Early history In 1702 a regiment of
marines was raised in the
West Country by George Villier (not related to the Villiers that became the
Duke of Buckingham). It was named Villier's Marines. Villier was drowned in 1703, and the regiment was taken over by Alexander Luttrell. Five years later a second battalion was raised in Scotland, the 2/31st Foot, which was re-designated in 1758, the 70th Regiment of Foot (Glasgow Lowland Regiment). Further changes were made in 1782. The 31st became known as the
31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot, while the 70th became the
70th (Surrey) Regiment of Foot. They stayed with these titles until 1881 when they became the 1st & 2nd battalions of the East Surrey Regiment.
1881 to 1914 Following amalgamation,
The Barracks, Kingston upon Thames became the regimental depot. The
1st Battalion, on formation, was in England, moving to
India in 1884. It remained in India until 1903, its last posting being at
Lucknow. It was then recalled to England and was posted at
Aldershot, before moving to
Jersey in 1905 and to
Plymouth in 1909. The
2nd Battalion was in India when formed, moving to
Suez in 1884. It then joined the
Suakin Expedition in the
Sudan in February 1885, where it saw fighting against the forces of the
Mahdist State. The battalion left Suakin when the expedition was withdrawn in May 1885, returning to England. The battalion's next overseas service was in the
Second Boer War in South Africa, where it took part in the
Battle of Colenso in December 1899, the
Relief of Ladysmith in February 1900, and the
Battle of the Tugela Heights in February 1900. After the end of the war in South Africa, the battalion was shipped from Point Natal to Bombay on the SS
Syria in January 1903, where it replaced the 1st battalion at Lucknow. The battalion remained in India until the outbreak of the First World War. The
4th (Militia) Battalion, formed from the
3rd Royal Surrey Militia in 1881 was also a reserve battalion. It was embodied for service on 4 December 1899, disembodied on 12 July 1901, and re-embodied again for service during Second Boer War in South Africa. Eight hundred and fifty officers and men returned to Southampton by the SS
Tagus in October 1902, following the end of the war, and was disbanded at the Kingston barracks. Under the 1881 reforms the regiment was also assigned four Volunteer Battalions: The
1st Surrey Rifles was based at
Camberwell; it did not change its title when affiliated to the East Surreys, and in 1908 it became the 21st (County of London) Battalion in the
London Regiment. The 3rd Surrey Rifle Volunteers at
Wimbledon became the
2nd Volunteer Battalion and adopted that as its title in 1887. The 5th Surrey Rifle Volunteers at Kingston became the
3rd Volunteer Battalion and was also redesignated in 1887. The
7th Surrey Rifle Volunteers at
Southwark became the
4th Volunteer Battalion at
Clapham Junction, it later became
23rd (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment. In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the
Territorial Force and the latter the
Special Reserve; the regiment now had two Special Reserve and two Territorial battalions: the
3rd (Reserve) Battalion and the
4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, both at Kingston Barracks, with the 5th Battalion (TF) at St George's Road in Wimbledon (since demolished) and the 6th Battalion (TF) at Orchard Road in Kingston upon Thames (since demolished). During the
Retreat from Mons and afterwards, the battalion took part in the great battles of 1914,
Le Cateau, the
Marne and the
Aisne. In 1915, after the
Battle of La Bassée, the 1st East Surreys withstood a most determined attack on
Hill 60, near
Ypres. who later became the last Colonel of the East Surrey Regiment. On 30 December 1915, the 14th Brigade was transferred to the
32nd Division, shortly before the 1st Battalion was transferred to the
95th Brigade,
5th Division, on 12 January 1916. In 1916, the 1st Battalion took part in the great battles of the
River Somme, and distinguished itself notably at
Morval in September. The battalion took part in many of the great battles of 1917, such as
Arras, the
Third Battle of Ypres. After a four-month tour on the
Italian Front, the battalion was back in France in March 1918, and was engaged in the Battles of
Albert and
Bapaume, and the subsequent advance to victory. The 2nd Battalion returned from
India at the outbreak of war, but it was not until January 1915 that it arrived in France with the
85th Brigade,
28th Division. The following month the battalion was transferred to the
Salonika Expeditionary Force, and spent the remainder of the War on the
Struma Valley Front and east of
Lake Doiran. The battalion saw action at the
Battle of Doiran in January 1918.
Territorial Force The 1/5th and 1/6th Battalions, East Surrey Regiment were not to see service on the
Western Front. Both battalions were part of the
Surrey Brigade, alongside the 4th and 5th
West Surreys, and attached to the
Home Counties Division. In 1938 the 5th Battalion was converted to an Anti-Tank Regiment to form the
57th (East Surrey) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA), with headquarters at Wimbledon. In 1939 a duplicate unit was formed as the
67th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA), with headquarters at Sutton. The 6th Battalion comprised five
companies based at
drill halls with A Company at
Chertsey, B and C at Park Road,
Richmond, D at Orchard Road,
Kingston and HQ at
Surbiton. By the summer of 1939 the 6th battalion, commanded by Lt Col M.D.Hicks since 1936, numbered over 1,200.
Second World War The 1st Battalion m1928 submachine gun (
drum magazine), 25 November 1940 The 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment was a
Regular Army unit based in
England at the outbreak of
World War II in September 1939. The battalion was part of the
11th Infantry Brigade, which also included the 2nd Battalion,
Lancashire Fusiliers and 1st Battalion,
Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, and was attached to the
4th Infantry Division and was sent to
France with the
British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in October. After returning to the United Kingdom after the
Battle of Dunkirk and
evacuation from Dunkirk in May–June 1940 the 1st Battalion was re-formed and spent the next two years on home defence expecting a
German invasion. In June 1942 the battalion was reassigned, with the rest of the 11th Brigade, part of the newly raised
78th Infantry Division (nicknamed the battleaxe division), with which it remained for the rest of the war. It took part in
Operation Torch in November 1942, landing in North Africa at
Algiers with the
British First Army. In February 1944 78th Division was switched to the
Cassino sector. The battalion initially held positions on the River Rapido south of Cassino but by March had been moved into bleak and exposed positions in the mountains north of the town. In late April they were relieved and after a brief rest took part in the
fourth and final battle of Monte Cassino in May 1944. The 1st East Surreys returned with 78th Division to Italy in September 1944 in time to take part in
Operation Olive and the fighting in the
Apennine Mountains during the winter of 1944 and occupying positions on Monte Spaduro when the front became static. In February 1945 the battalion came out of the front line to prepare and train for the offensive planned for the spring. By late March the whole division was in place on the banks of the Senio river ready for the start of the
spring 1945 offensive which started on 6 April. The battalion fought in the intense action at the
Argenta Gap before advancing with the rest of the division to the north of the Gulf of Venice and crossing the Italian border to finish the war in
Austria. In May 1942 the 2nd Battalion was reformed in the United Kingdom from the re-designation of the 11th Battalion, a hostilities-only battalion raised in 1940 that joined the
184th Infantry Brigade,
61st Division. It did not see further action in World War II.
Territorial Battalions The 6th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment was a
Territorial Army (TA) unit until 1939, when each unit was ordered to form a 2nd Line duplicate. It was therefore split in two with Kingston and Hersham companies and the Band used to form the 1/6th and the Chertsey and Richmond companies and the Drums to form the 2/6th. Both were embodied on 24 August 1939 whilst at camp in
Lympne and were fully mobilised and guarding vulnerable points at the outbreak of war on 3 September. A draft transferred in from the 1st Battalion whilst soldiers under 20 years of age were transferred out to the 2/6th. After a period of intense training at
Lyme Regis the battalion of 28 officers and 643 other ranks embarked for France from Southampton on 5 April 1940 arriving at Cherbourg. The 1/6th were deployed with the
132nd Infantry Brigade, part of the
44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division, becoming part of the
British Expeditionary Force (BEF). They billeted at
Conlie then travelled by road, train and a long march to
Bailleul on the Belgian border. During the journey, Voisin was posted elsewhere and command was transferred to Lt Col, later Brigadier,
C D Armstrong, formerly with the 1st Battalion. The battalion was exchanged in 132nd Brigade for the 1st Battalion,
Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, making that brigade an all-West Kent formation, and the 1/6th transferred to the
10th Infantry Brigade,
4th Infantry Division, as part of official BEF policy to integrate the Regular and Territorial Armies. By 15 May the battalion were moved to positions on the
River Dyle, coming under attack from the air on the way as they reached the
River Senne to the north-east of Brussels. When it became clear the line would not hold, 10 Brigade were ordered to withdraw behind the
River Dendre. By 19 May they were in position at
Avelghem on the
River Escaut defending and eventually overseeing the destruction of the bridge at Rugge and subsequently conducting patrols in the area until withdrawn, on 19 May, just north of the town. On 21 May they relieved 2 DCLI and continued excursions at Rugge suffering many casualties and some fatalities. Ordered to withdraw to
Neuville-en-Ferrain, they marched overnight, re-entering France at
Mouscron, taking up positions near the border early on 23 May. Three days of fighting in the
Risquons-Tout area followed with the 1/6 suffering five of the fifteen related fatalities and many casualties. Ordered to withdraw on 27 May, they marched and re-captured the village of
Voormezele with further casualties. The following evening they marched overnight towards Dunkirk. After resting at
Poperinghe they were transported to
Furnes where they were quickly deployed to help defend the canal to the east of
Nieuport. Fighting over the next few days was fierce with the battalion also coming under fire from aircraft and an
observation balloon. On 31 May they were joined by the 1st Battalion and fought side by side into the night when 1/6 were ordered to withdraw. They reached the beach at
La Panne but on learning that no further boats would be landing there moved into Dunkirk. Despite coming under fire again they mostly managed to remain together and were amongst the last to be evacuated. Armstrong remained in command until April 1942 when he was posted to command the 70th (Young Soldiers) Battalion. Lt Col H.A.B. Bruno took command in April 1942 and led the battalion in action in North Africa in March, but was killed in action during the attack on
Djebel Djaffa in April. He was succeeded by Lt Col R O V Thompson, who had served with the 1st and 2nd Battalions before the war, appointed from a posting in the RAF to command the 1/6th for the final phase of the Tunisian Campaign. He subsequently led the battalion into action in Italy in the crossing of the
River Rapido and the capture of
Cassino. He, too was killed in action when his Jeep was blown up by a mine near
Tivoli on 7 June 1944. Colonel C G S McAlester took command until February 1945. For the final months of the war, until August 1945, the battalion was led by Lt Col A G H Culverhouse, who had previously served with the 1/6th and had been wounded at Dunkirk. The 2/6th Battalion was formed in 1939 under the command of Lt. Col. H.S. Burgess. The battalion was assigned to the
37th Infantry Brigade, alongside the 6th and
7th Royal Sussex, part of
12th (Eastern) Infantry Division. All soldiers under 20 years of age in 37 Brigade were assigned to a composite company based at 'Courtlands',
West Worthing where they were engaged in coastal defence. The rest of the battalion were deployed as part of the BEF and a force of 23 officers and 603 other ranks sailed from Southampton, arriving in and stationed at
Le Havre from 22 April 1940. Initially intended as a
line of communications unit and expected to undertake further training they almost immediately became involved in the
Battle of France and the defence of the Channel ports. On 15 May they were reassigned as motorised infantry, incorporated into
Beauforce and sent north to join the rest of the BEF. With their route blocked by the
Battle of Abbeville, they were ordered to take up a defensive position west of the
River Béthune between
Saint-Aubin-le-Cauf and
Arques-la-Bataille and undertake patrols as part of the support group for the
1st Armoured Division. Here they were rejoined by D Company from detachment at
Fécamp and remained until relieved by a battalion of
Sherwood Foresters. After a few days' rest at
Rouen, where Major D G Adams assumed command on 3 June, they were assigned to provide flank and rear-guard cover for the
51st (Highland) Infantry Division and ordered to hold a line east of the
River Bresle between
Forges-les-Eaux and
Aumale, relieving the
4th Borders protecting
anti-tank guns of the 1st Armoured Division. Lightly armed and spread very thinly, they were over-run in places by the rapidly advancing
7th Panzer Division. On 8 June they were ordered to withdraw north to the
Eu Forest. They then proceeded via the
Eawy Forest, skirting
Bellencombre which had fallen, reaching
Beaunay on 10 June,
Cailleville on 11th and into
Saint-Valery-en-Caux joining with the 51st Highland Division defences and anticipated
Operation Cycle evacuation. Finally, surrounded and unable to escape, the
division and supporting troops were forced to surrender to
Rommel on 12 June 1940. The captured troops were force-marched through France and Belgium to the Rhine in Holland, then taken by barge and rail to imprisonment in
Poland at
Stalag XX-A,
XX-B and
XX1-D. After St. Valery, the remainder of the battalion reassembled at
Haltwhistle, Northumberland, where they were re-joined by the young contingent from 'Courtlands'. The battalion was reformed under Norman Brading at
Swaffham, Norfolk, but did not see further active service, spending the remainder of the war principally as a defence and training battalion. During the
Battle of Britain they were deployed to home defence duties including airfield defence in Norfolk and, after winter in
Bedford, coastal defence at
Kessingland as part of the
11th Division.
Hostilities-only battalions Unlike the first World War, the hostilities-only battalions raised during World War II were all territorials and deployed on home defence duties. The 8th Battalion was raised at
Rochester, Kent in March 1940 and, after moving to nearby
Aylesford in August, transferred its young soldiers out to form the 70th in October 1940. On 27 August the following year the 8th merged with and was absorbed by the similarly affected 8th
Royal West Kent Regiment and ceased to exist as a separate entity. The 70th, comprising six companies, spent the winter of 1940–41 on airfield guard duties based at
Gravesend, at
Capel Beare Green the following summer and
Byfleet from October 1941 to July 1942. They then went to a camp at
Charlton but the battalion, along with sixteen other Young Soldiers Battalions, was disbanded by the end of August 1942.
Post 1945 and amalgamation At the end of 1945 the 2nd Battalion moved from England to Egypt, before moving to Palestine, where it helped counter the
Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine. After the British evacuation of Palestine, the 2nd battalion saw garrison duty in the
Suez Canal Zone, before a final posting to Greece, where in 1948 it was disbanded, its personnel joining the 1st Battalion. In January 1946, the 1st Battalion moved from Austria to Greece, it combatting
Communist guerrillas in
Salonica. After amalgamation with the 2nd Battalion, it moved to Somaliland in 1949, before returning to England in 1950. In 1951 the battalion moved to Libya, then Egypt to aid policing duties to protect the
Canal Zone until October 1954. After a tour of Duty in the
BAOR in Germany between 1955 and 1958, and a three-month posting to
Nicosia on internal security operations during the
Cyprus Emergency, the 1st Battalion returned to England in December 1958. Here, in October 1959, the East Surrey Regiment was amalgamated with
Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) to form the
Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment. ==Regimental museum==