5/7 Battalion- Hampshire Regiment

Hi Everyone.

I live down the road from the '5/7 Battalion Hampshire Regiment HQ' in Bournemouth. It's now a block of flats.

I can't seem to find any information about this regiment online or even in the local history places...and I'm not sure how old the building is or if they were involved in WW2. But it is worth an ask!

Does anyone know anything about this regiment?


Chloe

 

Marie-

The 5/7th Hampshires were split at the beginning of the WW2 - the 5th went off to France with the 43rd Division..and later with 46th Division for North Africa for operation Torch and Salerno

where they stayed with 46th and took a beating at the Garigliano - went off then to Egypt for reinforcing and back to Italy for the Gothic Line..and took an even bigger beating at Croce and

Gemmano ( Google for the Battle of Gemmano ) the Italian version…..bumped into them a couple of times at Coriano..they finished the war in Greece...

the 7th joined also the 43rd Div and stayed with them for D Day and beyond….

Majdelany must have something to say about them with X corps of the US 5th Army just before Cassino

Cheers

 

good day marie93,yesterday.10:11pm.re:5/7 battalion-Hampshire regiment.just looked up on google.they give a lot of information to your inquiry.have a good day.regards bernard85

 

Some war diaries at the National Archives

WO 166/4328 INFANTRY: 7 Hampshire Regiment. 1939 Aug.- 1940 Nov.
WO 166/4329 INFANTRY: 7 Hampshire Regiment. 1940 Dec.- 1941 Nov.
WO 166/8717 7 Hampshire Regiment 1942 Jan.- Dec.
WO 166/12561 7 Hampshire Regiment 1943 Jan.-Dec.
WO 171/1306 7 Hampshire Regiment 1944 Jan.- Dec.
WO 171/5200 7 Hampshire Regiment 1945 Jan.-Dec.

 

Hello,

When I joined the TA in October 1978 that was the Drill Hall for D Company 1st Battalion the Wessex Regiment with whom I served until 1992 their demise. Because it was a listed building they weren't allowed to demolish the facade but there was not much call for Drill Halls so they built flats, and we moved to Wallisdown Drill Hall next to what was the Mountbatten Arms. You must remember that Bournemouth was in Hampshire up to around 1975 when it and I was transferred to Dorset. I regards myself as Dorset now.

Kind regards,

Will.

 

Marie.

During our recent tour to the Garigliano, I mentioned that 46 British infantry Division attacked a hilltop village called Sant Ambrogio two days after the X (BR) Corps attack over the Garigliano towards Minturno Ridge and Castelforte on 17 Jan 44.

That 46 British Infantry Division attack was, in fact, only carried out by a single Brigade - 128 Infantry Brigade. That Brigade was made up of 2 Hampshires, 1/4 Hampshires and 5 Hampshires. For lots of reasons, the attack failed.

Regards

Frank

 

Thanks everyone!

Wessex_Warrior- I didn't realise it only become Dorset in the 70s, thought it would be much earlier than that.The building looks tiny for a Drill Hall.

Frank-How interesting. I do remember hearing about the 46 British Infantry. Why would it be carried out by only one Brigade?

Chloe

 

Chloe.

Controversial decision. Fred Walker, Commanding General of 36 US Inf Div who were to attack across the Rapido on 20 Jan 44 - the following day, and to the right of San Ambrogio, thought that the British showed a lack of effort in only using a single Bde. He is very critical of them in his memoires.

The reason that 46 BR Inf Div gave for failure was that they had had to give up all their amphibious trucks - known as DUWKs, because 3 US Inf Div had lost all theirs at sea during the rehearsals for Anzio. This significantly reduced their ability to get across the river quickly.

Regards

Frank

PS. Fred Madjdalay's Portrait of a Battle is superb. He commanded a Rifle Company of 2 Lancashire Fusiliers at Cassino.

 

Chloe,

Bournemouth became part of Dorset when I become economically active in 1974. My income from my paper round forced the Government of the day to make the decision to move Christchurch to Dorset, and Bournemouth just happened to be in the way.
The Drill Hall had a few offices at the front, one of which had a snooker table and a bar at the back. The rest of it was the a big open space the full width of the building used for Army stuff and inspections.
The Artillery (Gunners Club) I believe the 94th had a bar upstairs.
Please do no get the impression that the T.A was a drinking Club hic !! Oh no no no.

Will

 

Chloe
Can I add another book that you may find of interest, which was published earlier this year. The History of the 7th Battalion the Hampshire Regiment 1940-1946. It is a very comprehensive history of the battalion from it's formation to it's demise. Lots of photos and maps and over 300 pages. You'll find that a significant number of men came from the Bournemouth and Christchurch area. It's available from the Regimental Museum at Winchester or from Paul Meekin Military Books. It's well worth checking out .... although I must confess to being a little biased as I helped the author on the Market Garden chapter.
Graham