1st Battalion South Lancs
(I serve)
was adopted by The South Lancashire Regiment
(Prince of Wales's Volunteers).
The first Battalion served with distinction in the Boer War, losing their commanding officer Lt Col MacCarthy O'Leary whilst leading a charge at the Battle of Pieter's Hill - From South Africa, the Battalion shipped to India, replacing the 2nd Battalion, which had being doing its turn overseas since about the mid 1880s. The 1st Battalion remained in India throughout the Great War. Quite a lot of officers, and a number of NCOs and rankers were transferred to other battalions during the war.
1881 Bengal 1884 Aden 1888 England: Portsmouth 1890 Jersey 1892 Ireland: Birr 1895 Fermoy
1898 England - 1899.12 South Africa 11 Bde 1903 India: Jubbulpore 1906 Raniket 1909 Subathu 1912 Ambala 1914 Quetta 1914.08 Quetta 1919 Afghanistan - The outbreak of war in 1914 - found the 1st Battalion - the old 40th Foot - stationed at Quetta, India, due for relief by the 2nd Battalion in 1916. Officers and the men were keen to head for the Western Front to join their sister battalion in action against the Germans. In May 1919, the ill-advised Afghan government of King Amanullah declared war and attempted to invade British India. 1st Battalion South Lancashire Regiment (the old 40th) were at that time a resident battalion in India, where their principal task had been to maintain watch on the North West Frontier with Afghanistan. Based at Quetta since 1914, their tour had not been without incident, for in 1918 they had fought a short campaign against the Marri tribe of Baluchistan, marching for some six hundred miles before defeating them in pitched battle. This was a typical mountain warfare operation, characterised by careful picquetting of the line of march by day (physically demanding, thirsty and potentially dangerous work) and watchful perimeter defence by night.
On the outbreak of the 3rd Afghan War, the South Lancashires were moved up to garrison Jamrud, the important fort guarding the exit from the Khyber Pass. Later the Battalion took part in operations against Pathan bands in the Kajuri Plain and the Bazar Valley. Then on the 15th July it was ordered forward to occupy Ali Masjid, key to the Khyber. There the South Lancashires stayed until the end of October, during which time they took part in several operations against dissident tribesmen, the most important of which was the destruction of the Afridi stronghold of Chora. On completion of this mission, the Battalion had the task of acting as rearguard to the column on its withdrawal, always one of the most difficult phases of mountain warfare, but the South Lancashires were thoroughly versed in the tactics of this form of warfare and completed the operation without untoward incident. Nevertheless, there was no sign that the old 40th Foot would be shipped to Europe, as India still demanded a substantial British garrison.I desire to express my indebtedness to Lieutenant Colonel John Downham - who has allowed me to include some photographs that were used in his book "Red Roses on the Veldt"
To the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for their permission to use the casualty information on these pages Also to the Anglo Boer War Museum for permission to use some content of their web site to enhance this Honour Roll