South Wales Borderers - Roll of Honour of Officers of the South Wales Borderers Who Died In The Great War Whilst Serving With 1/1st Battalion Brecknockshire South Wales Borderers

No	Date Died	Surname	Forenames	Rank	Decs	Age	Cause	Country	Location/Sector	Cemetery/Memorial	Notes
1918
1	11th February	MAXWELL	Walter	2Lt	-	25	DOI	India	Detachment at Bangalore	Bangalore (Hosur Road) Cemetery (II.A.13)	(1)
2	26th October	BAILEY	The Hon John Lancelot	Capt	-	39	DOI	India	Mhow, southwest of Indore	Mhow New Cemetery (I.11)	(2)
Notes: 1. MAXWELL died of heart failure. 2. BAILEY died of ?

Battalion History

In the 1908 Haldane Reforms of the Army, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve, with the South Wales Borderers consisting of 2 Regular Battalions, one Reserve Battalion and one Territorial Battalion (titled the Brecknockshire Battalion).

Brecknockshire Battalion TF. On 4th August 1914 the Battalion was based at Brecon as part of South Wales Brigade TF, Welsh Division TF. In September 1914, the Battalion was reorganised and formed a First Line unit (1/1st) Battalion and a Second Line unit (2/1st) Battalion. On 29th October 1914 the 1/1st Battalion left the South Wales Brigade TF and sailed from Southampton to Bombay, with the Home Counties Division, arriving 3rd December 1914, immediately moving to Aden, arriving on 16th December 1914. In August 1915 the Battalion returned to Bombay and joined the Mhow Brigade in 5th (Mhow) Division of the Indian Army for Garrison and Security duties and remained in India throughout the war.

2/1st Brecknockshire Battalion. Formed at Brecon in September 1914 as a Second Line depot, training and Home Defence unit. By April 1915 the Battalion was at Milford Haven guarding the docks and port, and in late 1915 the Battalion was attached to 68th (2nd Welsh) Division at Bedford for Home Defence duties. The Battalion was absorbed by 2/7th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Wrentham, near Lowestoft, in November 1916

3/1st Brecknockshire Battalion. Formed at Brecon in April 1915 as a Third Line depot and training unit when the 2/1st Battalion was reorganised in April 1915 and moved to Milford Haven. On 8th April 1916 the Battalion was renamed as 1st (Reserve) Battalion South Wales Borderers TF. The Battalion was absorbed by 1st (Reserve) Battalion The Monmouthshire Regiment FT in August 1917, at Gobowen, near Oswestry.

The Battalion lost 2 officers and 87 other ranks.

Regimental History

The South Wales Borderers was formed on 1st July 1881, as part of the Childers Reforms, which saw the two separate Battalions of the 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot become the Regular 1st and 2nd Battalions of the retitled Regiment, with the Regimental Depot based at The Barracks, Brecon.

The 1881 reforms also redesignated the Militia and Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVC) within the Regimental District as numbered Battalions of the Regiment - the 3rd (Militia) Battalion was formed from the Royal South Wales Borderers Militia and the 4th (Militia) Battalion from the Royal Montgomeryshire Rifles. The four (later five) Rifle Volunteer Corps, the 1st Brecknockshire RVC, 1st Monmouthshire RVC, 2nd Monmouthshire RVC, 3rd Monmouthshire RVC and 1st Montgomeryshire RVC were retitled as 4th to 8th Volunteer Battalions respectively.

The 1908 Haldane Reforms reorganised the Regimental Militia and Volunteer Battalions, with the 3rd Militia Battalion forming the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion. The 4th (Militia) Battalion was transferred to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers with the Montgomeryshire Volunteer Battalion. The three Monmouthshire Volunteer Battalions were reorganised as the newly formed Monmouthshire Regiment of the Territorial Force (TF). The 4th Volunteer Battalion became the 1st Brecknockshire Battalion of the Regimental Territorial Force (TF). After the Declaration of War on 4th August 1914 and up to 1st July 1918, the South Wales Borderers had formed, disbanded, reorganised or reconstituted 20 Regular, Territorial Force, Service, Reserve, Graduated and Young Soldier Battalions.

A detailed history of the South Wales Borderers can be viewed here.