Welch Regiment

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The Welch Regiment (or "The Welch") was a British army regiment. It was formed as part of the wholesale Cardwell Army reforms in 1881 as The Welsh Regiment (41st Foot in British infantry seniority), recruited generally from South West Wales, and remained so until it was amalgamated with the South Wales Borderers (24th Foot) into the Royal Regiment of Wales in 1969. It should not be confused with the Royal Welch Fusiliers (25th Foot), recruited generally from Mid and North Wales.

The Welch Regiment can trace its origins from its constituent regiments back to the Regiment of Invalids formed from - among others - Pensioners of the Royal Hospital Chelsea (hence the name) in 1688.

Originally organised as the county regiment of Carmarthenshire, Glamorganshire and Pembrokeshire, the new regiment encompassed its Militia and Volunteer infantry (see below) and united two regular battalions:

1st Battalion, redesignation of 41st (The Welsh) Regiment of Foot
2nd Battalion, redesignation of 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot

Militia and Special Reserve:

3rd Battalion (Royal Glamorgan Light Infantry) (1881-1953)

[edit] Titles

1881: The Welsh Regiment
1921: The Welch Regiment - renamed to have the revised spelling
1969: amalgamated with The South Wales Borderers, to form The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot)