1939 - 1946The Second World War

1940 - Dunkirk, St Valery en Caux
1942 - Sittang
1943 - Djebel Bou Aoukaz
1944 - Anzio, Monte Ceco, Fontenay Le Pesnil, Chindits

During the period between 1920 and 1935 the 1^st Battalion was stationed in the UK, except for a brief period in Gibraltar and Turkey in 1922/23. In 1935 the Battalion was moved to Malta, returning to England in 1938 where it joined the 1^st Infantry Division.

The 2^nd Battalion was overseas for almost the whole of the period between the wars, sailing for Egypt in 1922, before proceeding to Singapore and then India, where it arrived in 1928. During 1934/35 the battalion took part in the Looe Agre and Mohmand operations on the North West Frontier.

Immediately war broke out the 1^st Battalion was sent to France, where little happened until May 1940, when the Germans attacked.  In the ensuing retreat to Dunkirk the 1^st Battalion formed part of the rearguard covering the embarkation of the BEF. In 1942 the battalion landed in North Africa and took part in several battles, notably at Djebel Bou Aoukaz in 1943. The following year it participated in the landing at Anzio and subsequently saw some of the most desperate fighting of the war, particularly at Monte Ceco in October 1944, where Private Richard Burton won the VC.

Following the Japanese attack on the Americans at Pearl Harbour, in December 1941, the overstretched forces of the Allies were soon swept aside by the Japanese Army. In February 1942 the 2^nd Battalion was hastily mobilised as part of a force sent to reinforce Burma. Within a week of landing at Rangoon the battalion found itself defending the bridge across the river Sittang, which was then blown up before the battalion could withdraw across it. From there the campaign developed into one long retreat until the British force eventually crossed into India in May. After a period for reorganisation the 2^nd Battalion was assigned to the Chindits in which it formed two columns - the 33^rd and the 76^th.  As part of that force both columns were involved in the relief of Imphal in March-July of 1944.

Before the outbreak of the war both the 4^th and 5^th Battalions were converted to other arms - the 4^th to Royal Artillery and the 5^th to Royal Engineers (and later, in 1944 to RA).

Both the 1/6^th and the 2/6^th saw service in Europe, the former in Normandy in June 1944 and the latter in the campaign of 1940.

The 1/7^th landed in France on the 11^th of June 1944 and fought with distinction in Normandy, where it gained the Battle Honour Fontenay-le-Pesnil on the 25^th of June 1944.  The battalion took part in the liberation of Holland and was there when the war ended.

The 2/7^th was sent to France in March 1940 for a three month tour to help in pioneer duties.  Before the tour was over it was caught up in the German advance, which commenced on the 10^th of May.  By the 7^th of June it had withdrawn to Dieppe and fought a gallant action at St Valery-en-Caux before being evacuated to the UK. The battalion did not see any further action during the war.

Read the 'Service Memories' of Peter Walker who enlisted in the 2/7^th Battalion in 1939. (just click on his name or go to the RHQ Archives & Research Section).

The 8^th Battalion was reformed in July 1940 and in the following year was converted to 145 Regiment RAC and as such served in North Africa and Italy.

The 9^th and 10^th Battalions were also re-raised in 1940. The 9^th was converted to RAC (146 Regiment). It was sent to India and saw service in Burma and, after the end of the war, in Sumatra. The 10th Battalion trained reinforcements for the overseas battalions, except for two years from 1942-44 when it had an operational role in the UK. (The Regiment was awarded 23 Battle Honours for its service during the war of which ten are permitted to be carried on the Queen's Colour - the eight named here plus North West Europe 1940, 1944 -1945 and Burma 1942, 1944.)