1st Battalion , York and Lancaster Regiment The 1st Battalion , York and Lancaster Regiment was formed in 1881 from the 65th Regiment of Foot . History . Early history . After amalgamation in the army reform of 1881 the new 1st Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment were based in Bengal , India . In 1882 they were shipped to Aden while the 2nd Battalion of the regiment were in Egypt fighting in the Battles of Kassasin and Tel - el Kebir . When war broke out in Sudan in 1884 the 1st Battalion was sent and fought in the Battle of El Teb . A future British Field Marshal , Herbert Plumer , 1st Viscount Plumer , was adjudant of the 1st Battalion at this time . During this battle a platoon of the battalion came to the rescue of Capt . Arthur Wilson who won the Victoria Cross during the action . In late 1884 the 1st Battalion was shipped back to England where they were to remain on various garrison duties until 1899 when the Anglo - Boer War in South Africa started . The 1st Battalion was formed into the 11th Brigade and fought through the war . In 1902 the battalion was shipped to India and remained there until the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 . World War I . The 1st Battalion returned from India in December 1914 and formed within the new regular 28th Division for service in France and Belgium . The battalion fought in many of the battles in 1915 . They suffered heavy casualties during the Battles of Ypres and Loos . In late 1915 the 28th Division was shipped to Salonika as part of the new British Salonika Army that was created to stop Bulgarian expansion in the Balkans . The battalion spent the rest of the war there suffering one killed in action to every three killed from Malaria and Dysentery . World War II . The 1st Battalion under the command of Lt . Col . A . L . Kent - Limon was involved in the Norwegian campaign . This Battalion served in the 15th Infantry Brigade , part of the 5th Infantry Division . It was landed at Åndalsnes from the 23rd - 25 April 1940 under Brig . H . E . F . Smyth . The force consisted of the 1st Green Howards the 1st Yorks and Lancs and the 1st King ' s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and the 148th Infantry Brigade which landed on 20 April . The Norwegian campaign was a failure and the Allied forces were forced to withdraw . After the battalions return to Great Britain the 5th Infantry Division began a series of journeys around the various British theatres of war without getting involved , it would the division the nickname " Globe Trotters " . In 1943 the globe trotting stopped and the division took part in the landings on Sicily . The battalion fought through Sicily and on into Italy from 1943 to 1945 . It fought in many of the battles in the Italian Campaign and ended the war in northern Italy . Post 1945 . In 1948 the 2nd Battalion was amalgamated with the 1st who were based in Germany with the 2nd Division . The Yorks and Lancs were sent to the Suez War of 1956 and B Company was sent to the Aden Conflict in 1964 . In 1968 the regiment chose to be disbanded rather than face amalgamation . In 1948 the 2nd Battalion was amalgamated with the 1st who were based in Germany with the 2nd Division . The Yorks and Lancs were sent to the Suez War of 1956 and B Company was sent to the Aden Conflict in 1966 . In 1968 the regiment chose to be disbanded rather than face amalgamation .