Home > Army Organisation > Infantry > The Royal Welsh Fusiliers
To trace the movements and actions of any battalion, click on the Divisions with which it served
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.
| Did you know? Over the years I have received several
emails - and they always seem to be irate - insisting that I should
change the title of the regiment to the "Royal Welch Fusiliers". Actually,
during the war the correct official spelling was "Welsh". The archaic
"Welch" was restored by Army Order 56 of 1920. One unique aspect of this regiment is the traditional wearing of the "flash": five overlapping short black ribbons worn below the collar at the back of the uniform. The Army Council attempted to stop this practice during the war, on the grounds that it helped the enemy identify the regiment. In what may be an apocryphal story, it was King George V who overturned this, saying "The enemy will never see the backs of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers". |
This page is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Dicks, a Brummie regular with 2nd Battalion; Frederick Heath of 9th and 13th Battalions; Ernest Godfrey Orleans, also of 13th Battalion; Reuben Jones, who served with the regiment before being posted to 254 Tunnelling Company RE and being killed in action in August 1917; and finally William Leo Whelan of 8th Battalion and the Machine Gun Corps, who left a scrap of 1918 graffiti in Belgium on his way to Germany.