Formation Day
6th JUNE 2006
The Regimental Board decided that a suitable, memorable date would be best to begin a new chapter in the history of the Regiment. The Second World War was the last major conflict in which each antecedent regiment played a major part. It was decided, therefore, that the most suitable day to convey the importance of the conflict for both the public and the new Regiment, was 6th June, 'D-Day', the anniversary of
Operation OVERLORD, the Allied invasion of North-western Europe in 1944.
The Second World War had been going on for nearly five years and it was four years since the western allies had unceremoniously withdrawn from mainland Europe. After years of preparation, the largest amphibious invasion in history was unleashed onto the beaches of Northern France. Two battalions of both the East Yorkshire Regiment (15th Foot) and the Green Howards (19th Foot) landed on 'D-Day'. The East Yorkshires were the only regiment with two battalions in the first wave and along with 6th Green Howards, formed 50% of the British Infantry to land in the first wave that day on the British beaches (Gold and Sword).
The
2nd Battalion the East Yorks landed in the first wave on the left flank of
Sword beach and came under heavy mortar and machine gun fire. As part of 8th Infantry Brigade they successfully broke out of the beach area and advanced towards their objectives, taking the village of St Aubin d'Arquenay. After this all companies except one, which was guarding two canal bridges, were relieved and withdrew just west of Hermanville-sur-Mer to help secure the western edge of the bridgehead.
The
5th Battalion the East Yorkshire's landed in the first wave on the left flank of
Gold beach and suffered heavy casualties. Despite this, the battalion pushed on to secure their objectives and ended the day some 5 miles inland, having captured the villages of Villiers-le-Sec and St Gabriel-Brecy, flanked by 6 and 7 Green Howards. All three Battalions formed 69 Infantry Brigade.
The 6th Battalion the Green Howards attacked
Gold beach and despite heavy fire captured the Mount Fleury battery in only 48 minutes. Further inland they captured Ver Sur Mer, the important crossroads near the villages of La Riviere and Crepon where they met strong resistance.
Company Sergeant Major Stanley Hollis was awarded the Victoria Cross (the only VC awarded on D-Day) for his actions at both Mount Fleury and Crepon. After the capture of Crepon the 6th supported the 5th East Yorks to capture the village of St Gabriel.
The 7th Battalion the Green Howards were landed at
Gold beach, slightly off target in the second wave. They fought their way to the Ver Sur Mer road where they spearheaded the breakout towards the village of Crepon, becoming involved in the clearance of the village and subsequent advance to capture the villages of Creully and Coulombs.
Not many days later, the 1/6th and 1/7th battalions of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (33rd/76th Foot) and the Hallamshire Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment were landed to exploit the successful assault and break-out into Normandy. Within days, the 'Dukes' battalions were heavily engaged in the fighting around Fontenay-le-Pesnil, later to become an important regimental anniversary.
Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion the Duke of Wellington's Regiment fought in Italy (along with the 1st Battalion the Green Howards) and entered newly liberated
Rome on the 6th June. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the West Yorkshire Regiment (14th Foot) were both heavily engaged in the fighting in and around Imphal, Burma. The 2nd Battalion of the Dukes, part of the famous
Chindit columns in Burma, helped liberate Imphal by operating behind enemy lines and both regiments were instrumental in the eventual defeat of the Japanese in South East Asia.
On 6th June 2006, the regular battalions conducted rebadging parades in Catterick, Banja Luka (Bosnia-Herzogovina) and Warminster. The territorial battalion rebadged at their TA Centres that evening and conducted a rebadging parade on Saturday 10th June in the Museum Gardens, York. The Combined Cadet Force contingents and Army Cadet Forces detachments carried out their rebadging parade at Imphal Barracks on Saturday 10th June.