Durham Brochure Final(4) - Flipbook - Page 11
LOCAL INTEREST
The 68th (DLI) was formed in 1756 as
the 2nd Battalion of the 23rd Regiment
of Foot (General Huske’s) which later
became the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. On
22nd of April 1758 the 2nd Battalion
formed into a separate Corps as the
68th Regiment of Foot. The Colonelcy
was placed on Lt Col John Lampton.
Most of the men came from County
Durham. In 1783 it was named the 68th
(Durham) Regiment, and in 1808 the 68th
was chosen to be one of the new Light
Infantry regiments.
As a Light Infantry Regiment, the 68th
with better trained and equipped soldiers
were sent to fight in Wellington’s Army in
Portugal and Spain during (The Peninsula
War 1808-1814).
The 68th fought throughout the (Crimea
War 1854-1855) where John Byrne and
Capt Thomas de Courcey Hamilton were
awarded the Regiments first Victoria
Crosses. A third VC was awarded to
Sjt John Murray during the Battle of Te
Ranga in 1864 where the 68th and 43rd
fought in (New Zealand’s Second Maori
War of 1864-1866).
As a consequence of the Cardwell
reforms of 1881 and the amalgamation
with the 106th Bombay Light Infantry, the
regiment was named The Durham Light
Infantry, the 68th became 1 DLI and the
106th became 2 DLI. The Regiment saw
action in the Sudan and in (South Africa
1899-1902).
The DLI raised 42 battalions throughout
(WW1 1914-1918) and saw action in all
major battles on the Western Front as
well as action in Egypt, Salonica and
India. The Regiment were awarded a
further 59 Battle Honours and a further
six Victoria Crosses at a cost of 12,530
Officers and Other Ranks KIA.
15 Battalions were raised in (WW2 19391945), nine of which fought with great
distinction in every major theatre of
Operations from Dunkirk to Burma. Lt
Richard Wallace Annand was awarded
the British Army’s first VC of WW2 at La
Tombe, on the River Dyle in Belgium.
The 11th Victoria Cross in the DLI was
awarded to Pte Adam Wakenshaw on 27
June 1942 at Mersa Matruh in Egypt, this
was the last VC to be awarded to the DLI.
14 June 1944 saw Maj John Mogg
promoted from OC C Coy 9 DLI to
Commanding Officer 9 DLI following the
death of Lt Col Woods. He went on to
become Gen Sir John Mogg GCB. CBE.
DSO and Bar. DL and Deputy Supreme
Allied Commander Europe 1973-1976.
1 DLI fought their final war in (Korea
1952-1953) where the Buglers of 1 DLI
in the forward trenches facing the
Chinese on 27 July 1953 sounded the
“Ceasefire”. Lt Peter Edgar de la Billiere
served with 1 DLI in Korea and went on
to become Colonel Commandant The
Light Division in 1986. He was CO 22
SAS Regiment 1972-1974 and went on to
become General Sir Peter de la Billiere
KCB. CBE. DSO. MC and Bar. DL. Director
of the United Kingdom’s Special Forces
during the Iranian Siege in 1980, and
Commander-in-Chief of British Forces in
the 1990 Gulf War.
The DLI merged with the other three
County Light Infantry Regiments in 1968
to form the new large regiment “The
Light Infantry”
In February 2007 The Light Infantry
merged with The Royal Green Jackets,
The Devon and Dorset Light Infantry and
the The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire,
Wiltshire Light Infantry to form The Rifles
CONTACT US
REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS THE RIFLES
Peninsula Barracks, Romsey Road,
WINCHESTER, SO23 8TS
01962 828 527 | rhq@the-rifles.co.uk
REGIONAL OFFICES:
North (Pontefract) | 01977 703 181 |
yorkshire@the-rifles.co.uk
North (Durham) | 01913 865496 |
aodurham@the-rifles.co.uk
Midlands (Shrewsbury) | 01743 842 030 |
shrewsbury@the-rifles.co.uk
London (Kensington) | 0207 414 5441 |
london@the-rifles.co.uk
South (Winchester) | 01962 828 501 |
salisbury@the-rifles.co.uk
West (Taunton) | 01823 333 434 | taunton@
the-rifles.co.uk
South West (Exeter) | 01392 492 435 |
exeter@the-rifles.co.uk
JOIN US:
Regular & Reserve Officer |
armyjobs@the-rifles.co.uk
Regular & Reserve Soldier |
enquiry@the-rifles.co.uk
ARMY CADET FORCE
www.armycadets.com
THE RIFLEMAN'S ASSOCIATION:
SWIFT - www.theriflesnetwork.co.uk |
swift@the-rifles.co.uk
FORMING & ANTECEDENT REGIMENTAL
ASSOCIATION BRANCHES:
•
Bishop Auckland (LI)
•
Chester-le-Street (LI)
•
Consett & Stanley (LI)
•
Darlington & Newton Aycliffe (LI)
•
Durham (LI)
•
Gateshead & Newcastle (LI)
•
Hartlepool (LI)
•
Houghton-le-Spring (LI)
•
Horden/Peterlee (LI)
•
South Shields (LI)
•
Stockton (LI)
•
Sunderland (LI)
•
Washington (LI)
MUSEUMS:
The Rifles Regimental Museum | www.
riflesmuseum.co.uk
The Durham Light Infantry Collection |
www.durham.gov.uk/dlicollection
