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The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) 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 existence for just under 90 years, from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Worcestershire Regiment to form the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment, which in 2007 was amalgamated with the Cheshire Regiment and the Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's) to form the present
Mercian Regiment The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire, Worcesters and Foresters, and Staffords) is an infantry regiment of the British Army, which is recruited from five of the counties that formed the ancient kingdom of Mercia. Known as 'The Heart of England's Infant ...
. The lineage of the Sherwood Foresters is now continued by The Mercian Regiment.


History


Pre 1914 history

The regiment was formed on 1 July 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms. The 45th (Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot (raised in 1741) and the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot (raised in 1823) were redesignated as the 1st and 2nd battalions of the Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment). The Derbyshire and Royal Sherwood Foresters
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 ...
regiments became the 3rd (Reserve) and 4th (Extra Reserve) battalions respectively. These were joined by the 1st and 2nd (Derbyshire) and the 3rd (
Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is de ...
) and 4th (Nottinghamshire) Volunteer battalions. Following the amalgamation, the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters saw action in Egypt during the
Anglo-Egyptian War The British conquest of Egypt (1882), also known as Anglo-Egyptian War (), occurred in 1882 between Egyptian and Sudanese forces under Ahmed ‘Urabi and the United Kingdom. It ended a nationalist uprising against the Khedive Tewfik Pasha. ...
, and 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 ...
from September 1898. Following the outbreak of 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 ...
in October 1899, the battalion was sent to South Africa where they arrived in December. They were stationed in the
Orange Free State The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...
and took part in fighting under General Sir William Gatacre. From April 1900 they were part of the 21st Infantry brigade under General Bruce Hamilton. The battalion stayed in South Africa until the end of the war, then transferred on the SS ''Wakool'' to a new posting at
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 ...
in September 1902. The 2nd Battalion served 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 ...
from 1882 to 1898, and saw action in the Sikkim Expedition 1888 and the North West Frontier campaign 1897-1898, after which they transferred to Aden. They were stationed at Malta from February 1900 until returning home in May 1902. In October 1902, the Nottinghamshire association was made explicit, the name changing to the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire 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 two Reserve battalions and four Territorial battalions.


First World War


Regular Army

The 1st battalion 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 part of the 24th Brigade in the 8th Division in November 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 landed at Saint-Nazaire as part of 18th Brigade in the 6th Division in September 1914 also for service on the Western Front.


Reserve Battalions

The 3rd (Reserve) and 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalions were depot/training units. They moved to Plymouth (3rd Battalion) and Sunderland (4th Battalion) in August 1914. In May 1915, the 3rd Battalion joined the 4th in Sunderland, where they both remained as part of
Tyne Tyne may refer to: __NOTOC__ Geography * River Tyne, England *Port of Tyne, the commercial docks in and around the River Tyne in Tyne and Wear, England *River Tyne, Scotland * River Tyne, a tributary of the South Esk River, Tasmania, Australia Peop ...
Garrison, as holding and reinforcement units.


Territorial Force

The 1/5th, 1/6th, 1/7th and 1/8th battalions landed in France as part of the Sherwood Foresters Brigade in the
North Midland Division The 46th (North Midland) Division was an infantry division of the British Army, part of the Territorial Force, that saw service in the First World War. At the outbreak of the war, the 46th Division was commanded by Major-General Hon. E.J. Mon ...
(later 139th (Sherwood Foresters) Brigade and 46th (North Midland) Division respectively) in February 1915 for service on the Western Front.Anon, ''The Robin Hoods''. The 2nd-Line TF battalions formed on the outbreak of war, the 2/5th, 2/6th, 2/7th and 2/8th battalions, moved to Ireland as part of the 178th (2/1st Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire) Brigade in the
59th (2nd North Midland) Division The 59th (2nd North Midland) Division was an infantry Division (military), division of the British Army during World War I. It was formed in late 1914/early 1915 as a 2nd Line Territorial Force formation raised as a duplicate of the 46th (North ...
in April 1916. During the Easter Rising in Ireland, the 2/7th and 2/8th battalions lost over two hundred men killed or wounded at Mount Street on 26 April and at the South Dublin Union on 27 April. The 2/5th, 2/7th and the 2/8th battalions transferred to Le Havre in February 1917 for service on the Western Front while the 2/6th battalion transferred to
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 ...
in February 1917 also for service on the Western Front. 3rd-Line TF battalions (3/5th, 3/6th, 3/7th and 3/8th) were also formed to train drafts for the battalions overseas. The 21st Battalion was formed from Home Service men of the TF.


New Armies

The 9th (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 ...
as part of the 33rd 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; it was evacuated from Gallipoli to
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Med ...
in December 1915 and then moved to France in July 1916 for service on the Western Front. The 10th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 51st 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 also for service on the Western Front. The 11th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 70th Brigade in the 23rd Division in August 1915 before transferring to Italy in November 1917 and then to France in September 1918. The 12th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers) landed in France as pioneer battalion for the 24th Division in August 1915 for service on the Western Front. The 15th (Service) Battalion (Nottingham) landed in France as part of the 105th Brigade in the 35th Division in February 1916 also for service on the Western Front. The 16th (Service) Battalion (Chatsworth Rifles), which had been formed by the Duke of Devonshire, and the 17th (Service) Battalion (Welbeck Rangers), which had been formed by the Lord Mayor of Nottingham, both landed at Le Havre as part of the 117th Brigade in the 39th Division in March 1916 also for service on the Western Front. There were three other short-lived New Army battalions of the regiment: the 18th (Service) Battalion (a Bantam unit), the 19th (Reserve) Battalion and the 20th (Labour) Battalion.


Between the wars

In 1920, Sherwood Foresters were in Flensburg- Mürwik at the Naval Academy Mürwik to supervise the elections to the Schleswig plebiscites. In December 1936, the 46th (North Midland) Division was disbanded and its headquarters was reconstituted as 2nd Anti-Aircraft Division to control the increasing number of anti-aircraft (AA) units being created north of London. At the same time, several of its infantry battalions were converted into searchlight battalions of the Royal Engineers (RE). The 6th and 7th Bns Sherwood Foresters were among these, becoming 40th (The Sherwood Foresters) Anti-Aircraft Battalion and 42nd (The Robin Hoods, Sherwood Foresters) AA Bn respectively, forming part of 32nd (South Midland) Anti-Aircraft Group in 2 AA Division.


Second World War

After garrison service in the interwar years, the Sherwood Foresters next saw action in 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 served in the Norwegian Campaign, the
Battle of France The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of French Third Rep ...
, Dunkirk, the North African and the Italian campaigns. They also saw action in the
Far East The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons. The te ...
. Nearly 27,000 men served in the regiment's 17 battalions, suffering 1,500 officers and men killed in action. The regiment won 10 battle honours and 400 decorations, including a Victoria Cross. Other battalions saw service in Italy and North Africa.


1st Battalion

The 1st Battalion was serving in the Middle Eastern theatre and fought in the North African Campaign and the Western Desert Campaign on the outbreak of war, and was assigned to many different brigades and divisions until late June 1942 when, fighting in
Tobruk Tobruk or Tobruck (; grc, Ἀντίπυργος, ''Antipyrgos''; la, Antipyrgus; it, Tobruch; ar, طبرق, Tubruq ''Ṭubruq''; also transliterated as ''Tobruch'' and ''Tubruk'') is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near t ...
, the battalion was captured. The few survivors of the battalion returned to the United Kingdom. In Battalion was reformed, by the redesignation of the 16th Battalion, a hostilities-only battalion. In August 1944 the new 1st Battalion was transferred to the 183rd Infantry Brigade, part of the 61st Infantry Division and in June 1945 it transferred to the 184th Infantry Brigade, again part of 61st Infantry Division.


2nd Battalion

The 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters was serving in the
3rd Infantry Brigade The 3rd Infantry Brigade was a Regular Army infantry brigade of the British Army, part of the 1st Infantry Division. Originally formed in 1809, during the Peninsular War, the brigade had a long history, seeing action in the Second Anglo-Afg ...
, part of the
1st Infantry Division 1st Division may refer to: Military Airborne divisions *1st Parachute Division (Germany) *1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom) *1st Airmobile Division (Ukraine) *1st Guards Airborne Division Armoured divisions *1st Armoured Division (Australi ...
, with which the battalion would remain with throughout the war. The division was sent to France in September 1939 shortly after the outbreak of the war, joining the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). The battalion remained in France until May 1940 when the
Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...
invaded the
Low Countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
. They took part in the short but bitter fighting and were forced to be evacuated at Dunkirk as the BEF was in danger of being surrounded and overrun. They were evacuated to England and spent the next two years on home defence and in preparation for a
German invasion German invasion may refer to: Pre-1900s * German invasion of Hungary (1063) World War I * German invasion of Belgium (1914) * German invasion of Luxembourg (1914) World War II * Invasion of Poland * German invasion of Belgium (1940) ...
which never arrived. In early 1943 the division was sent to North Africa where it became part of the British First Army and took part in the final stages of the
Tunisian Campaign The Tunisian campaign (also known as the Battle of Tunisia) was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces from 17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943. T ...
. In January 1944, they took part in the landings at Anzio, under command of
U.S. Fifth Army The United States Army North (ARNORTH) is a formation of the United States Army. An Army Service Component Command (ASCC) subordinate to United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM), ARNORTH is the joint force land component of NORTHCOM.
, where they suffered serious casualties in some of the fiercest fighting of the Italian Campaign so far, and later fighting during
Operation Diadem Operation Diadem, also referred to as the Fourth Battle of Monte Cassino or, in Canada, the Battle of the Liri Valley, was an offensive operation undertaken by the Allies of World War II ( U.S. Fifth Army and British Eighth Army) in May 1944, as ...
and on the
Gothic Line The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German Defense line, defensive line of the Italian Campaign (World War II), Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Generalfeldmarschall, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's la ...
. They fought in Italy until January 1945 when they were sent to Palestine and remained there until the end of the war.


1/5th (Derbyshire) Battalion

The 1/5th (Derbyshire) Battalion was a 1st-Line Territorial Army formation originally serving with the 148th Infantry Brigade, part of the
49th (West Riding) Infantry Division The 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army. The division fought in the First World War in the trenches of the Western Front, in the fields of France and Flanders. During the Second World War, the divi ...
. However, in December 1939, the battalion was reassigned to the 25th Infantry Brigade and saw service with the BEF in France and Belgium in 1940 and being evacuated at Dunkirk. In late 1940, it was again reassigned to the 55th Infantry Brigade, 18th Infantry Division. The battalion, along with the rest of the 18th Division, was posted to Malaya to defend the peninsula and the island of Singapore against the Japanese. After Singapore fell to the
Imperial Japanese Army The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor ...
, the battalion's men were among the thousands of
Prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold priso ...
sent to work on the infamous Burma Railway.


40th (Sherwood Foresters) Anti-Aircraft Battalion

In August 1940, the AA battalions of the Royal Engineers were transferred to the
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
(RA) and the battalion became 40th (Sherwood Foresters) Searchlight Regiment, RA, serving through the Battle of Britain and
The Blitz The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'. The Germa ...
. In June 1943, it was converted again, becoming the 149th (Sherwood Foresters) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA and transferred to the
55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division The 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army's Territorial Army (TA) that was formed in 1920 and existed through the Second World War, although it did not see combat. The division had originally be ...
in
Home Forces A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...
before joining British Second Army for the Allied invasion of Europe
Operation Overlord Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with the Norm ...
. The regiment landed in August 1944 and served through the North-West Europe campaign, particularly at the Allied Siege of Dunkirk and the Rhine crossing ( Operation Plunder).


42nd (Robin Hoods, Sherwood Foresters) Anti-Aircraft Battalion

Similarly, in August 1940 this battalion became the 42nd (Robin Hoods, Sherwood Foresters) Searchlight Regiment, RA, serving through
The Blitz The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'. The Germa ...
in 50th Anti-Aircraft Brigade of 2nd AA Division, covering Derby. It went to North-West Europe and served in the defence of Antwerp against
V-1 flying bomb The V-1 flying bomb (german: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Reich Aviation Ministry () designation was Fi 103. It was also known to the Allies as the buzz bomb or doodlebug and in Germany ...
attacks during the winter of 1944–45.


8th Battalion

The 8th (Nottinghamshire) Battalion was mobilised in the 148th Infantry Brigade alongside the 1/5th Battalion on the outbreak of war, attached to the
49th (West Riding) Division The 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army. The division fought in the First World War in the trenches of the Western Front, in the fields of France and Flanders. During the Second World War, the divis ...
. It fought in
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
in 1940, and then served as a garrison in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In 1942, the brigade was reorganised as a Training brigade.


2/5th (Derbyshire) Battalion

The 2/5th (Derbyshire) Battalion was formed as a 2nd-Line duplicate of the 1/5th Battalion, raised in 1939 when the TA was doubled in size. It was renamed the 5th Battalion after the loss of the 1/5th in Malaya in February 1942. It served in the 139th Infantry Brigade, part of the 46th Infantry Division, in France (''see 9th Battalion''),
Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...
,
Italy 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 ...
and
Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...
.


9th Battalion

On the outbreak of the Second World War, the 9th Battalion was in the process of formation as a duplicate of the 8th Battalion. Based at Bulwell near
Nottingham Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robi ...
, the battalion was commanded by Claude Lancaster, MP, a former officer in the Royal Horse Guards. The battalion was assigned to the 139th Infantry Brigade, alongside the 2/5th (Derbyshire) Battalion and 2/5th Leicestershire Regiment of the 46th Infantry Division, which, like several other '2nd Line' Territorial divisions, went to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France for training and labour duties in April 1940. However, when the German Army attacked and broke through the following month, 46th Division was sent into action. On 29 May, 139 Brigade joined 'Macforce' holding the canal line near Carvin. As the 'pocket' shrank towards Dunkirk, 46th Division was ordered inside the perimeter on 27 May. On 29 May, 9th Foresters were sent to reinforce the garrison at the fortified town of
Bergues Bergues (; nl, Sint-Winoksbergen; vls, Bergn) is a Communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department in northern France. It is situated to the south of Dunkirk and from the Belgium, Belgian bo ...
, 9 km south of Dunkirk. The Germans were unable to enter Bergues until 2 June, and 9th Foresters was one of the last units to leave Dunkirk and be evacuated from France.Obituary to Colonel C.G. Lancaster, ''Times'' 27 July 1977. The 9th Battalion left 46th Division in December 1940, and shortly afterwards became the lorried infantry element alongside the artillery of 1st Support Group in 1st Armoured Division. However, on 1 November 1941, the battalion was converted to the armoured car role as
112th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps The 112th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (Foresters) (112 RAC) was an armoured car regiment of the British Army's Royal Armoured Corps during the Second World War. Origin 112th Regiment RAC was formed on 1 November 1941 by the conversion to the arm ...
. In common with other infantry units transferred to the
Royal Armoured Corps The Royal Armoured Corps is the component of the British Army, that together with the Household Cavalry provides its armour capability, with vehicles such as the Challenger 2 Tank and the Scimitar Reconnaissance Vehicle. It includes most of the ...
, personnel would have continued to wear their Foresters cap badge on the black beret of the Royal Armoured Corps, and the regiment continued to add the parenthesis '(Foresters)' after the RAC title. Lieutenant-Colonel Lancaster remained in command during this period before returning to the House of Commons. 112 RAC was assigned to the 42nd Armoured Division as its armoured car regiment. It left the division in February 1943 and later became a draft-finding unit for other armoured car regiments fighting in the Normandy Campaign. 112 RAC ceased to exist on 14 October 1944, when it reverted to the title of 9th Foresters, which was placed in suspended animation. The last entry in the War Diary notes: ::''The history of this Regiment is a pure example of the complete inefficiency of 'A' Branch at the War Office, in as much as many hundreds of officers and men have wasted valuable years of their lives training for precisely nothing.''


10th (Home Defence) Battalion

The 10th ( Home Defence) Battalion was raised for home defence in 1939 and, like most other home service units, would mainly have had consisted of men with military experience who were too old or medically unfit for active service overseas, or from younger soldiers who themselves were not old enough to be conscripted (the age for conscription being 20 at the time). The battalion was disbanded in 1941.


12th Battalion

The 12th Battalion was a hostilities-only unit raised in 1940. In 1942, it was sent to India, where it carried out internal security duties at Delhi. On 1 January 1944, it moved to Delawari and came under the command of the 52nd Infantry Brigade, whose role was training British infantrymen in jungle warfare.


13th Battalion

The 13th Battalion was a hostilities-only unit raised in 1940. In 1942, it was sent to India, where it was converted to the armoured role as
163rd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps The 163rd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (163 RAC) was a short-lived armoured regiment of the British Army's Royal Armoured Corps that served in India during World War II. Origin 163 RAC was formed by the conversion to the armoured role of the 13t ...
. In common with other infantry battalions transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps, the personnel of 163 RAC would have continued to wear their Foresters cap badge on the black beret of the Royal Armoured Corps. 163 RAC was stationed at
Rawalpindi Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan's ...
under command of
267th Indian Armoured Brigade The 267th Indian Tank Brigade was a short lived armoured brigade of the Indian Army during the Second World War. It was reconstituted as 72nd Indian Infantry Brigade. History The brigade was formed on 3 July 1942 at Sialkot with three regiments ...
. However, there was a change of policy and, on 1 December 1944 (also reported as 1 December 1943), the regiment was re-converted to infantry, reverting to its previous title of 13th Sherwood Foresters and coming under command of
67th Indian Training Brigade 67 may refer to: * 67 (number) * one of the years 67 BC, AD 67, 1967, 2067 * ''67'', a 1992 song by Love Battery from the album ''Between the Eyes'' * 67 (rap group), a drill music group from London See also

* 67th Regiment (disambiguation) * ...
.


14th Battalion

The 14th Battalion was a hostilities-only unit raised in 1940 that went on to see active service in the Middle East (Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq) and Italy. It was first assigned to the 218th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home), formed for Home Service in the Yorkshire Area, but was soon reassigned to be the lorried infantry component alongside the artillery of
8th Support Group 8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. In mathematics 8 is: * a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2. * a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of t ...
in the newly raised 8th Armoured Division. In 1942, the division went round by sea to Suez, but, on arrival in July, it was broken up and 14th Foresters were sent to join the 9th Independent Armoured Brigade, with which it fought at the
Second Battle of El Alamein The Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October – 11 November 1942) was a battle of the Second World War that took place near the Egyptian railway halt of El Alamein. The First Battle of El Alamein and the Battle of Alam el Halfa had prevented ...
under the command of 2nd New Zealand Division. In January 1943, the 14th Foresters went to join the 7th Armoured Brigade refitting in Persia and Iraq Command. In the summer of 1943, the battalion returned to North Africa to join the 18th Infantry Brigade in the 1st Armoured Division. In February 1944, the brigade sailed to Italy and took part in the
Anzio campaign The Battle of Anzio was a battle of the Italian Campaign of World War II that took place from January 22, 1944 (beginning with the Allied amphibious landing known as Operation Shingle) to June 5, 1944 (ending with the capture of Rome). The ope ...
(February–May 1944) under the command of the
1st Infantry Division 1st Division may refer to: Military Airborne divisions *1st Parachute Division (Germany) *1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom) *1st Airmobile Division (Ukraine) *1st Guards Airborne Division Armoured divisions *1st Armoured Division (Australi ...
. In August, the brigade returned to the 1st Armoured Division and was engaged in the operations at Coriano in September. By now, the brigade's infantry battalions were badly depleted and, due to the lack of replacements in the Mediterranean, the 14th Foresters was reduced to a cadre and transferred to the non-operational 168th (London) Infantry Brigade, before being disbanded.


15th (Home Defence) Battalion

The 15th Battalion was raised for Home Defence in 1940 and disbanded in 1941.


16th Battalion

The 16th Battalion was formed by the re-designation of the 70th (Young Soldiers) Battalion in September 1942. The new 16th battalion transferred to the
162nd Infantry Brigade The 162nd Infantry Brigade was an active duty Infantry training brigade of the United States Army based at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The brigade was responsible for training the Security Forces Assistance – Security Cooperation teams, also known as ...
and later the 222nd Infantry Brigade. On 1 January 1943 the 16th Battalion was re-designated as the 1st Battalion.


70th (Young Soldiers) Battalion

In 1940, the 70th (Young Soldiers) Battalion was stationed at Holme Pierrepont Hall, near Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottingham. Like all other Young Soldiers battalions, this was formed to take volunteers around the ages of 18 and 19 who had not yet reached the compulsory age of conscription, which was 20 at the time. In September 1942, the 70th was redesignated as the 16th Battalion.


Post-war activities

In 1948, the regiment became part of the Midland Brigade, known as the Forester Brigade from 1958. In the post-war period, the 1st battalion Sherwood Foresters served in Germany,
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Med ...
and
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 ...
. In 1958, the battalion saw action 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 ...
and, in 1963, in
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 ...
. The 2nd battalion served in Palestine and Germany.


Amalgamation

In 1970, the Sherwood Foresters were amalgamated with the Worcestershire Regiment to form the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot).


Regimental museum

The Sherwood Foresters Museum is based in
Nottingham Castle Nottingham Castle is a Stuart Restoration-era ducal mansion in Nottingham, England, built on the site of a Norman castle built starting in 1068, and added to extensively through the medieval period, when it was an important royal fortress an ...
. Meanwhile, the Derby Museum and Art Gallery incorporates the Soldier's Story Gallery, based on the collections, amongst others, of the Sherwood Foresters.


Battle honours

The regiment's battle honours were as follows: *post 1881: ** Egypt (1882), Tirah, South Africa 1899–1902 *First World War: **Aisne 1914 & 18, Armentieres 1914, Neuve Chappelle, Aubers, Hooge 1915, Loos, Somme 1916 & 18, Albert 1916 & 18, Bazentin, Delville Wood, Pozieres, Ginchy, Flers-Courcelette, Morval, Thiepval, Le Transloy, Ancre Heights, Ancre 1916, Arras 1917 & 18, Vimy 1917, Scarpe 1917 & 18, Messines 1917, Ypres 1917 & 18, Pilckem, Langemarck 1917, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Cambrai 1917 & 18, St Quentin, Baupaume 1917, Rosieres, Villers Brettaneux, Lys, Bailleul, Kemmel, Scherpenberg, Amiens, Drocourt-Queant, Hindenburg Line, Epehy, Canal du Nord, St Quentin Canal, Beaurevoir, Courtrai, Selle, Sambre, France & Flanders 1914 - 18, **Piavé, Italy 1917 - 18, **Suvla, Landing at Suvla, Schimitar Hill, Gallipoli 1915, **
Egypt 1916 Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
*Second World War: ** Norway 1940, **
St Omer-La Bassée ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy ...
, Ypres-Comines Canal, Dunkirk 1940, North West Europe 1940, **Gazala, El Alemain, Djebel Guerba, Tamera, Medejez Plain, Tunis, North Africa 1942 -43, **Salerno, Volturno Crossing, Monte Camino, Anzio, Campoleone, Advance to Tiber, Gothic Line, Coriano, Cosina Canal Crossing, Monte Ceco, Italy 1943 - 45, **Singapore Island, Malaya 1942


Victoria Crosses

The following members of the regiment were 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 ...
: * Private Bernard McQuirt,
Indian Mutiny 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 fo ...
* Lieutenant (later Captain)
Henry Singleton Pennell Captain Henry Singleton Pennell VC (18 June 1874 – 19 January 1907) 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 Commonwea ...
,
Tirah Campaign The Tirah campaign, often referred to in contemporary British accounts as the Tirah expedition, was an Indian frontier campaign from September 1897 to April 1898. Tirah is a mountainous tract of country in what was formally known as Federally ...
* Private (later Corporal) William Bees,
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 ...
* Corporal (later Captain) Harry Churchill Beet, Second Boer War * Corporal (later Sergeant) Ernest Albert Egerton,
First World War 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 fig ...
* Acting Corporal (later Sergeant) Fred Greaves, First World War * Captain (Temporary Lt-Col, later Major-General)) Charles Edward Hudson, First World War * Sergeant
William Henry Johnson (VC) William Henry Johnson (15 October 1890 – 25 April 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 ...
, First World War * Private Jacob Rivers, First World War * Corporal
James Upton Corporal James Upton VC (3 May 1888 − 10 August 1949) was a British Army soldier and an English 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 ...
, First World War * Captain (Acting Lt-Col) Bernard William Vann, First World War * Second Lieutenant (Temporary Captain, later Colonel) Charles Geoffrey Vickers, First World War * Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Albert Ball, First World War * Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) John Henry Cound Brunt, Second World War


Regimental Colonels

Colonels of the regiment were: *1881–: (1st Battalion): Gen. Henry Cooper ''(ex 45th Foot'' *1881-?1889: (2nd Battalion): Gen.
John Studholme Brownrigg John Studholme Brownrigg (17 March 1786 – 1853) was an English merchant and British Conservative Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1835 to 1847. Early life Brownrigg was born on 17 March 1786 in Windsor. He was the third s ...
, CB ''(ex 95th Foot'' *188n–?: (1st Battalion): Gen. Sir
Daniel Lysons Daniel Lysons may refer to: *Daniel Lysons (antiquarian) (1762–1834), English antiquarian and topographer *Daniel Lysons (British Army officer) General Sir Daniel Lysons (1 August 1816 – 29 January 1898) was a British Army general who achieve ...
, GCB ''(ex 45th Foot'' *1898–1900: Gen. Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford, GCB, GCVO *1900–1902: Gen. Sir
Mark Walker Mark Walker may refer to: Politics and law * Mark L. Walker (born 1941), member of the Illinois House of Representatives * Mark Walker (North Carolina politician) (born 1969), minister and U.S. House of Representatives member for North Carolina's 6 ...
, VC, KCB *1902–1905: Lt-Gen. Sir William Bellairs, KCMG, CB *1905–1930: Gen. Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien, GCB, GCMG, DSO *1930–1935: Lt-Gen. Sir William Raine Marshall, GCMG, KCB, KCSI *1935–1941: Maj-Gen. Sir Frederick Barton Maurice, KCMG, CB *1941–1946: Lt-Gen. Sir Douglas Studholme Brownrigg Wellesley, KCB, DSO *1946–1947: Lt-Gen. Sir Henry Beresford Dennitts Willcox, KCIE, CB, DSO, MC *1947–1958: Maj-Gen. Percival Napier White, CB, CBE *1958–1965: Maj-Gen. Cecil Benfield Fairbanks, CB, CBE *1965–1970: Brig. James Henry Maunsell Hackett, DSO ''(to The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot)'' *''1970: Regiment amalgamated with Worcestershire Regiment to form The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot)''


Memorial

A Memorial Tower for those of the regiment who died in battle, was erected in 1923 at the summit of
Crich Crich is a village in the English county of Derbyshire. The population at the 2001 Census was 2,821, increasing to 2,898 at the 2011 Census (including Fritchley and Whatstandwell). It has the National Tramway Museum inside the Crich Tramway V ...
Hill in Derbyshire. Built on the site of an older tower called Crich Stand, the Memorial Tower is the destination of an annual pilgrimage on the first Sunday in July. It is above sea level, and has 52 steps to the top. From there eight counties can be seen, including landmarks such as the Humber Bridge and
Lincoln Cathedral Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln Minster, or the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln and sometimes St Mary's Cathedral, in Lincoln, England, is a Grade I listed cathedral and is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Lincoln. Constructio ...
.


Alliances

In 1931, the Sherwood Foresters were officially allied with the Simcoe Foresters (35th Regiment of Infantry), Canadian Militia. In 1936, the Simcoe Foresters amalgamated with the Grey Regiment (31st Regiment of Infantry) to become the present-day The Grey and Simcoe Foresters (G&SF), Canadian Army. The Sherwood Foresters' badge was suitably modified ("Canadianised") and adopted as the G&SF badge. In 1970, with the Sherwood and Worcestershire amalgamation, Her Majesty The Queen graciously granted the continuation this alliance, and again in 2007 with the WFR/Stafford/Chester amalgamation. The G&SF Regimental Colour has a Sherwood Foresters Lincoln green facing, Lincoln green over hunting scarlet (maroon) are its colours, and the Sherwood Foresters regimental tie is that of the G&SF (purchased from the association). in 1977, Her Majesty The Queen appointed Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal as Colonel-in-Chief of The Grey & Simcoe Foresters.


East Midlands Universities Officer Training Corps

The Sherwood Foresters'
stable belt A stable belt is a striped coloured belt worn at times by the armed forces of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries – and a few other countries such as Denmark, Brazil and Lebanon. The stripes identify and vary by regiment and corps ...
continues to be used by the East Midlands Universities Officer Training Corps.


Uniforms

As the 45th Regiment of Foot, the regiment initially had deep green facings on the lapels, cuffs and lining of the red coats of the 18th century. Lincoln green was subsequently adopted in recognition of its unique title. When merged with the 95th Regiment in 1881, the Sherwood Foresters adopted the standard white facings of non-royal English
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 ...
regiments. The historic lincoln green was restored in 1913. In other respects the regiment followed the normal progression of the British infantry from red coats, to scarlet tunics, to khaki service dress and battledress. Officers had silver lace on their coats until 1830, after which gold braiding was adopted.W.Y. Carman, pages 72 & 101, "Richard Simkin's Uniforms of the British Army",


Notes


References

* Anon, '' 'The Robin Hoods': 1/7th, 2/7th and 3/7th Battns Sherwood Foresters'', J & H Bell, 1921/Uckfield: Naval and Military Press, 2009, * * George Forty, "British Army Handbook 1939-1945", Stroud: Sutton Publishing, 1998, . * * Brig N.W. Routledge, ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55'', London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, 1994,


External links


Regiments.org

Regiment Crich Memorial site




* . * {{British Infantry Regiments World War I Infantry regiments of the British Army Regiments of the British Army in World War I Regiments of the British Army in World War II Military units and formations established in 1881 Military units and formations disestablished in 1970 1881 establishments in the United Kingdom 1970 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Military units and formations in Nottinghamshire Military units and formations in Derbyshire