[6][12][13] Service companies from the regiment's volunteer battalions served with the Regular 2nd Bn in the Second Boer War, gaining the 2nd VB its first Battle honour: South Africa 1900–1902.

[5] Major the Hon Benjamin Bathurst, (former and future MP for Cirencester), retired from the 4th (Royal North Gloucester Militia) Bn, Gloucestershire Regiment, was appointed Commanding Officer (CO) of the 5th Battalion with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

[32][33][34][35][36] The South Midland Division underwent progressive training in the area round Chelmsford until 13 March 1915 when it received orders to embark to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France.

The battalion returned to its brigade on 12 April, and from then on the South Midland Division took responsibility for the Plugstreet sector for the next three months, engaging in patrols and occasional trench raids.

On 23 July the 1/5th Bn went 'over the top' into murderous machine gun fire during the main attack (the Battle of Pozières) and was driven back with the loss of 13 officers and 125 men.

[28][29][48][49][50] The battalion spent the winter on the Ancre Heights, and then on 16 March 1917 the Germans began to retreat to the Hindenburg Line prepared in their rear (Operation Alberich).

[54][55] During the Battle of Langemarck (16–18 August), 1/5th Battalion took part in 145th Brigade's difficult attack on a German strongpoint built into the most northerly house in the village of St Julien.

By 30 November the units had finished detraining around Legnago on the Adige and 1/5th Gloucesters was billeted at San Gregorio nelle Alpi, moving to Stroppari by the end of the year.

The battalion HQ staff, cooks, signallers, drivers and batmen made a stand, holding on until one of the companies came round the enemy flank, and were then rescued by the arrival of another brigade.

1/5th Gloucesters was one of the leading battalions, suffering from the German counter-bombardment during the approach march, then passing through the attacking group of 50th (Northumbrian) Division, which had been held up short of the first objective.

Private Miles was awarded the Victoria Cross, his citation stating that 'it was due to the courage, initiative and entire disregard of personal safety shown by this gallant soldier that the company was enabled to advance at a time when any delay would have jeopardised seriously the operation'.

[51][73][80][81][82] After forcing the Selle, Fourth Army continued its advance to the Sambre–Oise Canal, where it paused for 10 days to prepare an assault crossing at Landrecies (the Battle of the Sambre, 4 November).

1/5th Gloucesters was in the lead, but it was a company of 1/8th Worcestershire Regiment that rushed an undamaged bridge, closely followed by the Glosters, while the rest of the brigade was ferried across the canal on petrol-tin rafts.

At first they lived at home, and little or nothing was available in terms of uniforms, arms or equipment (they wore a square of white silk with the battalion number on the lapel of their civilian jackets).

After a short tour of duty for each battalion in the front line near Laventie, during which 2/5th Gloucesters carried out an unsuccessful raid, the division was thrown into the Attack at Fromelles on 19 July 1916.

In a diversionary action to relieve pressure on the Somme front, the attacking troops were committed to a short advance over flat, waterlogged country against strong defences including concrete machine gun emplacements.

As the slow pursuit continued, A Company attacked Bihecourt on 2 April with the support of a field artillery battery, catching the defenders by surprise and quickly overrunning the village.

With 2/5th Gloucesters in close support behind the leading battalions, 184th Brigade made slow progress against the concrete pillboxes and machine-gun nests hidden in the farm buildings on their front.

[105][106] In January 1918 61st (SM) Division took over a sector from the French in front of St Quentin and began constructing the new system of defences mandated by General Headquarters.

By then the mist had cleared and they had the advantage of a wide field of fire, allowing them to inflict severe losses on the advancing Germans – a vindication of the new defensive tactics.

C Company crossed the canal and was advancing in open order to take up a flank position when it was caught in enfilade by a machine gun and Germans appeared in large numbers.

On 25 March the Germans put down an hour-long bombardment of the canal bank and village, and attempted to cross, but were driven back by rifle and machine-gun fire.

[122][123][124][125] On 4 April 2/5th Gloucesters moved to Warlus, near Arras, where the battalion rested and absorbed reinforcements, but this period was broken by the second phase of the German offensive (the Battle of the Lys).

The unit held the line until 24 June when it was relieved for an intensive rest; Lt-Col Lawson was killed on the last morning before relief, while carrying out a personal reconnaissance.

The operation was a complete failure, resulting in numerous casualties, but one DCM and two MMs were awarded to a Section that established itself across the stream and maintained its position all day before skilfully withdrawing.

[152][153] On 21 May 5th Gloucesters was heavily engaged in driving back attempts to cross the river, but the previous day the German breakthrough had reached the sea and the BEF was cut off.

The battalion was unable to disengage until midnight when the remaining 13 officers and 130 men made the way across country with their wounded CO and some prisoners to rejoin the brigade on the Yser early in the morning of 29 May.

[162] The troops on the Yser continued to act as western flank guard for the shrinking Dunkirk pocket, fighting off determined attacks by German motorised formations.

[4][143][168] It served with 43rd (Wessex) Division until the end of the war, including the Normandy Campaign, Operation Market Garden, the fighting in the Reichswald, and the advance across Germany after the Rhine Crossing.

[5][6][20] After World War II, the battalion's colours bore as an honorary distinction the badge of the Reconnaissance Corps with the dates 1944–45 and 'North West Europe' on a scroll.