AN IMPORTANT day in Worcester military history was marked.
The Worcester Branch of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regimental Association were at the Worcestershire Regimental Stone in Gheluvelt Park on Monday June 1 to remember the Glorious First of June 1794.
Supporting naval fleets has historically been part of an infantry regiment’s service and some detachments of the 29th Foot – which later became the Worcestershire Regiment – fought as Marines upon Lord Howes Chanel Fleet in the wars against the French, in what has become known as the Fourth Battle of Ushant.
France was experiencing difficulty feeding its people and had organised a supply fleet that left Chesapeake Bay in America. The British Fleet attacked the French, the French supply ships escaped but their naval fleet was badly mauled with ships sunk and some captured.
The British Ship ‘Brunswick’ with 81 men of the 29th aboard was so close to the French that they fired through closed ports as they could not open them. The Captain of the Brunswick and the officer of the 29th was mortally wounded.
The British claimed victory in that battle, they sunk seven French ships, without losses and were left in charge of the battle site which was so far from any land that it was dubbed The Glorious ‘1st June’. The Regiment was awarded the Naval Crown to be borne on the Regimental Colours.
In attendance at the ceremony were the deputy lord lieutenant of Worcestershire Fiona Charmy who placed a wreath at the Regimental Stone and Worcester mayor Coun Tor Pingree, who talked after the ceremony on the importance of remembrance.
