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- malaya
Catterick 1969-1971
June 1969 found the Battalion reformed in Alma Barracks Catterick, Yorkshire from where it despatched its Companies world wide.
Three Company Groups each of over 180 All Ranks were to go to British Honduras, in Central America, each spending six months there. In addition 'A' Company went off to Malaysia on an exercise, 'B' and 'C' Companies with supporting elements did short tours in Northern Ireland, and, in September 1970, the Battalion less 'C' Company Group, flew out to Canada on another exercise.
Finally the whole Battalion was despatched to Northern Ireland in May 1971 for six weeks.
During it's time in Catterick the following Regimental Journals were published
Title
'A' Company in Malaya
‘A’ company went to Malaysia for Exercise SANJAK under the command of Major CB Lea- Cox in August 1969. This was a six week exercise during which the company was based at the Jungle Warfare school at Kota Tinggi, and trained extensively in Johore state. The company took under command a platoon of soldiers from the Singapore Guard Regiment. The exercise provided useful training in air-portability, but also laid a firm foundation of knowledge of jungle operations on which ‘A’ Company was able to draw when its turn came to carry out the British Honduras commitment at the end of December 1969.
A Coy Prepare at Alma Barracks for the trip to Malaya, Inspection by Lt General Sir John MOGG, under the watchful eye of CSM Jim PINCHIN
Company Photograph of 'A' Coy 1DERR, Malaya 1969
3 Section, 2 Plt A Coy (Can anybody name them ?)
Members of A Coy relaxing in Malaya 1969
Photos from Malaya
Tours of Duty 1959-1975
Tours of Duty 1975-1994
'Bravo' Company to Belfast
'B' Company's deployment to Belfast in Support of 1st Bn Royal Scots
'B' Company had a short but violent 3 week tour of Belfast in 1970. The Company were on weekend leave when they received 36 hours to move to Belfast, to support the 1st Bn Royal Scots. Shortly after they arrived the platoons were soon initiated when faced with a typical angry mob. At this time platoons were ill equipped by modern standards but managed to keep the mob at bay for an hour. Eight members of 5 Platoon received injuries, three having been dragged away from the front rank. These injuries proved to be minor, but very painful with the exception of Pte FERN and Sgt POTTER. This was followed by a night of Gunfire overhead.
A picture of (Believed 5plt) B Coy 1 DERR in action July 1970
A Close up taken from the picture, left, clearly showing the type of equipment worn at that time.
A personal view of a riot in Belfast 3rd/4th July 1970
By Major R.H. GODWIN-AUSTEN
Like most things in Belfast, when it happened, it happened swiftly, violently and without warning. On the morning of the 3rd July we had conducted Lord Balniel, the defence minister, round our Company area in an atmosphere of relaxed euphoria and Bonhomie. Friendly Irish neighbours gave our patrols tea and sandwiches. By nightfall we were locked in a gun battle with snipers in which at least five civilians were killed and nearly 800 rounds of 7.62 ammunition were fired by British troops. But to start at the beginning.
At about 4 o’ clock that afternoon information came, that here was a large cache of arms in a house in Balkan Street in the Falls road Area. By 4.30 pm a cordon and search operation had been hastily organised by Special Company, 1st Bn ROYAL SCOTS, ‘B’ Company, 1 DERR consisting Coy HQ, 5 Platoon and the troop of 5 (Gibraltar) Battery R.A. (The Drums platoon had to remain on duty in HMS Maidstone) was to act in a support role close at hand in case there was trouble. The Company remained parked in lorries in a street nearby and waited. Over the radio came the news that a large quantity of arms and ammunition had been found. All was quiet until a RUC car and its military escort with the captured arms and explosives drove away. A Crowd of young and middle aged male onlookers then started to stone the cordon troops, who were forced to retaliate by firing CS Gas.
The intimation we had that everything was wrong was when a Royal Scots Land-Rover came tearing round the corner towards us followed by a cloud of gas. We realized we were now trapped. We couldn’t go forward because of the crowd and we couldn’t go back because the street was to narrow to turn the four trucks round. In case it was to late, I shouted to the platoons to dismount and then we all put on respirators, as the gas had already reached us. There was a moments confusion as the men tried to don respirators and climb off the vehicles at the same time. Commanders couldn’t make themselves heard through and everybody was tangled up with their equipment. (SOUND FAMILIAR)
I left the vehicle to see just where the crowd was. As I rounded the corner I saw a gaggle of youths only about 25 yards away and running towards me. The sight of a man in a tin hat and respirator is not particularly attractive even to a rioter. And the crowd stopped and started to draw back. I drew a CS Grenade just in case they changed their mind, but didn’t have to throw it. This pause gave the leading platoon (5 Platoon) a chance to position themselves across the street just in time to receive the first hail of missiles. And a hail it was, lumps of paving stone, bottles, broken glass, broken manhole covers iron bars, marbles and ball bearings fired by catapult hurtled through the air at us. The front rank took the brunt of the attack, dodging as many missiles as they could. But the shields they had did not protect the legs, and the ball bearing went right through the metal. Also, as we have all found at one time or another – you can’t dodge them all.
CS Grenades were thrown but as the wind was blowing towards us it had little effect on the rioters. Several Baton charges were tried but the rioters hopped away and then returned once the encumbered baton squad withdrew. We started having casualties, The Platoon Sgt had a finger fractured and badly cut from ball bearings, the platoon commander and several other men were hit on the legs by lumps of paving stone, three men were hit and were unable to stand and had to be carried off.
B Company 1DERR with 1Royal Scots, Falls Road, Belfast
Our gunner troop at this stage were positioned behind 5 Platoon, I had intended to use them to out flank the rioters down a parallel road but with the casualties 5 platoon were having I thought it better to leave the troop where they were and called for re-inforcements.
It is difficult to describe the ferocity of the mob. They appeared to have gone completely berserk. They screamed every sort of epithet at us and that familiar mob howl went on interminably. Behind us a little knot of civilians, including several priests, had gathered. They wore mouth and nose masks, but their eyes were streaming. They said they would stop the riot if we stopped throwing CS , I thought it worth a try, but the self styled peacemakers got no more than 10 yards in front of us before they to were stoned, and had to withdraw behind us under cover of more CS. Women and children, some in prams, also appeared running from their houses, driven out by the gas. A terrible and pathetic sight, but this didn’t stop the rioters either.
At that point re-inforcements arrived. First a Company of 1st Bn GLOSTERS, who took up a position to the side and behind us. Then five minutes later a company of 3rd Bn QUEENS REGT arrived in scaracan armoured cars. The scaracans were driven straight through the rioters who scattered down side streets and then reformed behind them. They then drove back again and the same thing happened. Finally they drove through once more, dismounted, chased the rioters down some side streets and departed. The rioters reformed and continued their riot with renewed energy. We had been engaged now for about 50 minutes, and orders came for us to withdraw. This was easier said than done because each time we we moved back, the rioters followed us up and it was obviously wrong to withdraw in these circumstances.
Suddenly at the far end of the street a double Decker bus appeared. The rioters commandeered it, drove it towards us and finally placed it across the road about 30 yards in front of us. There was then a pause which we prepared to move forward to the area of the bus. Suddenly, without warning, there was a series of shattering bangs in and around us. Soldiers were blown backwards, and I immediately thought that we were being grenaded – and we were !
B Company, 1DERR, Falls Road, Belfast
The grenades must have been lumps of explosive with impact fuses as blast was the primary effect. There was no sign of the thrower or anyone else for that matter, the bomber and his friends were successfully hidden behind the bus. All together he threw seven bombs at us, one of which blew several soldiers off their feet and caused one of our men and three GLOSTERS to be carried off with injuries to the legs and face.
With this new development the platoons scattered to tactical deployment against the walls of buildings. The riot began to run out of steam, we were obviously to strong for them and the mob dared not show their faces around the bus. Taking advantage of the lull we withdrew through the GLOSTERS Company and marched to an R.V. where our transport joined us. So ended the riot.
THIS WAS BELFAST JULY 1970
AWARD OF THE QUEENS COMMENDATION FOR GALLANTRYTO SGT POTTER E,1st Battalion The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment
The commanding Officer congratulates Sgt POTTER on his well-deserved award of a Queens Commendation for Bravery. On 30th June 1970 ‘B’ Company 1st Battalion Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire) was sent to Northern Ireland to help maintain law and order in Belfast over the 12th/13th July Marches. On arrival, the company was placed under command the 1st Battalion The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) During the late afternoon of 3rd July 1970, the Company was deployed to Albert Street, Belfast, where serious rioting was taking place. Sgt POTTER was the platoon of No 5 Platoon, which had been deployed at the junction of Albert street and Raglan Road. On arrival of the platoon, a crowd of about 400 youths pelted them with bottles, stones, ball bearings and marbles fired from catapults, and later gelignite grenades. Sgt POTTER was wounded in the hand early on in the action and suffered a fractured finger which was also badly cut. In spite of this painful injury, he continually organised and controlled repeated baton charges by his two leading sections. By his presence and calm bearing, he was able to steady the front rank under a continuous hail of missiles and bring the mission to a successful conclusion. Later on in the even after he had received attention to his wounds, he returned to the platoon and remained with them in the cordon of the falls area for the rest of the night and the following day Sgt POTTER displayed courage and devotion to duty and contributed greatly to the success of the operations his platoon carried out during the night. |
Sources Regimental Journals and Local Newspapers
Tours of Duty 1959-1975
Tours of Duty 1975-1994
C’ Company 1969
The Irish troubles recommenced in August 1969 for the British Army. The one remaining company in Catterick was ‘C’ Company and they together with the drums platoon were ordered to Londonderry at short notice to reinforce the 1st Battalion Queens Regiment. The tour was to last for four months.
They were based at the Duncreggan Territorial Army centre and started working to a nine days out and three days in rota. Initially the situation was grim with soldiers sometimes sleeping in the streets.
The company was involved in all forms of urban internal security duties and in particular in manning check-points and carrying out foot patrols. They took part in a number of crowd dispersal operations, which included several major riots in the Diamond area of the old city.
Lt Col GIBSON addresses 'C' Company in Alma Barracks just prior to their departure to Ulster
C' Coys Deployment to Londonderry in Support of 1st Bn Queens Regiment
Once given the order to prepare the Company was reinforced by the 'Drums' and the next few days were busily spent preparing to go to Londonderry. The 'Riot Box' Formation was practiced on the square, and items such as flak jackets appeared as by magic.
Great emphasis was placed on turnout and we must have painted steel helmets three or four times before they reached the required standards by the C.S.M.
After the preparation the Company were briefed by the Commanding Officer Lt Col GIBSON in Alma Barracks, and then made their way to Londonderry for an open ended posting.
It was August 1969 and one of the more experienced soldiers in the Company said 'It will be done and dusted by Christmas' I wonder where we heard that before.
ONTO THE STREETS OF LONDONDERRY
On arrival 'C' Company, 1st Bn Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment were thrown straight in at the deep end joining the 1st Bn Queens Regiment as reinforcements. The area of operations is shown below, the Company in common with remainder of the contingent in Ulster were on a massive learning curve operating in an area that was to become familiar to many of the following generations of 'Farmersboys'
The Artwork shown on the left depicts an image of what a soldier of the Queens/DERR in Northern Ireland in August 1969 would have looked like.
1st Bn Queens Regiment (C Coy 1DERR) Area of Operations, Londonderry 1969
| LEGEND | |
| 1. Magazine Gate | 15. Rosemount R.U.C. Station |
| 2.Guildhall | 16. Factory |
| 3. Ferry Quay Gate | 17. Celtic Park |
| 4. New Gate | 18. St Columbs Cathedral |
| 5.Bishops gate | 19. The Diamond |
| 6.Butchers Gate | 20. Rossville flats |
| 7.Castle gate | 21. Maisonettes |
| 8.Ship Quay Gate | 22. Creggan Road |
| 9.Victoria R.U.C. Station | 23. Blighs Lane |
| 10. Presbyterian Church | 24. Park |
| 11.St Eugenes Cathedral | 25. St James Street |
| 12. Hospital | 26. Little James Street |
| 13. C of I Church | 27. Brooke Park |
| 14. Hospital | 28 William Street |
Some images from this tour
- All
- C Company Londonderry
Tours of Duty 1959-1975
Tours of Duty 1975-1994
‘C’ Company 1969
The Irish troubles recommenced in August 1969 for the British Army. The one remaining company in Catterick was ‘C’ Company and they together with the drums platoon were ordered to Londonderry at short notice to reinforce the 1st Battalion Queens Regiment. The tour was to last for four months.
They were based at the Duncreggan Territorial Army centre and started working to a nine days out and three days in rota. Initially the situation was grim with soldiers sometimes sleeping in the streets.
The company was involved in all forms of urban internal security duties and in particular in manning check-points and carrying out foot patrols. They took part in a number of crowd dispersal operations, which included several major riots in the Diamond area of the old city.
‘B’ Company 1970.
In June 1970 ‘B’ Company and the Drums together with a troop from 14th Light Regiment, Royal Artillery, were dispatched at short notice to Belfast to reinforce the Royal Scots.
The company commander, Maj. Godwin-Austen, later remembered 'On the morning of the 3rd July we conducted Lord Balniel, the Defence Minister, around our company area in an atmosphere of relaxed euphoria and bonhomie.
Friendly Irish neighbours gave our patrols tea and sandwiches. By nightfall we were locked in a gun battle with snipers in which at least five civilians were killed and nearly 800 rounds of 7.62 ammunition were fired by British troops.
The violent situation started after a search of a house in Balken Street for arms and ammunition by the Royal Scots and RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary) in which fifteen pistols, one rifle, a Schmeisser sub-machine gun and a quantity of ammunition and explosives were found. This find sparked off some of the bloodiest rioting that the Province had seen to date. By the end eighteen soldiers were suffering from gunshot and grenade splinter wounds, five civilians died and 300 people were detained, and for the first time an area of Belfast had been placed under military curfew.
‘B’ Company was involved in serious rioting in the Falls Road area of Belfast, in the course of which several men were injured by gelignite bombs. In the operations that followed an officer and two soldiers of the Gloucestershire Regiment were shot and wounded.
During this period ‘B’ Coy expended 488 CS cartridges, 64 CS Grenades and several rounds of 7.62mm ball ammunition. Suddenly at the far end of the street a double decker bus appeared.
The rioters commandeered it, drove it towards the company and finally placed it across the road about 30 yards in front of them. There was a pause during which they prepared to move forward to the area of the bus. Suddenly without warning, there were a series of shattering bangs in and around them. Soldiers were blown backwards, and they thought they were being grenaded – and they were! All together they had seven bombs thrown at them. With this new development the platoons scattered to a tactical deployment against the walls of buildings.
Eight members of 5 Platoon were injured, three having been dragged from the ranks giving a clear indication of the scale of the ferocity. The two most badly injured were Sergeant Potter (later mentioned in dispatches) and Private Fern'.
1st Battalion 1971
In 1971 the battalion was the 'spearhead' battalion and on stand-by for deployment anywhere in the world to protect British interests. On 22 April that year the battalion was dispatched to Londonderry, remaining until 28 May.
They were based in an empty factory in Drumahoe just outside Londonderry. During the short deployment the battalion conducted operations in Tyrone, Fermanagh and Antrim, with ‘C’ Company detached for a brief period in the city of Londonderry under the command of the 2nd Parachute battalion.
This tour was relatively peaceful with a few minor finds to their credit. On the 28th May the battalion returned to Catterick to prepare for its move to Berlin.
Thus the battalion had an involvement in ‘The Troubles’ from the outset. It was not to be their last. They returned to Catterick on the 28th May , barely two weeks before the first advance party was due to leave for Berlin. The battalion reformed in Berlin between the 12th – 16th July.
The battalion less ‘C’ company went to Canada for Exercise POND JUNP WEST in September 1970 for six weeks.
They flew to Edmonton via Ganda. They eventually arrived in Camp Wainwright and prepared for a five week training cycle.
They started with company training which was linked to working with the supporting arms.
This culminated in a battalion exercise where all the lessons learned were practiced with live firing exercises.
The Canadian enemy forces for this part of the exercise had been removed due to operations against a group known as Liberation of Quebec (FLQ)