Spoiler
The Suffolk Regiment was formed in 1685 when King James II ordered the Duke of Norfolk to raise a regiment against the threatened Monmouth Rebellion. This Regiment included men from Norfolk and Suffolk and incorporated a company at Windsor Castle. The company at Windsor Castle had origins dating back to 1660 and had seen active service in Virginia in 1676.
The connection with Norfolk remained strong and nearly 100 years later a Colonel of the Regiment wrote that "we considered Norfolk to be our county". In 1782 the title of 'East Suffolk' was added to the numerical title of the Xllth Foot for recruiting purposes; Norfolk had already been allotted to other regiments.
In 1784, in an article in the Ipswich Journal, the Colonel of the Regiment asked the people of Suffolk for "their countenance and protection in favour of a corps... with some degree of reputation."
Initially, the Regiment had often depended on the Suffolk Militia for recruits and had maintained recruiting parties in the County. These links were formally recognised with the Cardwell reforms of 1873. Cambridgeshire was added to the recruiting area and, most importantly, the Depot of the Regiment was established at Bury St Edmunds where the barracks to house the Depot was built in 1878.
In 1881, the title of the Regiment became The Suffolk Regiment with The West Suffolk Militia and The Cambridgeshire Militia becoming the 3rd and 4th Battalions respectively. By the end of the century, 90% of the men came from Suffolk.
The Territorial Force, the forerunner of the Territorial Army was formed in 1908. It strengthened the county links and established the 4th Battalion throughout East Suffolk and the 5th Battalion in West Suffolk.
Early Days
The newly formed Regiment was stationed with companies at Great Yarmouth and Landguard Fort. It was later moved to various towns in the south of England and took part in the King's annual review of the Army on Hounslow Heath. In 1688 the Regiment was specially picked to support the catholic King James II. It had a high proportion of Roman Catholic officers but the King was surprised and disappointed when the men from East Anglia showed their independence by grounding their arms rather than support him. A few months later the whole of the Army failed to rally to James when he fled to France and the next year the Regiment was in Ireland fighting against the uprising by him. They helped to storm Carrickfergus Castle and took part in other actions including the Battle of the Boyne when James' forces were decisively beaten. The Regiment then spent much time until 1696 in Flanders fighting in the campaign against Louis XIV of France. Over the next forty years it served in the West Indies, Flanders, Catalonia, Minorca, Ireland and at home.
Fierce Battles in the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War
"You will find an ancient colour in the Twelfth Foot of the line
That bears the motto "Stabilis" in memory of the time
when "Steady" was their watchword though all was touch and go...
Jasper Frere
In 1730, and again in 1741, the Regiment found itself spread between a number of places around the border between Suffolk and Essex with headquarters at lpswich. From there the Regiment embarked for the campaign in Flanders and gained the oldest battle honour borne on its colours.
In 1743 it moved with the British Army to the Rhine and on June 27th shared in the victory over the French at the Battle of Dettingen. This battle was the last in which an English King led his troops into battle. King George II dismounted and placed himself at the head of his Infantry, displaying great personal courage. The Xllth Foot held the centre of the leading line. In commemoration of this event The Suffolk Regiment decorated its Colours, its Drums and the headgear of all ranks with roses on the Sovereign's birthday and when the Sovereign is present in person on parade. (This custom was observed in 1994 when Her Majesty the Queen reviewed D-Day veterans in Normandy and those present from The Suffolk Regiment wore a red and yellow rose).
The Colonel of the Regiment at Dettingen was Colonel Scipio Duroure, of Huguenot origin and with a distinguished battle record with the British Army, who led his Regiment in person. The motto "Stabilis" on the Regimental Colours borne by the Regiment were part of the personal arms of Colonel Duroure and have remained as an inspiration to all ranks of the steadfastness which has characterised the Regiment throughout its history.
Also serving with the Regiment at Dettingen was Ensign James Wolfe aged 16, the future victor of Quebec 1759; because of his conduct in the battle he was shortly afterwards made Adjutant.
Two years later, on 11th May 1745, the Regiment took part in yet another famous infantry battle when, at Fontenoy south of Brussels, in spite of a narrow defeat in the face of superior numbers, the British soldier once again made his name as a fighting man. It was here that Colonel Scipio Duroure was mortally wounded.
Fourteen years later the fame of the British Infantry reached a pinnacle at the Battle of Minden, the most glorious of the battle honours held by the Regiment. There, six British Regiments, including the XlIth Foot on the right of the leading line, marched through gruelling cannon fire, broke six charges of the elite of the French cavalry, and threw the whole of the French Army into a confusion which decided the day. On that famous morning of 1st August 1759, everything conspired to defeat the British Infantry. The order to them to advance alone and unsupported was due to an error; their flank was torn and riddled by concealed artillery, with the Xllth on the exposed flank receiving most casualties; the British cavalry commander did not follow orders to go to their assistance. Nevertheless, with grim determination and supreme courage, the British soldiers won through to a complete and annihilating victory. As they passed through some gardens that morning the men plucked roses and wore them in their hats. No wonder their successors (including The Royal Anglian Regiment) through the years have been proud to commemorate the anniversary of Minden by continuing this custom.
More campaigns on the Continent and the Siege of Gibraltar
In the years between Fontenoy and Minden, the Regiment returned to its home in Suffolk and spent some time in Scotland - in the aftermath of the '45 Rebellion inspired by Bonnie Prince Charlie. It also returned to Minorca. One company was sent on anti-smuggling duties at Southwold. The Regiment returned to the continent in 1758 and fought again in Germany, at the battles of Warburg, Fellingshausen and Wilhelmstahl. One soldier of the Xllth enlisted in the Regiment in 1736 and was present at Dettingen and Fontenoy; after service in India he rejoined the Xllth and served with it through much of the Seven Years War until he was wounded at Minden. On discharge, he returned to his native Ireland, where he died at the age of 110 in 1819! It is not known how many of those who fought at Minden with the Xllth came from Suffolk, but there is a record of at least one from Sudbury and another from Hoo.
In 1769 a 14 year period in Gibraltar began. The Regiment took an active part in the Great Siege when Gibraltar was besieged by the Spanish and French between 1779 and 1783. Under Colonel William Picton, the Regiment formed the main body of the Grand Sortie which broke the siege on 17 November 1781. In recognition of its services in the siege the Regiment added the illustrious name Gibraltar to its Colours and the arms of Gibraltar was taken as its crest. This comprised a Castle and Key with Montis Insignia Calpe (The arms of the Rock of Gibraltar) beneath, to be worn thereafter in its cap badge and Colours.
(One of the officers present throughout the siege was a Captain Montgomery. In Henley Church, Suffolk there is a memorial tablet to him recording his death in 1790 as a Lieutenant Colonel.)
On return to England in 1783 - by this time firmly linked to Suffolk by the title East Suffolk Regiment - it was stationed at Windsor where King George III showed his satisfaction at having such a distinguished Regiment there by reviewing the Regiment twice. While there, it provided a party of a Sergeant, a Corporal and ten men to clear the ground for the first base line for the Ordnance Survey which ran across what is now Heathrow Airport.
Service in many Places and First Period of Operations in India
In the next thirteen years, the Regiment served in England, Ireland, the Channel Islands, operations in the Barbados, Martinique and in Flanders, Holland and Germany and a large scale raid on islands off the coast of Brittany all figured in its adventures. Then in 1796 it set sail for India, the first of many visits to that country.
Almost immediately it was involved in the war against Tippoo Sultan, the ruler of Mysore. He was pursuing a campaign of aggression and intrigue against the British which led to the storming of his stronghold of Seringapatam on 4th May 1799. The Regiment played a major part and won yet another proud distinction for the Colours. It is believed that Tippoo himself was killed by Private Johnson of the XIlth Foot. For the next ten years it was engaged in a series of operations in South India. These included some severe fighting against the troops of the Rajahs of Travancore and Cochin in the course of which one party of 34 men was cruelly massacred. The Regiment's services in India from 1797 to 1809 were recognised by the award of the Battle Honour India.
In 1810, the Regiment took part in the capture of Mauritius and the lle de Bourbon (now Reunion) and remained in those islands until 1818. That same year (1810) a second Battalion was formed. It took part in the march on Paris in 1815 but was later moved to Ireland where in 1818 it was disbanded when the lst Battalion joined it there.
Though The Second Battalion saw no active service, one of its men showed considerable enterprise when in Paris. In Montmartre he found the Emperor Napoleon's wine cellar when digging for pipeclay. With his wife's help, Private Ryan from Tipperary kept a large part of the garrison in a state of intoxication with fine wines for six weeks before being found out.
