Name : York and Lancaster Regiment Started : 1881 Ended : 1968 Previous Regiment Lineage(s) : ---------------------------------------- 2nd 12th Regiment of Foot (1756 - 1758) 65th Regiment of Foot (1758 - 1782) 65th (2nd Yorkshire North Riding) Regiment of Foot (1782 - 1881)
---------------------------------------- 84th Regiment of Foot (1793 - 1809) 85th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot (1809 - 1881)
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The York and Lancaster Regiment
The York and Lancaster Regiment is built of the formerly linked battalions of the 65th (2nd York North Riding) and the 84th (York and Lancaster).
In 1756 the 12th Foot had a 2nd battalion, which, two years later, became the 65th. It was called the "2nd Yorkshire North Riding Regiment" in 1782, a title it retained until the present territorialisation system was introduced. The new regiment first saw active service at Guadaloupe and Havannah, 1759 to 1762, and then embarked for America, to fight at Bunker's Hill, but going home afterwards; it returned to the West Indies in 1794, to take part in the attack on Martinique and Guadaloupe. A curious method of enlistment was adopted in the regiment when it came home: "Parish boys," from the Scottish poorhouse, who had been enlisted for the 16th, were posted to the 65th. After routine duty at the Cape in 1801, the regiment sailed for India, and fought under Lake at Guzert, Mawla, and Bhurtpore; after which, in 1809, it saw active service against the Wahabees, in the Persian Gulf, and assisted to destroy Ras-ul-Khynah and other piratical holds. Present at the reduction of Mauritius, it returned to India for the operations in Kattiwar, Guzerat, and Cutch; the Pindari War, and the capture of Poonah; in the Persian Gulf at Ras-ul-Khymah again; once more in Cutch at the taking of Dwarka; in the Persian Gulf, for the third time, on the destruction of the stronghold of the Beni-boo Ali tribe; finally to return home in 1822, with the reward, for continual and gallant service in the East, of bearing on the colours the Royal Tiger, with "India" and "Arabia." The 65th saw active service in the New Zealand campaign-during which Sergeant McKenna and Lance-Corporal J. Ryan won the Victoria Cross-after 1846; but after that saw no further fighting until the Suakim disturbances, when, on its way home, it was landed to fight at El Teb and Tamai.
The 84th regiment first appears from 1759 to 1764; then as the "Royal Highland Emigrants" in 1775, which became the 84th in 1778, and was disbanded in 1784, when its uniform was similar to the 42nd; and finally in 1893, when the present regiment came into being, and incorporated with a 2nd battalion, raised in 1794, received the title "York and Lancaster Regiment" in 1809. Its early history was uneventful. It served abroad in Madras, Flanders, the capture of Cape Town, Perim, Aden, India (seeing active service at Surat and Guzerat and Goa), the capture of Mauritius, the operations in Kattiwar and Cutch, the Pindari disturbances, and at Kandeish and Cutch again before it returned home in 1819. These services were rendered between 1800 and 1819; after which date it saw no further active service until 1842, when it was in Burmah, and was stationed at Moulmein; but it returned to India in time to share in the suppression of the Mutiny in 1857. Detachments were sent to assist Wheeler at Cawnpore (where most of them were massacred) and Lawrence at Lucknow; the latter serving in the defence of the Residency. The keeper of the cemetery at Cawnpore when the Mutiny was suppressed was private Murphy of the 84th, who was one of the two soldiers, other than officers, who escaped from the massacre. The rest of the regiment was also in the first relief of Lucknow, and its defence; at the battle of Alumbagh and the capture of Lucknow, and finally with the Azimghur column. Its last active service was in the Tel-el-Kebir campaign, where it did good work at Kassassin and throughout the campaign. A 2nd battalion, raised in 1808, served at Wacheren and the siege of Flushing in 1809, and for its services in the Peninsula from 1813 to 1814 added "Nive" and "Peninsula" to the colours, though it was also present at the Bidaddoa and the investment of Bayonne.
The facings of the 65th were white, those of the 84th yellow. Now both are white. The "Union Rose" is the badge on the 84th in 1820. The Royal Tiger, with "India" and "Arabia," were given for the valuable services of the 65th in those countries from 1802 to 1822. The buttons have the title, a laurel wreath, the Tiger, a coronet, and the Union rose; the tunic collar has the Royal Tiger; the helmet-plate the Union Rose and title; the waist-plate the same with the Royal Tiger; on the forage-cap a Union Rose, with the Tiger. The 3rd West York Militia forms the 3rd battalion of the regiment, and was raised in 1757. The Volunteer battalions are the 2nd West Riding, Yorkshire (Sheffield), and the 8th West Riding, Yorkshire (Doncaster). Both wear scarlet uniforms, with white facings. The regiment has no special name, and is usually called by its territorial title. The depot was at Pontefract.
