Catalogue description 2ND BATTALION

The Battalion was first raised in Scotland in 1756 as the 2nd Battalion of the 31st Regiment and redesignated as the 70th Regiment in 1758. It fought in the American War of Independence and in 1782 was renamed the 70th (Surrey) Regiment when an additional depot company of the regiment was established in Kingston. For much of the French Wars, 1793-1815, the regiment served in the Caribbean, taking part in the capture of Martinique, St Lucia and Guadeloupe, 1794-95. Guadeloupe was retaken by the French and in 1810 the 70th was again part of the force that recaptured it.

After the war, it went on to serve in Canada, Ireland, Malta and the West Indies before leaving for India in 1849. After the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny in 1857 it operated against the rebels around Peshawar. From India it went to New Zealand, 1861-1866, seeing action during the Maori Insurrection, 1864-5. The Regiment returned to India in 1871 and in 1878-9, took part in the 2nd Afghan War. In 1873, it had been linked with the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment, the two units alternating service abroad and home, with a shared depot at Kingston. In 1881 the 70th was redesignated as the 2nd Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment.

In 1884-5 it served in Egypt and Sudan and in 1899 left for South Africa, serving throughout the Boer War, 1899-1902, before being stationed in India and Burma. During World War I, the Battalion fought on the Western Front in 1915, before moving to Macedonia and Salonika. After the war, it served in Turkey in 1920 and Ireland, 1921-22. In 1938 it was transferred to Shanghai to serve as part of an international force against the Japanese.

In 1940 it was sent to defend Malaya and Singapore, fighting alongside the 1st Battalion, the Leicestershire Regiment. Heavy casualties forced the two Battalions to amalgamate in Dec 1941 and form 'The British Battalion'. This unit surrendered to the Japanese on 15 Feb 1942 and went into captivity. In Jun 1942, the 11th Battalion, a Home Defence unit previously known as the 50th (Holding) Battalion, was redesignated as the new 2nd Battalion, remaining in England and Ireland for the rest of war. After the war, the Battalion took part in security operations in Palestine in 1946 before moving to Egypt. In 1948, it was amalgamated with the 1st Battalion to form a new unit, to be known as the 1st Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment.