2 YORKS History
The 19th Foot were raised in November 1688 by Colonel Francis Luttrell for service under William, Prince of Orange. Until 2006, they had never been amalgamated.
THE GREEN HOWARDS (ALEXANDRA, PRINCESS OF WALES'S OWN YORKSHIRE REGIMENT) (19TH FOOT)
The Regiment was raised by Francis Lutterell of Dunster Castle in Somerset on 19th November 1688, for service under William of Orange (King William III).
In 1744 the Regiment became known by the nickname 'The Green Howards' (the name being taken from the colour of its facings and the name of its Regimental Colonel). At that time the Regimental Colonel was General the Honourable Charles Howard, the second son of the 3rd Earl of Carlisle. The nick-name survived until 1920 when it became part of the official title of the Regiment.
2 YORKS History Player
The Regiment first became associated with, and affiliated to, the North Riding of Yorkshire in 1782 when it was granted the title of the 19th (or First Yorkshire North Riding Regiment) of Foot. The close association with the home town of Richmond began in 1873 when the Regimental Depot was built there. In 1914, Queen Alexandra was appointed the Regiment's first Colonel-in-Chief.
The Regiment first saw active service in 1690 at the Battle of the Boyne, in Ireland, but soon after found itself in Flanders at Steinkerke and Landen, it was also present at the Siege of Namur in 1695. The Regiment returned to Flanders during the campaigns of the Duke of Marlborough (1707-1714) where it earned, at great cost in lives, its first Battle Honour - Malplaquet in 1709.
Between 1761 and 1914 the Regiment took part in many campaigns. Amongst these was the expedition against Belleisle (1761), the Crimean campaign - during which Corporal John Lyons and Private Samuel Evans were each awarded a Victoria Cross - the Hazara campaign (1868), the Sudan (1885), Burma (1892) and South Africa (1899-1902).
During the First World War (1914-1918) twenty-four battalions were raised. Over 65,000 men served in the Regiment of which more than 7,500 lost their lives and another 24,000 received wounds. Twelve officers and other ranks were awarded a Victoria Cross and the Regiment was awarded fifty-six Battle Honours.
In the Second World War twelve battalions were raised. The Regiment had units in all the principle theatres of war. Awards given to members of the regiment include:- 3 VCs, 19 DSOs, 50 MCs 16 DCMs and 19 MMs. The Regiment was awarded twenty-five battle honours.
Since 1945 the Regiment has served in Austria, West Germany, Egypt (Suez), Cyprus, Hong Kong, Libya, Malaya, Belize, Berlin and the UK. A small contingent was deployed to Saudi Arabia, during the Gulf War of 1991, as Medical Assistants. More recently the Regiment served in Bosnia (1996), Kosovo (1999), Northern Ireland (2002-2003), Afghanistan (2004) and again Bosnia and Kosovo (2006).
Read about
Alma Day, Regimental Anniversary of the 2nd Battalion.