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Royal Guernsey Militia
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Royal Guernsey Militia
The Royal Guernsey Militia has a history dating back 800 years. Always loyal to the British Crown, the men were unpaid volunteers whose wish was to defend the Island of Guernsey from foreign invaders.
Militias were also created in the Bailiwick islands of Alderney and Sark as well as in Jersey.
The commander of all military forces in Guernsey has always been appointed by the Crown, originally Wardens or Keepers, sometimes using the title Captain or Governor. Later becoming known as the Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey.
Records indicate that Guernsey had formed an armed body to defend the Island over 800 years ago, in accordance with the order on 24 July 1203 of King John to provide a sufficiency of men and money to defend the Island from the enemy. In 1214 Eustace the Monk, a pirate, based in Sark arrived under orders from the King of France to harry the Channel Islands. In Guernsey he met a newly raised and locally armed defence force comprising the whole manhood of the Island. This could be considered to be the first Island militia.
A Henry III survey dated 1248 records that Islanders were free from (overseas) military service, excepting assisting the Duke of Normandy to recover England if necessary. The Island was invaded in 1294, Castle Cornet was held for several years before the French invaders were repulsed. The militia is first mentioned in 1331. A further French invasion took place in 1336 and was again repulsed.
At the start of the war, that would last for over a hundred years, King Edward III of England authorised Thomas de Ferres in 1337 to "levy and train" militias in the Guernsey, Jersey, Sark and Alderney, to the use of arms and to aray them in thousands, hundreds and twenties. The militias of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney and Sark can claim to date from 1337, making them the oldest regiments of the British Army. The Sark Militia comprised 40 men known as the Quarantine.
In 1338 the Guernsey Militia had its first recorded battle. French Admiral Béhuchet landed an invasion force on the west coast of the Island. The Militia men from St Martin's and the Forest parishes met the French at Les Hubits and won the battle. For this act, King Charles II, 300 years later granted the South Regiment of militia permission to wear blue facing on their uniforms (a privilege only granted to Royal Regiments). Winning the battle did not win the war, the French Admiral returned later in the year and took the Island, including Castle Cornet where the 65 defenders, many militia men, were all killed, as were 12 other archers at Jerbourg Point. Guernsey sailors managed to put up some resistance with two Venetian galleys being sunk, however the Island was captured. In 1340 the Island was recaptured when the French retreated into the Castle, however the French held out in Castle Cornet until August 1345 when, after a three-day attack by professional soldiers and the local militia the castle was taken and all the French were killed. The King ordered St Peter Port to be defended by walls, it is not clear whether these walls were built, but a tower at Beauregard was constructed. In 1358 the French returned and the castle taken again, with the French evicted the next year and an island traitor executed.
Training was undertaken weekly in each parish, using common land, or at a specialist place near each church named Les Buttes where archery could be practiced. In 1372 Owain Lawgoch a claimant to the Welsh throne, at the head of a free company, on behalf of France, attacked Guernsey, popularly called "La Descente des Aragousais". Owain Lawgoch withdrew after killing 400 of the Island militia, when ordered by Charles V to sail to La Rochelle. A French assault in 1461, during the War of the Roses was repulsed.
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Royal Guernsey Militia
The Royal Guernsey Militia has a history dating back 800 years. Always loyal to the British Crown, the men were unpaid volunteers whose wish was to defend the Island of Guernsey from foreign invaders.
Militias were also created in the Bailiwick islands of Alderney and Sark as well as in Jersey.
The commander of all military forces in Guernsey has always been appointed by the Crown, originally Wardens or Keepers, sometimes using the title Captain or Governor. Later becoming known as the Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey.
Records indicate that Guernsey had formed an armed body to defend the Island over 800 years ago, in accordance with the order on 24 July 1203 of King John to provide a sufficiency of men and money to defend the Island from the enemy. In 1214 Eustace the Monk, a pirate, based in Sark arrived under orders from the King of France to harry the Channel Islands. In Guernsey he met a newly raised and locally armed defence force comprising the whole manhood of the Island. This could be considered to be the first Island militia.
A Henry III survey dated 1248 records that Islanders were free from (overseas) military service, excepting assisting the Duke of Normandy to recover England if necessary. The Island was invaded in 1294, Castle Cornet was held for several years before the French invaders were repulsed. The militia is first mentioned in 1331. A further French invasion took place in 1336 and was again repulsed.
At the start of the war, that would last for over a hundred years, King Edward III of England authorised Thomas de Ferres in 1337 to "levy and train" militias in the Guernsey, Jersey, Sark and Alderney, to the use of arms and to aray them in thousands, hundreds and twenties. The militias of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney and Sark can claim to date from 1337, making them the oldest regiments of the British Army. The Sark Militia comprised 40 men known as the Quarantine.
In 1338 the Guernsey Militia had its first recorded battle. French Admiral Béhuchet landed an invasion force on the west coast of the Island. The Militia men from St Martin's and the Forest parishes met the French at Les Hubits and won the battle. For this act, King Charles II, 300 years later granted the South Regiment of militia permission to wear blue facing on their uniforms (a privilege only granted to Royal Regiments). Winning the battle did not win the war, the French Admiral returned later in the year and took the Island, including Castle Cornet where the 65 defenders, many militia men, were all killed, as were 12 other archers at Jerbourg Point. Guernsey sailors managed to put up some resistance with two Venetian galleys being sunk, however the Island was captured. In 1340 the Island was recaptured when the French retreated into the Castle, however the French held out in Castle Cornet until August 1345 when, after a three-day attack by professional soldiers and the local militia the castle was taken and all the French were killed. The King ordered St Peter Port to be defended by walls, it is not clear whether these walls were built, but a tower at Beauregard was constructed. In 1358 the French returned and the castle taken again, with the French evicted the next year and an island traitor executed.
Training was undertaken weekly in each parish, using common land, or at a specialist place near each church named Les Buttes where archery could be practiced. In 1372 Owain Lawgoch a claimant to the Welsh throne, at the head of a free company, on behalf of France, attacked Guernsey, popularly called "La Descente des Aragousais". Owain Lawgoch withdrew after killing 400 of the Island militia, when ordered by Charles V to sail to La Rochelle. A French assault in 1461, during the War of the Roses was repulsed.
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