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From: "David/Jenny Hatcher" <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] Re: 1st/1st Londons
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000 23:45:23 +1000


Thanks Iain

I have a personal interest in this battalion as my Grandmother's favourite
brother was killed whilst serving in it on an attack on the Hindeburg Line
in April 1917. I did not know this when I was visiting the battlefields and
graves of other relatives in France last year, otherwise I would have
deviated to the Arras area for a look.

Cheers

David


-----Original Message-----
From: Iain Kerr <>
To: David/Jenny Hatcher <>
Cc: <>
Date: Monday, 5 June 2000 11:32
Subject: Re: [WW1] Re: 1st/1st Londons


>At 09:00 05/06/00 , David/Jenny Hatcher wrote:
>>Dear All
>>
>>Any hints about gathering further info about 1st/1st London Regiment in
WW1,
>>especially around April 1917.
>>
>>I understand that their war diary has been lost (ref: Ray Westlake) and
that
>>no unit history was written. Does any know whether any "personalities"
>>served in the bn who might have written an autobiography?
>>
>>I have a copy of the 56th Divisional history but would like some more
>>detailed battalion information. I guess I could check out the war diaries
of
>>the other bns brigaded with 1/1 Londons.
>
>David,
>
>Cannot help with suggestions for 1/1st London Battalion personalities. The
>following are my consolidated notes on the unit:
>
>1st City of London Battalion, The County of London Regiment (Royal
>Fusiliers) (Territorial Force)
>
>The founder of this unit was Thomas Hughes, author of 'Tom Brown's
>Schooldays'. In 1859 at the Working Man's College in Bloomsbury, he formed
>the 19th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps, that by 1862 consisted of nine
>companies. The 19th was renumbered the 10th Middlesex RVC in 1880 and in
>1883 it was redesignated the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Royal
>Fusiliers. A large number of men from the battalion served in South Africa
>during the Second Boer War 1900-1902.
>
>
>The battalion transferred to the Territorial Force, when it was created in
>1908, as the 1st (City of London) Battalion, The County of London Regiment
>(Royal Fusiliers). In common with other TF infantry regiments the 1st
>(City of London) Battalion, the County of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
>(Territorial Force) split itself into two, and later three and four, lines
>during WWI: the 1/1st, the 2/1st, the 3/1st and the 4/1st Battalions
>respectively.
>
>The 1/1st (City of London) Battalion, The County of London Regiment (Royal
>Fusiliers) (Territorial Force) was mobilised at Handel Street, Bloomsbury
>on 4 Aug 1914. Its first duties were defending the London to Newhaven
>railway line. On 4 Sep 1914 the battalion sailed from Southampton with the
>1st London Brigade for Malta where it arrived on 14 Sep 1914. On 11 Feb
>1915 it left Malta for the UK, arriving at Avonmouth on 21 Feb. On 11 Mar
>1915 it landed in France at Le Havre and was assigned to 25th Brigade in
>8th Division. On 8 Feb 1916 it transferred to 167th Brigade in 56th (1st
>London) Division forming in Hallencourt area. On 6 Feb 1918 it absorbed the
>disbanded 2/1st Battalion and became the 1st Battalion. The 1st Battalion
>ended the war on 11 Nov 1918 at Harveng, south of Mons, Belgium.
>
>The 2/1st (City of London) Battalion, The County of London Regiment (Royal
>Fusiliers) (Territorial Force) was formed in London in Sep 1914. By Dec
>1914 it was at Malling, Kent in 2/1st London Brigade and 2/1st London
>Division. In Feb 1915 it went to Malta, landing on 11 Feb and relieving
>the 1/1st Battalion. On 27 Aug 1915 it left for Alexandria, Egypt. On 25
>Sep 1915 it landed in Gallipoli at Suvla Bay and was attached to 88th
>Brigade in 29th Division. In Jan 1916 it was withdrawn from the
>Dardanelles to Egypt and attached to 53rd (Welsh) Division. In Apr 1916 it
>was moved to France, landing at Marseilles on 24 Apr and moved to Rouen
>where it was disbanded by Jun 1916. The 3/1st Battalion became the 2/1st
>Battalion.
>
>The 3/1st (City of London) Battalion, The County of London Regiment (Royal
>Fusiliers) (Territorial Force) was formed in Jan 1915. In Apr it was at
>Tadworth in 3/1st London Brigade. By end May 1915 it was at Bury St
>Edmunds in 173rd Brigade and 58th (2/1st London) Division. In Jun it moved
>to Ipswich. In Jun 1916 it was redesignated 2/1st Battalion with the
>disbandment of the original 2/1st Battalion in France. In Jul 1916 it
>moved to Sutton Veny for final training. In Jan 1917 it landed in France
>at Le Havre. On 6 Feb 1918 it was disbanded in France with its personnel
>being reassigned to the 2/2nd, 2/3rd,2/4th and 1/4th Battalions.
>
>The 4/1st (City of London) Battalion, The County of London Regiment (Royal
>Fusiliers) (Territorial Force) was formed in May 1915 when the 3rd line
>unit became operational. On 8 Apr 1916 it became the 1st (Reserve)
>Battalion and on 1 Sep 1916 absorbed the 2nd and 3rd (Reserve)
>Battalions. The unit remained at home providing drafts for the front line
>battalions.
>
>After WWI the unit reverted to a single battalion. In 1937, with the
>demise of the London Regiment, the 1st Battalion became the 8th Battalion,
>The Royal Fusiliers (Territorial Army). After mobilisation in 1939 it
>served in North Africa with the 8th Army and went on to serve in the
>Italian campaign being one of the first units to enter Salerno.
>
>In 1961, the 8th Battalion amalgamated with 624 Light Anti-Aircraft
>Regiment Royal Artillery (formerly the 9th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers)
>to form the City of London Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. The unit is now
>represented by the 5th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Regiment of
Fusiliers.
>Yours aye,
>
>Iain Kerr
>In Windsor, Berkshire
>Web Page at: http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/index.htm
>Rootsweb Sponsor Listowner for the KERR; McTURK and SOUTHON lists.
>Maintainer of the Ayrshire Surnames Database at:
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>http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/genuki/AYR/index.htm
>
>

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