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The Worcestershire Regiment in the Late 19th Century
- In 1881 the Army went through considerable reforms, including
the names and numbers of Regiments. The 29th and the 36th Regiments
of Foot were so close to each other geographically that it was
decided to link these two old and distinguished Regiments together.
The 29th Regiment, which had long been associated with Worcestershire,
was made into the 1st Battalion, the Worcestershire Regiment.
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The 36th, whose connections had been with Herefordshire, was
made into the 2nd Battalion, the Worcestershire Regiment. The
Worcestershire Militia and Volunteer Regiments were also linked
to these, making up further Battalions.
The base for the new Regiment was built at Norton, just outside
Worcester. This grew over the years into a vast camp, and although
budget cuts forced it's closure and redevelopment in the 1990's,
the front section of the building still stands, and the Regiment
maintains it's Head Quarters only a few hundred yards away in
a new building. |
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Pear Blossom - In 1899 volunteers from the Worcestershire
Yeomanry went to fight in the Boer War. When they left, Lady
Dudley gave each man one of these silk pear blossoms to pin
on their hats. The pear blossom was chosen because of its links
to the black pear - the symbol of Worcestershire.
The volunteers served with distinction in South Africa, and
returned home as heroes. In honour of their courage the pear
blossom was adopted as the formal badge of the Queens Own Worcestershire
Hussars (Yeomanry) - go to
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Soldier's Embroidery - Soldiering was often a boring
job. Many hours were spent simply sitting around in barrack
rooms, troopships or trenches. Many soldiers did craft work
to pass the time. Embroidery and cross stitch were popular pastimes;
they were quite easy, and very time consuming. Badges of the
Regiment, or its Colours, were often popular subjects as they
were very familiar to the soldier, and a source of pride.
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The Worcestershire Yeomanry in the Boer War- In 1899,
British and Boer ambitions in South Africa came to a head.
The Boers, descendants of the original Dutch colonists, and
the British had been in dispute for years., and now this came
to a head, fuelled by the newly found diamond and gold resources
in the area - to find
out more, click here.
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Yeoman, 1916 - This Yeoman is stopping to check his compass
while on patrol in the Sinai Desert. During the First World
War the Worcestershire Yeomanry fought in Gallipoli, Egypt and
Palestine. Roving across wide open desert in the blistering
heat for days on end, the Yeomanry led the British Army all
the way from the Suez Canal to Damascus in one of the most successful
British campaigns of the war. It was a tough life in a very
harsh environment. Water was always short and disease common. |
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Yeomen also carried out raids on enemy positions, and could
act as storm troops in battle. At Huj, in November 1917, less
than 200 Yeomen charged eleven Austrian field guns and over
2000 Turkish infantry with swords drawn - and won. It was the
last great charge of the British cavalry -
go to room plan. |
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First World War Body Armour - This is a set of First World
War body armour, used by the British Army. It has curved metal
plates for the chest and the back, and was supposed to protect
snipers and other vulnerable soldiers by stopping or deflecting
bullets. Unfortunately, the metal is very thin, and probably
would not have stopped a direct hit. Also, the metal curves
in to the middle, so any bullet hitting in the centre of the
armour would have been deflected inwards!
This set belonged to Private A. W. Tunkiss of the 1/8th Battalion,
Worcestershire Regiment. He used it in France in 1916. He was
wounded in action on the 5th November 1916, and discharged from
the Army the following March -
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Jack Parsons' Collection - Jack Parsons, from Birmingham,
served through the First World War in both the Warwickshire
and Worcestershire Yeomanrys. He won the Military Cross for
leading part of the charge at Huj, 8th November 1917, after
which he was one of only two men from his Squadron still on
their feet. He carried and used this revolver at the charge.
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the war Jack Parsons became a vicar, and for the 1946 Remembrance
Day sermon he decided to follow the Bible's advice 'and they
shall beat their swords into ploughshares.' He took his old
sword, plus a captured Turkish one, and got a blacksmith to
forge them together into a ploughshare (the part of the plough
that makes the groove). He later used the ploughshare to sow
wheat, which he grew for Communion bread. The ploughshare and
sword hilts were later given to the museum by Canon Parsons,
and take pride of place in our displays -
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Winners of the Victoria Cross - click on the names below
to read about their exploits -
go to room plan. |
| Lieutenant
Eugene Bennett, 2nd Bn. Transloy Ridges, the Somme, 5th
November 1916. |
| Lieutenant
(acting Captain) John Crowe, 2nd Bn. Neuve Eglise, 14th
April 1918. |
| Private
Frederick Dancox, 4th Bn. Poelcappelle, Ypres, 9th October
1917. |
| Lieutenant-Colonel
(acting Brigadier) George Grogan, 1st Bn and temporary commander
23rd Brigade. Aisne, 29th May 1918. |
| Second
Lieutenant Herbert James, 4th Bn. Krithia, Gallipoli, 3rd
July 1915. |
| Second
Lieutenant Edgar Myles, Welch Regiment attached to 9th Bn.
Sannaiyat, Mesopotamia, 9th April 1916. |
| Lieutenant
Willaim Leefe-Robinson, attached to Royal Flying Corps.
Over Cuffley, Essex, 2/3rd September 1916. |
| Private
Thomas Turrall, 10th Bn. La Boiselle, the Somme, 3rd July
1916. |
| Captain
(temporary Major and acting Lieutenant-Colonel) Frank Roberts.
Pargny, Somme, 23rd March 1918. |
| Lieutenant
Edmund Wedgbury, 1/8th Bn, later Gloucestershire Regiment
attached to 1/8th Bn. Various actions 1915-18. |
| Awang
Anak Rawang, Iban Scout attached to 10 Platoon, 'D' Company,
1st Bn. Malaya, 27th May 1951. |
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