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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment



   At the outbreak of the Second World War the 1st Battalion Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment was sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force. During the retreat of Dunkirk they formed part of the rear guard. In 1942 the 1st Battalion landed in North Africa and took part in a number of key battles, notably at Djebel Bou Aoukaz in 1943. In 1944 they landed at Anzio and were in action in some of the most desperate fighting of the war, including Monte Ceco in October 1944, where Private Richard Burton was awarded the Victoria Cross.

 

12th Oct 1939 Holding the Line

13th Oct 1939 Reliefs

24th Nov 1939 Aircraft Tested

26th Nov 1939 Orders

27th Nov 1939 Upto the Line

4th Dec 1939 In the Front Line

13th May 1940 On the Move

15th May 1940 In Defence

19th May 1940 Withdrawal

19th May 1940 Planning

20th May 1940 Under Pressure

21st May 1940 Withdrawal

21st May 1940 Planning

22nd May 1940 Attacks Repulsed

23rd May 1940 Shortening the Front

24th May 1940 Air Raids

27th May 1940 Withdrawal

28th May 1940 Under Attack

1st Jun 1940 Evacuation  location map

26th Feb 1941 Exercise  location map

27th Feb 1941 Exercise  location map

28th Feb 1941 Exercise  location map

21st Apr 1942 Exercise  

THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-45

After disembarking from landing craft, troops of 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment take cover on the beach at Cromer in Norfolk, 21st of April 1942. Live machine-gun and mortar fire was used during this exercise. © IWM (H 18927)



21st Apr 1942 Exercise

22nd January 1944 Battle of Anzio

26th Jan 1944 Ready to Move

30th January 1944 Battle of Anzio

3rd February 1944 Battle of Anzio

11th Sep 1944 Orders  location map

21st Nov 1944 Orders  location map

24th Nov 1944 Reliefs  location map

25th Nov 1944 Shelling  location map


If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.



Those known to have served with

1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Croney Charles David. Pte. (d.1st Feb 1944 )
  • Fairs Albert Victor. Pte. (d.8th Oct 1944)
  • Holland Sidney James. Pte.
  • Mortimer Arthur. Pte

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, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment from other sources.



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Want to know more about 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment?


There are:1349 items tagged 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) 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.


Pte. Albert Victor Fairs 1st Btn. Duke of Wellingtons (West Riding) Regiment (d.8th Oct 1944)

Albert Victor Fairs enlisted in 1941 and was killed in action at the Battle of Monte Cece near Palazzuolo sul Senio, northeast of Florence in Italy.




Pte Arthur Mortimer 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)

My father, Arthur Mortimer, who served with both lst and 2nd Battalions DWR during his service (from June 1936 - April 1944). He was 15 when he enlisted into the West Yorkshire Regiment Territorial Army, and into the Regular Army (1 DWR) in 1937. He was posted to 2 DWR in December 1938 and served with them in India and also during the Burma Campaign during the retreatand later as a muleteer. He was wounded by shrapnel in September 1944 and invalided back to the UK. In the photograph my father (seated) is shown with his friend (name unknown) who disappeared in the Burmese jungle; my father says that they had been asleep and that during the night his friend had disappeared - presumably taken by the Japanese.

My dad spoke only rarely about his time during the war - just snippets here and there. He told me that he had learned to swim crossing the river Sittang during the retreat - it was either swim or be left behind. He also told me that on one occasion in the Burmese jungle when they were without food he had shot and killed a pig, but that as punishment for potentially giving away their position to the enemy he was told that he would not get any of the bounty. The pig was duly cooked and dished up whilst my dad went without; by the following morning everybody who had eaten the pork either had the runs or were feeling quite ill!!

As a postscript I would just like to add that my great grandfather, grandfather, father and myself all served with The Dukes as Regular soldiers in a time span that covers from 1882 to 1975.

Byron Mortimer



Pte. Charles David Croney 1st Btn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment (d.1st Feb 1944 )

Charles Croney was my uncle, I would like to find out more about his military service. Can anyone give me any details of where I can find more information about him? He died at Anzio

Steve Croney



Pte. Sidney James Holland 1st Btn. Duke of Wellingtons Regiment

My mother was Italian whom my father, Sidney Holand, met while at a rest camp in Naples. She followed my father back to the UK just after the war, I think in 1946. I'd like to know more about what happened to my father during the war and the campaigns he was involved in. Can anyone help?

Robert Holland









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