Dates: 1689 - 2007
In 1689, Henry, Duke of Norfolk, raised a regiment on the little Roodee in Chester in an effort to resist any attempt by James II to re-take the English throne. For the early part of its formation, the regiment was known by the name of the current Colonel-in-Chief, later becoming known as the 22nd Regiment of Foot. In the same year that it was raised, the regiment saw its first action as part of a British force sent to Ireland under the command of General Frederick Schomberg, 1st Duke of Schomberg, taking part in the siege and capture of Carrickfergus. In 1690, the 22nd fought in the Battle of Boyne, and in 1691 at the Battle of Aughrim. The regiment continued to serve as a garrison in Ireland from this point until 1695, when it was sent to the Low Countries for a short time before returning to its duties in Ireland.
In 1702, the Regiment sailed to Jamaica, spending the next twelve years in combat duties against the French and native population, both on land and at sea.
In 1726 the Regiment was posted to Minorca where it remained for the next 22 years, although a detachment was present at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743, during the War of the Austrian Succession.
By 1751 the Regiment had become the 22nd Foot, having previously been called after its successive colonels. In 1758 it formed part of Lord Amhest’s expedition against the fortress of Louisberg in French Canada. The following year the Regiment took part in General Wolfe’s victory over the French at Quebec. The 22nd Foot received two battle honours for taking part in the capture of Martinique and the British expedition against Cuba during 1762.
After home service the Regiment was sent to America in 1775, taking part in the Battle of Bunker Hill and the New York and New Jersey campaigns of 1776.
Retitled at the 22nd (The Cheshire Regiment) Foot in 1782, the Regiment served in the West Indies from 1793, taking part in expeditions against Martinique, St Lucia, Guadeloupe and St Domingo. Between 1800 and 1803 the 22nd was posted to South Africa, then moving to India where it suffered heavy losses during the assault on Bhurtpore (1805). In 1810 the Regiment took part in the occupation of Mauritius where it remained in garrison until 1919.
In 1843 the Regiment gained the battle honours of or Meeanee, Hyderabad and Scinde during further Indian service.
As one of the older regiments of British line infantry already having two battalions, the Regiment was not affected by the Cardwell reforms of 1881. Its recruiting area was however confirmed as being the County of Cheshire.
Both battalions of the Regiment served in Burma between 1887 and 1891, while the 2nd Battalion saw active service in South Africa in 1900.
On 24 August 1914 the 1st Battalion suffered 771 casualties at Audregnies in France during the closing stages of the Battle of Mons. The reconstituted battalion served throughout World War I on the Western Front, winning 35 battle honours. Other battalions served at Gallipoli, in Palestine and on the Western Front. Total losses to the Regiment during 1914-18 were 8,420 dead.
In 1939-40 the 2nd Battalion of The Cheshires served in France before being evacuated from Dunkirk. The 1st Battalion fought in North Africa at Tobruk and subsequently took part in the crossing of the Rhine in March 1945. The 2nd Battalion took part in the D Day landings in 1944, while the 6th and 7th Battalions fought in Italy.
During the post-war years the Regiment served in Palestine, Egypt, Cyprus, Malaya, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bahrein, Belize, Berlin, West Germany, and Northern Ireland. It celebrated its Tricentenary in 1989, as one of only two English county infantry regiments never to have been amalgamated - retaining a distinct identity during 300 years of service .
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving Cheshire Regiment
" Add My salute as well Peter,I’m rapidly approaching my 65th and cant help admiring the feats of who did what before me.I have just returned from a rememberance day parade with the CRA )Cheshire Regiment)and was kept enthralled by some of the lad’s stories from WW2.The proposition to ..."
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" Well please may I add my twopenn,orth on this subject.I actually was a 6 yr regular in the 1st Battalion 22nd Cheshire regiment.So many of my mates were NS and what great guys they were.Though they were paid considerably less than we regulars it never stopped us from ’floating’a beer or ..."
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" Rita,I too ’lost’my regiment in the systematic carve up.Though we can still include our county name we were three regiments and now only one.My Regiment is now called 1st Bn Mercian (Cheshire)Regt.We were called the 1st Bn 22nd Cheshire Regiment. I am reliably infomed that though ..."
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" Alan....As an ex Cheshire Regiment soldier 58-64 I remember when three regiments merged to form the Mercian Brigade.We lost our cap badge but adopted the Mercian Brigade badge.We still wore the oak leaf collar dogs and the Cheshire shoulder flash. Now many years later as you say we are each to ..."
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" I have just returned from my first ever visit to the Somme battlefields.I feel very much humbled by what I saw.The enormity of the waste of human life and resources is indescribable.The cemetaries are immaculately tended to by the War Graves Commission’s mainly voluntary staff. My wife and I had ..."
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"
was statioed a few miles outside the
port of haifa a fewmiles awayin a camp located along side a public road. an Arab legion unit was sited
some 200 yards away opposite.I would very much like to hear from any member who was there at the time. I was in C.Company.
"
