1st Battalion East Surrey Regiment

The band of the East Surrey Regiment in the Royal Square in 1907

In 1904 the States and the War Office fell out over the funding of the Militia and the garrison was withdrawn. It was to be 13 months before the dispute was resolved and in October 1905 the 1st Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment arrived for a three-year stay at Fort Regent

The Battalion, formed in 1881, left for service in India in 1908. It was replaced in Jersey by the 2nd Battalion King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.

The regimental football team were Jersey Football League champions in 1906/07 and again in 1907/08.

Earlier service

The 1st Battalion had earlier served in Jersey in 1803-04. This was during a break from intensive service in the Mediterranean during the war with France. They had suffered heavy casualties in skirmishes at Ferrol and Vigo, and served in Malta and Minorca. After their brief period in Jersey they returned to England in 1904 in time to help line the route for Nelson's state funeral at St Paul's. Then they left to take part in the defence of Sicily, occupy Ajaccio, assault the French occupying forces near Genoa and finally secure Naples until the return of the exiled King Ferdinand IV.