West Suffolk Militia facts for kids

The West Suffolk Militia was a special army group in the United Kingdom. It was like a local defense force that helped protect the country. This group existed from 1759 until 1881. After that, it joined a bigger army group called The Suffolk Regiment.

What Was the West Suffolk Militia?

The West Suffolk Militia was first set up in 1759 in a town called Bury St. Edmunds. It was made up of ordinary people who could be called upon to serve as soldiers when needed. They were not full-time soldiers but trained to help defend their area.

When Did They Serve?

The Militia was called into active service, or "embodied," several times throughout its history.

• 1778-1783: The first time they were called up was in 1778. They served for five years. During this time, their official rank or number changed a few times. They started as the 39th militia regiment, then became the 36th, 42nd, 31st, and finally the 26th by 1782.

• 1793-1814: They were called up again in 1793 for the French Revolutionary Wars. They were ranked as the 19th regiment then. When fighting started again in 1803, they were called up as the 59th regiment. They stopped serving when peace returned in 1814.

• 1854-1856: By 1833, they were known as the 10th regiment. They were called into action during the Crimean War. This was from December 1854 to June 1856.

Joining The Suffolk Regiment

In 1881, there were big changes in the British Army, known as the Childers Reforms. Because of these changes, the West Suffolk Militia became part of The Suffolk Regiment. It was renamed the 3rd Battalion of that regiment.

Later Service and Disbandment

Even as part of The Suffolk Regiment, the militia battalion was called upon for duty.

• South African War: They served in the South African War (also known as the Boer War). They were called up in December 1899 and stopped serving in mid-1901. They had another short period of service in 1902.

• First World War: More changes happened in 1908 with the Haldane Reforms. The battalion became part of the Special Reserve. When the First World War started in 1914, they were called up. During this war, they mostly helped train new soldiers and sent them to other battalions. They stopped active service after the war ended in 1919.

• Second World War and End: The battalion technically still existed during the Second World War. However, it was never called into action. Finally, in 1953, the West Suffolk Militia, in its last form, was officially ended.