151 Regimnet RLC - page 1
Image details
| Corps | Reserve |
|---|---|
| Material type | Articles |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | 151 Regimnet RLC |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 2019 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | Yes |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1794 |
| Late date | 2019 |
| Transcription |
HISTORY OF 151 REGIMENT RLC LINKS WITH CROYDON Prior to 1794, when the British Army had fought overseas, it had relied on the local populations to both provide and then transport supplies. This was increasingly found to be inadequate, so on the 7th March 1794, The Royal Waggoner’s were formed. It served a year before being disbanded. Although the Royal Waggoner’s had been disbanded, it had demonstrated to the Army the Importance of having an effective military transport unit. As a result, The Royal Waggon Corps was formed in 1799. Maj Digby Hamilton Major Digby Hamilton, a jovial cavalryman and one of the Grand old Duke of York’s drinking partners was given command of Waggon Master General. Soldiers were recruited from cavalryman or suitable civilians. In 1801, The Royal Wagon Train was based at a new depot in Croydon. Before the Royal Wagon Trains arrival in Croydon, it had long been a billeting town for mounted troops on route to Portsmouth or anti-riot duties in London. The local innkeepers saw the troops as quarrelsome and bad for trade. Enforced stabling of Army horses didn’t pay well either. For decades, they had backed complaints to Parliament, which often worked: in 1759, a Dragoon Regiment was ordered out of the town so that the publicans could profit fully from the Croydon annual fair. The civilians also made the life of the soldiers miserable. Even after the new barracks were built the complaints continued despite the threat of a French invasion. However, the Wagon Trains arrival soon changed relations between town and military, which still exists today. Hamilton later a Major General, had the grounds laid out as Croydon’s first Pleasure Gardens. Horse-trading and racing apart social life in the busy market town was pretty dull then, and the people welcomed the chance of respectable amusement. The Royal Wagon Train opened the barracks to the public and the band played on Sundays to entertain people and foster good relationships. Although the depot at Mitcham Road was always busy the bulk of the train served overseas. Present on Moore’s original expedition to Portugal and northwest Spain in 1808, Wagon Train detachments returned with Wellington the following year and served throughout the Peninsula War (1809-14). Ammunition and ambulance drivers were present at every major battle, and early doubts about the value of the unit soon vanished. The train grew fast to a maximum strength of just under 2000 in 1814; many of those not serving overseas were engaged on transporting minerals for forts, prisons and roads in Southern England as well as gold shipments from the Bank of England to Portsmouth for the Expeditionary Force. The Wagon Train returned to the Continent for the Waterloo campaign where they performed very well. One of its most famous actions was The Chateau of Hougoumont on the 18 th June 1815. Here the British right flank was held by 3rd Guards. By the afternoon the soldiers were almost out of ammunition, after fighting hard through the day. Unless resupplied they would have been forced to retreat, putting the entire British position in danger. A Royal Waggon Train cart filled with ammunition drove through the French lines to resupply the men allowing them to hold their position. This heroic action was immortalised in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1891 play ‘Waterloo’. Here the Royal Waggon Train received the Battle Honour WATERLOO. Detachments stayed in France with the Army of Occupation until 1818. Field Marshall Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington praised the work of The Royal Waggon Train in the following statement: “No person can be more impressed than I am of the absolute necessity of a Corps of the description of the Royal Waggon Train. You safely state this to HRH and to the Secretary of State that I recommend they should lend me as many Royal Wagon Train men and horses as they can in order to keep up the strength of this Corps, which is becoming excellent and absolutely necessary in war”. |
| Book number | R0449 |