A sample list of Welch Regiment personnel in this series can be found in our catalogue here. [22], The 1st Battalion returned home in 1947 and was garrisoned at Malvern, Worcester, with the 2nd Battalion, which had returned from Burma. Known as Lieutenant Colonel Edmund Fieldings Regiment of Foot (or the Invalids), between 1719 and … Up to 4 Territorial and Volunteer battalions. E. Headon. Dan. Other headdress worn by the 2nd Welch at this … The invasion began on 20 May, with airborne landings along the coast between Maleme and Heraklion, backed by heavy air attacks. Though there are a few gaps in the records, such as the lack of Australian war diaries, the examples shown in this blog are a representative sample of what is available. Heraklion was defended by a British-Australian-Greek force under 14 Infantry Brigade (the original Creforce), and events at the airfield there were recorded in the 2 Battalion Black Watch war diary. Recruiting poster for The Welch Regiment, 1930. 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment 1st Battalion, Welsh Regiment were in Palestine serving with 14th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division when war broke out in 1939. Victoria Cross recipients are mostly covered separately, in series WO 98. [10] The 17th (Service) Battalion (1st Glamorgan) and 18th (Service) Battalion (2nd Glamorgan) landed in France as part of the 119th Brigade in the 40th Division in June 1916 for service on the Western Front. The 2nd/Royal Welch Fusiliers was quartered at Verdala Barracks Cottonera for 7 months with detachments in Crete for 4 months. On 26 May Freyberg sought permission to begin an evacuation of his forces, as he considered the situation hopeless. Lucky indeed to escape Crete in May 1941, when 1st Battalion, The Welch Regiment was overwhelmed by swathes of enemy paratroopers at Chania, he was less fortunate at Benghazi, where he became P.O.W. MNBDO records can be found in series ADM 202. Some sources for the casualties from this attack are listed in our catalogue here. [23] The 1st Battalion moved to Dering Lines in Brecon in February 1948 and amalgamated with the 2nd Battalion in June 1948. There are also aircrew casualty files from the battle in series AIR 81. Following the Battle of Crecy, where the Welch Companys saved the British line and did excelent service, a royal decree was made, that brought the Welsh into line with the Scottish Regiments, that from then on the Welch could wear on there badges and banners the designation that they were Welch, they had not been allowed to do so before this. France and Flanders: WO 95/1-3154, WO 95/3911-4193 and WO 95/5500 2. [15] The 6th (Glamorgan) Battalion of the Territorial Army, which had absorbed the 7th (Cyclist) Battalion in 1921, was converted into a searchlight regiment in 1938 and was transferred to the Royal Artillery as 67th (Welch) Searchlight Regiment in 1940. In July the battalion landed in Italy and fought in the Italian Campaign and would remain there for the rest of the war. 1 Militia and Special Reserve battalion 'The History of The Welsh regiment. Recollections of operations as private with 1st Bn Welch Regt, Creforce on Crete, Greece, 2/1941-5/1941: journey from Egypt to Crete; taking over positions from 2nd Bn Black Watch at Galatas; anticipation of German attack; start of German Air Force attacks on island, 20/5/1941; sight of German glider crash landing on Akrotiri Peninsula, 5/1941. In 1969 the regiment was amalgamated with the South Wales Borderers to form the Royal Regiment of Wales. The Royal Navy faced fierce German air attacks but was able to intercept a force of seaborne German troops, embarked on requisitioned civilian vessels, before they could reach Crete. Maleme quickly became the crucial objective in the battle. The 168th Brigade was part of the 56th (London) Division, which had just been severely mauled fighting at Anzio. They are not personal diaries (try the Imperial War Museumor Local Record Offices for those). [10] Captain Edgar Myles, of the 8th (Service) Battalion, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at the Siege of Kut in April 1916 during the Mesopotamian campaign. They returned to Geneifa on the Suez Canal where they were amalgamated with their comrades from No. The Welch Regiment. Lomax. Originally organised as the county regiment of Carmarthenshire, Glamorganshire and Pembrokeshire, the new regiment encompassed its Militia and Volunteer infantry and united … St Thomas Becket and Edwardian Canterbury, Good will to all: Henry VI’s Christmas pardon of 1470-71, Cast-iron cosiness: Designs for the Victorian hearth, Friends of The National Wavell quickly agreed, after sending a signal to the Prime Minister stating that Crete was ‘no longer tenable’. . He wears a serge-lined leather jerkin over his battledress. The largest group of men had to retreat to Sphakia, a hamlet on the south coast, to be met by the Royal Navy. The Great War [34 … [12], The 9th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 58th Brigade in the 19th (Western) Division in July 1915 for service on the Western Front. Following the loss of Maleme the Allies fell back to regroup, but within a few days the situation deteriorated as the Germans began to push towards Canea, threatening the supply base at Suda Bay. Aisne 1914–18, Ypres 1914-15-17, Gheluvelt, Loos, Somme 1916–18, Pilkem, Cambrai 1917–18, Macedonia 1915–18, Gallipoli 1915, Gaza, Falaise, Lower Mass, Reichswald, Croce, Italy 1943–45, Crete, Canae, Kyaukmyaung Bridgehead, Sittang 1945, Burma 1944–45. What had happened was the bulk of the British forces had withdrawn to 42 STREET and the Welch Regiment had marched into enemy territory. Mesopotamia, Iraq and North Persia: WO 95/4965-5288 3. The Royal Navy’s part in the evacuation is covered in a report from the Mediterranean Fleet: The loss of Crete took place at a time when various other commitments and operations required resources from Wavell’s command, often taking higher priority than Crete itself. The first significant Royal Navy casualties happened on 22 May, when the light cruiser HMS Naiad was among the ships attacked. 52 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment was another unit in this area (WO 169/1640). Some Italian forces were included in the operation as well. These troops were meant to carry out raids but instead had to be used as a rear-guard once the withdrawal began. The regiment was created in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot and 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot to form the Welsh Regiment. Archives, Open It later fought alongside the 1st Battalion with 28th Division at the Hohenzollern Redoubt and spent the rest of the war as the divisional pioneer battalion for 1st Division[10], The 8th (Service) Battalion landed at ANZAC Cove as part of the 40th Brigade in the 13th (Western) Division in August 1915; after being evacuated from Gallipoli in December 1915 the battalion moved to Egypt and on to Mesopotamia in February 1916. [17], In May 1944 the 1st Battalion received large numbers of replacements from retrained anti-aircraft gunners of the Royal Artillery and became an effective infantry battalion again. Also not all of the files are open, even after this amount of time. As a result of the casualties sustained, and a severe shortage of British infantry replacements in the Mediterranean theatre, 168th Brigade was disbanded and the 1st Battalion was reduced to a small cadre of 5 officers and 60 other ranks. Only fast warships could go there by sailing at night and leaving before dawn, which limited the amount of cargo or troops that could be sent. The regiment was created in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot and 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot to form the Welsh Regiment.[1]. archival research, Crete, mediterranean, royal air force, Second World War. Required fields are marked *, Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events.Sign up, All content is available under the Open CHAPTER 2 — To Egypt and the United Kingdom; CHAPTER 7 — Battle for Crete; Index; Documents Relating to New Zealand's Participation in the Second World War 1939–45: Volume I. [10] Lance Corporal William Charles Fuller, of the 2nd Battalion, won the Welsh Regiment's first Victoria Cross of the war when, under withering and sustained rifle and machine gun fire, he advanced one hundred yards to rescue Captain Mark Haggard who was mortally wounded on Chézy sur Aisne on 14 September 1914. http://22battalion.org.nz/war-diary/1941-may.htm, Your email address will not be published. No. I am happy to cover all costs, if you are a family member or can put me in touch with them, please get in touch. The Welch Regiment (or "The Welch", an archaic spelling of "Welsh") was an infantry regiment of the line of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1969. http://22battalion.org.nz/war-diary/1941-may.htm, Verdict – Accidental death: The strange case of the Scottish aristocrat killed on the Midland Railway, ‘Brown Babies’: The children born to black GI and white British women during the Second World War, The Ghost of Christmas past? Lt Day himself, with 7 men, including … Crete had killed 4000 German soldiers, most from the 7th Parachute Division; nearly half the 1st Assault Regiment had died in action. This unit was formed as The Welsh Regiment … In the past twelve years it has grown accustomed to fighting on the side with small Battalion, for the Welch were with Wavell in the earliest days of the North Africa Campaign, and again in Crete, and later at Benghazi, and three times the Battalion had to be reformed as a result of heavy … Recruiting poster for The Welch Regiment, 1930. There are some records relating to Layforce listed in our catalogue here. [3], The 1st Battalion moved to Malta in 1889 while the 2nd Battalion went to India in 1892; the 1st Battalion moved to Pembroke Dock in December 1893 where almost all the regiment's artifacts, plate and silver were lost in a large fire in 1895. [5] In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve;[6] the regiment now had one Reserve battalion and four Territorial battalions. Crete. MT StJ Prattle/Sqn.Ldr. Edward Howell, OBE, DFC) - Gloster … Their marksmen at Gemaizah Fort and the remainder of the half-Battalion on the left fired section volleys driving the Dervishes from their right position and inflicting severe punishment upon them when in the open. A Whitfield served with the 4th Battalion Welch Regiment British Army. The extract shown here covers the fighting at Retimo. It existed until 1969 when it became part of The Royal Regiment of Wales. The Welch Regiment arrives in Crete and joins the 14thInfantry Brigade. 6 Apr 1897 The regiment embarked for Crete and landed at Candia on 9 and 10 April 1897. The War Illustrated magazine published an article about Crete on 20 June 1941, and our library has a set of the volumes of this publication. [11], The 1/4th Battalion and 1/5th Battalion landed at Suvla Bay as part of the 159th Brigade in the 53rd (Welsh) Division in August 1915; after being evacuated from Gallipoli in December 1915 the battalion moved to Egypt. [2] The battalion took part in the Battle of Suakin in December 1888 during the Mahdist War under the leadership of the force commander, Colonel Herbert Kitchener, who wrote in his dispatches: The half-Battalion of The Welsh Regiment are seasoned soldiers and whatever I asked of them to do they did well. 1. They were also still holding ground outside Retimo and Heraklion, and their air attacks put the Allied troops under great strain throughout the battle. [7][8][9], The 1st Battalion, after returning from India, landed at Le Havre as part of the 84th Brigade in 28th Division in January 1915 for service on the Western Front but moved to Egypt and then on to Salonika in November 1915. 50 ME Commando departed Castelorizzo in March for Crete being replaced in their garrison duties there by the 1st Royal Welch Regiment. Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated. General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (4077002 Pte. Two errors in the German plan were a significant under-estimate of the number of Allied troops on the island and the expectation that the Cretan civilians would not resist, and these mistakes contributed to their heavy losses during the invasion. [10] Private Hubert William Lewis, of the 11th (Service) Battalion, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Evzonoi in Macedonia in October 1916 during the Macedonian campaign. The memorials was originally planned to be built on the Western Front in Belgium but was instead erected outside the regiment's headquarters at Maindy Barracks in Cardiff. May 26, 2019 - Explore Beverley Mills's board "Welch Regiment" on Pinterest. Shannon) - Bristol Blenheim 1.2. Your email address will not be published. The Germans planned to lead the invasion with their airborne troops, with men from a mountain infantry division following up, though the plan depended entirely on gaining control of at least one of the airfields. Wavell added a note acknowledging that the preparations before the battle had been insufficient. These records are the unit war diaries of the British Army in the First World War and are held by The National Archives in record series WO 95. With the numerous sources available at The National Archives, there are many ways to find information covering the occupation of Crete, the battle itself and the men who took part. The 1/5th Battalion, originally with the 160th Infantry Brigade, moved to Normandy in late June 1944 and fought alongside the 4th Battalion in the 53rd (Welsh) Division in the North West Europe Campaign distinguishing itself at 's-Hertogenbosch, the Falaise Gap, the Ardennes and the Reichwald Forest. The National Archives also holds various sources for Allied prisoners, casualties and gallantry awards relating to Crete Despite the weakness of the RAF, some squadrons did take part in the battle. 5 Battery, 2/3rd Field … Allied Forces at Heraklion: HQ British 14th Brigade [23] The battalion moved to North Africa in December 1958 and established its headquarters in Benghazi with company detachments at Derna, Marj and Al Adm and then returned to the United Kingdom the following year. [23] The battalion was stationed at Brooke Barracks in Spandau from April 1961 where duties included guarding Rudolf Hess. In November the battalion crossed the Chindwin River at Sittang, captured Pinlebu and saw some very hard fighting on the Swebo Plain. Two of the brigades, 4th and 5th, were in fairly good shape; 4th included three regular NZ infantry battalions and an artillery battery, 5th four NZ battalions as well as a Greek regular infantry regiment and assorted attachments. Several other British warships were sunk or damaged by air attack during the battle, and it became very difficult for the fleet to support the troops on the island. Battle Of Crete Commemorations- Red Arrows - posted in Explore Crete: For those who might be interested, and fortunate enough to be in Crete around the time of the Battle of Crete Commemoration events, the Royal Air Force display team, better known as the Red Arrows, will perform over Chania on the morning of Saturday 23rd MAY starting at 9.45hrs. [23], The battalion moved to Hong Kong as part of the 27th Infantry Brigade in November 1952 and then returned home to Llanion Barracks in Pembroke Dock in 1954. At the end of Novemeber they moved to Egypt with 22nd Brigade, 6th Divison. They took part in heavy fighting on the Gothic Line, one of many German defensive lines in Italy, and in the Croce area where the battalion, and the rest of the 56th Division, suffered heavy casualties. The regiment was created in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot and 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot to form the Welsh Regiment, by which it was known until 1920 when it was renamed the Welch Regiment. The information on John James Lewis has been compiled from a number of sources, including the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, from the South Wales Voice newspaper, and the Parish Burial Register (courtesy of the Swansea Archives). [23], The Regiment was awarded the following battle honours:[8]. View this object . 7753 Lance-Corporal William Fuller, 2nd Battalion, The Welsh Regiment, for conspicuous gallantry on 14th September, near Chivy on the Aisne, by advancing about 100 yards to pick up Captain Haggard, who was mortally wounded, and carrying him back to cover under very heavy rifle and machine gun fire. The National Archives also holds various sources for Allied prisoners, casualties and gallantry awards relating to Crete. In Crete alone the battalion had lost nearly 250 dead, with 400 being captured and the battalion was reduced to a mere 7 officers and 161 other ranks. 'History of the services of the 41st (The Welsh Regiment)' by Captain and Adjutant D.A.N. See more ideas about world war two, world war ii, regiment. View this object . This infantry unit was created in 1881 and recruited in Camarthenshire, Glamorganshire and Pembrokeshire. Gericke, who had come across the dropping zone of its III Battalion on 23 May, was appalled by the evidence of what had befallen it. Government Licence v3.0. ‘Frightful was the sight that met our eyes. The 1st Battalion moved to Egypt in 1886. [17] They received a large draft of 700 officers and men. [21], Around 1,100 officers and other ranks of the Welch Regiment were killed or died from wounds or sickness during the Second World War, with many more wounded. Tuesday 27th - Day 8 - At dawn the Welch Regiment was in position a mile west of CANEA. Patrols were sent out to the west and south; none returned. The National Archives does not hold a war diary for the Australians at Retimo, though there is a related report at CAB 106/382. Add to this record. [10] The 10th (Service) Battalion (1st Rhondda) landed at Le Havre as part of the 114th Brigade in 38th (Welsh) Division in December 1915 for service on the Western Front. The aerial photograph above shows several German transport aircraft on the airfield just after it was captured. Allied and civilian resistance was much stronger than expected, and by the first night of the battle the Germans had gained little except a precarious foothold at Maleme. The squadron operation record books list the aircraft and crews that were involved, and these records can usually be downloaded from The National Archives’ website. From the above Battle Honours the following were actually borne on the Regimental and Queen's Colour: Belleisle, Martinique 1762, St. Vincent 1797, India, Bourbon, Java, Detroit, Queenstown, Miami, Niagara, Waterloo, Ava, Candahar 1842, Ghuznee 1842, Cabool 1842, Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeburg, South Africa 1899–1902, Korea 1951–52. The memorial takes the form of squat cenotaph, following Lutyens' design of the famous Cenotaph on Whitehall in London. Other men were picked up from Heraklion, though they still faced German air attacks and the light cruiser HMS Orion, carrying more than 1,000 troops, was among the ships bombed. From the other side of Crete, at Spafkia, on June 1, 1941, the “Day” barge, brought out Lt G.M. R Spurr served with the Welch Regiment British Army. Deane is at present stationed in Britain. It landed at Le Havre in October 1914 to work on the Lines of Communication on the Western Front. In April they took part in Operation Grapeshot which ended with the capture of thousands of prisoners of war and the surrender of the German Army in Italy on 2 May. [10] The 11th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 67th Brigade in the 22nd Division in September 1915 for service on the Western Front and then moved to Salonika in late 1915. The first part of this blog outlined the British preparations for the occupation and defence of Crete, as well as the many relevant sources available at The National Archives. Clive started his National Service in the Royal Welch Fusiliers and was then commissioned into the South Wales Borderers. [10] The 16th (Service) Battalion (Cardiff City) landed at Le Havre as part of the 115th Brigade in the 38th (Welsh) Division in December 1915 for service on the Western Front. [10] The 19th (Service) Battalion (Glamorgan Pioneers) landed at Le Havre as pioneer battalion to the 38th (Welsh) Division in December 1915 for service on the Western Front. ² Awarded in 1909 for the services of the 69th Foot, with the badge of a Naval Crown superscribed 12th April 1782. We will not be able to respond to personal family history research questions on this platform. [13], The 13th (Service) Battalion (2nd Rhondda), the 14th (Service) Battalion (Swansea) and the 15th (Service) Battalion (Carmarthenshire) landed at Le Havre as part of the 114th Brigade in the 38th (Welsh) Division in December 1915 for service on the Western Front. These were the 3rd Battalion (Special Reserve), with the 4th Battalion at Upper Market Street in, 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot, The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot), "The History of the Royal Regiment of Wales: The Welsh Regiment (1881-1920)", "Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907", "Fact sheet: Volunteer battalions 1885-1908", "Regiment Timeline - The Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh (Brecon)", Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry), Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment), Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment), Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment), Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment), Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment), Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment), Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment), Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's), Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers), Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders), Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians), Liverpool Rifles, King's (Liverpool Regiment), Liverpool Irish, King's (Liverpool Regiment), Liverpool Scottish, King's (Liverpool Regiment), Leeds Rifles, Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment), Cinque Ports Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, Hallamshire Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Welch_Regiment&oldid=996110528, Regiments of the British Army in World War I, Regiments of the British Army in World War II, Military units and formations of the United Kingdom in the Korean War, 1881 establishments in the United Kingdom, Military units and formations established in 1881, Military units and formations disestablished in 1969, 1969 disestablishments in the United Kingdom, Military units and formations in Burma in World War II, Pages containing London Gazette template with parameter supp set to y, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 1965–1969: Maj-Gen. Frank Hastings Brooke, CB, CBE, DSO. [16], The 1st Battalion moved to Palestine in 1939 to play its part in operations connected with the 1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine. In June 1944 the battalion, under Lieutenant Colonel Charles Coleman, was, after many years of training, ordered to France to join the British Second Army in the Normandy Campaign. The battalion was now assigned to 168th (London) Infantry Brigade,[18] replacing the now disbanded 10th Royal Berkshire Regiment and serving alongside 1st London Irish Rifles and 1st London Scottish, making the brigade a mixture of Irish, Scottish and Welsh. In August 1944 the 1/5th Battalion was transferred from 160th Brigade to the 158th Infantry Brigade, still with 53rd (Welsh) Division. I have his dogtags and would love to get them home to his family. Air Officer Commander-in-Chief, Middle East - Air Chief Marshall Sir Arthur Longmore 1. On Crete it consisted of three brigades and an artillery regiment. Suda Bay was defended by a mixed Allied force including the Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation (MNBDO), a Royal Marine outfit. The Welch Regiment commanded by Lt. The Greeks advise they do not require assistance and will fight on regardless of support. The Regiment was officially formed in 1881 through the amalgamation of the 41st and 69th Regiment of Foot. [19], The 4th Battalion was in Northern Ireland in the 160th Infantry Brigade attached to the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division. [2] The 1st Battalion was dispatched to South Africa in November 1899 for the Second Boer War: it was engaged in Battle of Paardeberg in February 1900, where they suffered heavy losses, and again at the Battle of Driefontein in March 1900. [24] The battalion returned to the United Kingdom and became the Demonstration Battalion of The School of Infantry, stationed first at Knook Camp in Heytesbury and then at the newly built Battlesbury Barracks in Warminster in 1965. Ldr. [20], Meanwhile, the 1/5th and 2/5th Battalions, mobilized at the same time as the 4th Battalion, were retained at home where the 2/5th also trained and prepared drafts for overseas although it remained at home throughout the whole war as a Home Defence battalion. Download this stock image: Roadside memorial in Galatas, Crete, to the men of The Welch Regiment, British Army, who died in the Battle for Crete in 1941 - EF251B from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. *The main figure shows a Company Sergeant Major of the 2nd Welch at Toungoo, Burma. Welch. Welch Regiment 8th Greek Infantry Battalion. Colonel H.H. 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