Monmouthshire Regiment

This article is about the Territorial Army regiment. For the regular infantry regiment raised in 1741, and which became the 1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in 1881, see 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot.
The Monmouthshire Regiment
Active 1908–1967
Country  United Kingdom
Allegiance British Army
Branch Infantry
Type Territorial
Size 3 battalions (peacetime)
Engagements Second Boer War, First World War, Second World War

The Monmouthshire Regiment was a territorial infantry regiment of the British Army. Originating in units of rifle volunteers formed in Monmouthshire in 1859, the regiment served in the Second Anglo-Boer War and the First and Second World Wars before losing its separate identity in 1967.[1][2][3][4][5]

Origins

Units of rifle volunteers were formed throughout Great Britain in 1859 and 1860 in response to a perceived threat of invasion by France following the Orsini affair. The raising of such units was to be authorised by lieutenants of counties in England, Wales and Scotland.[6] The first corps in Monmouthshire was raised on 9 September 1859.[1] By 1880 the various small corps in the county had been consolidated into three battalion-sized units, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Monmouthshire Rifle Volunteer Corps.[1][2][3] In the following year the Childers reforms of line infantry saw the three Monmouthshire corps becoming volunteer battalions of the regular South Wales Borderers. In 1885 they were redesignated as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Volunteer Battalions, South Wales Borderers (the 1st Volunteer Battalion being formed at the same time from the 1st Brecknockshire Rifle Volunteers).

Although the volunteer battalions saw no active service as units, during the Second Boer War they provided volunteer Active Service Companies to serve in South Africa, all of which were attached to the regular 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, and they received the battle honour "South Africa 1900-02".[1][2][3][7]

Formation of the regiment

Reserve forces were reorganised under the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907. Among other provisions the act abolished the Volunteer Force and replaced it with a new Territorial Force. Units were transferred, with changes in nomenclature, to the new force on 1 April 1908. [8]

The three Monmouthshire volunteer battalions were redesignated (and partially reorganised) as battalions of a new territorial-only Monmouthshire Regiment:[7][8]

The Territorial Force was organised into 14 infantry divisions, and the 1st-3rd Battalions of the Monmouthshire Regiment, along with the 1st Battalion, Herefordshire Regiment, formed the Welsh Border Brigade, part of the Welsh Division.[4][5]

First World War

With the outbreak of war in August 1914 the Territorial Force was mobilised. In all the Monmouthshire Regiment formed battalions during the conflict as follows:[9][10]

Inter-war

All units of the Territorial Force were disbanded soon after the end of the war in 1918 and 1919. Early in 1920 recruitment restarted and in October 1920 the force was renamed to the Territorial Army.[11][12] The three battalions were reconstituted in February 1920:

In 1921 it was announced that there was be a reduction in the size of the Territorial Army with a number of pairs of infantry battalions amalgamated.[13][14] The 3rd Battalion was amalgamated with the Brecknockshire Battalion, South Wales Borderers to become the 3rd (Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire) Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment in 1922.[3]

In 1938 and 1939 there was a reorganisation of the Territorial Army as the threat of a new European war re-emerged. Many infantry battalions were converted to an anti-aircraft role: in 1938 the 1st Battalion became a searchlight regiment and was transferred to the Royal Engineers and in 1940 to the Royal Artillery and ceased to be part of the regiment.[1]

In March 1939 it was announced that the size of the TA was to be doubled, with each existing unit forming a duplicate.[15][16] By June 1939 the regiment comprised three battalions:[7]

Second World War

Troops of the 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment leap from their Universal Carrier during an exercise near Newry in Northern Ireland, 26 April 1941

The 2nd Battalion was mobilised on the outbreak of war in September 1939. After a long period of training in Northern Ireland and England, they landed in Normandy on 28 June 1944 as part of the 160th Infantry Brigade attached to 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division. They took part in Operation Epsom, spending two weeks in trenches between Hill 112 and the River Odon.[17][18]

Pte A Anderson of the 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment, during the assault on Venraij, 17 October 1944

They next saw action in the Battle of the Falaise Gap in August 1944, and advanced with the 53rd Welsh Division, liberating Merville and crossing into the Netherlands. By October they had reached the Nederrijn and took part in the attack on 's-Hertogenbosch.[17]

In December 1944 they took part in the counter offensive against German advances in the Ardennes.[17] In January 1945 they moved to The Netherlands for a period of training prior to Operation Veritable (the Battle of the Reichswald). They entered Germany on 8 February, taking part in a month's heavy fighting and suffering 300 casualties before being withdrawn for rest.[17]

The battalion continued to advance across Germany, forcing a crossing of the River Aller at Rethem on 11 April. This was their last major action of the war: they were at Hamburg when the German Instrument of Surrender came into effect.[17]

Men of the carrier platoon of 3rd Monmouthshire Regiment, 11th Armoured Division, February 1945.

The 3rd Battalion was mobilised along with the 2nd Battalion as part of the 159th Infantry Brigade part of the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division and trained alongside it in Northern Ireland and England. In 1942 they were transferred to 11th Armoured Division. On 14 June 1944 the battalion landed in Normandy. They spent several weeks attempting to break out of the bridgehead in the vicinity of Caen as part of Operation Goodwood and Operation Bluecoat. On 5 August they were nearly surrounded by enemy forces on Bas Perier Ridge and suffered heavy casualties, forcing them to temporarily amalgamate with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment.[18][19]

Reinforced, the battalion advanced after the retreating German forces, passing through Belgium and taking part in the liberation of Antwerp. They moved into the Netherlands as part of the force protecting the flanks of the airborne troops that had landed in Operation Market Garden.[19] The commanding officer of the battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Hubert Gerald Orr, was killed on 25 September 1944 at Sint Anthonis along with the C.O. of the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment.[19][20] In November 1944 they took part in the Battle of Broekhuizen (also known as the Battle of the Venlo Pocket)

Thomas Edward Chapman VC

In February 1945 they broke through the Schlieffen line after which they were withdrawn to Belgium where they were re-equipped for the advance into Germany. In April 1945 they crossed the Rhine into the Teutoburg Forest where they had the task of clearing the road to Ibbenbüren. The battalion encountered very heavy resistance and failed to achieve its objective. Corporal Edward Thomas Chapman was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during this action.[19]

Such were the battalion's casualties that it took no further part in the conflict and its place in the 159th Brigade was replaced by the 1st Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment. It was disbanded in January 1946.[19]

The 4th Battalion, which had been created on 1 June 1939 as a duplicate of the 2nd Battalion, was mobilised in August 1939 as part of 38th (Welsh) Infantry Division. The battalion did not leave the United Kingdom, performing guard duty and acting as a training unit. On 12 December 1942 it was redesignated the 1st Battalion, South Wales Borderers; the original 1st SWB having been disbanded after most of the unit was captured in North Africa.[18][21]

Post War to amalgamation

All Territorial and war-formed units were disbanded soon after the end of the war. The Territorial Army was re-established in April 1947, although there was a considerable reconfiguration with some pre-war units not reformed, or converted to a different role.

The Monmouthshire Regiment was reduced to a single battalion: the 2nd Battalion, based in Pontypool.[2] The 3rd Battalion was converted to an anti-aircraft unit of the Royal Artillery and ceased to be part of the regiment.[3]

In 1967 the battalion was disbanded. A new unit, the Welsh Volunteers, continued the lineage of all Welsh territorial infantry battalions. The successor unit today is the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Welsh.[2][7]

Battle honours

The regiment was awarded the following battle honours. Those shown in bold type were selected for display on the colours or appointments.[1][2][22]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Mills, T F. "1st Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 26 January 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Mills, T F. "2nd Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 12 January 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Mills, T F. "3rd Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 20 October 2007. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 Baker, Chris. "The Monmouthshire Regiment". The Long, Long Trail. The British Army in the Great War of 1914-1918. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 "The Monmouthshire Regiment TF World War I. Fact Sheet: 7-B07-11" (PDF). The Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh (Brecon). Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  6. ↑ War Office Circular, 12 May 1859, published in The Times, 13 May.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Margesson (1977) pp.85-86
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Order in Council dated 19 March 1908 The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 28121. pp. 2149–2162. 20 March 1908.
  9. ↑ Margesson (1977) p.17
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "South Wales Borderers and Monmouthshire Regiment. Summary of the Great War 1914-1918. Fact Sheet 3-B7-12" (PDF). Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  11. ↑ "New Territorial Army – The Government Scheme". The Times. 31 January 1920.
  12. ↑ "New Citizen Army – 2nd Line Defence Scheme". The Times. 31 January 1920.
  13. ↑ "Territorial Army Reduction". The Times. 15 July 1921.
  14. ↑ "Territorial Army Amalgamations – 40 Battalions Affected". The Times. 5 October 1921.
  15. ↑ "Territorial Army - Establishment doubled". The Times. 30 March 1939.
  16. ↑ "13 Additional Divisions - Method of Expansion". The Times. 30 March 1939.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 "2nd Battalion The Monmouthshire Regiment TA. World War 2. Fact Sheet 7-B09-07" (PDF). Regimental Museum of the Royal Welsh (Brecon). Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Margesson (1977) p.20
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 "3rd Battalion The Monmouthshire Regiment TA. World War 2. Fact Sheet 7-B09-08" (PDF). Regimental Museum of the Royal Welsh (Brecon). Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  20. ↑ "Orr, Hubert Gerald". Casualty Details. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  21. ↑ "4th Battalion The Monmouthshire Regiment TA. World War 2. Fact Sheet 7-B09-09" (PDF). Regimental Museum of the Royal Welsh (Brecon). Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 The battle honour "Aden" was awarded for the services of the 1/1st Brecknockshire Battalion, South Wales Borderers. The Battalion had been merged with 3rd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment in 1922, and the battle honours for the First World War were awarded in 1924.
  23. ↑ "Battle Honours. Further List of Awards.". The Times. 10 April 1924. p. 8.