| Cambridgeshire Regiment | |
|---|---|
 Badge of the Cambridgeshire Regiment | |
| Active | 1908–1961 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Territorial Army |
| Role | Infantry |
| Colours | Cambridge Blue and Black |
| Engagements | Battle of the Somme,Fall of Singapore |
TheCambridgeshire Regiment was aninfantryregiment of theBritish Army, and was part of theTerritorial Army. Originating in units ofrifle volunteers formed in 1860, the regiment served in theSecond Anglo-Boer War and theFirst andSecond World Wars before losing its separate identity in 1961. Its lineage is continued today by theRoyal Anglian Regiment. The regiment and men are often referred to as the Fen Tigers.[1]
The regiment had its origins in therifle volunteer corps formed inCambridgeshire and theIsle of Ely during 1859–60.[2][3] By 1862 there were ten companies and this soon led to the creation of the 1st Administrative Battalion of Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteers in 1863.[4]
By 1880 the volunteer units in the county had amalgamated as thebattalion-size1st Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps. In the following year, as part of theChilders Reforms, the 1st Cambridgeshire RVC were nominated as a volunteer battalion of theSuffolk Regiment. In 1887 the unit was renamed as the3rd (Cambridgeshire) Volunteer Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment.[3] The 3rd Volunteer Battalion sent a voluntary detachment of 3 officers (including the Padre) and 43 other ranks to reinforce the regular Suffolk Regiment in theSecond Boer War between 1899 and 1902.[3] In 1901 about twenty of this contingent were awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Cambridge and also presented engraved silver cups in recognition of their service.[5]On the formation of theTerritorial Force in 1908, following theHaldane Reforms, the 3rd Volunteer Battalion becameThe Cambridgeshire Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment (TF) with its headquarters atCorn Exchange Street inCambridge. In the following year the Cambridgeshires were constituted a separate regiment, with the title1st Battalion, The Cambridgeshire Regiment, although remaining part of the "corps" of the regular Suffolk Regiment.[3]
The original units were converted by the beginning of 1914 as follows:[6]
On the outbreak of theFirst World War, the Territorial Force was doubled in size, with the Cambridgeshire Regiment forming a 2/1st Battalion. In 1915 a further increase in the size of the TF led to the formation of 3/1st and 4/1st Battalions. The 2/1st Battalion, the 3/1st Battalion and the 4/1st Battalion remained in the United Kingdom throughout the War.[7]
The 1st battalion was based inCambridge on the outbreak of the war: it formed part of theEast Midland Brigade in theEast Anglian Division. It landed atLe Havre inFrance and came under command of the82nd Brigade in the27th Division.[7] The battalion transferred toVII Corps in November 1915 and then transferred to118th Brigade in the39th Division in February 1916.[7]
Troops of the 4th/5thBlack Watch, the 1st Cambridgeshire Regiment and the 17thKing's Royal Rifle Corps of the 117th Brigade, took part in thecapture of Schwaben Redoubt, a fortress dominatingThiepval, in October 1916 during theBattle of the Somme.[3] Three German counter-attacks on 15 October, supported byFlammenwerfer detachments were defeated.[8] C Company of the battalion then performed an important role in the capture of a boiler house and then refused to fall back when they came under counter-attack during theBattle of Passchendaele in July 1917.[3]
Some 77 officers and 789 other ranks were killed during the First World War.[3]
It was reported that the Cambridgeshires' drums were briefly captured by the Germans but recovered within a few hours.[9]
The Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Prisoners of War Help Support Committee supported members of the regiment and their families.[10][11]
The Cambridgeshire Regiment like other volunteer battalions returned to a routine of drill nights, weekend training and annual camps. A 1921 recruiting film is held on the East Anglian Film Archive website.[12]
In early 1939, just prior to the outbreak of theSecond World War, the Territorial Army was again doubled in size with each unit forming a 2nd Line duplicate. As a consequence, a 2nd Battalion was raised. Following mobilisation both battalions served with the18th (East Anglian) Infantry Division, initially on the Norfolk Coast and were then sent to theFar East where they fought in theMalayan Campaign and theBattle of Singapore.[3]
The Battalion fought at Sime Road Camp inSingapore and defended the camp for two days before being ordered to surrender to theImperial Japanese Army by the commander of the garrison,Lieutenant GeneralArthur Percival.[3]
The battalion, commanded by Lieutenant-ColonelGordon Thorne, was sent to Singapore in early 1942 and reinforced the15th Indian Brigade atBatu Pahat.[3] The brigade held the town for ten days against attack by the Imperial Japanese Army; some 500 troops from the battalion fought their way back to Singapore and were attacked on all sides at Braddell Road in Singapore before being also ordered to surrender.[3]
Some 24 officers and 760 other ranks were killed or died inJapanese captivity during the Second World War.[3] The regiment's drums were hidden and believed lost at theFall of Singapore in 1942.[9]
In 1946 Margaret Taylor, a Cambridgeshire welfare worker stationed in Singapore, recognised the regiment's drums in an old shed, their skins broken and rotten.[9] She informed the regiment and shipped the drums back.[9] The Borough of Cambridge awarded the regiment the freedom of Cambridge in 1946.[13] The regiment was given the Freedom ofWisbech on 17 July 1949.[9]
In 1947 the regiment was converted to anartillery role, becoming the629th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (The Cambridgeshire Regiment). They were allowed to retain their colours, badge and drums. In this new role the Regiment was equipped withBofors 40 mm L/60 guns, and were trained for the air defence of East Anglian airfields, part of1 Anti-Aircraft Group ofAnti-Aircraft Command. In 1954 Anti-Aircraft Command was disbanded, and the Regiment was selected for duty with16th Airborne Division. With the title, 629 (The Cambridgeshire Regiment) Parachute Light Regiment RA (TA) and armed withML 4.2-inch mortars. 140 all ranks qualified as parachutists, earning their red berets and ‘wings’ in 1955.[14]
The regiment returned to its traditional role and designation as1st Battalion, The Cambridgeshire Regiment (TA). There was a general reduction in the size of the Territorial Army in 1961, and 1st Cambridgeshires were amalgamated with the 4th Battalion, TheSuffolk Regiment to form theSuffolk and Cambridgeshire Regiment (TAVR).[15] This formation was disbanded in 1967.[3]
The regiment's battle honours were as follows:[16]
After theRoyal British Legion had completed research into every one of the 876 service personnel who had died in the First World War, the committee who had undertaken the work were awarded the Freedom of the town byWisbech Town Council in 2015.[17]