Trieste
2LF
1953 - 1955


to view All Trieste Photos

1. March 1952 2nd bn re-formed at Gordon barracks Bulford.
2. June 22nd 1953 arrived at Gibraltar barracks Lazzaretto (on the Italy-Yugoslav border).
3. 3.June 10th 1954,transferred to Rossetti Barrackes in Trieste City to enable a closer and faster reaction to the Serb and Italian Riots"
4. October 26th 1954, handed over to the Italian army,and returned to Whittington barracks in Lichfield
5. Nov 1954 advised battalion were to disband, all National Service men sent to their local county regiments, and all regulars offered choices, and/or 1st battalion LFs in Iserlohn.
6. Final disbandment 26th Feb 1955. (Omnia Audax)

 

 

Thank you to Patrick Skelly for the modern day photos for more go to
http://www.milhist.net/betfor/gallery05/index.html
For the Betfor web site
http://www.betforassociation.org/


 

Toucan Jaguar Kaiteur Falls Map of British Guiana Free Territory of Trieste
Quarterly Reports of Allied Forces Trieste,
Submitted to the United Nations Security Council
Under the terms of the 1947 Peace Treaty with Italy, a Governor for the Free Territory of Trieste was to be selected
and appointed by the United Nations Security Council. Until such appointment was made, the United States, Great Britain, and Yugoslavia were to administer and protect that Territory.

Quarterly reports were submitted by the Anglo-American Allied Military Government to the United Nations,
detailing the recovery and evolution of that part of the Territory in their "Zone A".
The overview information from these reports is now placed online for your study.

FTT Quarterly Report No. 6• Jan-Mar 1949 http://www.milhist.net/trieste/fttqr06.html
FTT Quarterly Report No. 7 • Apr-Jun 1949 http://www.milhist.net/trieste/fttqr07.html
FTT Quarterly Report No. 8 • Jul-Sep 1949http://www.milhist.net/trieste/fttqr08.html
FTT Quarterly Report No. 9 • Oct-Dec 1949 http://www.milhist.net/trieste/fttqr09.html


Provisions were made in the Treaty for the three nations to provide a garrison of 5,000 troops each in
support of the emerging government, to be withdrawn at a point after the Governor had taken control of
the Territory. Relations between the American and British governments on the one hand, and the Yugoslav
government and communist bloc on the other hand, were such that the area of the Territory was divided
into two zones. Zone A, administered by Allied Forces Trieste - the American and British contingents -
was primarily the metropolitan area, while Zone B, administered by the Yugoslavs, was primarily the hinterland.

The Governor was never appointed. Although several well-qualified candidates had been proposed,
the East and West Blocs could not come to agreement on political and strategic issues.
They essentially agreed to disagree, until 1954 when Italy, Yugoslavia, and the major powers said 'enough!'
At that time, with minor boundary adjustments, Zone A passed into Italian adminisitration,
Zone B into Yugoslav administration.

 

BETFOR 'Order of Battle'
24th Infantry Brigade
Regiment Period in Trieste Location Remarks


1st Scots Guards May 45 - May 46 Rossetti from 24 Guards Brigade
2nd Coldstream Guards May 45 - May 46 from 24 Guards Brigade
1st London Irish Rifles May 45 - Dec 46 from 167 (L) Inf Bde
1st London Scottish May 45 - Dec 46 Rossetti from 167 (L) Inf Bde
9th Royal Fusiliers May 45 - Dec 46 Pola from 167 (L) Inf Bde
1st King's Own Regt May 45 - May 50 Rossetti from 10 Indian Div
7th North Staffordshire Regt Nov 45 - Aug 46 Lazzaretto
4th Dorset Regt Apr 46 - Sep 46 from Germany
Royal Northumberland Fusiliers Apr 46 - Sep 46 from Austria, 10 Indian Div
1st Royal Sussex Regt Apr 46 - Jun 47 Sistiana from Austria, 61 Bde,to Palestine
1st Welch Regt Apr 46 - Jun 47 from Austria, 61 Bde,to Palestine
2nd Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders Aug 46 - Mar 47 Rossetti from Austria, 61 Bde,to Palestine
1st Worcestershire Regt Aug 46 - May 47 Rossetti/Pola from Germany, 13 Bde,to Germany
1st Ox & Bucks Light Infantry Aug 46 - May 47 Rossetti from Germany, 13 Bde,to Germany
2nd Essex Regt Aug 46 - May 47 Lazzaretto from Germany, 13 Bde,to Mestre
1st Border Regt Oct 46 - Mar 47
2nd Royal Scots Jun 47 - Dec 48 Rossetti
2nd South Lancashire Regt Sep 47 - Feb 51 Lazzaretto
1st Cameronians Dec 48 - Dec 49 Rossetti
1st Northamptonshire Regt Nov 49 - Sep 52 Rossetti
1st South Lancashire Regt May 50 - Feb 51 Lazzaretto
1st North Staffordshire Regt Feb 51 - Jun 53 Lazzaretto
1st Loyal Regt Feb 51 - Jun 54 Rossetti
1st Suffolk Regt May 53 - Aug 54 Rossetti from Colchester,to Wuppertal, Germany
2nd Lancashire Fusiliers Jun 53 - Oct 54 Lazzaretto, Rossetti


A story submitted by Norman Burkett and Harry Mutgatroyd
In the free territory of Trieste there was 5000 british,and 5000 American (UN) troops, because Marshall Tito (Yugoslav Supremo) was claiming the FTT was theirs (part of Austro/Hungarian empire)-which it was until WW1, and we were the "fall guys" in between! in Sept 1954 the Ruskies,Yanks,Brits, and French agreed to cease occupation of Austria, and agreed new borders for Trieste.most troops left by sea, but I went with Captain RW Dennis(MTO) to 24 brigade to a meeting to draw up a plan, to evacuate as many trucks (WW2 North Africa vintage!) as poss. I listed 16 trucks that I knew would likely make it.( I still have that original list and the overall plan of movement, that I typed!) the rest were to be "dumped"----(mostly in the sea!).
With 65 coy RASC and others we were a convoy of 68 vehs in seven stages, 1000 miles to Munchen Gladbach in Northern Germany, via Austria.
2LF only lost one, a Ford/Willys jeep in the Austrian mountains. I was tail end charlie in charge of p.o.l. and water for our group (not a nice job! -a 3 ton bedford full of jerry cans). Murgy (Harry Murgatroyd)was up front (forcing anyone off the road in his way!)---not changed much!! He took a wrong turn in Munich lost site of the dan r (dispatch rider) and 28 vehs followed him. Munich gridlocked, and German police going spare! our MP's sent a jeep with "Follow me" on rear to get us back on track. 93 SIS were behind me with 10 vehs, and I kept trying to lose them (without luck!). in Austria I saw "Railway level crossing ahead", the lights started flashing and I tried to beat them, but the raised gates came down, I stopped with a barrier stuck on my front tow gear, the signalman was ranting in German at me, I gave the "Churchillian"sign, they all new well ! put my Belgian FN over my shoulder, and went for a pee up the front offside wheel (convoy rules!). He had to stop the train,lift the barrier and let me through, and 18 vehs behind me! altogether a very adventurous trip!

The movement order for driving their vehicles to Germany overland from Austria before disbanding
Click on the order to see it enlarged

Three Hundred years of Fighting Men.
A poem wrote by Harry Mutgatroyd for the for the tercentenary
in 1988.

Three hundred years of fighting men Three hundred years of war.
Three hundred years of Courage.Who the Hell could ask for more
From Exeter in Devonshire “Peyton’s Own” March on,
They were formed to fight the French For the good Prince William.

The year they came together Was sixteen eighty eight.
They fought with great distinction, Never fleeing from a fight.
The years passed by through glory, To seventeen eight-two
the Twentieth changed the story, Till in eighteen eighty one.

The named was changed again that year, To the one we all old dear,
The fighting men from Devonshire. Became The Lancashire Fusiliers
From that day on they fought, and died, In battle after battle.
From that day on they fought with pride.Though sometimes lived like cattle.

At Minden when they fought again, With gallantry and poise,
They took the Battle Honours Having fought through all that noise.
They fought a lot of battles Too many to write down
Until the fourteen-eighteen came, And then the went to town.

Eighteen V.C.s they went and won In those four Bloody year
While back home, the wives were left To shed their bitter tears.
Six V.C.s won in just one day Before breakfast we are told
But what a price it was to pay Those V.C.s should be Gold.

Thirteen and one half thousand men Gave up their lives for these,
What a price it was to pay For just eighteen V.C.s.
In nineteen thirty-nine it was Those Germans came again,
To test the courage of the lads The Gallant fighting Men.

From thirty nine to forty five Those brave lads did their bit
To prove to King and Country Those Lancashire Lads Had Grit.
We only got one more V.C. In all those Bloody years
At Cassino, when young Jefferson Saved “C” Company with his Piat.

If we were counting medals, We must have got the most
Of any other regiment. For we have a million ghosts.
Since forty five the lads Have served their country
King and Queen. In many bloody battles.The Primrose Hackle seen.

There are many battles that I’ve missed And many men have Died
But the Fusiliers Tradition Is of men who never hide.
We’ll go on and on many years, Though again they’ve changed our name
In our hearts we know that we Will never, ever change.

We will always be the L.F.s Filled with gut and pride
And those lost men march beside us As though we were their bride.
And as we hold our Colours. Remembering every one
Every Father, Son and Brother

THE REGIMENT GOES ON.