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1st Battalion, Welch Regiment
1st Battalion, Welsh Regiment were in Palestine serving with 14th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division when war broke out in 1939.
At the end of Novemeber they moved to Egypt with 22nd Brigade, 6th Divison. In 1941 they were in Crete ain the June went to North Africa
rejoining 14th Infantry Brigade. They saw action in Sicily then in Italy with 168th Infantry Brigade, 56th Division. In Sepetmber 1944 they
were reduced to a cadre but were brought up to strength and later joined 61st Infantry Brigade, 6th Armoured Division in Italy and Austria.
6th Feb 1941 Orders
11th Feb 1941 Duties
12th Feb 1941 High Winds
16th Feb 1941 In the Barracks
28th Jan 1942 Surrounded
1st of January 1943 Training
2nd of January 1943 Nominal Roll
4th of January 1943 Inspection
5th of January 1943 Training
6th of January 1943 Training
14th of January 1943 Awards
21st of January 1943 Divine Service
29th of January 1943 Field Firing - 1/Welch
29th of January 1943 Field Firing
29th of January 1943 Training
30th of January 1943 Field Return of Other ranks
1st of February 1943 Training
13th of February 1943 Training
13th of February 1943 Field Firing Exercise
13th of February 1943 Exercise
13th of February 1943 Field Return of Other ranks
13th of February 1943 Part D - Nominal Roll of Officers on Strength
15th of February 1943 Training
16th of February 1943 Training
16th of February 1943 Training
22nd of February 1943 Training
22nd of February 1943 Instructions
23rd of February 1943 Exercise
1st of March 1943 Sports
2nd of March 1943 Training
6th of March 1943 Officers
6th of March 1943 Field Return of Other ranks
10th of March 1943 Orders
10th of March 1943 Instructions
10th of March 1943 Exercise
10th of March 1943 Training
10th of March 1943 Orders
11th of March 1943 Training
11th of March 1943 Instructions
14th of March 1943 On the Move
16th of March 1943 On the Move
17th of March 1943 On the Move
18th of March 1943 On the Move
19th of March 1943 On the Move
20th of March 1943 On the Move
21st of March 1943 Training
2nd of April 1943 Posting
3rd of April 1943 Quiet
5th of April 1943 In Camp
7th of April 1943 Quiet
8th of April 1943 Training
9th of April 1943 Quiet
15th of April 1943 Appointment
16th of April 1943 New CO
17th of April 1943 Quiet
18th of April 1943 Arrival
19th of April 1943 Quiet
20th of April 1943 Course
21st of April 1943 Quiet
22nd of April 1943 Promotion
23rd of April 1943 Quiet
24th of April 1943 Working Parties
27th of April 1943 Quiet
28th of April 1943 Return
29th of April 1943 Quiet
1st of May 1943 Absence
2nd of May 1943 Field Return of Other ranks
5th of May 1943 Return
10th of May 1943 Absence
11th of May 1943 Incident
12th of May 1943 Sport
17th of May 1943 Other Ranks
18th of May 1943 Return
23rd of May 1943 Report
26th of May 1943 Posting
16th of June 1943 Instructions
16th of June 1943 Mess Tin Ration
21st of June 1943 Orders
25th of June 1943 Signals
25th of June 1943 Instructions
25th of June 1943 Frequencies
25th of June 1943 Detachment Duty Card
25th of June 1943 Instructions
25th of June 1943 Ammunition
25th of June 1943 Signals
25th of June 1943 Orders
25th of June 1943 Beach Intelligence
25th of June 1943 Bigot Husky (XO) Copy No 13
28th of June 1943 50 (N) Div Landing timetable Sheet 1
28th of June 1943 Signals
28th of June 1943 Signal Instruction
28th of June 1943 Line Diagram - Appendix D (A)
28th of June 1943 Signal plan to 34 Brick Operation Order No. Appendix "W"
28th of June 1943 Orders
28th of June 1943 Traffic Control
28th of June 1943 Fuel
28th of June 1943 Fuel
28th of June 1943 Orders
28th of June 1943 Stores
28th of June 1943 Signals
28th of June 1943 Orders
28th of June 1943 Markings
28th of June 1943 Signage
28th of June 1943 Ferry Services
28th of June 1943 Appendix "D" to 34 Brick Op. Order No 1
28th of June 1943 34 Brick
28th of June 1943 50 (N) Div Landing timetable Sheet 2
28th of June 1943 50 (N) Div Landing timetable Sheet 3
28th of June 1943 50 (N) Div Landing timetable Sheet 4
28th of June 1943 50 (N) Div Landing timetable Sheet 5
28th of June 1943 50 (N) Div Landing timetable Sheet 6
28th of June 1943 50 (N) Div Landing timetable Sheet 7
28th of June 1943 50 (N) Div Landing timetable Sheet 8
28th of June 1943 50 (N) Div Landing timetable Sheet 9
28th of June 1943 50 (N) Div Landing timetable Sheet 10
28th of June 1943 50 (N) Div Landing timetable Sheet 11
28th of June 1943 50 (N) Div Landing timetable Sheet 12
26th of June 1943 Orders
30th of June 1943 Personal Message
1st of July 1943 Eighth army - Personal message from the Army Commander
1st of July 1943 War Diary Suez
2nd of July 1943 War Diary Port Said
6th of July 1943 War Diary Port Said
9th of July 1943 War Diary at sea
10th of July 1943 War Diary - Sicily
10th of July 1943 War Diary
11th of July 1943 War Diary
12th of July 1943 Strafing
13th of July 1943 War Diary
14th of July 1943 At Docks
27th July 1943 Orders
27th of July 1943 War Diary
28th of July 1943 Departure
29th of July 1943 War Diary
31st of July 1943 War Diary
31st of July 1943 Quiet
1st of August 1943 War Diary Cassible (Sicily)
1st of August 1943 Unloading
1st of August 1943 Orders
2nd of August 1943 Beaches
2nd of August 1943 War Diary Cassible (Sicily)
3rd of August 1943 Working Parties
3rd of August 1943 War Diary Cassible (Sicily)
8th of August 1943 Strength
17th of August 1943 Movement 34 Brick App J1
18th of August 1943 On the Move
18th of August 1943 War Diary Cassible (Sicily)
19th of August 1943 Refitting
19th of August 1943 Plans
19th of August 1943 Equipment
20th of August 1943 Quiet
20th of August 1943 War Diary Buccheri
21st of August 1943 Appendix E5 M.L.O. Instruction No 1
22nd of August 1943 Instructions
23rd of August 1943 13 Corps Adm Planning Instruction No 3
23rd of August 1943 13 Corps Adm Planning Instruction No 3
23rd of August 1943 Signals
23rd of August 1943 Amendment No. 2 to 13 Corps Planning Instr No. 3
23rd of August 1943 Baytown - 13 Corps Planning Instructions No.3 Amendment No. 1
24th of August 1943 Orders
24th of August 1943 Instructions
26th of August 1943 Waterproofing
26th of August 1943 34 Beach Brick Landing Table Extract from 3 C.I.B. Landing Table
26th of August 1943 War Diary Buccheri
27th of August 1943 Quiet
27th of August 1943 Malaria
27th of August 1943 War Diary Buccheri
28th of August 1943 13 Corps Adm Planning Instruction No 4 App E1
28th of August 1943 Amendment No 1 to 13 Corps Adm Planning Instr No. 4
28th of August 1943 Baytown
28th of August 1943 Baytown
28th of August 1943 3 Canadian Infantry Brigade Landing Table
29th of August 1943 1 CDN DIV AD Planning Instr No 4 App E2
29th of August 1943 Third Canadian Infantry Brigade Administrative Order No.1 - Operation "Baytown" Appendix E3
29th August 1943 1 Cdn Div Adm Planning Instr No 4 Exercise "Baytown" App E2
30th of August 1943 Briefing
30th of August 1943 War Diary Buccheri
31st of August 1943 Preparations
31st of August 1943 Orders
31st of August 1943 War Diary - Buccheri
1st of September 1943 War Diary - Sicily
2nd of September 1943 War Diary - Sicily
3rd of September 1943 War Diary - Italy (Reggio di Calabria)
4th of September 1943 War Diary - Italy (Reggio di Calabria)
5th of September 1943 War Diary - Italy (Reggio di Calabria)
6th of September 1943 War Diary - Pellaro (Calabria)
6th of September 1943 War Diary - Pellaro (Calabria)
13th of September 1943 Vehicles Collected
13th of September 1943 Collection of vehicles from Sicily App J1
13th of September 1943 Collection of vehicles from Sicily App J1
16th of September 1943 War Diary - Pellaro (Calabria)
16th of September 1943 Movement 34 Brick Detachment App J2
16th of September 1943 HQ Mov & Tn Eighth Army Appx J3
16th of September 1943 Message
16th of September 1943 Movement 34 Brick Detachment D1
17th of September 1943 War Diary - Pellaro (Calabria)
19th Sep 1943 Orders
26th of September 1943 Nominal Roll of Officers on Strength
27th of September 1943 War Diary - Pellaro (Calabria)
28th of September 1943 War Diary - Pellaro (Calabria)
29th of September 1943 HQ Moves
30th of September 1943 On the Move
1st of October 1943 War Diary - Rotondella
6th of October 1943 Message Form App E1
6th of October 1943 War Diary - Rotondella
10th of October 1943 Message Form App E2
15th of October 1943 Movement Order No 6 Appendix D2
15th of October 1943 Movement Order No 6 Appendix D1
15th of October 1943 War Diary - Rotondella
16th of October 1943 War Diary - Rotondella
17th of October 1943 War Diary - Rotondella
20th of October 1943 Move Complete
20th of October 1943 Training
24th Oct 1943 Attack Made
26th Oct 1943 Reliefs
30th of October 1943 Message
31st of October 1943 Mov & Tn Embarkation Instruction No 2 Appendix E1
1st of November 1943 Handing in of Stores, vehicles, etc
1st of November 1943 War Diary - San Giorgio
1st of November 1943 M.T Arrangements for 2/3 Nov 43
2nd of November 1943 War Diary - San Giorgio
3rd of November 1943 War Diary - Taranto
10th of November 1943 War Diary at sea
12th of November 1943 On the Move
13th of November 1943 In Camp
16th of November 1943 Exercise
21st of November 1943 1 Welch Operation Order No 1
22nd of November 1943 'G' Brigade Operational Order No 1
23rd of November 1943 Amendment to 'Q' Brigade Operational Order No. 1 Dated 22 Nov 43
30th of November 1943 Positions
1st of December 1943 Conference
8th of December 1943 Conference
10th of December 1943 Disbandment
10th of December 1943 Guard Relaxed
11th of December 1943 Move
12th of December 1943 Return
13th of December 1943 Special Order
15th of December 1943 Leave
15th of December 1943 Posting
16th of December 1943 Command
21st of December 1943 Move
26th of December 1943 Return
26th of December 1943 Officers
29th of December 1943 On the Move
30th of December 1943 On the Move
31st of December 1943 On the Move
8th Sep 1944 Shelling
20th of April 1945 Orders
If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.
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Those known to have served with 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Aldridge Arthur. Pte.
- Bevan MID Henry Daniel. CQMS
- Bilson Clarence. Pte. (d.6th September 1944)
- Boothroyd Ernest. Pte.
- Brown William George. Pte.
- Creagh Patrick Daniel . Cpl. (d.18th May 1941)
- Duffill Frederick William. L/Sgt.
- Evans Benjamin. Pte.
- Evans Edmund. (d.17th May 1941)
- Gregory John. Cpl. (d.11th September 1944)
- Hamblett MM. Frederick. Pte.
- Headon Ernest Gomer. Pte. (d.23rd March 1945)
- Holden Francis Edwin John. Pte. (d.29th March 1941)
- Imperato Robert. Cpl.
- Jones David Henry Bray. L/Cpl. (d.4th May 1944)
- Jones Ronald Herbert. Cpl (d.September 2001)
- Jones Ronald Herbert. Cpl.
- Last George. Pte. (d.17th Sep 1944)
- Lee Thomas Herbert. Pte.
- Nagle Patrick William. C.Q.M.S
- Pitts Lewis George. Pte.
- Symmonds Vincent Henry Studley. L/Cpl.
- Symmonds Vincent Henry Studley. L/Cpl
- Tooze Harry. WO1
- Walsh Andrew. Pte (d.9th Sep 1944)
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
Records of 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment from other sources.
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Want to know more about 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment? There are:1567 items tagged 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Pte. Arthur Aldridge 1st Btn. Welch Regiment Arthur Aldridge was held as a POW in Camps 65 and 66 in Italy, and Stalags 8A, 8B, and 13D in Germany and Poland. He escaped twice in Italy and then on four occasions after being transferred to Germany and Poland. In Germany, he worked in coal mines.
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Cpl. Robert Imperato 1st Btn. Welsh Regiment Robert Imperato enlisted into the 1st Battalion Welsh Regiment. He served in Palestine and Egypt until 1940. He then joined 50th ME Commando.
He was reported missing in action on the 1st of June 1941 on Crete. He had been injured in action and taken prisoner.
He spent the rest of the war in Stalag V111B/344.
He was involved in the long march.
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Pte. Benjamin Evans 1st Btn. Welch Regiment My late father Benjamin Evans joined the West Monmouthshire Regiment in 1939, aged 20. After basic training, he transferred to the 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment where he trained for desert warfare. Then he sailed from Plymouth around Africa to Egypt. In 1940, he saw action in the battles of Mersa Matruh and Bardia. In 1942, he was captured by Italian troops and was a POW in Italy until the Italians capitulated. He then became a POW of the Germans, who took him to a camp in Poland where he remained until early 1945, when the Russians were closing in from the east and the Germans marched all of the POWs to a camp at Lamsdorf in Germany. Along the way he had frostbite, which resulted in all of his toes being amputated. He was liberated from Lamsdorf by the Americans and flown back home where he spent a year in hospital, being discharged in 1946.
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Cpl. Ronald Herbert Jones 1st Btn. Welch Regiment  Lest We Forget
Below is a poem written by my father, Ronald Jones who ended up in the rearguard action in Crete where they were left as a sacrificial battalion to give time for the rest of the British Army to embark under arduous conditions, with constant bombing from Stukas as they boarded.
The action took place during 10 days of intense fighting against German paratroopers. His best pal, when a grenade landed at his feet, jumped on the grenade with just his tin helmet and was left for dead. It was later discovered that the Germans had taken him prisoner and given him a metal stomach, but he survived the war and they met up some years later.
My father, having survived a bayonet charge the day before, stayed on fighting through the night into the following morning knowing that it would end in either death or capture. They held their ground until, miraculously, the Navy returned once more under constant strafing to lift the final few off that dreaded island. During that embarkation, another ship sank with few survivors. From a full wartime battalion of 800, only a cadre of around 40 made it home.
The poem, one of many, was sent to his sister Dot in Cardiff on a Bluey. She saved them and presented them to a museum in Australia after she emigrated. I managed to retrieve them in 2007. None of the rest of my family knew of their existence. Both my parents died in 2001.
Crete
When we were drafted out to Crete, all our lives seemed very sweet, the nearest thing to home we found, green grassy fields spread all around.
Now for a time things all went well, and every soldier had a “belle”, things were cheap and savings soared, and never was a man bored.
Then came that sad and gruesome day, when Hitler thought he’d have a say, our life of bliss he spoilt for us, he sent his planes in to make a fuss.
Bomb after bomb they dropped that day, crushing the life out of Souda Bay, Maledrome they also smashed, but many of his planes had crashed.
Then the gliders they came along, bringing with them a murderous throng, with these we fought throughout the day, and many of them we put away.
Now after these came the paratroopers, coming down in enormous groups, the battle raged for ten long days, swaying back and forth all ways.
The Stukas kept our heads down low, ‘twas these which really made us go, on that long trek up through the hills, ‘twas much against the Tommies’ wills.
Oh for some fighters ‘twas our plea, as we made our way towards the sea, our fighters could not fly to Crete, that was the reason for our defeat.
On that long road lay many dead, the Stukas had riddled them all with lead, they strafed us all along the way, we swore some day to make them pay.
When at last on the beach we stood, feeling that life was far from good, weary and hungry, our clothes in rags, everyone asking another for fags.
In come the Navy, what a stampede, officers shouting but no-one takes heed, the wounded were taken on board at first, all were excited ready to burst.
At dawn we were sailing far from land, Jerry is dropping bombs close at hand, right through the day he chased the ship, he’s really determined to give us the pip.
A cruiser was hit the “Perth” they say, many were killed on board that day, their luck was out you will agree, getting through hell, just to die at sea.
Now back in Egypt with time to rest, it seemed like a haven at its best, Crete is forgotten, it’s just a name, another chapter in this bloody game.
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L/Cpl Vincent Henry Studley "Simmo" Symmonds 1st Battlion Welch Regiment Simmo, Vincent Symmonds joined the Army at sixteen in 1927 and served until taken POW on Crete in 1941.
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Pte. Thomas Herbert Lee 1st Btn. Welch Regiment Thomas Lee was taken prisoner by the Germans when Rommel's Afrika Korps overran 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment near Benghasi in 1st Battle of El Alamein, on the 30th of January 1942.
He was handed over to the Italians and eventually arrived at POW Hospital, Caserta, Italy in May 1942, via several transit camps and a sea crossing.
In July 1942 he was transferred to the POW Hospital at Lucca, Campo PG202.
We are not sure if he was a patient or some sort of medical orderly, because his own account suggests he was involved in the development of a library of 18,000 books at Lucca. His length of stay also suggests something more than a period of illness.
In September or October 1943 he was moved to Stalag VIIIb Lamsdorf on the medical train. Early in his stay at Lamsdorf, he was moved to a work camp run by civilians where he was treated reasonably well. From then he did a year as a miner at another work camp at Beuthen, Kommando E72.
On 22nd of January 1945 they were roused and marched out of camp on one of the Long Marches. This covered 900 miles, several countries and several months before they were liberated in Steblowitz (now Steblovice).
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L/Cpl. Vincent Henry Studley Symmonds 1st Battalion Welch Regiment Vincent Symmonds was captured after fighting a regular action on Crete,
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Pte. Francis Edwin John Holden 1st Battalion Welch Regiment (d.29th March 1941) Francis Holden was the son of William John and Margaeretta Ann Holden. Frank who served as John Davies, is buried at Ramleh War Cemetery in Palestine he was 28.
His younger brothers, John and Peter, immediately joined the Army from their restricted employment on the land, John was killed 11 months and 22 days later serving with the Australian infantry in the Malaya Singapore campaign.
Ich Dien
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Cpl Ronald Herbert Jones 1st Btn Welch Regiment (d.September 2001) Ron started as a young boy 14 years old in the band of the Welch Regiment 1929 and later served in Palestine. On outbreak of war 1939 retrained as a Bren Gunner in rank of Cpl. Sent to Egypt, Crete and North Africa working his way up through Italy and finally into Germany.
Whilst in Crete he was seconded to the NZ forces and arrived in time to save one of the Battalions in his Bren Gun Carrier during the withdrawal from Crete. He left as a sacrificial platoon, after expelling all ammo He took part in the Bayonet Charge at 42nd Street and was one of the last to be boarded on the last ship after being told they would have to fight to the death or be taken prisoner.
Conflict is documented in a number of poems he wrote to his sister who later emigrated to Australia and she placed them in a museum there. I have copies of the original blueys.
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L/Sgt. Frederick William Duffill 1st Btn. Welsh Regiment Fred Duffill was my granddad. I am researching his movements during the War and also aim to make sure his, and all his friends, are not forgotten.
I would like to find out more as there are a few stories about what this regiment did.
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