| Related Material | Students who are interested in the history of The Royal Sussex Regiment should also be aware of the existence of sources in other repositories which might relate directly or indirectly to the Regiment. The records of the War Office are a rich and voluminous source on all aspects of military history and are available for inspection at The National Archives, Ruskin Avenue, Kew (see M S Giuseppi Guide to the Contents of the Public Record Office, HMSO 1963, Volume 2, pp. 304-333). The National Army Museum in Royal Hospital Road, London SW3, holds records relating to the British Army, the Indian Army, and the Colonial Forces. The bulk of its holdings covers the 18th and 19th centuries, and consists principally of personal records of officers and men, rather than official papers. The Imperial War Museum, Department of Documents, in Lambeth Road, London SE1, holds material for the period from 1914 and is an important source of records for the First and Second World Wars. Finally, the Army Record Office in Bourne Avenue, Hayes, Middlesex, deals with the current and closed records of the Ministry of Defence, and is particularly important for its holdings of army service records. These comprise the personal files of individual officers and men from 1914 onwards - although those for 1914-1918 were partly destroyed during wartime bombing in the Second World War - and access to these papers is restricted to close relatives of the soldier concerned.
Related WSRO collections:
AM 723: Papers of Colonel Wilfred Tolson, Major Wilfred George Tolson and Major Richard George Seymour Tolson
AM 745: Photographs and papers of Brian Morley who completed his National Service with the Regiment from 1956 to 1958
AM 755: Photographs of Andrew Barnicott who served in South Korea, late 1950s
AM 773: Diary of Frederick George Madgwick of Worthing, 4th Battalion, 1914-1916
AM 775: Includes papers relating to Thomas Bull who was killed at El Alamein in 1942
AM 782: Research file relating to L/Cpl Francis John Purver (WW1)
AM 783: Certificate of service of Pte Frederick Napier Chipp, 4th Battalion
AM 784: Papers of Charles Donald Stuart, 15th Battalion, 1916-1945
AM 788: Photographs of John Ernest Brown's service in Egypt and India 1930s
AM 826: Recollections of Mr Stearman of his service with 4th Battalion during the First World War
AM 827: Army Book of Octavius Whittard Ward, 3rd (Special Reserve) and 13th Battalions, 1915-1919
AM 828: Record of service of Captain Edward Wheler 1894
AM 829: Group photograph of Sergeant's Mess, HQ, 7th Indian Infantry Brigade, at Salonika 1944 (photocopy)
AM 833: Christmas card from Percy Steadman, 4th Battalion, 1914 (photocopy)
AM 834: Services diary of Major E C May 1942
AM 837: Photographs and papers relating to the service of Lt Henry Richard Milbank 1917-1922 (copies)
AM 919: Papers of Sgt Ernest William Richardson, 9th Battalion, 1920s-1958
AM 960: Passes of Pte Archibald Tilling, 1933-1936
AM 1004: Photographs and letter confirming medal entitlement relating to Pte Alfred G Wickens, 5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion [1916-1919], 1959
AM 1009: Photographs and papers of Sgt Basil Moorey, Royal Sussex Regiment, late 1920s-1947
AM 1010/1: Scrapbook of photographs and documents compiled by Pte Leslie G B Moore, 7th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment 1939-c.2008
AM 1036/1: Army Orders issued by General Sir H S Rawlinson, Commanding Officer of Fourth Army, for awards of The Military Medal, 1919
AM 1046: Photographs and documents of Major Peter Parish 1930s-1960s
AM 1053: Service papers of Pte William Henry Abbott 1884-1919
AM 1056: Papers of Pte William Alfred Burley 1939-c.1950
AM 1061: Louise Abbott Papers - includes Brigadier Glennie's notes on Battle of Cassino in 1944
AM 1063: Rigby Collection - Field Message Book of RSM Boniface, 3rd Battalion 1915 and photographs collected by L/Sgt Tester, 2nd Battalion 1926-1935
AM 1064: Papers of Frederick & George Joseph Welch 1914-1978
AM 1065: Photographs and papers of Pte E A Winter, 2/6th Battalion, 1914-1919
AM 1066: Photographs and papers of Sgt-Maj Frederick Goddard 1907-1931
AM 1070: Papers of Captain James H Robinson of Sussex Yeomanry and 4th and 13th Battalions 1912-c.2003
AM 1073: Photographs and papers of CSMI Joseph Light, 2nd Battalion (mostly 1930s)
AM 1074: Papers of Pte Peter Vickery (who served in 2/6th Battalion 1914-1916)
AM 1079: Service and pay book of 2675 and 645 Pte George Munns 1881-1886
AM 1080: Papers of Pte George Parker, 1st Battalion (served from 1910 to early 1920s)
AM 1081: Papers of Sgt R A Patching, 2nd Battalion, 1896-1926
AM 1082: Photograph of soldiers, including Pte John Henry Billenness, in Chichester Barracks 1931
AM 1085/1: Programme of The Annual Athletic Sports, 1st Battalion, India 1906
AM 1086: Papers of Cpl Richard A Wilson, 7th Battalion, 1940-1986
AM 1096: Photographs and papers of Sgt Henry William Langmead, 2/6th (Cyclists) Battalion (1915-1919)
AM 1097: Photographs and papers of Pte Mathew Raymond Curson, 2/6th Battalion [1914-1919]
AM 1118: Certificates of Good Service awarded to Major W F Rainsford 1943-1945
AM 1119: Papers of Lt Col Henry Browse Scaife [1880-1902]
AM 1124/1: Permanent Pass of 2366 Pte G White, 1st Battalion 1888
Lawrance Collection: Photographs compiled by Llewellyn Maurice Lawrance who served with the Regiment from 1926 (2nd Battalion, later with 9th Battalion)
MP 8037: Letter from Herbert W Purser on his experiences as a PoW in 1918 (copy)
MP 8132: Service records and photograph of 6392135 Pte Alfred Deacon 1919-1939 (copies)
MP 8189: Transcript of the personal diary of General Sir Lashmer Gordon Whistler 1942-1958
MP 8201: Notes on military service of John Porter, Royal Sussex Regiment, during the First World War (probably 16th Battalion)
MP 8275: Photocopies of the papers of Pte Edward D Salmon 1939-1995
MP 8276: Research notes and photographs relating to Henfield territorials 1912
MP 8277: 'The Life of Sidney Constable 1894-1961' by Albert Constable 2006 (Sidney Constable served in 4th Battalion during the First World War)
MP 8281: Letters from Edmund Blunden to his girlfriend, later wife, Mary Daines, 16 Apr - 31 Dec 1918 (photocopies)
MP 8294: 'Ted Stapley in the Great War' by Alan Hayward (Ted Stapley served in one of the Southdown Battalions)
MP 8295: Memoirs of Pte Frederick Grout of 8th Battalion (relate to 1917-1918)
MP 8297: Diary of 2/Lt P S W Martin, 8th Battalion, 1917
MP 8303: Research papers relating to Sgt Charles Frederick Moody who served with 2nd Battalion [1886-1898] and 8th Battalion during the First World War
MP 8304: Photographs and papers (copies) relating to 2/Lt Alfred John Avalon Hutchins who died in 1918
MP 8305: Transcripts of letters written by or about Pte Fred Bloore, 2nd Battalion (1914-1915); pages from 'Roll of Honour: The Story of the Hundreds of Leek Men who fell in the First World War' by C W Sheldon
MP 8306: Notes on the life and military service of 6391161 Drummer Charles William Harry Cornford (served with RSR 1918-1928)
MP 8328: Memoirs of SD/2670 Pte Ernest Eldridge of 13th, 11th and 9th Battalions, 1914-1918
MP 8329: Recollections of Cpl Leslie J Smeeth, 4th Battalion, 1939-1945
MP 8330: Account of the First World War experiences of Lt Harvey Parker Etherton, 11th Battalion
MP 8331: Research notes on G/2389 Pte William George Scutt, 8th Battalion (WW1)
MP 8332: Research papers relating to 2367 Pte Frederick Briggs [WW1] 2009
MP 8340: Papers of Pte Robert Cecil Cox, 7th Battalion, 1939-1945
MP 8341: Articles and photographs relating to role of Royal Sussex Regiment during railway strike at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire 1911
MP 8355: Service record of 6403347 Pte Edward James Hawes, Royal Sussex Regiment, 1940-1944
OH 480: Interview with Albert Mayes on his experiences in the Great War (audio tape unfit for production; please use CD 233)
OH 487: Interview with Major Kenneth Piers Hickman 2003
PH 27457-27458: Photographs of L C Oak and fellow Hastings Volunteers c.1900
PH 29415: Group photograph of Royal Sussex Regiment boxing team 1926
PH 29509-29510: Photographs (2) of soldiers on summer camp 1911
PH 29882: Photograph album of 3rd Battalion at [Dover Castle], [Aug 1914 - May 1915]
PH 30787: Group photograph of 'A' Company, 13th (Service) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, Witley Camp, 1916
PH 30903: Photograph albums of Pte Walter Wickenden, 2/6th Battalion in India [1916-1919]
PH 30917/1-2: Group photograph of soldiers of the Royal Sussex Regiment, late 19th cent; photograph of Lt G E Hurt, 4th Battalion, 1916
PH 31113: Group photograph of soldiers and NCOs, 2nd Volunteer Battalion 1900
PH 31187: Group photograph of 'HQ 2', 1st Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment as winners of the Inter-Company Hockey Tournament, Bordon 1928-1929
PH 31188: Portrait photograph of Gordon Loades, taken in a studio at Paston School, Norfolk c.1916, who would later serve in 13th Battalion
PH 31240/1-8: Photographs of the Royal Sussex Regiment c.1870-1957 (copy prints)
PH 31256: Photographs of 6th (Cyclists) Battalion 1915 (J C Bishop Collection)
PH 31257: Photographs from the collection of 4094 Pte Walter Dancer, 1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment c.1900
PH 31258: Group photograph of senior NCOs, 3rd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment at Rugeley, Staffordshire, 1919
PH 31279: Group photograph (print-out) of 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment in Singapore [1923-1926]
PH 31280: Group photographs of 11th and 14th Battalions 1916
PH 31281: Postcard photographs of the Sussex Yeomanry [1914-1922]
PH 31283: Group photograph of 'C' Company, 13th Battalion at Witley Camp 1916
PH 31303: Photographs of the Leppard brothers of East Grinstead (Charles Harold Leppard served in 7th Battalion) [1914-1917]
PH 31304: Captain Horace John White MC, 13th Battalion [1918]
PH 31305: Photograph of No 5 Platoon, B Company, 1/4th Battalion at [Bedford] 1915
PH 31308: Postcards of QMS Ernest Scardifield, 2nd Battalion 1904-1909
PH 31309: Photograph of General Sir George Leigh Goldie, Lt Col of the 35th Foot (1861-1863)
PH 31311: Photograph of 3945 Pte Cecil Gilbert Wilcox, 2nd Volunteer Active Service Company (VASC) 1901
PH 31312: Photographs from the collection of Major K P Hickman 1916-1988
PH 31313: Photographs collected by Sgt Albert Hunter, 1st Cinque Ports Rifle Volunteer Corps (CPRVC), 5th and 11th Battalions 1907-1916
PH 31462: Group photograph of hockey team, 'H' Company, 1st Battalion 1912
PH 31464: Photographs of Alfred and Harry Barber of Eastbourne [1914-1918]
PH 31465: Photographs of soldiers at Chichester Barracks 1946
PH 31466: Photographs of Arezzo War Cemetery, Italy, including headstones of Royal Sussex Regiment soldiers killed in 1944, 2008
PH 31467: Photographs of Brian Gill, c.1948
PH 31529: Photographs (3) of soldiers in Germany 1918 |
| AdminHistory | The Raising of the 35th Regiment of Foot, 1701
The Regiment was raised in Belfast in 1701 by Arthur Chichester, 3rd Earl of Donegall, who owned large estates in the north of Ireland. It was one of the Protestant regiments formed at the time to meet the growing threat of Louis XIV of France and to resist the spread of Roman Catholicism in Britain. The 3rd Earl raised the Regiment at his own expense, in return for which William III gave permission for uniforms to bear orange facings, and the Regiment was first known as 'The Earl of Donegall's Regiment' or 'The Belfast Regiment'. It carried the seniority number '35', and was officially called 'The 35th Regiment of Foot'.
The War of the Spanish Succession, 1702-1710, and The Seven Years War, 1756-1763
The new Regiment served in the War of the Spanish Succession and in the winter of 1704-1705 it took part in the defence of Gibraltar, for which it received its first battle-honour. It suffered heavy casualties during the disastrous battle of Almanza in April 1707, and the remnants returned to Ireland where the Regiment was reconstituted. It was to remain largely in Ireland until 1756 when the outbreak of The Seven Years War took the 35th to North America. In 1758 it was present at the capture of Louisburg and in the following year it fought under General Wolfe at the battle of Quebec, during which it encountered the Royal Roussillon Regiment of France from which was derived the plume later incorporated in the badge of the Regiment.
The American War of Independence, 1776-1781
During the American War of Independence the 35th Regiment of Foot fought at Bunker Hill, Brooklyn, and White Plains, and also took part in the capture of St. Lucia in the West Indies. In 1782 county titles were added to infantry regiments, in order to help recruiting, and the 35th became known as the 35th (or Dorsetshire) Regiment, although the reason for the connection with Dorset is not readily apparent. The first real connection with Sussex came in 1787 when Charles Lennox, subsequently 4th Duke of Richmond, joined the Regiment. He recruited Sussex men from the family estates and in 1804, as Colonel of the Regiment, he obtained royal permission for the county title `Sussex' to be transferred from the 25th Regiment of Foot so that the 35th now became known as the 35th (or Sussex) Regiment.
The Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815
Meanwhile war with revolutionary France had broken out in 1793, and the 35th was sent to the West Indies where it took part in the unsuccessful defence of Guadaloupe. On the return to England, Lennox raised the strength of the Regiment by means of volunteers from the Sussex Militia, and in 1799 a second battalion was constituted. Both battalions fought in the abortive campaign in Holland and in 1800 played an important role in the capture of Malta. The 1st Battalion remained in the Mediterranean and in 1806 distinguished itself in the victory over the French at Maida in Italy. The 2nd Battalion was with a reserve brigade at Waterloo and took part in the allied Victory March through Paris in 1815.
After the Napoleonic Wars the Regiment served for a long period in the West Indies. On its return home in 1832 the Regiment was given the appelation `Royal' by William IV in honour of its achievements, and so its title became the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot. The old orange facings on the uniforms, given by William III, were now replaced by the blue facings of a 'Royal' Regiment.
The Indian Mutiny, 1857
In August 1854 the Regiment embarked for India, thereby missing involvement in the Crimean War, and three years later took part in the quelling of the Indian Mutiny. After the Mutiny the 35th became linked with the 107th (Bengal Infantry) Regiment. This had first been raised by the East India Company in 1853, under the title of the 3rd Regiment-of Bengal European Infantry, and in 1861 it was transferred to the British Service together with all other European Regiments of the Company's private army. In 1873 a common depôt was established at Chichester for the 35th and 107th Regiments, and in 1881 the two Regiments were reconstituted to form the 1st Battalion and the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment.
The 1st Battalion went to Egypt in 1882 and formed part of the Nile Expedition sent to relieve General Gordon at Khartoum in 1884-1885. The 2nd Battalion was in India for the Black Mountain Expedition in 1888 and for several punitive campaigns against tribesmen on the North West Frontier.
The South African War, 1899-1902
During the Boer War of 1899-1902 the 1st Battalion was reinforced by the Militia and by three successive companies formed from the Volunteer units of the Regiment. The Royal Sussex Light Infantry Militia, which was first embodied in 1778, was reconstituted as the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment, in 1881, and served in South Africa from April 1901. The volunteer movement, which can be traced back at least to the Napoleonic War period, was revived in 1859, on fears of war with France, and local corps of rifle volunteers were established in towns throughout the county. The movement was reorganised in 1887 with the formation of the 1st and 2nd Volunteer Battalions, and it became more closely allied to the Regiment. Both battalions supplied drafts for the Volunteer Active Service Companies which were attached to the 1st Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment, during the South African War. This was the first time that the Volunteers had fought for their country overseas. During the latter part of the War members of the Royal Sussex contingent were mounted and formed into mobile columns to round up the Boer commandos.
In 1908 the volunteer movement came to an end and was superseded by the new Territorial Force. In West Sussex the 2nd Volunteer Battalion was transferred to the Territorial Force, and became the 4th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. In East Sussex the 1st Cinque Ports Rifle Volunteer Corps, which had its origins in the volunteer forces raised during the Napoleonic Wars, was transferred to the Territorial Force, and became the 5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. During the two world wars both Territorial battalions were to distinguish themselves fighting alongside the Regular battalions of the Regiment.
The First World War, 1914-1918
In the First World War the Regiment expanded to no less than 23 battalions. The 1st Battalion remained in India throughout the War, but the 2nd Battalion crossed the Channel with the 1st Division in August 1914 and remained in France for the four years of hostilities during which it lost 1,723 officers and men killed in action. The 3rd (Militia) Battalion was stationed at Newhaven and undertook the training of drafts for overseas battalions. The 4th Battalion was employed against the Turks in the Middle East and, later, against the Germans in France and Belgium. The 5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion initially served with the 2nd Battalion as part of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division, suffering heavy casualties at Aubers Ridge in May 1915, but from August 1915 it acted as the pioneer Battalion to the 48th Division in France, Belgium, Italy, and Austria. The 6th Battalion, formed in 1908 as cyclists of the new Territorial Force, in fact furnished three battalions during the War, serving in coastal defence in England and in overseas duties in Ireland and India, before being disbanded in 1919. A number of Service Battalions were formed as part of the `New Army' raised by Lord Kitchener in 1914-1915. The 7th, 8th, and 9th Battalions, together with the three Southdown Battalions (the 11th, 12th, and 13th), suffered heavy casualties in France and Belgium. The Sussex Yeomanry were dismounted and fought as the 16th Battalion in Palestine and later on the Western Front, while the 17th Battalion fought in France during the latter months of the War. The 51st, 52nd, and 53rd Battalions served in northern Germany from March to August 1919. The 10th Battalion acted partly as a Reserve Battalion for the Southdown Brigade, and the 14th and 15th Battalions were also home-based training battalions.
The inter-war era, 1919-1939
During the inter-war period the 1st Battalion concluded seventeen years of service in India, and in 1920 joined the Army of the Rhine at Cologne. The Battalion served in Northern Ireland in the early 1920s, and occupied home stations between 1926-1936, performing Public Duties in London in 1932, before embarking for Palestine towards the end of 1936. Meanwhile the 2nd Battalion went across the world -- serving in the West Indies, Malta, Chanak, Singapore, and India - and ended the peacetime era in Belfast in 1939. The Territorial battalions were hard hit by the prevailing pacifist attitude and economic slump at home, but the expansion of the Territorial Army in the period leading up to the Second World War meant that the 4th and 5th Battalions `threw off' duplicate battalions, and led to the re-birth of the 6th and 7th Battalions respectively.
The Second World War, 1939-1945
In October 1940 the 1st Battalion joined the 7th Brigade of the 4th Indian Division near Cairo and so began an association which was to last until the end of the War. After a few months in the Western Desert it moved south for the overthrow of the Italians in Eritrea and Abyssinia which was completed by April 1941. It returned to North Africa and played an important rôle in the fighting at Sidi Omar in November 1941. After a period of resting and training in Cyprus, the Battalion returned to North Africa in September 1942, and fought in the Tunisian campaign. In December 1943 it embarked for Italy and in February and March of the following year took part in the bitter fighting at Monte Cassino. After the advance through Italy the Battalion was sent to Greece, landing at Salonika in November 1944, and was employed there until July 1945 in maintaining the civil peace.
The 2nd Battalion joined the 4th and 5th Battalions to form a Royal Sussex Brigade, the 133rd Brigade of the 44th Division, and moved across to France in March-April 1940. After Dunkirk, when the 2nd Battalion was particularly badly depleted, the Brigade was re-formed, and in May 1942 was sent out to North Africa. It fought at the decisive battles of Alam Halfa and El Alamein, but in November 1942 the 10th Parachute Battalion was formed from the 2nd Battalion, and the Royal Sussex Brigade, now comprising a reconstituted 2nd Battalion and 4th/5th Battalion, became part of the Persia and Iraq Force with which it served for the rest of the War.
The 6th and 7th Battalions were brigaded in the 37th Brigade of the 12th Division. After a period of recruiting, training, and guard duties, they were sent to France in April 1940, but were forced to evacuate in June 1940, in the face of the German advance, the 7th Battalion suffering heavily at Amiens. The 6th Battalion spent the rest of the War in guard duties and coastal defence, as well as supplying drafts for the overseas battalions of the Regiment, while the 7th Battalion, after a period of re-organisation, was transferred to the Royal Artillery as a light anti-aircraft regiment, the 109 L.A.A. Regiment, in which capacity it served for the remainder of the war.
During the war the 9th Battalion was re-formed, in June 1940, and served in India and North Burma between 1942-1945. The 8th Battalion was formed out of the original Local Defence Volunteers and served on guard duties in England. It was a relatively short-lived formation as were the 50th Battalion, formed at Seaford to supply drafts to other battalions, and the 10th Battalion, which belonged to the 10th Independent Beach Brigade on the Sussex and Kent beaches. The 70th Battalion, formed in September 1940, helped to defend vulnerable points in Sussex, Surrey, and Kent, and later provided drafts for overseas duty.
The post-war era, 1945-1967
The post-war period has seen considerable changes in the organisation of the British Army. The first came into operation in 1946 with the introduction of the Group System whereby regiments were combined into regional groups. The Royal Sussex, together with The Queen's, The Buffs, The Royal Fusiliers, The East Surrey Regiment, The Royal West Kent Regiment, and The Middlesex Regiment, formed the Home Counties Group.
Within the Regiment itself another important change took place on 12th September 1948 when the 1st and 2nd Battalions were amalgamated into one battalion called the 1st Battalion and the 4th and 5th Battalions were amalgamated into the 4th/5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion, Territorial Army.
The 1st Battalion subsequently served in Egypt, Jordan, Germany, Korea, Gibraltar, Belfast, Malta, and Aden, and while in England in 1963 it performed Public Duties in London
On 31 December 1966 The Royal Sussex Regiment became part of the newly formed Queen's Regiment - together with The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment, The Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment, and The Middlesex Regiment. The 4th/5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion was disbanded in March 1967 on the formation of Territorial and Army Volunteer units of the Queen's Regiment. However, although the separate identity of The Royal Sussex Regiment may have since been lost, the most cherished customs and traditions of the Regiment are preserved in its successor, the 3rd Battalion, The Queen's Regiment, and in the work of The Royal Sussex Regimental Association. |