The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

Origins

The Essex Regiment was formed in 1881 following union, under the Cardwell reforms of the British Army, of the 44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot and the 56th (West Essex) Regiment of Foot. The 44th Foot became the 1st Battalion of the new regiment and the 56th Foot became the 2nd Battalion. The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment, with the members of the regiment recruited from across Essex county. 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... A series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War (and former soldier) Edward Cardwell in 1870. ... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme, First World War. ... Essex is a county in the East of England. ...

Historical Note

Contrary to the Sharpe novels of Bernard Cornwell, there was no South Essex Regiment. Although it's all a rollicking good read, so we forgive him. Bernard Cornwell (born February 23, 1944) is a prolific and popular British historical novelist. ... The South Essex Regiment is a fictional infantry regiment in the British Army that was created by Bernard Cornwell in the Sharpe series of books. ...

Napoleonic Wars

The 44th fought in the Peninsular War at Sabugal (1811), Fuentes d'Onor (1811), Badajoz (1812), Salamanca (1812), Burgos (1812), Bidassoa (1813). The 2nd Battalion 44th Foot captured a French Eagle at the Battle of Salamanca in 1812. The 2nd/44th fought at Quatre Bras in the Waterloo campaign (1815). The Peninsular War (1808–1814) (known as War of Independence in Spain, as French Invasions in Portugal, as Guerre dEspagne in France and as Frenchs War in Catalonia) was a major conflict during the Napoleonic Wars, fought in the Iberian Peninsula with Spanish, Portuguese, and the British forces... Badajoz (formerly Badajos), the capital of the Spanish province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, is situated close to the Portuguese frontier, on the left bank of the river Guadiana, and the Madrid-Lisbon railway. ... Although they were presented with Regimental Colours, the regiments of Napoleon I tended to carry at their head the Imperial Eagle. ... The Battle of Salamanca was fought among the Arapiles hills near Salamanca in Spain on July 22, 1812, and resulted in an Anglo-Portuguese tactical victory under Lord Wellington against the French under marshal Marmont. ... 1812 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants France Anglo-Allied/Prussian/ Dutch Commanders Napoléon Bonaparte Duke of Wellington Gebhard von Blücher Strength 73,000 67,000 Anglo-Dutch 60,000 Prussian (48,000 engaged by about 18:00) Casualties 25,000 22,000 Map of the Waterloo campaign The Battle of Waterloo, fought on...

American War 1812-1814

During the American War 1812-1814 the 1st Battalion 44th Foot fought at Battle of Bladensburg (1814), North Point (1814), Villeré Plantation (1814), and New Orleans (1814). The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and British Empire from 1812 to 1815, on land in North America and at sea around the world. ... Bladensburg is a town located in Prince Georges County, Maryland. ... Combatants United Kingdom United States Commanders Edward Pakenham † John Lambert Andrew Jackson Strength 11,000–14,500 4,000–6,000 Casualties 2,700 71 {{{notes}}} The Battle of New Orleans, also known as the Battle of Chalmette Plantation, took place on January 8, 1815, during the War of 1812...

Victorian Era

The 44th Foot fought in the First Anglo-Afghan War and the regiment formed the rearguard on the retreat from Kabul. On 13th January 1842 the few survivors of the decimated regiment, made a last stand against Afghan tribesmen on a rocky hill near to the village of Gandamak. Possibly only two survived the massacre. Most notable was Captain Thomas Souter, who by wrapping the regimental colours around himself was taken prisoner, being mistaken by the Afghan as a high military official. The other was Surgeon William Brydon who made it as far as the British garrison at Jalalabad after riding his exhausted horse to the limit for days. A vivid, if romanticised, depiction entitled "Last Stand of the 44th Regiment at Gundamuk" was painted by the artist William Barnes Wollen in 1898 which now hangs in the Chelmsford and Essex museum in Oaklands Park, London Road, Chelmsford. This disaster to British arms served to encourage the Indian nationalists who were leaders in the great mutiny in India (1857). The First Anglo-Afghan War lasted from 1839 to 1842. ... 1842 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Gandamak is a village of Afghanistan, 35 miles (56 km) from Jalalabad on the road to Kabul. ...

First World War

During the First World War the Essex Regiment provided 30 infantry battalions to the British Army (3 Regular Army, 18 Territoral Force, 6 Kitchener Army, 3 Garrison). The regiment's battle honors for the First World War include Le Cateau, Ypres, Loos, Somme, Cambrai, Gallipoli, and Gaza. Combatants Allies: • Serbia, • Russia, • France, • Romania, • Belgium, • British Empire and Dominions, • United States, • Italy, • ...and others Central Powers: • Germany, • Austria-Hungary, • Ottoman Empire, • Bulgaria Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian dead: 3 million Total: 8 million Full list Military dead: 3 million Civilian dead: 3 million Total: 6 million Full... WWI recruitment poster for Kitcheners Army. ... Combatants Allies: • Serbia, • Russia, • France, • Romania, • Belgium, • British Empire and Dominions, • United States, • Italy, • ...and others Central Powers: • Germany, • Austria-Hungary, • Ottoman Empire, • Bulgaria Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian dead: 3 million Total: 8 million Full list Military dead: 3 million Civilian dead: 3 million Total: 6 million Full... On the 25th of September, 1914, the British, French & Belgians retreated from the Battle of Mons & set up defensive positions in Le Cateau. ... There were four Battles of Ypres during World War I: First Battle of Ypres ( October 19 – November 22, 1914) Second Battle of Ypres ( April 22 – May 15, 1915) Third Battle of Ypres ( July 31 – November 6, 1917) (also known as Passchendaele) Fourth Battle of Ypres ( September 28 – October 2, 1918... The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. The battle was the British component of the combined Anglo-French offensive known as the Second Battle of Artois. ... See Battle of the Somme (disambiguation) for other battles and meanings Battle of the Somme Conflict First World War Date 1 July 1916 – 18 November 1916 Place Somme, Picardy, France Result Stalemate The 1916 Battle of the Somme was one of the largest battles of the First World War, with... Combatants United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Newfoundland German Empire Commanders Julian Byng Georg von der Marwitz Strength 2 Corps 1 Corps Casualties 45,000 killed 9,000 prisoners 100 tanks destroyed 45,000 killed 11,000 prisoners The Battle of Cambrai (November 20 - December 3, 1917) was a... Combatants United Kingdom France India Australia New Zealand Newfoundland Ottoman Empire Commanders Sir Ian Hamilton Otto Liman von Sanders Strength 5 divisions (initial) 14 divisions (final) 6 divisions (initial) 14 divisions (final) Casualties 252,000 (205,000 British, 47,000 French) dead 97,000 wounded 145,000+ sick 253,000... Several battles have been fought near Gaza in Palestine: The Battle of Gaza (312 BC) was fought between Ptolemy I of Egypt and Demetrius I of Macedon The Battle of Raphia in 217 BC, also known as the Battle of Gaza, was fought between Ptolemy IV of Egypt and Antiochus...

Anglo-Irish War

The Essex Regiment, stationed in County Cork during the Anglo-Irish War of 1919-21, became infamous by torturing and killing suspected IRA members in their custody. They became known to Republicans as the "Essex Torture Squad". Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, who surrendered the British garrison at Singapore in 1942 was a Brevet Major and intelligence officer in the regiment during this period of Irish history.During the Anglo-Irish war the Essex regiment were the target of some of the most succesful Guerrila attacks during the whole war of independence.They were unsuccesful in their attempts to surround The west cork flying column at Crossbarry,and up to the final weeks before the truce, with the IRA low on weapons and ammunition they still could not overcome the small west cork flying column.Even to this day the Essex regiment are remembered with notoriety in the county of Cork. County Cork (Contae Chorcaí in Irish) is the most southwesterly and the largest of the modern counties of Ireland. ... An Irish War of Independence memorial in Dublin The Anglo-Irish War (also known as the Irish War of Independence) was a guerrilla campaign mounted against the British government in Ireland by the Irish Republican Army under the proclaimed legitimacy of the First Dáil, the extra-legal Irish parliament... The West Cork Flying Column during the War of Independence. ... Irish Republicanism is an ideology based on the Irish nationalist belief that all of Ireland should be a united independent republic. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... This article is about the year. ... In the US military, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank. ... The History of Ireland is the history of a large island in the north-west of Europe. ...

Second World War

Under construction.

Post-War

The 2nd Battalion was disbanded in 1948. The 1st Battalion merged with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment in 1958 to form the 3rd East Anglian Regiment (16th/44th Foot). In 1964 the regiments of the East Anglian Brigade formed the new Royal Anglian Regiment. The Essex heritage continued in the regiment's 3rd Battalion (a.k.a. 'The Pompadours'). In 1992, the 3rd Battalion was disbanded and the old Essex connection ceased. However, infantry recruits from Essex county are assigned to companies in the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment if they wish to serve with others from their county. 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Nintendo 64 emulator, see 1964 (Emulator). ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Essex is a county in the East of England. ...

Territorial Army

The "Essex" tradition also continues in the Territorial Army. The Essex infantry reservists are represented by E (Essex and Hertford) Company, The East of England Regiment.

The drums of the former 4/5th Battalion are still carried by the Corps of Drums of King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford. who also wear the Regiment's full dress of scarlet tunic and Pompadour purple facings. The King Edward VI Grammar School Corps of Drums is currently led by Drum Major Darren Poole. The Corps has approximately 25 members with the older drummers passing on the skills to the junior drummers and new recruits. Every year the Corps of Drums plays at Warley Barracks, Brentwood to the veterans of the Essex Regiment at the Essex Regiment Reunion.

External links

• Royal Anglian Regiment website (official)
• UK Ministry of Defence (official)
• Essex Regiment Museum
• The Essex Regiment in 1914-18
• Essex Regiment at regiments.org