British 1st Army Corps on the march

During late May the British 1st Army Corps continued to march North from York to urgently relieve the garrison at Berwick-Upon-Tweed. The small garrison had been holding out gallantly on the Northern banks of the Tweed since a large Russian force had arrived outside the town on May 23rd. The towns historic defensive ramparts allowed the gallant defenders to block the advance of the Russian horde south into England. However it was only a matter of time before artillery and naval bombardment weakened them sufficiently to allow the Russian army to carry the walls and take the vital bridge.  The 1st Army Corps made great haste, hoping to reinforce the garrison and then launch a ferocious counter attack.

As the 1st Corps arrived in Northumberland, word was received that a strong Russian force had been detached to seize the bridge at Coldstream and allow the Tsarists to encircle Berwick from the South. With urgent speed a small British brigade – naturally including the Coldstream Guards – was sent to Coldstream hoping to reach the bridge first and repel the invaders. Here we see some pictures of the brigade on the march as they attempt  to beat the Tsarists to their objective

The Princess of Wales’s Own – The Green Howards

The Coldstream Guards

The Rifle Brigade

12th (The Prince of Wales’s) Royal Regiment of Lancers