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{{Short description|British infantry regiment}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=Dorsetshire Regiment<br>Dorset Regiment
|image=DorsetRegimentCapBadge01.jpg
|image_size=150px
|caption=[[Cap badge]] of the Dorset Regiment (1953–1958)
|dates=1881–1958
|country={{flag|United Kingdom}}
|branch={{army|United Kingdom}}
|type=[[Infantry]]
|role=[[Line infantry]]
|size=2 [[Regular army|Regular]] battalions<br>1 [[Militia (United Kingdom)|Militia]]/[[Special Reserve]] battalion<br>1 [[Volunteer Force (Great Britain)|Volunteer]]/[[Territorial Force|Territorial]] battalion<br>Up to 6 Hostilities-only battalions
|garrison=[[The Keep, Dorchester|The Depot Barracks]], [[Dorchester, Dorset|Dorchester]]
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname=''The Dorsets''
|motto=''Primus in Indis''
|colors=
|march=Quick: ''The Maid of Glenconnel''
|mascot=
|battles=
|notable_commanders=
|anniversaries=[[Battle of Plassey|Plassey]], 23 June
}}
The '''Dorset Regiment''' was a [[line infantry]] [[regiment]] of the [[British Army]] in existence from 1881 to 1958, being the [[List of British Army regiments (1881)|county regiment]] of [[Dorset]]. Until 1951, it was formally called the '''Dorsetshire Regiment''', although usually known as "The Dorsets". In 1958, after service in the [[Second Boer War]] along with [[World War I]] and [[World War II]], the Dorset Regiment was amalgamated with the [[Devonshire Regiment]] to form the [[Devonshire and Dorset Regiment]]. In 2007, it was amalgamated with the [[Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment]], [[The Light Infantry]] and the [[Royal Green Jackets]] to form a new [[large regiment]], [[The Rifles]].

==History==
The Territorials in Dorset trace their origins to the 1st Administrative Battalion, Dorsetshire Rifle Volunteers formed at [[Dorchester, Dorset|Dorchester]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.devondorsetregiment.co.uk/the+regiment|title=The Regiment 1958–2007|website=www.devondorsetregiment.co.uk|access-date=2019-02-14}}</ref>  Its first formation consisted of the following: The first volunteer corps in Dorset had their headquarters in [[Dorchester, Dorset|Dorchester]]. The [[Dorset Rifle Volunteers|1st Dorsetshire Rifle Volunteer Corps]] (1 Dorsetshire RVC) was at [[Bridport]], 2 Dorsetshire RVC at [[Wareham, Dorset|Wareham]], 3 [[Dorsetshire]] Rifle Volunteer Corps at [[Dorchester, Dorset|Dorchester]], 4th [[Dorsetshire]] RVC at [[Poole]], 5 [[Dorsetshire]] RVC at [[Weymouth, Dorset|Weymouth]], 6 [[Dorsetshire]] RVC at [[Wimborne Minster|Wimborne]], 7 [[Dorsetshire]] RVC at [[Sherborne]], 8 RVC at [[Blandford]], 9 [[Dorsetshire]] RVC – [[Shaftesbury]], 10 [[Dorsetshire]] RVC at [[Sturminster Newton|Sturminster]], 11 [[Dorsetshire]] Rifle Volunteer Corps at [[Gillingham, Dorset|Gillingham]], and 12 [[Dorsetshire]] RVC at [[Stalbridge]].<ref name="DorTerrs">{{Cite web|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/do-4.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031093048/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/do-4.htm|url-status=dead|title=The Dorset Territorials [UK]|date=14 February 2019|website=regiments.org|archive-date=31 October 2007}}</ref>

Eventually in 1880 as a result of the [[Childers Reforms]] the regiment was re-designated to the 1st Dorsetshire Rifle Volunteers.  Just a year later it moved under control of the Dorsetshire Regiment as the volunteer battalion.<ref name="DorTerrs"/>

===Early history===
The Dorsetshire Regiment was established in the Regular Army in 1881 under the [[Childers Reforms]] by the amalgamation of the [[39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot]] and the [[54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot]].<ref name = Frederick>J.B.M. Frederick, ''Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978'', Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-007-3, pp. 88–90.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/039Dorst.htm |title=The Dorset Regiment at the archive of regiments.org |access-date=2014-04-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051028190629/http://regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/039Dorst.htm |archive-date=October 28, 2005 }}</ref> The 1st Battalion was stationed in [[Malta]] from 1888, in [[Egypt]] from 1889, and in [[British Raj|British India]] from 1893, where it took part in operations in the [[Tirah Campaign]] on the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–55)|North West Frontier]] in 1897–98.<ref>Hart′s Army list, 1903</ref>

The 2nd Battalion was stationed in Ireland from 1893 to 1897, then in Malta from 1899. Following the outbreak of the [[Second Boer War]] in late 1899, they were sent to South Africa, participating in the [[Relief of Ladysmith]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/imperial-units/548-dorsetshire-regiment|title=Dorsetshire Regiment|publisher=Anglo Boer War|access-date=28 December 2015}}</ref> The battalion stayed in South Africa throughout the war, which ended in June 1902 with the [[Peace of Vereeniging]]. Four months later 300 officers and men left [[Cape Town]] on the SS ''German'' in late September 1902, and arrived at Southampton in late October, when they were posted to [[Isle of Portland|Portland]].<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The Army in South Africa – Troops returning Home |date=2 October 1902 |page=4 |issue=36888}}</ref>

In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the [[Territorial Force]] and the latter the [[Special Reserve]];<ref>{{cite web|url= https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1908/mar/31/territorial-and-reserve-forces-act-1907|title=Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907|work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]|date=31 March 1908|access-date=20 June 2017}}</ref> the regiment now had one Reserve battalion and one Territorial battalion.{{efn|These were the [[3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Dorset Regiment|3rd (Reserve) Battalion]] at the Regimental Depot and the 4th (TF) Battalion at [[High West Street drill hall|High West Street]], both in [[Dorchester, Dorset|Dorchester]].}}<ref name = Frederick/><ref name= regiments/>

===First World War===
[[File:The British Army on the Western Front, 1914-1918 Q6095.jpg|thumb|left|Troops of the Dorsetshire Regiment resting and cleaning rifles in the ruins of a farm near Langemarcke, 17 October 1917.]]
[[File:Epinoy - Sucrerie Cemetery 16.jpg|thumb|left|Graves of three soldiers of the Dorsetshire Regiment who died at [[Epinoy]], France on 1 October 1918.]]
[[File:Memorial au Dorsetshire Regiment 10.jpg|thumb|left|The Dorset Memorial to Authuille.]]
During the [[World War I|First World War]], nine hostilities-only battalions were formed, six battalions serving overseas. The 1st Battalion and 6th (Service) battalion served on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] throughout most of the war. Additional battalions (1/4th Battalion, 2/4th Battalion and 3/4th Battalion) were formed as part of the [[Territorial Force]] to meet the demand for troops on the Western Front.<ref name = Frederick/><ref name = James>Brig E.A. James, ''British Regiments 1914–18'', London: Samson Books, 1978, ISBN 0-906304-03-2/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2001, ISBN 978-1-84342-197-9, p. 81.</ref><ref name=trail>[http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/dorsetshire-regiment/ 'Dorsetshire Regiment', Chris Baker, ''The Long, Long Trail'', accessed 3 May 2023.]</ref>

====Regular Army====
The 1st Battalion was in [[Belfast]] when war broke out: it landed at [[Le Havre]] in August 1914 forming part of the [[15th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|15th Brigade]] in the [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Division]].<ref name=trail/> It transferred to [[95th Brigade (United Kingdom)|95th Brigade]] in the [[32nd Division (United Kingdom)|32nd Division]] in December 1915 and to the [[14th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|14th Brigade]] in the same Division in January 1916.<ref name = James/><ref name=trail/>

[[File:Dorsets recruiting poster Sept 1914.jpg|thumb|right|British Army recruiting poster : "4th Batt. Dorset Regiment. Men Of Dorset ! Your King And Country Need You. Join Your County Battalion".]]

The 2nd Battalion was in [[Pune|Poona]], India, when war broke out and was shipped, as part of the [[6th (Poona) Division|16th Indian Brigade]], to [[Mesopotamian campaign|Mesopotamia]], where it was trapped in the [[Siege of Kut]] and captured by the Turks. (Of the 350 men of the battalion captured, only 70 survived their captivity.) During the siege, returning sick and wounded, and the few replacements who had been sent out, were unable to re-join their battalion, so they, and similar drafts of the 2nd [[Royal Norfolk Regiment|Norfolk Regiment]], were amalgamated into a scratch battalion forming part of the force attempting to relieve Kut.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/mesopotamia_2nd_dorsets.php |title=The 2nd Dorsets in Mesopotamia |publisher=Keepmilitarymuseum.org |access-date=2014-04-29 |archive-date=29 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429184952/http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/mesopotamia_2nd_dorsets.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> This battalion was formally titled the ''Composite English Battalion'', but was more commonly known as ''The Norsets''; it was broken up in July 1916, when the 2nd Dorsets was re-constituted.<ref name=trail/> The battalion then served in [[Egypt]] as part of [[3rd (Lahore) Division|9th Indian Brigade]] in the [[3rd (Lahore) Division|3rd Indian Division]].<ref name = James/><ref name=trail/>

====Special Reserve====
The [[3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Dorset Regiment|3rd (Reserve) Battalion]] remained in the UK fulfilling its role of training reinforcement drafts for the Regular battalions (including the 'Norsets'). It was also instrumental in setting up the 7th (Reserve) Battalion to do the same for the 5th and 6th (Service) Battalions, and the 1st and 2nd (later 8th) Home Service Battalions. <ref name = Frederick/><ref name = James/><ref>Atkinson, Pt III, pp. 119, 128–30.</ref>

====Territorial Force====
The 1/4th Battalion of the Territorial Force served in India and Mesopotamia and 2/4th Battalion in India and Egypt.<ref name = James/><ref name=trail/>

====New Army====
The 5th (Service) Battalion took part in the [[Gallipoli Campaign]], and having been evacuated from there in December 1915, went to Egypt before joining the war on the Western Front in July 1916.<ref name=trail/> The 6th (Service) Battalion was shipped to [[Boulogne-sur-Mer|Boulogne]] in France in July 1915 as part of [[50th Brigade (United Kingdom)|50th Brigade]] in the [[17th (Northern) Division]] and saw action on the Western Front.<ref name = James/><ref name=trail/>

===Irish War of Independence===

The 3/4th (Reserve) Battalion was moved to [[Ebrington Barracks]] in [[Derry]] in April 1918.<ref name = James/><ref name=trail/> The 3rd (Reserve) Battalion also served in Derry from March 1919, absorbing the 3/4th Battalion as postwar [[demobilisation]] progressed. The remaining personnel were drafted to the 1st Battalion in August 1919.<ref name = Frederick/><ref>Atkinson, Pt III, p. 141.</ref> 

In April 1920, during the [[Irish War of Independence]], soldiers of the regiment fired at a rioting crowd on Bridge Street in Derry to disperse it, which led to attacks by Irish nationalists on British troops in the city and full-scale riots. [[Ulster Volunteers]] in Derry set up checkpoints and attacked local Catholics, which the Dorsets and [[Royal Irish Constabulary]] did nothing to prevent.<ref>''The Outrages'' by Pearse Lawlor, pp. 1–16</ref>

In 1921, a detachment from the Dorset Regiment was based in [[Enniscorthy]], County Wexford (which was under [[martial law]]) where it was accused of mistreating several [[Irish Republican Army (1919–1922)|Irish Republican Army]] prisoners being held in the courthouse.<ref>{{cite book |last=Comerford |first=Marie |date=2021 |title=On Dangerous Ground A Memoir of the Irish Revolution |url= |location=Dublin |publisher=Lilliput Press |page=178 |isbn=9781843518198 |access-date=}}</ref> On 7 February 1920 4th Battalion was reformed in the TF (soon afterwards reorganised as the [[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]] (TA)) with its headquarters in Dorchester and four companies (A–D).<ref name="DorTerrs"/>

===Malabar Campaign===
[[File:Moplah Revolt Memorial.jpg|thumb|150px|Memorial for the Officers and Men of the Dorset Regiment, who lost their lives in the [[Malabar rebellion|Moplah Revolt]], at the [[St. Mark's Cathedral, Bangalore]]]]

In Summer 1921, the 2nd Battalion served under the command of Major-General [[John Burnett-Stuart]], [[General Officer Commanding]] [[Chennai|Madras]] District in India,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/between+the+wars/dorsetshire+regiment+between+the+wars/the+second+battalion+the+dorsetshire+regiment+between+the+wars/the+malabar+campaign|title=The Malabar Campaign (Moplah Rebellion)|publisher=The Keep Military Museum|access-date=28 December 2015|archive-date=17 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117092122/http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/between+the+wars/dorsetshire+regiment+between+the+wars/the+second+battalion+the+dorsetshire+regiment+between+the+wars/the+malabar+campaign|url-status=dead}}</ref> where he was involved in the suppression of the [[Malabar rebellion|Moplah Rebellion]] at [[Malabar region|Malabar]] between 1921 and 1922. The riots that they quashed were inspired by 10,000 [[Guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]]s and led to 2,300 [[Capital punishment|execution]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ucd.ie/news/2009/05MAY09/290509_war.html |title=Nuacht UCD|publisher=University College, Dublin|access-date=28 December 2015}}</ref>

The Officers and Men from the Dorset Regiment who lost their lives while taking part in the suppression of the revolt are commemorated in a brass tablet at the [[St. Mark's Cathedral, Bangalore]].<ref name=IndiaToday>{{cite news|last1=David|first1=Stephen|title=200 years of Bangalore's oldest Christian landmark|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/200+years+of+Bangalore's+oldest+Christian+landmark/1/24820.html|access-date=27 January 2015|publisher=India Today|date=9 January 2009}}</ref>

===Second World War===
In the [[World War II|Second World War]], the regiment expanded to eight battalions.{{efn|Four Btns were formed prewar: 1, 2, 4 & 5; the war-formed btns were 30 (ex 6), 7, 8 & 9 (ex 70).}}<ref name = Frederick/><ref name=regiments/>

The 1st Battalion was a [[regular army]] unit and part of the [[231st Brigade (United Kingdom)|231st Infantry Brigade]], alongside the 1st [[Royal Hampshire Regiment|Hampshires]] and 2nd [[Devonshire Regiment|Devonshires]], for the duration of the war, fighting in [[Siege of Malta (World War II)|Malta]] between 1940 and 1942, [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Sicily]] in August 1943, and [[Allied invasion of Italy|Italy]] in September 1943. The 1st Dorsets landed on [[Gold Beach]] on [[Normandy landings|D-Day]] in June 1944 as a part of the [[50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division]] and fought with the division in the [[Invasion of Normandy|Battle of Normandy]] and [[Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine|North-West Europe]], until the division was withdrawn in late 1944 and used as a training division. The battalion had troops 327 killed and 1,029 wounded.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/second+world+war/the+dorsetshire+regiment/the+first+battalion|title=The 1st Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment in World War Two|publisher=The Keep Military Museum|access-date=28 December 2015|archive-date=17 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117082059/http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/second+world+war/the+dorsetshire+regiment/the+first+battalion|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The 2nd Battalion was also a regular army unit and was part of the [[5th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Brigade]], [[2nd Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|2nd Infantry Division]], throughout the war, participating in the [[Battle of France]] and the [[Dunkirk evacuation]] in 1940. In 1944, it took part in the [[Battle of Kohima]] during the [[Burma Campaign 1944–45|Burma Campaign]] of 1944–1945, still with the 2nd Division.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/second+world+war/the+dorsetshire+regiment/the+second+battalion|title=The 2nd Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment in World War Two|publisher=The Keep Military Museum|access-date=28 December 2015|archive-date=17 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117082103/http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/second+world+war/the+dorsetshire+regiment/the+second+battalion|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:The Yugoslav Government in Exile during the Second World War H11366.jpg|thumb|left|King Peter II of Yugoslavia inspecting the Guard of Honour of a battalion of the Dorset Regiment in England.]]

The 4th Battalion was an original 1st Line TA unit and, in 1939, raised a 2nd Line duplicate, the 5th Battalion, when the Territorial Army was doubled in size prior to the commencement of the war.<ref name = Frederick/> The 4th and 5th Battalions were both part of [[130th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|130th Infantry Brigade]] in the [[43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division]], participating in the [[Invasion of Normandy|Normandy Campaign]], [[Operation Market Garden]] and the Rhine Crossing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/second+world+war/the+dorsetshire+regiment/the+fourth+and+fifth+battalions|title=The 4th and 5th Battalions The Dorsetshire Regiment in World War Two|publisher=The Keep Military Museum|access-date=28 December 2015|archive-date=30 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151230074837/http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/second+world+war/the+dorsetshire+regiment/the+fourth+and+fifth+battalions|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 BU2448.jpg|thumb|right|Men of the 5th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment climb into a Buffalo in preparation for crossing the [[Rhine]], [[Germany]], 28 March 1945.]]

The 30th Battalion, previously the 6th ([[Home Service Battalions|Home Defence]]) Battalion, was with the [[43rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|43rd Infantry Brigade]] in North Africa and the invasion of Sicily, after which it spent the rest of the war in [[Gibraltar]].<ref name = Frederick/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/second+world+war/the+dorsetshire+regiment/the+sixth+ninth+thirtieth+and+seventieth+battalions|title=The 6th (Home Defence), 9th, 30th and 70th (Young Soldiers) Battalions The Dorsetshire Regiment in World War Two|publisher=The Keep Military Museum|access-date=28 December 2015|archive-date=18 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518083134/http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/second+world+war/the+dorsetshire+regiment/the+sixth+ninth+thirtieth+and+seventieth+battalions|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The 7th Battalion, which was raised in 1940, was later converted to the [[110th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery]]. The regiment served with the 43rd (Wessex) Division in North-West Europe from June 1944 to May 1945.<ref name = Frederick/><ref name=ww2>{{cite web|url=http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/second+world+war/the+dorsetshire+regiment|title=The Dorsetshire Regiment in the Second World War|publisher=The Keep Military Museum|access-date=28 December 2015|archive-date=21 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160121225606/http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/history/second+world+war/the+dorsetshire+regiment|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The 8th Battalion, which was also raised in 1940 as 50th (Holding) Battalion, was initially assigned to the [[210th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home)]] and was on home defence. Later, the battalion converted to the [[105th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery]]. The regiment was sent to [[North African Campaign|North Africa]] in late 1942 and fought with the [[First Army (United Kingdom)|British First Army]], It later served in the [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italian Campaign]] supporting [[US Fifth Army]].<ref name = Frederick/>
<ref name=ww2/>

===Post war and amalgamation===
In 1958, the regiment amalgamated with the [[Devonshire Regiment]] to form the [[Devonshire and Dorset Regiment]].<ref name = Frederick/><ref>Merged regiments and new brigading – many famous units to lose separate identity. ''[[The Times]]'', 25 July 1957.</ref>

==Regimental museum==
The regimental collection is displayed in the [[The Keep, Dorchester|Keep Military Museum]] in [[Dorchester, Dorset|Dorchester]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/thekeep.php?&dx=1&ob=3|title=The Keep Today|publisher=The Keep Military Museum|access-date=26 May 2014|archive-date=28 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528010926/http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org/thekeep.php?&dx=1&ob=3|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Battle honours==
The regiment was awarded the following [[Battle honours of the British and Imperial Armies|battle honours]]. Those from the two World Wars that are emblazoned on the [[Colours, standards and guidons|Queen's Colour]] are indicated in bold:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/039Dorst.htm |title=Dorset Regiment |publisher=Regiments.org |access-date=28 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070303165030/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/039Dorst.htm |archive-date=March 3, 2007 }}</ref>
* ''From 39th Regiment of Foot'': Plassey, Gibraltar 1779–83, Albuhera, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Peninsula, Maharajpore, Sevastopol
* ''From 54th Regiment of Foot'': Marabout, Egypt, Ava
* Martinique 1794 (awarded in 1909 for service of the 39th Regiment), Tirah, Relief of Ladysmith, South Africa 1899–1902
* ''The Great War (13 battalions)'': '''Mons''', Le Cateau, Retreat from Mons, '''Marne 1914''', Aisne 1914, La Bassée 1914, Armentières 1914, '''Ypres 1915 '17''', Gravenstafel, St. Julien, Bellewaarde, '''Somme 1916 '18''', Albert 1916 '18, Flers-Courcelette, Thiepval, Ancre 1916 '18, Arras 1917, Scarpe 1917, Messines 1917, Langemarck 1917, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, St. Quentin, Amiens, Bapaume 1918, '''Hindenburg Line''', Épéhy, Canal du Nord, St. Quentin Canal, Beaurevoir, Cambrai 1918, Selle, '''Sambre''', France and Flanders 1914–18, '''Suvla''', Landing at Suvla, Scimitar Hill, Gallipoli 1915, Egypt 1916, '''Gaza''', El Mughar, Nebi Samwil, Jerusalem, Tell 'Asur, Megiddo, Sharon, Palestine 1917–18, Basra, '''Shaiba''', Kut al Amara 1915 '17, '''Ctesiphon''', Defence of Kut al Amara, Baghdad, Khan Baghdadi, Mesopotamia 1914–18
* ''The Second World War'': '''St. Omer-La Bassée''', '''Normandy Landing''', Villers Bocage, Tilly sur Seulles, '''Caen''', Mont Pincon, St. Pierre La Vielle, '''Arnhem 1944''', '''Aam''', '''Geilenkirchen''', Goch, Rhine, Twente Canal, North-West Europe 1940 '44–45, '''Landing in Sicily''', Agira, Regalbuto, Sicily 1943, Landing at Porto San Venere, Italy 1943, '''Malta 1940–42''', '''Kohima''', '''Mandalay''', Mt. Popa, Burma 1944–45

==Victoria Cross==
The following member of the regiment was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]:
* [[Private (rank)|Private]] (later [[Corporal]]) [[Samuel Vickery]], [[Tirah Campaign]]

==Regimental colonels==
Colonels of the regiment were:<ref name=regiments>{{cite web|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/039Dorst.htm |title=The Dorset Regiment |publisher=regiments.org |access-date=2 February 2017 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070303165030/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/039Dorst.htm |archive-date= 3 March 2007 }}</ref>
* 1881–1889 (1st Battalion): Gen. [[John Stuart (British Army officer, born 1811)|John Ramsay Stuart]], CB
* 1881–1892 (2nd Battalion only to 1889): Gen. Sir [[Charles van Straubenzee|Charles Thomas van Straubenzee]], GCB
* 1892–1894: Lt-Gen. Robert John Eagar, CB
* 1894–1903: Gen. Henry Ralph Browne, CB
* 1903–1909: Lt-Gen. Sir Matthew William Edward Gosset, KCB
* 1909–1910: Lt-Gen. Lindsay Farrington
* 1910: Maj-Gen. William de Wilton Roche Thackwell, CB
* 1910–1922: Maj-Gen. Henry Cook, CB
* 1922–1933: Maj-Gen. Sir Arlington Augustus Chichester, KCMG, CB, DSO
* 1933–1946: Maj-Gen. Sir [[Hubert Huddleston|Hubert Jervoise Huddleston]], GCMG, GBE, CB, DSO, MC
* 1946–1952: Brig. Charles Hall Woodhouse, OBE, MC
* 1952–1958: Maj-Gen. [[George Wood (British Army officer)|George Neville Wood]], CB, CBE, DSO, MC
* ''1958 Regiment amalgamated with [[The Devonshire Regiment]] to form the [[Devonshire and Dorset Regiment]]''

==Gallery==
{{Commons category|Dorsetshire Regiment}}
<gallery>
File:Lieutenant William Gervace Vizard (6279211131).jpg|Lieutenant Vizard, an officer serving with 4th battalion in the First World War
File:The British Army in Burma 1945 SE3859.jpg|Men of the 2nd Dorsetshires passing a knocked out Lee tank at Mount Popa, April 1945
File:Crossing the Rhine in a Buffalo.jpg|Soldiers of 5th Battalion during the Rhine crossing, March 1945
</gallery>

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* [[C.T. Atkinson]], ''The Dorsetshire Regiment: the Thirty-Ninth and Fifty-Fourth Foot and the Dorset Militia and Volunteers'' (Oxford : Privately printed at the University Press, 1947).

{{The Rifles}}
{{British Infantry Regiments World War I}}

[[Category:Dorset Regiment| ]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in Dorset]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in Dorchester, Dorset]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1881]]
[[Category:Regiments of the British Army in World War II]]
[[Category:Regiments of the British Army in World War I]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1958]]
[[Category:1881 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in Burma in World War II|R]]