25 JUNE 1930 – ON THIS DAY IN RWF HISTORY

Presentation of the ‘Royal Welch Fusiliers March’ by Sousa to the Regiment, 1930

The warm feelings that had existed between the Regiment and the United States Marine Corps resulting from shared experiences with 2 RWF in China in 1900, led to the composition of a march, The Royal Welch Fusiliers by Lieut Comdr JP Sousa of the US Naval Reserve. It was presented personally by Sousa to the Colonel of the Regiment at Tidworth in the presence of an American delegation.

22 June – ON THIS DAY IN RWF HISTORY

2 RWF at Red Dragon Crater, 1916

The battalion had just returned to the trenches in the Givenchy area of France. Shortly after 1.30 am the largest German mine of the war was detonated under B Company, many of whose members were buried alive. The blast was followed by an enemy raid which was repulsed in hand-to-hand fighting. The company suffered about 100 casualties. Some men lay out in the open, exposed to German fire, until after dark. The crater measured 150 by 75 yards at the base; the lips were 40 feet high.

21ST JUNE 1813 ON THIS DAY IN RWF HISTORY VITTORIA

Battle of Vittoria, Spain, 1813

A retreating French army under Napoleon’s brother Joseph occupied a strong position at Vittoria. Wellington’s operations began in a thick mist. His columns gained position after position and by shortly after midday the enemy’s retreat was intercepted and the pursuit was kept up until after dark. Battalion losses were very light but, nevertheless, the Regiment gained the battle honour VITTORIA.

21ST JUNE 1704 – ON THIS DAY IN RWF HISTORY

Battle of the Schellenberg, Germany, 1704

After the memorable march of Marlborough’s army he learnt that Bavarian troops were fortifying the formidable heights of the Schellenberg near the Danube. He decided on an immediate assault. The leading troops were repulsed but three battalions, including the 23rd, resolutely stood their ground and beat off the enemy counter-attack and saved the day. The RWF suffered nearly 250 casualties.

19TH JUNE 1815 – 0N THIS DAY IN RWF HISTORY

The Death of Henry Walton Ellis, Commanding Officer The Royal Welch Fusiliers at Waterloo 

He was born on 29 November 1782, the son of Lieutenant-Colonel John Joyner Ellis, RWF (q.v.), and his wife Sarah (née Walton), and was christened in St Nicholas’ Church, Worcester almost a year later, on 6 October 1783. There is still uncertainty as to where he was born, which may be connected with the long period between his birth and baptism. The often-quoted Cambray could be near Cheltenham, or possibly Cambrai, in what is now north-eastern France.
His father purchased a commission for him as ensign in 89th Foot, when he was only a few weeks old on 26 March 1783. When 89th Foot was disbanded later the same year the baby was placed on half pay, but on 21 September 1789 he was brought onto full pay as ensign in 41st Foot (aged 5); lieutenant 31 March 1792 and captain-lieutenant 15 December 1794.
He transferred to RWF as captain-lieutenant on 3 September 1795 and was promoted captain RWF on 20 January 1796; major on 23 October 1804; lieutenant-colonel in command on 23 April 1807 and colonel on 14 June 1814. He was nominated KCB on 2 January 1815.
During his service he was wounded no less than eight times, including the expedition to the Helder in 1799, at Alexandria in 1801, at Albuera being ‘shot badly through the right hand’, at the storming and capture of Badajoz, at Salamanca and in the Pyrenees.
On 26 December 1814 the county and city of Worcester presented Sir Henry with a splendid silver-gilt vase, which had been funded by public subscription, “in testimony of the high sense they entertain of your meritorious services, so repeatedly displayed in the defence of your country . . . .”. At the same ceremony he was presented with the honorary freedom of the City of Worcester. Detailed accounts of the ceremonies were printed in Berrow’s Worcester Journal of 29 December, and the Worcester Herald of 31 December.
At the battle of Waterloo he was severely wounded in the chest by a musket ball. “Feeling himself faint from loss of blood, he calmly desired an opening to be made in the square and rode to the rear. At a short distance from the field he was thrown from his horse while in the act of leaping a ditch; here he was found soon afterwards, much exhausted, and conveyed to a nearby out-house where his wound was dressed. In the course of the night of 19 June the hovel in which he was lodged unfortunately caught fire and he was with difficulty rescued from the flames by Assistant Surgeon Monroe of the RWF, but was exhausted by so many shocks and on 20 June expired”. He was aged 32.
He was buried on the battlefield of Waterloo, but there is doubt as to exactly where. The Wellington museum at Waterloo, an authoritative source on the battle, consider that ‘Sir Henry Ellis was buried in the cemetery next to the church of Waterloo, which is confirmed by Tarlier and Wauters (1869) [Historians, who wrote about the French Empire]. This cemetery (700 feet from the church) was to the west of the church and is then not on the museum side. The former cemetery was closed between 1955 and 1975. We suppose that Sir H. Ellis’ body was not found 150 years after his burying and the monument which was on his grave was moved to the Wellington museum. That’s how it arrived here. . . . It's possible that he was first buried in the yard of the house where he died, but probably not in Braine-l’Alleud, or then he would have been moved to Braine-l’Alleud cemetery instead of Waterloo. He was surely buried in Waterloo and maybe close to the windmill of Waterloo, situated close to the place where the road from Nivelles is meeting the one Charleroi-Brussels.’

18TH JUNE 1815 – ON THIS DAY IN RWF HISTORY- WATERLOO

Battle of Waterloo, Belgium, 1815

During the battle the RWF in Mitchell’s Brigade was moved into the first line which they anchored on its right flank and covered Hougoumont. This was to the immediate right of the
main line of attack of the French cavalry. It was during one of these attacks that the commanding officer, Colonel Sir Henry Ellis, was fatally wounded. The Regiment suffered much from the French guns and suffered 100 casualties. WATERLOO was granted as a battle honour.

17TH JUNE 1775 – 0N THIS DAY IN RWF HISTORY

Battle of Bunker Hill, Massachusetts, North America, 1775

British forces were blockaded in Boston by the rebel militia, which greatly outnumbered the garrison. The enemy also occupied the peninsula from where heavy guns on Bunker Hill, which commanded the harbour, could stop supplies and reinforcements reaching Boston. A successful attack was launched on the hill by troops including the flank companies of the 23rd. The Grenadier Company had only five unwounded out of 49 men.

16TH JUNE 1903 – ON THIS DAY IN RWF HISTORY

Gen Sir Hugh Stockwell GCB KBE DSO born, 1903

Commissioned into the RWF in 1923. In 1940 he led an independent company (later commandos) in Norway. He commanded 2 RWF at Madagascar in 1942. He commanded a brigade and a division in Burma, rising from major to major-general in only five years. After the war he was Commandant of Sandhurst, Commander 1 (BR) Corps, Land Force commander during Suez (1956), and Military Secretary. His last appointment was Deputy Supreme Commander Allied Powers Europe. He was Colonel of the Regiment 1952-64. He died in 1986.

3RD ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS ON PARADE AT LITHERLAND,1915