The 5th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment was raised at Middle Street in Hastings on 1 April 1908 upon the creation of the Territorial Force, formed by the amalgamation of the Volunteer Force and the Yeomanry.
The 5th Battalion was mobilised in August 1914, immediately upon the outbreak of World War I. The 1/5th Battalion was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, which included the Regular 2nd Royal Sussex, 1st Division from February to August 1915. On 20 August it transferred to the 48th Division as the pioneer battalion of the division, serving on the Western Front.
2/5th Battalion
The 2/5th Battalion was raised at Hastings in November 1914 from the 'home service' men of the 1/5th Battalion.
Second World War
The battalion was mobilised on 1 September 1939, and was initially employed guarding vulnerable points in Sussex. It then moved to Dorset to carry out heavy training for deployment overseas. The HQ Wing seems to have been sent to Cattistock, with the other companies at Toller, Melbury and Evershot. Here they joined with the 2nd and 4th battalions to form the 133rd Infantry Brigade of the 44th Infantry Division.
Battle of France
On 3 April 1940, the battalion left Cattistock for Southampton and was then shipped to Cherbourgon the night of the 8/9 April on board SS Amsterdam. The battalion was made up of 29 Officers and 690 other ranks. During the night of the 9/10 April the Bn was then moved on to Vivoin, and did some final training. The Bn then moved to Belleuse, and then after two days marched to St. Pol, with the HQ being set up at Conteville, Somme, with the other companies at Eps, Pas-de-Calais and Hestrus. On 11 May they then moved on to Lillers to perform L or C Duties also listed as Guard duties. The unit then moved on to Vichtrat Peteghen via Motor transport to take up defensive duties. After arrival they were told to march back 17 miles into France, then after marching all night were ordered to turn round again and head straight back to where they had come from, so marched 35 miles in 24 hours. On 20 May they moved on to Wortegem to take up defensive duties covering the river Scheldt, with trenches on the forward slopes. The battalion started combat on 20 May when they came under shell & mortar fire. On the 22nd the Bn retreated to Coutrai, and then on the 23rd to hospital for incurables at St. Andre, 160 casualties were reported here. On 24 May the battalion was sent to Viller Berquin, and on the 25th to Strazeele where they encountered German tanks and took heavy fire. On the 25th/26th they moved on to Rouge Croix, taking a defensive position facing Hazebrouck, then pulled back to Mont des Cats. On the 27th they come under heavy fire from dive bombers and shells. Finally, on the 28th they retreated via Poperinghe, to Bray Dunes from where they were eventually evacuated. The battalion, along with the brigade and 44th Division, were evacuated to England. They spent the next two years on home defence and preparing for the German invasion of England, Operation Sea Lion, which never arrived.
7th (Cinque Ports) Battalion
In the spring and summer of 1939 the Territorial Army was ordered to be doubled in size by the duplication of existing units to form a 2nd Line, on a similar basis as in the First World War. As such, the 5th Royal Sussex formed a duplicate unit, to be known as the 7th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment which came into existence in June 1939, when the 5th Battalion was almost double its normal strength. The 7th Battalion was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel R. Gethen, with headquarters at Brighton. The 7th Battalion was assigned to 37th Infantry Brigade, alongside 5th Buffs 6th Royal Sussex, part of 12th Infantry Division.
