very confused of west wales or malta

[Baconwallah]

I didn't know about the movie webpage, Ivor, thanks. Will have a shufti one of these days. I found the Brecon move in one of my books.

John

[ivor43]

just found this. dont know if you know about it or if it is of interest.
http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=6242


ivor

[Bob Lake]

The film Zulu is a classic which I never tire of watching.

Yet the film created a myth that these were Welshmen shaking in fear behind the melie-bag walls, this is thanks to its producer Stanley Baker creating the scene of Ivor Immanuel singing 'Men of Harlech' in the face of the advancing Zulu impees; a scene of great drama but one which has no historical basis or precedent at all.

The fact is that those terrified soldiers were principally Englishmen of B Coy the 2nd Battalion of the Warwickshire Regiment (24th of foot). A Battalion that was renamed The South Wales Borderers some nine years later. But it is also a fact that the home barracks of the 2nd Warwicks (24th) at this time, were those we all know and love at Brecon. It is therefore not at all surprising that three Welshmen were amongst the eleven VC winners at Rourke's Drift.

I attach a photo taken after the battle, and if anyone can spot a grenade cap badge apart from the Royal Engineer, you have better imagination than eyesight.




B (Roukes Drift) Company of 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh are undoubtedly the successors of these gallant men and it is right and proper that they honour their principally English forbears.

Recruits at the Depot were taught Regimental History as part of their syllabus and anyone who has subsequent thoughts that the RWF has anything to do with Roukes Drift has joined me amongst the ranks of the permanently confused. My argument is that age has given me too much to remember.

Bob

[steve carey]

If the R.W.F was not at the drift where did the spears and sheilds come from that were in the little museum at the welch depot, I was told thy come from the Battle at the Drift.

[jcj]

If the R.W.F was not at the drift where did the spears and sheilds come from that were in the little museum at the welch depot, I was told thy come from the Battle at the Drift.

Steve
When I did my recruit training in 1967 the Depot trained recruits for the RWF, SWB and Welch Regt. There were exhibits from all the Regiments and the Zulu display probably came from the 24th the South Wales Borderers.

[ivor43]

hi all.
i may have solved the mystery, thanks partly to steve mentioning , the Welch Depot.
having got out the digging equipment again i came up with this :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Brigade
this confirms what i have been thinking.
You guys were trained at Brecon which is the Welch Brigade's Depot. not specifically the RWF Depot. so i wonder if, as with the amalgamation of individual units, the Brigade, when the Depot's amalgamated, has assumed the honors and traditions of the three units ( SWB/The Welch Regiment/RWF), and teach them as Brigade History not unit history.
This might explain the confusion,why steve remembers the shields and spears,why chow the 3 V.C's. this was history assumed by The Brigade and taught as tradition of the Welsh units.NOT specific unit history.
I hope this may have been helpful and would like to know your opinions.


ivor

[Rob12]

Whilst at Crickhowell during training back in 68 was taught about Regimental History from a Royal Welch Fusilier perspectus often touching on elements of other regiments history within the Welsh Brigade,this was before the amalgamation to The Prince of Wales's Divisional Depot.

[ivor43]

hi all

just when you think you got something sorted, someone chucks a spanner in the works. in this case a big one. during the course of this thread i have searched a lot of stuff relating to the 3 units.and nowhere have i found any reference to Crickhowell or Cwrt Y Gollen. so more digging.

i have established it was in use in WW1. WW11 it was used mainly a U.S Army Base (see link)

http://www.airfieldinformationexchan...Barracks-Wales

I have found evidence of the official opening on 10th May1963. with a link that brought me back here

http://www.rwf-forum.co.uk/vBulletin...well-10-May-63

obviously rob 12 was there in 1968.
the following link to hansard re a question raised by the local MP.

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/c...mp-crickhowell

also a video of the Last junior soldier Passing Out Parade and a ref to the last passing out parade in October 1986.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d5LoYF8Kwo

but the only reference to any unit having their Depot there, is in the Hansard question where the MP says it was the SWB/The Welsh Regiment.

i am now puzzled again by this apparent lack of info. any ideas anyone ???

[jungle1810]

Hello Vori 101
I have sent a detailed account of who was trained in Brecon from the time it was built and who trained there.I have posted this info to two of the forum members one of whom has answered my e mail and one who has not answered me. If you care to send me your private e mail address through the forum (A P M) I can send you the full details as an attachment.
Regards jungle 1810