Welch Regiment

The Welch Regiment (or "The Welch") was a British Army regiment from 1881 to 1969.

History

It was formed as part of the wholesale Cardwell reforms of the Army in 1881 from the 41st (Welsh) Regiment of Foot, recruited generally from south west Wales, and remained so until it was amalgamated with the South Wales Borderers (24th Foot) into the Royal Regiment of Wales in 1969.

It should not be confused with the Royal Welch Fusiliers (23rd Foot), recruited generally from Mid Wales and North Wales.

The Welch Regiment can trace its origins from its constituent regiments back to the Regiment of Invalids formed from - among others - Pensioners of the Royal Hospital Chelsea (hence the name) in 1688.

Originally organised as the county regiment of Carmarthenshire, Glamorganshire and Pembrokeshire, the new regiment encompassed its Militia and Volunteer infantry and united two regular battalions:

*1st Battalion, redesignation of 41st (The Welsh) Regiment of Foot
*2nd Battalion, redesignation of 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot (1881-1948)Militia and Special Reserve:
*3rd Battalion, redesignation of Royal Glamorgan Light Infantry (1881-1953)

There were a further 50 battalions raised at various points in time for Territorial, Volunteer and War service. [ [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/041WELCH.htm] ] On St David's Day 2006 the Royal Welch Fusiliers and Royal Regiment of Wales amalgamated, with 1 RRW becoming 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh (The Royal Regiment of Wales).

Titles

*1881: The Welsh Regiment
*1921: The Welch Regiment - renamed to have the revised spelling
*1969: amalgamated with The South Wales Borderers, to form The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot)
*2006: amalgamated with The Royal Welch Fusiliers to form 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh (The Royal Regiment of Wales)

Regimental holders of The Victoria Cross

(Prior to 1881)
*Lieutenant Ambrose MADDEN VC (Sergeant-Major in 41st (the Welsh) Regiment of Foot)

*General Sir Hugh ROWLANDS VC KCB (Captain in 41st (the Welsh) Regiment of Foot)

(Post 1881)
*Sergeant William Charles FULLER VC (Lance-Corporal in 2nd Bn)

*Private Hubert William LEWIS VC (Private in 11th Bn)

*Captain Edgar Kinghorn MYLES VC DSO (Second Lieutenant in 8th Bn)

*Major Sir Tasker WATKINS VC GBE PC (Lieutenant in 1/5th Battalion)

Battle honours

(Includes battle honours of the 41st and the 69th Regiments). Prior to WWI: Belleisle [awarded 1951 for service of 69th Regiment.] , Martinique 1762 [awarded 1909 for service of 69th Regiment.] , [12th April 1782] [a Naval Crown superscribed "12th April 1782" awarded 1909 for service of 69th Regiment at the Battle of the Saints.] , St. Vincent [awarded 1891 for service of 69th Regiment] , Detroit, Queenstown, Miami, Niagara, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, South Africa 1899-1902

The Great War: Mons, Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914, Aisne 1914 '18, Ypres 1914 '15 '17, Langemarck 1914 '17, Gheluvelt, Nonne Bosschen, Givenchy 1914, Gravenstafel, Saint-Julien, Frezenberg, Bellewaarde, Aubers, Loos, Somme 1916 '18, Albert 1916 '18, Bazentin, Pozières, Flers-Courcelette, Morval, Ancre Heights, Ancre 1916 '18, Messines 1917 '18, Pilckem, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Cambrai 1917 '18, St. Quentin, Bapaume 1918, Lys, Estaires, Hazebrouck, Bailleul, Kemmel, Béthune, Scherpenberg, Arras 1918, Drocourt-Quéant, Hindenburg Line, Épéhy, St. Quentin Canal, Beaurevoir, Selle, Valenciennes, Sambre, France and Flanders 1914-18, Struma, Doiran 1917 '18, Macedonia 1915-18, Suvla, Sari Bair, Landing at Suvla, Scimitar Hill, Gallipoli 1915, Egypt 1915-17, Gaza, El Mughar, Jerusalem, Jericho, Tell 'Asur, Megiddo, Nablus, Palestine 1917-18, Tigris 1916, Kut al Amara 1917, Baghdad, Mesopotamia 1916-18

The Second World War: Falaise, Lower Maas, Reichswald, North-West Europe 1944-45, Benghazi, North Africa 1940-42, Sicily 1943, Coriano, Croce, Rimini Line, Ceriano Ridge, Argenta Gap, Italy 1943-45, Crete, Canea, Withdrawal to Sphakia, Middle East 1941, Kyaukmyaung Bridgehead, Maymyo, Rangoon Road, Sittang 1945, Burma 1944-45

Post WWII: Korean War 1951-52

References

External links

* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/041-719.htm 41st at regiments.org]
* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/069-758.htm 69th at regiments.org]
* [http://www.angelfire.com/ga/BobSanders/GMILITIA.html Royal Glamorgan Light Infantry]
* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/041WELCH.htm The Welch Regiment at regiments.org]
* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/023WELSH.htm The Royal Welsh at regiments.org]
* [http://www.rrw.org.uk/index.shtml Museums of the Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st)]
* [http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/bbfullwc.htm Wm Fuller at victoriacross.org]