11th Regiment/Devonshire/Devonshire and Dorsetshire Light Infantry/The Rifles
Below is some genealogy information on the 11th Regiment, Devonshire, Devonshire and Dorsetshire Light Infantry and The Rifles of the British army that may help searches for military ancestors.
Theatres of War, Army Regiments, Naval Detachments, RAF
Description: Formed in 1685 as the Duke of Beaufort's Regiment of Foot. They fought for King William against James II in Ireland at the battle of the Boyne. They saw action in the War of the Spanish Succession. In 1782 it was renamed the North Devonshire Regiment. In 1881 it was renamed the Devonshire Regiment. They saw action in the Napoleonic Wars on the Iberian Peninsula. They saw action in the Boer Wars fighting at the battles of Colenso, Elandslaagte, Ladysmith, Spionkop and Valkrantz and Pieters. During the First World War they fought at the battles of Mons, Le Cateau, the first battle of Ypres, the second battle of Ypres, Neuve Chapelle, Aubers Bridge, Festubert, Loos, the Somme (1916), Arras, the Somme (1918), Passchedaele, Vittorio Veneto. During the Second World War they fought on the Western front in the Normandy landings. In 1958 it was amalgamated with the Dorset Regiment, forming The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment. In 2007 they amalgamated with the Light Infantry, the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry and the Royal Green Jackets, forming The Rifles. Their nickname is The Bloodsuckers or the Blood Eleventh.
Military actions:
- Boer war: Colenso
- Boer war: Elandslaagte
- Boer war: Ladysmith
- Boer war: Spionkop
- Boer war: Valkrantz and Pieters
- WWI: Mons
- WWI: Le Cateau
- WWI: 1st battle of Ypres
- WWI: 2nd battle of Ypres
- WWI: Neuve Chapelle
- WWI: Aubers Bridge
- WWI: Festubert
- WWI: Loos
- WWI: Somme (1916)
- WWI: Arras
- WWI: 1st battle of the Somme (1918)
- WWI: 3rd battle of Ypres
- WWI: Vittorio Veneto
- WWWII: Normandy landings
Personnel:
1793.
- Captain Moncrief. In service 31 August 1793. Toulon, France.
- Captain Douglas. Died 31 August 1793. Toulon, France.
- Captain Haddon. In service 31 August 1793. Toulon, France.
1st Battalion.
1916
- Thomas James Bourne. Private. Died 11 May 1916. Theatre: France & Flanders.
1917
- Harry Bater. Private. Died 16 March 1917. Theatre: France & Flanders.
Websites:
Reading materials:
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