Royal Guernsey Light Infantry
| Royal Guernsey Light Infantry | |
|---|---|
|
Badge of the RGLI | |
| Active | 1916–1919 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | 1,300 soldiers |
| Part of | British 29th Division 1917–1918 |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort George, Guernsey |
| Motto | Diex Aix (God Help Us) |
| Engagements |
Battle of Passchendaele Battle of Cambrai 1917 Battle of the Lys 1918 |
Royal Guernsey Light Infantry was a regiment in the British Army that was formed from the Royal Guernsey Militia in 1916 to serve in World War I. They fought as part of the British 29th Division. Of the 2280 Guernseymen who fought on the western front with the RGLI, 327 died and 667 were wounded.
Many Guernsey men had already volunteered for regiments in the British Army before the RGLI was formed. The RGLI was created because there was no Guernsey-named regiment to underline the island's devotion to the Crown.
The regimental motto, Diex Aix, derives from the battle cry used by the Normans at the Battle of Hastings.
The Regiment lives on in the Guernsey Army Cadet Force (Det.) Light Infantry, who, although they do not wear the RGLI Cap Badge, still keep alive the history of the Regiment within the Detachment.
Brief History of the Regiment
1916
17 December
- Royal Guernsey Light Infantry established. (Royal Guernsey Militia suspended for the duration of the war)
- Most men from the Militia volunteered to join the RGLI, others including a few civilians, were conscripted.
1917
- Training in Guernsey at Fort George, L'Ancresse and Beaucamps
1 June
- To England – Bourne Park Camp near Canterbury for advanced infantry training.
July
- 2nd (Reserve) Battalion formed to receive recruits and train them as replacements for casualties in the 1st Battalion RGLI.
September
- Soldiers sent on a final leave
26 September
- The RGLI 1st Service Battalion (44 Officers and 964 other ranks) boarded trains to Southampton and onwards to France.
9–14 October
- Battle of Poelcappelle (Part of Third Battle of Ypres, or ‘Passchendaele’). After this, rest and training for Cambrai.
20 November – 3 December
- Battle of Cambrai, where the RGLI's role was to go through the Hindenburg Line after the first wave and take 'Nine Wood' to the north of Marcoing. This went according to plan, and they then moved into Marcoing and on to the front line at Masnières. The Guernseymen found themselves defending the small town of Les Rues Vertes against a huge and determined German counter-attack for two days. They suffered heavy casualties, with nearly 40% of the regiment either killed or injured during the battle, but only withdrew when ordered to by the high command.
- After this, rest, refitting, training.
1918
18–26 January
- RGLI went back into the front line at St Jean (north east of Ypres). After this, work parties, training.
8–29 March
- In Battle zone, front line at Poelcappelle. After this, rest and training
3–7 April
- In front line, Passchendaele sector.
10–14 April
- Battle of the Lys, east of Hazebrouck. German 6th Army under Von Quast smashes 5 miles through allied lines. The RGLI is bussed south to help stem the German advance. Hopelessly outnumbered, but holding the Germans in a fighting retreat from Doulieu to near Merris, the Battalion suffer an appalling 80% casualties rate. The RGLI is relieved by the Australians.
30 April
- The RGLI, withdrawn from the 29th Division and 86th Brigade, become GHQ troops well to the rear in Ecuires where they became guard troops for General Haig's H.Q. for the rest of the war and beyond.
1919
22 May
- The RGLI return to Guernsey from France.
Honours and Awards
.jpg)
Order of St. Michael and St. George (Companion)
T. L. de Havilland, Lieutenant Colonel
Royal Victorian Order (5th Class)
N. R. Ingrouille, Lieutenant
Military Cross
E. J. Stone, 2nd Lieutenant
H. E. K. Stranger, 2nd Lieutenant
H. A. Le Bas, Captain
Ambrose Sherwill, Lieutenant
F. de M. Laine, Lieutenant
Distinguished Conduct Medal
W. H. Budden, 569 Acting Sergeant
W. J. Le Poidevin, 590 Sergeant
H. L. James, 586 Sergeant
Military Medal
T. R. Robin, 841 Private
C. H. Yeaghers, 610 Private
J. Sealley, 843 Corporal
W. Gannicott, 335 Corporal
W. T. Gregg, 87 Private
Médaille militaire (France)
J. Sealley, 843 Corporal
Mentioned in Despatches
(Despatch from Sir Douglas Haig to the Secretary of State for War, 7 April 1918)
E. A. Dorey, Lieutenant
H. Jones, Lieutenant
C. C. Machon, 226 Lance Corporal
W. T. Robinson, 1131 Lance Corporal
Poetry
- See ye Masnières canal a'flood
- And where yon green graves lay?
- There Norman warriors fled to their God
- Ne'er more to glimpse the day.
- But writ there, first, a name in blood-
- Norman Ten Hundred.
- At Doulieu, the night birds flit
- Across yon blue-grey water.
- And at dusk ghost warriors sit-
- Wraiths of a fearsome slaughter.
- There too in blood the name is writ-
- Norman Ten Hundred.
- And thus there the battle's flame
- Laid men out fast and low,
- So young Sarnia died, but Fame
- Cast o'er their graves its glow,
- And honours wove about the name
- Norman Ten Hundred.
(From Blicq, A Stanley, Norman Ten Hundred, Guernsey Press, 1920)
References
- Blicq, A Stanley, Norman Ten Hundred, Guernsey Press, 1920
- Parks, Major Edwin, Diex Aix: God Help Us – The Guernseymen who marched away 1914–1918, States of Guernsey, 1992
External links
The Channel Islands and the Great War Study Group
- RGLI page includes Nominal Roll, Casualty Lists, War Diary
- Transcript of RGLI War Diary
Other Links
- Guernsey Museum article on the RGLI
- RGLI page at Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth site
- BBC Guernsey feature on RGLI
- RGLI page at Long, Long Trail site
- Postcards featuring members of the RGLI
- A feature about the Guernsey Army Cadet Force's activities.
- The Guernsey ACF win the Kohima Cup
- Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Regimental Museum