This is a list of battalions of the

South Wales Borderers The South Wales Borderers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence for 280 years. It came into existence in England in 1689, as Sir Edward Dering's Regiment of Foot, and afterwards had a variety of names and headquarters. In ...

Original Composition

The original Regiment raised in 1689, thru various iterations and renamings finally became 1st Battalion in 1804 when 2nd Battalion was raised. When the regiment was associated with a number of Welsh counties after it became the South Wales Borderers in 1881, it gained those counties'

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

and volunteer battalions. These were: *3rd (Royal South Wales Borderers Militia) Battalion - formerly the Royal South Wales Borderers Militia (Royal Radnor and Brecknock Rifles) * 4th (Royal Montgomeryshire Militia) Battalion - formerly the (

Royal Montgomeryshire Rifles The Montgomeryshire Militia, later the Royal Montgomeryshire Rifles, was an auxiliary regiment reorganised in the Welsh county of Montgomeryshire during the 18th Century from earlier precursor units. Primarily intended for home defence, it serv ...

): disbanded in 1908. *The 1st Brecknockshire Rifle Volunteer Corps: renamed 1st (Brecknockshire) Volunteer Battalion in 1885. *The 1st Monmouthshire Rifle Volunteer Corps: renamed 2nd (Monmouthshire) Volunteer Battalion in 1885. *The 2nd Monmouthshire Rifle Volunteer Corps: renamed 3rd (Monmouthshire) Volunteer Battalion in 1885. *The 3rd Monmoutshire Rifle Volunteer Corps: renamed 4th (Monmouthshire) Volunteer Battalion in 1885. *The 5th (Montgomeryshire) Volunteer Battalion: raised in 1897.

Territorial Force

In 1908 the

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry i ...

was established and the volunteer battalions joined it. These became: *The Brecknockshire Battalion - formerly the 1st Volunteers The three Monmouthshire battalions became The

Monmouthshire Regiment 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 both World War I and World War II ...

, an entirely territorial infantry regiment, although part of the "corps" of the South Wales Borderers.Order in Council dated 19 March 1908 *1st (Rifle) Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment - formerly the 2nd Volunteer Battalion. It transferred to the

Royal Regiment of Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

in 1938. *2nd Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment - formerly the 3rd Volunteer Battalion *3rd Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment - formerly the 4th Volunteer Battalion The 5th (Montgomeryshire) Volunteer Battalion ceased to be part of the South Wales Borderers, and was transferred to the

Royal Welsh Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers ( cy, Ffiwsilwyr Brenhinol Cymreig) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, and part of the Prince of Wales' Division, that was founded in 1689; shortly after the Glorious Revolution. In 1702, it was designated ...

to form the bulk of the 7th (Merionethshire & Montgomeryshire) Battalion of that regiment.

First World War

The regiment, along with its Territorial units, raised nineteen battalions: all these battalions were either disbanded during the war or in the immediate aftermath of it. *2/1st Brecknockshire Battalion - formed in September 1914 at Brecon. The Battalion joined the 68th (2nd Welsh) Division in 1915. It was absorbed by the 2/7th Royal Welsh Fusiliers in November 1916. *3/1st Brecknockshire Battalion - formed in April 1915 at Brecon. The Battalion became the 1st (Reserve) Battalion in April 1916. The following year, in August, it amalgamated with the 1st (Reserve) Battalion, Monmouthshires. *4th (Service) Battalion - formed in August 1914 at Brecon. The Battalion joined the 13th (Western) Division and saw service in Gallipoli and Mesopotamaia. *5th (Service, later Pioneer) Battalion - formed in September 1914 at Brecon. Part of the 19th (Western) Division and saw service on the Western Front. *6th (Service, later Pioneer) - formed in September 1914 at Brecon. Joined the 25th Division and transferred to the 30th Division. It saw service on the Western Front. *7th (Service) Battalion) - formed in September 1914 at Brecon. Joined the 22nd Division and saw service in the

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

. *8th (Service) Battalion - formed in September 1914 at Brecon. The Battalion was part of the 22nd Division and saw service in the Balkans. *9th (Service, later Reserve) Battalion - formed in October 1914 at

Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock ( cy, Doc Penfro) is a town and a community in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales, northwest of Pembroke on the banks of the River Cleddau. Originally Paterchurch, a small fishing village, Pembroke Dock town expanded rapidly following ...

. Later became the 57th (Training Reserve) Battalion of the 13th Reserve Brigade. *10th (Service) Battalion (1st Gwent) - formed in December 1914 at Ebbw Vale. It joined the 43rd Division (later the 38th (Welsh) Division) and saw service on the Western Front. *11th (Service) Battalion (2nd Gwent) - formed in December 1914 at Brecon. Joined the 43rd Division (later the 38th) and saw service on the Western Front. It was disbanded in February 1918 in France. *12th (Service) Battalion (3rd Gwent) - formed in March 1915 as a Bantam battalion of the

Welsh Bantam Brigade Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people The Welsh ( cy, Cymry) are an ethnic group native to Wales. "Welsh people" applies to t ...

. The battalion joined the 40th Division in September and saw service on the Western Front, where it was disbanded in February 1918. *13th (Reserve) Battalion - formed in July 1915 at Abertillery, Monmouthshire as a local reserve battalion for the 10th, 11th and 12th Battalions. It became the 59th (Training Reserve) Battalion, 13th Reserve Brigade in September 1916. *14th (Reserve) Battalion - formed in September 1915 at

Prees Heath Prees () is a village and civil parish in north Shropshire, near the border between England and Wales. Its name is Celtic and means "brushwood". Prees civil parish The civil parish includes many other villages and hamlets as well as the namesake ...

as the local reserve battalion. In September 1916 it became the 65th (Training Reserve) Battalion, part of the 14th Reserve Brigade. *15th (Service) Battalion - formed in June 1918 at

North Walsham North Walsham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England, within the North Norfolk district. Demography The civil parish has an area of and in the 2011 census had a population of 12,634. For the purposes of local government, the pa ...

. In July the Battalion absorbed the cadre of the 10th Cheshires. *2/1st Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment - formed in September 1914 at Newport. Joined the 68th (2nd Welsh) Division and remained in the UK for the duration of the war; it was disbanded in March 1918. *2/2nd Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment - formed in September 1914 at

Pontypool Pontypool ( cy, Pont-y-pŵl ) is a town and the administrative centre of the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales. It has a population of 28,970. Location It is situated on the Afon Lwyd ri ...

. It joined the 68th (2nd Welsh) Division and remained in the UK where it was disbanded in April 1919. *2/3rd Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment - formed in September 1914 at

Abergavenny Abergavenny (; cy, Y Fenni , archaically ''Abergafenni'' meaning "mouth of the River Gavenny") is a market town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales. Abergavenny is promoted as a ''Gateway to Wales''; it is approximately from the border wi ...

. Joined the 68th (2nd Welsh) Division and remained in the UK until it was disbanded in August 1917. *3/1st Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment - formed in February 1915. In April 1916 it became a Reserve Battalion. In July 1917 it absorbed the 3/2nd and 3/3rd, Monmouthshires, all of which had identical histories to the 3/1st. It remained in the UK for the duration of the war. *4th Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment - formed in 1916 as the 48th Provisional Battalion from home service members of the Monmouthshire and

Herefordshire Herefordshire () is a county in the West Midlands of England, governed by Herefordshire Council. It is bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Monmouthshire ...

Regiments; transferred to the regiment in January 1917, becoming its 4th Battalion. It remained in the UK for the duration of the war.

Inter-War

*3rd Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire Battalion - formed in 1922 when the Brecknockshire Battalion was absorbed by the 3rd Battalion, Monmouthshires. The battalion transferred to the Royal Artillery in 1947.

Second World War

The regiment, along with its Territorial units, raised 5 battalions during the war, all of which were either disbanded during the war or in its immediate aftermath. *5th (Home Defence) Battalion - formed in 1939. *6th Battalion - formed in July 1940 at Brecon. The Battalion transferred to the

Royal Armoured Corps The Royal Armoured Corps is the component of the British Army, that together with the Household Cavalry provides its armour capability, with vehicles such as the Challenger 2 Tank and the Scimitar Reconnaissance Vehicle. It includes most of the A ...

as the 158th Regiment in April 1942. It re-roled as an infantry regiment in March 1943. It saw service in the Far East. * 7th Battalion – formed in May 1940 as 50th Holding Battalion, became a normal infantry battalion on 9 October as 7th Battalion. Transferred to the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

on 15 November 1941 as 90th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment; it saw service in

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and

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

.J.B.M. Frederick, ''Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978'', Vol II, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, , p. 835. *30th Battalion - formed in 1941. *The Brecknockshire Battalion - reformed in 1939 and transferred to the Royal Artillery in 1947. *4th Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment - formed in June 1939. It was redesignated as 1st Battalion South Wales Borderers in December 1942. The original 1st Battalion SWB had been disbanded in August 1942 in Cyprus, most of the unit having been taken prisoner or becoming casualties in

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

Post-War

Welsh Volunteers The Welsh Volunteers, was a short-lived Territorial Army infantry regiment of the British Army, that existed from 1967 to 1971. History Upon the creation of the TAVR in 1967, 5 of the Territorial Army infantry battalions of the Welsh Brigade, d ...

- formed in 1967 from the Territorial battalions of the

Welsh Brigade The Welsh Brigade was an administrative formation of the British Army from 1948 to 1964. The Brigade administered the regular Welsh infantry regiments. After the Second World War the British Army had fourteen infantry depots, each bearing a letter. ...

. The 2nd Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment lineage was maintained by B Company.

References

* {{reflist