First formed in the docks of East London in 1860, it served as infantry at Gallipoli and in Palestine during the First World War.

The Battalion headquarters moved to The Cedars, a large house on the Portway in West Ham which had previously been home to the Prison Reformer Elizabeth Fry, in 1885.

Around this time the Battalion was allotted the task of raising the Signal Section of the Essex Infantry Brigade, which was formed in Grays at the Artillery Drill Hall in Brooke Road.

The Essex Brigade now formed part of the TF's East Anglian Division, which trained together for the first time in 1911 at a camp near Thetford.

[14][15][16] The East Anglian Division was a week into its fortnight's annual training at Clacton when the order to mobilise arrived on 4 August 1914.

The 6th Essex returned to West Ham to mobilise and quickly proceeded to its designated war station defending Shoeburyness on the East Anglian coast.

This was put at 24 hours' notice for service in France, but was stood down in November and the men returned to their battalions.

A fresh Landing at Suvla Bay on 6 August 1915 was intended to turn the flank of the Turkish positions on the Gallipoli Peninsula and drive inland.

[25][26] The Essex battalions arrived still understrength, and armed with obsolete long Lee–Enfield rifles – many soldiers exchanged these for modern SMLE weapons picked up from casualties.

The battalion advanced on Kiretch Tepe, with C Company in the lead, but was forced to retire due to heavy shrapnel and sniper fire.

On the night of 26/27 November, the Essex were relieved by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, the relief being delayed by a severe rainstorm that flooded the trenches.

[14][24][32] As soon as it arrived in Egypt, the battalion became involved in the Senussi Campaign when 161 Bde marched out on 28 December to replace the New Zealand Rifle Brigade guarding the coast railway from Alexandria to Da'aba.

The Essex battalions were relieved from this duty on 4 March 1916 by the 2nd County of London Yeomanry and moved into the No 1 (Southern) Section of the Suez Canal Defences.

[35] For the Second Battle of Gaza (17–19 April 1917), 161 Bde was in divisional reserve and only suffered a few casualties from shellfire while the rest of 54th Division was badly cut up in the failed main assault.

[36] During the summer months 161 Bde held the line without suffering serious casualties, and by the end of October was fully up to strength for the forthcoming Third Battle of Gaza (1–3 November 1917).

During the rapid pursuit after the fall of Gaza, 1/6th assisted the ANZAC Mounted Division[37] As well as battle casualties, the whole brigade suffered considerably from influenza during November–December 1917 and throughout 1918.

The main assault completely broke through the Turkish lines and opened the way for the cavalry to pursue the defeated enemy.

Preparations for demobilisation began, but civil unrest in Egypt meant that 161 Bde was engaged in peacekeeping duties from March to May 1919.

[15][41] The 2/6th Essex Bn was formed at West Ham on 29 November 1914, initially comprising those members of the parent unit who had not volunteered for overseas service, together with recruits under training.

In 1916 it was brought up to strength with Derby Scheme men and expected to be sent overseas, but instead it continued to provide drafts to other battalions.

In 1915 3rd Provisional Bde was attached to 69th (2nd East Anglian) Division in the area around Thetford, Norfolk, Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.

[7][57][58][60][61][62] By August 1940, the regiment had transferred from 41 to 40 AA Bde, which had the role of defending airfields in Eastern England during the Battle of Britain and The Blitz.

[58][63] It supplied a cadre to 233rd S/L Training Rgt at Saighton Camp where it provided the basis for a new 526 S/L Bty formed on 14 November 1940.

[7][57][58][60][77][62][81][82] On 12 February 1945 the surplus (older or unfit) men were sent to Bursledon, near Southampton, where 82nd S/L Rgt was acting as a holding unit.

[7][60][77] When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, both of the 6th Essex units reformed as heavy anti-aircraft (HAA) artillery Regiments.

The Regimental Headquarters was established at the Drill Hall, Mount Road, Chingford and here was raised "P" and "Q" Batteries, the first Commanding Officer being Lt-Col Sir John Ruggles-Brise RA (TA), later Lord Lieutenant of Essex.

The first post-war Battery Sergeant Major was WO2 (BSM) W C Coe, with S/Sgt F Edwards as Battery Quartermaster Sergeant; Coe died suddenly in 1951 and BQMS Edwards succeeded him as BSM, with WO2 Bob Sippitt as Troop Sergeant Major, the Sippitt family had a long association with the TA in West Ham, Sidney Sippitt having served in 6th Essex and 64th SL Regt from 1920, also being the Drill Hall Caretaker and Bar Steward, with both sons Bob and George then serving in the Battery.

The Cedars was demolished around this time and a new modern Drill Hall built on the site which became home to a Company of the London Rifle Brigade.

[7][60][84][89][90][91][92] The battalion was awarded the Battle Honour South Africa 1900–1902 in recognition of the volunteers who served in the 2nd Boer War.

One of the 10 First World War honours selected to be displayed on the King's Colour was Gaza, which was won solely by the TF battalions of 161 Bde.