Fallen Officers of the Great War

Battalion

Formed

Brigade

Division

Other Assignments

Notes and Post War

1st Battalion

Regular Battalion

22nd Brigade

7th Division

Based at Malta at Declaration of War.   Returned to UK and then to BEF 7th October 1914 under command of 22nd Brigade/ 7th Division.   The Battalion with the Brigade and Division was deployed to Italy in November 1917, where it remained for duration of the war.   Reconstituted and remained a Regular Battalion after the war.

2nd Battalion

Regular Battalion

GHQ Troops (L of C)

19th Bde

19th Bde - 6th Div

19th Bde - 27th Div

19th Bde - 2nd Div

19th Bde - 33rd Div

115th Bde - 38th Div

Based at Portland at Declaration of War.   To BEF 11th August 1914 as GHQ Troop (L of C).  Served in France and Flanders for duration of war.   Reconstituted and remained a Regular Battalion after the war.

4th (Denbighshire) Battalion TF (formed 1/4th Battalion TF and 2/4th Battalion TF in September 1914)

4th Bn - Wrexham  - 1908

1/4th Bn - Wrexham - September 1914

North Wales Brigade TF

Welsh Division TF

To 3rd Bde/1st Div, 7 Dec 14

Pnr Bn 47th Div, 1 Sep 15

1/4th Battalion TF was formed on reorganisation of 4th Battalion.   To BEF with 3rd Bde/1st Div on 7th December 1914.   To 47th Div as Pioneer Battalion on 1st September 1915.   Remained with 47th Div to end of war.

5th (Flintshire) Battalion TF (formed 1/5th Battalion TF and 2/5th Battalion TF in September 1914)

5th Bn - Flint - 1908

1/5th Bn - Flint - September 1914

North Wales Brigade TF

Welsh Division TF

To 159th Bde/53rd Welsh Div, 13 May 15.

1/5th Battalion TF was formed on reorganisation of 5th Battalion TF.  To 159th Bde/53rd Welsh Div 13th May 1915.   Landed Gallipoli 9th August 1915.   Moved to EEF 11th December 1915 for operations in Egypt and Palestine.   On 3rd August 1918 the Battalion merged with 1/6th Battalion to form 5/6th Battalion TF.   Remained in Palestine until end of war.

6th (Carnarvonshire and Anglesey) Battalion TF  (formed 1/6th Battalion TF and 2/6th Battalion TF in September 1914)

6th Bn - Carnarvon - 1908

1/6th Bn - Carnarvon - September 1914

North Wales Brigade TF

Welsh Division TF

1/6th Battalion TF was formed on reorganisation of 6th Battalion TF.   Landed Gallipoli 9th August 1915.   Moved to EEF 11th December 1915 for operations in Egypt and Palestine.   On 3rd August 1918 the Battalion merged with 1/5th Battalion to form 5/6th Battalion TF.   Remained in Palestine until end of war.

8th (Service) Battalion

Wrexham - August 1914 (Part of K1)

40th Brigade

13th (Western) Division

To Gallipoli 5th August 1915, then to Egypt with Division in December 1915.   To Mesopotamia with Division in February 1916 where it remained for duration of war.

9th (Service) Battalion

Wrexham - September 1914 (Part of K2)

58th Brigade

19th (Western) Division

To France and Flanders 19th July 1915 where it  remained until end of war.

10th (Service) Battalion

Wrexhan - October 1914  (Part of K3)

76th Brigade

25th Division

To 3rd Div, Oct 15.  

To France and Flanders 27th September 1915.   Where it remained until disbanded on 8th February 1918.

11th (Service) Battalion

Wrexham- October 1914 (Part of K3)

67th Brigade

22nd Division

To France and Flanders 6th September 1915 then to Salonika 30th October 1915.

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

Rhyl - 13th September 1914 (Locally raised)

128th Brigade

43rd Division

Renamed 113rd Bde/38th (Welsh) Div on 29th April 1915.

Formed by Denbigh and Flint TF Associations and transferred to Welsh National Executive Committee on 10th October 1914.  To Llandudno and Winchester in 1915. To France and Flanders 3rd December 1915 where it remained for duration of war.

14th (Service) Battalion

Llandudno - November 1914 (Locally raised)

128th Brigade

43rd Division

Renamed 113th Bde/38th (Welsh) Div on 29th April 1915.

To Llandudno and Winchester in 1915. To France and Flanders 3rd December 1915 where it remained for duration of war.

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

London - October 1914 (Locally raised)

128th Brigade

43rd Division

To Llandudno and Winchester in 1915.  To France and Flanders 3rd December 1915 where it remained until disbanded on 27th February 1918.

16th (Service) Battalion

Llandudno - November 1914 (Locally raised)

128th Brigade

43rd Division

Renamed 113rd Bde/38th (Welsh) Div on 29th April 1915.

Formed by Welsh National Executive Committee.  To Llandudno and Winchester in 1915.  To France and Flanders 3rd December 1915 where it remained for duration of war.

Order of Battle in the Great War - UK Based Battalions

3rd (Reserve) Battalion

Wrexham - Special Regular Reserve

Home and Coastal Defence, Regular and New Army training, depot and supply of reinforcements

Home and Coastal Defence duties at Pembroke Dock, Litherland and in Ireland. 

3/4th Battalion TF

Wrexham - March 1915

Welsh Reserve Bde

Home Defence, training, depot and supply of reinforcements

To Oswestry.   Became 4th (Reserve) Battalion TF on 8th April 1916.   Absorbed 5th (Reserve) and 6th (Reserve) Battalions TF at Oswestry, on 1st September 1916.   Moved to Rhyl then Herne Bay.

3/5th Battalion TF

Flint - March 1915

Welsh Reserve Bde

Home Defence, training, depot and supply of reinforcements

To Oswestry.   Became 5th (Reserve) Battalion TF on 8th April 1916.   Absorbed by 4th (Reserve) Battalion on 1st September 1916.  

3/6th Battalion TF

Carnarvon - May 1915

Welsh Reserve Bde

Home Defence, training, depot and supply of reinforcements

To Oswestry.   Became 6th (Reserve) Battalion TF on 8th April 1916.   Absorbed by 4th (Reserve) Battalion on 1st September 1916.  

3/7th Battalion

Newtown - June 1915

Welsh Reserve Bde

Home Defence, training, depot and supply of reinforcements

To Oswestry.   Became 7th (Reserve) Battalion TF on 8th April 1916.   Absorbed by 4th (Reserve) Battalion on 1st September 1916.  

23rd Battalion

Mundesley - January 1917

Home and Coastal defence

Originally the 47th Provisional Battalion TF (no regimental affiliation) made up of TF "Home Service" personnel. To Bacton in June 1917and later to Hemby.

Organisation of the Infantry of the British Army and The Royal Welsh Fusiliers 1914 - 1918

Immediately prior to the outbreak of the Great War, the Regular Infantry of the British Army consisted of four Guards Regiments and sixty-nine Infantry Regiments.   Infantry Regiments normally consisted of two active Battalions, with one Battalion serving overseas and one in the UK.   Each Regiment would normally have one Reserve Battalion, based at the Regimental Depot, which trained new soldiers and supplied reinforcing drafts to the two active Battalions.   In the case of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, as with most Infantry Regiments, the active Battalions were numbered the 1st and 2nd, and the Reserve Battalion was numbered the 3rd (Reserve).

Many of the Infantry Regiments, including the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, also had Territorial Force (TF) Battalions.   These were made up of part-time officers and soldiers who had signed up for Imperial or Home Service, and each of these Battalions trained its own personnel so there was therefore no requirement for the TF to be established with Reserve Battalions.   The TF Battalions were usually numbered sequentially after the Regular and Reserve Battalions of the Regiment and often had a second title linking them with their home city or town.   In the Royal Welsh Fusiliers the four TF Battalions were titled 4th (Denbighshire) Battalion TF, 5th (Flintshire) Battalion TF, 6th (Carnarvonshire and Anglesey) Battalion TF and 7th (Merioneth and Montgomery) Battalion TF.

Each of the active Battalions, overseas and UK based, were grouped with a Brigade and/or Division and immediately prior to the outbreak of war, Battalions of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers were deployed as follows:

• 1st Battalion (Regular).   Based at Malta.
• 2nd Battalion  (Regular).   Based at Portland.
• 3rd (Reserve) Battalion.   Based Wrexham.
• 4th Battalion TF.   Based at Wrexham.   North Wales Brigade TF/Welsh Division TF.
• 5th Battalion TF.   Based at Flint.   North Wales Brigade TF/Welsh Division TF.
• 6th Battalion TF.   Based at Carnarvon.   North Wales Brigade TF/Welsh Division TF.
• 7th Battalion TF.   Based at Newtown.   North Wales Brigade TF/Welsh Division TF.

The Re-Organisation at the Outbreak of War.

The Regular and Reserve Battalions saw little change at the outbreak of war, only their reinforcement to War Establishment by Regular and Special Reservists and the deployment to mobilisation locations.   In the TF Battalions, those personnel who had signed up for Imperial Service were formed into the First Lines of the Battalions, designated the1/4th Battalion TF, 1/5th Battalion TF and 1/6th Battalion TF and 1/7th Battalion TF for service overseas.   Those who had signed for Home Service (and could not or would not sign up for Imperial Service) were formed up into the Second Lines of each Battalion designated the 2/4th Battalion TF, 2/5th Battalion TF, 2/6th Battalion TF and 2/7th Battalion TF.   These Battalions continued to recruit, train and supply reinforcements for their First Line units.

• 2/4th Battalion TF.   Formed at Wrexham in September 1914.   Initially moved to Northampton in November 1914.
• 2/5th Battalion FT.   Formed at Wrexham in September 1914.   Initially moved to Northampton in April 1915.
• 2/6th Battalion TF.   Formed at Carnarvon in September 1914.   Initially moved to Northampton in April 1915.
• 2/7th Battalion TF.   Formed at Newtown in September 1914.    Initially moved to Northampton in April 1915.

Service Battalions.   On the outbreak of war, The Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener, saw that the UK must be prepared for a war lasting three to four years, requiring an Army of at least 70 Divisions.   On 7th August 1914, he started a campaign to recruit an initial 100,000 men, but the response was overwhelming and 500,000 were signed up.   He decided not to use the framework of the TF to expand the Army, but to create a "New Army", separate from the current Regulars and Territorials.   More than 500 New Army Battalions were raised forming the basis of three New Armies, known as K1 (9th - 14th Divisions), K2 15th - 20th Divisions) and K3 (21st- 26th Divisions).   The New Army Battalions were numbered consecutively after the existing Regular and Territorial Battalions and they were distinguished by the word "Service", in brackets, after their number.   In the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the Service Battalions raised were:

• 8th (Service) Battalion.   Raised at Wrexham, in August 1914.   K1.   Allocated to 40th Brigade, 13th (Western) Division.
• 9th (Service) Battalion.   Raised at Wrexham, in September 1914.   K2.   Allocated to 58th Brigade, 13th (Western) Division.
• 10th (Service) Battalion.   Raised at Wrexham, in September 1914.   Initially part of K3.   Allocated to 76th Brigade, 25th Division.  
• 11th (Service) Battalion.   Raised at Wrexham, in September 1914.   K3.   Allocated to 67th Brigade, 22nd Division.
• 12th (Reserve) Battalion.   Raised at Wrexham, in October 1914.   Initially K4, allocated to 104th Brigade, 35th Division, then in April 1915 became a Second Reserve Battalion as a Depot unit training and providing reinforcements for the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th Battalions.

Locally Raised Service Battalions.   Apart from the formal Service Battalions being raised as described above, local Citizen's Recruiting Committees were raising their own Battalions independent of the War Office.   The expense of raising, clothing, feeding, housing and training of these Battalions were met by the Recruiting Committees until they were formally taken over by the War Office in 1915 and added to the Army Establishment.   At this time all previous expenses were refunded to Committees and further costs borne by the War Office.   These Battalions were to become known as Locally Raised Battalions (later Second Reserve Battalions) and provided the majority of the infantry for the 4th New Army (K4).   The Battalions were numbered consecutively after the Service Battalions in a Regiment and had an additional title showing the connection with the city, area or organisation which raised them.   The Royal Welsh Fusiliers raised the following Battalions, which were raised under the authority of the Welsh National Executive Committee, initially under local Recruiting Committees, and taken over by the War Office in the Spring of 1915:

• 13th (Service) Battalion (1st North Wales).   Raised at Rhyl in September 1914.   Allocated to 128th Brigade, 43rd Division (becoming 114th Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division in April 1915).
• 14th (Service) Battalion.   Raised at Llandudno, in November 1914.  Allocated to 128th Brigade, 43rd Division  (becoming 114th Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division in April 1915).
• 15th (Service) Battalion  (1st London Welsh).   Raised at London in October 1914.  Allocated to 128th Brigade, 43rd Division (becoming 114th Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division in April 1915).
• 16th (Service) Battalion.   Raised at Llandudno, in November 1914.  Allocated to 128th Brigade, 43rd Division  (becoming 114th Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division in April 1915).
• 17th (Service) Battalion (2nd North Wales).   Raised at Llandudno in February 1915.  Allocated to 128th Brigade, 43rd Division (becoming 115th Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division in April 1915).
• 18th (Reserve) Battalion (2nd London Welsh).   Raised at London in February 1915 as a Service Battalion.  Became a Local Reserve Battalion in August 1915 then 63rd Training Reserve Battalion in September 1916.
• 19th (Service) Battalion.   Formed at Deganwy in March 1915.   Bantam Battalion.   Allocated to 110th Brigade, 40th Division.

Further Re-Organisations.

Territorial Force (TF).   By June 1915 most of the First Line Battalions of the TF had been deployed to active service locations overseas and the Second Line Battalions were preparing for future overseas service and so a Third Line Battalion was formed to train and supply reinforcements to the parent First Line and later to the Second Line Battalions.    Home Service personnel and those not fit for overseas service were transferred from the Second and Third Line Battalions to the non-Regimentally affiliated Provisional Battalions TF.   In the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the Third Line Battalions TF raised were:

• 3/4th Battalion TF.   Formed at Wrexham in March 1915 to recruit, train and supply reinforcements for 1/4th and 2/4th Battalions TF.  Became 4th (Reserve) Battalion TF on 8th April 1916.
• 3/5th Battalion TF.   Formed at Wrexham in March 1915 to recruit, train and provide reinforcements for 1/5th and 2/5th Battalions TF.  Became 5th (Reserve) Battalion TF on 8th April 1916.   Absorbed by 4th (Reserve) Battalion TF on 1st September 1916 at Oswestry.
• 3/6th Battalion TF.   Formed at Carnarvon in May 1915 to recruit, train and provide reinforcements for 1/6th and 2/6th Battalions TF.  Became 6th (Reserve) Battalion TF on 8th April 1916.    Absorbed by 4th (Reserve) Battalion TF on 1st September 1916 at Oswestry.
• 3/7th Battalion TF.   Formed at Newtown in June 1915 to recruit, train and provide reinforcements for 1/7th and 2/7th Battalions TF.  Became 7th (Reserve) Battalion TF on 8th April 1916.    Absorbed by 4th (Reserve) Battalion TF on 1st September 1916 at Oswestry.