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The King's Regiment (Liverpool)

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Military History and War

                        The King's Regiment (Liverpool)
Cap badge of the regiment, featuring the White Horse of Hanover
     Active      1 July 1881- 1 September 1958
    Country      United Kingdom
     Branch      Army
      Type       Line Infantry
      Size       1908: 10 battalions (Two regular, two militia, six territorial)
Regimental Depot Warrington (1881), Seaforth (1910)
    Nickname     The Leather Hats, The King's Hanoverian White Horse
     Motto       Nec Aspera Terrent (Difficulties be Damned)
    Colours      Blue
     March       Quick March: Here's to the Maiden
                 Slow March The English Rose
 Anniversaries   Somme ( 1 July)
                 Blenheim ( 13 August)
                 Delhi ( 14 September)
                                  Commanders
Colonel-in-Chief King George V (c. 1925-1936)
   Colonel of
the Regiment     Brigadier Richard Nicholas Murray Jones (1957-1958)

   The King's Regiment (Liverpool) was one of the oldest infantry
   regiments of the British Army, having been formed in 1685 and numbered
   as the 8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot in 1751. Unlike most British
   regiments, which were associated with a county, the King's was the city
   regiment of Liverpool, one of only four regiments affiliated to a city
   in the British Army After 273 years of continuous existence, the
   regiment was amalgamated with the Manchesters in 1958.

   The King's notably saw active service in the Second Boer War, the two
   world wars, and the Korean War. Nine Victoria Crosses were awarded to
   the regiment, the first in 1900 and the last in 1918. An additional two
   were awarded to Royal Army Medical Corps officer Noel Godfrey Chavasse,
   who was attached to the Liverpool Scottish during the First World War.

   In peacetime, the regiment's battalions were based in the United
   Kingdom and colonies in the British Empire. Duties varied: riots were
   suppressed in Belfast, England, and the Middle East; bases were
   garrisoned in places such as the North-West Frontier Province and West
   Germany; and reviews and parades conducted throughout the regiment's
   history.

   The regiment has been referred to variously as L'POOL R, the
   Liverpools, KLR, and the King's. Usage of "L'POOL R" and "the
   Liverpools" was most prevalent from the 1880s to the 1920s.

History

   "D" Company of the 1st King's, Wellington Barracks, Halifax, Nova
   Scotia, early 1890s.
   Enlarge
   "D" Company of the 1st King's, Wellington Barracks, Halifax, Nova
   Scotia, early 1890s.

   The Cardwell reforms and Childers reforms from the 1860s to the 1880s
   substantially reorganised the British Army. The reforms entailed
   single- battalion regiments amalgamating to form multi-battalion
   regiments and the abolition of the numbering system in favour of city
   or county affiliation. Thus, on 1 July 1881, the two battalions of the
   unamalgamated 8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot became the 1st and 2nd
   Battalions, The King's (Liverpool Regiment). The 8th Foot had been
   associated with Liverpool since 1873, when the regiment was allocated
   to the 13th Brigade Depot in Liverpool. Regular regiments gained
   auxiliary battalions through the integration of the militia and
   volunteers. Nine militia and volunteer battalions from Lancashire and
   the Isle of Man transferred to the King's, and ultimately became part
   of the Special Reserve and Territorial Force. Some of these battalions
   maintained individual distinctions, such as unique titles, cap badges,
   uniforms, and honorary colonels. By 1908, the King's possessed three
   overtly individual battalions – the Liverpool Rifles (6th Btn),
   Liverpool Irish (8th Btn), and Liverpool Scottish (10th Btn).

   Under the new system, it was envisaged that one regular battalion would
   be based in the United Kingdom and one overseas. The 1st Battalion had
   been located in North West England since the late 1870s. While based in
   Salford Barracks, Manchester, the battalion was subject to a bomb
   attack by the Irish Republican Brotherhood ("Fenians"). The barracks
   sustained minor structural damage as a result of the explosion, which
   killed a child and badly wounded its mother. The battalion was also
   called upon to quell riots that broke out during a mineworkers' strike.
   In 1882, the battalion was posted to Ireland, based in the Curragh.
   Though the posting was overall uneventful, the battalion was employed
   after sectarian riots broke out in Belfast following the introduction
   of the 1886 Home Rule Bill in the British Parliament. The battalion
   returned to England three-years later.

Colonial wars (1881-1914)

   An officer, sergeant and private in full dress uniform. (Dated 1891)
   Enlarge
   An officer, sergeant and private in full dress uniform. (Dated 1891)

   The 2nd King's overseas service in the 1880s was punctuated by the
   Third Burmese War, which began in 1885. It had been based on the Indian
   subcontinent since 1877 and had fought in the Second Afghan War.
   Invasion of Upper Burma began in October in the form of the Burma Field
   Force. Making swift progress up the Irrawaddy River, the force captured
   frontier forts and the capital Myingyan. Following the capital's
   capture, the battalion provided an escort that oversaw the exile of
   King Thibaw. A seven-year guerilla campaign against the British
   followed the completion of Upper Burma's annexation on 1 January 1886.
   The 2nd King's operated in small groups against the guerillas in the
   Burmese jungle for over a year. Casualties numbered 12 officers and 256
   men by the time the battalion returned to India. The battalion was
   subsequently posted to Aden for a year before returning to Britain in
   1892. Overseas service for the 1st King's included a two-year stay in
   Nova Scotia, where they became the last battalion of the regiment to
   garrison Canada. The battalion was posted to the West Indies in 1895,
   then Natal Colony in 1897. The Second Boer War began two-years later.

   Prior to the outbreak of the war, as relations between the British and
   Boer republics deteriorated, the 1st King's formed a company of mounted
   infantry and moved to Ladysmith, where it underwent intensive training.
   The war began on 11 October 1899. The Boers invaded Natal soon
   afterwards and besieged Ladysmith on 2 November.

   The Boer War had provided the first opportunity for the regiment's
   volunteer battalions to serve overseas with the regular forces,
   supplying small detachments and service companies for the 1st King's
   and other units. In contrast, the regiment's militia battalions,
   numbered the 5th and 6th, were sent to South Africa as intact units
   late in the war.

   A monument commemorating the regiment's service in the Boer War was
   erected in St John's Gardens and unveiled by Field Marshal Sir George
   White on 9 September 1905. The monument was sculpted by Sir William
   Goscombe John. A figure of Britannia features prominently atop a
   pedestal, which has four standing soldiers positioned on its four
   corners, each representing a period in the regiment's history.

World War I (1914-1918)

   The inspection of the Liverpool Pals by Lord Kitchener in front of St
   George's Hall, Liverpool, 20 March 1915.
   Enlarge
   The inspection of the Liverpool Pals by Lord Kitchener in front of St
   George's Hall, Liverpool, 20 March 1915.

   The regiment fielded 49 battalions during the war from a pre-war
   establishment of two regular, two militia, and six territorial. Of
   those 49 battalions, 22 served extensively, receiving 58 battle honours
   and six Victoria Crosses for service on the Western Front, the Balkans,
   India, and Russia. Some 13,795 Kingsmen died during the course of the
   war, the battalions suffering an average of 615 deaths. Thousands more
   were wounded, sick, or taken prisoner. Of higher formations, the
   Liverpool Pals sustained nearly 2,800 casualties and the 55th
   Division's 165th (Liverpool) Brigade, composed entirely of battalions
   from the King's, had losses of 1,672 dead, 6,056 wounded, and 953
   missing during the period of 3 January 1916 and 11 November 1918.
   A recruitment postser featuring Lord Kitchener.
   Enlarge
   A recruitment postser featuring Lord Kitchener.

   A vigorous recruiting campaign involving pre-war personalities such as
   Lord Kitchner and Lord Derby faciliated the rapid expansion of the
   British Army. Territorial units formed duplicate battalions from August
   1914 to May 1915. To distinguish them from the originals, they were
   designated as, for instance, the 2/5th and 3/5th Battalions
   respectively. Second-line territorial battalions had been raised for
   home service and recruit training duties, but were ultimately
   dispatched to the Western Front themselves and replaced by the
   third-line battalions. Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener sought
   an alternative to the Territorial Army, and made an appeal for an
   initial 100,000 volunteers (the "New Army") under the belief the war
   would not be brief. The 17th Earl of Derby proposed forming a battalion
   of "Pals" for the King's Regiment, to be recruited from men of the same
   workplace. His proposal proved successful. Within a week, thousands of
   Liverpudlians had volunteered and were eventually formed into the 17th,
   18th, 19th, and 20th Battalions. They were known as the City of
   Liverpool battalions or " Liverpool Pals". Lord Derby addressed
   recruits on 28 August:


   The King's Regiment (Liverpool)

    This should be a battalion of Pals, a battalion in which friends from
      the same office will fight shoulder to shoulder for the honour of
                    Britain and the credit of Liverpool.


   The King's Regiment (Liverpool)

   The 1st King's arrived in France as part of the 6th Brigade, 2nd
   Division, one of the original components of the British Expeditionary
   Force that landed on 14 August 1914. The BEF's first encounter with the
   German Army at Mons, Belgium, was followed by a retreat that would last
   until 5 September and end at the Marne, a river east of Paris. Having
   acted as a rearguard to the 2nd Division, the 1st King's and its
   brigade were ordered to prevent a German force cutting off the 4th
   (Guards) Brigade, forming the rearguard at Villers-Cotteréts, and 70th
   Battery, Royal Horse Artillery. The guns were extricated through the
   actions of the brigade, earning them praise from the 2nd Division's
   commanding officer, General Monro.

   Paris was saved with the halting of the German advance at the Marne;
   the ensuing retreat, which prompted an Allied counter-offensive, ended
   at the Aisne. After both battles were fought, the battalion moved north
   to Ypres during the so-called " Race to the Sea". In an action at
   Langemarck during the First Battle of Ypres, the battalion captured the
   small village of Molenaarelstoek, just north-east of Polygon Wood. As
   the battle progressed, the Germans sought a decisive victory against
   the outnumbered BEF and launched the last major assault of the battle
   on 11 November. Located to the south of Polygon Wood, the 1st King's
   was one of only a few units available to meet the attack. A composite
   division of the élite Prussian Guard, advancing in column formation,
   was initially successful before it was pushed back after momentum was
   lost. In the defence of Polygon Wood, artillery and the 1st King's
   concentrated fire effectively destroyed the 3rd Prussian Foot Guards.
   By the end of the battle, the 1st King's casualties numbered 33
   officers and 814 other ranks (OR) from an original strength of 27
   officers and 991 ORs. Among the battalion's dead was the commanding
   officer, Lieutenant-Colonel William Bannatyne, killed by a sniper on 24
   October.
   German forces advancing against the 4th King's in 1915.
   Enlarge
   German forces advancing against the 4th King's in 1915.

   By the end of March 1915, eight battalions of the King's were serving
   on the Western Front. The 1st and 1/5th took part in an attack that
   coincided with the Allied offensive at Neuve Chapelle. The preliminary
   Allied bombardment failed to cut much of the barbed wire, impeding the
   battalion's advance. Heavy casualties were incurred as a result of the
   withering hail-of-fire directed at the battalion, one of whom was the
   commanding officer. One platoon that managed to reach the German lines
   blockaded itself in the communications trench and held on for an hour
   before ordered to withdraw. Over 200 casualties were sustained by the
   battalion.

   The King's next fought in the Second Battle of Ypres, a German
   offensive begun on 24 April. "Second Ypres" was the 4th and 1/6th
   King's first battle. In the St Julien area, the 4th suffered over 400
   casualties in an intense three-day period. The 1/6th, meanwhile,
   supported the 1st Cheshires in a small defensive action at Hill 60.
   After 'Second Ypres' ended, four battalions were engaged in battle at
   Festubert, collectively sustaining over 1,400 casualties.
   Lance-Corporal Tombs became the regiment's first Victoria Cross
   recipient of the war for actions at Festubert on 16 May. The 1/10th
   Battalion fought its first battle on 16 June at Bellewaarde, suffering
   nearly 400 casualties.

   A new British offensive was launched on 25 September at Loos, to
   coincide with a French offensive in the Champagne region. The King's
   were represented in the offensive by eight battalions, from standard
   infantry to pioneers. Chlorine gas was used on the first day of the
   battle. The gas, however, blew back in the wind, hindering the advance
   of the 1st King's and others who had to contend with uncut barbed wire.
   The 1/9th King's advance also stalled, though they took about 300
   Germans prisoner. The battalion was later amongst those who
   successfully defended against a German counter-attack on 8 October.
   The 1/10th King's during the Battle of Bellewaarde, 16 June 1915. In
   the background, an artillery marker has been planted atop a parapet to
   show the extent of the 1/10th's advance.
   Enlarge
   The 1/10th King's during the Battle of Bellewaarde, 16 June 1915. In
   the background, an artillery marker has been planted atop a parapet to
   show the extent of the 1/10th's advance.

   The Liverpool Pals' baptism of fire came during "The Big Push" on 1
   July 1916, on the first day of the Somme Offensive. The four Pals'
   battalions of the 30th Division were to attack towards Montauban, south
   of where most of the British Army's casualties (nearly 60,000) were
   sustained on the first day. During the offensive, the 17th, 19th, and
   20th Pals formed part of the 89th Brigade, whilst the 18th Pals were
   with the 21st Brigade. At 07:30, the 30th Division began its advance on
   the left of the French Corps de Fer. Meeting limited opposition, the
   Pals completed their objectives with comparatively minimal losses,
   though the 18th suffered severely from machine gun fire while advancing
   on the Glatz Redoubt. The 18th's commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel
   E. H. Trotter, killed by a shell on 8 July, detailed his battalion's
   first-day losses:


   The King's Regiment (Liverpool)

    I estimate our casualties at about five hundred. I told both officers
    and men that there were to be no SOS messages and the [Glatz] redoubt
    was to be carried by themselves without causing the brigadier to use
    his reserves, so during the battle the estimates were put at a lower
                       figure than the actual number.


   The King's Regiment (Liverpool)

   More battalions entered the fray as reinforcements following the
   first-day. Some 14 battalions took part in five attempts to capture the
   village of Guillemont between July and September. During the third
   attempt, three companies of the 1st and 1/8th King's were surrounded by
   German forces and decimated. The 1/8th had suffered 15 killed, 55
   wounded, and 502 missing, while the 1st were later reinforced with
   drafts from the Manchester Regiment. The village was captured on 3
   September, by which time the 12th King's was the regiment's only
   representative in the struggle for Guillemont.
   Unveiling of the Bootle War Memorial on 15 October 1922. The town,
   which lost over 1,000 people during the war, was part of the 7th King's
   recruiting area.
   Enlarge
   Unveiling of the Bootle War Memorial on 15 October 1922. The town,
   which lost over 1,000 people during the war, was part of the 7th King's
   recruiting area.

   The war's end in Europe came with the signing of the Armistice on 11
   November 1918. The initial reaction of soldiers was illustrated in the
   9th King's battalion history:


   The King's Regiment (Liverpool)

   While on parade on the morning of the 11th November it was announced to
    the men that the Armistice had been signed. The news of the cessation
    of hostilities was received by the soldiers without any manifestation
    of the joy or excitement that marked the occasion at home. The parade
    continued and the rest of the day was spent quite as usual. The news
    for which the men had waited so long seemed when it came to be almost
                            too good to be true.


   The King's Regiment (Liverpool)

   Most of the regiment's battalions were disbanded by the end of 1919,
   the men demobilised and returned to Britain. Many battalions had stayed
   on the continent or moved to overseas garrisons prior to disbandment.
   On 11 December 1918, the remnants of the 1st King's, some veterans of
   1914, had marched across the German frontier "at ease", bayonets fixed
   and their colours uncased. The battalion was based at Düren and Berg
   Neukirchen for about five-months as part of the British Army of the
   Rhine. The 13th King's, too, served with the occupation army until
   disbanded in October 1919.

Inter-war (1918-1939)

   C Company of the 6th (Rifle) Battalion at Kinmel Park, near Rhyl,
   Wales. Dated July, 1931. The battalion (known as the Liverpool Rifles)
   was transferred to the Royal Engineers five-years later.
   Enlarge
   C Company of the 6th (Rifle) Battalion at Kinmel Park, near Rhyl,
   Wales. Dated July, 1931. The battalion (known as the Liverpool Rifles)
   was transferred to the Royal Engineers five-years later.

   Hostilities did not end for the the 17th King's on 11 November; the
   battalion had sailed for Murmansk, Russia, in October as part of an
   Allied intervention force sent to fight alongside the "White" forces in
   their war against the Bolsheviks. The battalion was moved to Archangel,
   where it was based fully intact for a short period. The battalion's
   companies served separately for the duration of their stay in Russia.
   The battalion was disbanded in September 1919.

   Inter-war reductions and reorganisations reduced the regiment's
   territorial battalions from six to one by 1937. The 8th disbanded in
   the early 1920s, the 9th was absorbed by the Royal Engineers, and a
   reorganisation of the TA's infantry in the mid-1930s resulted in the
   6th, 7th, and 10th converting to new roles. The 6th became Royal
   Engineers, the 7th joined the Royal Tank Regiment, and the 10th became
   a battalion of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders.

1st King's

   In 1920, the 1st King's was sent to Bantry, County Cork, in Ireland,
   where the battalion served during the Anglo-Irish War. They were noted
   for their chivalrous reputation in their treatment of prisoners,
   compared to other regiments, and this saved some of the lives of its
   soldiers. After the establishment of the Irish Free State in the south,
   the battalion was moved to Northern Ireland, stationed in Derry and
   Omagh.

   A brief deployment to Turkey as part of the army of occupation occurred
   in 1923. The battalion returned to England in 1924 and was posted from
   1926 to the garrisons in Malta, Sudan, and Egypt. While much of the
   battalion's time in Egypt was peaceful and comfortable, they
   occasionally dealt with rioting, and on one occasion a company was
   deployed to Jerusalem. In 1931, Greek Cypriots in Cyprus uprised
   demanding union with Greece. Two companies were sent as reinforcements
   for the British garrison in October; C Company arrived via eight
   Vickers Victoria air transports, followed by the sea-transported D
   Company.

   India was the battalion's next posting, based initially in Jubbulpore
   from 1932. The battalion was moved to Landi Kotal, Khyber Pass, in
   1937. Service in the volatitle North-West Frontier Province continued
   into the Second World War.

2nd King's

   The 2nd Battalion continued to serve in India following the Armistice,
   and in 1919 was called upon for service in the Third Afghan War.
   Leading a "Special Column", the battalion reached the Toba Plataeu,
   some 8,000 feet high, but the war was concluded before the battalion
   could engage Afghan forces.

   Demobilisation followed and the remnants joined the Sudan garrison in
   1920, where the battalion was reformed. Postings to Hong Kong and
   Canton occurred in 1922, then a return to India in 1924. and finally
   Iraq the following year. Stationed near Baghdad, their stay lasted
   two-years, uneventful but with the distinction of being the last
   British battalion to serve there until the Second World War.

   Immediately after their return to England, the 2nd King's became the
   first battalion of the regiment to undertake public duties at
   Buckingham Palace. The battalion was based in various parts of the
   country for nearly a decade before resuming overseas duties in 1938,
   when it was posted to Gibraltar.

World War II (1939-1945)

   Universal Carriers of the 9th King's moving through a Sussex village, 3
   July 1941.
   Enlarge
   Universal Carriers of the 9th King's moving through a Sussex village, 3
   July 1941.

   Expansion was on a more modest scale to that which occurred during the
   previous world war. Ten battalions were raised between 1939 and 1940,
   including the reformed 8th (Irish). Two of these war-raised battalions
   converted to armour and anti-air roles in 1941; the 11th becoming the
   152nd Regiment, RAC, and the 12th transferring the Royal Artillery as
   the 101 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment. Some 16 battalions and four
   batteries of the Home Guard were affiliated with the King's Regiment.
   The Lancashire Home Guard performed various duties in Britain
   supporting the Civil Defence Service and regular army, and served
   during the Liverpool Blitz.

   By late-1941, three battalions of the regiment (1st, 2nd, and 13th)
   were stationed abroad. The remainder were located throughout the United
   Kingdom, poised to defend against an invasion. The 1st and 13th would
   serve in Burma as Chindits, the 2nd in Italy and Greece, and the 5th
   and 8th in North-West Europe. Of battalions that had transferred and
   converted to other roles pre-war, only the 40th RTR (7th King's) saw
   active service. With the 23rd Armoured Brigade, the 40th RTR fought in
   North Africa, where they acquired the nickname " Monty's Foxhounds",
   Italy, and Greece.

Italy and Greece

   Having spent five-years in Gibraltar, the 2nd King's departed for Egypt
   in December 1943 to reinforce the 4th Infantry Division. With the
   division, the battalion landed in Italy in March 1944. On 11 May, it
   took part in the oppossed crossing of the Rapido River during the final
   battle for Monte Cassino. They came under intense mortar and artillery
   fire during the crossing, while many assault boats capzised due to the
   strong current. The 4th Division struggled to consolidate its
   bridgehead, during which the 2nd King's lost its commanding officer, 72
   men killed or missing, and many wounded. After a five-month struggle,
   Monte Cassino was captured on 18 May by the Polish II Corps and the
   Gustav Line broken.

   The Allies captured Rome in June and the King's fought in the
   subsequent advance to the Trasimene Line. Intense battles were fought
   in the Gioella area and Tuori, the latter earning the regiment a unique
   battle honour in the British Army. In about nine-months of service, in
   difficult, mountainous terrain, with heavy casualties, the battalion
   was awarded four DSOs, nine MCs, three DCMs, four MMs, and six
   mentioned in despatches. Among those awarded were Sergeant Welsby, who
   single-handedly secured a fortified farmhouse, and Major J. A. de V.
   Reynolds, for his leadership and conduct around Casa Arlotti.

   On 12 December, the 2nd King's were flown to Piraeus, Greece, two
   months after Allied troops had first landed in the country following
   the German withdrawal. By then, the Allies were in conflict with
   Communist partisans seeking to establish themselves as the new
   authority in Greece. Shortly after landing, the 2nd King's successfully
   seized a partisan-held barracks at the cost of 14 casualties. For the
   next several weeks, the battalion was employed on internal security
   duties, involving many instances of house-to-house and street fighting
   in Athens. The city was cleared of insurgents by early January 1945. A
   ceasefire was signed and the King's remained for a year to help
   maintain the tense peace before leaving for Cyprus.

Burma

   A Chindit column crossing a river in Burma.
   Enlarge
   A Chindit column crossing a river in Burma.

   The 13th King's sailed for India in December 1941, coinciding with
   Japan's entrance into the war. Intended for garrisson duties, the
   battalion's strength contained many men who were of an old or medically
   downgraded condition. After Burma was occupied by Japan in 1942, a unit
   was formed to penetrate deep behind Japanese lines from India. The 13th
   King's provided the majority of the British contingent for the unit,
   which was designated as the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade (the '
   Chindits') and commanded by Orde Wingate.

   Organised into two groups, the Chindits' first operation (codenamed
   Longcloth) began on 8 February 1943. No. 2 Group, commanded by
   Lieutenant-Colonel S.A. Cooke, was formed from the 13th King's and
   divided into five independent columns, two of which (Nos 7 and 8) were
   commanded by majors from the battalion. No Japanese opposition was
   encountered initially, allowing the Chindits to cross the Chindwin
   River and advance into Burma unimpeded.

Normandy and Germany

   A group of British infantry waiting to leave Sword Beach, 6 June 1944.
   Enlarge
   A group of British infantry waiting to leave Sword Beach, 6 June 1944.

   In 1943, the 5th and 8th King's (Liverpool Irish) were provided with
   speciailst training at Ayrshire in preparation for a planned invasion
   of France. They were selected to form the nucleus of the 5th and 7th
   Beach Groups, whose objectives on an invasion beach were to maintain
   organisation, secure positions, and provide defence against
   counter-attack.

   As invasion neared in mid-1944, the two battalions were moved from
   their camps to ports in southern England and embarked aboard troopships
   and landing ship tanks. Much of the Liverpool Irish embarked aboard the
   Ulster Monarch, a passenger ship that had served on the
   Belfast-Liverpool line before the war. After delays, the invasion fleet
   proceeded to Normandy on 5 June. Both King's battalions landed on
   D-Day, the 5th at Sword with the British 3rd Infantry Division and the
   Liverpool Irish at Juno with the Canadians.

   Two companies of the Liverpool Irish landed in the assault wave with
   the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. Under intense machine gun and mortar fire,
   the landing of Major Max Morrison's "A" Company proceeded well,
   allowing some to establish a command-post upon reaching the sand dunes.
   In contrast, in "B" Company's sector, the late arrival of the
   reconnaissance party and DD tanks exposed the landing infantry to heavy
   machine gun fire. The company's officer commanding, Major O'Brien, and
   the second-in-comannd were among those wounded. Experiences at Sword
   Beach were similar. As the 3rd Division moved inland, the 5th King's
   attempted to neutralise hostile positions and snipers. Casualties
   included Lieutenant-Colonel D. H. V. Board, killed by a sniper, and the
   OC of 9 Platoon, Lieutenant Scarfe, mortally wounded in an attack on a
   German position.

   Under fire, the beach groups collected the wounded and dead, located
   and marked minefields, attempted to maintain organisation, and directed
   vehicles and troops inland. The two battalions operated with the beach
   groups for a further six weeks. While the severely depleted Liverpool
   Irish was disbanded in August, much of its strength having been
   transferred to other units as reinforcements, the 5th King's was
   reduced to cadre strength. Disbandment was only avoided through the
   determination of Lieutenant-Colonel G.D. Wreford-Browne, who argued
   that the 5th Battalion was nearly the most senior unit still active in
   the Territorial Army.

   After the Allies began their advance into Nazi Germany in February
   1945, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF)
   formed dedicaed units to secure important objectives - equipment,
   installations, intelligence, and personnel. The 5th King's provided the
   nucleus for one such T (Target) Force. Elements of the 5th King's
   reached the naval port of Kiel in May 1945, securing the cruiser
   Admiral Hipper and taking 7,000 German sailors prisoner. The battalion
   continued to conduct intelligence operations until July 1946, when it
   was disbanded during the demoblisation process. Reconstitution into the
   Territorial Army followed in 1947 under the command of
   Lieutenant-Colonel Edward John Stanley (later the 18th Earl of Derby).

Post-World War II (1945-1958)

   The 1st King's, still roled as parachute infantry, remained in India
   with responsibility for the area around Meerut, north-east of New
   Delhi. After reconverting to the infantry role, the battalion departed
   for Liverpool in late 1947.

   Meanwhile, the 2nd King's were deployed to Palestine for two-weeks.
   First arriving on 29 April 1948, the battalion carried out security
   duties just prior to the establishment of Israel. After returning to
   Cyprus, the battalion proceeded to Liverpool.

   On 6 September 1948, the two battalions amalgamated in a ceremonial
   parade attended by honorary Colonel of the Regiment, Major-General
   Dudley Ward. The battalion was posted to West Germany shortly
   afterwards and moved to Spandau, West Berlin, in 1950.

Korean War

   Men of "A" Company constructing a bunker while on the frontline,
   December 1952.
   Enlarge
   Men of "A" Company constructing a bunker while on the frontline,
   December 1952.

   The battalion was ordered to Korea in June 1952. By then, the Korean
   War had entered a period of stalemate, with trench warfare prevailing.
   At Liverpool, the battalion embarked aboard the troopship Devonshire
   for Hong Kong, where it underwent training before landing at Pusan,
   Korea, in September. Replacing the 1st Royal Norfolk Regiment in the
   29th Infantry Brigade, 1st Commonwealth Division, the 1st King's took
   up defensive positions upone moving to the frontline.

   Much of the battalion's time at the front was quiet, though their night
   patrols often resulted in clashes with Chinese troops. The battalion
   was withdrawn to reserve for three months in 1953. A tactically
   important feature known as "The Hook", a crescent shaped ridge, was the
   scene of intense heavy fighting between Commonwealth forces and the
   Chinese in May. On the night of 20 May, Chinese forces commenced a
   sustained bombardment of the Hook, defended by the Duke of Wellington's
   Regiment. Two days later, on 23 May, a company of the King's carried
   out a nighttime diversionary attack on Chinese positions known as
   "Pheasant". One of the platoons inadvertently stumbled upon a
   minefield, suffering 10 wounded from a strength of 16. The attack was
   consequently stalled, forcing the company to withdraw with its wounded
   back to British lines.

   The King's moved onto the right sector of the Hook on 27 May, while "D"
   Company's 10 Platoon and "B" Company (as reserve) were attached to the
   Duke of Wellington's Regiment. The battle began on 28 May, when a heavy
   bombardment targeted positions held by the Dukes at 7:53 pm. The first
   wave of Chinese troops was launched against the Duke's positions
   minutes later, followed by three further waves. Two platoons of the
   King's were moved forward to reinforce the Point 121 position, which
   was then attacked by two companies of Chinese infantry. After the
   attack was repulsed with the assistance of Commonwealth artillery, the
   Chinese directed their attention to the King's on Point 146. Before the
   attack began, however, an artillery bombardment destroyed the Chinese
   formation while it assembled. Fighting continued until the remaining
   Chinese troops were cleared from positions at approximately 03:30 am.
   A Kingsman cleaning his .30 cal Browning machine gun in a trench, 2
   December 1952.
   Enlarge
   A Kingsman cleaning his .30 cal Browning machine gun in a trench, 2
   December 1952.

   The 1st King's left Korea for Hong Kong in October, by which time its
   casualties numbered 28 dead and 200 wounded. Of some 1,500 men that
   served with the battalion in Korea, 350 were regular soldiers, the rest
   were national servicemen. The King's moved to Britain in 1955, were
   posted to West Germany the following year, and made its final return
   home in 1958.

Amalgamation

   The 1957 Defence White Paper by Secretary of State for War Duncan
   Sandys announced, among others, a reducation in the British Army's
   overseas responsibilities and the abolition of national service. This
   was to be achieved by the amalgamation of numerous regiments, including
   the King's with the Manchesters. Both regiments shared an historical
   connection through the 63rd Regiment of Foot, a regiment which formed
   the Manchesters in 1881 having once been a battalion of the 8th Foot.

   In June, at Brentwood, the colours of the two regiments were paraded
   for the last time in the presence of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.
   The King's Regiment (Manchester and Liverpool) formally came into being
   on 1 September 1958. On 1 July 2006, the successor regiment was also
   amalgamated, joining with two others to form the Duke of Lancaster's
   Regiment (King's Lancashire and Border).

   The surviving territorial battalion of the King's (Liverpool), the 5th,
   retained its identity until 1967, when it was reduced to a company of
   the newly-formed Lancastrian Volunteers. As of 2006, it forms "A"
   Company, in the 4th Battalion of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.
   Contained within the company is the Liverpool Scottish Platoon.

Battalions

   See: List of battalions of the King's Regiment (Liverpool)

Victoria Cross recipients

   Name Battalion Date Location of deed
   Harry Hampton 2nd 21 August 1900 Van Wyk's Vlei, South Africa
   Henry James Knight 1st 21 August, 1900 Van Wyk's Vlei, South Africa
   William Edward Heaton 1st 23 August, 1900 Geluk, South Africa
   Joseph Harcourt Tombs 1st 16 May 1915 Rue du Bois, France
   Edward Felix Baxter 1/8th (Irish) 17/ 18 April 1916 Blairville, France
   Arthur Herbert Procter 1/5th 4 June 1916 Ficheux, France
   David Jones 12th (Service) 3 September, 1916 Guillemont, France
   Oswald Austin Reid 2nd 8/ 10 March 1917 Dialah River, Mesopotamia
   Jack Thomas Counter 1st 16 April 1918 Boisieux St. Marc, France

Battle honours

     * Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Dettingen, Martinique
       1809, Niagara, Delhi 1857, Lucknow, Peiwar Kotal, Afghanistan
       1878-80, Burma 1885-87, Defence of Ladysmith, South Africa
       1899-1902

     * The Great War: Mons, Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914, Aisne 1914,
       Ypres 1914 '15 '17, Langemarck 1914 '17, Gheluvelt, Nonne Boschen,
       Neuve Chapelle, Gravenstafel, St Julien, Frezenberg, Bellewaarde,
       Aubers, Festubert 1915, Loos, Somme 1916 '18, Albert 1916 '18,
       Bazentin, Deville Wood, Guillemont, Ginchy, Flers-Courcelette,
       Morval, Le Transloy, Ancre 1916, Bapaume 1917 '18, Arras 1917 '18,
       Scarpe 1917 '18, Arleux, Pilckem, Menin Road, Polygon Wood,
       Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Cambrai 1917 '18, St. Quentin,
       Rosieres, Avre, Lys, Estaires, Messines 1918, Bailleul, Kemmel,
       Bethune, Scherpenberg, Drocourt-Queant, Hindenburg Line, Epehy,
       Canal du Nord, St Quentin Canal, Selle, Sambre, France and Flanders
       1914-18, Doiran 1917, Macedonia 1915-18, NW Frontier, India 1915,
       Archangel 1918-19, Afghanistan 1919

     * The Second World War: Normandy Landing. North-West Europe 1944,
       Cassino II, Trasimene Line, Tuori, Capture of Forli, Rimini Line,
       Italy 1944-45, Athens, Greece 1944-45, Chindits 1943, Chindits
       1944, Burma 1943-44

     * The Hook 1953, Korea 1952-53

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