Book Description

The Norfolk Regiment (9th Foot) entered the war with two regular, one reserve and three TF battalions (one of the latter, the 6th, was a cyclist battalion); by the end the number had grown to nineteen of which eight went on active service whose losses in dead numbered 5,576. The total number of men raised during the war amounted to 32,375. Seventy battle honours and one VC were awarded, the VC going to Lt Col Sherwood-Kelly while commanding 1st R Inniskilling Fusiliers. The 1st Battalion (apart from a short spell in Italy with the 5th Division), 7th, 8th, 9th served on the Western Front; the 2nd fought in Mesopotamia only and was captured at Kut al Amara in April 1916; the 4th and 5th were at Gallipoli, in Egypt and in Palestine while what became the 12th Battalion (converted Norfolk Yeomanry) went to Gallipoli, Egypt, Palestine and finally France and Belgium for the last few months of the war. In the introduction there is a most useful table showing when and where the 1st, 7th, 8th and 9th Battalions were located on a month by month basis. The accounts of the doings of the several battalions are based mainly on their War Diaries and those of the brigade and division to which they belonged. To supplement these the author has in some cases had personal reminiscences though not as many as hoped. Each battalion is dealt with separately apart from the TF 4th and 5th which are taken together while a variety of Appendices contain information such as succession of colonels and COs with biographical notes, roll of honour of officers, uniforms, arms and badges, Colours and Battle Honours and other regimental and traditional items.