The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment), frequently known as the Yorkshire Regiment until the 1920s, was a

line infantry Line infantry was the type of infantry that composed the basis of European land armies from the late 17th century to the mid-19th century. Maurice of Nassau and Gustavus Adolphus are generally regarded as its pioneers, while Turenne and Mo ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...

, in the King's Division. Raised in 1688, it served under various titles until it was amalgamated with the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire and the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding), all Yorkshire-based regiments in the King's Division, to form the Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot) on 6 June 2006.

History

Formation to end 18th century

The regiment was formed during the 1688 Glorious Revolution from independent companies raised in

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

by Colonel Francis Luttrell, to support William III. In 1690, it supplied detachments for

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

and

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispan ...

, incurring heavy losses from disease, including Luttrell who was replaced by Thomas Erle. Transferred to

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...

in early 1692 during the Nine Years' War, it was present at the battles of

Steenkerque Steenkerque (French; nl, Steenkerke; in older English references also ''Steenkerke'', ''Steenkirk'', ''Steinkerque'', ''Steinkerke'' or ''Steinkirk''; wa, Stinkerke) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Braine-le-Comte ...

and Landen, as well as the Siege of Namur. after the 1697 Peace of Ryswick, it escaped disbandment by being made part of the Irish garrison, where it remained until the

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phili ...

began in 1702. In 1703, it was part of an expeditionary force in the

West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Great ...

and

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

, losing many men to disease before returning to Ireland in 1704. Back in Flanders in 1710, it took part in the sieges of

Douai Douai (, , ,; pcd, Doï; nl, Dowaai; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord département in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe some from Lille and from Arras, Do ...

and Bouchain and when the war ended in 1713, it resumed garrison duties in Ireland. With the exception of the 1719 Vigo expedition, it did not see action again until 1744. When the

War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George' ...

began in 1740, the regiment was based in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

; by 1744, many of its men were Scots and recruiting officers warned to exclude 'Jacobites and Irish Papists.' The unit was then commanded by Charles Howard and thus known as 'Howard's Regiment'; when it joined the army in Flanders, this clashed with another regiment also commanded by a Howard. To avoid confusion, they were referred to by the colour of their facings, one becoming 'Green Howards' and the other, ' Buff Howards'. The Green Howards fought at the Battle of Fontenoy in May 1745, with a short period in England during the 1745 Jacobite Rising. It took part in the Battle of Rocoux and the Battle of Lauffeld before the 1748 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ended the war, after which it became part of the garrison of Gibraltar. While there, the 1751 army reforms retitled it the 19th Regiment of Foot. It returned to Britain in 1752 and spent most of the next decade on garrison duty in Scotland and Northern England. During the 1756 to 1763

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754– ...

, it took part in the capture of Belle Île in April 1761, where it suffered over 200 casualties. The next 20 years were spent on garrison duty in Gibraltar and Scotland, until 1781, when it served in the disastrous southern campaign in the closing stages of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of ...

. In 1782, all foot regiments without a special designation were given a county title "to cultivate a connection with the County which might at all times be useful towards recruiting" and so the regiment was redesignated the 19th (1st North Riding of Yorkshire) Regiment. With the end of the American War, the regiment was stationed in Jamaica, a notoriously unhealthy posting where it was common for units to lose 100% of their strength every two years. It remained there until 1791, when it returned to Britain; in 1796, it was posted to India, the also saw action at the Siege of Seringapatam in April 1799 during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War.Cannon, p. 19

The Two Howards

The regiment was known as the Green Howards from 1744. At that time, regiments were known by the name of their colonel. The 19th regiment's colonel was Hon.

Sir Charles Howard General Sir Charles Howard KB (c. 1696 – 26 August 1765), styled The Honourable from birth, was a British soldier and politician. Background He was the second son of the 3rd Earl of Carlisle and Lady Anne de Vere Capell, daughter of the 1st ...

. However, at the same time, the 3rd Regiment of Foot had been commanded by its colonel Thomas Howard, since 1737. To tell them apart (since they both would have been known as 'Howard's Regiment of Foot'), the colours of their uniform facings were used to distinguish them. In this way, one became 'Howard's Buffs' (eventually simply The Buffs), while the other became the Green Howards. Although the Green Howards were referred to unofficially as such from then on, it was not until 1921 that the regiment was officially retitled as the Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment). Under the Childers Reforms, all non-royal English infantry regiments were to wear white facings from 1881. In 1899, the regiment was able to reverse this decision with the restoration of the grass green facings formerly worn by the 19th Foot.

Kandyan Wars

In April 1801 the regiment was deployed to

Ceylon Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

for service in the Kandyan Wars. The regiment lost six officers and 172 other ranks in a massacre there in June 1803 and then remained on the island to enforce British rule. The regiment did not return to England until May 1820.

The Victorian era

The regiment saw action at the

Battle of Alma The Battle of the Alma (short for Battle of the Alma River) was a battle in the Crimean War between an allied expeditionary force (made up of French, British, and Ottoman forces) and Russian forces defending the Crimean Peninsula on 20Septem ...

in September 1854 and at the Siege of Sevastopol in winter 1854 during the

Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included t ...

and then saw action again during the

Indian Rebellion The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the for ...

. In 1875, Princess Alexandra, Princess of Wales presented new colours to the 1st Battalion at

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

, and consented to the regiment bearing her name, thus becoming the 19th (1st Yorkshire North Riding – Princess of Wales's Own) Regiment of Foot. The regiment adopted a

cap badge A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as w ...

consisting of the Princess's cypher "A" combined with the Dannebrog or Danish cross and topped by her coronet. The Princess became Queen Alexandra in 1901, and was the regiment's Colonel-in-Chief from 1914 until her death in 1925.

Childers Reforms

The regiment was not fundamentally affected by the

Cardwell Reforms The Cardwell Reforms were a series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell between 1868 and 1874 with the support of Liberal prime minister William Ewart Gladstone. Gladstone paid little attentio ...

of the 1870s, which gave it a depot at Richmond Barracks in

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by national parks, including most of the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. It is one of four cou ...

from 1873, or by the Childers reforms of 1881 – as it already possessed two battalions, there was no need for it to amalgamate with another regiment. Under the reforms the regiment amalgamated with the

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non- professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

battalions and

rifle volunteers The Rifle Volunteers was a regiment of the British Territorial Army. In 2007, it was re-designated as 6th Battalion, The Rifles. History The ''Rifle Volunteers'' were formed in 1999 by the amalgamation of the 6th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Ligh ...

in its designated regimental district and became The Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment) on 1 July 1881. The 1st battalion was stationed at

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native En ...

from 1884, moved to the Mediterranean in 1888 where it was stationed at

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

but also saw action in Egypt, then moved to

Jersey Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label=Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependencies, Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west F ...

in 1895 followed by Ireland in 1898. After a brief spell in Gibraltar in 1899, the battalion was posted to South Africa as reinforcement for the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...

, where it was involved in the Relief of Kimberley and the battles of

Diamond Hill Diamond Hill is a hill in the east of Kowloon, Hong Kong. The name also refers to the area on or adjacent to the hill. It is surrounded by Ngau Chi Wan, San Po Kong, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan. Its northeast is limited by the ridge. It i ...

(June 1900) and

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingd ...

(August 1900). The battalion returned to the United Kingdom in September 1902.Hart′s Army list, 1903 The 2nd battalion was in Ireland from 1881 to 1886, when it returned to garrison back home in England. From early 1890 the battalion was stationed in

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

, where it took part in military campaigns on the North-West Frontier. The battalion had various postings, including at Sitapur and Benares until late 1902 when it was posted to Cawnpore. A 3rd (

Militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non- professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

) Battalion, formed from the 5th West York Militia in 1881 was a reserve battalion. It was embodied in December 1899, and 700 men embarked on the SS ''Assaye'' in February 1900 for service in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

during the

. Many of the officers and men returned home in May 1902 on the SS ''Sicilia''. The 4th (Militia) Battalion, formed from the North York Rifles in 1881 was also a reserve battalion. It was embodied for service on 5 May 1900, disembodied on 2 July 1901, and re-embodied again for service during Second Boer War in South Africa. 555 officers and men returned to Southampton by the SS ''Tagus'' in October 1902, following the end of the war, and was disbanded at the Richmond barracks. In July 1902, the regiment was redesignated as Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment). In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry i ...

and the latter the Special Reserve; the regiment now had one Reserve and two Territorial battalions.

First World War

Regular Army

The 1st Battalion remained in

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

as part of the

2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade The Sialkot Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Indian Army formed in 1904 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. It was mobilized as 2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade at the outbreak of the First World War as part of the 1st Indian ...

in the 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division throughout the war and then took part in the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919. The 2nd Battalion landed at

Zeebrugge Zeebrugge (, from: ''Brugge aan zee'' meaning "Bruges at Sea", french: Zeebruges) is a village on the coast of Belgium and a subdivision of Bruges, for which it is the modern port. Zeebrugge serves as both the international port of Bruges-Zee ...

as part of the 21st Brigade in the 7th Division in October 1914 for service on the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

. The 2nd Battalion held the Menin crossroads for 16 days during the First Battle of Ypres in October 1914 sustaining heavy casualties.Beckett, p. 136

Territorial Force

The 1/4th and 1/5th Battalions landed at

Boulogne-sur-Mer Boulogne-sur-Mer (; pcd, Boulonne-su-Mér; nl, Bonen; la, Gesoriacum or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department of Pas-de-Calais. Boulogne lies on the C� ...

as part of the York and Durham Brigade in the

Northumbrian Division The Northumbrian Division was an infantry division of the British Army, formed in 1908 as part of the Territorial Force with units drawn from the north-east of England, notably Northumberland, Durham and the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire ...

in April 1915 for service on the Western Front. Both battalions saw action at the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915.

New Armies

The 6th (Service) Battalion landed at

Suvla Bay file:Suvla from Battleship Hill.jpg, View of Suvla from Battleship Hill Suvla () is a bay on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of the Gallipoli peninsula in European Turkey, south of the Gulf of Saros. On 6 August 1915, it was the site for the Landi ...

in Gallipoli as part of the 32nd Brigade in the

11th (Northern) Division The 11th (Northern) Division, was an infantry division of the British Army during the First World War, raised from men who had volunteered for Lord Kitchener's New Armies. The division fought in the Gallipoli Campaign and on the Western Fron ...

in August 1915; the battalion was evacuated to Egypt in January 1916 and then moved to France in July 1916 for service on the Western Front. The 7th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 50th Brigade in the

17th (Northern) Division The 17th (Northern) Division was an infantry division of the British Army, a Kitchener's Army formation raised during the Great War. Formation history The 17th (Northern) Division was created under Northern Command in September 1914, just a m ...

in July 1915 for service on the Western Front. The 8th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 69th Brigade in the 23rd Division in August 1915 also for service on the Western Front. The 9th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 69th Brigade in the 23rd Division in August 1915 also for service on the Western Front but moved to Italy in November 1917 and then returned to France in September 1918. The 10th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 62nd Brigade in the 21st Division in September 1915 also for service on the Western Front. The 12th (Service) Battalion, formed as the "Middlesbrough Pals" by the Mayor and Town of Middlesbrough, landed at

Le Havre Le Havre (, ; nrf, Lé Hâvre ) is a port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the river Seine on the Channel southwest of the Pays de Caux, ver ...

as pioneer battalion to the 40th Division in June 1916 also for service on the Western Front. The 13th (Service) Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 121st Brigade in the 40th Division in June 1916 also for service on the Western Front but, after returning to the United Kingdom in June 1918, moved to

Murmansk Murmansk ( Russian: ''Мурманск'' lit. " Norwegian coast"; Finnish: ''Murmansk'', sometimes ''Muurmanski'', previously ''Muurmanni''; Norwegian: ''Norskekysten;'' Northern Sámi: ''Murmánska;'' Kildin Sámi: ''Мурман ланнҍ ...

in November 1918.

Second World War

During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the regiment was again increased in size, although not to as large an extent as in the 1914–1918 conflict. In all, twelve battalions saw service: *1st Battalion, with 15th Infantry Brigade of the 5th Infantry Division, seeing action in Sicily and Italy. *2nd Battalion, initially stationed in India, it fought in Burma as part of the 26th Indian Infantry Division and the

82nd (West Africa) Division The 82nd (West African) Division was formed under British control during the Second World War. It took part in the later stages of the Burma Campaign and was disbanded in Burma between May and September 1946. History Formation The inspirat ...

. *4th and 5th Territorial Army Battalions, both serving with the 150th Infantry Brigade of the

50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division The 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army that saw distinguished service in the Second World War. Pre-war, the division was part of the Territorial Army (TA) and the two ''Ts'' in the divisional in ...

, saw service in France and North Africa where they were captured during the

Battle of Gazala The Battle of Gazala (near the village of ) was fought during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to ...

. *6th and 7th Battalions (both formed as 2nd Line duplicates of the 4th and 5th, when the Territorial Army was doubled in size in 1939), served with 69th Brigade, originally with the

23rd (Northumbrian) Division The 23rd (Northumbrian) Division was an infantry division of the British Army, which fought briefly in the Battle of France during the Second World War. In March 1939, after the re-emergence of Germany as a European power and its occupation o ...

but later the 50th Division, saw service in France, North Africa, Sicily and North West Europe. *8th Battalion was formed for home defence. Originally raised in August–September 1939, in the Middlesbrough area, from the Home Guard and those unfit to serve overseas. The 8th and 13th were amalgamated in June 1941, in September 1943 it was classed as a Garrison Battalion, renamed as the 30th Battalion and went to Italy, and French North Africa (Algiers and Tunisia). It was disbanded after six years service. *9th Battalion was formed for garrison duty (and later converted into the

108th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery The 108th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, (108th LAA Rgt) was an air defence unit of the British Army during World War II. Initially raised as an infantry battalion of the Green Howards in 1940, it transferred to the Royal Artiller ...

, serving with the

52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division The 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army that was originally formed as the Lowland Division, in 1908 as part of the Territorial Force. It later became the 52nd (Lowland) Division in 1915. The 52nd (Low ...

from March 1942) *10th Battalion was formed by the conversion of the 2nd East Riding Yeomanry (a war-time duplicate of this yeomanry unit) in 1940 and subsequently becoming the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion attached to the

5th Parachute Brigade The 5th Parachute Brigade was an airborne forces formation of brigade strength, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. Created during 1943, the brigade was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division, serving alongside the 3rd Parachut ...

and part of the 6th Airborne Division. *The 11th, 12th and 13th Battalions were all formed in 1940. The British Army in Normandy 1944 B8680

In 1942, the 12th Battalion was converted to armour as the 161st Regiment Royal Armoured Corps, but retained its Green Howards cap badge on the black beret of the Royal Armoured Corps as did all other infantry units converted in the same way. In October 1943 it was then converted again, this time to the reconnaissance role, as 161st (Green Howards) Regiment in the Reconnaissance Corps. It never went into action as a regiment, but provided a replacement squadron to the

43rd (Wessex) Reconnaissance Regiment The 43rd (Wessex) Reconnaissance Regiment (The Gloucestershire Regiment) (43 Recce) was a regiment of the British Army's Reconnaissance Corps, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps, during World War II. It fought in North West Europe with the 21 ...

, which had suffered heavy losses when its transport was sunk on the way to France to fight in the Battle of Normandy.

Post War

From 1949 to 1952, the regiment took part in the campaign against Chinese and Malayan Communist Insurgents in

Malaya Malaya refers to a number of historical and current political entities related to what is currently Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia: Political entities * British Malaya (1826–1957), a loose collection of the British colony of the Straits ...

. Over the next 30 years it served in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bord ...

Suez Suez ( ar, السويس '; ) is a seaport city (population of about 750,000 ) in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez (a branch of the Red Sea), near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same b ...

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Su ...

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...

Berlin Berlin is Capital of Germany, the capital and largest city of Germany, both by area and List of cities in Germany by population, by population. Its more than 3.85 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European U ...

and

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. North ...

. While serving with the

SAS SAS or Sas may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''SAS'' (novel series), a French book series by Gérard de Villiers * ''Shimmer and Shine'', an American animated children's television series * Southern All Stars, a Japanese rock ba ...

, a former officer of the regiment,

Gavin Hamilton Gavin Hamilton may refer to: * Gavin Hamilton (archbishop of St Andrews) (died 1571), archbishop of St Andrews * Gavin Hamilton (bishop of Galloway) (1561–1612), bishop of Galloway * Gavin Hamilton (artist) (1723–1798), Scottish artist * Gavin ...

, was killed in action during the

Falklands War The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territori ...

in 1982. It also saw action during the

First Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...

in 1991 and during the

Bosnian War The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...

from 1996 to 1997.

Amalgamation

In March 2006 at a farewell dinner at Dunster Castle in

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lor ...

, the regiment paid farewell to HM King Harald V, its retiring Colonel-in-chief. Until the regiment's rebadging, the Green Howards was one of five remaining line infantry regiments that had not been amalgamated in their entire history, a claim shared with The Royal Scots, The 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment, The Royal Welch Fusiliers and The King's Own Scottish Borderers. However, on 6 June 2006 the regiment amalgamated with the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire and the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding), all Yorkshire-based regiments in the King's Division, to form the Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot). The official rebadging took place on 6 June 2006, whilst elements of the regiment were stationed in

Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...

and

Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Eur ...

. A and B (Green Howards) companies of the Tyne-Tees Regiment, based in Scarborough and Middlesbrough respectively, merged with the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment and Duke of Wellington's Regiment companies of the East and West Riding Regiment to form the 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment. Following further mergers, in 2012, the 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) was removed from the

order of battle In modern use, the order of battle of an armed force participating in a military operation or campaign shows the hierarchical organization, command structure, strength, disposition of personnel, and equipment of units and formations of the armed ...

Traditions

Each year, all

companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared ...

in the battalion took part in a competition, consisting of sports and military skills tests, to win the right to be named 'King Harald's Company', after the regiment's Colonel-in-Chief. The winning company was given a special flag bearing the King's personal cypher, the Company Sergeant Major was presented with a special pace stick, and all members of the company were permitted to wear a special red badge on the arm of their uniform.

Regimental Museum

The

Green Howards Regimental Museum The Green Howards Regimental Museum is the museum of the Green Howards infantry regiment of the British Army. It is located in the old Trinity Church in the centre of the market place of Richmond in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshi ...

is located in the old Trinity Church in the centre of the market place in

Richmond, North Yorkshire Richmond is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, and the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. Historically in the North Riding of Yorkshire, it is from the county town of Northallerton and situated o ...

Battle honours

The regiment's battle honours were as follows: *''Early Wars'': Malplaquet, Belleisle,

Alma Alma or ALMA may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Alma'' (film), a 2009 Spanish short animated film * ''Alma'' (Oswald de Andrade novel), 1922 * ''Alma'' (Le Clézio novel), 2017 * ''Alma'' (play), a 1996 drama by Joshua Sobol about Alma ...

Inkerman Inkerman ( uk, Інкерман, russian: Инкерман, crh, İnkerman) is a city in the Crimean peninsula. It is ''de facto'' within the federal city of Sevastopol within the Russian Federation, but '' de jure'' within Ukraine. It ...

Sevastopol Sevastopol (; uk, Севасто́поль, Sevastópolʹ, ; gkm, Σεβαστούπολις, Sevastoúpolis, ; crh, Акъя́р, Aqyár, ), sometimes written Sebastopol, is the largest city in Crimea, and a major port on the Black Sea ...

, Tirah, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, South Africa 1899–1902 *''The Great War'':

Ypres 1914 Ypres ( , ; nl, Ieper ; vls, Yper; german: Ypern ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality co ...

1915 Events Below, the events of World War I have the "WWI" prefix. January *January – British physicist Sir Joseph Larmor publishes his observations on "The Influence of Local Atmospheric Cooling on Astronomical Refraction". *January 1 ...

, 1917, Langemarck 1914, 1917, Gheluvelt, Neuve Chapelle,

St Julien Saint-Julien or St Julien may refer to: People * Franz Xaver Saint-Julien (1756–1836), an Austrian infantry commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the War of the Fifth Coalition * Guy St-Julien (born 1940), a Canadian politician * ...

, Frezenburg, Bellewaarde,

Aubers Ridge The Battle of Aubers (Battle of Aubers Ridge) was a British offensive on the Western Front on 9 May 1915 during the First World War. The battle was part of the British contribution to the Second Battle of Artois, a Franco-British offensive int ...

Festubert 1915 Festubert is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. The village was on the Western Front during the First World War and was largely destroyed in the May 1915 Battle of Festubert. Geography A farming vil ...

, Loos,

Somme 1916 __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France *Somme, Queensland, Australia *Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river), a river in France Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Somme'' (book), a ...

-1918, Albert 1916, Bazentin, Coziers, Flers-Courcelet, Morval, Thiepval, Le Transloy,

Ancre Heights The Ancre (; ) is a river of Picardy, France. Rising at Miraumont, a hamlet near the town of Albert, it flows into the Somme at Corbie. It is long. For most of its length it flows through the department of Somme. For a short stretch near Pui ...

Ancre 1916 The Ancre (; ) is a river of Picardy, France. Rising at Miraumont, a hamlet near the town of Albert, it flows into the Somme at Corbie. It is long. For most of its length it flows through the department of Somme. For a short stretch near Puisie ...

Arras 1917 Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of the ...

1918 This year is noted for the end of the First World War, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as well as for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50–100 million people worldwide. Events Below, the events ...

Scarpe 1917 The Battle of Arras (also known as the Second Battle of Arras) was a British offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British troops attacked German defences near the French city of Arras on the ...

Messines 1917 Messines may refer to: * Mesen (in French: Messines), a village in Belgium ** Battle of Messines (disambiguation), World War I battles * Messines, Quebec, a municipality in Canada * Messines, a village in Portugal * Messines, Queensland, a sett ...

-1918, Pilckem, Menin Road, Polygon Wood,

Broodseinde The Battle of Broodseinde was fought on 4 October 1917 near Ypres in Belgium, at the east end of the Gheluvelt plateau, by the British British Second Army, Second and British Fifth Army, Fifth armies against the German 4th Army (German Empire), ...

, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Cambrai 1917- 18,

St Quentin Saint Quentin ( la, Quintinus; died 287 AD) also known as Quentin of Amiens, was an early Christian saint. Hagiography Martyrdom The legend of his life has him as a Roman citizen who was martyred in Gaul. He is said to have been the son of a ...

Hindenburg Line The Hindenburg Line (German: , Siegfried Position) was a German defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to Laffaux, near Soissons on the Aisne. In 191 ...

, Canal du Nord, Beaurevoir,

Selle Selle may refer to: * Selle (Scheldt tributary), the name of a river in Nord, France * Selle (Somme tributary), the name of a river in Picardy, France * Pic la Selle, a mountain in Haiti * La Selle-Guerchaise, a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine depa ...

Valenciennes Valenciennes (, also , , ; nl, label=also Dutch, Valencijn; pcd, Valincyinnes or ; la, Valentianae) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France, France. It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced a ...

, Sambre, France and Flanders 1914–18, Piave, Vittorio Veneto,

Italy 1917–18 Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, Suvla,

Landing at Suvla Landing is the last part of a flight, where a flying animal, aircraft, or spacecraft returns to the ground. When the flying object returns to water, the process is called alighting, although it is commonly called "landing", "touchdown" or ...

Scimitar Hill A scimitar ( or ) is a single-edged sword with a convex curved blade associated with Middle Eastern, South Asian, or North African cultures. A European term, ''scimitar'' does not refer to one specific sword type, but an assortment of different ...

, Gallipoli 1915, Egypt 1916, Archangel 1918,

Afghanistan 1919 Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

. *''The Second War'': Otta, Norway 1940,

Defence of Arras Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...

, Dunkirk 1940,

Normandy Landing The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...

Tilly sur Seulles Tilly-sur-Seulles (, literally ''Tilly on Seulles'') is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. Population Events Each year, the international motocross takes place. See also *Communes of the Calv ...

, St Pierre La Vielle, Gheel, Nederrijn, North West Europe 1940, 1944–45, Gazala, Defence of Alamein Line, El Alamein, Mareth, Akarit, North Africa 1942–43, Landing in Sicily, Lentini, Sicily 1943, Minturno,

Anzio Anzio (, also , ) is a town and '' comune'' on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome. Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Is ...

, Italy 1943–44, Arakan Beaches, Burma 1945

Victoria Cross recipients

Soldiers of the Green Howards awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

(VC) * Sergeant Alfred Atkinson, VC (18 February 1900) * Corporal William Anderson, VC (12 March 1915) * Second Lieutenant

Ernest Frederick Beal Ernest Frederick Beal VC (27 January 1883 – 22 March 1918) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth force ...

, VC (22 March 1918) * Second Lieutenant Donald Simpson Bell, VC (5 July 1916) * Corporal

William Clamp William Charles Clamp VC (28 October 1892 – 9 October 1917) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces ...

, VC (9 October 1917) * Private

Tom Dresser Tom Dresser (1891 – 9 April 1982) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Dresser was born at La ...

, VC (12 May 1917) * Private Samuel Evans, VC (13 April 1855) * Captain

David Philip Hirsch David Philip Hirsch VC (28 December 1896 – 23 April 1917) was a British Army officer during World War I and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded ...

, VC (9 April 1917) * WOII Stanley Elton Hollis, VC (6 June 1944) * Private John Lyons, VC (10 June 1855) * Sergeant William McNally, VC MM and Bar (27 October – 29 October 1918) * Lieutenant Colonel

Derek Anthony Seagrim Lieutenant Colonel Derek Anthony Seagrim VC (24 September 1903 – 6 April 1943) was a British Army officer and an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that ...

, VC (20 March – 21 March 1943) * Major

Stewart Walter Loudoun-Shand Major Stewart Walter Loudoun-Shand VC (8 October 1879 – 1 July 1916) was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwea ...

, VC (1 July 1916) * Private William Short, VC (6 August 1916) * Lieutenant

William Basil Weston William Basil Weston (3 January 1924 – 3 March 1945) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Deta ...

, VC (3 March 1945) * Captain

Archie Cecil Thomas White Colonel Archibald Cecil Thomas White (5 October 1890 – 20 May 1971) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwe ...

, VC MC (27 September – 1 October 1916)

Colonels

Colonels of the regiment included:

Named after Colonel

e.g. Luttrell's, Erle's etc. *1688–1691: Col. Francis Luttrell *1691–1712: Gen. Thomas Erle *1712: Brig-Gen. George Freke *1712–1715: Lt-Gen. Richard Sutton lso Sutton's Foot*1715–1729: Col. George Grove *1729–1738: Lt-Gen. Richard Sutton eappointed*1738–1748: Gen. Hon. Sir Charles Howard, KB *1748–1751: Lt-Gen. Lord George Beauclerk

19th Regiment of Foot (1751)

*1751–1768: Lt-Gen. Lord George Beauclerk *1768–1782: Gen. David Graeme

19th (The 1st Yorkshire North Riding) Regiment of Foot - (1782)

*1782–1797: Gen. David Graeme *1797–1810: F.M. Samuel Hulse *1810–1811: Gen. Sir Hew Dalrymple, 1st Baronet *1811–1843: Gen. Sir Hilgrove Turner GCH *1843–1849: Gen. Sir Warren Marmaduke Peacocke, KCH *1849–1854: Lt-Gen. Charles Turner *1854–1861: F.M. Sir William Rowan, GCB *1861–1886: Gen. Sir Abraham Josias Cloëté, KCB, KH

The Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment) - (1881)

*1886–1896: Gen. Sir Robert Onesiphorus Bright, GCB *1896–1902: Lt-Gen.

Edward Chippindall Lieutenant-General Edward Chippindall, (4 October 1827 – 13 September 1902) was a British Army officer in the Crimean War and in various expeditions in British India. Military career Chippindall was born in 1827, and had two brothers, Rev. J. ...

, CB

Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment) - (1902)

*1902–1906: Maj-Gen. William Spencer Cooper *1906–1914: Lt-Gen. Sir William Edmund Franklyn, KCB *1914–1939: Gen. Sir Edward Stanislaus Bulfin, KCB, CVO

The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment) - (1921)

*1939–1949: Gen. Sir Harold Edmund Franklyn, KCB, DSO *1949–1959: Maj-Gen.

Alfred Eryk Robinson Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interlu ...

, CB, DSO *1959–1965: Brig. George Wilfred Eden, CBE *1965–1975: Maj-Gen. Desmond Spencer Gordon, CB, CBE, DSO, JP *1975–1982: Brig. John Britton Oldfield, OBE, DL *1982–1994: F.M. The Rt. Hon. Peter Anthony Inge, The Baron Inge, KG, GCB *1994–2003: Gen. Sir Francis Richard Dannatt, KCB, CBE, MC *2003–2006: Brig. John Stewart Wadsworth Powell, OBE

Alliances

Present: * Flag of Canada

The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC) * Flag of Canada

The Rocky Mountain Rangers Past: * Flag of Canada

The York Rangers Bond of Friendship: * HMS ''Richmond'' Unofficial: * Flag of Norway

Hans Majestet Kongens Garde

Uniforms

The precise date on which the regiment adopted the green facings from which it derived its name is uncertain, with yellow known to have been the colour of the lapels in 1709. However the official ''Cloathing Book'' of 1742 shows full green facings being worn on the standard red coats of the era. Thereafter the actual shade of the regimental colour changed at various times from yellow-green to a dull green. White facings were worn from 1881 until 1899 when green was restored. The remaining features of the Green Howard's uniform followed the normal British infantry progression from red coat to scarlet tunic to khaki service dress and battle dress.W.Y. Carman, page 49, "Richard Simkin's Uniforms of the British Army",

References

Sources

* * * * *

External links

The Friends of the Green Howards websiteThe Yorkshire Regiment MOD website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Green Howards 1688 establishments in England Battalions of the British Army Infantry regiments of the British Army Military units and formations established in 1688 Regiments of Yorkshire Military units and formations in the North Riding of Yorkshire Regiments of the British Army in World War II Regiments of the British Army in the Crimean War Regiments of the British Army in World War I Regiments of the British Army in the American Revolutionary War Military units and formations disestablished in 2006 R