London, the war history of the 1st battalion queen s westminster rifles 19141918. The billeting of the 1st battalion queens westminster rifles in leverstock green in the late summer and early autumn of 1914 left behind many fond memories. He was a servant in a house in hanover square when he joined up, and is remembered on the war memorial at st martins church, chelsfield, kent. Later ranked as the 60th regiment of foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the british empire. London scottish in the great war medici society 19th london regiment st. A short history of the 20th battalion kings royal rifle corps b. Originally formed from rifle volunteer corps, which were established after a french invasion scare of 1859. Albert john miles 16th queens westminster rifles btn. After postings to korea and europe, the regular battalions were disbanded in 1968, when the strength of the canadian army was reduced. Jun 12, 20 this 140th anniversary history of the queen s own rifles of canada was produced by the queen s own rifles association with the kind permission of lcol b. It evolved to become the 16th london regiment queen s westminster and civil service rifles in 1922. War history of the first battalion queen os westminster. Heinemann herbert jenkins london irish at war london irish rifles old comrades association london scottish in the.
Here youll find current best sellers in books, new releases in books, deals in books, kindle ebooks, audible audiobooks, and so much more. On 8 january, just as it was beginning to get light, corporal r. We had decided to give the germans a christmas present of three carols. With the formation of the territorials in 1908 the westminsters became the 16th county of london battalion, london regt queens westminster rifles. Benedicts chapel in the memory of the officers, noncommissioned officers and. Hq coy in davies street just outside bond street tube station, had loads of info on them and the rangers 12 krrc, lrb and queen victorias rifles etc who were all merged after ww2. The unit became part of the newly established london regiment on the formation of the territorial force in 1908. An excellent example of a british volunteer rifles officers sword named to major robert j jones of the queens westminster rifles. Even though those living at the time are long since departed, their children remember the stories their parents told, and the window in the local church above serves as a permanent reminder. Queens westminster rifles soldiers and their units. Queens westminster rifles ww1 and ww2 war memorials. Before this, they had been merged into 4th bn royal green jackets, my old unit. The queens westminsters was a regiment of the british territorial army ta.
It was formed on 31 december 1921 as the 16th county of london battalion queens westminster and civil service rifles, the london regiment by the amalgamation of the 15th county of london battalion prince of waless own civil service rifles, the london regiment and the 16th county of london battalion. Its headquarters was at 58 buckingham gate, westminster. It was subsequently amalgamated in 1921 with the civil service rifles, and became a territorial battalion of the kings royal rifle corps in 1937. The 6 digit number following the date is the units grid reference i. Roll of honour, list of awards and detailed itinerary showing locations and periods in the line. Im looking for any accounts of the 16th london regiment. The billeting of the 1st battalion queen s westminster rifles in leverstock green in the late summer and early autumn of 1914 left behind many fond memories. The war history of the 1st battalion queens westminster rifles. Books written about a specific corps in the organizational sense rather than the operational sense, i.
The queens westminster rifles ww1 history ww1 playing. Notes made when i was drafting the london gunners come to townpage refs in london gunners. You may find newspaper resources interesting and useful in building a picture of the time and possibly a picture of your ancestors too. It starts in westminster and ends 107 miles on at woodstock. In 1966 the regiment amalgamated and became the 2nd battalion the royal green jackets.
Save this unit unit saved share this unit territorial regiment which had a significant number of volunteers who signed up at. Dalton enlisted with the queens own rifles cadet company in 1925 and the 2nd battalion militia a year later at the age of 16. Named officer british 1827 pattern queens westminster. The war history of the 1st battalion queens westminster. The queens westminster rifles are now part of the modern london regt. Queen victorias rifles hq, 56 davies street, london. War history of the first battalion queens westminster. War history of the first battalion queens westminster rifles. An illustrated history of the badges and insignia worn by the new zealand army. The circumstances of roches death during the houplines operations are also described in the war history of the 1st battalion, queens westminster rifles 191418, by j. The regiment queens westminster and civil service rifles harrison printers lindsay, j.
Here are some army service numbers and corresponding joining dates for the 16th londons. A soldier in the queens westminster rifles a line of recruits outside the queens westminsters office books available the 56th division 1st london territorial division. Q war history of the first battalion queen os westminster rifles. London, the war history of the 1st battalion queens. Buy war history of the first battalion queen s westminster rifles 19141918 new edition by j. The queen s westminster rifles memorial window 19141918 in st benedicts chapel was destroyed during the second world war. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. An archive of first world war research information on soldiers in the 16th london regiment. Buy war history of the first battalion queen os westminster rifles. The civil service rifles war memorial is a first world war memorial located on the riverside terrace at somerset house in central london, england.
My great uncle, rifleman augustus charles dewson served in the 216th battalion london regiment queens westminster rifles in greece, and france from 19151918. Heinemann herbert jenkins london irish at war london irish rifles old comrades. Bernard brookes journal, a microfilm version of which is held in the department of documents, imperial war. The 9th county of london battalion, london regiment queen victorias rifles was a territorial army infantry battalion of the british army. This 140th anniversary history of the queens own rifles of canada was produced by the queens own rifles association with the kind permission.
Designed by sir edwin lutyens and unveiled in 1924, the memorial commemorates the 1,240 members of the prince of wales own civil service rifles regiment who were killed in the first world war. The queens westminster rifles was a territorial infantry regiment that took part both in the first and second world wars. Queens westminster rifles soldiers and their units great. The queen s westminsters, the kings royal rifle corps reconstituted in t. Albert john miles 16th queen s westminster rifles btn. The regiment saw distinguished service in world war i and was disbanded in 1938, shortly before world war ii, when most of its battalions were converted to other roles or transferred elsewhere. The london regiment was formed in 1908 in order to regiment the various volunteer force battalions in the newly formed county of london, and the queen victorias rifles were one of twenty six units brought together in this way. The london regiment was formed on 1st april 1908 when the old volunteer battalions became part of the new territorial force. The queen s westiminster rifles trace their origin back to the royal westminster volunteers raised in 1787, but it was not until the outbreak of this war that it consisted of more than one battalion. The 6 digit number following the date is the units grid. Both battalions of the expanded civil service rifles were disbanded shortly after the war.
Queen victorias rifles hq, 56 davies street, london first. Roche was shot as he was crossing the open to get some water for his gun. The name of both louis weldblundell and his elder brother richard feature on the war memorial at east lulworth dorset. Queens own rifles of canada regimental museum youtube. The memorial is a wayside calvary enclosed inside an arched niche made of.
Queens westminster rifles 169th brigade 56th london division. Over the next three years the unit expanded to five companies, which in april 1945 led to it being retitled the 2nd cadet battalion, the kings royal rifle corps. The 16th county of london battalion, the london regiment queen s westminster rifles, had its origins in the 12th middlesex queen s volunteer rifles corps. The london regiment was an infantry regiment in the british army, part of the territorial force later renamed the territorial army. Mar 07, 2006 the queens westminster rifles are now part of the modern london regt.
Queen s westminster rifles 169th brigade 56th london division. A fine named 1827 pattern queens westminster rifles officers sword. It was formed on 31 december 1921 as the 16th county of london battalion queens westminster and civil service rifles, the london regiment by the amalgamation of the 15th county of london battalion prince of waless own civil service rifles, the london regiment and the 16th county of london battalion queens westerminster rifles. The books homepage helps you explore earths biggest bookstore without ever leaving the comfort of your couch. The queens own rifles of canada regimental museum collects, preserves and shares the history of a toronto regiment formed on april 26, 1860 and still servin. Unfollow queens own rifles to stop getting updates on your ebay feed.
Buy war history of the first battalion queens westminster rifles 19141918 new edition by j. The times digital archive is the most popular of these but there are other newspapers available in westminster. The badge of the queen victorias rifles provides a reminder of world war i in one of londons most wellheeled districts. Rifleman harry edward burnham, 116 battalion, london regiment queen s westminster rifles. In the majority of cases the new territorial battalions were linked to a regiment of the regular army but the london regiment was unique in that it contained no regular battalions. Unit histories encompass those books written about a specific unit, generally a regiment of armour, artillery, or engineers, a battalion of infantry, etc. The two rifle battalions were redesignated the 1st and 2nd battalions, the queens own rifles of canada, in october 1953, and taken on the strength of canadas regular army. Thanks to sergeant graham humphrey for all his hard work at transcribing these diaries and adding photographs and routine orders in the appropriate places 1940 war diary. Queens westminster rifles westminster school and the first. Queens westminster rifles ww1 and ww2 war memorials online. The war history of the 1st battalion queens westminster rifles, 19141918 by major j q henriques, includes a chapter 14 pages on mobilization and training, about half of which deals with the period they spent at leverstock green. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
The queens westiminster rifles trace their origin back to the royal westminster volunteers raised in 1787, but it was not until the outbreak of this war that it consisted of more than one battalion. It adorns the wall of 56 davies street, where the unit officially the 9th county of london battalion was based at the outbreak of war in 1914 and where it acontinued to have a presence throughout world war i and beyond. Nov, 20 the badge of the queen victorias rifles provides a reminder of world war i in one of londons most wellheeled districts. Photos, obituaries and short service records all available to view and download. London 1923, medici society, uk first edition, hard bound in orig. The war history of the 1st battalion queens westminster rifles, 19141918 books westminster abbey dedication of a window placed in st. Several companies were shipped out to france in nov 1914 and these men formed part of the bef and the old contemptibles.
Sep 29, 2007 the queen s westminster rifles was a territorial infantry regiment that took part both in the first and second world wars. Save this unit unit saved share this unit territorial regiment which had a significant number of volunteers who signed up at the outbreak of ww1. Christmas 1914, found the queens westminster rifles in flooded trenches opposite the saxon 107th regiment in the rue du bois. The original westminsters became the 1st battalion after a duplicate battalion was raised in 1939. Named officer british 1827 pattern queens westminster rifles.
Thanks to sergeant graham humphrey for all his hard work at transcribing these diaries and adding photographs and routine orders in the appropriate places. My great uncle john baber served in the unit from 19 until may 1940 as an officer, except for a short period of between 1916 and 1918 when he was transferred to the machine gun corps. The war history of the 1st battalion queen s westminster rifles, 19141918 by major j q henriques, includes a chapter 14 pages on mobilization and training, about half of which deals with the period they spent at leverstock green. In 1891 the queens westminster regiment became the th middlesex queens volunteer rifle corps westminster, between 1908 and 19221 it was the 16th county of london battalion, the london regiment queens westminster rifles. The regiment queen s westminster and civil service rifles harrison printers lindsay, j. I have a detailed account from his official soldiers record, but the national. The queens westminsters were an infantry regiment of the territorial army, part of the british army. The lineage of some but not all of its former battalions is. Then, on the breakup of the london regiment in 1937, it became the queen s westminsters, the kings royal rifle corps. The association began raising funds for a war memorial in 1920, and the prince of wales unveiled the memorial on 27 january 1924. In 1881 the queens westminster regiment became the 6th bn krrc. Clark of queen victorias rifles was given the task and on 15 may 1942 the queen victorias rifles cadet corps was born. The war history of the 1st battalion queen s westminster rifles, 19141918 books westminster abbey dedication of a window placed in st.
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