Herefordshire Regimental Museum

11/09/2026

What's new in the museum? Bugles, Weapons and a Platoon "Bible", that's what. Listen to find out more in our latest episode:

https://herefordshirelightinfantrymuseum.com/features/podcast/

Ahead of the Museum Open Day on Saturday 12th September, Col Andy Taylor and Rev Paul Roberts meet in the museum to look at items recently donated or acquired for the museum.

They begin with a First World War brass bugle issued to the Herefordshire Regiment's Supplementary Company - made up of old Territorial soldiers who were too old to fight overseas. Our pair examine the role of the Supplementary Company including guarding German civil internees on the Isle of Man.

Two new weapons have been acquired from the Royal Air Force Museum's reserve collection and will be on show in our museum cases for our open day. The advantages and disadvantages of the Mark II Sten gun are discussed. This weapon was used widely during the Second World War by British and Commonwealth units as well as by resistance fighters on the continent. Men of the Herefordshire Regiment used this weapon in the liberation of North-West Europe in 1944 and 1945; unfortunately with the result of several casualties within the regiment itself.

The Stirling sub-machine gun, the Sten's successor is also examined and finds its place in our post-war display case. Often issued to tank crews, radio operators and others working in confined spaces, it was popular on exercise as it was much lighter than the L1A1 Self Loading R***e to carry, even if it was far less accurate!

Finally, inside a pig skin case is a platoon "bible" compiled by Second Lieutenant Geoffrey Poppleton Lloyd, a Leominster solicitor, listing all the men in his platoon that he took to Gallipoli in July 1915. There are fascinating details, including everything from hat size to home addresses, pay and allowances. Our pair discuss the important role pastoral role played by platoon officers and Lloyd's wartime career - being evacuated from both Gallipoli and later Egypt and his attachment to the 1st Battalion, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI). He was captured by German forces on the first day of the Spring Offensive in March 1918, along with Andy and Paul's ancestor Charles Percy Taylor.

If you are around on 12th September and would like to visit the museum, call along to Suvla Barracks, Harold Street, Hereford, HR1 2QX. We are open as part of the National Heritage Open Day Scheme on Saturday 12 September from 1030hrs until 1500hrs .

A monthly podcast from the Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum. Hosted by Colonel Andy Taylor (Honorary Curator) and Rev Paul Roberts. Stroll with us around the highways and byways of Herefordshire while we explore the story of our regiment and county in war and peace. Special guests, featured items...

08/09/2026

[ MÉMOIRE ]

Souvenons qu'il y a 82 ans, le 16 août 1944, les soldats du 1er bataillon du Herefordshire Regiment arrivaient dans notre commune marquant ainsi sa libération.

Lors de la visite de ces vétérans, une plaque commémorative a été installée sur la château du mont de Cerisy pour se souvenir de leur courage et leur sacrifice.

07/09/2026

21/08/2026

The following services will take place in September 2026:

22 September
10:30 - a rededication service for Private George Pert, 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders at Harlebeke New British Cemetery, Belgium.

14:00 - a rededication service for Lieutenant Frank Fleming, 4th Battalion (attd. 7th Battalion) Seaforth Highlanders at Voormezeele Enclosure No. 3, Belgium.

24 September
11:00 - a burial service for Private George Fleming Brock and Private Percy Todd, both of 11th Battalion The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, as well as two unknown soldiers of The Gordon Highlanders, and a further two unknown Scottish soldiers. This service will take place at Point du Jour Cemetery, France.

29 September
11:00 - a rededication service for Private George Chapman of 1st Battalion The Herefordshire Regiment at St Charles-de-Percy War Cemetery, France.

30 September
10:00 - a rededication service for Private Vincent Coia of 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders at Bayeux War Cemetery, France.

10:45 - a rededication service for Lance Corporal Reginald Cyril Dewey of 4th Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment at Bayeux War Cemetery, France.

1 October
10:00 - a rededication service for Serjeant Frederick Albert Harrison of 1st Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment, at Hottot-les-Bagues War Cemetery, France.

14:00 - a rededication service for Corporal Henry Thomas Read of 8th Battalion The R***e Brigade at Ranville War Cemetery, France.

08/08/2026

The Assistant Curator recently visited Scotland and spent time to reflect on the Battle of Falkirk Muir (17 January 1746) and Battle of Culloden (16 April 1746) at both engagement’s Brigadier - General James Fleming’s Regiment of Foot were present. Detailed casualty records for Falkirk Muir are sadly missing, but at Culloden it is recorded that 6 of the Regiment were wounded as a result of the Jacobite action.

Fleming’s Regiment of Foot is the direct chronological ancestor of the 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment of Foot, which gained the county designation in 1782 to assist with local recruitment.

However, it shares no official lineal connection with the separate territorial unit The Herefordshire Regiment later The Herefordshire Light Infantry.

We mourn all lives lost during the '45.

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26/06/2026

Standby your beds… our latest podcast has dropped. To listen, click here.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1968663/episodes/19398456-a-wander-through-kington-in-armed-forces-week

26/06/2026

Our latest podcast has dropped. Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1968663/episodes/19398456-a-wander-through-kington-in-armed-forces-week

26/06/2026

Standby your beds… our latest podcast has dropped. To listen, click here.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1968663/episodes/19398456-a-wander-through-kington-in-armed-forces-week

Col Andy Taylor and Rev Paul Roberts take a wander around Kington, a small market town in the west of Herefordshire, two miles from the Welsh border. They explore St Mary's Church and muse on the importance of memorials in churches and the nature of Kington as a settlement.

Wandering down the hill they pause at the War Memorial, comemmorating men from the town and surrounding area killed in the two world wars and Op Herrick (Afghanistan).

Seated outside the Market Hall, they watch the world go by and build up a thirst for a visit to the Burton Arms over the road. They discuss the forthcoming Armed Forces Day at in the town on 27th August. Some notable Herefordshire Regimental men with Kington connections are remembered, including Lieutenant Colonels Drage and Chipp, and Reg Griffiths - soldier turned priest with sparkling blue eyes and many tails to tell. These medals are being loaned to the excellent Kington Museum from the Herefordshire Regimental Museum for Armed Forces week 22 - 27th June.

30/05/2026

Welcome once again to the Dit Locker - our latest podcast episode has dropped! Listen to the Secret History of the Allied Victory Medal:

To listen click here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1968663/episodes/19265371

Put off by the excessive heat, Col Andy and Rev Paul decide to stay indoors for this episode and explore the interesting and little known history and evolution of the Allied Victory Medal for the First World War. There are many in the collection of the Herefordshire Regimental Museum and due to the sad incidence of melting down the silver British War Medal in the past and present day, this is now the most common surviving medal awarded to UK and Commonwealth personnel for the Great War.

Paul and Andy share a rare account of the original meeting at the Versailles Peace Conference where representatives of the 15 Allied and Associated Powers met to discuss a joint medal. And the work of Dr Dick Flory who proved that there were two different issues of the medal to UK and recipients - the well known "type 2" and the lesser known and illusive "type 1."

With their usual mixture of wit, insight and rabbit holes our intrepid pair explore this often overlooked medal - how people qualified for it, differences across awarding nations as diverse as Cuba, Siam (modern-day Thailand) and Japan, its enduring appeal to medal collectors and importance to families and historians alike.

17/05/2026

Herefordshire Histories Festival 2026!

As part of Herefordshire Histories Festival the Museum put on a mobile display at Taylor Historics at The Bunker Hereford on Saturday 16th May.

We wish to thank Colin and Kath for their wonderful hospitality and welcoming us along to display whilst our Museum home is currently closed. The Bunker is a great location and an amazing collection covering many aspects commonly forgotten about during WW2.

The Bunker is open tomorrow (18th May) for the last day of the festival.

https://herefordshirehistories.org/world-war-two-exhibition/

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