‘The Glorious Glosters’
Founded in 1881, the Gloucestershire Regiment saw service in many conflicts.
In The Gloucester Regiment in the War 1914-1918 Everard Wyrall provides a detailed, in-depth history of the Regiment’s involvement in First World War.
Sixteen battalions of the Gloucestershire Regiment served during First World War, with postings in France, Flanders, Italy, Gallipoli, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, and Macedonia.
In France, much of the Regiment saw action on the Western Front, with their first casualties of war sustained during the retreat from Mons.
On the Western Front, various battalions of the Glosters saw action in the First Battle of Ypres, the Battle of Aubers Ridge, the Second Battle of Ypres, the Somme offensive, the Battle of Loos, the Battle of Albert, the Battle of Bazentin, the Battle of Fromelles, the Battle of Pozières, High Wood, and the Battle of Guillemont.
Though at times billets were comfortable and there was time for training and sport, often those on the front lines experienced severe conditions, with water-logged trenches and mud reaching the knees a regular occurrence.
Yet, as Wyrall shows, the men of the Gloucestershire Regiment prevailed and contributed significantly to the ultimate victory of the Allies in the First World War.
Praise for Everard Wyrall
‘Captain Everard Wyrall is an indefatigable military historian.’ – The Spectator
‘It is a record of patience and determination, of self-sacrifice and bravery.’ – Field Marshal George Francis Milne
Everard Wyrall (1878-1933) served in the Boer War, the First World War, and the Third African War. He was an author, journalist, and historian who contributed significantly to the literary commemoration of First World War, compiling extensive official military histories, including, among others, those dedicated to the Somerset Light Infantry, Middlesex Regiment, King’s Liverpool Regiment, and West Yorkshire Regiment.
