Overview, 1939 - 1945

In the Second World War, the Regiment consisted of the two Regular Battalions, seven Territorial Battalions and the 15th Battalion.

North West Europe, 1940

6th Battalion
The 6th Battalion landed in France in January 1940 as a Machine Gun Battalion. It moved into Belgium on the 10th May as part of the 2nd Division and reached the outskirts of Brussels, before being swept up in the general withdrawal and the final evacuation from Dunkirk. The Battalion suffered heavy casualties and less than half its original strength were evacuated at Dunkirk.

North Africa and Middle East, 1939 -1943

1st Battalion
In 1939, the 1st Battalion moved to Palestine, being stationed at Haifa and Jericho before being sent to Egypt in September 1940, to man the defences east of Mersa Matruh. The  Battalion was then in action against the Italians at Sidi Barrani on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast before returning to the Western Desert in April 1941.

Malaya, 1939 - 1942

2nd Battalion
The 2nd Battalion arrived in Singapore in August 1939. After two years intensive training, its first contact with the Japanese occurred on the 15th of December, 1941, at Baling, a week after the Japanese landed at Kota Bahru in north east Malaya. It was then in almost continuous action as it retired through north and central Malaya, until the fall of Singapore in February, 1942.

Sicily,1943 and Italy 1943 - 1945

1st Battalion
The 1st Battalion acted as a Beach Brick - a formation which followed up the assault troops during the landing and organised the landing of stores and vehicles - for the landings in Sicily and Italy, before reverting to a standard infantry role as a unit in the 8th Indian Division, in the first part of 1944. It then fought its way up Italy until May 1945.

North West Europe, 1944 - 1945