Surrey Army Cadet Force Online

The detailed regimental family tree of the PWRR is very complicated, comprising a lexicon of some of the greatest regiments in British military history, including the line regiments of Surrey, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and Middlesex. These regiments have expanded and contracted in an ever-changing political climate and names have appeared and disappeared and include The Queens Royal Regiment (2nd Foot), The Buffs (3rd foot), The East Surrey Regiment (31st and 70th Foot), The Royal Sussex Regiment (35th and 107th Foot), The Royal Hampshire Regiment (37th and 67th Foot), The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment (50th and 97th Foot) and The Middlesex Regiment (57th and 77th Foot).

This feature describes some of the key battles that PWRR forebear Regiments fought and which, even today, shape the traditions of the modern regiment.

:: The Battle of Minden - 1st August 1759

On the 1st August 1759, the 37th Foot fought at The Battle of Minden, during the Seven Years' War. This is now one of the three main Regimental Days of the PWRR.

The French Army of Marshal de Contades was marching towards Hanover and to block this move, Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick, resolved to hold Minden. The Duke's forces included six British infantry regiments, one of which was the 37th Foot. As the French approached, the British were given the confusing order to "Advance with drums beating in proper time". The term 'proper time' was interpreted as the rate of advance, whilst the Duke meant 'in due course, when the order is given'. The allied infantry advanced, in spite of cross fire from sixty French guns. They were then charged by French cavalry, who were engaged at ten yards to such devastating effect that the ground was strewn with men and horses. The advance continued against two more cavalry charges, which were also defeated. The French were driven from the field in confusion as, uniquely, infantry had attacked and scattered massed squadrons of cavalry.

On the 1st August each year, every officer and soldier in the PWRR wears a Minden Rose in his headdress in memory of the men of the 37th who, either before or after the Battle, picked dog-roses from the hedges and put them in their caps. This tradition was inherited from The Royal Hampshire Regiment. The Seven Years' War finished with the Peace of Paris of 1763.

:: The Buffs at Albuhera - 16 May 1811

Marshal Soult was to receive his greatest defeat at the Battle of Albuhera, in Southern Spain on 16th May 1811.The Buffs (East Kent), the 31st (Huntingdonshire) and the 57th (West Middlesex) were all in Marshal Beresford's allied army. Beresford took up position against the 23,000 French and Polish force astride a main road overlooking the village of Albuhera. The French attacked in mass columns supported by artillery firing grapeshot and came around the allies' right flank, which was held by Spanish troops. The Buffs were pushed into a counter attack against the French left flank and were making good progress when the French Hussars and Polish Lancers charged from their right rear and cut them to pieces. Only eighty-four men survived out of 728. The Regimental Colour was captured, with its Ensign killed, but later recaptured by the Royal Fusiliers. The King's Colour was returned after being found by a Fusilier inside the tunic of a hideously gored and apparently dead officer, Lieutenant Latham. He had taken it when its Ensign was wounded by gunfire. Hussars swarmed around him and slashed him mercilessly, but they could not wrench the staff from his grip. He survived with one arm chopped off by a surgeon and a crevice across his nose and cheek staunched, to receive from his brother officers a gold medal. He was also promoted. The Buffs recovered so quickly from their experience that they were nicknamed the "Resurrectionists".

The 2nd battalion of the 31st (2nd/31st) commanded by Major L'Estrange, formed square in the rear and stood firm. They inspired Wellington to write how 'after the other parts of the brigade were swept off by cavalry, this little Battalion alone held its ground against all the massed French columns'. The 57th formed the centre of the Brigade that came up on the left of the 31st, in place of the Spanish. For four hours they withstood a terrible pounding by grapeshot as they engaged the French masses at very short range, never budging except to close ranks, always on their feet. Colonel Inglis, their CO, was shot through the lung. Refusing to have his wound dressed, he lay propped on an arm in front of his lacerated Colours and kept exhorting his men, "Die Hard, 57th, Die Hard!" Ninety-nine did die, whilst 333 lay wounded out of a total of 600. Marshal Soult wrote of the British Army at Albuhera, "There is no beating these troops. They were completely beaten, the day was mine and they did not know it and would not run". Albuhera was to become the Regimental Day of both The Buffs and The Middlesex Regiment and the Middlesex were granted the honour of wearing the name Albuhera on their cap badge.

On the Regimental Day, 16 May, a silent toast is made by all officers and senior NCOs to the immortal memory of all members of the forebear regiments who fell at Albuhera and who have since fallen in subsequent operations. This tradition was inherited from the Middlesex Regiment. After the battle, the surviving officers and sergeants gathered at an inn by the battlefield and swore to meet annually to commemorate the slaughter of their comrades on that dreadful day. The toast is drunk individually in silence from a silver loving cup. The original cup was reputedly made out of the silver accoutrements of the 57th Foot officers who had fought at Albuhera. It is adorned with the medal of Colour Sergeant Holloway who won it at the battle whilst serving as an 11 year old Drummer Boy. He was the longest living survivor of the battle.

:: Second China War 1856-1860 - Battle of Taku Forts

The Second China War is notable because The Queen's, The Buffs, the 31st (Huntingdonshire) and the 67th (South Hampshire) all participated in the conflict. This campaign involved an Anglo-French Expeditionary Force that compelled the Chinese to observe trading treaties.

The most significant battle was the taking of the Taku Forts on 12 August 1860, when the 67th won four out of five VCs awarded for the action. The fifth VC was won by a medical apprentice attached to the 67th, who was only fifteen years and three months old, the youngest recipient of this coveted award. During the campaign, Private Moyse of the Buffs won immortality by choosing to be beheaded, rather than "kowtow" to the Mandarin into whose hands he had fallen.

Private Moyse was the age of most Surrey cadets when he made his fateful decision to stand tall rather than to bow to a despot.

The war ended following the allied occupation of Peking.

Right: Private Moyse of the Buffs

:: The Battle of Sobraon - 10 February 1846

The defeat of the Sikhs at the Battle of Sobraon on the 10th February 1846 marked the end of the 1st Sikh War. The British assaulted the enemy positions but received heavy casualties and at one point it was thought that the battle was lost. Both officers carrying the colours of the 31st were killed and, at that moment when defeat seemed inevitable, Sergeant Bernard McCabe of the 31st picked up the Regimental Colour, dashed forward under heavy fire and planted it on the highest point of the Sikh entrenchment. This put new life into the 31st, 50th and other regiments, which then took their objectives in desperate hand to hand fighting. When the Sikhs turned and fled they left 10,000 casualties and sixty-seven guns. Sergeant McCabe was commissioned and proved to be a hero again at the Siege of Lucknow with the 32nd Foot (a forebear regiment of today's Light Infantry). The 50th emerged from the battle commanded by a subaltern, having lost half their rank and file.

The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment continues to remember the action of Sergeant McCabe in all battalions. Each battalion appoints a Sobraon Sergeant for the year and on the anniversary of the battle he has the honour of carrying the Regimental Colour from the Officers' Mess to the Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess usually through the ranks of the battalion who line the route. With the Commanding Officer's permission, all the Colours are displayed in their respective Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess for the day. This is the only time when the Colours are housed outside of the Officers' Mess. A fragment of the Colour carried by Sergeant McCabe is enclosed in a unique piece of silver which is known as the Huntingdonshire Salt and is held by the 2nd Battalion. This is used for the salt ceremony when newly joined members are invited to "take salt" with the Regiment.

:: The Battle of Kohima - 9 April 1944

1944 marked the heroic defence of Kohima by the 4th Battalion The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment.

The Battalion held out for 15 days against a complete Japanese division, thereby buying enough time for two British divisions, which included the 1st Queen's, to arrive and prevent the invasion of India. This was the turning point against the Japanese in Burma, for thereafter they were never able to mount an effective offensive. It was at Kohima that Lance Corporal Harman of the Royal West Kents won the VC by first killing a Japanese machine gun crew and capturing the gun single handed, then rushing another post alone and killing the five Japanese in it. He was then killed by a burst of enemy machine gun fire. His most gallant action is commemorated each year on Kohima Day (9th April) in all the Corporals' Messes within the PWRR.

:: The Latham Centrepiece

The Latham centrepiece depicts the heroic action of Lieutenant Latham at the Battle of Albuhera during which he refused to yield the King's Colour and was hideously gored.

:: The Tiger 1805 - 1826

After 21 years of active service in India, the 67th (South Hampshire) was ordered back to England in 1826. In commemoration of this, King George IV authorised the figure of the Royal Tiger with the word "India" superscribed, to be borne on its Regimental Colour and other appointments. The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment retains this honour and maintains the nickname "The Tigers".