1st (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment

19th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps 1st (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment 8th (1st City of London) Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) C (City of London Fusiliers) Company, The London Regiment
Cap badge of the London Regiment
Active	1859—1919 1920—1945 1947—Present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Role	Reserve Armoured Infantry
Size	Normal—Battalion World War I—4 Battalions World War II—2 Battalions Current—Company
Part of	12 AI Brigade
Nickname(s)	1 LONDONS
Engagements	Second Boer War World War I World War II

The 1st (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment was a former infantry battalion of the Royal Fusiliers that was formed in 1908 and disbanded in 1961. Although the regiment's official lineage ended in 1961 their regimental lineage and traditions were continued within the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

History

Formation and background

During the 1850s and 60's the United Kingdom was in the midst of a political period of turmoil. The United Kingdom was becoming more and more worried about invasion. Because of this the government approved a plan to allow the formation of the "Volunteers" as they were colloquially known, which later became the rifle volunteers. Within this new corps, the 19th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps were organised and gazetted on 13 December 1859. This new corps, as the name suggests, both recruited and was based within the County of Middlesex (of which London was a part of). In 1880 following the re-organisation of the corps, the regiment was re-numbered as the 10th. Following the 1881 Childers Reforms the corps were affiliated with The City of London (Royal) Fusiliers, and in 1883 re-titled as the 1st Volunteer Battalion within that same regiment. In 1889 the County of London was formed and the battalion was affiliated within this new county. During the Second Boer War the battalion sent volunteers, and were granted their first battle honour, "South Africa 1900-02".

In 1907, Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane announced a series of major reforms, which would implement mostly the volunteers and yeomanry. Following this announcement, the Territorial Force was born. Following this "Territorial and Reserve Forces Bill" 14 divisions, 14 mounted brigades, army troops, and the coastal defence troops were formed. After formation the force was divided into two "groups", the "Imperial Service Troops" and the regular "Territorials". The "Imperial Service Troops", as the name suggests, were troops and units formed for service overseas, and the territorials were only for home service. Following the formation of this new force, the 1st (City of London) Battalion was formed. Following this re-designation, the battalion had the following structure;

• Battalion Headquarters, 33 Fitzroy Square, St Pancreas
  • Honourable Colonel, Captain H M Jessel
  • Lieutenant Colonel P B G O Growe VD
• 1st Group, Bloomsbury under Major C E W Taylor
  • A Company, St Pancras
  • B Company, St Pancras
  • C Company, St Pancras
  • D Company, Battersea
• 2nd Group, Batersea Square under Major E G Mercer
  • E Company, Battersea
  • F Company, St Pancras
  • G Company, St Pancras
  • H Company, St Pancras

World War I

During World War I the battalion would form three duplicate battalions, two of them would see service and the third assigned to home service.

1/1st (City of London) Battalion

After general mobilisation was announced in July 1914, the 1st (City of London) Battalion, unlike almost all other TF battalions, didn't form a duplicate. This was mostly due to the battalion being assigned to home defence duties instead of being shipped off to France. During this time the battalion was assigned to the 1st London Brigade within the 1st London Division. After mobilising and consolidating in Bloomsbury the battalion was tasked with defending the London-Newhaven railway. On 4 September the battalion moved to Southampton where they then embarked for Malta, arriving on 14 September in Valletta. On 11 February the left Malta and returned to England, after arriving in Avonmouth on the 21st. On 11 March 1915 the battalion landed at Le Havre (France) where they joined the 25th Brigade within the 8th (Eastern) Division. During 1915 the battalion saw action during the minor Battle of Aubers Ridge.

On 8 February 1916 the battalion was transferred to the 167th Brigade of the, now renamed, 56th (London) Division. In 1916 the battalion formed two new battalions, thus becoming the 1/1st (City of London) Battalion. That same year, the battalion saw action at the Battle of Bouleaux Wood and later the Battle of Lesbouefs. In 1917 the battalion saw more action including the Battle of Neuville Vitasse and the Battle of Polygon Wood.

On 6 February 1918 the battalion absorbed the disbanded 2/1st Battalion and renamed as the 1st Battalion again. During the last year of the war the battalion saw the most service including the Battle of Croisilles, Battle of Paullel, and the Battle of Onnezies.

In 1919 the battalion was disembodied and placed into S/A.

2/1st (City of London) Battalion

The 2/1st (City of London) Battalion was formed in 1914, but not fully activated in 1916 due to a lack on manpower. Following formation the battalion was based in London, then moved to Kent and placed under command of the 2/1st London Brigade within the new formed 2/1st London Division. In February 1915 the battalion left the division and relieved the 1/1st Battalion based in Malta. On 27 August the battalion was ordered to Egypt but during the voyage were diverted to support the ill-fated Gallipoli Campaign. During the year of 1915 the battalion saw action during the Battle of Sulva. In January 1916 the battalion was evacuated from Gallipoli and moved to Egypt where they joined the 53rd (Welsh) Division, in April moved independently to France, and in June was disbanded in Rouen.

3/1st (City of London) Battalion

The 3/1st (City of London) Battalion was formed in January 1915 following the need for more drafts on the Western Front. The battalion formed within the also new formed 3/1st London Brigade in Tadworth. By May the battalion moved to Bury St Edmunds where they were transferred to the 173rd Brigade of the 58th (2/1st London) Division. In June 1916 the battalion was renamed as the 2/1st Battalion following the former's disbandment, where they moved to Sutton Veny in July. In January 1917 the battalion landed in Le Havre where they were disbanded the next year. After disbandment the troops went to the following; 1/4th, 2/2nd, 2/3rd, and 2/4th Battalions.

4/1st (City of London) Battalion

The final duplicate of the 1st (City of London) Battalion was the 4/1st (City of London) Battalion. In May 1915 the battalion was formed and joined the 173rd Brigade in the 58th (2/1st London) Division based in East Anglia. After the battalion joined their brigade the battalion was based in Tadworth and in January 1916 moved to Hurdcott. On 8 April 1916 the battalion was re-titled as the 1st (Reserve) Battalion, 1st (City of London) Battalion. On 1 September 1916 the battalion absorbed the 3rd Reserve Battalion and move dot Torquay. In April 1917 the battalion moved to Blackdown where they were disbanded on 15 August 1919.

Interwar

In 1919 all duplicates of the battalion were either disbanded or placed in suspended animation. In 1920 the Territorial Army was reformed as the successor to the Territorial Force. Following this re-formation, the battalion was re-formed as the 1st (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers). On 1922 it was again renamed becoming the 1st City of London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers). Between 1936-38 the Territorial Army went through some major re-organisations, one of which was the disbandment of the London Regiment. Following their disbandment, the battalion was renamed as the 8th (1st City of London) Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Just before mobilisation for World War II, the battalion had the following structure;

• Battalion Headquarters, Handel Street, Bloomsbury, London
  • Honorary Colonel; Henry George Charles Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood KG GSCO DSO TD ADC
  • Commanding Officer; Lieutenant Colonel J A E Ralston
• A Company
• B Company
• C Company
• D Company

World War II

During the entirety of 1938 and 1939 the Munich Crisis was on the minds of almost every politician and senior member of the army with the threat of a new world war. Because of this, Secretary of State for War Leslie Hore-Belisha announced that the Territorial Army was to duplicate. Following this announcement the battalion formed a new duplicate, the 11th Battalion based in the same area.

8th (1st City of London) Battalion

Until 1943 the 8th (1st City of London) Battalion was based on home service, and didn't serve overseas. In 1943 the battalion moved to North Africa where it took part in the North African Campaign. During their stunt in North Africa they took part in the Battle of Djebel Tebagada and Battle of Enfidaville. During middle 1943 the battalion was moved to Tunisia where they took part in the initial invasion during the Invasion of Italy. After the initial invasion they took part in the following actions; Battle of Salerno, Battle of Teano, and the Battle of Monte Cassino. After the initial invasion the battalion kept moving through the Italian peninsula where they were involved with the following actions; Battle of Garigliano, Battle of Anzio, Assault on the Gothic Line, Battle of Coriano, Battle of Rimini, Battle of Line, Battle of Limone, Battle of Argenta, Battle of Damiano, and finally the Battle of Croce. In the end of 1945 the battalion was demobilised and placed in suspended animation.

11th (1st City of London) Battalion

The 11th battalion was very similar to the 8th in the sense that they remained in the UK on home defence duties. In 1934 the battalion saw their first and only service operation during the Bruneval Raid. During this raid the anti-aircraft platoon of the battalion provided "at sea fire" support from several ships during the withdrawal stages of the operation. In the end of 1945 the battalion was demobilised and placed in suspended animation.

Postwar

In 1947 the Territorial Army was reformed, and as a result the 8th (1st City of London) Battalion and 11th (1st City of London) Battalions were reconstituted and concurrently amalgamated. In 1961 the battalion merged with the 624th (Royal Fusiliers) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery to form the new larger City of London Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). In 1967 following the 1966 Defence White Paper and concurrent formation of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve the battalion was reduced to C (The City of London Company, The Royal Fusiliers), Fusilier Volunteers. After several reforms and reductions the company was moved under the new London Regiment but under the Army 2020 Refine was moved under the 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

Today the company is based at 213 Belham High Road (Fusilier House), Belham, London and in the reserve armoured infantry role paired with the 1st battalion of the same regiment (The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers).

Battle honours

Battle honours in bold were displayed on the Regimental/King's/Queen's Colours. Battle honours of the battalion included;

• Second Boer War
  • "South Africa 1900-02"
• World War I
  • "Aubers", "Somme 1916", "Albert 1916", "Flres-Courcelette", "Morval", "Le Transloy", "Egypt 1916", "Arras 1917", "Scarpe 1917", "Bullecourt", "Ypres 1917", "Langemarck 1917", "Menin Road", "Polygon Wood", "Passchendaele", "Cambrai 1917", "Somme 1918", "Albert 1918", "Arras 1918", "Scarpe 1918", "Hindenburg Line", "Canal du Nord", "Valencinnes", "Sambre", "France and Flanders 1915-18", and "Gallipoli 1915-16"
• World War II
  • "Djebel Tebgada", "North Africa 1943", "Salerno", "Teano", "Monte Camino", "Garigliano Crossing", "Damiano", "Anzio", "Gothic Line", "Coriano", "Croce", and "Italy 1943-45"

Appointments

Honorary Colonels included;

• 1898—1907 Major General Sir Henry Trotter GCVO
• 1907—1923 Captain (Honorary Major) Sir Herbert Merton Jessel, 1st Baron Jessel CB CMG
• 1923—???? Captain (Honorary Colonel) Henry George Charles Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood KG GCVO DSO TD ADC
• ????—???? Colonel E H Hillersdon DSO TD

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