East Lancashire Regiment
The East Lancashire Regiment was formed in 1881 as part of the Cardwell reforms of the British Army.
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The Regiment was formed initially with two battalions, the 1st Battalion being created from the former 30th Regiment of Foot, and the 2nd from the former 59th. The first Regimental Depot was in Burnley, but moved to Fulwood Barracks, Preston in 1898.
The Regiment recruited primarily from the new industrial towns of East Lancashire, including Burnley, Blackburn, Nelson, Colne and Accrington.
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During World War I the Regiment expanded to a strength of 17 battalions which between them served on the Western Front, at Gallipoli, and in Macedonia, Egypt, and Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq). In all, they earned a total of 120 Battle Honours. The Regiment suffered a total of 7,000 casualties. Four members of the Regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross.
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(For a detailed summary of the full part played by the Regiment in World War I, click HERE)
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In World War II the Regiment expanded again, to a strength of 7 battalions. They served in North West Europe, Madagascar, India, Burma and Malaya, earning a total of 20 Battle Honours. Captain Marcus Ervine Andrews won the Victoria Cross at Dunkirk in 1940.
Captain Marcus Ervine Andrews (top deck) wins the VC defending the Perimeter
(For a detailed summary of the full part played by the Regiment in World War II, click HERE)
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On 1st July 1958 the Regiment amalgamated with the South Lancashire Regiment to form The Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Volunteers), which in 1970, in turn amalgamated with The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment to form The Queen’s Lancashire Regiment.
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In 2006 the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment was amalgamated with the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment and the King’s Regiment to form the present-day Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.
