Royal Welsh Fusiliers
The Royal Welsh Fusiliers was one of the most popular regiments for Oswestry’s soldiers. Before the war there were 2 regular and 1 training and reserve battalions. There was also a large Territorial Force with 12 battalions, including yeomanry, recruiting mainly from North and Mid Wales again, popular with local men with depots at Oswestry and more so at Wrexham. During the war the regiment recruited over 12 service battalions.
Link to – Royal Welsh Fusiliers Museum, Caernarfon
Battalion not known Private J Jones Royal Welsh Fusiliers Unidentified. Maesbury WM
Regular Army
1 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers – 22 Brigade 7 Division
At the outbreak of war 1 Bn RWF was in Malta, they returned to the UK in September 1914 and went over to France in October. The battalion fought at First Ypres and in 1915 at The Battles of Neuve Chapelle, Aubers, Festubert and the Loos Offensive. In 1916 they were in action on the Somme and in 1917 at Arras and Third Ypres. In November 1917 they moved to Italy and took part in actions on the River Piave and Battle of Vittoria Veneto in 1918.
During the war, the Welsh poets and writers – Siegfried Sassoon, Robert Graves, David Jones – served with 1 Bn & 2 Bn RWF (also Hedd Wyn Welsh Bard, killed 31 July 1917 at Ypres, who served with 15 Bn RWF)
Private 4424 Horace Cadman, KIA 16 May 1915. Le Touret Memorial.
Private 10297 William Coulson. Died 9 August 1915, Lillers Communal Cemetery.
Private 12096 Arthur Rogers. KIA 25 September 1915. Loos Memorial (unknown)
Private 6308 Samuel Hall. KIA 25 September 1915. Loos Memorial (unknown).
Served in 1 Bn until wounded November 1914 then in 19 Bn RWF – Corporal, 10910 Jack Roberts, KIA 15 February 1917, Thiepval Memorial (unknown)
2 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers – 19 Brigade – from 1914 served with 6, 27 & 2 Divisions, in November 1915 moved to 33 Division and in February 1918 to 38 Division.
The 2 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers was mobilised on 4 August 1914 at Dorchester and embarked for France 6 days later. The battalion served a various actions on the Western Front including; 1915, Hooge and Loos Offensive; 1916, the Somme; 1917 Arras Offensive and Third Ypres and in 1918 the Kaiser Offensive and 100 Days.
The white goat mascot of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and soldier-spectators at the 33rd Division Horse Show at Cavillon, 18 July 1917. (IWM Q 5691)
Private 6679 Llewellyn Roberts, KIA 9 September 1914 La Ferte sous Jouarre Communal
Lance Corporal 10474 Bernard Spiers, KIA 20 July 1916, Thiepval Memorial (unknown)
Captain John M (Morris) Owen, 23 April 1917, Boyelles Communal Cemetery Extension
Lance Sergeant 9437 John W Peate, 1 February 1919, Oswestry Cemetery
Territorial Force
1/4 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Denbighshire Battalion) – 47 (2 London) Division as Pioneer Battalion
In August 1914 the 1/4 Bn RWF was mobilised at Wrexham. After brief periods at Conway and Northampton they went over to France on 6 November 1914. At first the battalion was assigned to 3 Brigade 1 Division but transferred to 47 (2 London) Division in September 1915 as Pioneer battalion. They served with 47 Division at various actions on the Western Front including; 1915, at The Battles of, Aubers, Festubert and the Loos Offensive. In 1916 they were in action on the Somme and in 1917 at Arras and Third Ypres; and in 1918 the Kaiser Offensive and 100 Days. From January 1919 men from the battalion were demobilised – the first were coalminers, needed back in the pits – until in April 1919 the cadre returned to the UK.
Lance Corporal 9336 James Bayley
Private 315983 James RT (Raymond Titley) Beckett
Lance Serjeant 200446 Henry Bailey, Weston Rhyn/Chirk
Private 235660 Eric Withers Edwards, Maesbury & West Felton
Private 8407 Percy J Davies, Labour Corps. Trans. from 4 Bn RWF. Enlisted in September 1915 in 4 Bn RWF and transferred to Labour Corps.
1/5 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Flintshire Battallion) – 158 Brigade 53 Welsh Division
In August 1914 the 1/5 Bn RWF was mobilised at Wrexham. After brief periods at bases in the uk they embarked at Devonport on 19 July 1915 for Gallipoli disembarking at Suvla Bay on 9 August 1915 where they served until the evacuation in December 1915 when they moved to Egypt. There they were in action during the campaigns in Palestine in 1917. In 1918 men and units in the Middle East were transferred to France and in August the battalion amalgamated with 1/6 Bn RWF to form 5/6 Bn RWF. The Armistice with Turkey took effect on 31 October 1918 and the Division was demobilised with the first parties leaving for England in December 1918.
Troops of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at rest after being relieved from the trenches; near Acheux, 28th June 1916. (IWM Q 723)
1/7 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Merioneth and Montgomery Battalion) – 158 Brigade, 53 Welsh Division
In August 1914 the 1/7 Bn RWF was mobilised at Newtown. After brief periods at bases in the UK they embarked at Devonport on 19 July 1915 for Gallipoli disembarking at Suvla Bay on 9 August 1915 where they served until the evacuation in December 1915 when they moved to Egypt. There they were in action during the campaigns in Palestine in 1917. In 1918 men and units in the Middle East were transferred to France and in August the battalion amalgamated into 5/6 Bn RWF. The Armistice with Turkey took effect on 31 October 1918 and the Division was demobilised with the first parties leaving for England in December 1918.
Acting Corporal 152, David Davies, KIA 10 August 1915, Helles Memorial (unknown).
Captain Eric Guy Harries, 17 August 1915, East Mudros Military Cemetery
Second Lieutenant Edward G (Geoffrey) Thomas, 10 October 1918. Oswestry General Cemetery (Wounded March 1917 died 10 October 1918)
Private 290908 James Pierce. (Missing) KIA/DoW, 6 November 1917. Jerusalem Memorial (unknown)
Captain Edward W Walker, KIA 6 November 1917, Beersheba War Cemetery
Second Lieutenant John E G (Edward Goodwin) Wilson, KIA 16 August 1917, Tyne Cot Memorial (unknown) – attached to Royal Irish Rifles KIA at Battle of Langemark. Third Ypres
Service Battalions
Troops of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at a water filling point near Thiepval Wood, September 1916.(IWM Q 1100)
9 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers – 58 Brigade 19 (Western) Division
The 9 Bn RWF was formed at Wrexham on 9 September 1914 and went over to France on 19 July 1915. The battalion was first in action in 1915 during the Loos Offensive. In 1916 they were in action on the Somme and in 1917 at Arras and Third Ypres; and in 1918 the Kaiser Offensive and 100 Days. In 1919 the battalion was at Berteaucourt. Over the next weeks drafts of men were demobilised until by the end of March the battalion was down to cadre strength.
Lance Corporal 24919 T Mansell Mason, KIA 3 July 1916, Thiepval Memorial (unknown)
Private 204003 John P Jones, KIA 18 April 1918, Tyne Cot Memorial (unknown)
Sergeant 200900 John J Phillips, KIA 23 October 1918, Canonne Farm British Cemetery, Sommaing
Private 15465 John W Jones, KIA 30 September 1918, Vielle Chapelle New Military Cemetery
10 Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers – 76 Brigade 3 Division
The 10 Bn RWF was raised at Wrexham in October 191 and went over to France on 27 September 1915. In 1916 they were in action on the Somme and in 1917 at Arras, Third Ypres and Cambrai; and in 1918 the Kaiser Offensive and 100 Days. The battalion was disbanded in February 1918.
Private 28541 Richard Roberts, KIA 13 November 1916, Queens Cemetery, Puisieux
Lieutenant Herbert W Rayner, 10 Bn RWF attd. 76 Trench Mortar Battery. DoW Gas poisoning 5 November 1917, Favreuil British Cemetery attached 76 Trench Mortar Battery
13 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers (1 North Wales) – 113 Brigade 38 (Welsh) Division
The 13 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers (1 North Wales) was formed at Rhyl in September 1914 and went over to France in December 1915. In 1916 they were in action at the Somme at Mametz Wood where they suffered heavy casualties and did not take part in any further actions until Third Ypres in 1917, and in 1918 during the Kaiser Offensive and 100 Days. The battalion was demobilised in December 1918 with men returning home over the following weeks.
Private 33281 Clifford Sheldon, DoW 25 April 1916, Merville Communal Cemetery – C Company
14 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers – 113 Brigade 38 (Welsh) Division
The 14 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers was formed at Llandudno on 2 November 1914 by the Welsh National Executive Committee. Their service record was the same as 13 Bn RWF
Private 60745 Isaac Roberts, KIA 2 September 1917, Tyne Cot (unknown)
16 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers – 113 Brigade 38 (Welsh) Division
The 16 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers was formed at Llandudno in November 1914 by the Welsh National Executive Committee. Their service record was the same as 13 Bn RWF
Private 23756 John OV Davies, KIA 10 July 1916. Danzig Alley British Cemetery B Company No 5 Platoon – also served in 20 Bn RWF
19 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers – 119 Brigade 40 Division
The 19 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers was formed in March 1915 as a Bantam Battalion originally in 38 (Welsh) Division they transferred to 40 Division in September 1915 and went over to France in June 1916 into the Loos sector. Later in 1916 they were in action on the Somme and the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line in 1917and in I918 during the Kaiser Offensive and 100 Days. The battalion was disbanded in February 1918 with men transferring into other units.
The 25 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Montgomery & Welsh Horse Yeomanry)
The 25 Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers was formred in February 1917 in Egypt as a result of army reorganisation. Two Welsh yeomanry units – the 1/1 Montgomeryshire and 1/1 Welsh Horse – were dismounted and re-designated as 24 and 25 Bn RWF in 74 (Yeomanry) Division. Both battalions fought in Palestine and in France.
Private 35360 Richard T Coleman. DoW 5 December 1917 Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery.
Private 355357 John A Richards, KIA 10 March 1918, Jerusalem War Cemetery
END