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The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
The Northumberland Fusiliers were formed during the reoranisation of the British Army which took place in 1881, with "Royal" being added to their title in 1935. The history of the regiment can be traced back to The Irish Regiment raised in 1674 which became the 5th Regiment of Foot in 1751.Throughout the Second World War The Northumberland Fusiliers were involved in action including: Defence of Escaut, Arras Counter Attack, St. Omer-La Bassée, Dunkirk 1940, Odon, Caen, Cagny, Falaise, Nederrijn, Rhineland, North-West Europe 1940 '44-45, Sidi Barrani, Defence of Tobruk, Tobruk 1941, Belhamed, Cauldron, Ruweisat Ridge, El Alamein, Advance on Tripoli, Medenine, North Africa 1940-43, Salerno, Volturno Crossing, Monte Camino, Garigliano Crossing, Cassino II, Italy 1943-45, Singapore Island
At the outbreak of War the 1st Battalion were in the Middle East. They were part of the Desert Rats as machine gunners and saw action at Tobruk, where they were attached to the 18th Brigade of the 7th Australian Division. In September 1943 they were sent to Italy, They returned to the Middle East in 1945.
The 2nd Battalion were in France with the BEF and were evacuated from Dunkirk and became part of the 4 Inf Div. Home forces. In July 1943 they were sent to Tunisia and in March 1944 to Italy and then in January 1945 they were sent to Greece.
The 9th Btn was formed as an offshoot of the 7th Battalion in early 1939. They saw action in France with the BEF, upon returning to Britain they were reequiped with Vickers machine guns moved to Crown Hill Barracks in Plymouth engaing in the defense of the Devon coast. In August the Battalion 1940 the 9th became part of the 18th Division and moved to Norfolk to defend the coast line from Wells to Great Yarmouth. The Battalion moved to the Scottish Borders in January 1941 for intensive training, with the HQ was at Bowhill House. In June 1941 they transfered to Cheshire, Desert Kit was issued and teh vehicles repainted in desert sand colours. Following embarkation leave, on the 24th October,the 9th Btn. sailed for Halifax aboard the 'Warwick Castle' from Liverpool. Arriving in Halifax they re-embarked on the American troopship the 'USS Orizaba' After a long hot journey via the Port of Spain in Trinidad and Capetown they arrived in Bombay for training before setting sail again for Singapore in late January 1942 to join the 11th Indian Division.
In 1968 The Royal Northumberland Fusliers were amalgamated with other fuslier regiments to become The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers Museum is located at The Abbot's Tower, Alnwick Castle in Northumberland.
Battalions during the Second World War.
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Oct 2009 - Please note we currently have a large backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site.
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List of those who served with The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers during The Second World War
- Pte. Matthew McLeod Douglass Read his Story.
- Martin Collins. Read his story
- Cpl Henry Cowan. Read his story
- Frederick Harold Crozier. Read his story
- George Dickinson Read his story
- Govan S Easton. 9th Btn. Read his story
- Cpl James Elliott.
- Fusilier Solomon Sydney Goldman
- Dick Jackson
- R J Litherland
- Sgt Maj. Kenneth McKenna
- Richard "Dick" Taylor. 7th Btn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
- Sgt. A.G.Turnell
- Cpl John Weatherburn. 9th Bn. (d. 15th Feb 1942).
Pte. Matthew McLeod Douglass
My father Matt Douglas, died when I was fifteen, he talked very little about his time as a POW in WW2, so any info I have is scanty. He was wounded and captured just outside Dunkirk in 1940 and spent the rest of the war in a POW camp. When liberation came, he refused to go to a hospital for assessment choosing to return home as his father was dying, so he never received a war pension or his medals. Talking to local old comrades at his funeral, they say my Dad decided to stop for a cigarette and some chocolate on a bridge and they were all captured there!
My Dad, Martin Collins, was born and bred in East London and joined the Northumberland Fusiliers. He was with the BEF at Dunkirk where he was captured at Arras and spent the rest of the war at Stalag XXB. I know that my Dad had to work on farms as part of the labour groups and that he took part in a long march as the allies neared their camp and when he arrived back in England he had lost over 5 stones in weight. I would be extremely grateful if anyone has any information about my dad so that the missing links to his past could be joined.
My Grandfather served with the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers during WW2. His name was Corporal Henry Cowan who died aged 34 in Tunis, and is comemmorated on the Medjel el bab cemetery. I would love to see some photos or share some memories of anyone who has any knowledge of him thankyou
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