated with a
2nd battalion, raised in 1794, received the title “York and
Lancaster Regiment” in 1809.
Its early history was uneventful.
It served abroad in Madras, Flanders, the capture of Cape Town,
Perim, Aden, India (seeing active service at Surat and Guzerat and Goa),
the capture of Mauritius, the operations in Kattiwar and Cutch, the
Pindari disturbances, and at Kandeish and Cutch again before it returned
home in 1819. these services were rendered between 1800 and 1819; after
which date it saw no further active service until 1842, when it was in
Burmah, and was stationed at Moulmein; but it returned to India in time
to share in the suppression of the Mutiny in 1857.
Detachments were sent to assist Wheeler at Cawnpore (where most
of them were massacred) and Lawrence at Lucknow; the latter serving in
the defence of the Residency. The
keeper of the cemetery at Cawnpore when the Mutiny was suppressed was
private Murphy of the 84th, who was one of the two soldiers,
other than officers, who escaped from the massacre.
The rest of the regiment was also in the first relief of Lucknow,
and its defence; at the battle of Alumbagh and the capture of Lucknow,
and finally with the Azimghur column.
Its last active service was in the Tel-el-Kebir
campaign, where it did good work at Kassassin and throughout the
campaign.
A 2nd battalion, raised in
1808, served at Wacheren and the siege of Flushing in 1809, and for its
services in the Peninsula from 1813 to 1814 added “Nive” and
“Peninsula” to the colours, though it was also present at the
Bidaddoa and the investment of Bayonne.
The facings of the 65th were
white, those of the 84th yellow.
Now both are white. The
“Union Rose” is the badge on the 84th in 1820.
The Royal Tiger, with “India” and “Arabia,” were given
for the valuable services of the 65th in those countries from
1802 to 1822. The buttons
have the title, a laurel wreath, the Tiger, a coronet, and the Union
rose; the tunic collar has the Royal Tiger; the helmet-plate the Union
Rose and title; the waist-plate the same with the Royal Tiger; on the
forage-cap a Union Rose, with the Tiger.
The 3rd West York Militia forms
the 3rd battalion of the regiment, and was raised in 1757.
The Volunteer battalions are the 2nd West Riding,
Yorkshire (Sheffield), and the 8th West Riding, Yorkshire (Doncaster).
Both wear scarlet uniforms, with white facings.
The regiment has no special name, and is
usually called by its territorial title.
The depot was at Pontefract |
| The York & Lancaster Regiment (65th & 84th Foot) by Richard Simkin
From the supplement of the Army and Navy Gazette, August 3rd 1895. Private J. Miller Staggers Back, Mortally
Wounded, With The Answer To A Message And Falls At The Feet Of An Officer On Delivering
It. Private James Miller, of the Royal Lancaster Regiment, was
ordered to take an important message under heavy fire and to bring back
a reply. On leaving the
trench he was shot almost immediately, the bullet coming out through his
abdomen. But he compressed
with his hand the gaping wound, delivered his message, staggered back
with the answer, and fell at the feet of the officer to whom he
delivered it. He gave his
life with a supreme devotion to duty, in recognition of which a
posthumous award of the V.C. was made.
Temporary Second Lieutenant D. S. Bell Dashes
Across The Open, Under Very Heavy fire, To Attack
A Machine Gun Party.
During an attack a very heavy enfilade fire was opened on the
attacking company by a hostile machine gun.
Temporary Second Lieutenant Donald Simpson Bell, late of the
Yorkshire Regiment, immediately, and on his own initiative, crept up a
communication trench and then, followed by Corporal Colwill and Private
Batey, rushed across the open, under very heavy fire, and attacked the
machine gun, shooting the gunner with his revolver, and destroying gun
and personnel with bombs. This
very brave act saved many lives and ensured the success of the attack.
Five days later this gallant officer lost his life performing a
very similar act of bravery. A
posthumous award of the V.C. was made.
Temporary Captain A. C. T. White Leading A
Counter-Attack And Driving The Enemy From A Redoubt.
Temporary Captain Archie Cecil Thomas White, of the Yorkshire
Regiment, was in command of troops holding the southern and western
faces of a redoubt. For
four days and nights, by his indomitable spirit, great personal courage,
and skilful dispositions, he held his position under heavy fire of all
kinds and against counter attacks.
Though short of supplies and ammunition, his determination never
wavered. When the enemy
attacked in greatly superior numbers and had almost ejected the British
from the redoubt, he led a counter attack, which finally cleared the
enemy out of the southern and western faces.
He was awarded the V.C. for his most conspicuous bravery.
Corporal G. Sanders And His Party Driving Off A
German Attack And Rescuing Some Prisoners.
After an advance into the enemys lines, Corporal George
Sanders, of the West Yorkshire Regiment, found himself isolated with a
party of thirty men. But he
organized his defences, and detailed a bombing party.
Next morning his party drove off an attack by the enemy and
rescued some prisoners who had fallen into their hands.
Later two strong bombing attacks were beaten off.
The following day he was relieved, after showing the greatest
courage, determination and good leadership.
For thirty-six hours his party was without food and water, having
given all their water to the wounded during the first night.
Corporal Sanders was deservedly awarded the V.C.
Temporary Major S. W. Loudoun-Shand Helping Men
Over The Parapet While Exposed To Very Fierce Machine Gun Fire.
When a company attempted to climb over the parapet to attack the
enemies trenches they were met by very fierce machine gun fire, which
temporarily stopped their progress.
Temporary Major Stewart Loudoun-Shand, late of the Yorkshire
Regiment, immediately leapt on the parapet, helped the men over it, and
encouraged them in every way until he fell mortally wounded.
Even then he insisted on being propped up in the trench, and went
on encouraging the non-commissioned officers and men until he died.
For his most conspicuous bravery a posthumous award of the V.C.
was made.
Officer, 65th Foot 1780
by P H Smitherman The image, from a contemporary portrait, shows a further tendency to
simplicity, which we have noted before. The coat is devoid of lace,
and the turn-down collar has developed into something very modern.
The front cock of the hat has almost disappeared, and in a few years after
this the hat was to begin to disappear from the dress of the army, finally
to be seen only on the heads of certain staff officers. This officer
is wearing one epaulette, so is of below field rank, and is mounted, and
therefore may be either an adjutant or a company commander. It will
be noted that he is wearing a black stock with his white cravat, an
article of dress which became very unpopular but nevertheless had a long
life. It became symbolic of the tight, uncomfortable uniform which
soldiers were forced to wear in the first half of the nineteenth
century. The 65th were originally raised in 1756 as the second
battalion of the 12th, but became a separate regiment on their own two
years later. In 1881 they received the better known title of the
York and Lancaster Regiment. |
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