9th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment - 1939 to 1945

The Battalion was raised in August 1939, when, at the conclusion of Summer Camp on Salisbury Plain, the 7th Battalion split. The Kidderminster, Stourbridge, Bewdley and Stourport companies remained with the 7th, while companies based on Dudley, Langley and Halesowen provided the nucleus of the 9th. On 16th August "key parties" were called up, subsequently sending detachments to Stourport, Hartlebury and Droitwich. Though a battalion H.Q. site was planned at Langley, it was retained at The Shrubbery. The battalion was commanded by Lieut.-Colonel J. Parkes, M.C., D.C.M., who shortly relinquished the command to take over the 7th, while Lieut.-Colonel R. H. Edwards, T.D., took over command until October, 1939, when Lieut.-Colonel W. R. Prescott, M.C., took command.

The battalion then moved to Adderbury, near Banbury, where, until June, 1940, it carried out internal security at the R.A.F. stations at Bicester, Little Rissington and Brize Norton. Here the battalion was first made up to strength by the first intakes of Militia, who were dealt with under separate arrangements at Wykham Park.

In June 1940, the battalion concentrated as a unit of the 182 (Birmingham) Infantry Brigade, 61 Division, in a tented camp at Winchcombe in Gloucestershire, for training, as was thought, for operations in N.W. Europe. This, however, did not materialise, for after preparations for a move to a tropical climate had been completed, the battalion suddenly moved to Northern Ireland and was stationed at Portrush.

9th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment - H.Q. Staff of 'F' Company

9th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment - H.Q. Staff of 'F' Company
(submitted by Christopher Courtney nephew of Cpl. Ernest James Courtney)

Back Row L to R: Pte. Curtis, Pte. Bingley, Pte. Warmington, Pte. Cox, Pte. Apperley, Pte. Harris, Pte. Smith, Pte. Whitford, Pte. Wright.
Front Row L to R: Pte. Pardoe, Cpl. E. J. Courtney, L/Cpl. Davis, Sgt. Hampton, Sgt. Hollis, CSM Field, Lieut Hirons, Major Blomfield, Lieut. Hodge, Sgt. Field, Cpl. Preston, Cpl. Freeman, Pte. Challis.

 

Here the battalion, while carrying out internal security duties, building defences and training hard and long, made great progress. There was also always the chance of having to move south into Eire if the Battle of the Atlantic got too bad. Unmolested by draft finding and any forms of internal disintegration, this period was of inestimable value. A great loss was suffered when Lieut.-Colonel Prescott relinquished command. He had undoubtedly welded the battalion into a first-class unit and his loss was keenly felt by all ranks. He was succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel R. R. Cripps (Artist Rifles), during whose tenure of command the battalion was stationed at Strabane, Londonderry, Cookstown, Tynan and Ballycastle.

In February 1943, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel J. H. O. Wilsey, the battalion moved to Clacton-on-Sea, staying there two months, chiefly for "Exercise Spartan," before moving to Hertford.

At Hertford the battalion was ordered to carry out assault and combined operations training. This gave way to a role of a "follow-up" battalion, and this alternating training continued until October when, without warning, the battalion was placed on a lower establishment. A move to St. Margaret's Bay to carry out coast defence preceded the first real blow to the battalion as a unit—heavy draft finding. Training—intermingled with cross-Channel shelling and "fly bombs" — persisted, and the battalion, now commanded by Lieut.-Colonel K. G. Exham (Duke of Wellington's Regiment), continued to give a good account of itself both in field training and billets.

In June, 1944, however, the blow of drafting fell heavily and the majority of the N.C.O.'s and men were sent away, being replaced by, category men from 77 Div. Lieut.-Colonel Exham left to take up an appointment with 21 A.G., and was succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel M. M. A. Bryant (The Gloucestershire Regiment). The unit then moved to Folkestone and thence to Shorncliffe. Here the command of the battalion was taken over by Lieut.-Colonel C. P. G. Wills, O.B.E., from the 10th Battalion.

Coincident with the change, the battalion took over the new role of training ex-L.A.A. personnel for conversion to infantry. To this was added the task of re-training returned wounded from B.L.A. For a fortnight in October, 1944, a composite company, under command of Major P. Byrd, went to Sandringham to do guard duties while the King had a short holiday. The King visited the Officers' Mess in York Cottage on Sunday morning after church and met the officers. Major Byrd and Captain Holland had the honour of dining with His Majesty. The men of the Company provided parties of beaters for the royal shoots, and were provided with the traditional bottle of beer and a very good lunch. There was also an Armoured Car Troop and a troop of Bofors. Our photograph shows His Majesty inspecting the Company.

Brig. K. G. Exham

Lieut.-Colonel K. G. Exham

(later Brigadier)

9th Worc. Regt. Sandringham 1944

H.M. King George VI inspects the Guard Company of the 9th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment at Sandringham (October 1944)

In May, 1945, after the battalion had moved again to Hothfield Camp, near Ashford, information was received that the Division was to reorganise as a Light Division. This meant that the battalion was to be completely transportable by air and was to be trained to fight in any theatre of operations. In June, 1945, Lieut.-Colonel Wills departed to take command of the 1st Battalion in Germany, and was succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel D. H. Nott, D.S.O., M.C., and under his command the battalion set to preparing for its new task. However, with the collapse of Japan in August, 1945, this last project was abandoned and in November 61 Division was disbanded. For a short time the battalion came under command of East Kent district until finally entering into "suspended animation" on 31st December, 1945.

Officers of the 9th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (October 1945)

Back row L to R: Lt. J. Chapman, Lt. K. S. Jackson, Lt. P. V. Hoar, Lt. M. C. Hassett, Lt. L. Ray, Lt. T. J. Gurney, Lt. D. C. Thomas, Lt. M. E. Courtney,
Lt. J. J. Horton M.C.

Centre row L to R: Lt.(Q.M.) R. E. Heap, Capt. D. B. Haslehust, Capt. H. W. Sargeant, Capt. C. F. Graham, Capt. J. B. Hall, Capt. W. Foster,
Capt. B. E. St. L. Stuart, Capt. R. M. Edelston

Front sitting L to R: Capt. K. G. Lewis, Maj. H. Kent, Maj. H. MacPherson, Brigadier B. C. S. Clarke D.S.O. (Colonel of the Worcestershire Regiment),
Lieut.-Col. D. H. Nott D.S.O., M.C. (commanding), Lieut.-Col. P. H. Graves-Morris D.S.O., M.C. (A.D.C.), Capt. W. L. Leadbeater, Maj. R. F. Barnes, Maj. J. W. Pitt, Capt. W. Jamieson

 

COMMANDING OFFICERS OF THE 9TH BATTALION

From

To

Officer

Aug. 1939

Sep. 1939

Lieut.-Colonel Robert Harry Edwards, T.D.

Sep. 1939

Oct. 1939

Lieut.-Colonel John Parkes, M.C., D.C.M.

Oct. 1939

Oct. 1940

Lieut.-Colonel William Ralph Prescott, M.C.

Oct. 1940

Nov. 1940

Major R G. Minchin

Nov. 1940

Aug. 1942

Lieut.-Colonel R. R. Cripps (Artist Rifles)

Sep. 1942

Jan. 1943

Lieut.-Colonel W. E. Tolley (Lincoln R.)

Jan. 1943

Oct. 1943

Lieut.-Colonel John Harold Owen Wilsey

Oct. 1943

May 1944

Lieut.-Colonel Kenneth Godfrey Exham (Duke of Wellington's)

May 1944

Aug. 1944

Lieut.-Colonel M. M. A. Bryant (Gloster R.)

Aug. 1944

June 1945

Lieut.-Colonel Charles Pearce Germon Wills, O.B.E.

June 1945

July 1945

Major Derrick Norrington Cronin

July 1945

Dec. 1945

Lieut.-Colonel Donald Harley Nott, D.S.O., M.C.

 

SECONDS-IN-COMMAND

From

To

Officer

Aug. 1939

Oct. 1939

Major W. N. Brettell

Oct. 1939

Jan. 1941

Major R. G. Minchin

Jan. 1941

Feb. 1942

Major H. C. Gildowney (Irish Guards)

Feb. 1942

Oct. 1943

Major D. J. Phillpotts

Oct. 1943

May 1944

Major M. M. A. Bryant (Gloster R.)

May 1944

Nov. 1944

Major John Herbert Alston Dean

Nov. 1944

Aug. 1945

Major Derrick Norrington Cronin

Aug. 1945

Sep. 1945

Major Archibald John Gutch, M.C.

Sep. 1945

Dec. 1945

Major T. Macpherson, R.S.F.


ADJUTANTS

From

To

Officer

Aug. 1939

Dec. 1940

Captain J. H. White (Royal Warwicks)

Dec. 1940

May 1942

Captain D. Bowles

May 1942

Mar. 1944

Captain G. Wright

Mar. 1944

Jan. 1945

Captain W. J. Matthews

Jan. 1945

July 1945

Captain N. Park

July 1945

Dec. 1945

Capt. Walter Lewin Leadbeater

 

REGIMENTAL-SERGEANT-MAJORS

From

To

N.C.O.

Aug. 1939

Dec. 1940

F. Smith

Jan. 1941

Sep. 1943

R. Ackerman

Dec. 1943

July 1945

J. Brown

July 1945

Dec. 1945

J. White (Somerset L.I.)

 

9th Worc. Regt. Sergeants 1945
Sergeants of the 9th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (October 1945)


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