The 2nd Royal Berkshire on Parade at Raglan Barracks (1896)

The Princess Charlotte Of Wales (Royal Berkshire Regiment).

 The 49^th, Princess Charlotte of Wale’s Regiment, a title granted in 1815 for its having formed a guard of honour for the Princess at Weymouth, is a Hertfordshire regiment. And in 1782 was so designated; and its linked battalion, the 66^th, or Berkshire Regiment (also receiving its county title 1782), was united to it under the present name in 1882.  The prefix “Royal” was bestowed upon the regiment because of the gallantry of the 1^st battalion at Tofrek, near Suakin, in 1885.  The 49^th had a sort of colonial origin in two companies of the 22^nd Regiment, which on returning to England, in Anne’s reign, had left them as “Independent Companies” in Jamaica.  To these other six companies were added before they left the colony and became in 1744 a regiment of the Line, known at first as the 63^rd Americans; but on the reduction of some other regiments it received its late number about 1748. Its first visit to England took place in 1762, when it was relieved by its present 2^nd battalion; but it sailed West again to join Lord Howe in 1776, and fought at Bunker’s Hill, Brooklyn, Long Island, Brandywine, etc.  During the campaign the light companies were allowed to wear red and the grenadiers white and black plumes; but the authority for this has disappeared. After doing hard work at St. Domingo, at Ostend and Egmont-op-Zee in 1798-99, as marines on board the fleet and at Copengagen in 1801, and in Canada between 1803 and 1814, fighting at Queenstown, Chrystler’s Farm, Fort George, Black Rock, Stony Creek, etc., the 49^th did only general duty until 1841, when it shared in the first China War.  It was engaged at Chusan, Canton, Amoy, Shanghai, and Ningpo, and for its gallant service earned the distinction of the “Dragon Badge.”

           It was one of the earliest regiments in the Crimea, was present at the battles of the Alma and Inkerman, and shared in the siege of Sevastopol and the desperate fighting of the assaults on the Quarries and the Redan.  In this campaign Sergeant G. Walters and Corporal J. Owens won the cross for valour for bravery and for assisting General Adams and Major Conolly.  In 1882 it formed part of the army despatched to Egypt; did not accompany the rest of the army to Ismailia, but assisted in the capture of Kafr-ed-Dauar.  Near Chalouffe one man of the 49^th had an extraordinary escape-a shell passed between his legs and the explosion carried away the seat of his trousers, yet he was otherwise uninjured.  It also did good service round Suakin, fighting at the battles of Hasheen and Tofrek in 1885, and shared in the arduous labours of the Nile campaign for the relief of Gordon. The 66^th Foot, which is now the 2^nd battalion of the Berkshire Regiment, formed in 1775, a 2^nd battalion of the 19^th regiment, but three years later it was made independent under its late number.  After much foreign service, during which its first colours were deposited in the Court house of Kingston, Jamaica, instead of the parish church of a county town, it was first actively engaged at St. Domingo between 1795 and 1797, where its loss from various causes amounted to 705 officers and men.

           Proceeding to India in 1806, it was with Ochterlony on the Nepaul frontier from 1814 to 1816, doing gallant service at Muckwanpore; and in 1817 it was amalgamated with a 2^nd battalion, that had been raised in 1803, at ST. Helena, where it remained as a guard over the Emperor Napoleon I. Until he died, when the regiment formed the guard of honour at his funeral at Longwood.  In Canada, from 1827 to 1841, it assisted in the suppression of the Rebellion of 1838, being present at the affair of St. Charles; during the Russian War it again served in North America.  The 66^th was in India from 1857 to 1865, when it came home; to return there in 1870 and take part later in the Afghan War as part of the Kandahar Field Force.  It was engaged with General Burrows at Girishk, fought with the mutinous troops of the Wali of Kandahar in 1880, and again in the defence of the City, as well as in the battle fought by Sir Frederick Roberts which finished the campaign.  But meanwhile, with the exception of two companies in garrison at Khelat-I-Gilzai, the bulk of the regiment had shared in the brilliant but disastrous “affair” of Maiwand.  No pen can well describe the devoted bravery of the officers and men of the 66^th on the 27^th July, 1880, when they fought against overwhelming odds.  Olivey and Honeywood carried the colours, and the latter was heard to cry as he held the flag on high, “Men, what shall we do to save this?” when he fell dead, as did Sergeant Major Cuphage, who next tried to take it.  Elsewhere a detachment of about a hundred fought till all were slain, the last survivors forming a group, till “standing in the open, back to back, firing steadily and truly, every shot telling, surrounded by thousands, these eleven officers and men died.”  A monument to the memory of these most gallant soldiers has since been erected in the public gardens at Reading.

           The 66^th had a distinguished 2^nd battalion, mentioned above, from 1803 until 1817.  It added the Peninsular battles to the honour-roll for its gallant services at the Douro, Busaco, Talavera, Albuhera (where it lost 316 men), Arroyo dos Molinos, Badajoz, Vittoria, Nivelle, Garros, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse, and Bayonne; and during the war its total loss was 547 officers and men, or more than half its strength.  Forming part of the garrison of St. Helena in the early part of Napoleon’s exile there, it was amalgamated in 1817 with the 1^st battalion, which came from India for that purpose. Before the Afghan War the 66^th had a regimental pet named “Bob,”  He was a dog, and was present at and survived the battle of Maiwand.  He died at Chatham, and his dead body was stuffed to adorn the sergeant’s mess. The original facings of both battalions were green, the 49^th having first “full” green and next “Lincoln green,” and the latter inheriting the colour from the 19^th Regiment; now they are “Royal Blue.”  The first regimental badge is the Chinese Dragon with “China,” derived from the 49^th.  The 66^th provides the second, a stag under an oak, which was worn by the Berkshire Militia.  The dragon, crowned, with “Berkshire” and “Princess Charlotte of Wale’s,” decorates the button; the dragon is worn on the collar and forage cap; the helmet-plate bears the stag, with the regimental title; the waist-plate the dragon and title. The Royal Berks Miltia forms the 3^rd battalion.  The volunteer battalion is furnished by the 1^st Berkshire, with head-quarters at Reading, and is dressed in scarlet and blue.  The Brigadier of the Home District Brigade, Lord Wantage, V.C., K.C.B., etc., was long its distinguished colonel.  To this battalion are also attached the cadet corps of Wellington and Bradfield Colleges. The 49^th see to have no “pet name”; the 66^th were called the “Green Howards,” from the colour of their facings and their colonel’s name. 

           The depot was a Reading.   Extracted from ‘Her Majesty’s Army’s’

How Private Frederick William Owen Potts Of The 1/1^st Berkshire Yeomanry (T.F.), Won The V.C. At Hill 70, Gallipoli

  After the gallant, but unsuccessful, assaults on the Anafarta heights, which followed the landing of the 10^th and 11^th Divisions at Suvla Bay, at the beginning of August 1915, our men employed themselves in consolidating what ground they had won, and the Suvla operations languished for some days.  But, meantime we were preparing for a second effort, and fresh troops, consisting of the famous 29^th Division and the 2^nd Mounted Division of Yeomanry) organised as dismounted troopers) were brought to the scene of action and placed under the command of General de Lisle.

            The objective was the encircling hills behind the Suvla plain, extending from Hill 70 to Hill 100.  The task before our men was one of the greatest difficulties, since, as all the advantage of surprise had long since been lost, the only tactics left to us were those of a frontal attack, and that against a strong position held in at least equal force by the enemy.  The afternoon of August 21^st was the time chosen for the attack.  After a heavy bombardment of the Turkish position from both land and sea, at 3 p.m. the 34^th Brigade of the 11^th Division, on the right of our line, rushed the Turkish trenches between Hetman Chair and the Aire Kavak, practically without loss.  But the 32^nd Brigade, who advanced against Hetman Chair and the communication trench connecting it with southwest corner of Hill 100, failed to make good their point, through mistaking the direction and attacking from the northeast, instead of the east; and the 33^rd Brigade, sent up in haste, with orders to capture this communication trench at all costs, fell into precisely the same error.  Meanwhile the 87^th Brigade of the 29^th Divisions, whose advance had been planned for 3.30 p.m., had attacked Hill 70 with great dash and carried some of the Turkish trenches there, though the enemy’s artillery and machine gun fire was too heavy to allow them to gain the crest.  At the same time, the 86^th Brigade, though they had been at first thrown into disorder by the scrub on Chocolate Hill catching fire, and had been unable to advance up the valley between the two spurs, owing to the failure of the 11^th Division on their right, were making repeated and most gallant efforts to carry Hill 100 from the east but they were decimated by a terrible cross fire of shell and musketry, which simply swept the leading troops off the top of the spur, and were eventually obliged to fall back to a ledge to the southwest of Hill 70, where they found a little cover. About five o’clock, whilst the fighting was still in progress, the Yeomanry moved out from below the knoll of Lala Baba, where they had been held in reserve, to take up a position of readiness between Hill 70 and Hill 100.  Their advance lay across a mile and a half of open country, where they were exposed to a devastating fire of shrapnel; but they moved forward in perfect order as if on parade.  Sir Ian Hamilton has described the scene in his despatch of December 11^th 1915; “The advance of these English Yeoman was a sight calculated to send a thrill of pride through anyone with a drop of English blood running in his veins.  Such superb martial spectacles are rare in modern war.  Ordinarily, it should always be possible to bring up reserves under some sort of cover from shrapnel fire.  Here, for a mile and a half, there was nothing to conceal a mouse, much less some of the most stalwart soldiers England has ever sent from her shores.  Despite the critical events in other parts of the field, I could hardly take my glasses from the Yeomen; they moved like men marching on parade.  Here and there a shell would take toll of a cluster; there they lay.  There was no straggling, the others moved steadily on; not a man was there who hung back or hurried.” At last the Yeomanry reached the foot of Chocolate Hill, where they rested for half an hour.  Here they were comparatively safe from shellfire, but were annoyed by the Turkish snipers, by whom not a few of them were hit.  Having recovered their breath, the 2^nd South Midland Brigade that was composed of the Bucks, Berks and Dorset Yeomanry under the command of Brigadier-General the Earl of Longford, who was unhappily killed during the action moved to the left of Chocolate Hill to occupy the reserve trenches. While the Berkshire Yeomanry were passing through a field of ripe wheat, a man named West, a couple of yards in front of Private Potts, whose heroic deed we are about to relate, was struck in the thigh by an explosive bullet, which came out as a five shilling piece and before they gained the reserve trenches, they had lost a number of men, some of whom fell wounded and were immediately afterwards hit again and killed outright.

            After they had been a short while in the reserve trenches, the Yeomanry received the order to advance and, making their way up the slopes by short rushes, they reached the foremost lines of the 29^th Division, the Berkshire Yeomanry finally halting in a gully which was occupied by the Bucks and the Dorset’s.  As darkness was falling, the brigade was launched to the attack, in the hope that they might retrieve the fortunes of the day.  All that valour could do they certainly did, and their right flank succeeded in carrying the trenches on a knoll so near the summit of Hill100, that from the plain it looked as though the crest itself had been won.  But this the Turks still held, and as our men were too exhausted, and had lost too heavily to undertake a second immediate assault, and as it was clear that when daylight came the knoll would be swept by fire, there was nothing for it but to fall back.  Meanwhile, on the left, the Berkshire Yeomanry had, with splendid courage and resolution, fought their way to the third Turkish trench, but by this time, so terrible had been their losses, that they were reduced to a mere handful; and since it would have been impossible to hold the ground that they had won against a counter attack in any force, they had no alternative but to retire also.  Private Potts was not one of those who assisted to carry enemy’s trenches, since, before he had advanced thirty yards, he was hit at the top of the left thigh, the bullet going clean through, and as he was subsequently told in hospital, only missing the artery by the fraction of an inch.  He fell to the ground and lay there helpless, while his comrades rushed on to the attack.  Fortunately, he had fallen amidst a cluster of scrub, which if it did not afford much protection from bullets, at any rate screened him from the view of the Turks, so long as he did not move.  He had been lying there about half an hour, when he heard a noise, and, looking round, saw a man whom he recognized as Private Andrews of the Berkshire-who, by a singular coincidence, hailed, like Potts himself, from Reading-crawling painfully towards him.  Andrews had a bullet in the groin a very dangerous wound-and he was suffering terribly and losing a great deal of blood.  The two men had been together only a few minutes when a third man-a stranger to both of them- who had a wound in the leg, crawled up to their hiding place.  So cramped were they for room amid the scrub that Andrews, though in great pain, shifted his position a little, in order that the new comer might find shelter also.  The simple act of kindness probably saved his life, as not ten minutes a bullet, which passed through both his legs, mortally wounded afterwards the stranger.

            The night passed, and was succeeded by a day of scorching heat; the cries of the dying man for water were pitiful, but they had not a drop amongst the three of them, and could do nothing to quench his raging thirst.  Potts and Andrews suffered terribly from the same cause from hunger as well, and it seemed as though the day would never end.  The sun went down at last, but night brought them no relief, since it was bitterly cold, and there was a full moon which made the country side as light as day, so that they dared not move, for fear of attracting the attention of the Turkish snipers.  Their unfortunate comrade became delirious, and kept tossing from side to side, which added greatly to the dangers of their situation, since every time he moved the Turks fired at the clump of bushes.  Potts lay as flat as he could, face to ground, for the bullets were pattering all around them; but, even in that position, he had very narrow escape, one actually grazing the tip of his left ear and covering his face with blood.  Towards morning death put an end to the sufferings of their hapless companion, who had kept on moaning almost to the last for the water that it was impossible for them to give him.  His dead body had to remain with them, since they could neither move it nor get away themselves.  During the whole of the next day the two men remained in they’re hiding place, suffering indescribably from hunger, thirst, scorching sun, and the pain of their wounds.  In desperation, they plucked bits of the stalks of the scrub and tried to suck them, in the hope of moistening their parched throats a little; but they got no relief in that way.  The day seemed interminable, for, though so exhausted, the pain they were enduring and the noise of the fighting, which was still proceeding, prevented them from obtaining any sleep.  They could not see anything of their comrades, and they knew it was impossible for any stretcher-bearers to get through to them, since they were too far up the hill, and the terrible fire kept up by the enemy rendered it hopeless for any stretcher parties to venture out.

            When darkness fell, they decided that, as it would be certain death from hunger and thirst to remain where they were, even if they escaped the Turkish bullets, there was nothing for it but to make a move and endeavour to regain the British lines.  They accordingly started to crawl down the hill, and, though their progress was, of course, terribly slow, for every movement caused them intense pain, they succeeded, after several hours, in reaching the shelter of another patch of scrub, about three hundred yards away, where they passed the rest of the night covering themselves with some empty sandbags that they found lying there, as they were nearly frozen.  When morning came they were able for the first time in nearly thirty-six hours, to obtain water, by taking the water bottles from some dead men who were lying near them.  This afforded them immense relief.  They crept back to their shelter, and Potts dressed his comrade’s wound, which was bleeding badly, with his field dressing, and afterwards Andrews performed the same service for him. All that day they lay concealed, but as soon as it grew dark they started of again, though they did not for a moment suppose that they would live to reach the British lines.  Every moment was torment on account of the thorns from the scrub, and, after going a few yards; they gave up the attempt, as Andrews was too exhausted to go any further.  He unselfishly urged Potts to leave him and look after himself, but this the other would not hear of; and, lifting Andrews up, he made a brave effort to carry him, but found himself far too weak.  It began to look as though they were doomed to perish in this terrible place, when suddenly, like an inspiration, a means of escape presented itself to them.  Casting his eyes about him, Potts caught sight of an entrenching shovel, which had been dropped during the attack of the 21^st, laying a little way off.  He saw at once that the shovel might be used as a kind of sledge to draw his helpless comrade into safety, and, crawling up to it, brought it to where Andrews lay, placed him upon it and began to drag him down the hill.  Andrews sat on the shovel as best he could, with his legs crossed, the wounded one over the sound one, and putting his hands behind his back, clasped Potts wrists as he sat on the ground behind and hauled away at the handle. “I prayed,” Says Potts, “as I never prayed before for strength, help and guidance, and I felt confident that we should win through all right.” As soon as they began to move, they were spotted by the Turks, who opened fire upon them; but, careless of the risk of being hit, Potts stood up, for the first time since he had been wounded, and tugged away desperately at the handle of the shovel.

            However, after going a few yards, he was forced to lie down and rest, and decided to wait until nightfall before continuing his journey.  Then he started off again, and yard-by-yard dragged his burden down the hill, stopping every few paces to rest, for he was very weak and his wounded leg was causing him intense pain.  Bullets from the Turkish snipers hummed continually past him, but, happily none hit him, and at last, after three hours toil and suffering, he reached a little wood, where he reached a little wood, where he was in comparative safety and was able to stand upright.  A little farther on he was challenged by a British sentry, and found that he was close to one of our advanced trenches.  He explained matters to the sentry, who summoned some of his comrades, and they brought a blanket, and, lifting Andrews on to it, carried him into the trench.  There everything that kindness could suggest was done for him and his gallant rescuer; and when the two had rested a little, they were placed on stretchers and carried to the nearest dressing station, from which they were afterwards sent to hospital in Malta.  Private Frederick William Owen Potts, who, for this amazing feat of heroism and endurance, in its way the most extraordinary of the war, was awarded the Victoria Cross, is twenty-two years of age, and joined the Berkshire Yeomanry four years ago.  At the time of his enlistment Potts could claim the distinction of being the youngest trooper in the Yeomanry, and he can now claim that of being the first of that splendid force to win the Victoria Cross.  Before the war he was employed in the Pulsometer Engineering Company’s works at Reading. Extracted from 'Deeds That Thril The Empire'  

WILLIAM HOUSE  (Private)  2^nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment            On August 2^nd 1900, it was revolved to make an attack upon the Boer position at Mosilikatse Nek, and, for the purpose of ascertaining a better idea of the enemy’s force; a sergeant was sent forward to reconnoitre. Before he could, however, rejoin his comradesm he was seen by the enemy, who, opening fire, wounded him most severely.  He lay on the open ground, in full view of the Boer marksmen, who kept up a hail of bullets on and around him.  House, though cautioned that almost certain death lay before him, sprang out from the cover, behind which he and the rest of the troops were concealed, and attempted to carry inhis wunded comrade.  While making this heroic attempt he himself was badly shot, and, though lying fully exposed, in his turn, to the Boer riflefire, called to his comrades not to come to his assistance until the advance was made.  This act, for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross, was performed under the immediate command of Captain Sir Edward Pasley, Bart. Sir Ian Hamilton being Chief.  William House, son of Mr. Thomas House, of Park Lane, Thatcham, Berkshire, was born at that place on October 7^th 1879, enlisted into the Royal Berkshire Regiment on November 3^rd 1896, and was duly gazetted to the roll of the Victoria Crosson his twenty-third birthday, October 7^th 1902.  Besides this coveted decoration, he possesses both medals for the South African War and many clasps.  Received the Victoria Cross at the hands of H.M. the King on October 24^th 1902, in London.

JOHN AUGUSTUS CONOLLY  (Lieutenant, afterwards Lieut. –Colonel)  49^th (The Princess Charlotte of Wales) Regiment (Royal Berkshire)             On the attack by the Russians outside Sebastopol during the “great sortie,” on October 26^th 1854 (the day Balaklava), Lieutenant Conolly was in command of his company on outlying picket.  The Russians hurled themselves on the Second Division.  They were met, in the first instance, by the 49^th, resolutely led by Conolly in frequent short, sharp charges, he himself engaging several of them in hand-to-hand fight, one after another, till at length, from loss of blood, he fell insensible, and had to be borne off the field.  His gallant behaviour, no less than that of his men, elicited a General Order, in which all were deservedly praised.  Soon afterwards he was promoted Captain into the Coldstream Guards as part reward for his bravery and devotion. Died at the Curragh of Kildare, Ireland in 1888.

JAMES OWENS  (Corporal)  49^th Regiment (Hertfordshire Regiment) Now Part of Prince of Wales Berkshire Regiment            Decorated for his bravery on October 30^th 1854, in personal encounter with the Russians and for nobly assisting Major Conolly of the Coldstream Guards.  He died on August 30^th 1901, and his Victoria Cross was sold in London on October 15^th 1902.

The Last Battle, Berlin, April 30th 1945 by David Pentland. (GL)