royal welch fusiliers

this is the beginning on finding any information on my late fathers army career which started in 1944 in the royal welch fusiliers and ending 36 years later in the royal anglians after serving also in the suffolks and the norfolks. i have found his joining card where he lies about his age and also photos of him in the ardennes so as you see little information so any infomation on the welch fusiliers 1944/45 would be grateful thanks..

 

Welcome to the forum mate,

He would have been in 4 RWF, 6 RWF, or 7 RWF - part of 53rd Welsh Division.

Home - 53rd Welsh

Got a load of pics/some info up there mate, been slow updating more as been focusing on writing my book of late.

Any more queries let me know, as I have the 'Bible' on 4, 6 and 7 RWF's main accounts...

 

thanks for the rely....... so how can i find out if he was in the 4th 6th or 7th were they all in the ardennes

 

Welcome to the forum.

A forum member titled Stolpi started a thread yesterday, titled Brits in the Ardennes 44/45 and will likely cover the exploits of the 4th, 6th and 7th Battalion’s, Royal Welch Fusiliers, 53rd (Welsh) Division. You should keep a look out for updates on that thread.

You may find it useful to send Stolpi a PM (Personal Message) by way of a ‘head up’ regarding your interest.

There is also a 53rd Divisional History, which may be worth investing in:
The History Of The 53rd Welsh Division: BARCLAY C.N.

Steve.

PS. The 53 Div was in the Ardennes (The Bulge).

 

Fudgereedoo,

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I have a copy of "The Astonishing Infantry", The Hiastory of the Royal Welch Fusiliers 1689 - 1989.

I will copy the relevent pages and post them for you.

Try and get hold of a copy from the library and if you like it try and obtain a personal copy.

Regards
Tom

 

Best bet would be:
1. Photos - post them up here as we should be able to identify the Brigade he was in, and from that his Battalion.
2. Service Record would be great or Paybook

TBH That Astonishing Infantry is a pretty poor book compared to 'Red Dragon' by John Graves and PK Kemp published in the 1950s. There are also Battalion histories that get very pricy!

 

Fudgereedoo,

Pages as promised from the above mentioned title.


Regards
Tom

 

I hope this helps!

RWF Battalions’ of 53rd (Welsh) Division


158 Infantry Bde - Duration (except detached
23.10.39 to 2.4.40) i.e. to VE Day...



4 RWF (until 3.8.44)
6 RWF (until 3.8.44)
7 RWF (duration)

160 Infantry Bde - 6 RWF (from 4.8.44)



71 Infantry Bde - 4 RWF (from 4.8.44)

 

Slightly off Steve, as 2 SWB rotates in to replace 7 RWF on around the 20th April 1945. Led to quite a lot of bad feeling afterwards to see the 3 Battalions no longer in the same Div.

 

Doh! Freudian slip; I’m reading April and thinking May... Thanks for the correction Swiper!

Regarding the 7RWF; same happened to the 50th (Northumbrian) Division, which is my main interest. They were at the sharp-end with the BEF, Western Desert (Incl Gazala, El Alamein [incl Suprecharge], Mareth, etc), Sicily (Assault Div), D-Day (Assault Div), NW Europe (Normandy, the Break-out, Gheel, the race to Arnhem, etc) and then in December 1944 sent home as a training division. Some of the old hands would probably have been relieved to be going home alive, others not so senior were unhappily dispersed to other divisions and in the round, it was not a fitting end to the 50 Div’s war. Churchill was livid about the decision!

Cheers,

Steve.

 

.

 

thanks for all the replys it all helps to piece together the start of his career.
his name ernest john sennett (mac) sighning on in liverpool in 1944 he lied about his age being only 16. . he served 36 years also serving with the suffolks norfolks and east anglian. i got alot of tracking down to do but thanks for the start. max

 

Hello Stolpi,

I've got lots of information on 61st Recce and will post to your thread on the 'Brits in the Ardennes 1944/5', but it may be tomorrow now!

Cheers,

Steve.

 

i know it will take a while to find out about my father but i think you will be more interested on the photos i have uncovered of my father in the ardennes with a few pictures of germans on horses not good quality but i will try and download them to you ..maybe by looking at the photos might help me on what i would like to know.max

 

Welcome to the forum


Cheers
Paul

 

http://mail.tools.sky.com/mail/?attid=0.1&disp=emb&view=att&th=12d66149459c90df

 

Erm...what about ?

 

sorry had a bit of trouble downloading and couldn't write anything... trying to find out if my late father was in the 4th / 6th or 7th and wondered if the picture helped

YLAA / 523765 ERNEST JOHN SENNETT JOINED 22 NOVEMBER 1943