13th Regiment/Prince Albert Light Infantry Somersetshire/Somerset Light Infantry/Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry/Light Infantry/The Rifles
Below is some genealogy information on the 13th Regiment, Prince Albert Light Infantry Somersetshire, Somerset Light Infantry, Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry, 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 Earl of Huntingdon's Regiment of Foot. They became the 13th Regiment of Foot. In 1881 they were renamed the 13th (1st Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot. In 1822 they were renamed the 13th (1st Somersetshire) Regiment (Light Infantry). In 1841 they were renamed the 13th Prince Albert's Regiment of Light Infantry. In 1881 they were renamed Prince Albert's (Somersetshire Light Infantry). They saw action during the Boer Wars at Colenso, Spionkop and Valkrantz and Pieters. During the First World War they fought along the Western and Middle Eastern fronts at battle such as Mons, Le Cateau, Marne, Aisne, Messines, the 1st battle of Ypres, the 2nd battle of Ypres, Loos, Mount Sorrel, the Somme (1916), the Hindenburg Line, Arras, Passchendaele, the 1st battle of the Somme (1918), Lys, the 2nd battle of Arras (1917), Selle, Valenciennes and the advance in Flanders. In 1921 they were renamed Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's). During the Second World War they fought across Italy, Burma and the Western front taking part in the Normandy invasions. In 1958 they were amalgamated with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, forming the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry. In 1968 they merged with The King's Own Yorkshire Infantry, the Durham Light Infantry and the King's Shropshire Light Infantry. In 2005 they merged with the The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment, The Royal Green Jackets and the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, forming The Rifles. Their nickname is The Bleeders.
Military actions:
- Boer war: Colenso
- 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: Mount Sorrel
- WWI: Somme (1916)
- WWI: Hindenburg Line
- WWI: Arras
- WWI: 3rd battle of Ypres
- WWI: 1st battle of the Somme (1918)
- WWI: Lys
- WWI: 2nd battle of Arras (1917)
- WWI: Selle
- WWI: Valenciennes
- WWI: Advance in Flanders
- WWII: D-Day
Personnel:
1st Battalion.
1914
- Frederick Fisher. Private. Died 24 October 1914. Theatre: France & Flanders.
2/5th Battalion.
1914
- Ernest Charles Williams. Private. Died 24 December 1914. Theatre: At Sea.
8th Battalion.
1915
- James Fish. Private. Died 16 December 1915. Theatre: France & Flanders.
Websites:
- Timeline of the 13th, Prince Albert Light Infantry Somersetshire, Somerset Light Infantry, Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry, Light Infantry and The Rifles regiments.
- Wikipedia: Prince Albert Light Infantry Somersetshire
- Somerset military museum
Reading materials:
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