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Royal Lancaster


Military History Army English Regiments Royal Lancaster

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Drummers and Buglers of the King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment

Officers, King's Own Royal Lancasters.  India, 1897

Reference V4/24

The Glory of the King's Own

On Orderly Duty

  How Major Borrett Of The 2nd Battalion K.O.R. Lancaster Regiment, Won The D.S.O. At Zillebeke, On February 18th 1915

  After the failure of the prolonged and savage effort of the Germans to break through the French and British lines round Ypres in October and November, a period of comparative quiescence followed.  Winter made operations on a large scale almost impossible, and the attentions of the enemy were drawn to the Eastern Front, where a similar onslaught against Warsaw met the fate of that against Ypres.  In February, however, there was a renewal of local activity, and the war of sapping and mining reached a climax on the 18th, when a trench at Zillebeke held by a certain British regiment was blown bodily into the air.  The position, which faced the famous Hill 60, then in German hands, was one of the great importance; it?s loss meant a serious gap in our system of defences and enabled the enemy to enfilade the advanced trenches to right and left.  It was imperative that the lost trench, though more like a ditch than a trench as the result of the explosion should be retaken. The attack was entrusted to Major Borrett?s company, which was in reserve about two miles in the rear.  The order was communicated during the night, and at dawn the company left its trenches.  Major Borrett had no illusions as to the difficulties and risks of his task.  The enemy had had time to establish themselves in the captured trench, to reorganise its defences, and to bring up the machine guns, which are an integral, indeed the essential, part of their equipment.  A February dawn, when the sun?s pale rays strike through a thick curtain of heavy rain, is hardly the condition to instil enthusiasm into sleepy, tired an drenched British soldiers; but the men, with the prospect of warm work ahead of them, felt themselves masters of their fate, and a few simple words from Major Borrett put them on excellent terms with themselves.  The one thing needful was to be on even better terms with the enemy.  The two miles of soaked fields, dripping woods, quagmires and shell swept roads had to be covered, though the road itself was speedily abandoned as little more than a death trap.  The communication trenches were ditches in which the men waded up to their waists, but Major Borrett inspired them by his example and a few cheerful words.

            At length our second line trench was reached, a short hundred yards from the place where the Germans imagined they secure in their new stronghold.  A communication trench connected the two trenches at this point, and Major Borrett decided himself to lead a storming party up this communication trench while the rest of his command rushed the German trench in the open.  On his word of command the two companies leaped to their feet and raced across the intervening space, throwing bombs as they went.  In a minute there was a desperate scuffle on the parapet and bombs, grenades, and bayonets competed in deadly rivalry.  Then the enemy lost heart, broke and fled with yells; hand grenades, as parting gifts, whizzing past their ears.  Meanwhile the Major himself and his bombing party were engaged in the most critical and difficult part of the operation.  The communication trench was handful of water, and though its windings kept the attackers from the view of the enemy until the last moment, the Germans lobbed over bombs over the top of the parapet, which caused many casualties.  The Major, leading the men, had a series of narrow escapes, but at length the last turn was reached, and with as shout the party hurled itself and a cloud of bombs and grenades against the German barricade. No man has ever yet done justice to the pandemonium, which ensues when men armed with every kind of explosive fight each other in a confined space.  All the more wonder, then, that Major Borrett kept his head, continued to direct and encourage his men, and at length discovered the German officer in command and singled him out as a worthy rival.  Then ensued what can only be described as a freakish incident in modern war-a full dress duel between the respective commanders.  At point blank range the two men raised their revolvers and fired simultaneously.  Major Borrett dropped his weapon, shot through the shoulder, but his rival flung up his arms, and fell back into the mine stone dead.  The death of their leader struck dismay into the surviving Germans and as the news of the loss of the main trench reached them they gave way.  Many surrendered, and of the rest most were shot down as they tried to escape. Major Borrett?s wound was serious, but happily not fatal, and with returning health came the knowledge that his fine leadership and the brilliant exploit of his men had been accorded the recognition they deserved. Extracted from 'Deed That Thrill The Empire'

The York and Lancaster Regiment

 The York and Lancaster Regiment is built of the formerly linked battalions of the 65th (2nd York North Riding) and the 84th (York and Lancaster). In 1756 the 12th Foot had a 2nd battalion, which, two years later, became the 65th.  It was called the ?2nd Yorkshire North Riding Regiment? in 1782, a title it retained until the present territorialisation system was introduced.  The new regiment first saw active service at Guadaloupe and Havannah, 1759 to 1762, and then embarked for America, to fight at Bunker?s Hill, but going home afterwards; it returned to the West Indies in 1794, to take part in the attack on Martinique and Guadaloupe.  A curious method of enlistment was adopted in the regiment when it came home: ?Parish boys,? from the Scottish poorhouse, who had been enlisted for the 16th, were posted to the 65th. After routine duty at the Cape in 1801, the regiment sailed for India, and fought under Lake at Guzert, Mawla, and Bhurtpore; after which, in 1809, it saw active service against the Wahabees, in the Persian Gulf, and assisted to destroy Ras-ul-Khynah and other piratical holds. Present at the reduction of Mauritius, it returned to India for the operations in Kattiwar, Guzerat, and Cutch; the Pindari War, and the capture of Poonah; in the Persian Gulf at Ras-ul-Khymah again; once more in Cutch at the taking of Dwarka; in the Persian Gulf, for the third time, on the destruction of the stronghold of the Beni-boo Ali tribe; finally to return home in 1822, with the reward, for continual and gallant service in the East, of bearing on the colours the Royal Tiger, with ?India? and ?Arabia.? The 65th saw active service in the New Zealand campaign-during which Sergeant McKenna and Lance-Corporal J. Ryan won the Victoria Cross-after 1846; but after that saw no further fighting until the Suakim disturbances, when, on its way home, it was landed to fight at El Teb and Tamai.

           The 84th regiment first appears from 1759 to 1764; then as the ?Royal Highland Emigrants? in 1775, which became the 84th in 1778, and was disbanded in 1784, when its uniform was similar to the 42nd; and finally in 1893, when the present regiment came into being, and incorporated with a 2nd battalion, raised in 1794, received the title ?York and Lancaster Regiment? in 1809. Its early history was uneventful.  It served abroad in Madras, Flanders, the capture of Cape Town, Perim, Aden, India (seeing active service at Surat and Guzerat and Goa), the capture of Mauritius, the operations in Kattiwar and Cutch, the Pindari disturbances, and at Kandeish and Cutch again before it returned home in 1819.  these services were rendered between 1800 and 1819; after which date it saw no further active service until 1842, when it was in Burmah, and was stationed at Moulmein; but it returned to India in time to share in the suppression of the Mutiny in 1857.  Detachments were sent to assist Wheeler at Cawnpore (where most of them were massacred) and Lawrence at Lucknow; the latter serving in the defence of the Residency.  The keeper of the cemetery at Cawnpore when the Mutiny was suppressed was private Murphy of the 84th, who was one of the two soldiers, other than officers, who escaped from the massacre.  The rest of the regiment was also in the first relief of Lucknow, and its defence; at the battle of Alumbagh and the capture of Lucknow, and finally with the Azimghur column.

           Its last active service was in the Tel-el-Kebir campaign, where it did good work at Kassassin and throughout the campaign. A 2nd battalion, raised in 1808, served at Wacheren and the siege of Flushing in 1809, and for its services in the Peninsula from 1813 to 1814 added ?Nive? and ?Peninsula? to the colours, though it was also present at the Bidaddoa and the investment of Bayonne. The facings of the 65th were white, those of the 84th yellow.  Now both are white.  The ?Union Rose? is the badge on the 84th in 1820.  The Royal Tiger, with ?India? and ?Arabia,? were given for the valuable services of the 65th in those countries from 1802 to 1822.  The buttons have the title, a laurel wreath, the Tiger, a coronet, and the Union rose; the tunic collar has the Royal Tiger; the helmet-plate the Union Rose and title; the waist-plate the same with the Royal Tiger; on the forage-cap a Union Rose, with the Tiger. The 3rd West York Militia forms the 3rd battalion of the regiment, and was raised in 1757.  The Volunteer battalions are the 2nd West Riding, Yorkshire (Sheffield), and the 8th West Riding, Yorkshire (Doncaster).  Both wear scarlet uniforms, with white facing. The regiment has no special name, and is usually called by its territorial title. The depot was at Pontefract.

THOMAS GRADY

(Private, afterwards Sergeant)

4th King?s (Royal Lancaster) Regiment

 

            This brave Irishman, on October 18th 1854, volunteered to repair the embrasures of the battery on the Left Attack, assisted by another whose name has not been handed down.  This act was accomplished successfully in clear daylight, under a heavy fire from a whole line of batteries.  Again, on November 22nd, during the repulse of an attack on the most advanced trenches, although severely wounded he refused to quit his post among his comrades, but kept encouraging them to ?hold on,? and was the means of saving the position and preventing the guns from being spiked.

            Sergeant Grady died some years ago in Victoria, New South Wales. 

JOHN SINNOTT  (Lance-Corporal, afterwards Corporal)  84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment            On October 6th 1857, at Lucknow, Lieutenant Gibaut went several times, carrying water, to extinguish a fire which had occurred in a breastwork, and he was accompanied by Lance-Corporal Jogn Sinnott on almost every fell mortally wounded, upon which Sinnott, together with Sergeants Glinn and Mullins, and Private Mullins, went out, and carried him into shelter under a heavy fire.  He was twice wounded during the performance of this act, and was elected by his fellow-soldiers to receive the Victoria Cross under Rule 13 of the Warrant. He died at Livingstone Road, Clapham on July 20th 1896, aged 63.

Pioneers of the King's Own (1898)

Private J. Miller Staggers Back, Mortally Wounded, With The Answer To A Message And Falls At The Feet Of An Officer On Delivering It.


Private J. Miller Staggers Back, Mortally Wounded, With The Answer To A Message And Falls At The Feet Of An Officer On Delivering It.

Private James Miller, of the Royal Lancaster Regiment, was ordered to take an important message under heavy fire and to bring back a reply. On leaving the trench he was shot almost immediately, the bullet coming out through his abdomen. But he compressed with his hand the gaping wound, delivered his message, staggered back with the answer, and fell at the feet of the officer to whom he delivered it. He gave his life with a supreme devotion to duty, in recognition of which a posthumous award of the V.C. was made.
Item Code : DTE0871Private J. Miller Staggers Back, Mortally Wounded, With The Answer To A Message And Falls At The Feet Of An Officer On Delivering It. - Editions Available
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PRINT First World War antique black and white book plate published c.1916-18 of glorious acts of heroism during the Great War. This plate may also have text on the reverse side which does not affect the framed side. Title and text describing the event beneath image as shown.
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