The 7th (Merionethshire & Montgomeryshire) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers, was a Welsh unit of Britain's Territorial Force. First raised in 1897, it fought at Gallipoli and in Palestine during World War I, and in the campaign in North West Europe during World War II. A duplicate battalion was converted to the paratroop role. Postwar the battalion was converted into anti-aircraft artillery, then reverted to infantry in 1956 after it amalgamated with a neighbouring unit.

Precursor units An invasion scare in 1859 led to the emergence of the Volunteer Movement, and Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs) began to be organised throughout Great Britain, composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need.Beckett.Spiers, pp. 163–8.Owen, pp. 109–10. In the Welsh county of Montgomeryshire these were:Beckett, Appendix VII.Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire Volunteers at Regiments.org.Westlake, Rifle Volunteers, p. 185.Owen, pp. 110–4. 1st (Newtown) Montgomeryshire RVC, formed 19 February 1860 under the command of Captain John Price Drew; also known as the '1st Newtown Rifle Volunteers'; disbanded 1872 2nd (Welshpool) Montgomeryshire RVC, formed 26 March 1860; disbanded 1876 3rd (Welshpool) Montgomeryshire RVC, formed 14 August 1860, known as the 'Railway Rifles' because the majority of the men were employees of the Oswestry and Newtown Railway, which formally opened Welshpool railway station on the same day; two companies by May 1861; disbanded 1872 4th (Machynlleth) Montgomeryshire RVC, formed as a sub-division 10 January 1861; disbanded March 1864 5th (Llanidloes) Montgomeryshire RVC, formed as a sub-division 2 March 1861; renumbered 4th in 1864; disbanded 1876

On 28 March 1861 these independent corps were grouped together as the 1st Administrative Battalion, Montgomeryshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, with headquarters (HQ) at Welshpool.

In neighbouring Merionethshire the following units were raised:Westlake, Rifle Volunteers, pp. 162–3. 1st (Bala) Merionethshire RVC, formed 11 November 1859, disbanded March 1864 2nd (Dolgellau) Merionethshire RVC, formed 15 May 1861, renumbered 1 March 1864; disbanded after February 1872 3rd (Corwen) Merionethshire RVC, formed 15 September 1860, moved to Ffestiniog 1861; disbanded after March 1864

In 1863 Capt Price Drew of the 1st RVC was appointed Major-Commandant of the 1st Admin Bn of Montgomeryshire RVCs and moved its HQ to Newtown in 1864. That year the battalion took over the remaining 1st Merioneth RVC, as well as the 2nd (Aberystwyth) Cardiganshire RVC, which was disbanded in 1866. In 1865 Capt Robert Devereux Harrison from the 2nd RVC succeeded as major-commandant of the battalion, which moved back to Welshpool in 1870.Westlake, p. 36. Recruitment was poor in the sparsely populated rural counties of Wales, and discontent over the Secretary of State for War's refusal to sanction a commission for a sergeant in the corps led to mass resignations in the 3rd RVC in 1872. These were sufficient to warrant its disbandment, followed by the break-up of the Montgomeryshire Admin Bn the following year. Its remaining units (the 2nd and 4th RVCs) weretransferred to the 1st Administrative Battalion, Shropshire Rifle Volunteer Corps. This move was unpopular with the Montgomeryshire men and led to further resignations and disbandments. After 1876 there were no remaining Volunteer units in Montgomery or Merioneth.Westlake, p. 209.

Volunteer Force After a 20-year hiatus, a new volunteer unit appeared in Montgomery after Edward Pryce-Jones, MP for Montgomery Boroughs, petitioned the War Office. His proposal was sanctioned on 12 February 1897, the new 5th Volunteer Battalion, South Wales Borderers, consisting of four companies. Pryce-Jones, who was a Major in the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry, was appointed major-commandant on 1 April. (He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel a year later.) Battalion HQ was established at Newtown with two companies, the other companies being at Welshpool and at Machynlleth and Llanfair Caereinion. Enrolment began on 7 April and included the Newtown Silver Band, who became the official battalion band. The battalion carried out its first training at Tywyn, in July, and the following February the link with Merionethshire was renewed when F Company was raised in that town; an additional Montgomery company (E Company) was formed in March. After a link was made with University College, Aberystwyth on 7 March 1900, the battalion's organisation and drill stations were as follows by May 1901:Frederick, pp. 303–4.Monthly Army List, various dates.Owen, pp. 114–20.Burke's: Pryce-Jones. Battalion HQ at Newtown A Company at Newtown and Llanidloes B Company at Newtown and Montgomery C Company at Welshpool and Llanfair D Company at Machynlleth and Corris (Merioneth) E Company at Aberdovey (Merioneth) and UCW Abersytwyth F Company at Tywyn (Merioneth) (took over Aberdovey detachment)

From 1899 the battalion trained with the South Wales Volunteer Infantry Brigade (VIB), but in 1902 the VIBs were reorganised and thereafter the five SWB VBs comprised the South Wales Border Brigade.

Second Boer War

After Black Week in December 1899, the volunteers were invited to send active service units to assist the Regulars in the Second Boer War. In January 1900 the War Office decided that one Volunteer Service Company (VSC) company 114 strong could be recruited from the volunteer battalions of any infantry regiment that had a regular battalion serving in South Africa. The SWB's five VBs accordingly raised a service company between them, 5th VB being asked to supply only one officer, one sergeant, one corporal, one bugler and 18 privates, though 28 per cent of the battalion had put their names forward.Beckett, p. 213.Owen, pp. 116, 145–51.

After training, the 1st VSC of the SWB sailed to South Africa, disembarking at Cape Town on 9 March. Once acclimatised it was assigned to guard railway bridges. In May it went by railway to join the 2nd Battalion, SWB, serving with Lord Roberts' army advancing towards Johannesburg. The Volunteers came into action for the first time at the Battle of Zand River on 10 May, when the 2nd SWB helped to dislodge the Boers from their positions on the opposite bank of the river, the 1st VSC suffering its first casualty. The Boers retreated and the 2nd SWB participated in the ceremonial entry into Johannesburg on 30 May.

On 2 June SWB moved out to protect the railway to Rhenoster, and the 1st VSC and another company spent July–August digging in at Vrederfort Road. In August the battalion reassembled and moved back to Johannesburg to take part in a month-long 'drive' to try to break Boer resistance. With the war apparently ending, the 1st VSC left 2nd SWB and began its journey home on 1 October, but it was repeatedly delayed and diverted to duties on the lines of communication, and it was not until 27 April 1901 that it finally embarked at Cape Town.

With the war continuing, a relief VSC (2nd VSC, SWB) was mobilised in February 1901. Unlike a year earlier far fewer volunteers came forward, many being discouraged by stories of hard service and the poor pay compared to that received by volunteers for the Imperial Yeomanry. The 2nd VSC also carried out railway guard duties, then joined 2nd SWB at Klerksdorp. Here it was employed in patrolling and manning the blockhouse line. The 2nd VSC was released just before the war ended and arrived at Southampton on 25 May. A 3rd VSC, SWB, was mobilised in February 1902, but it was now hard to get volunteers. After a short spell in South Africa it was released after the Treaty of Vereeniging and reached home on 2 August.

The contribution of volunteers to the service companies earned the 5th Bn its first Battle honour: South Africa 1900–01.

Territorial Force When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908,Dunlop, Chapter 14.Spiers, Chapter 10. the battalion was transferred from the South Wales Borderers to the Royal Welch Fusiliers as the 7th (Merionethshire & Montgomeryshire) Battalion. E Company at Aberystwyth University transferred to the Senior Division of the Officers' Training Corps.London Gazette 20 March 1908.'Territorial Battalions of the RWF 1908–2008' at RWF Museum Archive. Not all members were prepared to transfer to the TF (the battalion did not achieve its full established strength until after the outbreak of World War I), but when the reorganisation was completed on 30 June 1908 the battalion was distributed as follows:Conrad, British Army 1914.Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire at Great War Centenary Drill Halls. HQ & B Company at Back Lane, NewtownNewtown at Drill Hall Project. A Company at Victoria Avenue, Llanidloes,Montgomeryshire drill stations at Drill Hall Project. and Carno with drill stations at Kerry Street Armoury, Montgomery, Caersws and Carno C Company at Brook Street, Welshpool,Welshpool at Drill Hall Project. with drill stations at Llanfair, Llanfechain, Llanfyllin and Llanwddyn D Company at Maengwyn Street, Machynlleth,Machynlleth at Drill Hall Project. with drill stations at Cemmaes, Corris and Llanbrynmair E Company at Dolgellau,Dolgellau at Drill Hall Project. with drill stations at Barmouth and Harlech F Company at Brook Street, Neuadd Pendre, Tywyn,Tywyn at Drill Hall Project. with drill stations at Aberdovey,Merionethshire drill stations at Drill Hall Project. Abergynolwyn and Llwyngwril G Company at Dorvill Road, Blaenau FfestiniogBlaenau Ffestiniog at Drill Hall Project. with drill station at Penrhyndeudraeth H Company at Pensarn Road, Neuadd Buddug, Bala,Bala at Drill Hall Project. with drill station at Corwen

It formed part of the North Wales Brigade of the TF's Welsh Division.Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 117–23.James, p. 67–8.RWF at Long, Long Trail.53rd (W) Division at Long, Long Trail.Ward, p. 10.

World War I Mobilisation On 3 August 1914 the Welsh Division's infantry brigades were at their annual camps when all training was cancelled and the battalions were ordered back to their HQs; war was declared next day. On 5 August they mobilised, and had concentrated at their war stations (at Conway in the case of the North Wales Brigade) by 11 August. On that date TF units were invited to volunteer for Overseas ServiceWard, p. 11. and on 15 August the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas. Later 3rd Line units were formed to train drafts for the 1st and 2nd Line.Becke, Pt 2b, p. 6.

1/7th (Merionethshire & Montgomeryshire) Battalion

The Welsh Division moved to Northampton at the end of August 1914, where on 18 November it was warned for service in India, but this was subsequently cancelled. Training was interrupted by periods spent digging trenches for the East Coast defences. In December the division moved to Cambridge, then to Bedford in May 1915, where it was numbered as the 53rd (Welsh) Division, and the North Wales Brigade became the 158th (North Wales) Brigade. By July the battalion was at Rushden in Northamptonshire. On 2 July the division was ordered to refit for service in the Mediterranean. A and D Companies of 1/7th Bn entrained for Devonport on 14 July, embarking on the City of Edinburgh and sailing next day. The rest of the battalion went to Devonport on 16 July and sailed on the Huntsend and the Ulysses. The battalion arrived at Alexandria on 28 July.Ward, pp. 11–3; Appendix I.Westlake, Gallipoli, pp. 76–7.

Gallipoli