Commanding Officers of the 5th Battalion
In 1900 the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, originally known as the 1st Battalion of the old Worcestershire Militia until 1881, was renumbered the 5th Battalion due to the fact that new Regular Battalions were raised for fighting in the Boer War.
In 1905 the old Militia Battalion now renamed the “Special Reserve” were playing their part in the organisation of the national defences. The Haldane reforms had resulted in the Militia battalions quitting their original role of home defence and becoming reserves to the Regular Army.
On the outbreak of the First World War (1914) the 5th Battalion, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel W. S. Brindle, was a “Special Reserve” battalion which had been mobilized at Worcester and had proceeded to their allotted War Stations in the garrison of Plymouth (Fort Tregantle). There the half-trained ”Special Reservists“ completed their preparation for the field, and the Battalion developed into a specialised training organization, sending draft after draft abroad and receiving instead recruits of every kind.
In the winter of 1917 a partial redistribution of the forces at home was carried out, and the 5th Battalion of the Regiment were moved from Plymouth to the East Coast. There the Battalion settled down to duty in the Harwich defences, and was stationed at Manningtree and Mistley. In the following year, a reduction in strength followed the despatch of troops to France, and the 6th Battalion was temporarily amalgamated with the 5th Battalion and was commanded of Lieut.-Colonel B. R. Roche.
The 5th (Reserve) Battalion (still under the temporary command of Lieut.-Colonel B. R. Roche) moved to Dublin on the 12th - 13th April, 1919 and took over quarters in Portobello Barracks. There the 5th (Reserve) Battalion had absorbed the 1st Garrison Battalion of the Regiment and had swollen thereby to a strength of nearly 2,300 of all ranks including 70 Officers.
The cadre of the 5th Battalion returned to England and the Colours were laid up in Norton Barracks, and the representatives of the old Militia were demobilised. On Monday 9th July 1919, the day following the Victory March at Worcester, the Colours of the 5th Battalion, which had been laid up during the war, were handed over at Worcester Cathedral by Canon Lacey to a Colour Party sent from Dublin consisting of Captain Bishop, Lieut. G . B. Harrison, C.S.M. Charlwood, Privates Bowater and Alderthay. The same escort brought the Colours back to the Depot a fortnight later.
Below is a list of all the officers who have commanded the 5th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment from 1900 to 1919.
MORE DETAILS ABOUT EACH OFFICER MY BE OBTAINED BY CLICKING ON THE INDIVIDUAL SURNAME
Surname |
Forename/s |
Commissioned to |
From |
To |
|
|
|
|
|
Stephenson-Fetherstonhaugh |
S. A. |
- |
1905 |
1913 |
Brindle |
W. S. |
- |
1913 |
1918 |
Roche |
B. R. |
- |
1918 |
1919 |