The Great War: the Welsh Guards and the Police of South Wales
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HEDDLU DE CYMRU • SOUTH WALES POLICE THE GREAT WAR: THE WELSH GUARDS AND THE POLICE OF SOUTH WALES LED BY IWM LEARN • ENGAG1 E • REMEMBER THE GREAT WAR: THE WELSH GUARDS AND THE POLICE OF SOUTH WALES Glamorgan policemen from Porthcawl who joined the Welsh Guards: Back row left to right: PC DC Grant, PC WJ Thomas and PC D Hayes. Front row sitting left PC W. Richardson, sitting right PC F Trott. Only PC’s Hayes and Richardson survived the war. 1 THE GREAT WAR: THE WELSH GUARDS AND THE POLICE OF SOUTH WALES THE GREAT WAR: THE WELSH GUARDS AND THE POLICE OF SOUTH WALES 2015 sees the centenary of the commemorative booklet for 1915 formation of the Welsh Guards in but in view of the amount of February 1915. material which we have available, As will be seen in the pages which we have produced it as a separate follow, South Wales Police’s booklet. predecessor forces of Glamorgan, We hope that it will provide a Cardiff, Swansea, Merthyr and fitting tribute to those policemen Neath had close connections with from South Wales who served the regiment from its formation. with the regiment during the First It had been our intention to World War and especially those include details of this in our who made the ultimate sacrifice. Gareth Madge OBE Chair, First World War Project Group, October 2015 2 THE GREAT WAR: THE WELSH GUARDS AND THE POLICE OF SOUTH WALES The Welsh Guards is the youngest Notwithstanding the existence of of the Foot Guards Regiments such formations, Lord Kitchener having been formed in 1915 when expressed a wish to see a it joined the Grenadier Guards, regiment of Welsh Foot Guards Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards being raised as well. He clearly and Irish Guards which had been had a firm view of the matter as raised at various times over the emerges from an exchange previous 300 years. between him and General Sir Francis Lloyd, commanding the After the start of the First World London District, noted by the War in August 1914, throughout History of the Welsh Guards in Wales regular army reservists and the First World War: members of the territorial forces were mobilised into Welsh “The order to raise the regiment regiments and other units of the was given by Lord Kitchener to Sir British Army. In addition, many Francis Lloyd on February 6th. The actual conversation is so typical of thousands of men volunteered to both men that we give the note, join the New Armies established made at the time by Sir Francis in response to the call from the Lloyd: Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener, for sufficient ‘Lord Kitchener, very abruptly: ‘You manpower to fight what he have got to raise a regiment of believed would be a long war. Welsh Guards.’ Sir Francis Lloyd: ‘Sir, there are a Many of these volunteers joined great many difficulties in the way established Welsh regiments such which I should like to point out as the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the first.’ Welsh Regiment and the South Lord Kitchener, very rudely: ‘If you Wales Borderers. Eventually, as a do not like to do it someone else result of the influence of David will.’ Lloyd George, a Welsh Division, the 38th, was formed which was Sir Francis Lloyd: ‘Sir, when do you to fight with distinction from 1915 want them?’ to the end of the war, taking part, Lord Kitchener: ‘Immediately.’ in particular, in the fierce fighting Sir Francis Lloyd: ‘Very well, sir, at Mametz Wood on the Somme they shall go on guard on and at Pilkem Ridge near Ypres. St David’s Day.’” 3 THE GREAT WAR: THE WELSH GUARDS AND THE POLICE OF SOUTH WALES And so it was that, on 26th There was, in particular, a February 1915, King George V substantial contribution of NCO’s authorised the creation of the and men from the Grenadier Welsh Guards which did, indeed, Guards which had traditionally mount guard at Buckingham Palace recruited in Wales. Some 200 on 1st March. recruits from the Guards Depot at Caterham also joined the Officers and NCO’s for the new Regiment. regiment came from other Guards regiments and other regiments in At this point it is worth noting that the Army. The first Commanding a number of police officers in the Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Glamorgan, Cardiff, Swansea, Murray-Threipland, for example, Merthyr and Neath forces were came from the Grenadier Guards. men who had served in the The first guard mounting by the Welsh Guards, Wellington Barracks, St. David’s Day, 1915. © IWM (69194) 4 THE GREAT WAR: THE WELSH GUARDS AND THE POLICE OF SOUTH WALES Regular Army before the war and readied itself for overseas service. were, therefore, recalled to the There was only one battalion on colours as reservists on the active service during the war. A outbreak in August. Many of these second battalion was in due were with Guards Regiments and, course raised but was a reserve or especially the Grenadier Guards, training battalion based in Britain. and transferred to the Welsh Before leaving for France, Guards on its creation. however, there were ceremonial After initial training in London, the duties to be attended to. In June 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, the Battalion was inspected by the Some of the men who transferred from other Guards Regiments, White City, London, March 1915. © IWM (Q67393) 5 THE GREAT WAR: THE WELSH GUARDS AND THE POLICE OF SOUTH WALES RECRUITING POSTER 6 THE GREAT WAR: THE WELSH GUARDS AND THE POLICE OF SOUTH WALES Lord Mayor of Cardiff who the SS Petersburg to Le Havre presented a cheque from the City where they arrived the following of Cardiff in order that the day. Amongst the first NCO’s to Regiment could purchase drums go to France with the Battalion and other instruments for its band was Lance Sergeant 283 Ernest and on 3rd August the Battalion Helson, (pictured below) of paraded for inspection before the Number 4 Company, formerly PC 138 of the King and Queen in the gardens of Swansea Buckingham Palace. Borough On 17th August the Battalion left Police, who, Wellington Barracks, entrained at sadly, was to Waterloo Station and travelled to die of wounds Southampton from where they on 18th July sailed on the SS Palm Branch and 1916. Detachment of Welsh Guards on first arrival and in new uniform at Chelsea Barracks. © IWM (Q67406) 7 THE GREAT WAR: THE WELSH GUARDS AND THE POLICE OF SOUTH WALES The Battalion faced its first major offensives of the War and at the action at the Battle of Loos in time of the Armistice on 11th September and October 1915 November 1918 it was in which claimed the lives of several Northern France. It then marched police officers and their names on foot for over two hundred miles to reach Cologne in appear in the Roll of Honour in Germany where it was based this booklet. During the before it eventually returned to remainder of the war, as part of Britain in March 1919. the Guards Division, the Battalion fought with bravery and By the end of the war the Battalion had suffered 856 men distinction in all the major battles killed and 1755 wounded. It had on the Western Front including also earned its first Victoria Cross the Somme and Ypres. through the bravery of Sergeant The Battalion took part in the final Robert Bye of Pontypridd. The caption to this postcard reads “Presentation to the City of Cardiff of German Gun captured at Loos by the Welsh Guards, 18th November 1915” 8 THE GREAT WAR: THE WELSH GUARDS AND THE POLICE OF SOUTH WALES As far as police officers are the Welsh Guards. The concerned, as indicated, a number Glamorgan Constabulary, in of those who were already in the particular, made a significant army at the time of the formation contribution. of the Regiment transferred to it. It has not yet been possible to In addition, as the war years went identify all the police officers who on more and more police officers served in the Regiment but listed were released by their Chief at the end of this section is a Roll Constables to join the army, many of Honour which records the of them becoming members of names of all those police officers Welsh Guards in a reserve trench, Guillemont (Somme) September 1916. © IWM (Q4415) 9 THE GREAT WAR: THE WELSH GUARDS AND THE POLICE OF SOUTH WALES from our predecessor forces who these people wanted time off to died whilst serving with the Welsh attend any function, it was Guards. There are 33 of them out usually granted if duties of the 92 police officers in total permitted.” who we have identified died When Captain Lindsay retired in during the War. 1937 the branch presented him It is also important to remember with a silver salver. that police officers were often The connection between policing NCO’s in the Battalion and in South Wales and the Regiment carried with them responsibilities continues to the present day. This of front line leadership. Many year our Chief Constable police officers also distinguished attended the presentation of new themselves with their bravery as colours to the Regiment by Her detailed in this booklet. Majesty the Queen at Windsor After the War various Welsh Castle. In addition, the rugby Guards Comrades Associations teams of the Regiment and South were established and the Wales Police this year again played connection between policing in against each other for the Elson South Wales and the Regiment Cup.