We all know that our history goes back to 1685 as numbered infantry regiments of the British Army, and it’s a clear and established lineage. The story of the White Rose of Yorkshire dates back to 1 August 1759, when the British ‘Minden’ Regiments advanced into battle with white roses in their hats, plucked from the hedgerows and they successfully repelled the attacks of French cavalry.
The Childers Reforms of 1881 reorganised the infantry regiments of the British Army. The regimental seniority numbers were officially abolished and battalions came to be known by their number within the regiment and the regimental district name. At that time, The East Yorksire Rehiment (15th of Foot), along with others, were instructed to use as their cap and helmet badge, an existing badge of regimental significance, or to choose one appropriate to their county. Hence, the White Rose was adopted in 1881 and superimposed upon the Brunswick Star.
In terms of our association with Yorkshire, here are the dates when our antecedent regiments, then numbered regiments, were adopted by what were the then counties of Yorkshire:
- The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) were adopted by the North Riding of Yorkshire in 1782.
- The West Riding, Duke of Wellingtons Regiment were adopted by the West Riding in 1782.
- The West Yorkshire Regiment was aopted by the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1881.
- The East Yorkshire Regiment was adopted by the East Riding of Yorkshire in 1881
- The East and West Yorkshires were merged in 1958 to become, The Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire.
- On 6 June 2006, The Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire, the Green Howards, and Duke of Wellingtons Regiment were merged to form today’s Yorkshire Regiment.
