1st Surrey Rifles, World War II, 129th (FSR) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
In March 1942, the 35th (First Surrey Rifles) S/L Regt RA was reorganised as 129th Light Anti- Aircraft Regiment RA (First Surrey Rifles) (TA), with 425, 426, 427 LAA Btys equipped with LAA guns instead of searchlights. 455 LAA Battery joined on 19 May 1942 from 81st LAA Rgt.


1st Surrey Rifles, World War II, 129th (FSR) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
At first the new regiment was unbrigaded, but after training it joined 28th (Thames & Medway) AA Bde in 6 AA Division in June 1942, covering North Kent and the Thames estuary. It transferred to 71 AA Bde in September (except 427 LAA Bty, which remained attached to 28 AA Bde). Both brigades were in 6 AA Division, which was absorbed into a larger 2 AA Group on 1 October. In early December 129th (FSR) LAA Rgt transferred again within 2 AA Group to 6 AA Brigade, which covered RAF airfields in East Anglia.


1st Surrey Rifles, World War II, 129th (FSR) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
On 1 May 1943, 6 AA Bde was redesignated 102 AA Bde and transferred from AA Command to the GHQ Reserve. 129th (FSR) LAA Regiment remained with 2 AA Group, transferring to 56 Light AA Bde and then back to 47 AA Bde by the summer, before becoming unbrigaded in September. By March 1944 it had joined 40 AA Bde in 2 AA Group.


1st Surrey Rifles, World War II, 129th (FSR) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Operation Diver
Shortly after D-Day, the Germans began launching V-1 flying bombs, codenamed 'Divers', against London. These presented AA Command's biggest challenge since the Blitz. Defences had been planned against this new form of attack (Operation Diver), but it presented a severe problem for AA guns, and after two weeks' experience AA Command carried out a major reorganisation, stripping guns from other areas and repositioning them along the South Coast to target V-1s coming in over the English Channel. 129th (FSR) LAA Regiment rejoined 102 AA Bde, which had taken responsibility for one sector of a new belt of anti-Diver defences under 2 AA Group.


1st Surrey Rifles, World War II, 129th (FSR) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Operation Diver
The regiment moved with 102 AA Bde back to East Anglia under a new 9 AA Group after 21st Army Group overran the V-1 launching sites in Northern France and the Luftwaffe switched to air-launching V-1s from the North Sea during the autumn and winter.


1st Surrey Rifles, World War II, 129th (FSR) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Operation Diver
At the end of 1944 the Luftwaffe was suffering from such shortages of pilots, aircraft and fuel that serious aerial attacks on the UK could be discounted. At the same time 21st Army Group fighting in North West Europe was suffering a severe manpower shortage. Large numbers of AA gunners were converted into infantry, and the strength of AA Command dwindled: 455 LAA Battery was disbanded at Anerley on 22 March 1945. The regiment transferred to 57 LAA Bde in March, and was still in 46 AA Bde in 2 AA Group after the war's end, without ever having served overseas.


1st Surrey Rifles, Postwar
When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, 129th LAA Regiment with its three remaining batteries (425, 426, 427) was placed in suspended animation at Trowbridge Barracks. The war-raised personnel then reformed the regiment and batteries in the Regular Army with the same numbers. On 1 April, this regiment was redesignated 115th LAA Regiment with 348, 349, 350 LAA Btys. However, it was disbanded a month later.


1st Surrey Rifles, Postwar
Meanwhile the First Surrey Rifles had reformed in the TA on 1 January 1947 as 570th Light Anti- Aircraft Regiment, RA, (First Surrey Rifles) with its HQ at Dulwich, forming part of 64 AA Bde (the former 38 AA Bde) in AA Comman. Its role was partly altered two years later when it was redesignated as an LAA/Searchlight regiment. From 1947 to 1955 the regiment continued to wear its 21st Londons cap badge and 1st Surrey Rifles arm badge.


1st Surrey Rifles, Postwar
In 1955, the regiment absorbed 622 Heavy AA Regiment (7th Queens Own) to form 570 LAA Regiment in 30 AA Bde. The combined regiment had no subsidiary title, but the parent units were recognised in the battery titles:


1st Surrey Rifles, Postwar
In 1961 the regiment was merged into 265 LAA Regiment, becoming R (Surrey) Bty, and 265 LAA in turn was merged into 100 Regiment RA in 1967. In the 1970s a cadre of 265 Regiment was reformed at Camberwell as C Battery (21st London, 1st Surrey Rifles) in 6th (Volunteer) Bn Queen's Regiment. In 1975 the 6th and 7th Bns Queen's Regiment amalgamated, and in 1980, 10 Platoon of D Company at Camberwell was renamed 10 (Highwood) Platoon in memory of the men of the 1st Surrey Rifles killed at High Wood on the Somme. This was increased to company strength in the Queen's Fusiliers in 1988, but in 1993 it became part of C (City of London Fusiliers) Company in the modern-day London Regiment and the 1st Surrey Rifles affiliation was discontinued.


1st Surrey Rifles, Battle Honours
The 1st Surrey Rifles received the following Battle Honours: those shown in bold type were borne on the drums and bugles (as a rifle regiment, no colours were carried):


1st Surrey Rifles, Battle Honours
Aubers, Festubert 1915, Loos, Somme 1916 '18, Flers-Courcelette, Le Transloy, Messines 1917, Ypres 1917, Cambrai 1917, St Quentin, Bapaume 1918, Ancre 1918, Amiens, Albert 1918, Pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders 1915–18, Doiran 1917, Macedonia 1916–17, Gaza, El Mughar, Nebi Samwil, Jerusalem, Jericho, Jordan, Tell 'Asur, Palestine 1917–18.


1st Surrey Rifles, Battle Honours
The RA and RE do not receive battle honours, so none were awarded to the regiment for its service during World War II.


1st Surrey Rifles, Traditions
The London RVCs of 1859–50 considered themselves the successors to the Volunteers of 1793–1815. The 1st Surreys claimed descent from the following Volunteer units:


1st Surrey Rifles, Traditions
From 1980 to 1988, 10 Platoon of 6/7th Queen's Regiment was named 10 (Highwood) Platoon in memory of the men of the 1st Surrey Rifles killed at High Wood on the Somme.


1st Surrey Rifles, Memorials
The regimental war memorial stands in front of St Giles' Church, Camberwell. The bronze plaque at the rear lists the battle honours won in World War I, which were later added to the regimental badge. Small panels have been added to the sides to commemorate those who served in South Africa 1899–1902 and those who were killed in World War II.


1st Surrey Rifles, Memorials
The regiment is one of those whose titles are inscribed on the City and County of London Troops Memorial in front of the Royal Exchange, London, with architectural design by Sir Aston Webb and sculpture by Alfred Drury. The right-hand (southern) bronze figure flanking this memorial depicts an infantryman representative of the various London infantry units.


1st Surrey Rifles, Memorials
The two wooden memorial crosses erected at High Wood and Eaucourt l'Abbaye by 47 Divisional Engineers in 1916 were falling into disrepair by 1925, when they were replaced in stone. The restored wooden crosses were preserved at the Duke of York's Headquarters in London (the former divisional HQ) until that building was sold in 2003, and are now at Connaught House, the HQ of the London Irish Rifles on the site of the former First Surrey Rifles drill hall at Flodden Road, Camberwell.


1st Surrey Rifles, Sport
The 1st Surrey Rifles had an association football club drawn from its personnel which played on Flodden Road at Camberwell. In the early years of the FA Cup, it competed in the Cup ties, but never rose further than second round, scores from their point of view:


1st Surrey Rifles F.C.
1st Surrey Rifles F.C. were an amateur football club who featured in the early years of the FA Cup from 1872 to 1878.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers
The 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers was a part-time unit of the British Army's Royal Artillery from 1859 to 1961. Raised as coastal defence artillery, the unit later served as field artillery in Mesopotamia during the First World War, and in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and North West Europe during the Second World War. It carried out a number of roles in the postwar Territorial Army.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force, Origin
The enthusiasm for the Volunteer Movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. The 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVC) was formed at Brighton on 19 November 1859. This soon reached a strength of eight batteries. Other AVCs were formed along the Sussex Coast, and on 8 June 1860 the 1st Administrative Brigade, Sussex Artillery Volunteers was formed at Brighton with the following composition:


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force, Origin
G.C. Dalbaic, formerly of the 4th Light Dragoons, was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the 1st Admin Brigade in 1864, with Lt-Col Thomas G. Johnston of the 1st Sussex AVC as his major. Major Charles S. Hannington of the 1st Sussex AVC, owner of Hanningtons department store in Brighton, became lt-col of both the AVC and the Admin Brigade in 1868, and honorary colonel in 1873. In 1865 the 1st Sussex became the first unit to win the Queen's Prize at the annual National Artillery Association competition held at Shoeburyness. They subsequently won it in 1867.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force, Origin
In April 1880 the 1st Admin Brigade was consolidated as the 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers with 12 batteries organised as follows:


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force, Origin
The 1st Sussex was assigned to the Cinque Ports Division of the Royal Artillery (RA) in 1882, transferring to the Eastern Division after the Cinque Ports Division was disbanded in 1889.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force, Origin
In 1886 the unit was divided into the 1st and 2nd Sussex Artillery Volunteers based at Brighton and Eastbourne respectively.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force, Position artillery
As well as manning fixed coast defence artillery, from the early days of the Artillery Volunteers Captain George Darby of the 3rd Sussex AVC, a former MP for Sussex, had promoted the idea of the Volunteers manning semi-mobile 'position batteries' of smooth-bore field guns pulled by agricultural horses. This concept was put into practice by a number of AVCs, but the War Office refused to pay for the upkeep of field guns and they had died out among the AVCs in the 1870s. In 1888 the concept was  revived and some Volunteer batteries were reorganised as position artillery to work alongside the Volunteer infantry brigades. In 1892 the 1st Sussex was reorganised as follows:


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force, Position artillery
No 1 Position Battery at BrightonNos 2–6 Garrison Companies at BrightonNo 7 Garrison Company at LewesNo 8 Garrison Company at High Street, Shoreham


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force, Position artillery
In 1899 the Artillery volunteers were transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA), the Sussex units becoming the 1st Sussex RGA (V) at Brighton and 2nd Sussex RGA (V) at Eastbourne respectively, with the 2nd Sussex designated as position or 'heavy' artillery.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force, Railway gun
Charles Gervaise Boxall (1852–1914), a Brighton-born London solicitor, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Sussex in 1873 and rose to become its commanding officer (CO) in 1893. In 1884 he published The Armoured Train for Coast Defence in Great Britain, outlining a new way to employ heavy artillery. No 6 Garrison Company of the 1st Sussex AVC was formed entirely from railway workers, and in 1894 they manned an Armoured train constructed in the workshops of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (of which the unit's Honorary Colonel, Sir Julian Goldsmid, was a director).


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Volunteer Force, Railway gun
Boxall was an enthusiastic member of the Volunteer Movement, and was awarded the Volunteer Decoration (VD) in 1894 and made a Companion of the Bath (CB) in 1897. He succeeded Goldsmid as Honorary Colonel in 1896. When the Second Boer War broke out, he  suggested the creation of a combat unit drawn from the London volunteer units. This became the City of London Imperial Volunteers (CIV) to which he acted as secretary and depot commandant. Boxall was knighted (KCB) for his services during the war, and in 1906–7 he served on the committee that recommended the creation of the Territorial Force.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Territorial Force
When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908, the bulk of the 1st and 2nd Sussex RGA (V) transferred to the Royal Field Artillery (RFA), forming the I Home Counties Brigade and two batteries of the II Home Counties Brigade respectively. Two companies of the 1st Sussex remained with the RGA to form part of the Kent and Sussex RGA.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Territorial Force
The I (or 1st) Home Counties Brigade had the following organisation:


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Territorial Force
The three batteries were each equipped with four 15-pounder guns. The unit was assigned to the Home Counties Division of the TF.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Territorial Force
Affiliated to the unit were the 1st Cadet Battalion, 1st Home Counties Bde, RFA, (Imperial Service Cadet Corps) at Brighton, the Steyne School Cadet Corps, and the Brighton Brigade, Sussex Cadets.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, Mobilisation
On the outbreak of war, the TF was mobilised for home defence and units were then invited to volunteer for overseas service. On 15 August 1914 the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and 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. Duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were thereby created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way the 1/I and 2/I Home Counties Brigades were formed.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, Mobilisation
On the outbreak of war in August 1914 the unit was under the command of Lt-Col Sir Berry Cusack-Smith, 5th Bt, KCMG, former Consul-General to Valparaiso, and the officer commanding 1st Sussex Bty was Major A.P. Boxall (nephew of Sir Charles Boxall).


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade
The bulk of the Home Counties Division, including the 1/I Home Counties Brigade without its Brigade Ammunition Column, embarked at Southampton and sailed on 30 October 1914 for India to relieve Regular Army units to fight on the Western Front. The Territorials disembarked at Bombay 1–3 December, and were allotted to various peacetime stations across India. Although the Home Counties Division remained in the order of battle and received a number (as the 44th (Home Counties) Division) in May 1915, it never served as a complete formation during the First World War. On arrival in India 1/I Home Counties Bde was assigned to the 5th (Mhow) Division.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade
The Territorials completed their training in India to prepare them for possible active service, and  they supplied drafts to units serving in the Mesopotamian campaign. When there was an urgent request for reinforcements to lift the Turkish Army's Siege of Kut, the 1/I Home Counties Bde was part of the 'Emergency Force' sent from India. Still armed with obsolescent 15-pounders it landed at Basra between 7 and 12 December 1915 and in January 1916 it joined Tigris Corps (soon afterward retitled III Indian Corps).


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1916
1/1st and 1/2nd Sussex Batteries moved up with the Emergency Force to reinforce Nasiriyah on the Euphrates, while 1/3rd Sussex Bty and Bde HQ followed later. During January, 12th Indian Division HQ at Nasiriyah pushed a force including 1/2nd Sussex Bty a few miles up the river to Butaniyah against some opposition, but there it halted. Meanwhile, 1/1st Sussex Bty with 7th (Meerut) Division took part in the Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad, attempting to dislodge the main Turkish force blocking the way to Kut.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1916
The force advanced on both banks of the Euphrates, the 1/1st Sussex Bty accompanying the column on the left bank. The attack went in on 6 January, but morning mist followed by Mirage made accurate artillery fire difficult in the flat featureless terrain. Even with the support of 1/1st Sussex Bty, the 37th Dogras had only got to about 800 yards from the Turkish trenches by 15.30 and were digging in under heavy fire. The attack was called off to allow the troops to regroup. In a renewed attack the following day the battery suffered the same problems, and the column had no better success. The right bank column, however, succeeded in taking Sheikh Sa'ad, despite heavy casualties. The force was too exhausted to take immediate advantage of the position.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1916
An attempt to turn the enemy line on 13 January led to the Battle of the Wadi. 1/1st Sussex Bty again supported 7th (Meerut) Division. The infantry forded the River Wadi with ease, but it constituted a serious obstacle to artillery, so the guns were not across until the afternoon. Once they had come into action at 13.30, firing into the rear of the Turkish guns and trenches at a range of 3500 yards, 7th (Meerut) Division began its attack.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1916
Most of the Turkish artillery fire was directed at the British guns rather than the infantry, but the attack still made little progress. The divisional artillery had to be concentrated before the next attack, and bad weather on 14 January delayed this. Meanwhile, the Turks had slipped away to their next position of strength at Hanna, and pursuit was hampered by the weather. On 7 February the detachment at Butaniyah was withdrawn, 1/2nd Sussex Bty covering the retirement.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1916
By the beginning of March the relief force had been reinforced, including 1/3rd Sussex Bty, and a new advance against the Hanna position was begun. 1/1st and 1/3rd Sussex Btys remained with the weak force left to contain the enemy and guard the British camp and bridges, so they played little part in the Battle of Dujaila, which was another failure.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1916
For the third relief attempt, on 5 April, 1/1st and 1/3rd Sussex Btys were with the concentrated corps artillery, which was organised into separate counter-battery, enfilading, breaching and barrage groups. However, the Turks had abandoned their trenches and the attack hit 'thin air'. The force pushed on and made a rushed attack on poorly-reconnoitred positions at dawn the following day. The artillery fire was misdirected  in the poor light, and the attack was bloodily repulsed at Sannaiyat. A series of deliberate attacks on the Sannaiyat position failed to break through, though they got to Bait Isa.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1916
On 18 April the Turks put in a strong counter-offensive, against which the artillery caused terrible casualties, especially when the Turkish infantry retreated from the unbroken British line. A renewed British attack on 22 April failed to break through, despite the concentration of artillery, and shortly afterwards the garrison of Kut surrendered.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, India
1/I Home Counties Bde was withdrawn to India in July 1916. On return to India the 1/1st and 1/2nd Sussex Btys went to Lahore where they were attached to 1/I Wessex Bde RFA in 3rd Lahore Divisional Area, while 1/3rd Sussex Bty went to Sialkot under II Mountain Brigade RGA in 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, India
In December 1916 the 1/1st and 1/3rd Sussex Btys, now at Multan and Delhi respectively, joined with the 1/4th and 1/5th Sussex Btys (from 1/II Home Counties Brigade) to form the I Combined Home Counties Brigade in 3rd Lahore Divisional Area.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, India
During 1916 the brigade had been formally renumbered as CCXX Brigade (220th Bde) and the batteries designated A, B and C. In 1917 the batteries were finally re-equipped with 18-pounders and redesignated again as 1064, 1065 and 1066 Btys; 1065 Bty was then broken up between the other two to bring them up to six guns each. From April to September 1917, Brigade HQ and 1066 Bty were at Meerut and 1064 Bty still at Multan, all under 7th Meerut Divisional Area.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, India
The brigade (with a reformed Brigade Ammunition Column) returned to Basra between 18 and 23 October 1917.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1918
CCXX Brigade made its way from Basra to Baghdad where it joined the newly formed 17th Indian Division on 11 November. In May 1918 it was joined by 403rd (Howitzer) Bty (with six 4.5-inch howitzers) from England and an Anglo-Indian battery formed in India with four 18-pounders. Other RFA brigades from 44th and 67th (HC) Divisions also served in 17th and 18th Indian Divisions, which constituted the bulk of I Indian Corps under Lt-Gen Sir Alexander Cobbe, VC, which concentrated at Tikrit on the Tigris in October 1918.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1918
By now the Turks were in retreat in Palestine and on the Euphrates Front in Mesopotamia, and it was time for the forces on the Tigris Front to exert pressure by advancing on Mosul. 17th Indian Division moved up the west bank and 18th Division up the east bank. The problem was the strong Turkish position on the Little Zab river and the Fat-Ha gorge, 35 miles further on. Rather than make a direct assault with the untried 17th and 18th Indian Divisions, Cobbe chose to outflank the gorge with a mobile column.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1918
On 23 October the 17th and 18th Divisions were within a mile of the Fat-Ha trenches; 220th Bde was on the west bank with 17th Division. The division advanced as the moon rose at 21.30, with the divisional artillery following close behind the leading infantry brigades to get as close as possible to the Turkish defences. But it found the Turkish positions empty; the flanking column had done its job. By 11.15 the following morning the division was astride Jabal Makhul and shortly afterwards patrols crossed the Little Zab.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1918
On 26 October the division closed up to Mushak. This time the Turks stood and fought, catching 403rd (H) Bty in the open and putting it temporarily out of action with 25 casualties. Lieutenant-Colonel R.K. Lynch-Staunton, CO of 220th Bde, was mortally wounded in this action.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1918
17th Division was ordered to assault along the crest of Jabal Makhul at dawn on 27 October and once again found the enemy trenches empty. It set off in pursuit, the advance guard comprising 220th Bde (403rd (H) Bty and one section each from 1064th and 1066th Btys, with 404th (H) and 25 Mountain Btys attached) with the 32nd Lancers and some infantry. The going was however appalling and progress was slow.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1918
The main Turkish position was discovered at Sharqat. At dawn on 28 October the Turks counter-attacked and were engaged by guns from the other bank of the river. This attack having been stopped, 17th Division then deployed to attack, with 1066th and 404th (H) Btys coming into action some 3000 yards from Sharquat. By last light the Turks were trapped against the river by 17th Division and the cavalry with 220th Bde (403rd (H) Bty less a section, 404th (H) Bty and a section each from 1064th and 1066th Btys) in action.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1918
To make sure that the Turks surrendered, 17th Division was ordered to attack with the rising moon at 01.45 on 29 October. The advance was very slow over broken ground, but at 11.30 all the guns of both divisions were turned on the Turks. A final attack went in at 15.30 on 29 October, and at first light the following morning the Turks in Sharquat surrendered. At noon on 31 October the Armistice of Mudros ended  hostilities with Turkey.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 1/I Home Counties Brigade, Mesopotamia 1918
At the end of the war the 17th Indian Division was selected to form part of the occupation force in Iraq and served during the Iraq Rebellion of 1920. It is not clear when the TF units were demobilised and sent home; the 44th (Home Counties) Division began to reform in 1920.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 2/I Home Counties Brigade
Because the 1st Home Counties Division had gone to India, the 2nd Home Counties Division was among the earliest 2nd Line formations to be formed. By 27 November 1914 the division was settled in billets round Windsor, Berkshire, and was reported ready to receive its weapons. However, the only guns available for the RFA brigades were obsolete French 90 mm guns, and even then there were only 4 guns per brigade. It was not until January 1916 that the division's gunners received their modern 18-pounders, and even then some time elapsed before sights arrived.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 2/I Home Counties Brigade
Meanwhile,  the division had been numbered as 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division and given a dual role of training drafts for units serving overseas and at the same time being part of the mobile force responsible for home defence. From November 1915 it formed part of Second Army, Central Force, quartered in Kent. Twice the division was warned to prepare for moves to Ireland, but these moves never happened and the division remained in England for the whole war.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, First World War, 2/I Home Counties Brigade
In May 1916 the field brigades were numbered, with 2/II  Home Counties becoming CCCXXXV Brigade (335th Bde) and the batteries were designated A, B and C. A howitzer battery (D (H)) equipped with 5-inch howitzers was added later in the year when CCCXXXVIII (2/IV Home Counties) Howitzer Bde was broken up. However, in 1917 the whole brigade was broken up to bring the batteries of the other RFA brigades of 67th Division up to a strength of six guns each before they went overseas to serve in Mesopotamia.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Interwar
The 1st Home Counties Brigade (now with an establishment of four batteries) reformed in the renamed Territorial Army in 1920 and was designated the 57th (Home Counties) Brigade, RFA, the following year. In 1924 the RFA was subsumed into the Royal Artillery. During the interwar years the unit had the following organisation:


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Interwar
The brigade was once again assigned as divisional artillery to 44th (Home Counties) Division, and was initially under the command of Lt-Col A.P. Boxall until 1924.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Interwar
With the expansion of the TA after the Munich Crisis, most units split to form duplicates. In the case of the 57th, 227 and 228 Batteries left in 1939 to form a new 113th Field Regiment, RA (RA 'brigades' were redesignated 'regiments' in 1938), at Shoreham, which gained the 'Home Counties' subtitle in 1942. At this time batteries consisted of 12 guns each, which in TA regiments were still 18-pounders.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Battle of France
Orders to mobilise were received on 1 September ahead of the outbreak of war on 3 September 1939. Mobilisation went smoothly and on 14 September 57th Fd Rgt moved to Forest Row for intensive training. On 24 October the division concentrated  in Somerset and the regiment moved to Stoke under Ham. However, the shortage of tools and equipment hampered training. The regiment carried out live firing exercises at Larkhill with 18-pounders and 18/25-pounders. 44th (HC) Division began moving to France to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on 1 April 1940, and 57th Fd Rgt moved up to the St Pol area.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Battle of France
When the German offensive in the west opened on 10 May, the BEF advanced into Belgium in accordance with 'Plan D', with 44th (HC) Division moving up to the Escaut, where it was in reserve. However, the German Army broke through the Ardennes to the east, forcing the BEF to withdraw again, and by 19 May the whole force was back across the Escaut, with 57th Fd Rgt deployed at Jammel Hoek covering the canal line.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Battle of France
This was the most threatened part of the British line, and there was severe fighting after the enemy established bridgeheads across the Escaut at dawn on 20 May. However, it was the deep German penetration further east that forced the BEF to withdraw to the next canal line on the Belgian frontier by 23 May. 44th (HC) Division withdrew into GHQ Reserve, and then took up positions immediately south of Hazebrouck.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Battle of France
On the morning of 27 May this line came under attack. By now the decision had been made to withdraw the BEF to Dunkirk for evacuation (Operation Dynamo). 44th Divisional artillery covered the division's retreat until close to Dunkirk, where all routes were completely blocked by abandoned French vehicles. The gunners destroyed their guns and vehicles before marching to the evacuation beaches on foot. 44th (HC) Division got away in pretty good order aboard boats on 30–31 May, but 58th Fd Rgt lost a number of officers and men in the process.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Home Defence
After evacuation the artillery of 44th (HC) Division reformed in the Oxford area before moving to Northern England to be re-equipped. 58th Field Rgt moved to Pontefract in July and some 25-pounder guns began to arrive later in the month. 44th (HC) Division then moved to Sussex to man a key part of the anti-invasion defences in South East England under I Corps. The division remained in Sussex and Kent until the end of May 1942, when it embarked for the Middle East. It landed in Egypt on 24 July, with 58th Fd Rgt equipped with 24 x 25-pounder guns.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, North Africa
At the time of its arrival the British forces in Egypt were facing a crisis against Rommel's Panzerarmee Afrika, and the division was lucky not to be thrown straight into action without any desert experience. Instead it got a bare month to train and was positioned on the key south-facing Alam el Halfa ridge when Rommel resumed his offensive with a right hook round the British Eighth Army's defences at El Alamein. During the resulting Battle of Alam el Halfa on 31 August the German Afrika Korps was drawn into attacking dug-in British tanks, supported by 44th Divisional artillery.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, North Africa
During the Second Battle of El Alamein, 44th (HC) Division supported 7th Armoured Division, which itself was tasked with carrying out a subsidiary attack on the first day (23 October). Much of this support was with artillery fire. 57th Field Rgt contributed to the famous '1000 gun' barrage that opened the battle. In the later stages of the battle elements of the division were switched north to assist the main breakthrough.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, North Africa
44th (HC) Division was broken up after Alamein and 57th Fd Rgt became an Army Field Regiment under Eighth Army. In January 1943 it joined 5th Army Group Royal Artillery (5 AGRA) forming at Medenine in Tunisia. 5 AGRA usually supported XXX Corps. The regiment participated in the battles of Medenine, Mareth, Wadi Akarit, and the capture of Tunis.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Italy
57th Field Rgt took part in the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) as part of 5 AGRA supporting XXX Corps' campaign in the east of the island. On 2 August the regiment supported the successful attack by 38th (Irish) Brigade on Centuripe. 5 AGRA and the rest of XXX Corps artillery then provided crushing support for XIII Corps in its assault crossing of the Straits of Messina (Operation Baytown) on 3 September 1943. Against this force, the landings were not seriously disputed, and Eighth Army began advancing up the Calabria coast.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Italy
In November, XXX Corps including HQ 5 AGRA were withdrawn to the UK to prepare for the Allied invasion of Europe (Operation Overlord), and 57th Fd Rgt transferred to 6 AGRA, which remained under Eighth Army in Italy.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Italy
6 AGRA supported V Corps at the crossing on the Sangro  in November 1943, when 57th Fd Rgt was detached to work directly under 78th Division. The field regiments fired over 600 rounds per gun in the three days of this engagement. 6 AGRA was involved in other operations by Eighth Army and US Fifth Army, including the Battle of Monte Cassino in April 1944, the fighting on the Gothic Line  (August) and at Castel del Rio (December 1944), and the crossing of the River Po (April 1945) that effectively ended the Italian Campaign.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Italy
57th (Home Counties) Field Regiment was placed in suspended animation in 1946.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Home Defence
113th Field Regiment mobilised in 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division, the 2nd Line duplicate of 44th (HC) Division, but when the division moved to France in April 1940 it was only intended for labour duties and the RA units remained behind in the UK. After the Dunkirk evacuation the 12th Division was broken up, and on 6 July 113th Fd Rgt joined 1st London Division (shortly afterwards designated 56th (London) Division). Post-Dunkirk, this formation was part of XII Corps in the south-east corner of England, the most-threatened area in the country, moving to XI Corps in November.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Iraq and North Africa
In August 1942 the division embarked for the Middle East, arriving in Iraq to reinforce Persia and Iraq Command (PAIC) in November. By the time it arrived, the threats to the Persian oilfields had diminished with the British victory at El Alamein and the lack of German progress at the Battle of Stalingrad. The troops in PAIC were therefore free to undergo intensive training, and 56th Division was selected for the planned Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky).


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Iraq and North Africa
This involved a move from Kirkuk via Palestine and Egypt to join X Corps of Eighth Army in Tunisia, covering approximately 3200 miles between 19 March and 19 April 1943. As soon as it arrived it was thrown into the last stages of the Tunisian Campaign, because Gen Montgomery did not want an untried division in Husky. Given the task of capturing Tarhuna during the night of 28/29 April, it succeeded but was driven off the position the following morning. Montgomery realised that the division needed time to learn battlecraft. It went into action again during the final advance on Tunis (Operation Vulcan), moving north to meet 6th Armoured Division of First Army coming south, whose leading troops were able to spot for X Corps' guns via 56th Division's wireless net.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Salerno to Anzio
Because of Montgomery's doubts, 56th Division was not in fact used in Operation Husky. Instead it moved back to Tripoli in Libya for further training, and then put to sea on 1 September for the invasion of mainland Italy, landing at Salerno on 9 September (Operation Avalanche). H-Hour was at 03.30, the division's leading infantry landing craft touched down at 03.35 covered by naval gunfire, and 113rd Fd Rgt's guns began landing at 05.35. The whole regiment was ashore and ready for action at 16.15.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Salerno to Anzio
Over the next few days the division fought its way forward to extend the beachhead against strong German counter-attacks, and the divisional artillery was heavily engaged in defensive fire (DF) tasks. X Corps began its advance out of the beachhead on the night of 22/23 September with massive artillery support and reached Naples on 30 September.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Salerno to Anzio
By 11 October, the division was on the Volturno Line but failed to cross the river the following day and had to wait until 16 October before it could cross and begin the pursuit through rough country beyond. This brought the division to the Bernhardt Line, where 113th Fd Rgt lent support to the attack of 201st Guards Brigade up 'Bare Arse Ridge' on 6 November during the during the Battle of Monte Camino. Attacks at Monte Camino continued in early December, with large numbers of guns in support, until the division seized the heights on 6 December.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Salerno to Anzio
56th Division was next tasked with capturing a bridgehead across the Garigliano using strong artillery support (400 rounds per gun were supplied for the division's 25-pounders). The attack on the night of 17/18 January 1944 was  successful and by morning the leading battalions were across and attacking with plenty of artillery support. The division began its breakout from the bridgehead on 23 January, but at the end of the month was ordered to pull out and go by sea to reinforce the Anzio beachhead. By 15 February the whole division had arrived and taken over part of the line under US VI Corps, in time to beat off the German counter-attack (Operation Fischfang or 'Catching Fish').


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Salerno to Anzio
Trench warfare in the Anzio bridgehead continued for months. On 28 February the German I Parachute Corps began an offensive against 56th Division that produced no change in the line. When the attack was widened to the front of 3rd US Division the following day, accompanied by unusually heavy support from field artillery, the whole artillery in VI Corps brought down a pre-emptive counter-preparation programme. Although this was too late to catch the German troops as they formed up, the attack made no real impression on the Allied defences. 56th Division was by now so weak that it was relieved and on 28 March went by sea to Egypt for recuperation.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Italy again
56th Division returned to Italy on 17 July 1944 and was assigned to V Corps for the attack on the Gothic Line (Operation Olive). When the offensive opened on 25 August 1944, V Corps was still moving up, and 56th Division was its reserve, but its artillery was sent on ahead to strengthen the Corps artillery. Once the Corps had broken into the German positions, 56th Division was used to widen the breach on 1 September, and then on 3 September to lead the pursuit, taking Monte Maggiore before opposition increased at the Gemmano–Coriano high ground. There followed hard methodical fighting to clear the Germans off successive ridge lines (the Battle of San Marino).


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Italy again
On the night of 27/28 September the 56th Division attacked Savignano sul Rubicone on the Fiumicino river, supported by a 90-minute barrage fired by the heavily reinforced divisional artillery. Nevertheless, the attack failed, as did attempts to renew it on 29/30 September and 1 October. Later in October, the badly weakened 56th Division was relieved in the line. While the infantry were recuperating, 56th Division's artillery was brought up to reinforce V Corps' fire-plan for the capture of Forlì and the attempted crossings of the Montone on 8 November.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Italy again
56th Division returned to the fighting in December to cover the Lamone crossing (2–13 December) and then to clear the ground between the Lamone and the Senio, forcing its way into Sant'Andrea on 31 December. However, ammunition shortages limited the use of the artillery.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Italy again
For Eighth Army's Spring offensive in 1945 (Operation Grapeshot), 56th Division was responsible for the operations on Lake Comacchio to outflank the Senio line (5/6, 10/11 and 13 April) allowing it to breach the Argenta Gap (15–19 April) despite the shortage of artillery ammunition. Once through the gap, 56th Division drove on through German rearguards to the Po, arriving on 25 April and crossing immediately. The division reached Venice on 29 April. Here it was halted due to shortage of fuel. The Surrender of Caserta came into force on 2 May, ending hostilities in the Italian theatre.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Second World War, 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment, Italy again
56th Division was made responsible for protecting lines of communication to the disputed city of Trieste in the immediate aftermath of the fighting. 113th (Home Counties) Field Regiment was placed in suspended animation during 1945.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Postwar
When the TA was reconstituted in 1947, 57th Fd Rgt was reformed as 257 (Home Counties) Fd Rgt. Once again it was part of 44th (HC) Division. In 1955 the unit's title was changed to 257 (County of Sussex) Fd Rgt.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Postwar
Meanwhile, 113th Field Rgt changed role and was reformed in 1947 as 313 (Sussex) Heavy Anti- Aircraft Rgt at Worthing. It was assigned to 99 (AA) AGRA, which became 99 AA Brigade the following year.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Postwar
When Anti- Aircraft Command was disbanded in 1955, 313 (Sussex) HAA Rgt merged with 258 (Sussex) Light AA Rgt, 344 (Sussex Yeomanry) HAA Rgt and 641 (Sussex) HAA Rgt to form 258 (Sussex Yeomanry) LAA Rgt, with R Battery at Worthing formed by 313 and 641 HAA Rgts. When 257 (County of Sussex) Field Rgt joined this amalgamation on 4 October 1961 it became 257 (Sussex Yeomanry) Fd Rgt.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Uniforms and insignia
The original uniform of the Brighton AVC was of mixed grey Oxford cloth. The tunic had black Braid on the cuffs and collars and it is believed that a black stripe was worn down the trousers. A peaked Forage cap was worn with a white medal grenade badge and similar grenade badges were worn on the shoulder straps. When the guns were hauled by hired horses, the civilian carters wore a form of straw Boater with a ribbon bearing the corps title, similar to a naval Cap tally.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Uniforms and insignia
The 3rd Sussex AVC wore a forage cap badge consisting of an oval surmounted by a crown and inscribed 'S A III V C' at the top and 'H I C' at the bottom in Old English letters, with an oak tree in the centre. From 1878 a standard RA helmet with ball Finial was worn with 'FIRST ('2nd', 'THIRD', 'FOURTH')   SUSSEX ARTILLERY VOLUNTEERS' on the scrolls of the helmet plate. The band wore a scarlet plume in place of the ball finial, and a helmet plate of crowned star pattern with sheet music and musical instruments superimposed.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Uniforms and insignia
The Other Ranks' waist belt clasp ca 1890–1908 was a rectangular plate surrounded by a scroll inscribed '1st SUSSEX VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY' worn with a brown leather belt, pouch and pouch belt.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Uniforms and insignia
The two men of No 6 (Railwaymen's) Garrison Company responsible for driving the armoured train wore silver arm badges bearing a locomotive and the word 'DRIVER' and 'FIREMAN'


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Uniforms and insignia
From 1908 to 1919 the men of the TF Sussex batteries wore a brass shoulder title 'T/RFA/SUSSEX' on their service dress, while the men of the Brigade Ammunition Column wore 'T/RFA/HOME COUNTIES'.


1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers, Uniforms and insignia
From 1955 to 1961, 257 Fd Rgt wore a supplementary shoulder title 'COUNTY OF SUSSEX' embroidered in yellow on a navy background, immediately below the 'ROYAL ARTILLERY' title in red on navy blue.


1st Sussex Engineers
The 1st Sussex Engineers was a Volunteer unit of Britain's Royal Engineers raised in Eastbourne in 1890. It became the engineer component of the 44th (Home Counties) Division of the Territorial Force, but its units saw action with Regular Army formations on the Western Front, at Salonika and in Italy during the First World War, and in North Russia and Turkey after the war ended. During the Second World War, its units were in the Battle of France and at Alamein, in Sicily, on D Day and the subsequent campaign in North West Europe, including the Rhine crossing. Detached companies fought in Tunisia, Italy, and Burma, where one was involved in the decisive Battle of Kohima and the assault crossing of the Irrawaddy. The unit continued in the postwar Territorial Army until 1967.


1st Sussex Engineers, Volunteer Force
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. However, it was not until 1890 that an Engineer Volunteer Corps (EVC) was raised in Sussex. Its instigator was George Frederick Chambers, a barrister from Eastbourne, with the support of the Commanding Royal Engineer (CRE) for the  South-East District and against opposition from local dignitaries and the 2nd Sussex Artillery Volunteers, who feared competition for recruits in the town.


1st Sussex Engineers, Volunteer Force
Towards the end of 1889 Chambers called a meeting to get the minimum 60 volunteers required, obtaining 105 names including a complete fife and drum band. The requisition was sent to the War Office, and the 1st Sussex Engineer Volunteer Corps officially came into existence in Eastbourne on 24 May 1890. Initially the company headquarters (HQ) was at Eastbourne Redoubt, then from April 1891 at 38 Commercial Road, Eastbourne. It was attached for administrative purposes to the 1st Middlesex EVC. It formed two additional companies in 1892, B at Newhaven and C at Seaford. From 1892 it was attached to the 1st Hampshire Engineers EVC and then became an independent unit from May 1895.


1st Sussex Engineers, Volunteer Force
Frederick Savage, headmaster of Seaford College, was commissioned as a captain in the 1st Sussex EVC in 1891 and formed a Cadet Corps at the school that year. In July 1895 he was promoted to major in command of the 1st Sussex EVC. Further cadet companies were formed at University and St Leonards Collegiate Schools, Hastings, in 1906 and 1907 respectively. D Company of the 1st Sussex EVC was formed at Chalvington in 1896, but attempts the following year to raise three or four more companies were unsuccessful.


1st Sussex Engineers, Volunteer Force, South Africa
After Black Week in December 1899, the Volunteers were invited to send active service units to assist the Regulars in the Second Boer War. From 70 volunteers, the 1st Sussex Engineers selected its detachment of one officer, one sergeant and 25 other ranks to work with the Royal Engineers (RE). They were sworn in on 18 January 1900, underwent training at the RE depot at Chatham, Kent, and embarked at Southampton aboard the Tintagel Castle with similar sections from 11 other EVCs on 10 March.


1st Sussex Engineers, Volunteer Force, South Africa
The ship arrived at Cape Town on 31 March where the first duty for the sappers was to unload balloons and gas cylinders for the RE Balloon Section. The Sussex Section was then given its assignment, which was to 23rd Field Company, RE, at Ladysmith. This entailed re-embarking and sailing to Durban, then proceeding by rail via Pietermaritzburg. The section spent three weeks repairing siege damage at Ladysmith, then with 23rd Fd Co it joined 4th Division's advance towards Newcastle.


1st Sussex Engineers, Volunteer Force, South Africa
The main job for the sappers was to repair drifts (fords) so that the transport and artillery could cross the numerous rivers, but providing water supplies for the horses was also important. During the four-day Battle of Belfast the sappers were involved in digging trenches and gun positions. The force then drove the Boers out of Lydenburg into the Mauchsberg Mountains, where the sappers were employed to get the guns forward from ridge to ridge. After reaching Kruger Post, the column returned to Lydenburg, where the sappers built a six-span square timber bridge over the Crocodile River, sangars and water supplies.


1st Sussex Engineers, Volunteer Force, South Africa
The Sussex Section was now ordered to return to England, so it was marched back to Machadorp (the only unit on foot in a mounted column) and then went by train to Pretoria. There it assisted 9th Fd Co in laying a pipeline and carried out guards and patrols. After three weeks at Pretoria it was obvious that the Boers were not defeated, and the orders to return home were cancelled. The Sussex Section rejoined 23rd


1st Sussex Engineers, Volunteer Force, South Africa
Fd Co at Middelburg, where it was chiefly engaged in manufacturing and erecting corrugated iron blockhouses, but also putting Middelburg Town Hall into a state of defence. Three Sussex sappers died of Enteric fever while at Middelburg, and another four were evacuated home with sickness before the end of the section's term of service.


1st Sussex Engineers, Volunteer Force, South Africa
At the end of March 1901 the first sections of Volunteer sappers were ordered to return home at the completion of their year's service. The Sussex section travelled by train to Durban, then by ship to Cape Town, where the survivors embarked on the St Andrew for Southampton. Before they left Cape Town, the second Sussex Section arrived on the Saxon from England, having been raised (from the enlarged 1st Sussex Engineers) in March. The Boers having adopted prolonged Guerrilla warfare, the second section saw less movement than the first, being chiefly engaged with 9th Fd Co at Naampoort on the blockhouse system. After the end of its year's service the second section embarked on the Roslin Castle at Cape Town on 29 May 1902 and reached Southampton on 18 June.


1st Sussex Engineers, Volunteer Force, South Africa
The wave of patriotism at the time of the Boer War led to the formation of eight more companies for the 1st Sussex Engineers in 1901: E, F and G at Brighton, H and J at Eastbourne, K at Tonbridge in Kent, L and M at Hastings. Shortly afterwards the HQ moved to 40 Junction Road, Eastbourne, with another drill station at Seaford.


1st Sussex Engineers, Territorial Force
When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908, the 1st Sussex EVC provided the divisional engineers for the TF's Home Counties Division with the following organisation:


1st Sussex Engineers, Territorial Force
Nos 2–4 Sections were attached to and largely staffed by the three infantry brigades of the division.


1st Sussex Engineers, Territorial Force
The 1st Sussex also provided (from B & C Companies) the Sussex Fortress Royal Engineers, a single Works Company based at the Drill Hall, Queen's Hall, Broad Street, Seaford, while K Company at Tonbridge formed the basis for the Kent Fortress Royal Engineers. All three cadet corps continued to be affiliated to the Home Counties Divisional Engineers. The Telegraph Company was redesignated a Signals Company in 1911.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, Mobilisation
The Home Counties Division was on its annual training on Salisbury Plain when mobilisation orders were received on 4 August 1914, and its units returned to their HQs. The Home Counties Divisional RE was embodied on 5 August 1914 under Lt-Col W.F. Cheesewright, who had been its Commander, RE, (CRE) since 12 July 1913. It went to its war station of Dover to work on defences, and then on 24 August to the Home Counties Division's concentration area around Canterbury.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, Mobilisation
Shortly after the outbreak of war, TF units were invited to volunteer for overseas service. Early in September battalions of the Home Counties Division began to relieve Regular units at Gibraltar, then in October the infantry and artillery of the whole division embarked for garrison service in India. Although it did later receive a number (44th), the Home Counties Division never operated as a formation during the war: its units remained scattered in colonial garrisons or were attached to Indian divisions. The Divisional RE went to France on 21 December 1914 as GHQ Troops for the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front and were later assigned as individual companies to Regular divisions.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, Mobilisation
Meanwhile, 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. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas. The 2nd Home Counties Division was one of the first organised, as soon as the 1st Line had departed for India. Later 3rd Line units were formed to supply drafts to the 1st and 2nd Lines.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company
On 2 February 1915 the 1/1st Home Counties Fd Co was transferred from GHQ Troops at Racquenham to join 8th Division in the Lys sector. This division had been formed in the autumn of 1914 from Regular units returned from colonial garrisons, including two Regular RE companies. The decision had now been made to give each infantry division a third RE company, so that one could work with each of the brigades. 1/1st HC Field Co served with 8th Division on the Western Front throughout the rest of the war.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company
The company's first duties were to build breastworks rather than trenches in the waterlogged front line and to make extemporised mortars and Jam tin grenades. By the end of the month the division went into training for the planned Battle of Neuve Chapelle and the RE prepared depots of battle stores including trench bridges and ladders. 1/1st Home Counties Fd Co built a Pontoon bridge over the Lys to carry the extra traffic. The attack on 10–13 March advanced the line by about 800 yards (730 m). The company then carried out preparations for further attacks at Fromelles and at Aubers Ridge, including provision of splinter-proof shelters, footbridges, mine galleries, gun emplacements, roads and approach trenches. The division's attack at Rouge Bancs was a costly failure.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company
8th Division was then moved north to a quieter sector. In September it prepared a limited attack at Bois-Grenier as a diversion from the main Battle of Loos. Once again 1/1st (HC) Fd Co built a pontoon bridge across the Lys to aid traffic flow. Although none of the enemy positions was held at the end of the day's fighting, the company wired and consolidated a new shorter defence line in No man's land.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company, Somme
Preparations for the 'Big Push' (the Battle of the Somme) began in April 1916, with the RE Sapping towards the enemy positions, preparing dugouts and assembly positions, and making gaps in the wire. 1/1st Home Counties Fd Co was not engaged in 8th Division's disastrous attack on the Ovillers Spur on the First day on the Somme (1 July), but was sent up in the evening to help hold the line. The sappers spent the night bringing in wounded, of whom there were over 3000 across the division's front.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company, Somme
After this disaster 8th Division was withdrawn, and 1/1st HC Fd Co was put to work on defences at Loos and in front of the Hohenzollern Redoubt. Later in July it rejoined 8th Division in the Ginchy sector. The division returned to the Somme for the Battle of Le Transloy (23–30 October), with the sappers preparing additional communication trenches before the attack. The company went in with the attack, which was only partly successful.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company, Somme
The company spent the winter building Nissen huts and carrying out improvements to trenches and wire. It was redesignated 490th (Home Counties) Field Company when the TF RE companies were numbered on 1 February 1917. 8th Division carried out an attack at Bouchavesnes on 4 March, and then followed up the German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line (Operation Alberich) (14 March – 5 April).


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company, Ypres
In May the division went into reserve to prepare for the Third Ypres Offensive, the RE work including burying signal cables, building roads, forming dumps of stores, and assisting an RE Tunnelling Company building deep dugouts. The division made a daylight raid on Bellewaarde Farm on 24 July, and then participated in the Battle of Pilckem Ridge that opened the offensive on 31 July. It was then relieved on 2 August to refit and train for a renewed attack to complete the capture of the first objectives.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company, Ypres
On the night of 10 August, just before going back into the line, Divisional HQ (DHQ) suffered an air raid, and a bomb killed the officer commanding 490th (HC) Fd Co, Maj C.C. Bryan, and wounded two other officers and six other ranks. Major D.L. Herbert took over command of the company. Zero hour for the Battle of Langemarck was 04.45 on 16 August, and 490th (HC) Fd Co laid out tapes to help the men of 25th Bde to find their forming-up positions in the mud and craters in the dark.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company, Ypres
The infantry crossed the Hanebeek stream and began dealing with enemy pillboxes. But the divisions on either flank were unable to advance as far, and 8th Division was left 1,000 yards (910 m) in front with its flanks exposed. Dangerous German counter-attacks began to come in, and by nightfall the division was practically back on its starting positions. The division spent the rest of the offensive making demonstrations without actually attacking. The sappers spent the winter in Ypres.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company, Spring Offensive
The German spring offensive opened on 21 March 1918. 8th Division had just come out of the line for rest, but after the initial German breakthrough it was sent up on 23 March to hold the Somme crossings, blowing up the bridges after the retreating troops had crossed back over them. The divisional frontage was very wide, and there were no reserves, so when 25th Bde was hard pressed the only troops to hand were 490th (HC) Fd Co. The sappers were ordered to take up position across the Morchain–Pertain road to act as a rallying point. After further severe fighting, 25th Bde fell back to hold this position in the afternoon. However, the river line had been penetrated elsewhere, and by 26 March the division was fighting at Rosières. After a week's fighting retreat it was relieved at Moreuil Wood on 2 April.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company, Spring Offensive
8th Division was next in action at Villers-Bretonneux on 24–25 April, when 490th (HC) Fd Co was in action, losing numerous casualties to Mustard Gas. The division was then moved south, where it faced another heavy German attack and consequent retreat at the Aisne (27 May – 6 June). The exhausted division was then withdrawn into reserve, with the sappers at St Quentin and Le Treport.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company, Hundred Days
8th Division entered the Allied Hundred Days Offensive at the Battle of the Scarpe (26–30 August). It followed up by forcing the Rouvroy–Fresnes Line (7–8 October). After the attack on the Drocourt-Quéant Switch Line on 4 October the Germans in this sector suddenly retreated and 8th Division participated in the capture of Douai on 17 October.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company, Hundred Days
On 30 October, 8th Division was pursuing the defeated Germans and sent 23rd Brigade to establish a bridgehead across the Scheldt opposite Odomez. 490th (HC) Field Co constructed a light cylinder bridge by 21.00 that evening. but it collapsed, and was not fully repaired until 04.00 the following morning, so the lead battalion crossed by rafts. However, it came under heavy attack on 31 October and was ordered to withdraw. Although the bridge was again broken, all the wounded were got away.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/1st Home Counties Field Company, Hundred Days
On 4–5 November the division concentrated round Marchiennes, where the sappers were engaged in improving roads and canal and river crossings. When the Armistice with Germany came into effect at 11.00 on 11 November, 8th Division was 3–4 miles NNE of Mons. On 16 November it was relieved and went back to Tournai, then moved to the Ath–Enghien area by 18 December. Here demobilisation began, and the cadre of 490th (HC) Fd Co returned to England in May 1919 after the division was disbanded.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/2nd Home Counties Field Company
On 2 February 1915 the 1/2nd Home Counties Fd Co was transferred from GHQ Troops at Blendiques to join 5th Division at Bailleul. This Regular division was part of the original BEF that had gone to France in 1914; it was now given 1/2nd HC as a third field company, which served with it for the rest of the war.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/2nd Home Counties Field Company, Hill 60
The company was at work in the line as soon as it arrived, suffering casualties at Messines  Ridge and at Hill 60, where it assisted in the mining operations preceding its capture on 17 April. 5th Division was then engaged during the German offensives (the Second Battle of Ypres) including the battles of Gravenstafel Ridge (23 April) and St Julien (24 April – 1 May). The division was not involved in any major actions for the next year, but suffered a steady trickle of casualties as it held the line in the Ypres sector from May to July, around Bray from August 1915 to February 1916, and the Arras front from March to July 1916.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/2nd Home Counties Field Company, Somme
5th Division was moved south to join in the Somme Offensive and was engaged in the Attacks on High Wood (20 July – 1 August). During these actions the RE were engaged in building positions round Longueval and sections were attached to the infantry for each advance, in which they acted as riflemen as well as sappers. The division then continued in the September battles, in all of which the  company suffered casualties, at Guillemont (3–6 September), Flers–Courcelette (18–22 September) and at Morval (25–26 September).


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/2nd Home Counties Field Company, Somme
5th Division was stationed in the Béthune sector from October 1916 to March 1917. On 1 February 1917, 1/2nd HC Fd Co was designated as 491st (Home Counties) Field Company. The division was moved into position on 7 April to take part in the Battle of Vimy Ridge (9–14 April). After the successful advance, the RE made plank roads over the shell holes. The Germans knew the lost positions intimately, and were able to shell the new artillery positions accurately, so the divisional RE built deeper dugouts for the gunners and built dummy ammunition dumps to divert enemy fire. The division then took part in the attack on La Coulotte (23 April), the Third Battle of the Scarpe (3–4 May), and the Capture of Oppy Wood (28 June).


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/2nd Home Counties Field Company, Ypres
490th (HC) Field Company was used for road building before the Third Ypres Offensive. 5th Division took part in several of the battles that autumn: Polygon Wood (1–3 October), where it was subjected to mustard gas; the advance along the Reutelbeck during the Battle of Broodseinde (4 October); the first attack on Poelcappelle on 9 October,;the second attack on Polderhoek (26 October); and the Second Battle of Passchendaele (26 October – 10 November), including the third attack on Polderhoek on 6 November.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/2nd Home Counties Field Company, Italy
On 23 November the division was warned that it was to be moved to the Italian Front. It began entraining on 27 November and by 20 December it had concentrated to the east of the River Brenta, not far from Padua. The divisional RE built bridges over the Brenta. 5th Division later took over part of the line along the River Piave on 27 January 1918 and the RE worked to improve these positions until the division was relieved on 18 March. During this period the sappers were involved in bridgebuilding and in revetting the trenches dug into shingly ground.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/2nd Home Counties Field Company, Spring Offensive
On 24 March 5th Division was warned to return to the Western Front, where the German Spring Offensive had been launched. It began entraining on 1 April and completed its concentration on 9 April between Doullens and Frévent, just in time for the Battle of the Lys. It took part in the Battle of Hazebrouck, including the Defence of the Nieppe Forest (12–15 April). After the fighting died down the division held the forest, and the divisional RE extended a Decauville Railway to bring up supplies, repairing it after frequent breaks due to enemy shelling.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/2nd Home Counties Field Company, Spring Offensive
On 28 June, in its first offensive operation since the Great Retreat, the division gained space clear of the forest and pushed patrols and outposts forward (the action at La Becque, Operation Borderland). Then under cover of darkness the divisional RE went forward to destroy the bridges over La Plate Becque in front of the outposts. Later they were used to strengthen various HQ dugouts.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/2nd Home Counties Field Company, Hundred Days
Shortly after the start of the Allied Hundred Days Offensive 5th Division was moved into the Authie–Doullens area. It took part in the Second Battle of Albert (21–23 August) and continued advancing thereafter. The Second Battle of Bapaume followed from 31 August to 3 September. The division followed up to the Hindenburg Line, attacking the outposts in the Battle of Épehy (18 September) when it captured 'African Trench'. It then played a part in breaching the Hindenburg Line at the Battle of the Canal du Nord (27 September – 1 October) and the subsequent pursuit to the River Selle, followed by the Battle of the Selle (17–23 October).


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1/2nd Home Counties Field Company, Hundred Days
From 5 November the division slowly fought its way through the Forêt de Mormal, crossed the Sambre and advanced across the Maubeuge–Avesnes road, where it was relieved on 10 November. After the Armistice it was in reserve near Le Quesnoy. Between 13 and 21 December it moved into Belgium and was cantoned in villages between Namur and Wavre. It remained in these billets until demobilisation began in February 1919. The last troops left for England on 10 May.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1st Home Counties Signal Company
28th Division was formed in December 1914 – January 1915 primarily from Regular units returned from service in India, with support units provided by the TF. On 5 January 1915 the division was joined at Winchester by the 1st Home Counties Signal Company, which provided its communications until beyond the end of the war. The division embarked at Southampton 15–18 January, disembarked at Le Havre 16–19 January and concentrated between Bailleul and Hazebrouck by 22 January. While on the Western Front it participated in the following actions:


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1st Home Counties Signal Company
On 19 October 1915 the division was ordered to entrain for an unknown destination. Units began embarking at Marseille on 24 October and by 22 November the whole division was at Alexandria in Egypt. It then embarked again for the Macedonian front, completing its disembarkation at Salonika on 4 January 1916. It spent the rest of the war on this front, where there were few major actions but the troops suffered steady attrition through trench warfare casualties and sickness.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1st Home Counties Signal Company
On 18 and 19 September 1918, 28th Division took part in the Battle of Doiran and the subsequent pursuit of the defeated Bulgarian Army up the Strumica Valley. On 29 September Bulgaria concluded the Armistice of Salonica with the Allies. This was followed a month later by the Armistice of Mudros with the Turks. Early in November the 28th Division was sent to occupy Constantinople and the Dardanelles Forts, with Divisional HQ at Chanak (Çanakkale).


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 1st Home Counties Signal Company
28th Division remained in these positions, though its units (including 28th Divisional Signal Company of the new Royal Corps of Signals) were progressively staffed by Regulars after the remaining TF men were demobilised. In July 1922, 28th Division was moved to interpose between the Greek and Turkish armies (the Chanak Crisis). After a ceasefire was arranged, the British troops were progressively reduced. On 2 October 1923 the final evacuation took place, and 28th Division was disbanded.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 67th (2nd Home Counties) Divisional Engineers
2/1st Home Counties Fd Co was formed at Brighton and Eastbourne, and 2/2nd (HC) Fd Co at Hastings in October 1914. 2nd Home Counties Signal Co was formed at Brighton. The 2nd Home Counties Division began to assemble around Windsor in November 1914 and Lt-Col E.G. Hales was appointed CRE on 12 December. There was a shortage of equipment with which to train – only a few old .256-in Japanese Ariska rifles were available.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 67th (2nd Home Counties) Divisional Engineers
In July 1915 the units had to be reorganised as TF men who had only signed up for Home Service were transferred to Home Defence brigades (termed Provisional Brigades). 9th Provisional Fd Co, predominantly an East Lancashire unit, was formed in Kent and absorbed details from Home Counties RE units. It later became 648th (East Lancashire) Fd Co in 73rd Division. When that division was disbanded in March 1918, the field company was reorganised as 648th (Home Counties) Army Troops Company, RE, and went to join the BEF on 23 June.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 67th (2nd Home Counties) Divisional Engineers
The 2nd HC Division was redesignated 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division in August 1915 and the signal company became 67th (2nd HC) Signal Co. The divisional RE was further reorganised with the addition of 1/3rd Home Counties Fd Co, a new 1st Line company that had been formed at Newhaven on 21 August; it joined at Southborough on 6 November. By that time the division was part of Second Army, Central Force, and was quartered in Kent, with the other two field companies at Tonbridge, and the Signal Co HQ with divisional HQ (DHQ) at Canterbury.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 67th (2nd Home Counties) Divisional Engineers
67th (2nd HC) Division had the dual role of home defence and supplying drafts to units serving overseas. It was twice warned for service in Ireland and in April 1917 for service on the Western Front, but these deployments never materialised and the division spent the whole war in England. By September 1916 the three field companies were based at the villages of Broomfield, Preston and Northbourne in Kent. In February 1917 the field companies were numbered: 492nd (1/3rd), 493rd (2/1st) and 494th (2/2nd). In October 1917, 492nd (1/3rd HC) Fd Co was detached from the division and joined 71st Division, the 67th receiving 645th (West Lancashire) Fd Co in exchange.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 67th (2nd Home Counties) Divisional Engineers
During the winter of 1917–1918 the division moved to Essex, where it joined XXIII Corps. DHQ and Signals were at Colchester, and the field companies at Colchester and Driffield. The units maintained these dispositions until after the Armistice when demobilisation began. In March 1919 the remaining divisional RE began to disband, and the process was soon completed.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 492nd (Home Counties) Field Company
In October 1917, 492nd (HC) Fd Co joined 71st Division, a training and coast defence formation that was forming a special brigade (214th Bde) for possible service in Murmansk as part of the North Russia Intervention. In the event, 214th Bde remained in the UK, but 492nd (HC) Fd Co did proceed to Russia as part of Syren Force, landing at Murmansk on 29 September 1918.


1st Sussex Engineers, First World War, 492nd (Home Counties) Field Company
In the closing months of the First World War, the force defended the ice-free port facilities of Murmansk and the Murmansk–Petrograd railway as far as Kem on the White Sea, against the threat of attacks by German and Finnish White Guard forces. It continued this duty during the complex postwar political and military exchanges with local Bolsheviks and Finnish Red Guards. The company joined Syren Force in June 1918 and served in Russia until at least July 1919.


1st Sussex Engineers, Interwar
44th (Home Counties) Division began to reform at home in 1920. When the TF was reconstituted as the Territorial Army (TA) in 1921, the field companies were renumbered and the divisional RE adopted the following organisation:


1st Sussex Engineers, Interwar
The signal company transferred to the new Royal Corps of Signals as 44th (Home Counties) Divisional Signals. The Sussex Fortress Engineers began to reform on 1 November 1920, but a year later 210 Fd Co was moved from Middlesex back to Seaford and absorbed the Fortress Co.


1st Sussex Engineers, Interwar
The CRE of 44th (HC) Division, appointed on 16 February 1920, was Lt-Col H.C. Saunders, who had commanded the HC Signal Company before the First World War. He was promoted to Brevet Colonel on 16 February 1924 and after retiring was appointed Honorary Colonel on 17 July 1926. The Sussex RE found it difficult to obtain enough officers, and Saunders returned to the command for a further four-year term on 16 February 1932, before reverting to the Honorary Colonelcy.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, Mobilisation
Following the Munich Crisis the TA was doubled in size. Once again, 44th (HC) Division formed a duplicate, 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division, with the following RE organisation:


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, Mobilisation
44th (HC) Division was mobilised on 3 September 1939, and the 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division became active on 7 October 1939.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE
Shortly after mobilisation, 44th (HC) Division formed the 'Ashdown Forest Mobile Group' as an anti-invasion reserve at Groombridge, with 208 Fd Co as its RE component, joining on 14 September. On 29 September it was announced that each of the 1st Line TA divisions would send one field company to France to build defences for the new British Expeditionary Force (BEF). 208 (S) Field Co was selected from 44th (HC) Division and made its way from Groombridge to Southampton, where it boarded the Mona's Queen on 26 September and landed at Cherbourg the following day.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE
The rest of 44th (HC) Division RE moved to Dorset for training under the CRE, Lt-Col R.H. Parsons, with 209 Fd Co at Bridport, 210 at Beaminster and Wetherby, and 211 Fd Pk Co establishing its stores and workshops at Larkham Hall. In January 1940 the division was ordered to prepare to embark for France in February, but the departure was delayed. The first RE parties left on 19 March, but 210 Field Company only embarked on 8 April, and 211 Fd Park Co's bridging section did not follow until 30 April. After landing at Cherbourg the field companies moved into France with their brigade groups (209 Fd Co with 132 Bde and 210 Fd Co with 133 Bde).


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, Battle of France
Once 44th (HC) Division had concentrated, HQRE was established at Estaires on 1 May, where 208 Fd Co briefly rejoined. As the training of the recently doubled TA formations was still weak, GHQ instituted a policy of exchanging some of their units with Regular formations. Having already been detached during the training period, the CRE selected 208 Fd Co as the one to be exchanged, and it was replaced in 44th (HC) Division on 4 May by 11 Fd Co from 2nd Division. This Regular company remained part of the divisional engineers for the rest of the war, usually supporting 131 Bde.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, Battle of France
When the German offensive in the west opened on 10 May, the BEF advanced into Belgium in accordance with 'Plan D'. 44th (HC) Division moved up to the Escaut, where it was in reserve, with 11 and 210 Fd Cos preparing bridges for demolition. However, the German Army broke through the Ardennes to the east, forcing the BEF to withdraw again, and by 19 May the whole force was back across the Escaut, and the sappers began blowing up the bridges while under shellfire and bombing.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, Battle of France
44th (HC) Division tried to hold the most dangerous point, but the Germans established bridgeheads across the Escaut at dawn on 20 May. The attack was renewed on 22 May and the division was badly chewed up, but there was no breakthrough: it was the deep penetration further east that forced the BEF to withdraw. That night the sappers began to lay anti-tank mines and prepare the bridges over the River Lys for demolition, and next day the BEF fell back to the 'Canal Line'. 44th (HC) Division was then withdrawn into reserve.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, Battle of France
Cut off, the BEF fell back towards the coast, with 44th (HC) Division given the responsibility of defending the area round Hazebrouck. On 26 May the decision was made to evacuate the BEF through Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo). 44th (HC) Division was heavily attacked by German Panzer divisions on 27 May, but fought on doggedly until ordered to withdraw, by which time the enemy's advanced columns had penetrated between its widely-spread units.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, Battle of France
With its flanks 'in the air' after neighbouring French formations retreated during the night of 28/29 May, the divisional commander decided to withdraw some 6 miles (9.7 km) to Mont des Cats, a strong position held by the divisional artillery and the divisional RE. 210 Field Co was absent with 133 Bde (and some of the company were captured during the retreat), but 11 and 209 Fd Cos, reinforced by the RE Chemical Warfare Group (58, 61 and 62 Chemical Warfare Cos), 100 Army Fd Co and 216 ArmyTroops Co were deployed as infantry to defend this position, with 211 Fd Park Co in reserve, though only DHQ and scattered elements managed to join them by dawn. This rearguard was subjected to intense mortar fire next morning, then by dive-bombing, but held its position for 30 hours while the rest of the division withdrew. The remnants of the division reached the beaches for embarkation, landing in England on 1 June.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, Home Defence
Back in England, 44th (HC) Divisional Engineers assembled at Port Meadow Camp, Oxford, on 6 June, and then the companies joined their brigade groups. 209 Field Co went to Castle Bromwich with 132 Bde, 210 Fd Co to Gloucester with 133 Bde, and 211 Fd Park Co to Shrivenham; later 11 Fd Co joined 131 Bde at Fosdyke. Re -equipment began in July, after which 44th (HC) Division moved to Northern Command. The sappers were soon engaged in building anti-invasion defences.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, Home Defence
209 Field Co moved to Ollerton in Nottinghamshire, where it worked on pillboxes and other defences along the River Trent. It also put a ferry into operation in case the bridges were destroyed by bombing. 210 Field Co worked on pillboxes and preparing bridges for demolition around Castleford and Snaith while 211 Fd Park Co was at Pontefract; both then moved to continue the work around Doncaster.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, Home Defence
In November 1940 44th (HC) Division was transferred to XII Corps in invasion-threatened South East England; 209 Fd Co went to Tenterden, while 210 moved around Kent. The next year was spent alternately training and working on beach defences. On 27 July 1941 the CRE, Lt-Col W.G.R. Nutt, was wounded and the OC (Maj Becher) and another officer of 209 Fd Co were killed while inspecting a mine on Dover beach. In January 1942 the unit was relieved of its operational duties and concentrated on training for crossing minefields and anti-tank ditches. In February the whole division concentrated at Mote Park, Maidstone, and on 29 May it embarked for Egypt, via Freetown, Cape Town and Aden.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, North Africa
44th (HC) Division arrived at Suez on 24 July, shortly after Eighth Army had retreated to the El Alamein position. At first its engineers worked on the Delta defences in the rear, then on 14 August the division was called forward by General Bernard Montgomery and the following day assigned to XIII Corps. The division was positioned on the vital Alam Halfa ridge, where General Rommel was expected to attack the El Alamein line. Its positions were protected by minefields through which 'gates' had been left to allow patrols to come and go.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, North Africa
At each 'gate' there was an infantry picquet; if the enemy approached the picquet would place mines in ready-made holes and an attached sapper would arm them. When the attack came in on 30 August (the Battle of Alam el Halfa), the Panzers spent hours attempting to break through in the darkness. On the morning of 31 August a German tank was seen approaching one of these gates in front of 133 Bde. The infantry left their cover to place the mines, but were all disabled by the tank's machine-gun.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, North Africa
Sapper K. Stansfield of 210 Fd Co calmly walked 100 yards (91 m) down the forward slope, armed and placed 12 mines under continuous fire from the tank's main gun, and then walked back unharmed. Stansfield was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM). Over the next two days the Panzers made repeated attacks but 44th (HC) Division held its position. Detachments of the field companies went out at night to destroy disabled enemy tanks in front of their positions to prevent their recovery. By 3 September the division was counter-attacking.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, North Africa
For Eighth Army's counter-offensive (the Second Battle of Alamein), 44th (HC) Divisional RE was reinforced by the attachment of 577 Army Fd Co from XIII Corps Troops RE (CTRE), while 11 Fd Co was detached with 131 Bde to 7th Armoured Division. 44th (HC) Division was to lead one of XIII Corps' thrusts through the enemy minefields on the first night, 23/24 October (Operation Lightfoot), but without sufficient electronic or mechanical aids the sappers had to find and lift the mines by hand under intense fire.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, North Africa
With the armour, however, 11 Fd Co had the assistance of three 'Snail' lorries from 211 Fd Park Co, which left a trail of diesel oil over the desert that was visible in the moonlight to mark the cleared lane. As the RE historian wrote: 'Thus we had the unusual sight of a field park company leading an army into battle'. The section came under heavy fire, however, so its commander, Lt R.B. Hoskyns, made a fresh attempt with a small party.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, North Africa
Although they were working in the middle of a firefight, they succeeded in clearing a lane to allow a carrier platoon through. Thus a route was found through the first belt of minefields ('January') on the first night of the battle. 44th (HC) and 7th Armoured Divisions' sappers succeeded in passing the second minefield ('February') the next night, but the armour was unable to exploit beyond. The sappers continued working on the gaps until they were completed on 28 October


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, North Africa
The second phase of the offensive, Operation Supercharge, was launched on the night of 27/28 October. On 2 November 133 Bde alongside the New Zealand 28th Maori Battalion, secured objectives covering the flanks of the attack, after which the sapper units began clearing gaps for the armour through the minefields. 133 Brigade advanced through the 'February' minefield on 3 November with No 2 Section of 209 Fd Co clearing the route, but got held up on the 'Avon' minefield until 5 November. By now the enemy was withdrawing and the exhausted sappers were given a week's rest.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, 44th (Home Counties) Divisional RE, North Africa
XIII Corps was short of transport and was left behind as Eighth Army drove westwards. The sappers were left with the task of clearing the battlefields. 11 and 209 Field Cos were sent up to Benghazi on 19 November, arriving on 25 November where 209 Fd Co began the task of clearing and re-opening the harbour as an advanced supply base for Eighth Army. The company remained on this work until April 1943, joined by the other units of 44th (HC) Divisional RE as they completed their mine-clearing tasks and moved up in early December. 211 Field Park Co used its own and captured machinery such as road rollers.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE
Shortly after Alamein 44th (HC) Division HQ was disbanded, and its units distributed to other formations. On 26 November 1942, 44th (HC) Divisional RE (11, 209, 210 Fd Cos and 211 Fd Park Co) became XXX Corps Troops RE (XXX CTRE), replacing a number of South African Engineer Corps units that had fulfilled the role up to that point.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE
XXX Corps had led Eighth Army's pursuit across Tripolitana to Tunisia in early 1943. The advance was delayed by enemy demolition and mines, entailing much work for the sappers. In March XXX CTRE moved up to Tripoli to work on improving the road behind the advance, dealing with 68 demolitions and craters, one of which required a bridge of five 30 feet (9.1 m) spans. XXX Corps launched Eighth Army's assaults on the Mareth Line on 20 March and the Wadi Akarit position on 6 April. The Tunisian Campaign ended with the Axis  surrender on 12 May.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, Sicily
In May 1943 XXX CTRE moved up to Sfax in Tunisia to join its corps, which was training to land in the first wave of the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) on 9/10 July. The engineers followed later: 209 Field Co sailed from Sousse on 18 July and landed on Beach 20 near Porto Bello, south of Syracuse, on 21 July; 211 Fd Park Co also landed at Port Bello, but 210 Fd Co did not arrive until 4 August. The engineering required included mine clearance, bridge building and road repair as XXX Corps advanced to Catania and Mount Etna.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, Sicily
The last Axis forces evacuated from the island on 17 August, leaving behind much destruction of communications. On 15 August XXX CTRE reconnoitred the important coastal route at Taormina, which had been damaged by British naval gunfire and then by enemy demolitions. The road was cut into a cliff, overhanging a railway line, part of which ran through a tunnel whose mouth had been blown in. Calculating that a 150–160 feet (46–49 m) bridge was required across the gapped road, the CRE ordered up one field company and a Bailey bridge platoon.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, Sicily
A Canadian tunnelling company was also called up to widen the approach road by removing the cliff above it, and a bomb disposal section had to check the tunnel for mines and booby-traps. Eventually, the bridge assembly could start on the morning of 21 August, the road being opened two days later.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, Sicily
XXX Corps did not take part in the invasion of the Italian mainland, and in November 1943 XXX CTRE sailed from Augusta for the UK, 209 Fd Co sailing direct to Glasgow, where it disembarked on 26 November, the remainder travelling via Algiers and arriving during December.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
XXX Corps now began to prepare for the Allied invasion of Normandy, Operation Overlord. The corps' leading troops landed on D-Day and the build-up of forces began thereafter: 209 Fd Co landed on 'King' Sector on Gold Beach during the early hours of D+2 (8 June), losing some men drowned. 210 Field Co landed at Sword Beach later the same day, and on 10 June a reconnaissance party of five sappers captured an enemy machine gun post and five prisoners.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
The field park company disembarked in four groups between D+3 and D+6, acquired equipment for roadmaking and airfield construction at Bayeux and based itself there during the Normandy campaign, handling stores for road- and bridge-building, and manufacturing all manner of objects required by the army. The field companies operated behind the lines, maintaining roads and clearing mines. 210 Field Co began to take up sleepers to convert a railway into a road, but after objections from the French railway authorities they had to be replaced and the railway reinstated.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
209 Field Co spent 7–16 August at Aunay-sur-Odon, clearing 1,500 yards (1,400 m) of rubble-strewn road with bulldozers, making 2,000 yards (1,800 m) of diversions, spraying roads to keep down dust, and building a Class 40 Bailey bridge. The company then moved up to deal with roads washed out by the flooded River Odon, and on 17 August No 2 Platoon built a 50 feet (15 m) Bailey bridge across the River Orne.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
After the breakout from the Normandy beachhead, XXX CTRE under Lt-Col R.E. Black was called on to assist in the major bridging operation on the River Seine at Vernon. Their role was to clear the road to the crossing site, including replacing blown road and rail bridges over the River Eure at Pacy-sur-Eure that threatened to hold up the whole operation. 11 Field Co was sent to begin the work, first clearing a road block at St Acquilin; unfortunately this had been booby-trapped and five sappers were killed in the explosion. XXX CTRE then spent the next two days working continuously on the Pacy bridges until the sappers were exhausted. XXX CTRE continued worked on road repairs and bridging along the 'Club' and 'Heart' routes through Northern France and across Belgium into the Netherlands.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
After the failure of Operation Market Garden, vital road and rail bridges at Nijmegen were damaged by German swimmers who attached mines to the piers. A hole was blown in the roadway of the road bridge, but was swiftly repaired by the insertion of two Bailey spans by XXX CTRE and 15th (Kent) GHQ TRE; the bridges were also camouflaged. On 21 October 209 and 210 Fd Cos paddled assault boats across the Nederrijn to rescue 138 men of 1st Airborne Division who had been sheltered by Dutch civilians since the failure of Market Garden. For the rest of the year the sappers were engaged in bridge-building, encountering considerable problems at Beringen bridge when the flooded river washed away the approach roads and threatened the bridge.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
During the German Ardennes Offensive, XXX Corps was moved down to defend the line of the River Meuse, and the corps RE prepared the bridges for demolition. Once the situation had stabilised XXX Corps advanced to recover the lost ground, with the RE re-establishing communications and clearing minefields. The latter task was especially dangerous in the frozen ground, and resulted in many casualties.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
21st Army Group returned to the offensive with Operation Veritable to clear the Reichswald, led by XXX Corps. A few days before the attack was due, a thaw set in, and the vital supply roads collapsed. All available engineers were put to roadbuilding to maintain the traffic flow for the concentration of troops, ammunition and supplies. The attack began on 8 February, but that evening rain began to fall and water levels rose by 18 inches (46 cm). The mass of engineers worked continuously to keep roads open to sustain the offensive.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
As the divisions fought their way forward, XXX CTRE was sent in to reinforce the divisional engineers. By 13 February the whole of the Reichswald had been cleared and the first phase of Veritable completed. The companies then returned to clearing and maintaining  the main routes, and were back at Nijmegen by early March.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
By mid-March 21 Army Group had closed up to the Rhine. Now it paused to prepare for an assault crossing (Operation Plunder). The bridges to be constructed on XXX Corps' front after the initial crossings were codenamed after famous London bridges: XXX CTRE under Lt-Col Black was responsible for 'Lambeth' (named after Lambeth Bridge), a Class 15 Bailey pontoon bridge. 211 Feld Park Co constructed equipment such as cradles to transport naval Tugboats, and acted as a reserve of manpower for the bridging parties.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
Work began at 03.00 on 25 March, but enemy fire from the uncaptured town of Rees on the far bank caused casualties equivalent to a platoon's strength with 30 minutes. After daylight the work continued under a smokescreen and despite a collision from an out-of-control tugboat the bridge was opened at 08.30 on 26 March.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
Across the Rhine 209 Fd Co worked with  51st (Highland) Division and 210 Fd Co with 43rd (Wessex) Division to help with their route maintenance, and then on 5 April 209 Fd Co with a platoon of 11 Fd Co built a 213 feet (65 m) bridge over the River Ems under fire; this was open for traffic the next day. The whole of XXX CTRE was required for the bridge over the River Weser. The site was still in enemy hands on 20 April when the reconnaissance was carried out, but work began at 12.00 on 22 April for a Class 40 bridge, and the bridgehead was defended and patrolled by the sappers themselves, 'mopping up' a number of prisoners.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
As the rapid advance continued, 209 Fd Co filled craters and built a 110-foot treble/single Bailey at Hassel on 1 May, replaced a 30-ft Bailey at Bremervörde with two 20-ft single/double Baileys starting at 21.30 on 3 May and completing the job at 04.30 on 4 May. By 6 May it was looking after 11 bridges and collecting surplus bridging materials from nearby sites as it upgraded them for heavier traffic. Immediately after news arrived of the German surrender at Lüneburg Heath, 209 Fd Co started building a large Prisoner of War (PoW) camp.


1st Sussex Engineers, Second World War, XXX Corps Troops RE, North West Europe
Postwar, the companies carried out many tasks, from clearing bridge wreckage and building  PoW camps, to running trade schools. Demobilisation by age and call-up group reduced the companies to cadre strength by early 1946.