The Essex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958. The regiment served in many conflicts such as the Second Boer War and both World War I and World War II, serving with distinction in all three. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot and the 56th (West Essex) Regiment of Foot.

In 1958, the Essex Regiment was amalgamated with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment to form the 3rd East Anglian Regiment (16th/44th Foot). However, the existence was short-lived and, in 1964, was amalgamated again with the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk), the 2nd East Anglian Regiment (Duchess of Gloucester's Own Royal Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire) and the Royal Leicestershire Regiment to form the Royal Anglian Regiment. The lineage of the Essex Regiment is continued by 'C' Company of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment.

History Origins The Essex Regiment was formed in 1881 by the union of the 44th (East Essex) and 56th (West Essex) Regiments of Foot, which became the 1st and 2nd battalions respectively of the new regiment. This merger was part of the Childers Reforms of the British Army, which also saw the East Essex Militia and West Essex Militia joining the Essex Regiment as its 3rd and 4th battalions.

A large number of small Rifle Volunteer Corps had been formed in the county as a result of an invasion scare in 1859. In 1880, they were consolidated into four battalions, and in 1883 they were designated as the 1st–4th Volunteer Battalions of the Essex Regiment.Beckett, Appendix VII.Westlake, Rifle Corps, pp. 83–87. Under the mobilisation scheme proposed by the Stanhope Memorandum of 1888, they constituted the Essex Volunteer Infantry Brigade, which was to gather at Warley in case of invasion.Beckett, pp. 135, 185–86.Quarterly Army List

Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902) The 1st and 2nd battalions both served in South Africa during the Second Boer War. Notably, the regiment participated in the Relief of Kimberley and the Battle of Paardeberg. The four Volunteer Battalions contributed two Special Service Companies to assist the 1st Battalion and were also awarded the battle honour South Africa 1900–02.Burrows, pp. 12–14, 23.

After the war ended in June 1902, the 1st battalion was transferred to Bangalore, as part of the Madras command. 966 officers and men left Natal for India in the SS Ionian that August. The 570 men of the 2nd battalion returned home on the SS Pinemore in October 1902.

The 3rd (Militia) battalion, formed from the Essex Rifles in 1881, was a reserve battalion. It was embodied in December 1899, disembodied in October the following year, and later re-embodied for service in South Africa during the Second Boer War. 17 officers and 532 men returned aboard , arriving in Southampton on 5 October 1902.

The Haldane Reforms As a result of the Haldane Reforms, the regiment's militia component, which was renamed the Special Reserve, was reduced to one battalion on 1 April 1908. In addition, the four volunteer battalions transferred to the Territorial Force and were redesignated as battalions of the Essex Regiment: 1st Volunteer Battalion became the 4th Battalion at Ongar Road in Brentwood (headquarters since demolished) 2nd Volunteer Battalion became the 5th Battalion at Stanwell Street in Colchester (headquarters since demolished) 3rd Volunteer Battalion became the 6th Battalion at Portway in West Ham (headquarters since demolished) 4th Volunteer Battalion became the 7th Battalion at Cooks Terrace in Silvertown (headquarters since demolished) The Essex Brigade joined the East Anglian Division of the TF.Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 125–31.

In 1910, the Essex and Suffolk Cyclist Battalion, which had been raised in 1908, divided to become the 6th (Cyclist) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment and the 8th (Cyclist) Battalion, Essex Regiment.

First World War (1914–1918)

During the First World War, the Essex Regiment provided 30 infantry battalions to the British Army. The 3rd (Special Reserve) (formerly Militia) battalion was mobilised to supply drafts to the two Regular battalions. On the outbreak of war, the Territorial battalions (4th-7th, and 8th (Cyclist) battalions), all formed second line (2/4-2/8th) and eventually third line (3/4th-3/8th) battalions. Three service battalions (9th, 10th and 11th) and one reserve battalion (12th), were formed from volunteers in 1914 as part of Kitchener's Army. A further service battalion, the 13th (Service) Battalion (West Ham), was raised by the Mayor and Borough of West Ham. Reserve battalions were created as the war progressed, including the 14th (from the depot companies of the 13th), the 15th, 16th and 17th (from provisional battalions), the 18th (Home Service) and 1st and 2nd Garrison Battalions.

Battle of the Somme The 1st Battalion took part in the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916. The battalion, which comprised W, X, Y, and Z companies, took up position in the British trenches at 3:30 am. At 8:40 am, the battalion received orders to advance and clear the German first-line trenches. It was delayed by heavy enemy fire and congestion in the communication trenches. The Newfoundland Regiment advancing to the left of the Essex battalion was almost entirely wiped out as it advanced towards the German lines. At 10:50 am, the Essex companies were in position and received orders to go "over the top". The companies came under heavy artillery and machine gun fire almost as soon as they appeared over the parapet, causing heavy losses. The attack became bogged down in no man's land. The battalion received orders from 88th Brigade headquarters to recommence the attack at 12:30 pm, but at 12:20 pm the battalion commander advised brigade HQ that "owing to casualties and disorganisation", it was impossible to renew the attack. The survivors of the battalion received orders to hold their position along the line of 'Mary Redan' – 'New Trench' – 'Regent Street'.

Thiepval Memorial The names of 959 members of the Essex Regiment are recorded on the Thiepval Memorial, commemorating the officers and men of the regiment who died on the Somme and have no known grave.

Gallipoli After serving in home defence, the Essex Brigade (containing the 1/4th, 1/5th, 1/6th and 1/7th battalions and now numbered the 161st (Essex) Brigade in 54th (East Anglian) Division) landed at Suvla Bay in August 1915 in an attempt to restart the stalled Gallipoli Campaign. The four Essex battalions saw some hard fighting, but lost even more men to sickness. They were withdrawn to Egypt in December before the Gallipoli Peninsula was finally abandoned.Burrows, pp. 4199.Westlake, Galipoli, pp. 162–8.

Senussi Campaign As soon as it arrived in Egypt, the brigade became involved in the Senussi Campaign, marching out to replace the New Zealand Rifle Brigade guarding the coast railway from Alexandria to Da'aba. The Essex battalions were relieved from this duty on 4 March 1916 by the 2nd County of London Yeomanry and moved into the No 1 (Southern) Section of the Suez Canal Defences. In August, part of the brigade was moved northwards to counter a Turkish thrust at the canal, and was present at the Battle of Romani, though only 161st Brigade Machine Gun Company was engaged.Burrows, pp. 101–33.

Sinai and Palestine In early 1917, 161st Brigade crossed the Sinai Desert to take part in the Palestine Campaign. It was engaged at all three Battles of Gaza. At the First Battle (26 March 1917), the main attack was made by 53rd (Welsh) Division with 161st Brigade in support. Towards the end of the day the 161st Brigade was ordered to take Green Hill: despite heavy fighting the attack was a complete success and the brigade held the whole position by nightfall. However, confusion set in, and 53rd Division withdrew during the night. The men of 161st Brigade were enraged by the order to withdraw. The following day patrols showed that the Turks had not reoccupied the position; 1/7th Battalion was sent up to support the patrols, but a violent Turkish counter-attack finished the battle. Casualties were heavy, including many men missing after the fighting withdrawal.Burrows, pp. 133–77.

The brigade was not heavily engaged during the Second Battle of Gaza (17–19 April 1917:) 1/7th Bn was detached and assigned to the Imperial Camel Corps (ICC), which was protecting the left flank of 54th Division, while the rest of the brigade was in divisional reserve and most of its casualties were due to shellfire.Burrows, pp. 187–96.

During the summer months, 161st Brigade held the line without suffering serious casualties, and by the end of October was fully up to strength for the forthcoming Third Battle of Gaza (1–3 November 1917). On the morning of 2 November, the 54th Division put in a holding attack at the El Arish Redoubt. The fighting was confused, but the division took all its objectives. However, the 1/7th Bn found that the fourth objective, 'John Trench', was a mere scrape in the ground and could not be held. The brigade commander considered that this battalion had the hardest time of all that day. At 04.00 on 3 November, 1/7th made a renewed attempt to take their objective, but were again held up by Turkish machine-gun fire, with heavy casualties. During the rapid pursuit after the fall of Gaza, 1/4th and 1/6th Essex assisted the Anzac Mounted Division, while 1/5th and 1/7th were left marching in the rear.Burrows, pp. 196, 213–55.

As well as battle casualties, the whole brigade suffered considerably from influenza during November–December 1917 and throughout 1918. The weakened brigade was mainly engaged in line-holding until September 1918. 54th Division was held in readiness to move to reinforce the Western Front, but in the end was not sent.Burrows, pp. 278, 286–87, 308.

The 54th Division returned to the offensive for the Battle of Megiddo (19–25 September 1918), which finally broke the Turkish resistance. To support the breakthrough, 161st Brigade was to secure the Ez Zakur line and then form a defensive flank. The brigade formed up before dawn on 19 September; covered by an overhead barrage from the machine gun companies, it took its objectives successfully. The main assault completely broke through the Turkish lines and opened the way for the cavalry to pursue the defeated enemy.Burrows, pp. 310–21. 161st Brigade was left behind for a week on battlefield clearance before joining the pursuit. By the time the Armistice with Turkey was signed on 30 October 1918, 54th Division had reached Beirut.Burrows, p. 329.

Home Defence The four Second Line TF battalions (2/4th–2/7th) constituted the 206th (2/1st Essex) Brigade in 69th (2nd East Anglian) Division, which remained on Home Defence throughout the war.Burrows, pp. 353–55.Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 91–8.2nd Essex Bde at Warpath 67 Division at Warpath The Third Line battalions (3/4th–3/7th) were formed as reserve battalions to provide drafts to the TF units overseas. By September 1916, they had been merged into 4th Reserve Battalion.TF training Bns at Warpath Burrows, pp. 355–57.

Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) The 1st Battalion was stationed in Kinsale in County Cork during the Irish War of Independence.

Major Percival

From 1920, Major Arthur Ernest Percival (later a Lieutenant-General) served first as a company commander, then as the battalion's intelligence officer. During the First World War, Percival became renowned for his "power of command and knowledge of tactics".