Regimental Depot
Cardiff Barracks
Battalions of the Regular Army
1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Chakrata, India, part of Dehra Dun Brigade in Meerut Division.
Returned to England, landing at Plymouth on 22 December 1914. Moved to Hursley Park.
Then came under orders of and remained with 84th Brigade in 28th Division.
Landed at Le Havre 18 January 1915. Embarked at Marseilles for Egypt and eventually Salonika, 24 November 1915.
2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Bordon. Part of 3rd Brigade in 1st Division.
Landed at Le Havre 13 August 1914.
3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Cardiff. A depot/training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Moved to Barry in August 1914, thence to Kinmel Park (June 1916) and in May 1917 to Redcar where it remained as part of Tees Garrison.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
1/4th Battalion
August 1914 : in Llanelli, with its eight companies based respectively at (A) Haverfordwest, (B) Pembroke, (C) Cardigan, (D) Llandilo, (E) Carmarthen, (F and G) both at Llanelli. Under command of the South Wales Infantry Brigade. Moved to Tunbridge Wells in November 1914 and in February 1915 to the Forth and Tay defences in Scotland.
17 April 1915 : came under orders of 159th Brigade in 53rd (Welsh) Division. Moved to Bedford.
Sailed from Devonport 19 July 1915. Landed at Suvla Bay 9 August 1915.
8 October 1915 : amalgamated with 1/5th Bn, forming 4th Welsh Composite Bn. Resumed original identity 10 February 1916/
11 December 1915 : evacuated from Gallipoli and moved to Egypt.
On 3 July 1918, the two battalions merged to form the 4/5th Battalion.
1/5th Battalion
August 1914 : in Pontypridd. Record same as 1/4th Bn.
Memorial to the 5th Battalion at Coed-Pen-Maen Common in Rhondda. Image courtesy of the excellent Geograph website, with thanks. Note that the memorial used the spelling “Welch” which the regiment re-adopted in 1920.
1/6th (Glamorgan) Battalion
August 1914 : in Swansea. Part of South Wales Brigade, which was unallocated to a Division.
29 October 1914 : landed at Le Havre and moved to work on Lines of Communication.
5 July 1915 : came under orders of 84th Brigade in 28th Division.
23 October 1915 : transferred to 3rd Brigade in 1st Division.
15 May 1916 : became Pioneer Battalion to 1st Division with which it then remained.
1/7th (Cyclist) Battalion
August 1914 : in Cardiff, unallocated to a Brigade or Division.
Moved to Berwick-on-Tweed, Ayton and Eyemouth in Scotland on completing mobilisation.
March 1915: moved to Saltburn (1915). Later to Seaton Carew (early 1917) and Middlesbrough from mid 1917 where it formed part of the Tees Garrison.
2/4th Battalion
Formed at Carmarthen in October 1914 as a second line unit.
Absorbed by the 2/4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry at Bedford in November 1915.
2/5th Battalion
Formed at Pontypridd in November 1914 as a second line unit.
Absorbed by the 2/6th Cheshire Regiment at Bedford in November 1915.
2/6th (Glamorgan) Battalion
Formed at Swansea in December 1914 as a second line unit.
Absorbed by the 2/5th Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Bedford in November 1915.
2/7th (Cyclist) Battalion
Formed at Cardiff in 1914 as a second line unit.
Remained in UK throughout the war. Was at Holt by July 1916, then moved to Fakenham (early 1917). By mid 1918 was at Melton Constable.
3/4th, 3/5th and 3/6th Battalions
Formed at home bases in March 1915 as training units.
Moved to Milford Haven. 3/4th Bn located at Hearston Camp.
8 April 1916 : became 4th, 5th and 6th Reserve Bns.
1 September 1816: 5th and 6th were absorbed into 4th Reserve Bn.
3/7th (Cyclist) Battalion
Formed at Cardiff in 1914 as a second line unit.
Moved to Milford Haven. Disbanded in March 1916.
4/5th Battalion
Formed from the merger of 1/4th and 1/5th Battalions on 30 July 1918. Remained under 159th Infantry Brigade of 53rd (Welsh) Division.
24th (Pembroke and Glamorgan Yeomanry) Battalion
Formed in Egypt on 2 February 1917 from two dismounted Yeomanry units.
2 March 1917 : came under orders of 231st Brigade in 74th (Yeomanry) Division with which it then remained.
Landed at Marseilles on 7 May 1918.
Battalions of the New Armies
8th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers)
Formed at Cardiff in August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 40th Brigade in 13th (Western) Division. Moved to Salisbury Plain and was at Chisledon in October 1914. Went into billets in Bournemouth in December.
January 1915 : converted into Pioneer Battalion to same Division. Moved to Aldershot in February 1915.
Embarked at Avonmouth on 15 June 1915 and landed at ANZAC cove on 5 August 1915.
December 1915 : evacuated from Gallipoli and went to Egypt via Mudros.
February 1916 : moved to Mesopotamia.
9th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Cardiff on 9 September 1914 as part of K2 and moved to Salisbury Plain, came under orders of 58th Brigade in 19th (Western) Division. billets in Basingstoke in November 1914. Moved to Weston super mare in January 1915 and on to Perham Down in May 1915.
Landed at Boulogne mid July 1915.
10th (Service) Battalion (1st Rhondda)
Formed in the Rhondda Valley in late September 1914 by D. Watts Morgan, JP and Rhondda miners’ agent.
Newspapers reported its name as 10th Rhondda Battalion.
Moved to Codford St Mary, where came under orders of 76th Brigade in 25th Division.
30 September 1914 : transferred to 129th Brigade in 43rd Division at Rhyl.
On 29 April 1915, this formation was renamed as 114th Brigade in 38th (Welsh) Division.
Moved to Winchester in August 1915.
Landed at Le Havre in December 1915.
7 February 1918 : 8 officers and 150 men of “A” Company posted to 13th (Service) Battalion.
8 February 1918 : 8 officers and 150 men of “B” Company posted to 14th (Service) Battalion.
26 February 1918: 550 men form 1 Entrenching Battalion and are later redeployed to other units. This completes the disbanding of 10th (Service) Battalion.
11th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Cardiff in September 1914 as part of K3. Moved to South Downs and came under orders of 67th Brigade in 22nd Division. Moved to Hastings in December 1914 and on to Seaford in April 1915. Went to Aldershot in May.
Landed at Boulogne on 6 September 1915.
Sailed from Marseilles on 30 October 1915, eventually to Salonika.
12th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Cardiff on 23 October 1914 as a Service battalion, part of K4. Came under orders of 104th Brigade in original 35th Division.
10 April 1915 : became a Reserve Battalion at Kinmel Park.
1 September 1916 : converted into 58th Training Reserve Battalion of 13th Reserve Brigade and lost its connection to the regiment.
13th (Service) Battalion (2nd Rhondda)
Formed at Cardiff on 23 October 1914. Moved to Rhyl and came under orders of 129th Brigade in 43rd Division.
28 April 1915 : formation became the 114th Brigade in 38th (Welsh) Division. Moved to Winchester in August 1915.
Landed at Le Havre in December 1915.
14th (Service) Battalion (Swansea)
Formed at Swansea in October 1914 by the Mayor and Corporation and the Swansea Football and Cricket Club.
Record same as 13th Bn.
15th (Service) Battalion (Carmarthenshire)
Formed by the Carmarthenshire County Committee in October 1914.
Record same as 13th Bn.
16th (Service) Battalion (Cardiff City)
Formed at Cardiff in November 1914 by the Lord Mayor and Corporation.
November 1914 : came under orders of 130th Brigade in 43rd Division. Was at Colwyn Bay in December.
28 April 1915 : formation became the 115th Brigade in 38th (Welsh) Division. Moved to Winchester in August 1915.
Landed at Le Havre in December 1915.
7 February 1918 : disbanded in France.
17th (Service) Battalion (1st Glamorgan)
Formed at Cardiff in December 1914 as a Bantam Battalion.
December 1914 : moved to Rhyl and attached to 43rd Division. Moved to Rhos in February 1915 and in July went on to Prees Heath.
July 1915 : transferred to 119th Brigade in 40th Division. Moved to Aldershot in September.
Landed in France in June 1916.
9 February 1918 : disbanded in France.
18th (Service) Battalion (2nd Glamorgan)
Formed at Cardiff in January 1915 as a Bantam Battalion.
Moved to Porthcawl and attached to 43rd Division. In July went on to Prees Heath.
July 1915 : transferred to 119th Brigade in 40th Division. Moved to Aldershot in September.
Landed in France in June 1916.
5 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength after suffering heavy casualties.
18 June 1918 : transferred to 47th Brigade in 16th (Irish) Division in England. Went to North Walsham.
20 June 1918 : fully reconstituted by absorbing 25th Bn. Moved to Aldershot.
Landed in France again 29 July 1918.
19th (Service) Battalion (Glamorgan Pioneers)
Formed at Colwyn Bay in February 1915 as a Pioneer Battalion
February 1915 : attached to 43rd Division.
28 April 1915 : formation became the 38th (Welsh) Division.
Landed at Le Havre in December 1915.
20th (3rd Rhondda) (Reserve), 21st (Reserve) and 22nd (Reserve) Battalions
Formed in Wales in July and September 1915 as Reserve Bns. Moved to Kinmel Park.
1 September 1916 : 20th Bn became 60th Training Reserve Battalion and the 21st the 61st Training Reserve Battalion in the 13th Reserve Brigade. The 22nd formed the 66th Training Reserve Battalion in the 14th Reserve Brigade. All three lost their connection to the regiment at this time.
23rd (Service) Battalion (Welsh Pioneers)
Formed at Porthcawl in September 1915. Moved to Aldershot in March 1916.
Between May and June 1916, attached to 69th Division at Thetford.
Embarked at Devonport on 13 July 1916 and moved to Salonika.
24 August 1916 : attached as Pioneer Battalion to 28th Division.
Other Battalions
25th Battalion
Formed at North Walsham on 1 June 1918 but absorbed by 18th Bn on 20 June 1918.
51st (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 226th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 63rd Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 18th and 20th (Reserve) Battalions of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. A training unit based at Halesworth, it was part of 203rd Brigade in 68th Division. Moved to Yarmouth in winter 1917-18 and by May 1918 was at Herringfleet. Possibly at the North Dublin Union in Ireland in early 1920.
52nd (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 234th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 65th Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 14th (Reserve) Battalion of the South Wales Borderers. A training unit based at herringfleet, it was part of 205th Brigade in 68th Division. Moved to Lowestoft in winter 1917-18 and by May 1918 was at Saxmundham.
53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 64th Young Soldier Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 21st (Reserve) Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. A basic recruit training unit based at Kinmel Park, it was part of 14th Reserve Brigade.