Could some one please clarify a point for me regarding seniority. In Jean Bouchery's The British Soldier - Fron D Day to VE Day for 158 Infantry Brigade he states:- From 3/8/1944 60 7th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers 61 1st Battalion East Lancashire Regiment 62 1/5th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers However Hodges/Taylor's British Military Markings has the same 3 regiments but states:- From November 1944 60 1st East Lancs 61 1/5th Welch Fusiliers 62 7th Welch Fusiliers I thought that the Brigades were set up on seniority. Which of the above is correct or are both right? Cheers Kevin
Neither of them? RWF were the senior regiment (23rd Foot) to the E Lan R (30th Foot). However, the final iteration may be a result of regulars pulling rank on the TA. The earlier version might reflect the order in which the battalions came into the brigade.
The original 158 Bde according to the 53 Div history was 4 RWF 6 RWF 7 RWF later it was 7 RWF 1 East Lancs 1/5 Welch Regt notice 1/5 Welch Regt not Fusiliers Welch Regt were 41st & 69th Foot
Hi Owen, Thanks for the correction. That is how Bouchery original list them as you state. But my question really relates to a IWM photo B10134 The photo is dated 20/9/1944 and say "Troops from 1/5 Welch Regiment cross Maas-Schelde canal". In the foreground is a carrier with 60 as the AoS. The owner of the carrier is what I was trying to identify hence the question about seniority. IWM photo attached.