Hugo White’s “One and All” – The History of the DCLI 1702-1959

Extract from a preview by Richard Holmes

“This is the definitive history of a fine regiment. It has two main merits. Anyone with a personal or family connection to the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry will find it invaluable as a detailed account of the regiment’s life from the raising of its oldest ancestor, Fox’s Marines (soon to be the 32nd Regiment of Foot), in 1702, to its amalgamation with the Somerset Light Infantry in 1959. But, in a wider sense, anyone seeking to understand the practical workings of that puzzling, infuriating, endearing and invaluable thing, the British regimental system, will find its mechanism laid bare here….(more)”

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Extract from the book with permission from Author Hugo White

Page 497…

The Caribbean, 1954 – 1955

Move to the Caribbean, February 1954

On the evening of 19th February 1954, in pouring rain, The Battalion entrained at Plymouth, North Road Station for Liverpool. It was still raining next morning as the train pulled into the docks alongside the troopship, HMT Empire Clyde. Empire Clyde proved to be the reconditioned Cameronia and very much the new look, with four berth cabins and cafeteria feeding for all, in place of the old cramped troop decks.
The ship sailed on the afternoon of the 20th February, with everybody happily settled in and looking forward to the warmth of the Caribbean.

Arrival in the Caribbean, February-March 1954

The disposition of the Battalion in the Caribbean was to be as follows:

Battalion Headquarters,

HQ Company Up Park Camp, Jamaica

A Company Prospect, Bermuda

B Company Up Park Camp, Jamaica

C Company Newcastle, Jamaica

D Company Newcastle, Jamaica

E Company Airport Camp, British Honduras

Empire Clyde steamed into Bermuda harbour on the evening of 28th February 1954. Bermuda had not been garrisoned by British troops for years, so the arrival of the Battalion was not a routine unit relief but the happy return of the British Army after a long absence.

In preparation for the following morning’s ceremony, all ranks of A Company were wearing their best battledress and highly polished best boots. Empire Clyde was too large a ship to secure alongside, so the process of disembarking A Company with all its baggage and the Band and Bugles (which were to take part in the forthcoming ceremony) had to be effected by the use of a somewhat antique river steamer. To further complicate matters, it being a Sunday night, no dock labour was available. (more to come soon)