5th Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment

5th Battalion The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Capbadge of the Royal West Kent Regiment
Active	1908—1919 1921—1947
Country	United Kingdom England
Branch	British Army The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Role	Infantry
Size	Battalion
Engagements	World War I World War II

The 5th Battalion The Queen's Royal West Kent Regiment was a territorial infantry unit of the British Army. The battalion was first formed in 1908 as a result of the formation of the Territorial Force, and through the re-designation of the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the same regiment. The battalion was finally disbanded in 1947 after it amalgamated with the 4th battalion to form the 4th/5th Battalion.

History

Background

In 1907, Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane announced a series of reforms, which would effect mostly the Volunteers and Yeomanry. These two groups were merged to form the "Territorial Force". On 1 April 1908 the Territorial Force was born. These reforms formed fourteen divisions, fourteen mounted brigades, and coastal defence troops. As part of these reforms, all of the volunteer battalions were renamed loosing their "volunteer" title and gaining regional or regular titles.

Prewar

In 1908 the 1st Volunteer Battalion was re-designated as the 5th Battalion. As a result, the battalion lost their 'volunteer' title but kept their reserve volunteer role. Just before World War I, the battalion had the following structure;

• Battalion Headquarters at East Street, Bromley under Lieutenant Colonel F A Frazer
  • Band of the 5th Battalion under Instructor of Music, Captain H L Richardson (Also CO of F Company)
• 1st Group under Major E B Willis [Would form the 1/5th Battalion]
  • A Company in Bromley under Captain A E Hills
  • B Company in Bromley under Captain L V Neame
  • C Company in Dartford under Captain J Harston
  • D Company in Beckenham under Captain R E Satterthwaite
• 2nd Group, under Major C D Clark [Would form the 2/5th Battalion]
  • E Company in Sidcup and Dartford under Captain R Keyes
  • F Company in Chatham and Cliffe-at-Hoo under Captain H L Richardson
  • G Company in Chatham and Cliffe-at-Hoo
  • H Company in Swanley under Captain J H Hay

World War I

When World War I broke out, the battalion formed a duplicate battalion from the "2nd Group". these battalions became known as the 1/5th and 2/5th battalions. The battalion also later formed the 3/5th battalion in 1915.

1/5th Battalion

The 1/5th battalion was formed in August 1914 following the duplication of the former 5th battalion's 1st group. After formation, the battalion was assigned to the Kent Brigade of the Home Counties Division and based in Bromley but later moved to Dover. Just before moving to India, the battalion was based in Canterbury and then Sandwich. On 30 October, the battalion moved to India, where they would remain for the rest of the war on the North-West Frontier. After moving to India, the Home Counties division was broken up, and as a result the battalion left.

After the breaking up, the battalion joined the Jhansi Brigade of the 5th (Mhow) Division. By March 1916 the battalion moved under control of the 4th (Rawalpindi) Brigade within the 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division. By March 1917 the battalion moved returned to the 5th (Mhow) Division within the Jubbulpore Brigade.

Finally in December 1917 the battalion moved to Mesopotamia within the 54th Brigade of the 18th Indian Division. Following this move, the battalion was landed in Al Basra. During their time in Mesopotamia (Iraq), the battalion saw action multiple times including; Battle of Fat-ha Gorge, Battle of Little Zab, and the Battle of Sharqat.

Finally in October 1918 the battalion was put into suspended animation.

2/5th Battalion

The 2/5th battalion was formed in August 1914 as a result of the separation of the formal 5th battalion. Following the duplication, the 2nd group formed this new battalion.

The battalion was formed, consolidated, and mobilised in Bromley (West Kent). During their time in Kent, they were assigned to the 202nd (2nd Kent) Brigade of the 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division. By November the battalion moved to Ascot (Berkshire). During the entirety of its time, the battalion was based the England on reserve home defence duties. The battalion moved multiple times between Canterbury and Ashford, finally being disbanded in Canterbury in November 1917.

3/5th Battalion

The 3/5th battalion was formed in January 1915 in Bromley. After formation, the battalion moved to Cambridge (Cambridgeshire). By April, the battalion moved to Crowborough and was renamed as the 5th Reserve Battalion. Finally on 1 September 1916, the battalion was absorbed by the 4th Reserve Battalion.

Interwar

During the Interwar period, all of the duplicate battalions were put into suspended animation. As a result of the disbandment of the Territorial Force in 1919, the battalions were all disbanded also. By 1920 the Territorial Army was formed as the successor to the Force. After this reformation, the battalion was reconstituted in Bromley under the same title of 5th Battalion. During this reformation, the battalion was based around the "4 company organisation".

Just before mobilisation for World War II, the battalion had the following structure;

• Battalion Headquarters at East Street Drill Hall, Bromley under Lieutenant Colonel H S Brown MC
• A Company under Captain G B Knight
• B Company under Captain T Kenyon
• C Company under Captain E G Young
• D Company under Captain H J D Combe

On 29 March 1939, Secretary of State for War Leslie Hore-Belisha announced plans to increase the TA from 130,000 to 340,000 men and double the number of TA divisions and sub-units. As a result of this announcement, the battalion started to form a duplicate battalion, being the 7th battalion.

Just before mobilisation, the 7th battalion had the following structure;

• Battalion Headquarters in Darford under Lieutenant Colonel A G Fuller
• A Company under Captain R H B White
• B Company under Captain F K Theobald
• C Company under Captain C W Clout
• D Company

World War II

In September 1939 the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland declared war on the German Third Reich following their invasion of Poland. Following this declaration, both battalions were mobilised and joined their respective brigades.

5th Battalion

After mobilisation, the battalion was assigned to the 132nd Infantry Brigade of the Home Counties Division. The next year the battalion moved along with the rest of the British Expeditionary Force to France. The battalion saw limited service in the area, and was eventually evacuation from Dunkirk by May.

In July 1942 the battalion moved to Egypt with the 4th battalion where they were part of the 8th Army and took part in the Battle of Alam Halfa and the Battle of El Alamein. By 1943 the battalion was in Italy with the 6th battalion where it took part in the Italian Campaigns. During their time in Italy the battalion saw some service during the Battle of Monte Cassino, Battle of Florence, and the Assault on the Gothic Line. In 1945 the battalion was demobilised and put into suspended animation, they were in Austria at the time.

7th Battalion

The battalion was formed just before mobilisation for World War II, it was formed as a duplicate of the former 5th battalion. After formation, the battalion was under the control of the 44th Infantry Division. After mobilising, the battalion joined the 36th Infantry Brigade. On 19 April 1940, the battalion was still in the same brigade when it moved to France and joined the 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division within the British Expeditionary Force. Following their move to France, the battalion was assigned to Labour and training duties.

In May 1940 following the Invasion of France, the entire brigade was overrun by the Germans at Albert. After this overrunning, the battalion lost all members but 70 who managed to escape to Dunkirk and eventually the United Kingdom. On 8 June 1940 the battalion was reconstituted where it remained in the United Kingdom. After reforming, the battalion was assigned to multiple brigades on coastal defence duties during the Battle of Britain.

On 2 May 1944 the 2nd battalion was reformed from the 7th, after it was cut off and exterminated during the Battle of Leros. Finally, in 1945 the battalion was put into suspended animation and concurrently disbanded the next year.

Postwar

In 1945 following the end of the war, the battalions were put into suspended animation. Finally in 1947 the battalions were reconstituted and concurrently amalgamated with the 4th to form the new 4th/5th Battalion The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment.

Information

• Cadet Affiliation, 1st Chatham Cadet Company, Royal Marine Light Infantry at Royal Marine Barracks, Chatham
• Cadet Affiliation, 1st Cadet Battalion of The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
• Cadet Affiliation, Bromley County School Cadet Company
• Cadet Affiliation, Dartford Grammar School Cadet Company

Honourable Colonels;

• 1920—1938 Colonel F A Frazer DSO TD
• 1938—1945 Major F J F Edlmann DSO

Battle Honours;

• South Africa 1900-02

Sources

• Westlake, Ray. The Territorials 1908-1914, A Guide for Military and Family Historians. Pen and Sword Military, 2011. ISBN 978-1-84884-360-8
• Mills, T F. “5th Battalion The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment” 5th Battalion The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment [UK], regiments.org. Archived on 22 November 2007 from the Original