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Archiver > GREATWAR > 2001-10 > 1002255086


From: Iain Kerr <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] Fw: New to list
Date: Fri, 05 Oct 2001 05:11:26 +0100
In-Reply-To: <007701c14d06$af9366e0$df021c18@tampabay.rr.com>


At 14:59 04/10/01 -0400, michelle ramirez wrote:

>----- Original Message -----
>From: michelle ramirez
>To:
>Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2001 8:59 AM
>Subject: New to list
>
>
>Hi List
>
>
>Can someone tell me If I can obtain further information,
>
>I already looked on Commonwealth War Graves Commission
>
>Im looking for any information on a William Henry REDDIN b.1890 Lambeth
>
>He was a Corporal in 2nd Bn, London Rgt(Royal Fusilers) Died Aug 1917,
>Buried at Brandhoek New Military Cemetary in Belgium
>
>I wondered If I could any more information on him
>
>Thanks
>Michelle

Michelle,

To add to the earlier replies:

The County of London Regiment

The Haldane Reforms of 1908 included the creation of the Territorial Force
in 1908. In London there was a need to absorb the mixture of volunteer and
militia units that had existed in Greater London since the mid-19th
century. They were renamed as the 28 battalions of The County of London
Regiment. Each battalion was organised on an eight company basis and
placed under War Office control and usually affiliated to a regular
regiment. Some of the battalion names reflected the boroughs of the new
County of London (that is defined by the creation of the London County
Council at the turn of the century). Many of the battalions were
designated rifle battalions having their origins in the Rifle Volunteer
Corps. Some additional battalions were added to the County of London
Regiment in the later months of WWI.

The first nine battalions of the regiment were properly referred to as City
of London Battalions since they had their origins within the ancient City
of London (the "square mile").

The County of London Regiment was awarded 64 battle honours and nine of its
officers and men were awarded the Victoria Cross during World War I. The
London Regiment lost 29,100 casualties during the Great War.

The County of London Regiment ceased to exist in 1937, when many of its
battalions had become firmly affiliated as territorial battalions of
regular infantry regiments. Others were reroled as Royal Engineers, Royal
Artillery and Royal Armoured Corps units to meet the demands of the
impending Second World War.

2nd City of London Battalion, County of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)
(Territorial Force)

This unit was first formed in 1861 as the 46th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer
Corps. The 46th was renumbered the 23rd Middlesex RVC in 1880 and in 1883
it was redesignated the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers. A
large number of men from the battalion served in South Africa during the
Second Boer War 1900-1902 in a number of the Volunteer Service Companies
supporting the regular battalions. Other members saw service with the City
Imperial Volunteers and the Imperial Yeomanry.

The battalion transferred to the Territorial Force, when it was created in
1908, as the 2nd (City of London) Battalion, The County of London Regiment
(Royal Fusiliers). In common with other TF infantry regiments the 2nd
(City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers), the County of London Regiment
(Territorial Force) split itself into two and later three and four lines
during WWI: the 1/2nd, the 2/2nd, the 3/2nd and the 4/2nd Battalions
respectively.

The 1/2nd (City of London) Battalion, The County of London Regiment (Royal
Fusiliers) was mobilised at 9 Tufton Street, Westminster on 4 Aug 1914. Its
first war duties were defending the Southampton Docks to Amesbury 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 2 Jan 1915 it
left Malta for France landing at Marseilles on 6 Jan 1915. On 21 Feb 1915
it was assigned to 17th Brigade in 6th Division at Armentieres. On 14 Oct
1915 17th Brigade transferred to 24th Division. On 9 Feb 1916 it was
reassigned to 169th Brigade in 56th (1st London) Division forming in
Hallencourt area. The battalion played a full part in the Battle of the
Somme, beginning with the attack on the first day on 1 Jul 1916. The
1/2nd Battalion ended the war on 11 Nov 1918 at Athis, north of Bavai, Belgium.

The 2/2nd (City of London) Battalion, The County of London Regiment (Royal
Fusiliers) was formed in London in Sep 1914 and deployed to Epsom Downs. By
Dec 1914 it was at Tonbridge, Kent in 2/1st London Brigade and 2/1st London
Division. On 23 Dec 1914 it went to Malta, landing on 31 Dec and relieved
the 1/2nd Battalion. On 27 Aug 1915 it left for Alexandria, Egypt. On 13
Oct 1915 it landed in Gallipoli at Helles Beach and was attached to 2nd
Brigade in Royal Naval Division. In Jan 1916 it was withdrawn from the
Dardanelles to Egypt arriving on 21 Jan and was 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 surviving
members of the battalion were transferred to other The 3/2nd Battalion then
became the 2/2nd Battalion.

The 3/2nd (City of London) Battalion, The County of London Regiment (Royal
Fusiliers) (Territorial Force) was formed at Tottenham Corner, Epsom in Dec
1914. In Apr 1915 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
2/2nd Battalion with the disbandment of the original 2/2nd Battalion in
France. In Jul 1916 it moved to Sutton Veny for final training. On 22 Jan
1917 it landed in France at Le Havre. The 2/2nd Battalion ended the war on
11 Nov 1918 at Peruwelz, south-east of Tournai, Belgium.

The 4/2nd (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 2nd (Reserve)
Battalion and on 1 Sep 1916 it was absorbed into the 1st (Reserve)
Battalion. 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 2nd (City of London) Battalion became
the 9th (2nd City of London) 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.

In 1947, with the reformation of the TA, the 9th Battalion was reroled and
rebadged as 624 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery. In 1961 it
amalgamated with the 8th Battalion to form the City of London Battalion,
Royal Fusiliers. The unit is now represented by the 5th (Volunteer)
Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

{Sources: "British Regiments, 1914-1919"; by Brigadier E A James; published
in two volumes in single volume 4th Edition in 1993 by Naval and Military
Press, London; ISBN 0-90630403-2.
"The Territorial Battalions: A Pictorial History"; by Ray Westlake,
published in 1986 by Spellmount Ltd; ISBN 0-946771-68-5.}

Yours aye,

Iain Kerr in Windsor, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Web Page at: http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/index.htm
RootsWeb Sponsor and Listowner for the WORLDWAR2 Mailing List.

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