Below is some genealogy information on the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot of the British army that may help searches for military ancestors.

Theatres of War, Army Regiments, Naval Detachments, RAF

Description: Formed in 1717 from an independent regiment stationed in North America. In 1751 they were renamed the 40th Regiment of Foot. In 1782 they were renamed the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot. They were stationed in Australia from 1823 to 1829. They subsequently saw action in India and Afghanistan before returning to Australia. They later took part in the Maori wars in New Zealand. In 1881 they formed the The Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment) by amalgamating with the 82nd (Prince of Wales's Volunteers) Regiment of Foot. They saw action in the Boer Wars, fighting at Spionkop and Valkrantz and Pieters. During the First World War they fought across the Western and Turkish fronts at battles such as Mons, Le Cateau, Marne, Aisne, Messines, the 1st battle of Ypres, the 2nd battle of Ypres, Loos, the Somme (1916), the Hindenburg Line, Arras, WWI: Cambrai, the 1st battle of the Somme (1918), Lys, the 2nd battle of the Somme (1918), the advance in Flanders, the 2nd battle of Arras (1917), Selle, Valenciennes, Passchendaele and Gallipoli. In 1938 they were renamed the South Lancashire Regiment. In 1958 they were amalgamated with the East Lancashire Regiment, forming The Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Volunteers). Their nickname is The Excellers or The Fighting Fortieth.

Military actions:

• Boer war: Spionkop
• Boer war: Valkrantz and Pieters
• WWI: Mons
• WWI: Le Cateau
• WWI: Marne
• WWI: Aisne
• WWI: Messines
• WWI: 1st battle of Ypres
• WWI: 2nd battle of Ypres
• WWI: Loos
• WWI: Somme (1916)
• WWI: Hindenburg Line
• WWI: Arras
• WWI: Cambrai
• WWI: 1st battle of the Somme (1918)
• WWI: Lys
• WWI: 2nd battle of the Somme (1918)
• WWI: Advance in Flanders
• WWI: 2nd battle of Arras (1917)
• WWI: Selle
• WWI: Valenciennes
• WWI: 3rd battle of Ypres
• WWI: Gallipoli

Websites:

• Wikipedia: 2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot

Reading materials:

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