Royal Welsh Fusiliers

[Blackbird]

Hi Guys,

I`m trying to put together a list of all the Battalions of the RWF for WW1 & WW2, so far I`ve got the Great War covered but could do with some help on the Second, if any can help me out then please fell free to add it to this thread, many thanks. BB.

[Blackbird]

Battalions of the regular army

1st Battalion:

August 1914 : in Malta. Returned to England, landing at Southampton 3 September 1914. 3 September 1914 : attached to 22nd Brigade, 7th Division. Landed at Zeebrugge 7 October 1914.

2nd Battalion:

August 1914 : in Portland.

11 August 1914 : landed at Rouen as Lines of Communication troops.

22 August 1914 : attached to 19th Brigade, which was not allocated to a Division but an independent command.

12 October 1914 : transferred with Brigade to 6th Division.

31 May 1915 : transferred with Brigade to 27th Division.

19 August 1915 : transferred with Brigade to 2nd Division.

25 November 1915 : transferred with Brigade to 33rd Division.

6 February 1918 : transferred to 115th Brigade, 38th Division.

3rd (Reserve) Battalion:

August 1914 : administratively headquartered in Wrexham bbut physically in Pembroke Dock. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Returned to Wrexham on 9 August 1914 but moved to Litherland near Liverpool in May 1915. Moved to Ireland in November 1917 and by the end of the war was at Limerick.

Battalions of the Territorial Force

1/4th (Denbighshire) Battalion:

August 1914 : in Wrexham. Part of North Wales Brigade, Welsh Division. Moved immediateley on mobilisation to Conway and at teh end of the month to Northampton.

6 November 1914 : left Brigade and landed at Le Havre.

7 December 1914 : attached to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division.

1 September 1915 : transferred to 47th Division as Pioneers.

2/4th (Denbighshire) Battalion:

Formed at Wrexham in September 1914 as a home service ("Second line") unit. Moved to join Welsh Division at Northampton on 22 November 1914. Moved in December 1914 to Cambridge.

22 April 1915 : attached to 203rd Brigade, 68th Division at Northampton. Moved to Bedford in July 1915, Aldeburgh in November 1916 and Henham Park (Halesworth) in May 1917. Finally moved to Yarmouth in October 1917.

March 1918 : disbanded.

1/5th (Flintshire) Battalion:

August 1914 : in Flint. Part of North Wales Brigade, Welsh Division. Moved immediateley on mobilisation to Conway and at the end of the month to Northampton. Moved to Cambridge in December 1914 and Bedford in May 1915.

13 May 1915 : formation became 158th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division. Sailed from Devonport on 19 July 1915 for Gallipoli, going via Imbros and disembarking Suvla Bay on 9 August 1915.

3 August 1918 : amalgamated with 1/6th Bn to form the 5/6th Bn.

2/5th (Flintshire) Battalion:

Formed at Flint in September 1914 as a home service ("Second line") unit.

22 April 1915 : attached to 203rd Brigade, 68th Division at Northampton. Moved to Bedford in July 1915, Westleton in November 1916 and Henham Park (Halesworth) in May 1917. Finally moved to Yarmouth in October 1917.

16 March 1918 : disbanded.

1/6th (Carnarvonshire & Anglesey) Battalion:

August 1914 : in Carnarvon. Part of North Wales Brigade, Welsh Division. Moved immediateley on mobilisation to Conway and at the end of the month to Northampton. Moved to Cambridge in December 1914 and Bedford in May 1915.

13 May 1915 : formation became 158th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division. Sailed from Devonport on 19 July 1915 for Gallipoli, going via Imbros and disembarking Suvla Bay on 9 August 1915.

3 August 1918 : amalgamated with 1/6th Bn to form the 5/6th Bn.

2/6th (Carnarvonshire & Anglesey) Battalion:

Formed at Carmarthen in September 1914 as a home service ("Second line") unit.

22 April 1915 : attached to 203rd Brigade, 68th Division at Northampton. Moved to Bedford in July 1915, Southwold in November 1916 and Henham Park (Halesworth) in May 1917.

8 September 1917: disbanded.

1/7th (Merioneth & Montgomery) Battalion:

August 1914 : in Newtown. Part of North Wales Brigade, Welsh Division. Moved immediateley on mobilisation to Conway and at the end of the month to Northampton. Moved to Cambridge in December 1914 and Bedford in May 1915.

13 May 1915 : formation became 158th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division. Sailed from Devonport on 19 July 1915 for Gallipoli, going via Imbros and disembarking Suvla Bay on 9 August 1915.

24 June 1918: transferred to 160th Brigade in same Division.

2/7th (Merioneth & Montgomery) Battalion:

Formed at Newtown in September 1914 as a home service ("Second line") unit.

22 April 1915 : attached to 203rd Brigade, 68th Division at Northampton. Moved to Bedford in July 1915, Wrentham in November 1916. Absorbed the 2/1st Brecknockshire Battalion of the South Wales Borderers in same month. Moved to Henham Park (Halesworth) in May 1917.

12 September 1917: disbanded.

3/4th to 3/7th Battalions:

Formed in Wrexham, Flint, Carnarvon and Newtown in March, May (3/6th) and June (3/7th) 1915 respectively.

8 April 1916 : became 4th - 7th Reserve Bns.

1 September 1916 : 4th absorbed the 5th, 6th and 7th Bns., in the Welsh Reserve Brigade at Oswestry. Moved in March 1918 to Kinmel (Rhyl) and in July 1918 to Herne Bay in Kent.

23rd Battalion:

Formed at Mundesley on 1 January 1917 from what had previously been the 47th Provisional Battalion of the TF. It had been formed in June 1915 from "Home Service only" personnel. Moved to Bacton in June 1917 and on to Hemby in Norfolk in September 1917.

24th (Denbighshire Yeomanry) Battalion:

1 March 1917 : formed in Egypt from dismounted Denbighshire Yeomanry.

1 March 1917 : attached to 231st Brigade, 74th Division. Moved to France in early May 1918.

21 June 1918 : transferred to 94th Brigade, 31st Division.

25th(Montgomery & Welsh Horse Yeomanry) Battalion:

4 March 1917 : formed in Egypt from dismounted Montgomery & Welsh Horse Yeomanry.

1 March 1917 : attached to 231st Brigade, 74th Division. Moved to France in early May 1918.

Battalions of the New Armies

8th (Service) Battalion:

Formed at Wrexham in August 1914 as part of K1 and attached to 40th Brigade, 13th (Western) Division. Moved to Salisbury Plain but by February 1915 was at Blackdown. Moved to Mudros in July 1915 and subsequently served in Gallipoli, Egypt and Mesopotamia.

9th (Service) Battalion:

Formed at Wrexham on 9 September 1914 as part of K2 and attached to 58th Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. Moved to Tidworth but by December 1914 was in billets in Basingstoke. Returned to Tidworth in March 1915. Landed at Boulogne 19 July 1915.

10th (Service) Battalion:

Formed at Wrexham on 16 October 1914 as part of K3 and attached to 76th Brigade, 25th Division. Moved to Codford St Mary but by November 1914 was in billets in Bournemouth. Moved to Romsey 29 April 1915 and to Aldershot 3 June 1915. Landed at Boulogne 27 September 1915.

15 October 1915 : transferred with Brigade to 3rd Division.

8 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

11th (Service) Battalion:

Formed at Wrexham on 18 October 1914 as part of K3 and attached to 67th Brigade, 22nd Division. Moved to Seaford and by December 1914 was in billets in St leonards. Returned to Seaford April 1915 but moved on to Aldershot in June 1915. Landed in Farnce early September 1915 but by 5 November 1915 was at Salonika.

12th (Reserve) Battalion:

Formed in Wrexham in October 1914 as a Service Battalion of K4 and attached to 104th Brigade, original 35th Division. Moved to Tenby in February 1915.

10 April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion and moved to Kinmel (Rhyl).

1 September 1916 :converted into 62nd Battalion of 14th Reserve Brigade of Training Reserve.

13th (Service) Battalion (1st North Wales):

Formed at Rhyl on 3 September 1914 by the Denbigh and Flint TF Associations, but transferred to the Welsh National Executive Committee on 10 October 1914. November 1914 : attached to 128th Brigade, 43rd Division at Llandudno. 28 April 1915 : formation became the 113th Brigade, 38th Division. Moved to Winchester in August 1915 and landed in France in December 1915.

14th (Service) Battalion:

Formed at Llandudno on 2 November 1914 by the Welsh National Executive Committee. November 1914 : attached to 128th Brigade, 43rd Division. 28 April 1915 : formation became the 113th Brigade, 38th Division. Moved to Winchester in August 1915 and landed in France in December 1915.

15th (Service) Battalion (1st London Welsh):

Formed at London on 20 October 1914. December 1914 : attached to 128th Brigade, 43rd Division. 28 April 1915 : formation became the 113th Brigade, 38th Division. Moved to Winchester in August 1915 and landed in France in December 1915. 27 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

16th (Service) Battalion:

Formed at Llandudno in November 1914 by the Welsh National Executive Committee from recruits surplus to 13th Bn. November 1914 : attached to 128th Brigade, 43rd Division. 28 April 1915 : formation became the 113th Brigade, 38th Division. Moved to Winchester in August 1915 and landed in France in December 1915.

17th (Service) Battalion (2nd North Wales):

Formed at Llandudno on 2 February 1915 and attached to 128th Brigade, 43rd Division. 28 April 1915 : formation became the 113th Brigade, 38th Division. Moved to Winchester in August 1915 and landed in France in December 1915.

18th (Reserve) Battalion (2nd London Welsh):

Formed at Gray's Inn in London in February 1915 as a Service Bn. Moved to Bangor in June 1915. Between June and August 1915, was attached to 38th Division. August 1915 : became a Reserve battalion.

1 September 1916 : with the 20th Bn, became 63rd Battalion in 14th Reserve Brigade of Training Reserve.

19th (Service) Battalion:

Formed March 1915 by the Welsh National Executive Committee as a Bantam Bn. With 38th Division at Deganwy until August 1915.

September 1915 : transferred to 119th Brigade, 40th Division at Aldershot. Landed in France early June 1916.

6 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

20th to 22nd (Reserve) Battalions:

Formed in North Wales as Reserve Bns. Moved to Kinmel Park (Rhyl).

1 September 1916 : 20th Bn, with the 18th Bn, became 63rd Battalion , and 21st and 22nd formed the 64th Battalion, both in 14th Reserve Brigade of Training Reserve.

Other battalions raised by the regiment

26th (Service) Battalion:

Formed from the 4th Garrison Guard Bn (see below) on 16 July 1918. Was at the time attached to 176th Brigade, 59th Division.

1st Garrison Battalion:

Formed at Wrexham in July 1915, then to Gibraltar where it remained throughout the war.

2nd Garrison Battalion:

Formed at Garswood Park (Wigan) on 21 October 1915. March 1916 to Egypt where it remained throughout the war.

3rd (Reserve) Garrison Battalion:

Formed at Wrexham in February 1916. Moved to Abergele in November 1916 thence to Rhyl and Gobowen. Moved to Oswestry in June 1917 and to Ireland in November 1917, when it went to Cork. Went on to Crosshaven in March 1918.

4th Garrison Battalion:

Formed at Bebington on 15 April 1916. June 1916 : moved to France, attached as Army Troops to Third Army. Renamed 4th Garrison Guard Bn in 1918. 16 May 1918 : attached to 176th Brigade, 59th Division. 16 July 1918 : renamed 26th (Service) Bn.

5th (Home Service) Garrison Battalion:

Formed at Wrexham in August 1916 but soon moved to Barrow-in-Furness. Became the 12th Bn, the Royal Defence Corps in August 1917.

6th Garrison Battalion:

Formed at Aintree in September 1916, and moved to Egypt in January 1917, remaining there throughout the war.

7th Garrison Battalion:

Formed in January 1917 but disbanded next month.

http://www.1914-1918.net/rwf.htm

[Blackbird]

The Second World War has been a little harder, so far all I`ve been able to find out is..

During the Second World War The Royal Welch Fusiliers raised 13 battalions, five of which saw action in North West Europe, Madagascar, and Burma.

Can anyone tell me who they were?

[leigh kitchen]

15 battalions rather than 13, according to Cap-Badges of the British Army 1939-45, G.L.D. Alderton, published by Spellmount, 2007.

5th Bn converted to Royal Artillery in 1940, as the 60th Anti-Tank Regiment RA, & wore RA badges.

19th (Merionethshire & Montgomeryshire) Battalion was raised in 1939 as a duplicate of the 7th Battalion.

The 10th Bn became the 6th (Royal Welch) Battalion, the Parachute Regiment in July 1942 & adopted the Para Regt cap badge.

I'm not sure if the reference to the 10th Bn is a misprint for 19th.

[bigjarofwasps]

Interesting, I take it they didn`t deploy as a Regiment during WW2? Can this be right? What about Korea, did they fight in that war?

[leigh kitchen]

Being infantry, the tactical units of the regiment are battalions, rather than serving as a regimental formation. The regiment did'nt see service in Korea, I think, tho' the 2nd Bn which was disbanded along with many other infantry 2nd Bns in 1948 was re-raised & sailed folr Korea, however it was diverted to Singapore instead.

[Blackbird]

Being infantry, the tactical units of the regiment are battalions, rather than serving as a regimental formation. The regiment did'nt see service in Korea, I think, tho' the 2nd Bn which was disbanded along with many other infantry 2nd Bns in 1948 was re-raised & sailed folr Korea, however it was diverted to Singapore instead.

That is interesting, thank you for adding it to my thread

[bigjarofwasps]

Had a look on my local war memorial - there are two guys from the RWF listed as being killed during WW2, so the Regiment must have had a battalion somewhere? If that helps. Can anyone shine any light on the RWfs movements during WW2?

[bigjarofwasps]

Found this thought it might be of interest...

http://www.regimental-art.com/welch_fusiliers.htm

http://www2.prestel.co.uk/stewart/ccwelchf.htm

[bigjarofwasps]

53rd Welsh Division had several RWF battalions.

53rd Division

http://www.britisharmedforces.org/i_...hfus_index.htm

Battle Honours WW2

The Second World War: Dyle, Defence of Escaut, St. Omer-La Bass?e, Caen, Esquay, Falaise, Nederrijn, Lower Maas, Venlo Pocket, Ourthe, Rhineland, Reichswald, Goch, Weeze, Rhine, Ibbenburen, Aller, North-West Europe 1940 '44-45, Madagascar, Middle East 1942, Donbaik, North Arakan, Kohima, Mandalay, Ava, Burma 1943-45

1RWF was in 2nd Div the 1940 campaign & later Burma.

http://www.burmastar.org.uk/welsh.htm

http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/2nd_division.htm

Found this

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/sites..._p_jones.shtml

If you know his battalion, the following might help.

The 1st battalion RWF France 1939/40; India 1942; Burma1942/1945

2nd battalion RWF Madagascar, India Burma 1942 1945

4th 6th 7th battalions territorial army Normandy, Belguim, Holland, Germany 1944/1945

8th bn uk

9th bn uk 1940 1945

10th bn RWF converted to the 6th Royal Welch parachute battalion the parachute regiment north africa italy south of france greece palestine 1942 1947

.5th 11th 12th were converted to royal artillrey units the 13th served in northern ireland.

Sun Jan 29 16:48:02 2006

[bigjarofwasps]

& 14 VCs

14 in total

Sgt Luke O'Connor Battle of Alma 1854

Capt EWD Bell Ditto 1854

Asst Surgeon Sylvester Sevastopol 1855

Cpl Shields Ditto 1855

Lt TB Hackett Lucknow 1857

Boy C Mongor Ditto 1857

Lt Col CHM Doughty-Wylie Gallipoli 1915 *posthumous

CSM F Barter Festubert 1915

Cpl JJ Davies Delville Wood 1916

Pte A Hill Ditto 1916

Cpl JL Davies Pilckem 1917

Cpl J Collins Beersheba 1917

LCpl H Weale Bazentin-Le Grand 1918

L/Sgt WH Wearing Ronssoy France 1918

[mariner]

[leigh kitchen]

Possibly........

There's sometimes an identifying prefix, some researchers can deduce the battalion from the range a number falls between - what's the number & period?

Edited May 15, 2008 by leigh kitchen

[mariner]

Possibly........

There's sometimes an identifying prefix, some researchers can deduce the battalion from the range a number falls between - what's the number & period?

No numbers in general, just wondered if there was a hard & fast rule, that I could use?

[leigh kitchen]

Numbers may or may not follow a WWI soldier from one battalion or regiment to another, so it's possible that a number may refer to a unit that the man's no longer in (eg, I have a Victory Medal to a man who's number bears the prefix "NCB-", which refers to the Northern Cyclist Battalion, but he kept it when posted to a Northumberland Fusiliers infantry battalion).

Some "rules":

Army Order2414 of December 1916 ordered a change to Territorial Forceinfantry numbers effective from 1/3/17.

4th Bn RWF, Territorial Force Assocation area Denbigh, were allocated number block 200001 - 240000

5th Bn, Denbigh, Flint, 240001 - 265000

6th Bn Anglesey, Caernarvon, 265001 - 290000

7th Bn Merioneth, Montgomery, 290001 - 315000

23rd Bn Denbigh, 315001 - 340000,

24th Bn, Denbigh, 340001 - 350000,

25th Bn, Montgomery 350001 - 360000.

Army Order 338 of 1920 renumbered the Army Reserve, & replaced "Regimental" Numbers with "Army Numbers", so there should be no two men in the army with the same number.

Appendix 1 to Army Order 338 of 1920 allocated block 4178001 - 4256000 to the RWF.

(Above information is from "The Collector & Researchers Guide To The Great War" by Howard Williamson)

After this, the number given to a man stayed with him, rather than changing as he changed units or left & rejoined the army - other than men deemed to have enlisted into the Militia under the Military Training Act of 1939, who were given new numbers even if they has previously served in the army (in accordance with "Regulations For The Militia (Other Than The Supplementary Reserve), 1939", paras 1 - 13).

An ex-soldier who re-enlisted after service in the Regular Army, the Supplementary Reserve or the Territorial Army retained his old number.

The World War 2 number block allocated to the RWF was 4178001 - 4256000.

(From "British Army Uniforms & Insignia of World War Two" by Brian Leigh Davis.

[Igor Ostapenko]

Anybody visit RWF Museum ?

& 14 VCs

14 in total

Sgt Luke O'Connor Battle of Alma 1854

Capt EWD Bell Ditto 1854

Asst Surgeon Sylvester Sevastopol 1855

Cpl Shields Ditto 1855

Lt TB Hackett Lucknow 1857

Boy C Mongor Ditto 1857

Lt Col CHM Doughty-Wylie Gallipoli 1915 *posthumous

CSM F Barter Festubert 1915

Cpl JJ Davies Delville Wood 1916

Pte A Hill Ditto 1916

Cpl JL Davies Pilckem 1917

Cpl J Collins Beersheba 1917

LCpl H Weale Bazentin-Le Grand 1918

L/Sgt WH Wearing Ronssoy France 1918

[bigjarofwasps]

Anybody visit RWF Museum ?

Yes, my son & I went there a few weeks ago. Its well worth a visit.

[Igor Ostapenko]

Great !

You make few photos ?

Yes, my son & I went there a few weeks ago. Its well worth a visit.

[bigjarofwasps]

No sorry didn`t take any photos. Most of the displays are behind glass, so not camera friendly.

[Graham Stewart]

Just flicking through here and noticed this post on the RWF. All of it's Battalions and their lineage, including WWII can be traced throught the book 'Lineage Book of the British Land Forces" by J.B.M.Fredericks, which is the bible for such things and is a massive two volume work, one volume alone being dedicated to the Artillery.

Also regimental numbers as a whole and case studies regarding both the Northumberland and Royal Welsh Fusiliers are being dealt with in a future publication, although I'm not sure when and as far as I'm aware the earlier WWI RWF numbers can be linked to Kitchener units.

Also there was no such 'Army Order 2414'. Howard Williamson got this totally wrong and it was infact 'Army Council Instruction 2414 of December 1916'. To this ACI was added an Appendix listing all of the new regimental numbers assigned to the Territorial Force as of 1917. Army Coucil Instructions are the higher authority and much more detailed than Army Orders and throughout ACI's are many detailed instructions on Regimental numbering, this inlcudes one issued on the 18th May 1915 which introduced prefixing of regimental numbers to cease confusion in Rolls and Casualty returns, but it would appear not all units took prefixing into practice.

The Regular army and Special Reserve followed one practice of numbering while the Territorial Force had their own unique numbering system all of which were dealt with under Kings Regulations 1912, Regulations for the Special Reserve and Territorial Force Regulations 1912.

[Igor Ostapenko]

Anybody have photos fron RWF Museum ?