FRANCE 1702-1763

The 33rd was raised in 1702 as a direct result of the need to rapidly expand the British Army to combat the French over the issue of who should reign in Spain.  Over the next fifty years the Regiment was involved in campaigns in Holland, Portugal, Austria and Northern France. The most notable Battle Honours include the Regiment’s first at Dettingen in 1743, Roucoux (1746) and Lauffield (1747) In addition at Fountenoy (1745), The 33rd showed particular prowess. Throughout the Seven Years War the Regiment campaigned in Germany and, by 1763, an Empire had been won.

THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE 1775-1783

In 1775 The 33rd under Colonel Earl Cornwallis, now said to be the best trained regiment in the British Army, deployed to America. Indeed such was its reputation, The 33rd carried the nickname ‘The Pattern’, due to its consistent excellence. The Regiment fought numerous engagements, the most notable being at Guilford Court House in North Carolina, where the British force defeated an army twice its size.

WARS IN INDIA 1787-1810

In 1787 The 76th Regiment, later to become the 2^nd Battalion, was raised for service in India. The major Battle Honours won were at Ally Guhr, Delhi, Lewswaree and Deig.  The 76th became so battle scarred that they were nicknamed the ‘Immortals’.  For their part in the capture of Ally Guhr and Delhi the Regiment was authorised to wear the word ‘Hindoostan’, use the badge of an elephant and carry an honorary stand of colours, all of which are still worn and displayed today.  In addition, 1797 saw The 33rd gaining a Battle Honour for its part in the taking of Seringapatam.

THE NAPOLEONIC WARS 1793-1815

In 1793, Arthur Wellesley, assumed command of The 33rd.  However, by 1815, he had moved on to become ‘The Duke of Wellington’ and had his old Regiment under command as part of 5 Brigade.  The 33rd was heavily engaged at both Quatre Bras and Waterloo itself.  The 76th meanwhile had earned glory at Corunna in Spain and then finished its long period of active service in America.

THE CRIMEA WAR 1854-1856

On 18^th June 1853, The 33rd was given the name The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. The following year, the British joined the French as Turkey’s allies against the Russians.  Battle Honours were gained at Alma (1854) where The 33rd^, in the centre of the leading Brigade, took heavy casualties, Inkerman (1854) and Sebastapol (1855).

1856-1902

In the later half of the Nineteenth Century The 33rd took part in quelling the Indian Mutiny of 1857 and led the assault on Magdala in 1868 against King Theodore of Abyssinia. This battle gained the Regiment two Victoria Crosses and was the last time the Colours were carried into battle. In 1868 Cardwells’ Army Reforms led to the combining of The 33rd and The 76th Regiment’s to become the 1^st and 2^nd Battalion The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment.  Between 1900-1901, both the 1^st and 2^nd Battalions fought in the Boer War.

THE GREAT WAR 1914

Great Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914. The 2^nd Battalion was quickly deployed to France and fought at Mons and in the subsequent retreat. The Battalion also fought on the Marne, at the First Ypres in October and November of that year, and at Hill 60 in 1915.  The army expanded its Territorial Army, the 4^th, 5^th, 6^th and 7^th battalions of the TA all raising a Second Battalion. In all 21 battalions served during the war.  Battle Honours include the Somme, Ypres, Arras, Cambrai, Lys, Italy and Gallipoli. The 1^st Battalion remained in India throughout the war.

THE WORLD WAR 1939-1945

When war broke out, the 1^st Battalion was sent to France and formed part of the rearguard in the retreat to Dunkirk.  In January 1944 the Battalion took a distinguished part in the landing at Anzio and later fought at Monte Ceco in October 1944, where Private Burton won the VC.   The 2^nd Battalion fought in Burma from 1942-1945. Its rearguard action at the Sittang Bridge in February 1942 was an epic performance. The Battalion went on to fight as Chindits later in the war. The Dukes TA Battalions fought with distinction in NW Europe and Burma, as infantry, as armoured troops, and as gunners.

THE POST WAR YEARS

THE KOREAN WAR 1952-1953

In 1950 North Korea invaded neighbouring South Korea.  In September 1952, the 1^st Battalion joined the 1^st Commonwealth Division and soon found themselves in the front line.  On the night of 28^th May, the Chinese launched a fierce attack on a prominent hill feature called the Hook.  At the time, this position was defended by the Dukes.  The attack was repulsed and the Brigade Commander stated that “The attack on the Hook was the worst in all my experience. The Dukes did all I asked. They held the Hook”.  Headquarter Company of the 1^st Battalion is now named Hook Company in recognition of a hard fought battle.

1950-1960

At the end of the Korean War, the Battalion moved to Gibraltar, before returning to the UK in 1956.  In the same year the Battalion moved to Cyprus.  This was to be the first of three tours of duty on the island for the Regiment.  The 1956 operation saw the Dukes operating in a largely anti-terrorist role, which they performed efficiently and with good results.  In September 1957 the Battalion moved to Northern Ireland, and then to England in October 1959 to join the new UK Strategic Reserve as part of 19 Infantry Brigade.

THE 1960s

In July 1960 the Dukes, as the Spearhead Battalion was rushed to Kenya in response to a request from the Governor.  They returned in June 1961 as replacements for troop movements to Kuwait.  1962 saw the end of National Service.  By March 1964 the Battalion had become a Mechanised Infantry Battalion equipped with Humber FV1611 APCs and training exercises in Norway and Denmark followed.  June 1968 saw the Battalion in Hong Kong on internal security duties until returning home in November 1970 for a spell of public duties in London.

THE 1970s

The 1970s saw several deployments to Northern Ireland, initially in June 1971 followed by a roulement tour in South Armagh in which the Dukes suffered a number of casualties.  Tours followed in 1973, 1976, 1977, and 1979.  In addition to deployments to Northern Ireland the Battalion saw service in Cyprus in April 1975.  In the late 70’s the Dukes formed part of 11^th Armoured Brigade, in the mechanised role.

THE 1980s

In 1981 the Battalion returned from Germany to the UK. The Battalion was based in Catterick from where it went on a four-month tour in South Armagh. Training in Canada and Germany was followed by a tour of garrison duty in Gibraltar (1983-1985).  In January 1985 the Battalion returned to England and deployed for a 6 month tour in Belize. The latter half of the 80’s saw a period of training as part the UK Mobile Force and a 2 year tour of Northern Ireland based in Belfast.