1st New York Engineer Regiment, The Marsh Battery and the Swamp Angel
The artillery piece also inspired a poem by Herman Melville, and is known as one of the most famous artillery pieces of the Civil War.


1st New York Engineer Regiment, Army of the James
In the spring of 1864, companies B, C, E, F, H, K, L & M were sent to join Benjamin Butler's Army of the James, and Serrell was again named chief engineer of the Corps. They participated in the Bermuda Hundred Campaign, building the entire Bermuda Hundred Line, laid many miles of corduroy roads, dredged the Dutch Gap Canal, and constructed the abutments and roads that connected the pontoon bridge assembled by the Engineers of the Army of the Potomac with City Point, Virginia.


1st New York Engineer Regiment, Army of the James
During the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign, the Confederate line was broken at Fort Harrison, and the 1st New York set the new line from the newly constructed Fort Brady to Fort Harrison and over to Deep Bottom.


1st New York Engineer Regiment, Army of the James
After the fall of Petersburg, the 1st New York was formed into the Engineer Brigade, along with the 15th New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment and the 50th New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment. Col. Serrell was honorably discharged on February 15, 1865, and Col. James F. Hall took command of the regiment until the end of the war.


1st New York Engineer Regiment, Casualties
The regiment lost 2 officers, and 25 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded in combat. 5 Officers and 116 Enlisted men died from disease, for a total of 148 casualties.


1st New York Infantry Regiment
The 1st New York Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.


1st New York Infantry Regiment, Service
The regiment was organized in New York City, New York and was mustered in for a two-year enlistment on April 22, 1861.


1st New York Infantry Regiment, Service
The regiment was mustered out of service on May 25, 1863.


1st New York Infantry Regiment, Total strength and casualties
The regiment suffered 79 enlisted men who were killed in action or mortally wounded and 3 officers and 31 enlisted men who died of disease, for a total of 113fatalities.


1st New York Light Artillery Battalion
The 1st New York Light Artillery Battalion was a New York State volunteer artillery unit that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was initially composed of four artillery companies, which were mustered-in for service in late 1861. Throughout 1862 and early 1863, the battalion saw action in the Eastern Theater before it was reorganized into four independent batteries of the New York Light Artillery, which fought separately for the remainder of the war.


1st New York Light Artillery Battalion, Unit history, 1st Battalion of Artillery (Heavy)
The 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery was approved for formation by the United States War Department in July 1861. The unit's companies were raised in New York between August and September 1861 for three-year enlistments and were initially under the command of German-born Lieutenant Colonel Andreas "Andrew" Brickel, a native of Baden in the German Confederation and a former artillery officer of the Baden Revolution of 1848 who had served under Franz Sigel before emigrating to the United States in 1850. The mostly German-speaking unit, described as "nothing but Baden Artillerists under [Lieutenant Colonel Brickel's] command," was in action throughout the Eastern Theater battles of 1862 and early 1863, then dissolved into independent companies prior to the Battle of Chancellorsville, all of which remained in service through most of the war.


1st New York Light Artillery Battalion, Unit history, 1st Battalion of Artillery (Heavy)
The 1st Battalion, New York Light Artillery consisted of four heavy artillery companies and were mustered into federal service on the dates shown below. At the Battle of Antietam on September 16–17, 1862, the batteries were armed as follows.


1st New York Light Artillery Battalion, Unit history, 1st Battalion of Artillery (Heavy)
The battalion spent most of its career in a support role, attached to the Army of the Potomac and comprising the Third Brigade of the Artillery Reserve under Major Albert Arndt. Arndt was mortally wounded on September 16, 1862, and died two days later. At Antietam, the battery commanders were Lieutenant Bernard Wever (A), Lieutenant Alfred von Kleiser (B), Captain Robert Langner (C), and Captain Charles Kusserow (D). After Antietam, Battery D was rearmed with 3-inch Ordnance rifles because the 32-pounders were too heavy for field operations.


1st New York Light Artillery Battalion, Unit history, Detailed service
Left New York for Washington, D.C., October 20, 1861. All four batteries assigned to the defenses of the Capital until March 1862. Transferred to Artillery Reserve of the Army of the Potomac, comprising the Third Brigade. Joined Major General George B. McClellan's Peninsula Campaign in Virginia: present at the Siege of Yorktown, April 5 – May 4, 1862; Major Albert Arndt, commanding battalion (Lieutenant Colonel Brickel resigned May 12, 1862); at the Seven Days Battles near Richmond, Virginia, June 25 – July 1, 1862; in camp at Harrison's Landing on the James River until August 16, 1862.


1st New York Light Artillery Battalion, Unit history, Detailed service
Retreated across the Virginia Peninsula and present with Army of the Potomac during the Maryland Campaign; at the Battle of Antietam, September 16–17, 1862 (battalion commander Major Arndt, mortally wounded). Batteries remained attached to Army of the Potomac's Artillery Reserve under Lieutenant Colonel William Hays. At the Battle of Fredericksburg, December 12–15, 1862. Winter camp at Falmouth, Virginia, and participated in the "Mud March" of January 1863.


1st New York Light Artillery Battalion, Unit history, Dissolution of battalion and reorganization as Independent Batteries
The battalion organization was discontinued after March 5, 1863, when the four artillery batteries were reorganized as independent companies of the New York Light Artillery for the remainder of the war:


1st New York Mounted Rifles Regiment
The 1st Regiment New York Mounted Rifles, sometimes designated 7th Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry, was a cavalry regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War.


1st New York Mounted Rifles Regiment, Service
Companies organized and mustered in between July 1861 and September 1862, and served in the Department of Virginia (VII Corps and IV Corps) and Department of Virginia and North Carolina, principally at Fort Monroe, Norfolk and Suffolk, Portsmouth, Williamsburg and Yorktown, Virginia; in Wistar's Division, XVIII Corps, from January 1864; in the Cavalry, Army of the James, with the 3d Brigade, 1st Division, X Corps, from March 1864; a detachment as escort, headquarters Army of the James, from July 1864; unattached from August 1864; in the 3d Brigade of the Cavalry Division, Army of the James, until March 1865; again unattached to the close of the war; and at Fredericksburg, Virginia, from April 1865. Companies H and D served with the 10th Corps from June 1864; with XVIII Corps from August 1864.


1st New York Mounted Rifles Regiment, Service
July 17, 1864, 270 men of the 16th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment, who had volunteered to serve with the regiment, were transferred to it.


1st New York Mounted Rifles Regiment, Service
September 6, 1865, the regiment received the designation, 4th Regiment New York Provisional Cavalry, and its final record will be found under that head.


1st New York Mounted Rifles Regiment, Total strength and casualties
The regiment lost by death, killed in action, 1 officer, 18 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 1 officer, 12 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 4 officers, 125 enlisted men; total, 6 officers, 155 enlisted men; aggregate, 161; of whom 8 enlisted men died at the hands of the enemy.


1st New York Regiment
The 1st New York Regiment was authorized on 25 May 1775 and organized at New York City from 28 June to 4 August, for service with the Continental Army under the command of Colonel Alexander McDougall. The enlistments of the first establishment ended on 31 December 1775.


1st New York Regiment
The second establishment of the regiment was authorized on 19 January 1776.


1st New York Regiment
The regiment was involved in the Invasion of Canada, the Battle of Valcour Island, the Battle of Saratoga, the Battle of Monmouth, the Sullivan Expedition, and the Battle of Yorktown. The regiment was furloughed 2 June 1783 at Newburgh, New York and disbanded 15 November 1783.


1st New York State Legislature
The 1st New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from September 9, 1777, to June 30, 1778, during the first year of George Clinton's governorship, first at Kingston and later at Poughkeepsie.


1st New York State Legislature, Background
The 4th Provincial Congress of the Colony of New York convened at White Plains on July 9, 1776, and declared the independence of the State of New York. The next day the delegates re-convened as the "Convention of Representatives of the State of New-York" and on August 1 a committee was appointed to prepare a State Constitution. The New York Constitution was adopted by the Convention on April 20, 1777, and went into force immediately, without ratification by popular vote.


1st New York State Legislature, Apportionment and election
The State Senators were elected on general tickets in the senatorial districts, and were then divided into four classes. Six senators each drew lots for a term of 1, 2, 3 or 4 years and, beginning at the following election in April 1778, every year one fourth of the State Senate seats came up for election to a four-year term.


1st New York State Legislature, Apportionment and election
Assemblymen were elected countywide on general tickets to a one-year term, the whole assembly being renewed annually.


1st New York State Legislature, Apportionment and election
On May 8, 1777, the Constitutional Convention appointed the senators from the Southern District, and the assemblymen from Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond and Suffolk counties—the area which was under British control—and determined that these appointees serve in the Legislature until elections could be held in those areas, presumably after the end of the American Revolutionary War. Vacancies among the appointed members in the Senate should be filled by the Assembly, and vacancies in the Assembly by the Senate.


1st New York State Legislature, Sessions
The State Legislature met in Kingston, the seat of Ulster County. The State Senate met first on September 9, 1777, at the home of Abraham Van Gaasbeck, now known as Senate House, the Assembly met first on the next day at the Bogardus Tavern. At the approach of the British army, the State Legislature dispersed on October 7, and reconvened in Poughkeepsie on January 5, 1778, possibly at a house now known as Clinton House.


1st New York State Legislature, State Senate, Senators
The asterisk (*) denotes members of the Constitutional Convention who continued as members of the Legislature.


1st New York State Legislature, State Assembly, Assemblymen
The asterisk (*) denotes members of the Constitutional Convention who continued as members of the Legislature.


1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade
The 1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade was an armoured unit of the New Zealand Army during World War II. The brigade was formed in New Zealand during 1941 to provide the 2nd New Zealand Division with armoured support in North Africa. The outbreak of the Pacific War led to it being retained in New Zealand. The 1st Army Tank Brigade was disbanded in 1942, with most of its personnel being used to establish the 4th New Zealand Armoured Brigade in Egypt.


1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade, History
The commander of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Major-General Bernard Freyberg, proposed to the New Zealand Government in October 1940 that an armoured brigade be formed to reinforce the 2nd New Zealand Division. The New Zealand Government rapidly agreed to this in principle. However, the British Government considered that it would be premature to establish such a formation, and it should be regarded as a long-term goal for New Zealand given shortages of tanks and the time needed to train armoured vehicle crews. After further consideration, the New Zealand Cabinet formally approved the establishment of an army tank brigade on 31 July 1941.


1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade, History
The 1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade was formed at Waiouru Military Camp on 16 October 1941. At this time, it was intended for the brigade to undertake training in New Zealand before departing for the Middle East in March 1942. The first tanks for the brigade, 30 Valentine tanks, arrived in New Zealand during October 1941. Brigadier Graham Beresford Parkinson was selected as the brigade's commander, and arrived in New Zealand during November 1941 after returning from Egypt.


1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade, History
At the time of the outbreak of the Pacific War in December 1941, the full complement of tanks for the brigade still hadn't arrived in New Zealand. Those that had arrived sufficed to allow training to begin, but were inadequate in number to equip the brigade's three tank battalions. The threat of invasion led the tanks to be concentrated in a special battalion. The remainder of the brigade was organised as an infantry brigade with three battalions and practised countering Japanese landings. Parkinson commanded the 7th Brigade from December 1941 to April 1942, when he returned to the tank brigade. In March 1942 it was decided to retain the brigade in New Zealand until at least July that year.


1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade, History
In early 1942 the 3rd Tank Battalion began training with the available tanks. When further tanks arrived they were assigned to the 1st and 2nd Tank Battalions. By August 1942 there were 120 Valentine tanks and 24 M3 Stuarts in New Zealand.


1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade, History
In August 1942 Freyberg requested that the 1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade be transferred to the Middle East. In his message to the New Zealand Government, he noted that the 2nd New Zealand Division had suffered heavy casualties from German and Italian tanks and "we have felt keenly the lack of our own armoured component". After further consideration, it was decided instead to use the brigade's personnel to convert the 2nd New Zealand Division's 4th Infantry Brigade to the 4th New Zealand Armoured Brigade.


1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade, History
This was approved by the New Zealand Government in early September, with the 3rd Tank Battalion being selected as the first unit to be dispatched to the Middle East for that purpose. The 3rd Tank Battalion departed New Zealand on 12 December 1942 and was disbanded upon its arrival in the Middle East so that its members could be posted to the 4th New Zealand Armoured Brigade's constituent formations.


1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade, History
Following the decision to use it to reinforce the 4th New Zealand Armoured Brigade, the 1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade was disbanded in late 1942. The 1st Tank Battalion was used for home defence purposes until it was disbanded in June 1943, with most of its personnel being posted to the Middle East. The 270-man strong 3rd Division Tank Squadron was formed from the 2nd Tank Battalion, and served in the Pacific with the 3rd New Zealand Division. Most of the 2nd Tank Battalion's other personnel were sent to the Middle East.


1st New Zealand Parliament
The 1st New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 24 May 1854, following New Zealand's first general election (held the previous year). It was dissolved on 15 September 1855 in preparation for that year's election. 37 Members of the House of Representatives (MHRs) represented 24 electorates.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Parliamentary sessions
New Zealand had not yet obtained responsible government (that is, the power to manage its own affairs), and so the 1st Parliament did not hold any significant power.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Parliamentary sessions
The 1st Parliament was held before the creation of either political parties or the office of Premier. There were, however, appointments made to the Executive Council (the formal institution upon which Cabinet is based). From 14 June 1854 to 2 August 1854, there was a four-person cabinet, New Zealand's first ministry, led by James FitzGerald, with Henry Sewell, Frederick Weld, and Thomas Bartley (a fifth member, Dillon Bell, also joined for a short time). Then, from 31 August 1854 to 2 September 1854, there was another four-person cabinet led by Thomas Forsaith, with James Macandrew, William Travers, and Jerningham Wakefield.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Parliamentary sessions
Some historians consider FitzGerald and Forsaith to be New Zealand's first Prime Ministers, but neither held any formal leadership role and since "responsible government" had not yet been obtained, they had little real power. Henry Sewell, appointed shortly after the 2nd New Zealand Parliament opened, is more often considered to have been the first Prime Minister.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Parliamentary sessions
On 17 August 1854 when the newly convened House of Representatives met, Administrator of the Government (acting Governor) Robert Wynyard was proposing to prorogue the General Assembly as he had not received authority from London. Sewell wanted to continue the debate and the suspension of standing orders was moved. The minority "Wakefieldites" (followers of Edward Gibbon Wakefield) opposed the move and tried to leave so that there would not be two-thirds of members present. This led to a violent turn when Sewell was reported to have pounced on the member for Nelson James Mackay and seized him by the throat. Suspension was moved an hour later when some members of the absent majority returned. Mackay was later found guilty of gross and premeditated contempt. There were moves to find the member from Dunedin James Macandrew guilty of contempt for entering the house with his hat on, but this was withdrawn.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Parliamentary sessions
The 1st Parliament consisted of thirty-seven representatives representing twenty-four electorates. Two regions of the colony (the inland regions of the lower North Island and the northwest corner of the South Island) were not part of any electorate, and so were not represented.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Changes during term
There were few changes during the term of the 1st Parliament, with only three by-elections being held. There were six resignations and one death during 1855, and those seats remained vacant for the remainder of the term.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Changes during term
Stuart-Wortley resigned on 18 July 1855. His seat remained vacant.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Changes during term
Bartley resigned on 11 July 1854. He was replaced by William Brown, who was elected on 4 August 1854.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Changes during term
Kelham resigned on 3 August 1855. His seat remained vacant.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Changes during term
Cutten resigned on 23 July 1855. His seat remained vacant.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Changes during term
Ludlam resigned on 9 July 1855. His seat remained vacant.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Changes during term
Cautley, MP for Waimea, and Travers, MP for Town of Nelson, both resigned on 26 May 1854. Travers subsequently contested the Waimea seat that Cautley had vacated, being elected on 21 June. Travers' own Nelson seat was won by Samuel Stephens on 19 June. Stephens died on 26 June 1855. His seat remained vacant.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Changes during term
Weld resigned on 13 June 1855. His seat remained vacant.


1st New Zealand Parliament, Changes during term
Featherston resigned on 9 August 1855. His seat remained vacant.


1st Newcastle Engineers
The 1st Newcastle Engineer Volunteers, later Northumbrian Divisional Engineers, was a Royal Engineer (RE) unit of Britain's Volunteer Force and Territorial Army founded in 1860. Its companies saw action in both World Wars, particularly at the Battle of Rosières and the assault crossing of the River Selle in 1918, and on D-Day in 1944. Its successors continue to serve in today's Army Reserve.


1st Newcastle Engineers, Early history
The 1st Newcastle Engineer Volunteers (EV) was raised at company strength in Newcastle upon Tyne during the enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement engendered by the invasion scare of 1859; its first officers' commissions were dated 1 September 1860. Many early volunteers came from Armstrong's engineering works at Elswick. The company was attached for administrative purposes to the 1st Newcastle upon Tyne Rifle Volunteer Corps.


1st Newcastle Engineers, Early history
In 1874 the Newcastle company was united with the larger (8 companies) 1st Durham EV at Jarrow on the opposite (County Durham) bank of the River Tyne. This unit had been raised and commanded by Charles Palmer (1822–1907), founder of Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company and later the first mayor and Member of Parliament for Jarrow. The two units were formed into the 1st Durham Administrative Battalion EV, consolidated in 1880 as the 1st Newcastle upon Tyne and Durham EV, with Palmer as commanding officer and an establishment of 1300 men.


1st Newcastle Engineers, Early history
Palmer, by now created Sir Charles Palmer, 1st Baronet of Grinkle Park, retired from the unit in 1888 with the rank of Colonel. The same year, the 1st Newcastle & Durham EV was split into three separate units: the 1st Newcastle upon Tyne RE (Volunteers), the 1st Durham RE (V), and the Tyne Division RE (V), Submarine Miners, which later became the Tyne Electrical Engineers. Both the 1st Newcastle RE (V) and the Tyne Submarine Miners derived their seniority from the original 1st Newcastle EV established in 1860.


1st Newcastle Engineers, Early history
The Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the new 1st Newcastle RE was Sir Charles Palmer's younger brother, Alfred Septimus Palmer (1834–1910), a Newcastle mining engineer who had been a major in the 1st Newcastle & Durham EV. The honorary Colonel was William Henry Allinson (1827–1917), who had been second-in-command of the 1st Newcastle & Durham.


1st Newcastle Engineers, Early history
The unit sent a detachment of one officer and 25 other ranks to assist the regular REs during the Second Boer War in 1900.


1st Newcastle Engineers, Territorial Force
When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908, the original plan was for the 1st Newcastle RE to provide the 2nd Northumbrian Field Company in the Northumbrian Infantry Division while the remainder of the unit would be merged into the Tyne Electrical Engineers as the Northumberland (Fortress) RE. However, by 1910 this plan had been altered, and the 1st Newcastle RE provided the whole of the divisional RE, with its commanding officer becoming Commanding Royal Engineer (CRE). This organisation was in place on the outbreak of World War I:


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, Mobilisation
On 3 August 1914, the men of the Northumbrian Division came home from their annual training camp. The next day the order to mobilise was received, and they returned to their drill halls. The mobilised division garrisoned the Tyne Defences as part of Central Force of Home Defence, and began training for war.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, Mobilisation
On 31 August the TF was authorised to raise '2nd Line' units, initially for home defence, composed of men who had not volunteered for overseas service, together with new volunteers who were flooding in. Later, the home service men were transferred to home defence units, the 2nd Line were prepared for overseas service, and '3rd Line' units were organised to find drafts for the 1st and 2nd Lines. The units were distinguished by the prefixes '1/', '2/' and '3/', and the 2nd Line units of the Northumbrian Division formed the 2nd Northumbrian Division.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 28th Division
1/1st Northumbrian Field Company left the Northumbrian Division on 26 December 1914 to join 28th Division forming at Winchester. This was a formation of Regular infantry battalions returned from India, with engineers, signals and medical services provided by Territorial companies. The company disembarked at Le Havre on 19 January 1915 and served with 28th Division in France for the first half of the year, including the battles of Gravenstafel Ridge (22–23 April), St Julien (24 April–4 May), Frezenberg Ridge (8–13 May) and Bellewarde Ridge (24–25 May).


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 28th Division
When 1/1st Northumbrian Field Company returned to the 1st Northumbrian Division, it was replaced by 2/1st Northumbrian Field Company from the 2nd Northumbrian Division, which joined 28th Division on 10 July 1915. For the remainder of the war 2/1st Company served with this division in France and Macedonia. In 1917 it was numbered 449th Field Company. It remained with 28th Division after the Armistice with Bulgaria (30 September 1918) and in November 1918 it moved to the Dardanelles with the Division. During 1919 it served in Turkey with 28th Division.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
Early in April 1915, the Northumbrian Division was informed that it would shortly be sent to France, and on 16 April it began to entrain for the ports of embarkation (Southampton and Folkestone). The division completed its concentration in the vicinity of Steenvoorde on 23 April. It was thrown into action the very next day at the Battle of St Julien, taking up positions along the Yser Canal and then counter-attacking. The infantry of the division were involved in bitter fighting. Meanwhile, the divisional engineers were left at Steenvorde, but from 26 April they were sent up each night to work on a new defence line near Hill 60, to which the division retired on the night of 2–3 May.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
The Northumberland Division was now made responsible for holding a section of the line and learnt the techniques of trench warfare in which the engineers were kept busy improving defences. Like the 28th Division, the Northumberland Division also fought through the battles of Frezenberg Ridge and Bellewarde Ridge, and again at Bellewarde on 16 June. It was then moved south into quieter sectors for the rest of 1915.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
Soon after arriving in France, the division received its number, becoming 50th (Northumbrian) Division, the brigades being numbered 149, 150 and 151, and the Signal Company numbered 50. 1/1st Northumbrian Field Company rejoined the division on 2 June 1915, and the divisional engineers were further reinforced on 17 June by 7th Field Company, RE, a Regular unit. 7th Field Company had landed in France with 4th Division on 22 August 1914, and had served through the Retreat from Mons, and the battles of the Marne, Aisne and Armentières. It had been attached to 48th (South Midland) Division for a few weeks before joining 50th Division.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
191650th Division moved back into the Ypres Salient in December 1915. This meant more intense trench warfare, with the divisional engineers and signallers constantly engaged in repairing defences and communications. In August 1916 the division was transferred to the Somme sector, moving into the line at Bazentin-le-Petit by 10 September, where it immediately began digging assembly and jumping-off trenches for a new phase of the Battle of the Somme. This attack (the Battle of Flers–Courcelette) opened on 15 September, with 50th Division attacking between High Wood and Martinpiuch.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
7th Field Company with part of the pioneer battalion set to repairing the road towards Martinpuich, while 1/1st and 1/2nd Northumrian Field Companies were held in reserve around Railway Trench. As the attack developed, by the afternoon of 15 September they were engaged in digging communication trenches, repairing roads and building gun emplacements under fire. This continued throughout the seven days of the battle, and casualties among the sappers were heavy.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
The fighting was renewed on 25 September (the Battle of Morval) and 50th Division continued in action throughout October and into November (the battles of Le Transloy and Butte de Warlencourt). The division's last action on the Somme before being relieved was an attack on Gird Trench and Hook Sap on 14 November, which gained no ground. The division was withdrawn on the night of 17–18 November and went into Corps Reserve.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
1917'When the TF engineer companies were numbered on 3 February 1917, 1/1st Northumbrian became  446th (1st Northumbrian) and 1/2nd became 447th (2nd Northumbrian).


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
In mid-February, the division moved south to take over a section of the line from the French Army. The trenches were in poor condition, and had to be repaired by working parties directed by the field companies. In late March, the division moved north again, to take part in the Arras offensive. It consolidated ground captured in the First Battle of the Scarpe (9–14 April) and then attacked at the Second Battle of the Scarpe (23–24 April), when it suffered heavy losses. The engineers were engaged in road repair, clearing dugouts, digging and wiring trenches, and laying and repairing telephone lines, all under shellfire, and their casualties were numerous.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
After a spell in Army Reserve, 50th Division returned to the line, and the summer of 1917 was spent in vigorous trench warfare, with constant patrols, raids, and constructing or repairing defences. It then moved to join the last phase of the Third Ypres Offensive, known as the Second Battle of Passchendaele. Because of the waterlogged nature of the ground, the German defences were based on concrete pillboxes and shell-holes rather than dugouts and trenches. 149th Brigade attacked on 26 October, with 446 Field Company in support. The attack was a failure and the attacking companies were virtually wiped out. Over succeeding days the rest of the division made small gains, at heavy cost. The division was relieved on 9 November.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
1918When the German spring offensive opened on 21 March 1918, 50th Division was in GHQ Reserve west of the Somme Canal, behind the Fifth Army front that was attacked. During the night the division was ordered up to occupy the rear line of defences known as the 'Green Line', where they came under attack the following day. The division held its positions, but the adjoining division fell back, and the bridges on 149 Brigade's flank had to be held by some of the engineers before they were demolished. The following day, the division was ordered to retreat behind the Somme Canal, and fell back over 10 miles, fighting rearguard actions.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
On 24–25 March the 50th Division defended the canal crossings, then as Fifth Army continued to retreat, it fell back again during the night of 25/26 March, taking part in the Battle of Rosières over the following two days. On the morning of 27 March the CRE was ordered to form a composite infantry battalion from the 7th and 447th Field Companies and some details of 150th Brigade. The composite battalion took up a position to guard the flank of 149th Brigade but no enemy attack developed on that front.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
At 11.30, however, divisional HQ received a report that the enemy had broken through at Proyart, and the RE battalion was sent to cooperate with two battalions of the adjacent division (24th Division) in a counter-attack. This counter-attack was held up short of Proyart, but the existing trenches were held during the night and the following day, until the division withdrew towards Moreuil, where the German offensive was finally halted on 31 March.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
50th Division was relieved on 1 April, and was sent north. It took over billets around Estaires on 8 April, just in time to be hit by the second phase of the German Spring Offensive (the Battle of the Lys) the following day, resulting in the Battle of Estaires. The front line held by the 40th Division and Portuguese 2nd Division collapsed, and after they had passed through, 50th Division defended a string of fortified farms and bridgeheads. The troops fought hard all day, and then retired over the rivers Lawe and Lys, destroying the bridges that night. The Germans took Estaires on 10 April, despite counter-attacks, and the division was pressed back through 11–12 April, fighting rearguard actions. The much-reduced division was relieved at dawn on 13 April.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
After rest for the division and training for the replacement troops received, 50th Division moved south and relieved French troops in the River Aisne sector. Unfortunately, it was right in the path of the third phase of the German Spring Offensive (the Third Battle of the Aisne),which opened on 27 May. Several battalions were overrun, all the brigade commanders became casualties, and the division effectively ceased to exist by the end of the day. The Divisional Engineers had been sent up with the pioneers and reserves to occupy the Yellow (reserve) line, but were unable to reach it, meeting the advancing enemy before they reached the position. The remnants of the division were withdrawn two nights later.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
The Northumbrian battalions of the 50th Division were reduced to cadres, training fresh US Army units, while the division was reconstituted with battalions brought back from the Macedonian front. The Divisional Engineers were among the few original parts that remained with the reconstituted division.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
The rebuilt 50th Division re-entered the fighting during the Allied Advance to Victory, at the Battle of Beaurevoir (3–8 October). Considerable opposition was encountered. On 6 October, 150th Bde forced its way into the Beaurevoir Line, but subsequent attacks the following day by 149th Bde failed to progress. 7th Field Company then laid out the jumping-off tapes under cover of darkness and heavy rain, and 151st Bde broke through before dawn on 8 October.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
After breaking the Beaurevoir Line, the BEF pursued the Germans to the River Selle, which had to be forced by a set-piece operation (the Battle of the Selle). There was only one sector where 50th Division could cross the river. The CRE, Lt-Col P. de H Hall, and the officers of 7th, 446th and 447th Field Companies reconnoitred the position and  drew up plans to use 12 duckboard bridges and four floating bridges for the assault crossing. The bridges were made up with timber from a captured German dump and were concealed about 50 yards from the chosen site.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
The engineers began work at 01.00 on 17 October, cutting through hedges ahead of the infantry. When the artillery barrage came down at Zero Hour (05.20), the bridging parties (one RE officer and one pioneer officer, 17 sappers and 50 pioneers for each group of four bridges) advanced and assembled their bridges in ten minutes: 'all this, thanks to the thick mist, was done under the noses of the enemy without a casualty'. The division then crossed the river and embarked on bitter fighting for the 'Railway Triangle' on the outskirts of Le Cateau.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
After a period in reserve, the division rejoined the offensive, forcing its way through the Forest of Mormal and across the River Sambre by plank bridges (4–5 November). The division continued the pursuit until it was relieved on 10 November, and the following day the Armistice with Germany came into force. Demobilisation began in December, and by March 1919 the division and its elements had been reduced to cadre and had gone home.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 50th Division
The following officers served as CRE of 50th (Northumbrian) Division:


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 63rd Division
2nd Northumbrian Division, numbered 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division from August 1915, was an exact duplicate of the 50th Division. It began to assemble in and around Newcastle in January 1915 as part of Northern Command. Its divisional RE comprised the 2/1st and 2/2nd Northumbrian Field Companies and the 2/1st Northumbrian Signal Company, all based at Newcastle.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 63rd Division
The division was responsible for the Seaham Harbour–Sunderland–Newcastle coastal stretch in the defence of North East England. As early as January 1915, the 2nd Line units of the division began to be called upon to provide drafts to the 1st Line, and were rarely up to strength thereafter. 2/1st Northumbrian Field Company was replaced in 63rd Division by 3/1st, and when divisional RE establishments were increased to three field companies, a new 1/3rd was added by January 1916. The divisional signal company was numbered 63rd.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 63rd Division
In November 1915, 63rd Division moved to Nottinghamshire, with the divisional RE at Worksop. At this period the division formed part of the Eighth New Army. But the drain of drafts to 50th Division fighting on the Western Front was so great that the division's infantry units were never up to strength. The decision was made in Spring 1916 to break up the division. The 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division ceased to exist on 21 July 1916. Its number (together with the divisional artillery) was transferred to the Royal Naval Division, but the divisional field companies were transferred to the 15th Indian Division, serving in Mesopotamia.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 63rd Division
63rd (2/1st Northumbrian) Divisional Signal Company did not go overseas and was broken up for drafts in England.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 63rd Division
The following officer served as CRE of 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division:


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 15th Indian Division
The division was formed on 7 May 1916 in Mesopotamia, and had already seen action. The Northumbrian engineers joined the division on the Euphrates front as follows:


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 15th Indian Division
The division took part in the Capture of Ramadi on 28–9 September 1917, the occupation of Hit on 9 March 1918, and the action of Khan Baghdadi on 26–7 March 1918.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 15th Indian Division
At the end of the war the division was rapidly run down, and was formally disbanded in March 1919.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 15th Indian Division
The following officers served as CRE of 15th Indian Division while the Northumbrian companies were attached:


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 641st (Northumbrian) Field Company
In May 1915 all TF men who had only signed up for Home Service were transferred to Home Defence brigades (termed Provisional Brigades). 2nd Provisional Brigade was formed in North East England from the home service men of 50th (Northumbrian) and 49th (West Riding) Divisions, including 2nd Provisional Field Company, RE. By March 1916 the Provisional Brigades were concentrated along the South East Coast of England. The Military Service Act 1916 swept away the Home/Foreign service distinction, and all TF soldiers became liable for overseas service, if medically fit.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 641st (Northumbrian) Field Company
The provisional brigades and units received numbers and henceforth part of their role was physical conditioning to render men fit for drafting overseas. 2nd Provisional Brigade became the 222nd Infantry Brigade, and in March 1917 the field company was redesignated 641st (Northumbrian) Field Company. The unit never served overseas but lasted until at least August 1917.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War I, 641st (Northumbrian) Field Company
454th (Northumbrian) Reserve Field Company was also formed (probably from 2nd or 3rd Line Territorials) and existed from January to December 1917. Little is known about it, but it did not proceed overseas, and was probably absorbed into the central training organisation in 1918.


1st Newcastle Engineers, Interwar
The 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division reformed in April 1920 in what was now termed the Territorial Army, with its engineers organised as follows:50th (Northumbrian) Divisional Engineers, RE


1st Newcastle Engineers, Interwar
Signals units were transferred from the RE to the newly formed Royal Corps of Signals in 1920: 50th Divisional Signals at Gateshead absorbed 5th (Cyclist) Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment and moved to Hull. Later, each division was assigned a 'Field Park Company', which acted as a base for the field companies and held specialist equipment, including the divisional bridging platoon. 50th Division's Field Park Company was numbered 235 in sequence after the field companies.


1st Newcastle Engineers, Interwar
After the Munich Crisis in 1938 the TA was doubled in size, with most existing units and formations creating duplicates. 232–235 Companies of 50th (Northumbrian) Divisional Engineers were duplicated by 505–508 Companies, but instead of the new units being assigned to the new 2nd Line division (23rd (Northumbrian) Division), they were mixed, as follows:


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, Battle of France, 50th Division
The 50th Division joined the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France in February 1940. When the Germans attacked in May, the division moved up into Belgium with the rest of the BEF and took up positions on the River Dendre. However, the Germans broke through French lines and the BEF was forced to retreat. By 19 May, 50th Division was moved back to Vimy Ridge north of Arras to prepare for a counter-attack as part of 'Frankforce.'


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, Battle of France, 50th Division
On 21 May part of the division attacked, supported by tanks, in what became known as the Battle of Arras. However, after this brief check, the Germans continued to advance, and Arras became a dangerous salient and a further attack was cancelled. By now the BEF was cut off from the bulk of the French armies, and began its retreat towards Dunkirk. 50th Division was sent north to Ypres, where it found an open flank where the Belgians had already retreated.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, Battle of France, 50th Division
It began a planned withdrawal, providing a rearguard for the eastern flank of the BEF, suffering heavy casualties from bombardment as it did so. By the night of 31 May–1 June the division was back across the French frontier, in reserve to the French defenders. The division, less its heavy equipment, was evacuated from Dunkirk on 1 June and landed in the United Kingdom the following day.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, Battle of France, 23rd Division
23rd (Northumbrian) Division only became operational on 2 October 1939, and almost immediately, 506 Field Company was withdrawn to join the reforming 5th Infantry Division and then 2nd Infantry Division, which it served throughout the war. Partly trained, 23rd Division was sent to France in an incomplete state primarily to provide labour behind the lines, but after the German breakthrough it was ordered up to defend a frontage of 16 miles along the Canal du Nord.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, Battle of France, 23rd Division
Outflanked, and faced with five German Panzer divisions, the infantry and engineers fell back towards Arras, doing what they could to hold up the enemy and suffering heavy casualties in the process. The division played a peripheral part in the Battle of Arras and by 27 May had retreated into the Dunkirk perimeter, by which time it was incapable of further action.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, Battle of France, 23rd Division
After evacuation from Dunkirk, 23rd Division was broken up. 233 Field Company rejoined 50th Division, while 507 Field Company and 508 Field Park Company transferred to London Defence Troops RE. 507 Field Company later went to Northern Ireland with 148 Brigade Group until mid-1942 when it joined 47th (London) Infantry Division, a reserve formation, with which it remained until the end of the war. 508 Field Park Company was assigned to VIII Corps Troops, Royal Engineers by February 1941 and apart from a brief interval it served with that unit in home defence and throughout the campaign in North West Europe.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, North Africa
After re-equipping and retraining in the United Kingdom, 50th Division sailed on 23 April 1941 for Egypt. Following spells in Cyprus, Iraq and Syria, it joined British Eighth Army for the Battle of Gazala (26 May–21 June 1942). 150th Brigade, with 232 Field Company under command, had formed an independent brigade group and had been in the Western Desert since the previous November. It rejoined the division in February 1942, but during the 'Battle of the Cauldron' at Gazala the whole brigade, including 232 Field Company, was captured on 1 June and never reformed.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, North Africa
235 Field Park Company also disappeared from the division's order of battle on the same day, being temporarily replaced by 142 Field Park Squadron from 1st Armoured Brigade, but returned in September.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, North Africa
For the battles of Mersa Matruh and Alamein and for the remainder of the North African Campaign, the division operated with just its two surviving field companies (233 and 505) and field park (295). After Mersah Matruh they were engaged in developing a reserve position behind the main defence line at El Alamein. During the pursuit to Tripoli after the battle they were kept busy repairing roads demolished by the retreating enemy. They also suffered casualties while clearing mines.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, North Africa
50th Division moved up from Tripoli to lead the attack at the Battle of Mareth on 20 March 1943. The enemy position was behind the Wadi Zigzaou, 200 feet (61 m) wide, with almost unclimbable sides 20 feet (6.1 m) high. The divisional engineers under their CRE, Lt-Col C.E.A. Browning, made quantities of fascines and scaling ladders, with which they and the infantry advanced 'as though at the storm of Badajoz', according to the RE's historian. The infantry stormed three or four strongpoints and formed a bridgehead.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, North Africa
Under accurately ranged shellfire and enfiladed by machine guns, the sappers began to build fascine causeways for tanks and vehicles. Casualties were extremely heavy, but they managed to complete one causeway for tracked vehicles. They were unable to improve it for wheeled vehicles, and the first light tanks to cross it caused such damage in the mud that the heavier tanks could not follow. On the night of 21/22 March heavy rain produced a spate in the Wadi that further damaged the crossing.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, North Africa
The 'shattered and weary' 50th Divisional RE were reinforced by Sappers and Miners from 4th Indian Division, and started work in the evening of 22 March on two new causeways, while the enemy were counter-attacking: the wadi was under heavy close-range fire and the rising moon silhouetted the men working on the far bank. The causeways were completed at 03.30 on 23 March under a heavy barrage preceding another enemy counter-attack. The sappers then withdrew without hurrying, so as not to alarm the defending infantry. 50th Division was also in the forefront of the attack on Wadi Akarit on 6 April, when the divisional engineers had the task of clearing gaps in the minefields and making crossings over the anti-tank ditch.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, Sicily
In April 1943, in preparation for the invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky), 50 Division was joined by 168 (London) Infantry Brigade (consisting of 1st London Scottish, 1st London Irish Rifles and 10th Royal Berkshire Regiment) from 56th (London) Infantry Division, which brought 501 Field Company with it, which was soon replaced with 295th Fd Co, another London unit. The 50th Infantry Division was in the first assault wave and then fought its way up the east side of the island, including the Battle of Primosole Bridge.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, Sicily
After the fighting was over in Sicily, 168 (London) Brigade was replaced by 231 Independent Infantry Brigade (2nd Devonshire Regiment, 1st Dorset Regiment and 1st Hampshire Regiment), together with 295 Field Company, a Territorial Army unit originally recruited in London. These had fought through the Sicilian campaign and the assault landing in Italy in September. They now became permanent parts of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division. The divisional bridging platoon became an independent unit (as 15 Bridging Platoon) within the Divisional RE in August.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, Sicily
With its experience of amphibious assaults, 50th Division was earmarked for the forthcoming invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord) and sailed for Britain in October 1943.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, North-West Europe
On D-Day, 6 June 1944, 50th Division carried out the landings on Gold Beach. For this it was heavily reinforced, including two squadrons (81 and 82) of 6th Assault Regiment RE from 79th Armoured Division equipped with AVREs, and two additional field companies RE (73 and 280) carrying explosives to deal with beach obstacles. These troops were the first to reach the beach and begin work under fire before the assault infantry arrived. The division's own 235 Field Park Company formed specialist detachments, driving bulldozers etc. Once off the beach, 50th Division pushed inland towards Bayeux, and then consolidated its gains over the next few days against German counter-attacks. Progress towards Villers-Bocage was held up by strong Panzer units.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, North-West Europe
For the next two months the division fought its way slowly through the Bocage country before being relieved on 5 August. However, it was back in action on 9 August, attacking against stiff opposition in the advance beyond Mont Pincon as the Allies closed the Falaise Gap. Once the Seine was crossed and the pursuit began, 50th Division supported 11th Armoured Division's rapid advance, protecting the flank and 'mopping up' local resistance. On 1 September the division secured bridges over the River Somme near  Amiens and reached Arras. On 3 September it took part in the Liberation of Brussels.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, North-West Europe
More resistance was met at the Albert Canal, and 50th Division had to make an assault crossing in storm boats, after which the engineers erected (and maintained under heavy fire) a folding bridge, while the infantry pushed on and captured Gheel after bitter fighting. (7–11 September). The division was due to play a minor role in Operation Market Garden, holding the bridgehead from which Guards Armoured Division advanced, and later defending the road and bridge at Nijmegen, but the latter turned into a major defensive battle after the defeat at Arnhem. Again, damage to the bridges had to be made good by the engineers.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, North-West Europe
The defence of the Nijmegen bridgehead was 50th Division's last operation. It was by now very weak, and in December 1944 it was broken up to provide replacements for other units in 21st Army Group. Most of the division's units returned to the United Kingdom as training cadres to turn surplus Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel into infantry. However, the Divisional RE continued its frontline engineering role, the four companies becoming 50th GHQ Troops RE within 21st Army Group until the end of the war in Europe.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, 50th GHQ Troops RE
For the assault crossing of the Rhine (Operation Plunder) 50th GHQTRE's field companies constructed a vital access road, dubbed 'Caledonian Road', along the river bank to allow amphibious Buffalos and trucks carrying rafting equipment to cross a flooded area to reach the bank. The stores for the first 800 yards (730 m) of this road were brought forward, dumped, and camouflaged during the night of 22/23 March.


1st Newcastle Engineers, World War II, 50th GHQ Troops RE
At dusk the following evening, as the assault crossing began, the field companies started work and although hampered by enemy fire (the RE and Pioneers assisting them suffered over 50 casualties) they completed their 800 yards before dawn, when fire from Rees across the river halted further work. After the town was subdued the road was completed to its full length. At first it was made from channel tracks, which were later covered with soil so that carriers could run over them. But rain on 26 March turned this into slippery mud and the soil had to be scraped off again and replaced with coir matting and Sommerfeld tracking.


1st Newcastle Engineers, Postwar
When the TA was reconstituted in 1947, 50th Divisional RE was reformed as 103 Field Engineer Regiment, RE, with 232, 235 and 506 Companies and 235 Park Company now designated as squadrons. When the division was reorganised as a division/district command in 1961, 103 Regiment was broken up and 505 Fd Sqn disbanded, but 232 and 506 Fd Sqns and 235 Fd Park Sqn continued to be assigned to the divisional HQ. A major reorganisation in 1967 saw the division/district disbanded, and its RE component reformed as HQ Squadron and 103 (1st Newcastle) Field Squadron of 72 Engineer Regiment. The remainder of 72 Engineer Regiment was formed by the lineal descendants of the Tyne Electrical Engineers, thus uniting the lineages of all the Newcastle and Durham Engineer Volunteers of 1860 and 1874).


1st Newcastle Engineers, Postwar
72 Engineer Regiment was reduced to a single squadron in 1999 but reformed in 2006 as 72 (Tyne Electrical Engineers) Engineer Regiment (V), as a Close Support RE regiment, with the following organisation:


1st Newcastle Engineers, Postwar
72 Engineer Regiment supported 21 and 23 (Air Assault) Engineer Regiments of the Regular RE.


1st Newcastle Engineers, Postwar
Under the Future of the British Army (Army 2020) plans, 72 Engineer Regiment was withdrawn from the Army's order of battle by December 2016, but 103 Field Squadron, based in Tyneside, continued after  being resubordinated to 21 Engineer Regiment as part of a hybrid Regular and Reserve Unit.


1st Newcastle Engineers, Postwar
In November 2017, 103 Field Squadron was resubordinated from 21 Engineer Regiment in Ripon to 71 Engineer Regiment, based out of RAF Leuchars. 103 Field Squadron continues to operate as a detached Squadron from the Army Reserve Centre in Debdon Gardens, Newcastle.


1st Newcastle Engineers, Memorials
A World War I memorial to the men of the Durham Fortress Engineers and its three field companies was unveiled in Jarrow Drill Hall in 1928. An additional inscription to 233rd Field Company (of the Northumbrian Divisional Engineers) was added after World War II. The memorial is now in the RE Army Reserve Centre at Debdon Gardens, Newcastle.


1st Newcastle-upon-Tyne Artillery Volunteers
The 1st Newcastle upon Tyne Artillery Volunteer Corps was a unit of the Volunteer Force raised to supplement the British Army at a time of a perceived French threat in 1860.


1st Newcastle-upon-Tyne Artillery Volunteers, History
The unit was formed on the 2 June 1860 during the great surge of enthusiasm after an invasion scare that saw the creation of many Rifle, Artillery and Engineer Volunteer units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need.


1st Newcastle-upon-Tyne Artillery Volunteers, History
Attached to the 1st Newcastle AVC were the 1st Berwick-on-Tweed Artillery Volunteers from 1863 until 1866. In addition the 2nd Northumberland Artillery Volunteers were attached during 1863 and 1864 and the 3rd Durham Artillery Volunteers from 1873 until 1890.


1st Newcastle-upon-Tyne Artillery Volunteers, History
In 1899 the Headquarters for the Corps was built. Named as the Angus Hall Drill Hall, it was constructed at Liddell Terrace, Gateshead.


1st Newcastle-upon-Tyne Artillery Volunteers, History
On transfer to the Territorial Force in 1908 the Corps provided the 5th (Durham) Howitzer Battery of the 4th Northumbrian (County of Durham)(H) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.


1st Newcastle-upon-Tyne Artillery Volunteers, Honorary Colonel
The Honorary Colonel from January 1866 until his death in 1877 was Lord Henry H M Percy VC. From 1885 it was Colonel J R Young.


1st Night
1st Night is a 2010 opera themed comedy film directed by Christopher Menaul and starring Richard E. Grant, Sarah Brightman, Mia Maestro, and Julian Ovenden.


1st Night, Plot
1st Night is about a rich industrialist Adam (Richard E. Grant), who aspires to a more cultured world. Spurred on by playful jibes that he is little more than a city suit living the capitalist's dream, this frustrated amateur opera singer decides to throw an opera (Mozart's Così fan tutte)in his lavish country retreat. Once his friends see him belting out the notes, he feels sure it will spell the end to their shallow taunts. In fact, it might even help him win the hand of Celia (Sarah Brightman), the female conductor he has been pursuing whom - it just so happens - is the first to be recruited for his showpiece.


1st Nongshim Cup
The 1st Nongshim Cup was the inaugural edition of the team Go tournament consisting of five players each from China, Japan and South Korea. The tournament began on 16 December 1999 in Shanghai and finished on 28 March 2000. On Lee Chang-ho and Ma Xiaochun met in the final, with Lee defeating China's top player and leading Korea to their first of six straight Nongshim Cup titles.


1st Nongshim Cup, Teams
Preliminaries were held in Korea, while Japan and China sent pre-selected teams. Players listed in order that they appeared for their respective teams.


1st Nongshim Cup, Tournament
Mok Jin-seok of Korea defeated Yamashita Keigo in the first game. He would go on to defeat China representative Qiu Jun before losing to Japanese player Kudo Norio on 19 December. Luo Xihe beat Kudo Norio before the tournament moved to Tokyo.


1st Nongshim Cup, Tournament
Luo lost to Kim Yeong-sam of Korea, who then lost to Japan's Yoda Norimoto. Korea's Cho Hunhyun defeated Yoda after the Japanese representative eliminated China's Wang Lei from the tournament. The third and final stage moved to Seoul. Korea had three players left (including Hunhyun), while China (Chang Hao and Ma Xiaochun) and Japan (Cho Sonjin and Yamada Kimio) were left with two players each.


1st Nongshim Cup, Tournament
Cho Hunhyun would lose the opening match of the third stage to Chang, who then stringed together two more victories by defeating Yamada (Japan) and Yoo Changhyuk (Korea). Cho Sonjin of Japan defeated Chang, but then lost his next match against Korea's Lee Chang-ho.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers
The 1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers was a unit of Britain's Volunteer Force raised in the County of Norfolk in 1859 as a response to a French invasion threat. It became part of the Territorial Force in 1908 and served under various designations as field artillery in Palestine during World War I, and as heavy anti-aircraft artillery in North Africa and Italy during World War II. It disappeared in a merger in 1955.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Artillery Volunteers 1859–1908
The enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many Rifle, Artillery and Engineer Volunteer units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. The 1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVC) was formed at Great Yarmouth on 29 September 1859, with further batteries being added on 23 February and 4 June 1860, and 26 December 1862. In January 1864 several AVCs from Essex and Suffolk were attached to the 1st Norfolk for administration, and in November that year the 1st Administrative Brigade, Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, was formed with the following composition:


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Artillery Volunteers 1859–1908
In the early years the corps used large coastal artillery guns at Great Yarmouth.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Artillery Volunteers 1859–1908
When the Volunteers were reorganised in April 1880 the 1st Norfolk Admin Bde was consolidated into a single unit with headquarters at Great Yarmouth. The batteries were distributed as follows:


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Artillery Volunteers 1859–1908
However, the Essex volunteers were unhappy with the arrangements and left, so the Suffolk batteries were renumbered as Nos 5, 6 and 7. The unit became the 1st Norfolk (Norfolk & Suffolk) AVC, and was attached to the Eastern Division of the Royal Artillery (RA) in 1882.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Artillery Volunteers 1859–1908
As well as manning fixed coast defence artillery, some of the early Artillery Volunteers  manned semi-mobile 'position batteries' of smooth-bore field guns pulled by agricultural horses. But the War Office refused to pay for the upkeep of field guns for Volunteers and they had largely died out in the 1870s. In 1888 the 'position artillery' concept was  revived and some Volunteer companies were reorganised as position batteries to work alongside the Volunteer infantry brigades. On 14 July 1892 the 1st Norfolk Volunteer Artillery were reorganised as three position batteries and seven garrison companies:


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Artillery Volunteers 1859–1908
The Artillery Volunteers were transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) in 1899, and when the RA's divisional structure was abolished on 1 January 1902 the unit was redesignated as the 1st Norfolk RGA (Volunteers). An affiliated Cadet Corps was formed at Beccles in 1906.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Territorial Force
In 1908 on the formation of the Territorial Force the Norfolk batteries of the 1st Norfolk became the I East Anglian Brigade Royal Field Artillery (TF). (The I (1st) Brigade was going to have been numbered II (2nd), but this was changed by October 1908.) Also formed at the same time from the Suffolk batteries was the III East Anglian (Howitzer) Brigade, comprising the 1st and 2nd Suffolk (Howitzer) Batteries and the 3rd East Anglian Ammunition Column.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Territorial Force
The Commanding Officer (CO) of the 1st Norfolks since 1888 had been Colonel the Earl of Stradbroke, VD; he became Honorary Colonel of the new unit (while remaining CO of the III East Anglian (H) Bde).


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Territorial Force
The brigade formed part of the East Anglian Division of the TF. By 1914 the batteries were each equipped with four 15-pounder guns.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, Mobilisation
The East Anglian Division began its annual training on 27 July 1914 and by 3 August the divisional artillery had concentrated at the Redesdale training area in Northumberland. When the order to mobilise was given on 4 August, the units returned to their headquarters and then moved to their war stations. By 10 August the division had concentrated around Brentwood, Essex, and on 20 August it moved to Chelmsford and formed part of the coast defences of the UK until the following May.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, Mobilisation
Meanwhile, the formation of duplicate or 2nd Line TF units from Home Service men and recruits had been authorised, and towards the end of 1914 the 2nd East Anglian Division came into existence at Peterborough. The original (1st Line) I East Anglian Brigade became the 1/I and its 2nd Line became the 2/I East Anglian Brigade.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I East Anglian Brigade
The 1st East Anglian Division was employed on coast defence until May 1915, when it was concentrated at St Albans preparatory to going overseas as the 54th (1st East Anglian) Division. However, when the infantry departed for the Gallipoli Campaign, the divisional artillery was left behind. In August it joined the 2nd Line at Thetford and Brandon, Suffolk, rearmed with modern 18-pounder guns and handed over its obsolete 15-pounders to the 2nd Line batteries.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I East Anglian Brigade
On 17 November 1915 the 54th Divisional Artillery embarked for France, where it joined 33rd Division, a 'Kitchener's Army' division whose artillery were still under training.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I East Anglian Brigade
After a month on the Western Front, during which parties of officers and men had been attached for training to other divisions in the Front Line, 54th Divisional Artillery was warned that it was to be transferred to Egypt to rejoin its parent division, which had been withdrawn from Gallipoli. Embarkation began at Marseille on 30 January 1916 and disembarkation was completed at Alexandria by 14 February. The divisional artillery rejoined 54th Division at Mena Camp near Cairo and in April moved into No 1 (Southern) Section of the Suez Canal defences.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I East Anglian Brigade
On 29 May 1916 the 1/I East Anglian Brigade was renumbered CCLXX (270) Brigade RFA and its batteries became A, B and C. It was renumbered again on 21 December, becoming CCLXXII (272) Brigade RFA, and was reorganised into two six-gun batteries, with C Battery split up between A and B.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I East Anglian Brigade
The infantry battalions of 54th Division were slowly brought back up to strength with drafts from home during 1916, and by mid-January 1917 the whole division had assembled at Moascar in preparation for the British invasion of Sinai. After crossing the Wilderness, the division took part in the First (26–7 March) and Second Battle of Gaza (17–9 April)


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I East Anglian Brigade
Between 26 June and 1 July 1917 the brigade was reorganised, with A Bty transferred to CCLXIV Bde of 52nd (Lowland) Divisional Artillery and C (Howitzer) Bty (originally the 1st Suffolk Battery, see above) joining from CCLXXI (1/II East Anglian) Bde. Henceforward the brigade comprised six 18-pounders in B Bty and four 4.5-inch howitzers in C Bty.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I East Anglian Brigade
The campaign was renewed in the autumn at the Third Battle of Gaza (27 October – 7 November) and the final capture of Gaza (1–7 November). At the end of the year the division was engaged in the Battle of Jaffa (21–22 December).


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I East Anglian Brigade
54th Division was next engaged in the action at Berukin (9–10 April 1918). Finally it took part in the opening stage of Allenby's final offensive (the Battle of Megiddo), known as the Battle of Sharon (19–23 September).


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I East Anglian Brigade
The division was then taken out of the line and concentrated at Haifa, where it was engaged in repairing communications for the rapidly advancing army. It next moved to Beirut, where it was concentrating when the Armistice of Mudros was signed with Turkey and hostilities ended on 31 October.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I East Anglian Brigade
In late November 1918 the division was ordered to return to Egypt, the artillery proceeding by sea and arriving in mid-December. Demobilisation began in January 1919, and the TF units were slowly reduced to cadres. In March and April, when its guns had been handed in and about one-third of its men had left, 54th Divisional Artillery was converted into an ad hoc cavalry regiment to act as mounted police during disturbances in Cairo. Demobilisation recommenced in May and was completed in June.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I East Anglian Brigade
Training for the 2nd Line artillery was hindered by the shortage of equipment, and several months passed before guns, horses and harness were received. Even then, only obsolete French De Bange 90 mm cannon were available for training. Early in 1915 the 2nd East Anglian Division (which was numbered 69th in August 1915) concentrated round Thetford, where it formed part of First Army in Central Force. The divisional artillery was distributed around Brandon, Cambridge and Tuddenham. In November the divisional artillery took over the 15-pounder guns released by its 1st Line (see above).


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I East Anglian Brigade
The division's role throughout the war was to train drafts of reinforcements for units serving overseas. In May 1916, the 2/I East Anglian Brigade was numbered CCCXLV (345) Bde, the batteries became A, B and C, and it was joined by 2/1st Suffolk (Howitzer) Bty from 2/III East Anglian Brigade, which became D (H) Bty. The following month the division was transferred to Northern Command and moved to Harrogate in North Yorkshire.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I East Anglian Brigade
On 1 September 1916, C Bty changed places (and designations) with 533 (Howitzer) Battery, RFA, at Cowshott (near Aldershot). In November 1916, B Bty was broken up to bring A and C Btys up to six-gun strength. However, the following month the whole brigade was broken up, with A and D (H) Btys becoming B and D (H) Btys in CCCXLVIII (2/IV East Anglian) Bde and C Bty becoming B Bty in CCCXLVI (2/II East Anglian) Bde.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 3/I East Anglian Brigade
A 3rd Line Depot brigade (3/I East Anglian Brigade) was formed early in March 1915. At first, training had to be carried out without any guns, harness or horses. In May the unit was affiliated to No 4 TF Artillery School at High Wycombe, which took over training while the 3/Ist became a holding and draft-finding unit. The 3rd Line East Anglian brigades were merged into the school in August 1916, when it became 4th Reserve Brigade, RFA (TF).


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Interwar years, 84th (1st East Anglian) Field Brigade
When the TF was reformed on 7 February 1920 the unit was reformed in 54th (East Anglian) Division as 1st East Anglian Brigade, RFA. On the reconstitution of the TF as the Territorial Army in 1921 it was numbered as 84th (East Anglian) Brigade, RFA,, with the following organisation:


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Interwar years, 84th (1st East Anglian) Field Brigade
When the RFA merged into the Royal Artillery on 1 June 1924, the unit changed its title to a 'Field Brigade, RA', and the subtitle '1st East Anglian' was restored in 1937. The brigade moved into new drill halls at All Saints Green, Norwich, Artillery Square, Great Yarmouth, and Lincoln Road, Peterborough.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Interwar years, 78th (1st East Anglian) Anti-Aircraft Regiment
In 1938, the unit was one of a number of field artillery units selected for conversion to the Anti- Aircraft (AA) role as 78th (1st East Anglian) Anti - Aircraft Regiment, RA (still termed a brigade until 1 January 1939). The process began in November 1938, when 336th (Northamptonshire) Bty joined 135th (East Anglian) (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, and was replaced by 409th (Suffolk) Independent AA Bty at Lowestoft. (The latter had originally been the 1st Suffolk AVC in the 1st Norfolk Administrative Bn, and later C (H) Bty of CCLXXII Bde, see above.) The new regiment therefore had the following composition:


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Interwar years, 78th (1st East Anglian) Anti-Aircraft Regiment
The regiment was assigned to 41st (London) Anti - Aircraft Brigade in 2nd AA Division.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Mobilisation
In February 1939 the TA's AA defences came under the control of a new Anti- Aircraft Command. In June, as the international situation worsened, a partial mobilisation of the TA was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each AA unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected AA gun positions. On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, AA Command was fully mobilised at its war stations, which in the case of 41st (London) AA Bde was in East Anglia.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Phoney War
On the evening of Saturday 23 March 1940, a Royal Air Force bomber crashed in flames. Among the first on the scene were Sergeant H. Aspland and Gunners L. Thomas and H. Greenacre of 78th AA Rgt. In spite of the danger of explosion, Sgt Aspland and Gnr Thomas got one member of the crew out from under the wing just before the fuel tank exploded, while Gnr Greenacre carried the unconscious rear gunner to safety. The three men received a commendation from the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of AA Command.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Battle of Britain and Blitz
On 1 June 1940 the AA regiments equipped with 3-inch or newer 3.7-inch guns were redesignated 'Heavy AA' (HAA) regiments. During the Battle of Britain and Blitz, from July 1940 to February 1941, 2nd AA Division split 78th HAA Rgt up into detachments between 32nd (Midland), 40th and 41st (London) AA Bdes, covering airfields in East Anglia and the East Midlands, and 39th AA Bde covering the Humber Gun Zone. By May 1941 the regiment was concentrated in 40 AA Bde.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Battle of Britain and Blitz
The regiment sent a cadre to 205th HAA Training Rgt, Arborfield, to provide the basis for a new 468 Bty; this was formed on 7 August 1941 and joined the regiment on 6 October 1941 to replace 409 Bty, which transferred to 136th HAA Rgt. By the end of the year the regiment was in 41st AA Bde.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Battle of Britain and Blitz
The regiment later supplied cadres for 506 and 540 (Mixed) HAA Btys formed on 13 January and 5 March 1942 respectively at 206th HAA Training Rgt, Arborfield, which joined 149th and 158th (Mixed) HAA Rgts ('Mixed' units were those into which women from the Auxiliary Territorial Service were integrated).


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Battle of Britain and Blitz
During April 1942 the regiment left AA Command (except 468 HAA Bty which joined 136 HAA Rgt, reducing 78th to the three-battery establishment for overseas service) and came under control of the War Office to prepare for overseas service.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Middle East
78th HAA Regiment left the UK in June 1942 with 243, 244 and 245 HAA Btys and sailed for the Middle East. The commander of Persia and Iraq Command (PAIFORCE), Gen Henry Maitland Wilson, had urgently requested additional AA units, to cover the vital oilfields and other facilities in case of Luftwaffe attack from the Caucasus, and the regiment joined Ninth Army in October. In the event, the Germans did not break through in the Caucasus and the Luftwaffe was never able to bomb Iraq or Persia, which made the job of AA units in PAIFORCE rather dull.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Middle East
By January 1943, 78th HAA Rgt was part of 'AA Defence Area Levant' in 20th AA Bde, which covered Haifa, Beirut and Tripoli. The regiment's three batteries between then deployed 20 x 3.7-inch and 4 x 3-inch HAA guns. In November 1943 the regiment moved to Egypt as part of Middle East Forces.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Italy
From January 1944 the regiment was in Italy. Here it came under the command of 8th AA Bde, which was defending airfields in the Brindisi area for Eighth Army. In July the brigade was relieved and moved across Italy to defend Civitavecchia and US airfields on the Tiber plain, then back across to Ancona.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Italy
However, by this stage of the Italian Campaign the Luftwaffe was incapable of serious attacks, while the British ground forces were suffering a severe manpower shortage, so many AA units were deemed surplus to requirements and the personnel made available for drafting to other units. 78th HAA Regiment was withdrawn for disbandment in September, and was placed in suspended animation with 243, 244 and 245 HAA Btys on 26 December 1945.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Postwar
When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, the unit reformed at Great Yarmouth as 284th (1st East Anglian) (Mixed) HAA Rgt, the 'Mixed' now indicating that members of the Women's Royal Army Corps were integrated into the regiment. (The regiment's previous number was taken when the regular 1st Searchlight Rgt reformed as 78th HAA Rgt.)


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Postwar
Meanwhile, 409th (Suffolk) HAA Bty reformed as 660 HAA Rgt at Lowestoft, became Mixed in 1950 and was disbanded in 1955.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Postwar
Both regiments initially formed part of 66th AA Bde (the old 40th AA Bde), though that was disbanded the following year.


1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, Postwar
On 1 August 1950 the 284th HAA Rgt absorbed the 418th (Norfolk) (M) HAA Rgt (previously 514th (Suffolk) Coast Rgt, originally the Suffolk RGA). AA Command was disbanded on 10 March 1955, resulting in a large number of disbandments and mergers among TA AA units. The 284th HAA Rgt merged with the 389th (Norfolk Yeomanry) LAA Rgt to form 284th (The King's Royal Regiment, Norfolk Yeomanry) LAA Rgt, of which the old 284th formed RHQ and Q Btys, with HQ returning to Norwich. This regiment in turn later merged with 358th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Field Rgt, becoming 308th (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Field Rgt, with HQ moving to Ipswich and ending the Norfolk Artillery Volunteers lineage.


1st North Carolina Cavalry Regiment
The 1st North Carolina Cavalry Regiment, initially formed as 9th Regiment, North Carolina State Troops, was a cavalry regiment from North Carolina that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Raised in 1861 it served all over the Eastern Theater until it surrendered with the Army of Northern Virginia in 1865.


1st North Carolina Infantry Regiment
The 1st North Carolina Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. As part of the Army of Northern Virginia it fought in the Eastern Theater until the surrender at Appomattox.


1st North Carolina Infantry Regiment, History
The 1st North Carolina Infantry was organized at the race track at Warrenton, North Carolina during the spring of 1861 and mustered in on June 3, 1861 with nearly 1600 officers and men hailing from eleven North Carolina counties. Colonel Montford S. Stokes, a son of North Carolina Governor Montfort Stokes, became its commanding officer. He served in the Navy from 1832 to 1839 and also fought as a Major with the North Carolina Volunteers during the Mexican–American War. The other field officers were Lieutenant-Colonel Matt W. Ransom and Major John A. McDowell. The regiment initially served in Department of North Carolina, and after the First Manassas was relocated to Virginia.


1st North Carolina Infantry Regiment, History
The 1st North Carolina joined the Army of Northern Virginia and was brigaded under Brig. Gen. Roswell S. Ripley in the division of Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill.


1st North Carolina Infantry Regiment, History
On June 26, 1862 during the Battle of Beaver Dam Creek the 1st North Carolina suffered its first heavy casualties as fifty-four of their own were killed or mortally wounded and over one hundred wounded. Colonel Stokes was mortally wounded and died on July 14, 1862.


1st North Carolina Infantry Regiment, History
As part of the Second Corps, the 1st North Carolina participated in almost every battle the Army of Northern Virginia fought in the Eastern Theater.


1st North Carolina Infantry Regiment, History
The regiment surrendered with the army at Appomattox on April 9, 1865; fielding 10 officers and 61 enlisted men.


1st North Carolina Regiment
The 1st North Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army was raised on September 1, 1775, at Wilmington, North Carolina (originally authorized by the North Carolina Provincial Congress as state troops but on November 28, 1775, it became part of the Continental Army per direction of the Continental Congress). In January 1776 the organization contained eight companies. Francis Nash was appointed colonel in April 1776. The regiment was present at the defense of Charleston in 1776. It transferred from the Southern Department to George Washington's main army in February 1777. At that time, Thomas Clark became colonel of the 1st Regiment. The regiment became part of General Francis Nash's North Carolina Brigade in July.


1st North Carolina Regiment, Engagements
In 1777 the 1st North Carolina saw action at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown and it was present at White Marsh. Still led by Clark, it fought at Monmouth in June 1778. The North Carolina Brigade marched south under the command of James Hogun and arrived at Charlestown, South Carolina in March 1780. The 1st Regiment was captured by the British army at the Siege of Charleston on May 12, 1780. Clark and 287 men became prisoners. The regiment was reformed in the summer of 1781 and fought well in Jethro Sumner's brigade at Eutaw Springs in September that year. The 1st North Carolina was furloughed on April 23, 1783, at James Island, South Carolina and disbanded on November 15, 1783.


1st North Carolina Regiment, Engagements
The complete list of engagements (battles and skirmishes) of the regiment include the following:


1st North Carolina Regiment, Other Officers
Other officers included the surgeon, surgeon's mater, quartermaster, commissary, chaplain, muster master, deputy muster master, paymaster, and captains. The captains led a company that included a lieutenant, ensign, sergeant, corporal, fifers, drummers, and privates. The original captains of the 1st North Carolina Regiment included:


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers
The 1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers was a part-time unit formed in the North Riding of Yorkshire in 1860 in response to an invasion scare. The unit later became part of the Territorial Force and served on the Western Front during World War I, while their successors served as anti-aircraft gunners in World War II.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, Origin
The enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many Rifle, Artillery and Engineer Volunteer units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. One such unit was the 1st Yorkshire (North Riding) Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVC) formed at Guisborough on 27 January 1860. It was soon followed by the 2nd Yorkshire (North Riding) AVC at Whitby on 27 March 1860 and a 3rd Corps formed at Middlesbrough in February 1860. However, the 3rd Corps was never properly established and was replaced by the 3rd Yorkshire (North Riding) AVC at Scarborough on 20 May 1860.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force
The 1st North Riding AVC at Guisborough was very successful and soon reached a strength of eight companies under the command of Captain (later  Admiral) Thomas Chaloner, RN, of Gisborough Hall, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant. The 2nd and 3rd North Yorkshire AVCs were attached to the 1st Administrative Battalion of Yorkshire (East Riding) AVCs, which actually had its headquarters (HQ) at Scarborough in the North Riding.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force
In 1881 the 1st North Riding AVC moved its HQ to a new drill hall at Grange Road in the growing industrial town of Middlesbrough (No 4 Battery apparently remained at Northgate in Fountain Street, Guisborough), and in 1882 it became part of the Northern Division of the Royal Artillery, transferring to the Western Division in 1889. In 1891 it was converted to the role of  'position artillery', manning semi-mobile guns to operate with the Volunteer Infantry Brigades.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force
Admiral Chaloner was succeeded as Lt-Col in 1881 by the 3rd Earl (and future 1st Marquess) of Zetland, a former Regular Army lieutenant in the Royal Horse Guards and Yeomanry captain in the Yorkshire Hussars. (Zetland's father, the 2nd Earl, had drilled all household members at his estates in North Yorkshire every day during the Volunteer craze of 1859–60.) Admiral Chaloner became Honorary Colonel of the unit and died in 1884.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force
All Volunteer Artillery units became part of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) in 1899 and in 1902 the unit was redesignated 1st North Riding Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers).


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, Territorial Force
When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908, the corps became the Northumbrian (North Riding) Heavy Battery, RGA, equipped with four 4.7-inch guns, and its attached Northumbrian (North Riding) Ammunition Column, RGA. It formed part of the Northumbrian Division of the TF.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, World War I, Mobilisation
On the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914 the Northumbrian RGA mobilised at Middlesbrough under the command of Major C.T. Hennah and moved to Monkseaton on 8 August, then to Newcastle upon Tyne on 1 September as part of the Tyne defences. After mobilisation, units of the TF were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service, and on 15 August the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, World War I, Mobilisation
On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. Thus were formed the 1/1st and 2/1st Northumbrian (North Riding) Heavy Btys. The 2/1st Bty formed part of the 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/1st Northumbrian (North Riding) Heavy Battery
The 1/1st Battery received its embarkation orders on 12 April 1915 and entrained for its port of embarkation on 19 April. It disembarked at Le Havre on 21 April. The Northumbrian Division completed its concentration in the area of Steenvoorde on 23 April and went into action the next day at the Battle of St Julien. The 1/1st Bty was  transferred away from the Northumbrian Division on 6 May to join the XIII Brigade, RGA, and moved to positions in the angle of the Brielen–Vlamertinge–Elverdinge roads, west of the Yser Canal. It took part in the subsequent Battle of Frezenberg, engaging targets north of St Julien on 8 May, when its old 4.7-inch guns 'did fair shooting'. It remained in these positions, supporting troops in the Ypres Salient during May and June 1915.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/1st Northumbrian (North Riding) Heavy Battery
RGA Brigades, later termed Heavy Artillery Groups (HAGs), moved around the Western Front a good deal, supporting the various armies of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) as operations dictated. 1/1st North Riding Heavy Bty joined 41st HAG with Second Army on 5 October 1916, and then transferred to 51st HAG on 12 December 1916 in time to move to Fourth Army. On 9 February 1917 the four-gun battery was made up to six guns when it was joined by a section from 194th Heavy Battery, a New Army unit that had just arrived from England. By now, the heavy batteries on the Western Front had adopted the 60-pounder in place of the 4.7-inch.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/1st Northumbrian (North Riding) Heavy Battery
After a spell of rest and training, the battery rejoined 41st HAG with Fourth Army on 20 March 1917, remaining with it (apart from an attachment to 12th HAG with Third Army from 5 to 22 September 1917) until the end of the war. 41st HAG (renamed 41st (Mobile) Brigade RGA on 1 February 1918) served with Second Army from 1 May to 18 August 1918, and then returned to Fourth Army. In the final Hundred Days Offensive until the Armistice with Germany, the 41st Bde together with gunners of the Australian Corps supported troops of the US II Corps (which had no artillery of its own) during the 2nd Battle of Cambrai and Battle of the Selle.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/1st Northumbrian (North Riding) Heavy Battery
The 2nd Line TF units of the Northumbrian Division slowly assembled around Newcastle, where 2nd Northumbrian Divisional HQ opened in January 1915. While under training it was responsible for defending the coast of North East England from Seaham Harbour through Sunderland to Newcastle. In November 1915 the division moved into winter quarters in East Yorkshire, with 2/1st Bty at Hedon. However, thebattery left 63rd Division on 9 November 1915 and thereafter formed part of the Tyne Garrison until the Armistice. It was disbanded between 28 November and 30 December 1918.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, Postwar
When the TF was reconstituted as the Territorial Army (TA) in 1920 the Northumbrian (North Riding) Heavy Bty, RGA, was reformed at Grange Road, Middlesbrough, as the 2nd North Riding Battery in the 2nd Northumbrian Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (successors to the former 2nd East Riding Artillery Volunteers, which included the old 2nd and 3rd North Riding AVCs). These were redesignated the following year as 292nd (2nd North Riding) Bty and 73rd (Northumbrian) Brigade respectively. 292nd


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, Postwar
served as the howitzer battery of the brigade, and moved to the Artillery Barracks, Lytton Street, Middlesbrough, in the late 1920s, with the St Mary's College cadet battery attached to it. When the 73rd was converted into the 62nd (Northumbrian) Anti - Aircraft Brigade in 1936, the battery became 175th (2nd North Riding) Anti - Aircraft Battery. Shortly afterwards the 62nd split to form the 85th (Tees) Heavy Anti- Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, which included 175th Bty. It served in the heavy anti-aircraft  role throughout World War II, including the Battle of France and Dunkirk evacuation, the Battle of Britain and Blitz, and the North African and Italian campaigns.


1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers, Insignia
The 1st and 3rd North Yorkshire AVCs wore a distinctive forage or field service cap badge consisting of a Yorkshire Rose surrounded by a strap bearing the words '1st [ or 3rd] N.R. YORK VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY', surmounted by a crown. The waistbelt clasp of the 1st AVC bore the same badge, while that of the 3rd Corps had the Coat of arms of Scarborough within a strap bearing the words '3rd N.R.Y. ARTILLERY VOLS. SCARBRO'. The early pattern of officers' full dress pouch in the 3rd AVC also bore the town's arms. Standard pattern helmet plates were worn from 1878 with the wording on the scrolls reflecting the changes in the unit's title.


1st North-West Legislative Assembly
The 1st North-West Legislative Assembly lasted from 1888 to 1891. This Assembly was the third in the history of the Northwest Territories. The Assembly marked a huge milestone bringing responsible government to the territory for the first time.


1st North-West Legislative Assembly, Background
The 1st Northwest Territories Council was dissolved after reaching the quota of elected members prescribed under the Northwest Territories Act. This precipitated the 1888 Northwest Territories general election.


1st North-West Legislative Assembly, Background
Despite being an elected body, there were three remaining appointed members left to serve in the Assembly. The three appointees were Legal Advisers they could actively participate in debates and move motions, but did not have a vote.


1st North-West Legislative Assembly, 1st Session
The 1st Session of the 1st North-West Legislative Assembly began on October 31, 1888. The festivities began in the morning, with music provided by the North-West Mounted Police Band. The session began at 3:00pm with Lieutenant Governor Joseph Royal entering the chamber escorted by Mounties.


1st North-West Legislative Assembly, 1st Session
The Council opened by electing the first speaker in Northwest Territories history. Herbert Charles Wilson was nominated in a motion moved by Hugh Cayley. Wilson was acclaimed with the unanimous consent of the Assembly. The election for speaker was decided in a caucus meeting prior to the opening of the Assembly. There were to candidates for speaker presented. The first vote resulted in an 11 to 11 tie between James Ross and Wilson. Ross asked that his name be withdrawn but his supporters refused. After two more tie votes, Ross withdrew and Wilson was acclaimed as the choice for speaker.


1st North-West Legislative Assembly, 1st Session
The throne speech outlined five main areas of concern. The first was the need for provisions to deal with and prevent Prairie Fires. The Lieutenant Governor then called for the repeal of the liquor laws passed by the Temporary North-West Council. The speech also announced the introduction of a bill to provide provisions for collecting vital statistics. Royal also reported on the efforts of his legal committee to consolidate the legislation of the Northwest Territories. The last major portion of the speech outlined the upcoming budgetary estimates to be provided to members from the Lieutenant Governor advisory Council.


1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps
The 1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteers were a unit of the British Army raised from 1859 onwards as a group of originally separate Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs). They later became the 4th Volunteer Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment and saw action in the Gallipoli and Palestine campaigns during the First World War. Converted into a searchlight unit between the wars, they served in the defence of the United Kingdom and as an infantry regiment in liberated Norway during the Second World War. Postwar they continued in the air defence role until 1961 when they reverted to infantry as part of the Royal Anglian Regiment.


1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, Early history
An invasion scare in 1859 led to the creation of the Volunteer Force and huge enthusiasm throughout Great Britain for joining local RVCs. The War Office issued a Circular Letter on 12 May inviting volunteers, and within three days Earl Spencer had offered to raise a company from his tenants at Althorp in Northamptonshire. This became the Althorp Rifles, later 1st Northamptonshire RVC. The unit had a song, sung to the tune of The British Grenadiers:


1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, Early history
Within months the following units had been raised in the county:


1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, Early history
All these units were included in the 1st Administrative Battalion, Northamptonshire RVCs, in 1860, under the command of William Fitzroy, Earl of Euston (later 6th Duke of Grafton), as lieutenant-colonel, with Earl Spencer and the Earl of Pomfret as majors. (There was no 2nd Admin Bn in Northamptonshire.) The 1st Northamptonshire RVC established its headquarters (HQ) at Clare Street drill hall, Northampton. Three further volunteer corps were raised in the county and added to the 1st Admin Bn:


1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, Early history
The 1st Northamptonshire MRV was absorbed by the 4th Northampton RVC in 1863 and the 1st Northampton EVC transferred to the 2nd Tower Hamlets EVC in 1872. Also in 1872, the 4th and 5th RVCs amalgamated to form a new 3rd corps. Sir Henry Fletcher, Baronet, was appointed Captain of the 1st RVC in 1866, and Henry James Fitzroy (later Earl of Euston, nephew of the 6th Duke of Grafton) of the 2nd RVC in 1872. After Fitzroy had been promoted to major in 1874, Sir Hereward Wake, 12th Baronet, was captain of the 2nd RVC from 1877 to 1887, by special permission, because he simultaneously held a commission in the Militia.


1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, Early history
The Administrative Battalion was consolidated as the 1st Northamptonshire RVC in 1880, with the following organisation:


1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, Early history
Under the Childers Reforms of 1881, the 1st Northampton RVC was attached as a Volunteer Battalion to the Northamptonshire Regiment on 1 July, and formally changed its title to 1st Volunteer Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, in December 1887. (As with the Admin Bn, there was no 2nd Volunteer Bn). The Earl of Euston took over as Lt-Col Commandant on 4 February 1882.


1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, Early history
In the mobilisation scheme introduced after the Stanhope Memorandum of December 1888, the battalion initially formed part of the South Midland Brigade, which would have assembled at Warwick in the event of war. Later it joined the volunteer battalions of the Suffolk Regiment in the Harwich Brigade, tasked with defending the naval base at Harwich.


1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, Early history
By 1900 the unit had grown to a double battalion of 16 companies distributed as follows:


1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, Early history
In December 1899 the Volunteers were invited to form special service companies to reinforce their Regular battalions serving in Second Boer War. Volunteers from the 1st VB Northamptons disembarked at Cape Town in February 1900, and took their place as I Company with the 2nd Northamptons, gaining the Battle Honour South Africa 1900–1902 for the unit.


1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, Early history
After the Boer War the battalion joined with the volunteer battalions of the Bedfordshire Regiment to form the Bedford Brigade in Eastern Command.


1st Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, Territorial Force
When the Volunteer Force was subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) as part of the Haldane reforms of 1908, the bulk of the 1st Volunteer Bn became the 4th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, but the Peterborough companies were converted to form the Northamptonshire Battery of the Royal Field Artillery and the East Midland Brigade Company of the Army Service Corps.