![]() ![]() The 1/6th fought alongside the 1st Battalion in Belgium, before evacuation from Dunkirk. The 1/6th and 2/6th TA Battalions of the East Surreys deployed to France at the beginning of the War. 169 Brigade remained in Italy until the end of the war. 1/5th Queen's ended the War in Hamburg, later moving to Berlin, where it took part in the Victory Parade in front of Winston Churchill. 131 Brigade then returned to England for the invasion of north-west Europe and eventually helped to push the Germans back across the River Maas. Both brigades fought in the allied landing at Salerno, Italy in September 1943 one relieving the other. 169 Brigade joined 56 London Division (the "Black Cats") and took part in the capture of Tunis in May 1943. 131 Brigade became the Lorried Infantry brigade of 7 Armoured Division (the "Desert Rats") after the Battle of EI Alamein. Two years later, both brigades were ordered overseas and fought in the Eighth Army in the Western Desert. ![]() All six Territorial battalions fought in France in 1940. The Queen's battalions formed into two brigades 131 (Queen's) Brigade consisted of 1/5th, 1/6th and 1/7th Queen's and 169 (Queen's) Brigade was made up of 2/5th, 2/6th and 2/7th Queen's. Prior to the declaration of War the Territorial Battalions were each ordered to split and form into two Battalions doubling the strength of the T A infantry. It moved back to Singapore and on the surrender of the Island in February 1942 the majority became POWs. Such were the casualties it was amalgamated with the 1st Battalion The Leicester’s in December 1941 to form “The British Battalion”. In February 1941 it moved to Northern Malaya and following the attack on Pearl Harbour and Japanese invasion of Malaya saw heavy fighting during the withdrawal South. The 2nd Battalion the East Surrey Regiment was stationed in Shanghai in 1939 moving to Singapore and Malaya in August 1940. 1940 and all 1941 was spent reforming before taking part in Operation Torch – North Africa landings in 1942, followed by invasion of Italy in 1943 where it remained until the German surrender in May 1945 when it moved to Austria. After the War, the 2nd Battalion moved back to India, where it remained until 1947.Ī month after War was declared The 1st Battalion The East Surrey Regiment moved to France and in May 1940 was in Brussels, withdrawing with BEF and evacuated at Dunkirk. This was followed by a peaceful year in Ceylon, prior to a move to Burma, where it served as part of the Deep Penetration Forces (Chindits) against the Japanese. It then moved back to Egypt and then Syria. The 2nd Battalion moved to Egypt from Palestine in 1940 and fought in the Battle of Sidi Barrani and at Tobruk. ![]() After the Japanese surrender, the 1st Battalion spent a short period in Malaya, before returning home. The Battalion then transferred to Burma and saw a great deal of hard fighting against the Japanese in the Arakan, at Kohima and in the Irrawaddy operations. Of the Regular Battalions: The 1st Battalion Queen's Royal (West Surrey) Regiment continued to serve in India at the start of the Second World War and fought for a year against tribesmen on the North-West Frontier. Just over 21 years after the end of the First World War – “the War to end all Wars” - Great Britain again declared War on 1st September 1939 following Germany's invasion of Poland. Second World War 1939-945 The Second World War 1939–1945 IntroductionĢ022 - We are in the process of adding the War Diaries of the Battalions of the Second World War here »
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