The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
The Duke of Wellington Regiment was raised in 1702 as Colonel the Earl of Huntingdon's Regiment for service in the War of the Spanish Succession. The regimental name subsequently changed to the 33rd Foot (1751–1882), the 33rd (1st Yorkshire, West Riding) Regiment of Foot (1782–1853), and after the death of the Duke of Wellington in 1852, to the 33rd (Duke of Wellington's) Regiment (1853–1881).
On 1 July 1881, The 33rd (Duke of Wellington) Regiment linked with the 76th Regiment of Foot to form The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment).
The 33rd became the 1st Battalion, the 76th became the 2nd Battalion The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment).
In January 1921, The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) became The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding).
The 1st/The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
1854 1st/Duke of Wellington
(Sa Maison Gardens Floriana)
1854 The regiment deployed to the Crimea where it fought at the Battle of Inkerman.
In November 1854, the regiment had 18 officers and 535 men serving in the Crimea. 100 recruits joined the regiment on 18 November 1854.
One third of these recruits fell sick with cholera. Diarrhoea was also common. Its high incidence among the men was ascribed by the surgeon to harassing duty in the trenches, poorly cooked and scanty rations and inadequate clothing
. Conditions were made worse by the cold and wet weather.
1855 1st/Duke of Wellington
Burials in 1855:
- 1 Nov Pte Thomas Higgins aged 20 years.
1856 1st/Duke of Wellington
The 1st/The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
1 July 1881 The 33rd Regiment became the 1st Battalion The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment).
1895 1st/Duke of Wellington
(Pieta' Military Cemetery)
28 Sep 1895 The 1st/West Riding Regiment embarked at Southampton from Dover. It disembarked in Malta on 7 October 1895.
It had an average strength of 187 men with 194 admissions into hospital.
Its average constantly sick was 7.49 (40.05/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 14.62 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 14.09 days.
The 1st/West Riding Regiment was quartered at Verdala Barracks for 2 months.
1896 1st/Duke of Wellington
(Pieta' Military Cemetery)
The 1st/West Riding Regiment had an average strength of 932 men. It had 1020 admissions (1094.4/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 2 deaths (2.15/1000 mean strength). 10 invalids returned to England.
Its average constantly sick was 62.37 (66.92/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 24.40 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 22.38 days.
The 1st/West Riding Regiment was quartered at Verdala Barracks for 6 1/2 months and at Floriana Barracks and Notre Dame Ravelin for 5 1/2 months.
Baptisms in 1896:
- 25 Jan Katherine McCudden born 6 Jan 1896, daughter of Brenda Minnie and Cpl Robert William McCudden of Cottonera.
- 12 Apr Rhoda Gertrude Rolfe born 7 Mar 1896, daughter of Eleanor Sarah and CSgt Nathaniel William Rolfe of Cottonera.
- 3 May Arthur Jones born 18 Apr 1896, son of Agnes and Sgt Charles Richard Jones of Cottonera.
- 23 May Alice Eleanor Clarke born 4 May 1896, daughter of Beatrice and Sgt Drm Patrick Clarke of Cottonera.
- 23 May Florence Maud Goridge born 29 Apr 1896, daughter of Mary Anne and Mess Sgt William Harry Goridge of Verdala Barracks Cottonera.
- 23 July Crane Booth born 12 July 1896, son of Martha and Sgt Benjamin Booth of St Nicholas Mariages Quarters Cottonera.
- 9 Sep Muriel Pauline Austin Shirt born 5 Aug 1896, daughter of Agnes and Sgt Benjamin Shirt of Valletta.
Burials in Pietà Military Cemetery in 1896:
- 21 July Florence Gertrude Richards aged 6 months.
- 23 July Pte Frederick Crook aged 19 years.
- 9 Aug Rhoda Gertrude Rolfe aged 5 months, daughter of CSgt Rolfe.
1897 1st/Duke of Wellington
(Sa Maison Gardens Floriana)
The 1st/West Riding Regiment had an average strength of 949 men. It had 900 admissions (948.4/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 9 deaths (9.48/1000 mean strength). 52 invalids returned to England.
Its average constantly sick was 64.84 (68.32/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 24.94 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 26.30 days.
The 1st/West Riding Regiment was quartered at Floriana Barracks and Notre Dame Ravelin for 12 months.
Baptisms in 1897:
- 8 July Frederic Alexander Clarke born 14 June 1897, son of Beatrice Constance and Drum Major Patrick Clarke of Floriana.
- 15 July John Edward Watts born 28 June 1897, son of Rosina and Sgt John Edward Watts of Valletta.
- 12 Aug Frederick William Pennicott born 14 July 1897, son of Ellen and Pte Frederick William Pennicott of Floriana.
Burials at Pietà Military Cemetery in 1897:
- 16 July Pte Benjamin Whitworth aged 22 years.
- 20 July Sgt Arthur Wilman aged 25 years 5 months.
- 4 Sep Charles Smith Mallinson, aged 1 year 9 months, son of Sgt Mallinson.
- 23 Sep Frederick Alexander Clarke, aged 3 months, son of Sgt Drm Clarke.
- 26 Sep Pte John Frederick Saggers aged 19 years.
- 6 Oct Pte James Joseph Hutchins aged 27 years.
- 8 Oct Sgt George Hall aged 41 years 10 months.
- 9 Oct Mary Rogers aged 22 days, daughter of Sgt Rogers.
- 13 Feb Pte Thomas Brooks aged 19 years 10 months, died at Cottonera and was buried in Rinella Military Cemetery.
1898 1st/Duke of Wellington
| Average Strength | Admissions Hospital | Deaths | Admissions/1000 | Deaths/1000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 756 | 771 | 5 | 1019.8 | 6.6 |
| Admissions into hospital and deaths during the year with ratio of admissions and deaths per 1000 of strength. The average strength of the troops, exclusive of the Royal Malta Artillery, was 7,390 men. | ||||
(St Margherita Cemetery Rabat)
The 1st/West Riding Regiment had an average constantly sick was 38.73 (51.23/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 18.70 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 18.33 days.
The battalion was at Floriana Barracks for 8 months.
(Pieta' Military Cemetery)
5 Sep 1898 The 1st/West Riding Regiment consisting of HQ Coy and 8 companies, 22 officers, 2 warrant officers, 38 sgts, 13 buglers, 740 rank and file, 15 wives, 28 children and 5 officer's horses, embarked on the transport Jelunga. It disembarked at Southampton on 15 September after serving three years in Malta.
Baptisms in the Garrison Church in 1898:
- 3 Mar Mabel Elizabeth Thomas born on 7 February 1898, daughter of Band Sgt Frederick William Thomas and Sarah Ann, resident at Floriana.
- 7 Apr Grace Dowswell born on 17 March 1898, daughter of L/Cpl George Dowswell and Mary, resident at Floriana.
- 14 Apr Thomas Harry Gordge born on 22 March 1898, son of Sgt William Harry Gordge and Mary Ann, resident at Floriana.
Burials in Pietà Military Cemetery in 1898:
- 17 Aug Pte Ernest Weeks, aged 24 years 11 months.
- 25 Aug Pte Walter Smith, aged 21 years 8 months.
The 1st/The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
1916 – Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
Adult Baptism in Mtarfa Church Room in 1916:
- 4 Feb Pte William Clarke born 15 April 1898.
The 1st/The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
1935 1st/Duke of Wellington
Jan 1935 The 1st/Duke of Wellington Regiment arrived at Malta on a short tour of Foreign Service. It formed part of 14th Infantry Brigade.
30 June Strength: 28 Officers and 763 men.
1936 1st/Duke of Wellington
1937 1st/Duke of Wellington
30 June 1937 Strength: 508 men.
July–Dec The 1st/Duke of Wellington Regiment left Malta some time between July and December 1937.
The 8th/The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
1915 – Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
The 8th/The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) landed at Suvla Bay Gallipoli on 6 August 1915.
Burials at Pietà Military Cemetery in 1915:
- 4 Sep Pte Burrows H aged 18 yrs.
The 1st/The Duke of Wellington's Regiment
1956 1st/Duke of Wellington
Aug 1956 The 1st/Duke of Wellington Regiment arrived in Malta during the Suez Crises.
Nov The 1st/Duke of Wellington Regiment moved to Nicosia Cyprus.
Bibliography
- Farmer J. S., 1984. The regimental records of the British Army Reprint Edition, Trowbridge, Wiltshire: Crecy Books.
- Edwards T. J., 1980. Regimental Badges First Edition, Tonbridge, Kent: Ernest Benn Ltd.
- TNA:WO 379/11. Stations of Regiments 1859–1900.
- TNA:WO 156/115. Register of burials in the military cemetery Rinella from January 1890 to January 1908.
- TNA:WO 156/113. Register of burials September 1853 to June 1862.
- TNA:WO 156/598. Baptism Register No 16; Malta from 20 February 1898 to 17 July 1916.