11th (Service) Bn
Lancashire Fusiliers
Tours and Postings

WW1
Formed at Codford, September 1914, as part of K3. September 1914 : attached to 74th Brigade, 25th Division.12 August 1918 : disbanded in France.

REFORMED ON 14th OCTOBER 1940 AT ROCHDALE

The Co was Lt Col R C Harris.The Bn moved to Dursley in Gloucestershire and from there assisted the people of Bristol during intensive bombing raids.
In the Spring of 1941 the Bn moved to Scotland (Cruden Bay,Peterhead and Frazerburgh) to prepare for service overseas.
Lt Col G E Page DSO took over and on the 11the July 1941 the Bn sailed for an unknown destination,they went first to Gibralter and then transferred to the Cruiser HMS Edinburgh to be taken to Malta.
They were the last convoy to reach Malta for the next 12 months!!
They narrowly missed being hit by 2 torpedoes and they were bombed continuously en route,with every man firing every weapon they could find at the attacking aircraft.
After a most amazing 985 mile run, they docked at Malta on the 25th July 1941.
The 11th Bn took their honourable place in defending the island of Malta against all odds until the October of 1942.
This defence led to the granting of the George Cross to the Island and it's people.
As soon as it became possible,the Bn began to retrain and get fit again(they had been under very short rations for a long period) and a few Officers went as observers to the 2nd Bn at Cassino.
It is of great interest to us in 2005 that HMS Eurylus visited in March 1943 and the ships bell was presented to the 11th Bn.
This is the very bell which most of us know so well.
On the 21st May 1944 the Bn disembarked at Naples to begin fighting the Germans in Italy.