The East Yorkshire Regiment
The
East Yorkshire Regiment- Regimental District No.15- consists of the old
fifteenth Foot. The 15th
dates from 1685, in which year they were raised in Nottinghamshire by
Colonel Tufton, who was one of the officers that remained loyal to King
James, and was accordingly superseded at the Revolution.
After serving for some time in Scotland the 15th went
to Holland, and in 1695 fought with credit at Kenoque and Dixmunde. They were engaged at Kaiserwerth and Nimeguen, at Venloo and
Ruremonde, at Liege and Schellenberg.
In 1704 they fought at Blenheim, being in Rowe?s famous
brigade, and commanded by Lieutenant-colonel Britton.
It was an occasion to try to the uttermost the morale of the
British troops. The
position was critical, and rumours that a tremendous battle was
inevitable had spread through the allied host.
Sir Edward Creasy has, pithily put the absolute necessity for the
battle of Blenheim to be fought, when and how it was.
?Although the French army of Italy had been unable to penetrate
in Austria, and although the masterly strategy of Marlborough had
hitherto warded off the destruction, with which the allies seemed
menaced at the beginning of the campaign; the peril was still most
serious. It was absolutely
necessary for Marlborough to attack the enemy before Villeroy should be
roused into action. There
was nothing to prevent that General and his army from marching into
Franconia, whence the allies drew their principal supplies; and besides
thus distressing them, he might by marching on and join his army to
those of Tallard and the Elector, from a mass, which would over whelm
the force under Marlborough and Eugene.
On the other hand, the chances of a battle seemed perilous, and
the fatal consequences of a defeat were certain.
The consequence of a defeat of the confederated army must have
broken up the Grand Alliance, and realised the proudest hopes of the
French King. Marlborough?s
words, at the council of war when the battle was resolved on, to the
officers who remonstrated with him on the seeming temerity of attacking
the enemy in their position, were remarkable.
?I know the danger, yet a battle is absolutely necessary; and I
rely on the bravery and discipline of our troops, which will make amends
for our disadvantages.??
A writer quotes a curious incident relating
to the regiment from an old book called ?Advice to Officers.?
The 15th-then known as Howe?s Regiment-were
attacking the village of Blenheim, when the major-who on account of too
great strictness was unpopular-addressed his men, confessing, ?that he
had been to blame, and begged to fall by the hands of the French-not
theirs.? ?March on,
sir!? replied a grenadier. ?The
enemy is before us, and we have something else to do than think of you
just know!? When the
French gave way the officer waved his hat in his enthusiasm, exclaiming
?Hurrah? gentlemen, the day is our own!?
As he was saying the words he fell dead, shot through the brain.
It would appear from the manner of recounting the incident,
coupled with the significant title of the work in which it appears, that
it was doubtful whether that fatal shot came from the front or the rear. The regiment suffered heavily that day, as they did at
Ramillies and Oudenarde. They
fought at Tornay in 1709, perhaps one of the most desperate sieges, from
the point of view of individual suffering, of the many undertaken during
this long war. Some
estimate of the difficulties our troops had to contend with may be
gathered from the following: - ?The citadel of Tournay was situated on
some high ground, with a gentle ascent from the town, and the siege
proved a service of the most difficult character, arising from the
multiplicity of the subterranean works which were more numerous than
those above the ground. Sinking
pits several fathoms deep, and working from carried on the approaches
thence underground, until the troops arrived at the casemates and mines. The soldiers engaged in these services frequently encountered
parties of the enemy, and numerous combats occurred in these gloomy
labyrinths. On some
occasions the men at work under ground were inundated with water; at
other times suffocated with smoke, or buried by the explosion of
mines.? At
the conclusive combat at Malplaquet the 15th were in the
reserve, losing only one officer. In
the various battles and skirmishes which followed they were well to the
fore, returning home in 1714. In
1719 they fought at Glenshiel, following General Wightman in his skilful
movement into the then almost inaccessible mountains, and showing their
firm courage in combating and repulsing the brave McKenzie and
McGregor?s. They were
attacked in rear and flank, but gallantly held their own, though they
lost Captain Downes and two subalterns.
After this they enjoyed a period of
inaction for some twenty years or more, their next important service
being at Carthagena in 1741. The
same old book before referred to (?Advice to Officers?) relates that
the troops were very much annoyed during the night by continued reports
from the outpost officer that a large body of Spaniards was approaching.
No attack or demonstration was, however, made, and at last an
aide-de-camp was sent to the front to ascertain the cause of the
reports. There, sure
enough, he saw what appeared to be a body of soldiers in the white
uniform of the Spaniards, which now and again appeared and disappeared
in the most perplexing fashion. A
nearer investigation explained the mystery.
Some white barked trees (the manchineel trees) had been cut down
by the enemy to the height of five feet, and their tops burned, thus
giving them black hats to their white clothes.
Added to this the sky was full of flying clouds which darkened
the moon. In 1746 the 15th
fought at Quiberon and l?Orient, and eleven years later took part in
the expeditions against the French coast.
In 1758 they were with General Amherst in the attack on
Louisburg, and shared in that successful and not costly victory, though
the loss to the 15th was somewhat severe.
In 1759 we find them at Quebec, in the brigade of General
Monckton. Very familiar amongst the household words of our military
annals is the name Quebec. There
is probably not an Englishmen who does not regard it as one of the
brightest flowers in the country?s Honour Wreath: there is, probably,
not one in a hundred who realizes to any degree the difficulty and
importance of the action. ?The
position was an extremely strong one,? says a competent writer; ?the
main force was encamped on the high ground below Quebec, with their
right resting on the St. Charles River, and the left on the Montmorency,
a distance of between seven and eight miles.
The front was covered by steep ground, which rose nearly from the
edge of the river, and the guns of the citadel of Quebec covered the
right. A
boom of logs chained together was laid across the mouth of the St.
Charles, which was further guarded by two hulks, mounted with cannon. A bridge of boats, crossing the river a mile higher up,
connected the city with the camp. All
the gates of Quebec accept that of St. Charles, which faced the bridge
were closed and barricaded. A
hundred and six cannon were mounted on the walls, while a
floating-battery of twelve heavy pieces, a number of gunboats, and eight
fire ships, formed the river defences.
The frigates, which had convoyed the merchant fleet, were taken
higher up the river, and a thousand of their seamen came down from
Quebec to man the batteries and gunboats.
Against the force of sixteen thousand men, posted behind
defensive works, on a position almost impregnable by nature, General
Wolfe was brining less than nine thousand troops.
The steep and lofty heights that lined the river rendered the
cannon of the ships useless to him, and the exigencies of the fleet in
such narrow and difficult navigation prevented the sailors being landed
to assist the troops.? The
15th captured Point Levi, and were amongst the first troops
that gained the memorable heights of Abraham, greatly distinguishing
them in the famous battle that followed.
The regiment remained in Quebec, defending it against the
subsequent attacks, and in 1762 went to Martinique, where and at the
Havana they maintained their high reputation.
Returning to England in 1768, a few years later they were ordered
to America, and took part in the most of the battles during the War of
Independence, including Charlestown, Long Island, Brooklyn, and
Brandywine. In 1782, the year that they received their title, they
experienced some sharp fighting at St. Christoval, in St. Lucia, and
twelve years later took part in the still more important operations in
the same neighbourhood. Under
Sir Charles Grey they fought at Martinique, and led by Major Lyon and
Captain Paumier, greatly distinguished themselves at the storming of
Mount Mathurine. At
Guadeloupe, where they were again hotly engaged, they had two officers
and several privates killed. After
a short stay at home they were ordered to Barbados in 1805, and for some
time served as marines. In
1809 they took part in the successful operations under General Beckwith
in Martinique, and the following year three hundred of the regiment
served under Colonel Riall, who was commanding our forces at Guadeloupe,
again taking part five years later in the summary action rendered
necessary by the adherence of Linois and Boyer to the cause of Napoleon.
After a few years spent at Bermuda and Canada the regiment
returned home in 1821, and during the following years were occupied in
quelling the Irish disturbances of 1826 and the more formidable
movements in Canada in 1832 and at the commencement of Her Majesty?s
reign. They were next
ordered to Ceylon, where the ever-recurring Candyan difficulties gave
them some work to do, and the next important operation in which they
were concerned was the Afghan War of 1879-80, where the second battalion
represented them.
?The second battalion of the 15th
regiment,? says Shadbolt, ?formed part of the Reserve Division,
southern Afghaninstan Field Force, which during the early part of March,
1880, was concentrated at Karachi, Suid.
After the receipt of the news of the disaster at Maiwand, the
headquarters, eight companies left Karachi on the 4th August
for Sibi, and marching through the Bolan Pass in detachments, with
inadequate transport, with insufficient water, and in burning heat,
arrived at Quetta on the 29th of the month.
Notwithstanding the great hardship they endured, his men worked
with admirable spirit. The
trying nature of the march is attested by the fact that some one hundred
of them, chiefly young soldiers who had been recently sent out, were
placed hors de combat by sunstroke, heat apoplexy before reaching the
Afghan frontier.? The 15th
advanced with Phayre?s Division through the Khojak Pass, but arrived
too late to participate in the battle of Kandahar, and returned to India
the following December. Since
that date they have been quartered in North America, Bermuda, and
Gibraltar, but have not been engaged in any warlike service. Extracted
from 'Her
Majesty?s Army
' |