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1st Bn Duke of Edinburghs Royal Regiment
(Berkshire and Wiltshire)
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| CATTERICK |
| 1969
- 1971 |
| Air
Portable |
The month of June 1969 found the 1st battalion in Alma Barracks Catterick, Yorkshire.
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They were there joined by a number of soldiers from the South Wales
Borderers and Welsh Regiment who had only just amalgamated. Most of them
went to 'B' Company to make up its strength for its imminent British
Honduras commitment. The Companies soon settled into a routine of constant
change and movement, with 'B' Company leading the way to the sunny Caribbean.A'
Company followed suit by disappearing to Malaysia on Exercise SANJAK. 'C'
Company fully expecting to |
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ALMA BARRACKS 1969 |
take
up the task of rear party for the
Battalion were soon shocked to find themselves posted across the water to
Londonderry in August 1969, the start of the present troubles, reinforced
with the Drums they joined the 1st Battalion Queens Regiment for what
turned out to be a four months tour .
Over
the next two years the Rifle Companies within the Battalion were like
ships that passed in the night, with 'B' Company returning from British
Honduras, and later going to Belfast to reinforce the 1st Battalion Royal
Scots, there they had a particularly heavy engagement in the Falls
road when the 1st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment suffered three Casualties.
'A' and 'C' Companies took their turn in British Honduras keeping the Guatemalans
at bay. When time and numbers allowed the Battalion received the freedom
of Abingdon, and the Battalion less one Company went to Canada for
Exercise POND JUMP WEST.
In
1971 the Battalion were together for the first time, and on the 23rd March
assumed SPEARHEAD DUTY, the following month the whole Battalion found
themselves back in Ulster where they took over from the 5th Light
Regiment, Royal Artillery in Londonderry. They remained there finally
handing over to the 1st Bn Royal Scots and returned to Catterick to
prepare for the move to Berlin.
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