The Royal Guernsey Light Infantry was an
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
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 Gurk ...
that was formed from the
Royal Guernsey Militia
The Royal Guernsey Militia has a history dating back 800 years. Always loyal to the British Crown, the men were unpaid volunteers whose wish was to defend the Island of Guernsey from foreign invaders.
Militias were also created in the Bailiwick ...
in 1916 to serve in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. They fought as part of the
British 29th Division
The 29th Division, known as the ''Incomparable Division'', was an infantry division of the British Army, formed in early 1915 by combining various Regular Army units that had been acting as garrisons around the British Empire. Under the command ...
. Of the 2,280 men, most of whom came from Guernsey, who fought on the
Western Front with the RGLI, 327 were
killed and 667 were
wounded.
Many Guernsey men had already volunteered for regiments in the British Army before the RGLI was formed. The RGLI was created because there was no Guernsey-named regiment to underline the island's devotion to the Crown.
The regimental motto, ''Diex Aïx'', derives from the
battle cry
A battle cry or war cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle, usually by members of the same combatant group.
Battle cries are not necessarily articulate (e.g. "Eulaliaaaa!", "Alala"..), although they often aim to invoke patriotic or religious ...
used by the
Duke of Normandy
In the Middle Ages, the duke of Normandy was the ruler of the Duchy of Normandy in north-western Kingdom of France, France. The duchy arose out of a grant of land to the Viking leader Rollo by the French king Charles the Simple, Charles III in ...
1,000 years earlier.
The regiment was disbanded in 1919 but the regimental tradition lives on in the Guernsey Army Cadet Force (Det.) Light Infantry, who, although they do not wear the RGLI cap badge, still keep alive the history of the Regiment within the
detachment.
History
1916
''17 December''
: Royal Guernsey Light Infantry established. (Royal Guernsey Militia suspended for the duration of the war)
: Most men from the Militia volunteered to join the RGLI, others including a few civilians, were conscripted.
1917
:Training in Guernsey at
Fort George,
L'Ancresse
L'Ancresse ''()'' is an area in the Vale, Guernsey, comprising a common and several beaches covering 737 Vergées (298 acres).
History
The sea levels having risen and stabilised around 9,400 BC leaving L’Ancresse looking similar to the current ...
and Beaucamps
''1 June''
:To England – Bourne Park Camp near Canterbury for advanced infantry training.
Forming part of
202nd Brigade,
67th Division.
''July''
:2nd (Reserve) Battalion formed to receive recruits and train them as replacements for casualties in the 1st Battalion RGLI.
''September''
:Soldiers sent on a final leave
''26 September''
:The RGLI 1st Service Battalion (44 Officers and 964 other ranks) boarded trains to Southampton and onwards to France.
: 2 Officers and 53 other ranks returned to Guernsey to join the 2nd Battalion, too young, too old or unfit for France.
''27 September''
:Land at Le Havre and travel by
Forty-and-eights
Forty-and-Eight boxcars (french: Quarante et huit), commonly referred to as Forty-and-Eights, were types of French boxcars (''voiture'') used by the French Army and ''Wehrmacht''. Doughboys were transported to the Western Front in the boxcars ...
train to Stoke Camp,
Proven
Proven is a rural village in the Belgian province of West Flanders, and a "deelgemeente" of the municipality Poperinge. The village has about 1400 inhabitants.
The church and parish of Proven are named after Saint Victor. The Saint Victor Chur ...
.
[
''October''
:RGLI take their place in 86th Brigade, part of the 29th Division
''9–14 October''
: Battle of Poelcappelle (Part of Third Battle of Ypres, or ‘Passchendaele’). After this, rest and training for Cambrai.
''October–November''
:Training for planned Battle of Cambrai with ]Tanks
A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine ...
.[
''20 November – 3 December''
: Battle of Cambrai, where the RGLI's role was to go through the ]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 ...
after the first wave and take 'Nine Wood' to the north of Marcoing.[ This went according to plan, with few casualties and they then moved into Marcoing and on to the front line at Masnières. The Guernseymen found themselves defending the small town of Les Rues Vertes against a huge and determined German counter-attacks on 30 November, pushed back they retook the village twice in heavy hand to hand fighting that lasted two days. They suffered heavy casualties, with nearly 40% of the regiment either killed, injured or missing during the battle, but only withdrew when ordered to by the high command.][
:A number of the wounded found themselves returned to Guernsey, to be cared for at the Victoria Military Hospital in Amherst or the Convalescent Hospital at Les Touillets, Castel.
:After this, rest, refitting, training and a search for replacements. The shortage of men available from Guernsey resulted in the RGLI entering 1918 with 50% of the men being non-Guernsey born.][
]
1918
''18–26 January''
:RGLI went back into the front line at Sint-Jan
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 ...
(north east of Ypres). After this, work parties, training.
''8–29 March''
:In battle zone, taking turns in the front line at Poelcappelle
Langemark-Poelkapelle () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders.
Geography
Other places in the municipality include Bikschote, Langemark and Poelkapelle. On January 1, 2006, Langemark-Poelkapelle had a total populati ...
.
''3–7 April''
:In front line, Passchendaele sector. When out of the line, employed in trenching and draining.
:Pulled out of the front line, the 503 officers and men were hurried by lorry to Vieux-Berquin
Vieux-Berquin (; nl, Oud-Berkijn) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.
Heraldry
See also
*Communes of the Nord department
The following is a list of the 648 communes of the Nord department of the French Republic.
The ...
in the Lys area where a German offensive had broken through.
''10–14 April''
: Battle of the Lys, east of Hazebrouck. German 6th Army under Von Quast smashes 5 miles through allied lines. The RGLI is bussed south to help stem the German advance. Hopelessly outnumbered, but holding the Germans in a fighting retreat from Le Doulieu to near Merris
Merris () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.
It is about west-northwest of Armentières, and about north of Béthune.
Heraldry
See also
*Communes of the Nord department
The following is a list of the 648 communes of ...
, the Battalion suffer an appalling 80% casualties rate.[ The RGLI is relieved by the Australian 1st Division. Field Marshall ]Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig
Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, (; 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a senior officer of the British Army. During the First World War, he commanded the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front from late 1915 unti ...
wrote in his despatches, which was published in the London Gazette on 21 October 1918: "After very heavy fighting, in the course of which the 1st Battalion Royal Guernsey Light Infantry, 29th Division, Major-General D.E. Cayley C.M.G. commanding the division, did gallant service....."
:The fighting strength was now less than 110 officers and men.[
''27 April''
:The RGLI, withdrawn from the 29th Division and 86th Brigade, become GHQ troops well to the rear in Ecuires where they became guard troops for General Haig's H.Q. at ]Montreuil, Pas-de-Calais
Montreuil (; also nl, Monsterole), also known as Montreuil-sur-Mer (; pcd, Montreu-su-Mér or , literally ''Montreuil on Sea''), is a sub-prefecture in the Pas-de-Calais department, northern France. It is located on the Canche river, not far fr ...
for the rest of the war and beyond.[ The Army headquarters was an enormous administrative body, divided into five departments staffed with a wide variety of personnel. Haig lived at a small Chateau 'Beaurepaire', SE of the town on the D138.
''27 November''
:King ]George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936.
Born duri ...
, accompanied by Haig, made a triumphant passage through Montreuil on his way to Paris.
1919
''5 April''
:Haig leaves Montreuil and the headquarters ceases to operate as such.
''21–22 May''
:Many of the remaining members of the RGLI sailed back to Guernsey on the " SS Lydia". They left behind 327 graves bearing their cap badge.[
]
Honours and awards
Orders and medals
''Order of St. Michael and St. George (Companion) (3rd Class)''
:T. L. de Havilland, Lieutenant Colonel
''Royal Victorian Order (5th Class)''
:N. R. Ingrouille, Lieutenant
''Military Cross''
:T, Hutchesson, Captain (T/Major)
:F. de M. Laine, Lieutenant
:H. A. Le Bas, Lieutenant (T/Captain)
:E. J. Stone, 2nd Lieutenant
:H. E. K. Stranger, 2nd Lieutenant [
]
''Distinguished Conduct Medal''
:W. H. Budden, 569 Acting Sergeant
:H. L. James, 586 Sergeant
:W. J. Le Poidevin, 590 Sergeant
''Military Medal''
:1249 Pte E Le Moigne, RGLI survived the war, and returned on the SS Lydia in May 1919. He had been awarded a 29th Divisional Parchment for Gallant Conduct and Devotion to Duty.
:T. R. Robin, 841 Private
:C. H. Yeaghers, 610 Private
:J. Sealley, 843 Corporal
:W. Gannicott, 335 Corporal
:W. T. Gregg, 87 Private
:G, Ruaux, 458 Private
''Médaille militaire (France)''
:J. Sealley, 843 Corporal
''Mentioned in Despatches''
''(Despatch from Sir Douglas Haig to the Secretary of State for War)''
:T. L. de Havilland, Lieutenant Colonel
:E. A. Dorey, Lieutenant
:C.W. Hockey, 438 Lance Corporal
:H. Jones, Lieutenant [
:C. C. Machon, 226 Lance Corporal ][
:W. T. Robinson, 1131 Lance Corporal ][
]
Battle Honours
In February 1925, in accordance with General Order No 5034 The London Gazette published a complete list of Battle Honours awarded for the Great War.
In General Orders, 1928, "Honours awarded to Militia Corps for services previous to the Great War shall pass to the reconstituted Militia Regiment and shall be emblazoned on all Regimental Standards, Guidons or Colours"
Following the disbandment of the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry in 1919, the 1st Battalion Royal Guernsey Militia
The Royal Guernsey Militia has a history dating back 800 years. Always loyal to the British Crown, the men were unpaid volunteers whose wish was to defend the Island of Guernsey from foreign invaders.
Militias were also created in the Bailiwick ...
were granted the following Battle Honours
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible.
In European military t ...
:
* Ypres 1917 (for militia men serving with Royal Irish regiments)
* Passchendaele
* Cambrai 1917
* Lys
* Estaires
* Hazebrouck
* France and Flanders 1917–1918.
The Colours of the RGLI are hung in the Town Church, Guernsey
Poetry
:''See ye Masnières
Masnières () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.
Heraldry
History
Masnières figured into the 1917 Battle of Cambrai during which time it was briefly captured by the British on the first day of the battle, November 20, an ...
canal a'flood''
:''And where yon green graves lay?''
:''There Norman warriors fled to their God''
:''Ne'er more to glimpse the day.''
:''But writ there, first, a name in blood-''
:''Norman Ten Hundred.''
:''At Doulieu
Le Doulieu (; nl, Zoeterstee) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.
Heraldry
See also
*Communes of the Nord department
The following is a list of the 648 communes of the Nord department of the French Republic.
The comm ...
, the night birds flit''
:''Across yon blue-grey water.''
:''And at dusk ghost warriors sit-''
:''Wraiths of a fearsome slaughter.''
:''There too in blood the name is writ-''
:''Norman Ten Hundred.''
:''And thus there the battle's flame''
:''Laid men out fast and low,''
:''So young Sarnia died, but Fame''
:''Cast o'er their graves its glow,''
:''And honours wove about the name''
:''Norman Ten Hundred.''
:(From Blicq, A Stanley, ''Norman Ten Hundred'', Guernsey Press, 1920)
Commemoration
The Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Charitable Trust was formed in 2016 to commemorate the regiment. Its joint patrons are Lt Governor Vice Admiral Sir Ian Corder and the Bailiff of Guernsey
The title Bailiff of Guernsey has been used since at least the 13th century and indicated the leading citizen of Guernsey.
The 90th and current Bailiff is Richard McMahon.
History
A ''Bailli'', the early Norman name for Bailiff was the perso ...
, Richard McMahon. The Trust placed memorials at Les Rues Vertes, France and St Peter Port, Guernsey on the centenary
{{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation)
A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years.
Notable events
Notable centennial events at ...
of key RGLI events in 2017 & 2018. The Trust twinned the town of Masnières
Masnières () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.
Heraldry
History
Masnières figured into the 1917 Battle of Cambrai during which time it was briefly captured by the British on the first day of the battle, November 20, an ...
with St Peter Port in 2019.
See also
* Royal Guernsey Militia
The Royal Guernsey Militia has a history dating back 800 years. Always loyal to the British Crown, the men were unpaid volunteers whose wish was to defend the Island of Guernsey from foreign invaders.
Militias were also created in the Bailiwick ...
* Royal Militia of the Island of Jersey
Formed in 1337, the Royal Militia of the Island of Jersey can claim to be the oldest sub-unit of the British Army, although, because it is not a regiment, and was disbanded for decades in the late 20th century, it is not the most senior.
History ...
References
* Blicq, A Stanley, ''Norman Ten Hundred'', Guernsey Press, 1920
* Parks, Major Edwin, ''Diex Aix: God Help Us – The Guernseymen who marched away 1914–1918'', States of Guernsey, 1992
External links
The Channel Islands and the Great War Study Group
RGLI page
includes Nominal Roll, Casualty Lists, War Diary
Transcript of RGLI War Diary
Web Site
Other Links
Guernsey Museum article on the RGLI
R.G.L.I. regimental badge
RGLI page at Long, Long Trail site
Army cadet forces in Channel Islands
Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Regimental Museum
R.G.L.I. Nominal roll of service
The Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Charitable Trust
{{Guernsey topics , state=collapsed
Infantry regiments of the British Army
History of Guernsey
History of the Channel Islands
Military units and formations established in 1916
Military units and formations disestablished in 1919
British light infantry
Regiments of the British Army in World War I