6th Bn The Queen’s Royal Regiment

Important constituents of the Surrey Territorials were certain of the London Regiments who were linked to the Regular Surrey Regiments.

Officers 22 London Regt (The Queen’s), Wannock 1936. Enlarge Image

One such was the 22nd (County of London) Battalion The London Regiment (The Queen’s), later 6th (Bermondsey) Battalion The Queen’s Royal Regiment. Originating as volunteer units in Bermondsey, then in the County of Surrey, the units became the 10th and 23rd Surrey Rifle Corps in 1860, later the 6th Surrey Rifle Volunteer Corps and eventually in 1883, the 3rd Volunteer Battalion The Queen’s Royal (West Surrey) Regiment. A volunteer company served in the South African War and in 1908 the Battalion became the 22nd (County of London) Bn The London Regiment (The Queen’s), wearing the Paschal Lamb badge of The Queen’s.

The Monument at Ostakakker dedicated to 1/6 Bn The Queen’s Royal Regiment. Enlarge Image

In the First World War they fought in Flanders,Salonika and the Middle East, being part of General Allenby’s offensive against the Turks. Two of their members Pte J Harvey and Lieutenant Colonel A D Borton DSO won Victoria Crosses (See Appendix A).

In 1937 the title of the Battalion was changed to 6th (Bermondsey) Battalion The Queen’s Royal Regiment.

Pte H Brabazon (Curly) Flyweight Champion 131 (Surrey) Inf Bde and 1932 Territorial Champion 6 Queen’s. Enlarge Image

During the Second World War the 1/6th Battalion served initially in London as a designated support unit to the Metropolitan Police if required and later served in Belgium before being evacuated via Dunkirk to return to Home Defence duties in England. Later they served in North Africa, suffering heavy losses at El Alamein, and thence to Italy and finally in the invasion of Europe where they landed on the Normandy beaches two days after D-Day 1944. The 2/6th similarly served on Home Defence at the outbreak of war, later going to France from, whence they were finally evacuated via Cherbourg.

After renewed Home Defence duties they went overseas again in 1942 to serve at Kirkuk as a defence of the Caucasus against a possible German offensive, and later they saw further service in North Africa and Italy.

In May 1947, under Territorial Army reorganisation the 6th Queen’s became part of the 131 Infantry Brigade with 5th Queen’s and 6th Surreys. After further TA reconstructions in 1960 they were amalgamated with the 565 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment and 5th Bn The Queen’s Royal Regiment to become the 3rd Bn The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment (TA).