Hardy Falconer Parsons
T./2nd Lt. Hardy Falconer Parsons, late Glouc R. For most conspicuous bravery during a night attack by a strong party of the enemy on a bombing post held by his command. The bombers holding the block were forced back, but 2nd Lt. Parsons remained at his post, and single handed, and although severely scorched and burnt by liquid fire, he continued to hold up the enemy with bombs until severely wounded. This very gallant act of self-sacrifice and devotion to duty undoubtedly delayed the enemy long enough to allow of the organisation of a bombing party, which succeeded in driving back the enemy before they could enter any portion of the trenches. This gallant officer succumbed to his wounds. (14th Battalion, 20/21 August 1917 near Epehy, France.LG 16th Oct 1917)
Manley Angell James
T./Capt. Manley Angell James, M.C., Glouc. R. For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in attack. Capt. James led his company forward with magnificent determination and courage, inflicting severe losses on the enemy and capturing twenty-seven, prisoners and two machine guns. He was wounded, but refused to leave his company, and repulsed three hostile onslaughts the next day. Two days later, although the enemy had broken through on his right flank, he refused to withdraw and made a most determined stand, inflicting very heavy losses on the enemy and gaining valuable time for the withdrawal of guns. He was ordered by the senior officer on the spot to hold on " to the last " in order to enable the brigade to be extricated. He then led. his company forward in a local counter-attack on his own initiative, and was again wounded. He was last seen working a machine gun single-handed, after having been wounded a third time. No praise can be too high for the gallant stand made by this company, and Capt. James, by his dauntless courage and magnificent example, undoubtedly enabled the battalion to be withdrawn before being completely cut off. (8th Battalion, 21st March 1918 near Velu Wood, France ....LG 25th June 1918)
Francis George Miles
No. 17324 Pte. Francis George Miles, 1 /5th Bn., Glouc. R. (T.F.) (Coleford, Glos.). For most conspicuous bravery and initiative in attack on the 23rd October, 1918, during the advance against the Bois L'Eveque, when his company was held up by a line of enemy machine guns in the sunken road near the Moulin J. Jacques. Pte. Miles alone, and on his own initiative, went forward, under exceptionally heavy fire, located a machine gun, shot the gunner, and put the gun out of action. Observing another gun near by, he again advanced alone, shot the gunner, rushed the gun, and captured the team of eight. Finally, he stood up and beckoned to his company, who, acting on his signals, were enabled to work round the rear of the line and to capture sixteen machine guns, one officer, and fifty other ranks. It was due to the courage, initiative, and entire disregard of personal safety shown by this very gallant soldier that the company was enabled to advance at a time when any delay would have jeopardised seriously the whole operation.
(LG 6th Jan 1919)
Daniel Burges
Maj. (T./Lt.-Col.) Daniel Burges, D.S.O., Glouc. R., Commanding 7th (S) Bn., S. Wales Bord. For most conspicuous bravery, skilful leading and devotion to duty in the operations at Jumeaux (Balkans) on the 18th September. 1918. His valuable reconnaissance of the enemy first line trenches enabled him to bring his battalion without casualties to the assembly point, and from thence he maintained direction with great skill, though every known landmark was completely obscured by smoke and dust. When still some distance from its objective the battalion came under severe machine-gun fire which caused many casualties amongst company leaders. Lt.-Col. Burges, though himself wounded, quite regardless of his own safety, kept moving to and fro through his command, encouraging his men and assisting them to maintain formation and direction. Finally, as they neared the enemy's position, he led them forward through a decimating fire until he was again hit twice and fell unconscious. His coolness and personal courage were most marked throughout and afforded a magnificent example to all ranks.
(LG 14th Dec 1918)
Surgeon Reade, 61st.
Surgeon Herbert Taylor Reade, 61st Regiment.
Date of Acts of Bravery, September 14th and 16th, 1857

During the siege of Delhi, on the 14th of September, 1857, while Surgeon Reade was attending to the wounded, at the end of one of the streets of the city, a party of rebels advanced from the direction of the Bank, and having established themselves in the houses in the street, commenced firing from the roofs. The wounded were thus in very great danger, and would have fallen into the hands of the enemy, had not Surgeon Reade drawn his sword, and calling upon the few soldiers who were near to follow, succeeded, under a very heavy fire, in dislodging the rebels from their position. Surgeon Reade's party consisted of about ten in all, of whom two were killed, and five or six wounded.
Surgeon Reade also accompanied the regiment at the assault of Delhi, and, on the morning of the 16th September, 1857, was one of the first up at the breach in the magazine, which was stormed by the 61st Regiment and Belooch Battalion, upon which occasion he, with a serjeant of the 61st Regiment, spiked one of the enemy's guns. (LG 5th Feb 1861)
 

Medals of the Regiments:
The Gloucestershire Regiment

 

© Images Copyright ©

Gloucestershire Regiment Cap Badge Gloucestershire Regiment Back Badge
The famous "back badge" of the regiment,
 this example in gilding metal.
 
Gloucestershire Regiment US Presidential Citation
Gloucestershire Regiment Cap Badge, white metal.  U.S.  Presidential Citation "Blue Ribbon" see Korea Below.  Pair of anodised collar badges
 of the last design issued.
Kipling and King  634 (back badge 635) 

 
 
 
 

The Gloucestershire Regiment
1694 - 1994
 
 
 
Titles
pre 1881 post 1881
28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot 1st Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment
61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot 2nd Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment
 
Earliest recognised formation: 28th Regiment: 1694, when raised as Sir John Gibson's Regiment of Foot (Became the 28th Regiment in 1751)
61st Regiment: 1756, when raised as the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Regiment of Foot (Buffs) redesignated the 61st in  1758
 
Motto: By our deeds we are known
 
Regimental Journal:  The Back Badge
 
WWI: Battle Honours; 72 Victoria Crosses; 4 Died; 8100
WWII:    Battle Honours;  20 Victoria Crosses; 0 Died; ???
 
Amalgamated: 1994, with The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire), to form The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
 
 
A 2nd Battalion of both Regiments existed 1803-1814
 

Egypt Campaign 1801,  and the Peninsula War 1808 - 1814   (Both Regiments present) and the Battle of Maida 1806 (61st Regiment)

Military General Service Medal.  1793 - 1814

 
28th Regiment (Both Battalions )
 
clasp:

Egypt

Corunna

Talavera

Busaco

Barrosa

Abuhera

Ciudad Rodrigo
number: 27124 1874 132127 1
 
clasp:

Badajos

Salamanca

Vittoria

Pyrenees

St. Sebastian

Nivelle

Nive
number: 33 220160 190 103

 

clasp:

Orthes

Toulouse

 number of medals max clasps      
number: 101 146376 8    
 
61st Regiment (1st Battalion only )
 
clasp:

Egypt

Maida

Corunna

Talavera

Busaco

Fuentes d'Onor

Badajos

number: 3624 1136 741 2
 
clasp:

Salamanca

Vittoria

Pyrenees

St. Sebastian

Nivelle

Nive

Orthes

number: 1543 1131 6662 96
 
clasp:

Toulouse

 number of medals max clasps        
number: 131277 9      

 

 

Battle Honours:  28th: Corunna, Barrosa, Albuhera, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse, Peninsula,    61st: Maida, Talavera, Salamanca, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse, Peninsula, and a Sphinx superscribed Egypt was permitted to be borne on the colours of both Regiments.

 
2nd Battalions' disbanded 1814
 

Battle of Waterloo 1815 28th Regiment, 1st Battalion.

Waterloo Medal 1815 (names on roll, includes died , missing etc)

 
number: 613
 
 

Casualties 16th, 17th & 18th June 1815 (extracted London Gazette 8/7/1815 & "Medals of the British Army and  how they were won" T. Carter 1861*)

Officers: 1 Captain killed; 1 Major, 5 Captains, 11 Lieutenants and 1 Ensign and 1 Staff wounded.

*Sergeants, Trumpeters, Drummers, Farriers and Rank and File:   

Wounded Missing
Died of wounds Suffered amputation Discharged Transferred to Veteran or Garrison Battalions Rejoined the Regiment Remaining in hospitals in April 1816 Total Rejoined the Regiment Not since heard of, supposed dead.
2817 93 10115 44198 3-
 
 

*Carter's figures are in turn extracted from the return prepared by the Adjutant-Generals office, 13th April 1816.

Battle Honour;  Waterloo.

 
 
 

The Second Sikh War 1848 -1849.  61st Regiment

The Punjab Medal 1848-49

clasp:

Chilianwala

Goojerat

number: 835 888
 

Battle Honours: Chillianwallah, Goojerat, Punjaub

 
 
 

Crimean War  1854 - 1856  28th Regiment

Crimea Medal 1854 -56

 
Clasp: → ..none...

Alma

Balaklava

Inkermann

Sebastopol

 Total Medals 
Number: → ? 779 23 618 ? ?  
 
 

Battle Casualties;

Action.Killed Died of Wounds 'Wounded'Dangerously
Wounded 		Severely
Wounded		Slightly
Wounded 		Missing Total
Battle of Alma -- -- -- --
First bombardment of Sebastopol, first battle of Inkermann and minor actions 2- 4- -1 -7
Battle of Inkermann -- -- -- --
Assault on the Quarries 1- -- -2  3
First Attack on the Redan 9- -11 1921 363
Final Attack on the Redan -- -- -- --
2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th Bombardments of Sebastopol and Minor Actions. 9- -1 1316 -39
 
Magazine explosion at the French Siege Train -- -- -- --

Grand Total:     

113
 

Men who served in the Crimea also eligible for:

Turkish Crimea Medal 1855

 

Battle Honours:  Alma; Inkermann; Sevastopol.

 
 
 

India Mutiny 1857-59  61st Regiment

India Mutiny Medal. 1857 -59

clasp: ...none...

Delhi

number: 77 875
   
 


VCs: 1,  Reade

 

Battle Honour: Delhi 1857

 
 
 

Anglo-Boer 1899 - 1902   1st Battalion Oct 1899- end of the war; 2nd Battalion Jan 1900 -end of the war. A detachment served as mounted infantry (MI) and 1st and 2nd Volunteer Battalions supplied men.

Queen's South Africa Medal 1899-1902, with or without the King's South Africa Medal 1901 - 1902

Common clasps: Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; also:

 
  1st       MI? MI?
clasp:
Defence of Ladysmith
Relief of Kimberley

Paardeberg

Driefontein

Johannesburg

Diamond Hill
number: ? ? ? ? ? ?
             
 
  MI?          
clasp:

Wittebergen

         
number: ?          
             

 

Casualties:

Officers NCOs and Men
KIA & DOW/ DOD Wounded Missing & POW KIA & DOW Death from disease Wounded Missing / POW
1st Battalion, Oct 1899 - end of war
1 / - 9 19 65 50 107 310
2nd Battalion , Jan 1900 - end of the war
1 / 1 4 5 27 75 91 209
             
 

Battle Honour: Defence Ladysmith, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeburg, South Africa 1899-1902

 
 
 

The Great War 1914 - 1918  (  24 battalions;  16 served overseas:- )

Generally awarded the British War Medal & Victory Medal, men overseas prior to 1/1/1916 also a 1914 or 1914-15 Star.

Battalion → 1  2* 1/4 1/5 1/6 2/4 2/5 2/6
City of Bristol City of Bristol
date of first overseas service.
 (first theatre red x )		 13/8
1914		 18/12
1914		 30/5
1915		 29/3
1915		 30/5
1915		 24/5
1916		 25/5
1916		 24/5
1916
France & Flanders x x x x x x x x
Gallipoli                
Egypt & Palestine                
Mesopotamia               
Macedonia   x            
Italy     x x x      
India                
Star
possible ? 		1914 or 1914-15 x              
or 1914-15 only   x   x x      
VCs at a glance:              
died
Extracted from : "Soldiers / Officers Died in the Great War" (consider approximate - in addition the regiment as a whole lost an additional 100 officers who are recorded with 'battalion not shown'  or with battalions not shown here, or who we have  not yet allocated a battalion.)		 1022 329 381 587 509 288 481 296
"other ranks" only, officers are included with the relevant 1st line territorials figure
 

*In China at the start, moved to the UK

 
Regular Territorial Force New Armies Garrison.

 

Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19
22 officers and 171 men of the Gloucestershire Regiment also qualified for this medal.

 


VCs: 4,   Parsons,  James,   Miles,  Burges  (Burges attached to 7th Battalion South Wales Borderers)

 

Battle Honours: Mons; Ypres 1914, 1915, 1917; Loos; Somme 1916, 1918; Lys; Selle; Vittorio Veneto; Doiran 1917; Sari Bair; Baghdad.   Retreat from Mons; Marne 1914, 1918; Aisne 1914, 1918; Langemarck 1914, 1917; Gheluvelt; Nonne Bosschen; Givenchy 1914; Gravenstafel; St Julien; Frezenberg; Bellewaarde; Aubers; Albert 1916, 1918; Bazentin; Delville Wood; Pozières; Guillemont; Flers-Courcelette; Morval; Ancre Heights; Ancre 1916; Arras 1917, 1918; Vimy 1917; Scarpe 1917; Messines 1917, 1918; Pilckem; Menin Road; Polygon Wood; Broodseinde; Poelcapelle; Passchendaele; Cambrai 1917, 1918; St Quentin; Bapaume 1918; Rosières; Avre; Estaires; Hazebrouck; Bailleul; Kemmel; Béthune; Drocourt-Quéant; Hindenburg Line; Epéhy; Canal du Nord; St Quentin Canal; Beaurevoir; Valenciennes; Sambre; France and Flanders 1914-18; Piave; Italy 1917-18; Struma; Macedonia 1915-18; Suvla; Scimitar Hill; Gallipoli 1915-16; Egypt 1916; Tigris 1916; Kut al Amara 1917; Mesopotamia 1916-18; Persia 1918.

 
 
 

The Great War 1914 - 1918 

continued.........

Battalion → 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 18
Bristol Forest of Dean
Pioneers		 West of England
date of first overseas service.
 (first theatre red x )		 ?/7
1915		18/7
1915		21/9
1915		8/8
1915		21/11
1915		3/3
1916		30/1
1916		1/8
1918
France & Flanders   x x x x x x x
Gallipoli x              
Egypt & Palestine x              
Macedonia     x          
North Persia x              
Star
possible ? 		1914  or 1914-15                
or 1914-15 only x x x x x      
VCs at a glance:            
died
see above		 710 972 136 656 765 302 361 38
 
 
 
 
 

WW2 1939 - 1945  

Battalion → 1st 2nd 5th 10th
campaign ↓        
France and
Belgium 1940.
(Dunkirk )		   x x  
North Africa & Middle East        
Burma x     x
Sicily / Italy        
N.W. Europe   x    
 

Notes.
  In Burma at the start.
Came under command of 63rd Indian Infantry Brigade (17th Indian Infantry Division) for the period 1/6/42 - 22/6/43. Moved to India 20/7/43		 8th Infantry Brigade 3/9/39 - 5/2/40 and 145th Infantry Brigade 5/2/40 - 10/12/42 survivors evacuated 29/5/40 France and  Belgium.

D-Day Landers with 56th Infantry Brigade (under command of 50th Infantry Division for the assault phase)		 144th Infantry Brigade for France and Belgium 1940 72nd Independent Infantry Brigade 28/4/44-31/8/45. In Burma 28/4/44 - 22/5/44 and 4/7/44 - 16/5/45
 
 
 

WW2 Stars common to the Battalion. (excluding 39-45 star )
 Key: A = Africa, P = Pacific, B =  Burma, I = Italy,  F&G = France and Germany
  B F&G   B
         
 

Most also entitled to the 1939-45 War Medal and many the Defence Medal

 

Battle Honours:  Defence of Escaut; Cassel; Mont Pinçon; Falaise; North-West Europe 1940, 1944-5; Taukyan; Paungde; Pinwe; Myitson; Burma 1942, 1944-5. St Orner-La Bassée; Wormhoudt; Villers Bocage; Risle Crossing; Le Havre; Zetten; Monywa 1942; North Arakan; Mayu Tunnels; Shweli.

 
1948: Regulars reduced to a single battalion (the 1st)
 

Korean War 1950 - 1953 1st Battalion (Nov 1950 - Nov 1951)

Queen's Korea Medal

 
numbers:  ? 983 + reinforcements ?*
 

* 38 officers and 945 ORs; with reinforcements of 9 officers and 176 ORs are strengths quoted in the official history for 8/8/1950. [ plus 12 OR's due to additional 17 pdr anti-tank guns]
 

 
Casualties †
(Attached men included in these figures)		 Died Wounded POW
  112 ? 530
 

† Battalion fought a last stand action on Hill 235, Imjin River, eventually overrun by vast numbers of Chinese.
 
Honours and Awards
(Attached men included in these figures)
VCs: 		George
 Cross		 DSO OBE MBE BEM MC DCM MM US DSC
  2** 1** 3 1 2 12 5 2 9 1
 

** VCs: Carne, Curtis  (Curtis Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, att. Glosters). George Cross to Waters (West Yorks R. Att Glosters) See Korea VCs and GCs page
 

The Regiment was also awarded a joint US Presidential Citation with the 170th Independent Mortar Battery RA for Imjin
 

Battle Honours:  Imjin; Korea 1950-1; Hill 327.
 
 
 

Mau Mau Rebellion, Kenya. 1953 1st Battalion

Africa General Service Medal 1902 - 56

clasp:

Kenya
number: ?
 
 
 
 

The Cyprus Emergency 1955 - 1960  1st Battalion (Jan 1957- Feb 1958)

General Service Medal 1918-62

clasp:

Cyprus

numbers:?
 

 

 
 
 

Aden 1964 - 67  1st Battalion  'B' Company only, attached to the Coldstream Guards. (23rd Dec 1965-16th April 1966)

General Service Medal 1962-2007

clasp:
South Arabia
number: ?
 
 
 
 

Northern Ireland, Operation Banner.  1969-2007  1st Battalion (8 tours, 1969 -1993 )

General Service Medal 1962-2007

clasp:

Northern Ireland

number:?
 
 
Amalgamated 1994
 

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Selected Links

The Regimental Museum. (Located in )
 
 
 

Selected Bibliography;

 
Author Title Publisher
Lieut.-Col. Charles Cadell. Narrative of the Campaigns of the Twenty-Eighth Regiment since their Return from Egypt in 1802.  281pp. London: printed for Whittaker & Co., 1835
(Ed) Lieut.-Col. F. Brodigan. Historical Records of the Twenty-Eighth North Gloucestershire Regiment, from 1692 to 1882.  232 pp. London: Blackfriars Printing and Publishing Co. Ltd., 1884.
(Cannon's Historical Records Series) Historical Record of The Sixty-First, or, The South Gloucestershire Regiment of Foot; containing An Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1758 and of its subsequent Services to 1844  68 pp. London: Parker, Furnivall & Parker, 1844.
Brig.-Gen. A. W. Pagan. Infantry. An Account of the 1st Gloucestershire Regiment during the War 1914-1918.211 pp. (Separate case of maps.) Aldershot: Gale & Pollen Ltd., 1951
Robert O. Holies. Now Thrive the Armourers. A Story of Action with the Gloucesters in Korea (November 1950-April 1951).   176 pp. London: George C. Harrap & Co. Ltd. [ 1952].
Everard Wyrall, with a Foreword by Field Marshal Sir G. F. Milne. The Gloucestershire Regiment in the War, 1914-1918. The Records of the 1st (28th), 2nd (61st), 3rd (Special Reserve) and 4th, 5th and 6th (First Line T.A.) Battalions. 357 pp. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd. [1931]
David Scott Daniell from Material provided by Col. R. M. Grazebrook, with a Foreword by H.R.H. The Duke of Gloucester.
Cap of Honour; The Story of The Gloucestershire Regiment (The 28th/61st Foot), 1694-1950. 344 pp.
 		 London: George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd. [1951]
Edited by A. F. Barnes, Capt. The Story of the 2/5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, 1914-1918 192 pp. Gloucester:  The Crypt House Press Ltd., 1930.
W. J. Wood
European War. With the 5th Glo'sters at home and overseas from 3 August 1914 to 21 March 1918.    116 pp.
 		 Gloucester: The Crypt House Press Ltd. [1925].
introduction by Rev. G. F. Helm The Fifth Gloucester Gazette. A chronicle, serious and humorous, of the battalion while serving with the British Expeditionary Force.  280 pp.
(Reproductions of original issues, short history of the Battalion up to outbreak of War 1914, and its work at the Front)		 Gloucester: printed by John Jennings [1922].
     

 

Additional Bibliography for this Page.

 
Author/Compiler Title Publisher
Officers of the Regiment. Unpublished rolls in the care of the National Archives; WO 100/ etc. -
  Additional bibliography same as Northumberland Fusiliers page  
     
     
 

 

 

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