Territorial Battalions of

The East Surrey Regiment

2^nd Volunteer Battalion became 5^th Bn The East Surrey Regiment (TA)
3^rd Volunteer Battalion became 6^th Bn The East Surrey Regiment (TA)
4^th Volunteer Battalion became 23^rd (County of London) Bn The London Regiment

The only Volunteer Corps which had not become a Volunteer Battalion, that is the 1^st (South London) Corps East Surrey Regiment, now assumed the title of the 21^st (County of London) Bn The London Regiment First Surrey Rifles. So, in 1908, the original eight Corps of Surrey Rifle Volunteers had become two Queen’s Territorial battalions, two East Surrey Territorial battalions and four County of London Regiments.

In 1914, the 4^th and 5^th Queen’s and the 5^th and 6^th East Surreys formed 2^nd and 3^rd line battalions whose role was recruiting and training reinforcements. Although originally intended for home defence only, Territorial battalions of our Regiments served in India, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli, Palestine and on the Western Front. The 4^th Queen’s, in particular, had all three battalions in the field. The Territorial Army was formed in 1921 from the Territorial Force.

The first of the eight original Volunteer Corps to leave the Regiment was the 21^st London Regiment First Surrey Rifles, which in 1935 became an Anti-Aircraft Battalion. Three years later, the 4^th Bn The Queen’s became a Searchlight Regiment and the 5^th Bn The East Surrey Regiment became an Anti-Tank Regiment. The Territorial units then consisted of the 5^th, 6^th (formerly 22^nd London Regiment) and 7^th Queen’s (formerly 24^th London Regiment) and the 6^th Surreys. In 1939 each Territorial battalion formed a 2^nd battalion for the duration of the War, all of whom were to see active service. The six Territorial battalions of The Queen’s were formed into two complete Queen’s brigades. In 1947, the 7^th Queen’s left the Regimental family to become a Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment.

The Territorial element of the Regiment was thus reduced to the 5^th and 6^th Queen’s and, on the East Surrey side, the 6^th Surreys and the 23^rd London Regiment. The last named unit had become a battalion of the Royal Tank Corps in 1937, but had reverted to infantry in 1956.

The amalgamation of The Queen’s Royal Regiment and The East Surrey Regiment in 1959 rendered the titles of the Territorial battalions obsolete. So in 1961, the 5^th and 6^th Bns The Queen’s Royal Regiment amalgamated to form the 3^rd Bn The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment. At the same time, the 6^th Bn The East Surrey Regiment came together with the 23^rd London to become the 4^th Bn The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment.

A similar reorganisation took place in 1967 after the formation of The Queen’s Regiment. The 3^rd and 4^th Bns The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment amalgamated to become the 6^th Territorial Bn The Queen’s Regiment. Four years later this unit became the 6^th Volunteer Battalion, and today, as a result of amalgamation with the 7^th Volunteer Battalion, became the 6/7^th Volunteer Bn The Queen’s Regiment.

 

Date	5th Battalion	6th Battalion	7th Battalion
1908   1914   1937   1938   1939   1961	Formed from 2nd Volunteer Bn   Formed 1/5th, 2/5th and 3/5th Bns for the 1914 - 18 War       Became 57th (East Surrey Regiment) Anti-Tank Regiment RA	Formed from 3rd Volunteer Bn   Formed 1/6th, 2/6th and 3/6th Bns for the 1914 - 18 War           Formed 1/6th and 2/6th Bns for the 1939 - 45 War   Amalgamated with 23rd London Regiment to form 4th Bn The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment	Formed from 23rd London Regiment (The East Surrey Regiment)

 

« Previous Back to List Next »