CIL2026
14-04-2026, 20:13
Hello everyone,
I’m currently writing a detailed history of 4th, 6th and 7th Royal Welch Fusiliers, focusing specifically on the 1944–45 campaign, for an upcoming publication. My ambition is for this to be the most personal and detailed account of these battalions’ wartime experiences, placing strong emphasis on the voices of the Fusiliers themselves—their memories, words, and lives—rather than producing another purely operational or divisional history.
This project is deeply personal to me. My great‑grandfather served with 6 RWF, was wounded and captured on Évrecy Ridge, later liberated by American forces, and went on to fight through the Reichswald. Like so many of his generation, he shared very little of his experiences. That silence has inspired me to make sure that others now have the opportunity to tell their family’s story—before these memories are lost forever.
I’m fortunate to have access to The National Archives and to be working closely with Wrexham Archives, but I’m especially keen to uncover the materials that aren’t tucked away in official collections. So far, I’ve been incredibly grateful to connect with families who have shared letters, diaries, photographs, and personal papers, as well as with Dutch families who have generously recounted their experiences of liberation by the Fusiliers. Every one of these contributions has added depth and humanity to the story.
I would be hugely grateful for any further help, however small. If you have copies of:
Letters, diaries, photographs, or documents, local newspaper reports
Personal recollections handed down through families (although this will ideally cross-referenced. Family stories are notoriously unreliable.)
Stories of encounters with the Fusiliers in northwest Europe
…I would love to hear from you.
All contributions will be fully credited in the book, and I hope to continue expanding the list of acknowledged families and individuals who help bring this history to life.
Thank you very much for reading, and please feel free to get in touch.
Diolch o flaen llaw.
I’m currently writing a detailed history of 4th, 6th and 7th Royal Welch Fusiliers, focusing specifically on the 1944–45 campaign, for an upcoming publication. My ambition is for this to be the most personal and detailed account of these battalions’ wartime experiences, placing strong emphasis on the voices of the Fusiliers themselves—their memories, words, and lives—rather than producing another purely operational or divisional history.
This project is deeply personal to me. My great‑grandfather served with 6 RWF, was wounded and captured on Évrecy Ridge, later liberated by American forces, and went on to fight through the Reichswald. Like so many of his generation, he shared very little of his experiences. That silence has inspired me to make sure that others now have the opportunity to tell their family’s story—before these memories are lost forever.
I’m fortunate to have access to The National Archives and to be working closely with Wrexham Archives, but I’m especially keen to uncover the materials that aren’t tucked away in official collections. So far, I’ve been incredibly grateful to connect with families who have shared letters, diaries, photographs, and personal papers, as well as with Dutch families who have generously recounted their experiences of liberation by the Fusiliers. Every one of these contributions has added depth and humanity to the story.
I would be hugely grateful for any further help, however small. If you have copies of:
Letters, diaries, photographs, or documents, local newspaper reports
Personal recollections handed down through families (although this will ideally cross-referenced. Family stories are notoriously unreliable.)
Stories of encounters with the Fusiliers in northwest Europe
…I would love to hear from you.
All contributions will be fully credited in the book, and I hope to continue expanding the list of acknowledged families and individuals who help bring this history to life.
Thank you very much for reading, and please feel free to get in touch.
Diolch o flaen llaw.