Fact Sheet No. C10
The Great War 1914-1918

At the outbreak of the Great War, the Welch Regiment consisted of the 1st Battalion in India, the 2nd Battalion in the Aldershot Command, the Depot at Cardiff, the 3rd Battalion at Cardiff, which provided reserves for the two Regular Battalions, and the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th (Cyclist) Territorial Battalions in South Wales.

Lord Kitchener, Secretary of State for War, saw at once that the war would be a very long one and the casualties very heavy, so commenced the raising of extra Battalions, some to keep up the strength of the Territorials, and others as separate Battalions, enlisted for the duration of the war, and called 'Service Battalions'.

In all there were 34 Battalions of the Welch Regiment, of which the following served overseas: 1st and 2nd Battalions (Regulars); 4th, 5th, and 6th Battalions (Territorials) ; 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 23rd Battalions (Service). There was also the 24th Battalion, formerly the Glamorgan Yeomanry and Pembrokeshire Yeomanry.

The Welch Regiment took part in all the principal battles and campaigns and lost 355 Officers, 1,244 Warrant Officers and NCOs, and 6,180 other ranks, killed or died of wounds, a total of 7,779, whose names are recorded in the 'Book of Remembrance' in the Regimental Chapel in Llandaff Cathedral. The number of wounded was too great to record.

BATTLE HONOURS

The Welch took part in no fewer than 79 Battles and Actions, the names of which are recorded in the Army List under the heading of 'The Welch Regiment', and are also inscribed on the cover of the Regimental Magazine, 'The Men of Harlech'. As it was impossible to place all these Honours on the Colours the Regiment was allowed to choose ten of the principal battles and campaigns to be carried on the King's Colour. In order to show that the Regiment had fought in all the theatres of the war, one or two notable Battles, such as Loos and Gaza, had to be omitted, and these will be described separately.
The greatest and most important battles took place in France and Belgium against the Germans, and it will be convenient to describe first this part of the war in which 13 Battalions of the Welch served, many of them for the whole period that they were overseas.

Summary of Service

1st Battalion: 4 August 1914: Chakrata, India. 20 November 1914: sailed from Karachi and arrived at Plymouth 22 December 1914. To Hursley Park in 84th Brigade part of 28th Division. 18 January 1915: landed at Le Havre, France. 24 November 1915: embarked at Marseilles for Salonika, via Egypt, and arrived 25 November 1915. 30 September 1918: Macedonia; north of Lake Doiran in 84th Brigade part of 28th Division.

2nd Battalion: 4 August 1914: Bordon in 3rd Brigade part of 1st Division. 13 August 1914: landed at Le Havre, France with BEF. 11 November 1918: Fresnoy le Grand, South West of Bohain, France in 3rd Brigade part of 1st Division.

3rd (Reserve) Battalion: 4 August: Cardiff. June 1916: to Barry. October 1916: Kinmel Camp, Rhyl, North Wales. May 1917: to Redcar (Tees Garrison) where it remained.

1/4th Battalion TF: 4 August 1914: Carmarthen part of South Wales Infantry Brigade. November 1914: Tunbridge Wells, Kent. February 1915: to Scotland on Forth and Tay Defences. 17 April 1915: Bedford in 159th Brigade part of 53rd (Welsh) Division. 19 July 1915: sailed from Devonport for Mudros, arrived 5 August 1915. 9 August 1915: landed at Suvla Bay. 8 October 1915: amalgamated with 1/5th Battalion to form 4th Welsh Composite Battalion. 11 December 1915: left Gallipoli for Egypt. 20 February 1916: resumed identity. 30 July 1918: 1/4th and 1/5th Battalions formed 4/5th Battalion. 31 October 1918: Palestine in 159th Brigade part of 53rd (Welsh) Division. 53rd Division was moving back from Palestine to Egypt.

1/5th Battalion TF: 4 August 1914: Pontypridd part of South Wales Infantry Brigade. November 1914: Tunbridge Wells, Kent. February 1915: to Scotland on Forth and Tay Defences. 17 April 1915: Bedford in 159th Brigade part of 53rd (Welsh) Division. 19 July 1915: sailed from Devonport for Mudros, arrived 5 August 1915. 9 August 1915: landed at Suvla Bay. 8 October 1915: amalgamated with 1/4th Battalion to form 4th Welsh Composite Battalion. 11 December 1915: left Gallipoli for Egypt. 20 February 1916: resumed identity. 30 July 1918 1/4th and 1/5th Battalions formed 4/5th Battalion. 31 October 1918: Palestine in 159th Brigade part of 53rd (Welsh) Division. 53rd Division was moving back from Palestine to Egypt.

1/6th (Glamorgan) Battalion TF: 4 August 1914: Swansea part of South Wales Infantry Brigade. 29 October 1914: landed at Le Havre, France; to guard Lines of Communication. 5 July 1915: Posted to 84th Brigade part of 28th Division. 23 October 1915: Posted to 3rd Brigade part of 1st Division. 15 May 1916 became Pioneer Battalion to 1st Division. 11 November 1918: La Vallee Mulatre, North East of Bohain, France as Pioneer Battalion to 1st Division.

1/7th (Cyclist) Battalion TF: 4 August 1914: Newport Road, Cardiff: Unallotted. 1914: to Scotland at Berwick and Montrose. 1915: to Saltburn. Early 1917: Seaton Carew, Durham. Summer 1917: to Middlesbrough where it remained as part of Tees Garrison.

2/4th Battalion TF: October 1914: Formed at Carmarthen. November 1915: at Bedford, absorbed by 2/4th KSLI at Bedford

2/5th Battalion TF: November 1914: Formed at Pontypridd. November 1915: at Bedford, absorbed by 2/6th Cheshire Regiment.

2/6th (Glamorgan) Battalion TF: December 1914: Formed at Swansea. November 1915: at Bedford, absorbed by 2/5th Royal Welch Fusiliers.

2/7th (Cyclist) Battalion TF: Autumn 1914: Formed at Cardiff. By July 1916: at Holt, Norfolk. Early 1917: at Fakenham, Norfolk attached 223rd Brigade. Summer 1917: Holt and 1918 Hunstanton. Summer 1918: Melton Constable, Norfolk where it remained still attached to 223rd Brigade.

3/4th, 3/5th and 3/6th Battalions TF: About March 1915: Formed at Carmarthen, Pontypridd and Swansea. 8 April 1916: To Milford Haven - all became Reserve Battalions. 1 September 1916: 4th (Reserve) Battalion absorbed 5th and 6th Reserve Battalions at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire where it remained as part of Milford Haven Garrison.

3/7th (Cyclist) Battalion TF: Spring 1915: Formed at Cardiff. To Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire (?). About March 1916: disbanded.

8th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers): August 1914: Formed at Cardiff - K1 Battalion - to Parkhouse Camp, Salisbury Plain in 40th Brigade part of 13th Division. About October 1914: to Chiseldon. Swindon. December 1914: Bournemouth in billets. January 1915: Designated a Pioneer Battalion of 13th Division. February 1915: North Camp Aldershot, Hampshire. 15 June 1915: sailed from Avonmouth for Mudros. 5 August 1915: landed at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli. December 1915: left Gallipoli. January 1916: Left Egypt. February 1916 to Mesopotamia. 31 October 1918: Delli Abbas, North East of Baghdad, Mesopotamia as Pioneer Battalion of 13th Division.

9th (Service) Battalion: September 1914: Formed at Cardiff - K2 Battalion - to Salisbury Plain in 58th Brigade part of 19th Division. November 1914: to Basingstoke in billets. January 1915: Weston-super-Mare. May 1915: Perham Down. 18 July 1915: landed at Le Havre, France. 11 November 1918: Wargnies; north of Le Quesnoy, France in 58th Brigade part of 19th Division.

10th (Service) Battalion (1st Rhondda): September 1914: Raised in the Rhondda Valley by D Watts Morgan MP. Moved to Codford St. Mary, Wiltshire in 76th Brigade part of 25th Division. It was formed as a K3 Battalion but on 30 September 1914 went to join the other locally raised units in 129th Brigade of 43rd Division at Rhyl, North Wales. 29 April 1915: Formation became 114th Brigade part of 38th (Welsh) Division. August 1915: to Winchester. December 1915: landed at Le Havre, France. 6 February 1918: disbanded in France.

11th (Service) Battalion: September 1914: Formed at Cardiff - as K3 battalion - South Downs in 67th Brigade part of 22nd Division. December 1914: Hastings. April 1915: Seaford, Sussex. May 1915: Aldershot, Hampshire. 6 September 1915: landed at Le Havre, France. 30 October 1915: sailed from Marseilles for Salonika arriving 8 November 1915. 30 September 1918: North West of Lake Doiran, Macedonia in 67th Brigade part of 22nd Division.

12th (Reserve) Battalion: 23 October 1914: Raised at Cardiff as a K4 service battalion in 104th Brigade of original 35th Division 10 April 1915: To Kinmel Park, North Wales in 13th Reserve Bde and redesignated a 2nd Reserve Battalion. 1 September 1916: Kinmel Park - redesignated 58th Training Reserve Battalion in 13th Reserve Brigade.

13th (Service) Battalion (2nd Rhondda): 23 October 1914: Raised at Cardiff and moved to Rhyl, North Wales in 129th Brigade part of 43rd Division. 29 April 1915: formation became 114th Brigade part of 38th (Welsh) Division. August 1915: to Winchester. December 1915: landed at Le Havre, France. 11 November 1918: Ecuelin, east of Aulnoye, France in 114th Brigade part of 38th Division.
14th (Service) Battalion (Swansea): Raised at Swansea by the Mayor and Corporation with the Swansea Football and Cricket Club and moved to Rhyl, North Wales in 129th Brigade part of 43rd Division. 29 April 1915: formation became 114th Brigade part of 38th (Welsh) Division. August 1915: to Winchester. December 1915: landed at Le Havre, France. 11 November 1918: Ecuelin, east of Aulnoye, France in 114th Brigade part of 38th Division.

15th (Service) Battalion (Carmarthenshire): October 1914: Raised by the Carmarthenshire County Committee and moved to Rhyl, North Wales in 129th Brigade part of 43rd Division. 29 April 1915: formation became 114th Brigade part of 38th (Welsh) Division. August 1915: to Winchester. December 1915: landed at Le Havre, France. 11 November 1918: Ecuelin, east of Aulnoye, France in 114th Brigade part of 38th Division.

16th (Service) Battalion (City of Cardiff): November 1914: Raised at Cardiff by the Lord Mayor and Corporation. November 1914: Formed at Porthcawl. 30 December 1914: to Colwyn Bay, North Wales in 130th Brigade part of 43rd Division. 29 April 1915: formation became 115th Brigade part of 38th (Welsh) Division August 1915: to Winchester. December 1915: landed at Le Havre, France. 7 February 1918: disbanded in France.

17th (Service) Battalion (1st Glamorgan): December 1914: Raised as a Bantam Battalion and went to Rhyl, North Wales attached to 43rd Division. February 1915: Rhos. July 1915 to Prees Heath, Shropshire in 119th Brigade part of 40th Division. September 1915: Aldershot. June 1916: landed in France. 9 February 1918: disbanded in France.

18th (Service) Battalion (2nd Glamorgan): January 1915: Raised as a Bantam Battalion and went to Porthcawl attached to 43rd Division. July 1915: to Prees Heath, Shropshire in 119th Brigade part of 40th Division. September 1915: Aldershot, Hampshire. June 1916: landed in France. 5 May 1918: reduced to training cadre. 18 June 1918 to 47th Brigade part of 16th Division at Boulogne and crossed to England. Went to North Walsham, Norfolk and on 20 June 1918 was reconstituted by absorbing 25th Battalion. 7 July 1918: joined 47th Brigade part of 16th Division at Aldershot. 29 July 1918: landed in France. 11 November 1918: south of Tournai, Belgium in 47th Brigade part of 16th Division.

19th (Service) Battalion (Glamorgan Pioneers): February 1915: Formed at Colwyn Bay as Pioneer Battalion of 43rd Division. 29 April 1915: formation became 38th (Welsh) Division. August 1915: Winchester, Hampshire. December 1915: landed at Le Havre, France. 11 November 1918: near Aulnoye, France as Pioneer Battalion of 38th (Welsh) Division.

20th (Reserve) Battalion (3rd Rhondda): July 1915: Formed at (?) St. Asaph as a local reserve battalion from depot companies of 10th and 13th Battalions. September 1915: Kinmel Park, North Wales in 13th Reserve Brigade. 1 September 1916: Redesignated 60th Training Reserve Battalion Kinmel Park in 13th Reserve Brigade.

21st (Reserve) Battalion: July 1915: Formed at Colwyn Bay as a local reserve battalion from depot companies of 14th, 15th, 16th and 19th Battalions. September 1915: Kinmel Park, North Wales. 1 September 1916: Re-designated 61st Training Reserve Battalion at Kinmel Park in 13th Reserve Brigade.

22nd (Reserve) Battalion: September 1915: Formed at Prees Heath, Shropshire as a local reserve battalion from depot companies of 17th and 18th Battalions. October 1915: Conway, North Wales. March 1916: Kinmel Park in 14th Reserve Brigade. 1 September 1916: Re-designated 66th Training Reserve Battalion. at Kinmel Park in 14th Reserve Brigade.

23rd (Service) Battalion (Welsh Pioneers): September 1915: Formed at Porthcawl. March 1916: Aldershot, Hampshire. 13 May to 22 June 1916: Thetford attached to 69th Division. 13 July 1916: embarked at Devonport for Salonika arriving 24 Septmber 1916, posted to 28th Division as Pioneer Battalion. 30 September 1918: north of Lake Doiran, Macedonia as Pioneer Battalion to 28th Division.
24th (Pembroke and Glamorgan Yeomanry) Battalion TF: 2 February 1917: Formed in Egypt from two dismounted yeomanry regiments - Pembroke and Glamorgan-previously in 4th Dismounted Brigade. Posted to 231st Brigade part of 74th Division. May 1918: to France, landing at Marseilles 7 May. 11 November 1918: Ath, Belgium in 231st Brigade part of 74th Division.

25th Battalion: 1 June 1918: Battalion was formed at North Walsham, Norfolk on and absorbed by 18th Battalion on 20 June 1918.

51st (Graduated) Battalion: 27 October 1917: the 226th Graduated Battalion (formerly 63rd Training Reserve Battalion formed from 18th and 20th Battalions Royal Welch Fusiliers) at Halesworth in 203rd Brigade part of 68th Division became 51st Battalion. To Yarmouth for the winter and by May 1918 at Herringfleet where it remained.

52nd (Graduated) Battalion: 27 October 1917: the 234th Graduated Battalion (formerly 65th Training Reserve Battalion from 14th Battalion South Wales Borderers) at Herringfleet in 205th Brigade part of 68th Division became 52nd Battalion. To Lowestoft for the winter and by May 1918 at Saxmundham then to Henham Park, east of Halesworth where it remained.

53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion: 27 October 1917: the 64th Young Soldier Battalion Training Reserve (formerly 21st Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers) at Kinmel Park in 14th Reserve Brigade became 53rd Battalion. No further change.

FRANCE AND BELGIUM 1914

The 2nd Battalion, commanded by Lt.-Col. CB Morland, went to France in August with the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Division, and served throughout the war in France and Belgium. The Battalion formed part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) which consisted of a Cavalry Division and six Infantry Divisions-all of which included Artillery, Engineers, and RASC, together with a small Flying Corps and which, numbered about 160,000 all ranks.

The BEF was the finest Army, which had ever left Great Britain and in physique and training was the best for its size in the world. The Kaiser called it a 'contemptible little Army' but only in numbers was it contemptible compared to the huge Armies of France, Germany, Russia, Austria, and Italy.
At the commencement it was, however, short of big guns, gun ammunition and machine guns, but these defects made the fighting of the British Army all the more glorious.

The Welch in the 1st Corps were hardly engaged at Mons - the opening battle of the war on 23rd August - as the German attack fell almost entirely on the 2nd Corps on their left, but they took part in the ever-memorable 'Retreat from Mons' - a march of over 200 miles in 13 days-after which the British Army, which the Germans thought they had destroyed, turned round on 6th September and, to the enemy's surprise, advanced in perfect order alongside the French and attacked them strongly on the River Aisne.

AISNE 1914

Crossing the river under considerable fire, the British advanced against a long ridge, much like the Hog's Back near Aldershot, called the 'Chemin des Dames' (Ladies' Road), which was held by the enemy. It was here on 14th September, in a hard-fought action that Lance-Corporal Fuller won the VC when he carried back to cover under heavy fire, the dying Captain Mark Haggard. Captain Haggard's Company, being held up by machine-gun fire, he with three of his men made a dash for the machine gun. The Captain, outrunning his companions by many yards, shot three of the enemy before being mortally wounded. As he lay dying on the ground he encouraged his men by shouting 'Stick it The Welch', a cry so inspiring that it has been recorded in letters of gold beneath the clock in the Barrack Square at The Depot, at the suggestion and at the expense of Colonel The Mackintosh, Chief of the Mackintosh Clan, who lives at Cottrell, near Cardiff.

There was heavy fighting on the Aisne, and the 2nd Welch lost 11 officers and 210 other ranks casualties. The open fighting had come to a standstill and both sides dug in-the beginning of trench warfare. Finding that they could not drive the Allies back, the Germans began to bring up troops to outflank them in the North. The Allies replied by moving North also and the line of battle moved gradually towards the British Channel and so commenced the series of battles known as Ypres, 1914, or First Ypres.

YPRES 1914

The First Battle of Ypres went on without ceasing from 19th October to 10th November, the Germans continually attacking the thin British lines of defence in order to force their way to Calais and Boulogne, from which ports they could invade England.

The Welch covered themselves with glory on 23rd October at Langemarck, near Ypres, where their accurate fire mowed down the massed enemy attack; on 29th October, when they made a long advance and recaptured the village of Givenchy, from which our troops had been driven by a heavy German assault and, finally, on 31st October in the never-to-be-forgotten defence of Gheluvelt on the most critical day of the war.

GHELUVELT 1914

On this day the Germans concentrated their immensely superior gun fire on the village of Gheluvelt, held by the Welch, with the Queen's on their right, and the South Wales Borderers on their left. The Welch, the Queen's, and half of the South Wales Borderers, all of whom were fully exposed, were almost blotted out by gun fire, but succeeded in stopping the enemy massed infantry attacks for three hours. Then the line was broken, Gheluvelt was lost and only a handful of the Welch escaped, the few survivors reforming at Veldhoeck, half-a-mile back, and taking up a fresh line of defence under Colonel Morland.
While organising this line, the Colonel, whose coolness under fire had been such an inspiring example to the Battalion, was killed - a terrible loss.

Gheluvelt was retaken by the 2nd Worcesters about 2 p.m., by a magnificent counter-attack, and they joined up with half the South Wales Borderers who had held on in the grounds of Gheluvelt Chateau about 500 yards north of the village. They were, however, too few to hold the position so, during the night, the line was withdrawn and re-established further back. At nightfall On 31st October, 2nd Welch numbered only 3 officers and 50 men.

In the fierce fighting of First Ypres, which went on till the 15th November, the 2nd Battalion had lost 6 officers and 197 other ranks killed, and 16 officers and 400 other ranks wounded, while 1 officer and 45 other ranks were taken prisoners.

Of the officers who had come out with the Battalion, only one officer-Captain HC Rees, remained unwounded. Captain Rees, who later became a Brigadier-General, was awarded the DSO, as was Captain Graham, while Sergeant Longden and Private John won the DCM, the latter having been strongly recommended for the VC.

1915

It was now the turn of the 1st Battalion, commanded by Lieut.-Col. TO Marden (later Major-General Sir Thomas Marden, Colonel of the Regiment) to take the field. Brought home from India in December, 1914, this fine, well-trained Battalion disembarked in France in January, 1915, together with the rest of the 28th Division.

The war of movement for which skilled troops were invaluable, had now ceased and there commenced the long period of trench warfare, broken at times, by fierce and bloody battles, which lasted till August, 1918.

The British Army was ill-fitted for this type of fighting, for it had few heavy guns and comparatively few field guns, while ammunition was so scarce that the artillery were limited to four rounds per gun per day. On the other hand the Germans were plentifully equipped with heavy and field guns, trench mortars, bombs, rifle grenades and sniping rifles. We had none of these and hardly any barbed wire to protect our trenches or sandbags to strengthen our parapets.

It was a severe winter and as the Germans held all the high ground while we were in the low ground, our trenches were full of water and more than 130 men were sent home with 'trench feet', i.e. frost bitten. Casualties in trench warfare were very heavy and before the Battalion had engaged in a single battle, they had lost 400 men and several officers.

YPRES 1915

It was during the Battle of Ypres, 1915, that the Germans introduced the new weapon, i.e. poison gas. The Welch luckily, had only a few casualties from it, but it was owing to a strong discharge of gas that the enemy were able to break through a portion of the line on 23rd May, and the 1st Battalion, which had just done a tour in the trenches, and were going out to rest, were ordered back to make a counter-attack, together with the rest of the 28th Division, to restore the line.

The Second Battle of Ypres had already been raging for over a month and the Battalion had had a good many casualties from close fighting and bombing in the trenches, and now numbered only 460 men with 21 officers - many just joined.

Just before the counter-attack was launched, Lieut.-Col. Marden was wounded by shrapnel, and Major RT Toke took command. The advance was gallantly pushed over perfectly open ground, and after 36 hours of fighting the line was practically restored, but at great expense of life, as in the Welch alone, 5 officers and 123 other ranks were killed and 12 officers and 266 other ranks wounded.
The Second Battle of Ypres had cost the 1st Battalion 28 officers and 795 other ranks, but they had gallantly maintained the fighting reputation of the Regiment.

Lieut.-Col. Marden received the CMG and Captain Montgomery and 2nd-Lieut. Bryan the MC, while Corporal Evan Davies and Private T Scott were awarded the Russian Order of St. George (for valour).

LOOS 1915

By September, 1915, we were getting on more even terms with the Germans as regards numbers, guns, ammunition and machine guns, as well as gas, so instead of standing on the defensive, as we had generally done, the British, together with the French, launched a strong attack. Some of the Service and Territorial Battalions were now in France, among the former the 9th Welch, commanded by Colonel CH Young, who had been Officer Commanding 2nd Battalion shortly before the war, and among the latter the 6th Welch under Lieut.-Col. Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart, brother of the Marquis of Bute. This Battalion had been among the first of the Territorial Battalions to go overseas and had landed in France on 30th October, 1914, but had been employed on the Line of Communication till July, 1915, when they joined the 1st Battalion in the 28th Division. The 2nd Battalion, which had suffered severely at Givenchy in December, 1914, and again in the attack on Aubers Ridge in early May, 1915 (where Lieut. Cripps had won the MC for gallant leading) had now received reinforcements and was under the command of Lieut.-Col. AG Prothero. Together with the 1st Battalion, the Welch had four Battalions engaged in the Battle of Loos. The 2nd Battalion and 9th Battalion were both engaged on the opening day, the 25th September, the 2nd Battalion being specially commanded for good leading and initiative when it pushed on and captured 5 officers and 160 Germans in one spot, and by outflanking and causing the surrender of a party of 400 of the enemy who, in Lone Tree Redoubt, were holding up our advance in another place. In a different part of the field, the 9th Welch made a splendid attack, but were stopped with heavy casualties as the gas did not reach the German trenches and the bombardment had not been sufficiently heavy.

On the next day the 2nd Battalion again distinguished themselves, but by a misinterpretation of orders by new troops on their right, the enemy were enabled to advance unseen behind a portion of the ground held by the Welch, and Colonel Prothero, who had so ably commanded the Battalion, was taken prisoner, together with some of Battalion Headquarters.

We had had a success on a large part of the front attacked but had been held up on the remainder of the line and were now losing part of the captured ground, as the Germans had brought up strong reinforcements. The key of the position was the Hohenzollem Redoubt, a formidable earthwork, and here on 1st October, the 1st Battalion were ordered to make a night attack, supported by the 6th Battalion who were to dig a trench to connect our front trenches with an enemy trench called 'Little Willie'.
At 8 p.m. the Battalion, led by Lieut.-Col. GP Hoggan and Major AH Hobbs, dashed across the 200 yards separating the trenches and captured 'Little Willie', killing 50 of the enemy and taking some prisoners. The enemy machine gun fire had been severe and some 200 men had fallen. In the darkness the attack had drawn in too much and id not cover the advance sap in which the 6th Welch were working and by which ammunition, bombs, and food were brought up. The enemy counter-attacked with bombs, of which they had a plentiful supply and our 600 bombs were soon exhausted.

CSM Mudford won the DCM for gallantry in crossing the bullet-swept ground nine times and bringing more bombs, but when daylight came further movement overground was impossible and by 10 a.m. all bombs were finished. The 6th Welch, protected as far as possible by their bombers, dug manfully to connect the trenches, 14 men being killed in succession by enemy snipers, and at last by 2.30 p.m. on 2nd October, the trenches were connected. By this time, however, the survivors had been driven out of the main trench by enemy bombing, to which they could not reply, into the communication trench, where the enemy were held up by the 6th Welch, their splendid Commanding Officer, Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart, being killed while doing so. The attack, so gallantly ands successfully carried out had failed for lack of bombs, and the remnants of the Battalion were now back in the old Bristol front line.
Loos had cost the Welch dear, the 1st Battalion having lost 15 officers, and 350 other ranks, the 2nd Battalion 12 officers and 224 other ranks, the 6th Battalion 3 officers and 59 other ranks, and 9th Welch 13 officers and 239 other ranks - total of 41 officers and 872 other ranks.

1916

In December, 1916, the 38th (Welsh) Division, consisting of Service troops, all enlisted in Wales, disembarked in France.

The Battalions of the Welch included in the Division were the 10th and 13th (Rhondda), 14th (Swansea) and 15th (Carmarthen), composing the 114th Brigade under Brigadier-General TO Marden. In addition there were the 16th Welch (City of Cardiff) and the 19th Welch (Pioneers).

The 6th Battalion had become the Pioneer Battalion of the 1st Division and they, together with 2nd and 9th Battalion raised the total of Welch Battalions, which took part in the Battles of the Somme, 1916, to nine battalions.

The 1st Battalion had gone to Salonika with the 28th Division and 17th and 18th Welch, who had arrived in France in September, 1915, were not employed in the Somme area.

SOMME 1916

The battles on the Somme raged for four-and-a-half months, from 1st July to 17th November, and were probably the most bloody in the whole war.

The British had at last secured the mastery of the air and at the beginning of the battle were superior in gun-power and in numbers, for the Germans were still battering away at the French fortresses at Verdun with their heavy guns and employing thousands of men in mass attacks. The enemy had, however, deep and strong trenches and dugouts in the firm chalk soil which our artillery could not destroy and their machine guns were as numerous and well handled as ever. No way had yet been found to deal with these weapons and with the masses of barbed wire which protected all their trenches. It was not until the end of the battle that the first tank made its appearance.

To describe all the actions at the Somme in which the Welch took part would occupy too much space, but special mention must be made of the great struggle for Mametz Wood, in which the 38th Division experienced their first battle. Mametz Wood covered a large area and consisted of tall trees with strong undergrowth except at the outer edges. This made it most difficult to advance through in good order, and easy to lose direction. It lay between the first system of enemy trenches which we had captured and the second strong system and was flanked on both sides by forward trenches held by the enemy.
On 7th July troops of the 17th Division attacked the bottom of the Wood from the west while the 16th Welch and ,10th South Wales Borderers tried to force their way into it from the east. Both attacks were bloodily repulsed, the 16th Welch losing 11 officers (including Lieut. T Otto Jones, afterwards commanding 5th Welch) wounded.

On the 9th July orders were given to the 114th Brigade (Welch) and the 115th Brigade (Royal Welch Fusiliers), who were holding trenches facing the wood and from 300 to 1,000 yards distant from it, to capture the wood the next day. There was barely time to get out orders but at 3 a.m. the troops were in position, the Welch Battalions having left their trenches and formed up about 500 yards from the wood. There was a short bombardment of half-an-hour after which, at 4 a.m., the advance began steadily across the open space between the assembly positions and the wood. The enemy machine gun fire was very heavy and inflicted severe casualties, but the Welch were not to be stopped and the border of the wood was rushed, Lieut. Hawkins, 14th Welch, and Lieut. Edwards, 13th Welch, both winning DSOs for gallantry in capturing enemy machine guns.

There was a grass road running through the wood in the direction of the attack and this was the dividing line between the Welch and the Royal Welch Fusiliers, the latter being on the left. The wood was to be captured in stages under a 'creeping barrage' - a form of bombardment which none of the attackers had ever seen before. Some of the Welch went forward too fast and were hit by our own guns, but a few got through and, rushing up the central drive, got to the far end of the wood and captured a few prisoners, but finding no support, came back again. The first objective, a cross road about 500 yards within the wood was reached by the Welch, but not by the Royal Welch Fusiliers, who had been held up by very heavy machine gun fire. During the morning the fight on the Welch right swayed backwards and forwards as the Germans kept counter-attacking by reinforcements brought into the wood by a sunken road out of sight of our artillery. However, by 3 p.m. the Welch and Royal Welch Fusiliers were solid on the first objective, but the barrage had long since been lost. Fighting patrols were now pushed forward, accompanied by the two Brigadiers and the GSO of the Division, and the far edge of the wood was reached in some places but could not be held as the enemy's artillery was firing heavily into it.
The day ended with the Welch and Royal Welch Fusiliers holding a line about 300 yards within the wood as a jumping-off place for the next day. After a sleepless night, during which we lost a good many men from our own artillery fire as well as the enemy's, the sorely tried Welch and Royal Welch Fusiliers Brigades were relieved by the 115th Brigade, which included the remnants of the 16th Welch. This Brigade had suffered very heavily on the 7th, and some of the Battalions having been engaged on the 10th also it was too weak to do more than hold its own, although it made several gallant attacks. The 38th Division had captured 9/10ths of the wood with 400 prisoners from five different German regiments, together with two guns. The next day the 115th Brigade was relieved and the enemy shortly withdrew under slight pressure from fresh British troops.

The stiffness of the fighting may be gauged by the casualties of the 38th Division which amounted to 190 officers and 3,803 other ranks, of which 75 officers and 1,598 other ranks belonged to Welch Battalions. - Lieut.-Col. J Hayes, 14th Welch, particularly distinguished himself, and several DSOs and MCs, together with 17 Military Medals were awarded to the Welch.

The 9th Welch in the l9th Division were engaged in three actions, suffering heavily and gaining many awards, but it was on the 2nd Battalion that the brunt of the fighting on the Somme fell. They were engaged no fewer than five times, in the heavy fighting for Bazentam Ridge, for Pozieres Ridge, in High Wood twice, and at Flers. They had 32 officers and 859 other ranks and gained 7 MCs, 12 DCMs, 34 Mlitary Medals, and several Russian medals for valour. The 6th Welch had lost 10 officers and 150 other ranks and had established their reputation as a Pioneer Battalion second to none.

The British and French had driven a big dent some seven miles deep by 15 miles in length in the German defences after more than four months incessant fighting, and had so shaken the enemy that they had decided to retire another 10 miles to a strongly dug and wired line, called the Hindenburg Line, which had been constructed by the labour of civilians and prisoners of war during August, September and October. In withdrawing to these new defences the Germans destroyed the villages, poisoned the wells, cut down the fruit trees and generally made a desert of the country between the British advanced posts and the Hindenburg Line. The Allies followed them up and established their new line ready to attack again when the opportunity was ripe.

1917

The year 1917 opened with the British and French definitely superior to the Germans and planning big offensives. In April, the battle of Arras began by successfully enlarging the big dent made in the German line by the Somme fighting. No Welch Battalions took part in this, but the 9th Welch figured well in the well-planned battle of Messines, when we captured over 7,000 prisoners and many guns, etc., at slight cost, and prepared the way for the Third Battle of Ypres.

The French offensives were not so fortunate and their attacks were bloodily repulsed with the result that the brunt of the fighting during 1917 fell on British shoulders.

YPRES 1917

On the conclusion of the Somme battles the 2nd and 6th Welch remained in the Somme area until May, 1917 when they were sent to the 'Hush-Hush' Camp near Dunkirk to be trained with the rest of the 1st Division for a surprise landing on the Belgian Coast to capture Ostend and Zeebrugge which were the bases of the enemy submarines, which were daily sinking numbers of British merchant ships. This project was eventually abandoned, and the two Battalions figured in the last actions of Ypres, 1917, in the Passchaendaele mud and mire.

The 9th Welch took part in a successful attack on the Menin Road Ridge on 25th September, losing 13 officers and 247 other ranks, and gaining 3 DSOs, 2 MCs, 3 DCMs, and 12 MMs, but the bulk of the fighting in this great series of battles was borne by the 38th (Welsh) Division, which had been sent up to the Ypres Sector after the fight for Mametz Wood, and which had established a great reputation for efficient trench work and daring raids.

PILCKEM

The country round Ypres was very different to that of the Somme with its chalk in which deep and safe dugouts could be easily made. Here all was ordinary soil with water close beneath the surface, so to protect themselves, the enemy had constructed small concrete forts containing machine guns, which were known as 'pill boxes' from their shape. Tanks could not be usefully employed in this loose soil which turned to mud after the slightest rain, and only chance of advancing successfully was by prolonged and intensive artillery bombardment, and, and by platoon attacks on 'pill boxes' assisted by trench mortars and rifle grenades.

After several weeks of tremendous bombardment, which blotted out all landmarks, the attack on the high ground held by the enemy was launched on 31st July on a front of several miles. The task allotted to the 38th Division was the capture of the Pilckem Ridge some three miles to the north of Ypres and, as at the fight for Mametz Wood, the Welch and the Royal Welch Fusiliers Brigades (the former under Brigadier-General Marden) opened the attack with the Welch on the right and the Royal Welch Fusiliers on the left.

The attack was entirely successful, the four Battalions of the Welch gaining their objectives at the allotted hour, the 14th and 15th Welch capturing 'pill boxes' by good tactics and gallant dash and with the Royal Welch Fusiliers, defeating picked troops of the German Army, the Prussian Furher Guards, known as 'The Cockchafers'.

The Welch and Royal Welch Fusiliers had advanced over one-and-a-half miles and were now holding the top of the ridge. Two Battalions of the 115th Brigade passed through them and attacked the 'pill boxes' on the River Steenbeek, but the enemy's artillery now began to assert itself, and B Company, 16th Welch was sent forward and had a rough time but put up a great fight, in which Sergeant Brown was recommended for the VC but was unfortunately killed shortly afterwards. The 38th Division held their positions for three days, after which they were relieved.

Not all the Divisions had been as successful as the 38th Division and congratulations were received from the Prince of Wales, Sir Herbert Plumer, commanding Second Army, and many others. The capture of Pilckem Ridge had cost the four Welch Battalions and the Company of the 16th Welch, 35 Officers and 807 other ranks or about one-third of their strength as Battalions at this time averaged only 500 strong.
The 38th Division was sent in again from 17th-23rd August to hold trenches by Langemarck, which had been captured by the 20th Division and where the 2nd Battalion had so greatly distinguished themselves in 1914. They had a rough time, but the only Welch Battalion employed in attack was the 16th Welch who delivered a gallant but hopeless attack on Eagle Trench on 27th August, in which they lost 11 officers and 195 other ranks out of about 400 men.

As a result of the success of the 38th Division, Brigadier-General TO Marden was promoted T/Major-General to command the 6th Division, and Captain T Strange MC, 14th Welch, received the DSO, while 10 MCs, 10 DCMs, and 68 MMs were awarded.

CAMBRAI 1917

This was the last of the four great battles of this year and was notable as being the first battle in history in which the newly-invented tanks were used in large numbers. Tanks had been a failure at Ypres because of the boggy muddy ground in which they stuck and here were the firm downlands with a chalky subsoil, on which they could move freely.

The Germans, who had no tanks, had planned to resist the attacks of these machines by making their trenches very wide and deep, but this difficulty was overcome by each tank carrying on its brow a huge faggot which it let fall into the trench, thus partially filling it up.

The enemy trenches, which were attacked were part of the famous Hindenburg Line which, owing to its immense strength with barbed wire 50 yards deep in places, was not strongly held, and the attack was so skilfully planned that it was a complete surprise. Much ground was taken and hundreds of prisoners, but the Germans rushed up strong reinforcements and counter-attacking in force, brought the battle to a standstill after 18 days fighting. The only Welch Battalions to be engaged in the battle were the 17th and 18th Battalions (Bantams), but in spite of the size of the men, they gave as good an account of themselves as their taller brothers-in-arms in this their first real action.

The first advance had carried us forward for several miles but time had to be given for the tanks to refuel and the tank crews to recover from the fatigue which long hours shut up in their machines on 20th November had caused them.

On one portion of the front lay a large wood on the top of a hill, named Bourlon Wood, which was the key of the position in that area. On 23rd November, the 40th Division, in which were the 17th and 18th Welch, was ordered to take this wood. After long hours of fighting almost the whole of the wood was captured, but it was too valuable a position to lose and the Germans concentrated all their efforts on counterattacking. For three days the struggle swayed backwards and forwards, the enemy pounding the wood with their heavy artillery and drenching it with gas, but the British held firm and it was not till a week later that counter-attacks launched from both sides of the area we had won, forced us out of the wood, by which time the 40th Division, shattered but undaunted, had long been withdrawn.
The 17th Welch lost 17 officers and 301 other ranks, the 18th Welch 15 officers and 241 other ranks. Their glorious fight was rewarded by 1 DSO, 1 Bar to MC, 8 MCs, 6 DCMs, 2 Bars to MMs, and 27 MMs.

1918

The year 1918 opened in France and Flanders in a most ominous silence, like the quiet before a thunderstorm. The Russian revolution had ended in peace for the Germans on their Eastern front, while the rout of the Italian Armies in late 1917 and the defeat of Roumania had enabled the Germans to concentrate all their immense forces against the British and French. The British had lost so heavily in the hard fighting of 1917 that Infantry Brigades were reduced from four to three Battalions and they were much under their proper strength.

In the 38th Division the 10th and 16th Welch were broken up and their men transferred to strengthen the four remaining Welch Battalions in the Division, while the 17th Welch was amalgamated into the 18th Welch. One other change was the grouping of all the Brigade Machine Gun Companies in the 38th Division into the 38th Machine Gun Battalion under Major AG Lyttelton DSO.

As every one knows the storm burst with great violence On 21st March on the whole of the 54 miles held by the Third and Fifth Armies. The British, fighting desperately and skilfully, were gradually forced back across all the ground which they had won in the battles of the Somme and Cambrai, till on 28th March the German advance was held. In this fighting the 9th at Beugny, and 18th at Mory, Welch in the 19th and 40th Divisions, respectively distinguished themselves greatly but suffered heavy losses. Worn out with incessant fighting these two Divisions were transferred to the quiet area near Armentieres, but found themselves again in the thick of the new offensive which the enemy launched in April. Here the 18th Welch were practically wiped out, one of the few surviving officers being Lieut. GV Jones MC, who received a bar to his decoration for gallant fighting.

The Divisions, which had not been attacked by the Germans, were now brought down from the north, and the line stabilised.

Comparative peace reigned when on 27th May the Germans launched a sudden attack on the French on the River Aisne.

AISNE 1918

The area in which this blow fell was supposed to be a quiet one, and five tired British Divisions, among them the 19th Division, containing the 9th Welch, had been sent here to rest. Again the 9th Welch, which had been so often battered and reformed, came in for hard fighting, losing 13 officers and 477 other ranks. With the assistance of the French the German advance was at last checked after the loss of a good deal of ground on 6th June, and on 8th August the tide of victory turned strongly in our favour when, assisted by 400 tanks, the British, Canadians, and Australians won the battle of Amiens.

SOMME 1918

This victory paved the way for the final rout of the Germans. On the whole of the British and French fronts the troops began to move forward, but the enemy was still full of fight, and a succession of bloody encounters took place. The 38th Division were holding the line at Albert and to the north of it and the first task of the 114th (Welch) Brigade was to cross the River Ancre, a tributary of the River Somme, which they did gallantly on the night of the 21stAugust. Thereafter followed a succession of stiff struggles, the 38th Division gradually driving the enemy 15 miles across the Somme battlefields for a fortnight, capturing 29 officers, 1,886 other ranks, 6 guns, and numerous machine guns, but suffering 3,614 casualties, of which the three Battalions of the Welch contributed no fewer than 1,152. The losses in officers was particularly heavy, 42 being killed or wounded. Their gallantry was recognised by the award of 2 bars to DSOs, 3 DSOs, 3 bars to MCs, 10 MCs, 17 DCMs, and 32 MMs.

Major-General TA Cubitt CMG DSO, commanding 38th Division, said that this signal success had been attained by hard fighting, magnificent leadership, and the irresistible dash of the troops. "The subordinate leaders and the men have displayed qualities of courage and staying power that have never been surpassed .... The reputation of the Welch Division has never stood higher than today". Among those who particularly distinguished themselves was A/Major JA Daniel DSO, MC, who was wounded, and Major HF Hobbs MC, who was awarded a DSO.

CAMBRAI 1918

The honour 'Cambrai, 1918', was awarded to the Welch as they had Battalions standing ready on the ground in reserve for the final breaking of the great Hindenburg Line, but they had paved the way for this success in the hard-fought battle of Epehy, which enabled us to bring up troops on to the high ground whence the assault on the Hindenburg Line was launched. In this great battle of Epehy, the 2nd and 6th Welch in the 1st Division, and the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 19th Welch in the 38th Division, took part, the latter losing 20 officers and 475 other ranks before they had secured their objectives.

The heavy and successful attacks at Beaurevoir where Lieut.-Col. GF Brooke DSO, commanding 14th Welch, and Lieut.-Col. J Kennedy DSO MC DCM, commanding 13th Welch, both distinguished themselves ' by gallant leading and the crossing of the River Selle, actions which led to the final defeat of the enemy and the signing of the Armistice on November 11th, cannot be included in any major Battle Honours on account of space. It is sufficient to say in concluding this short account of the fighting in France and Flanders that at the finish there were the 2nd and 6th Welch in the 1st Division, the 9th Welch in the 19th Division, the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 19th Welch in the 38th Division, and the 18th Welch in the 16th Division all at the front ready, as ever, to give of their best for the honour of their Regiment and the good of their country.

GALLIPOLI 1915

The expedition to Gallipoli, which is the peninsula on the European side of the Dardanelles, was organised with a view to the capture of Constantinople by a mixed naval and military force of the British and French. With Constantinople in our possession we could ensure a free outlet into the Mediterranean for the Russians, our Allies, and at the same time cut in half the Turkish Armies.

The Welch took no part in the heroic landing in Gallipoli of the 29th Division and the Australian and New Zealand forces (Anzac) on 25 April 1915. When these forces had failed to drive the Turks off the peninsula, Sir Ian Hamilton decided to turn the left flank of the Turks by a simultaneous assault from the Anzac lines on Sari Bair, a high mountain dominating all the surrounding country, and by a landing on Suvla Bay, a little further to the north, whence the flanking movement could be extended so as to cut off the retreat of the Turks up the Peninsula. The 8th Welch in the 13th Division, took part in the storming of the Apex, an outlying portion of Sari Bair, on 8th August, and behaved with the greatest gallantry, losing 18 officers and 440 other ranks, and receiving recognition by the award of a CMG, 2 DSOs and 2 DCMs, and several mentions.

The attack from Suvla Bay failed for a variety of reasons, and the 4th and 5th Welch, 53rd Division, who had had no training in mobile warfare and whom it had not been intended to use at all, were thrown into the battle ill-equipped and with vague orders. The Battalions behaved with great bravery, the 4th Battalion losing 14 officers and 272 other ranks and the 5th Battalion 10 officers and 188 other ranks, 2nd/Lieut. CA Phillips, 5th Welch, winning the DSO.

The offensive came gradually to a standstill and trench warfare followed till December when the entire force of nearly 100,000 was most skilfully evacuated without a single casualty and without the Turks being aware of the intended operation.

MACEDONIA 1915-1918

In October, 1915, Bulgaria declared war on the Allies and proceeded to invade Serbia who thereon called on the British and French to come to her assistance. The French sent three Divisions and the British four Divisions, among them the 28th Division from France, in which were the 1st Welch and the 23rd Welch, which joined as a Pioneer Battalion a year later, and the 27th Division, containing the 11th Welch. The 1st Battalion held the line in the swampy valley of the River Struma and was so decimated with malarial fever that they could not be used for large operations. The 11th Welch, in higher, healthier grounds carried out a fine raid in October 1916, in which Private Herbert Lewis won the VC.

In the final battle in this campaign on 18th-19th September 1918, the 11th Welch behaved magnificently, only 1 officer and 128 other ranks remaining unwounded out of the 15 officers and 409 other ranks who entered the action. Three DSOs and two MCs rewarded their fine efforts.

PALESTINE 1917-1918

When the Gallipoli Peninsula was evacuated in December 1915, the 4th and 5th Welch in the 53rd (Welsh) Division, were sent to Egypt where they trained for a year before moving forward with other troops for the invasion of Palestine. In the 159th Brigade they took part in the First Battle of Gaza in March 1917, when the 53rd Division stormed the heights overlooking the town with great gallantry Captain FH Linton (afterwards commanding 1st Battalion) being wounded, and receiving the DSO for splendid leadership. The casualties amounted to 34 officers and 521 other ranks. Three DSOs, 6 MCs, 6 DCMs, and 7 MMs were awarded.

In the Second Battle of Gaza on 19th April 1917, the Welch had little to do, but in the Third Battle on 30th October, after the capture of Beersheba, the 53rd Division was heavily engaged from 3rd-6th November, when the 4th and 5th Welch bore the brunt of an attack on the Khuweilfe Heights.
Jerusalem was captured on 9th December, and the 5th Welch had the honour of mounting the first guard in the Holy City. A good deal of fighting took place in the defence of Jerusalem and in March 1918, at Tell 'Asur, and later in the final advance to victory in which the two Territorial Battalions gave an excellent account of themselves.

The 5th Welch later had the honour of Field Marshal Viscount Allenby becoming their Honorary Colonel.

MESOPOTAMIA 1916-1918

In March 1916, the 8th Welch, the Pioneer Battalion of the 13th Division, arrived in Mesopotamia and took part in all the fighting which led to the capture of Baghdad and the conquest of Mesopotamia.

Back