Commanding Officers of the 12th Battalion

At the start of the First World War in 1914 many new Army units were raised and as such a 12th Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment was formed at Plymouth in November 1914 under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Sir E. H. St. L. Clarke. However, before the formation had reached its final stages it was decided to convert it in to a training unit to supply reinforcements to replace the anticipated casualties of the regular battalions. As such the 12th Battalion became one of the reserve battalions. During the autumn of 1916 the 12th Battalion was amalgamated with the 13th Battalion and renamed the 46th Training Reserve Battalion, this new unit then ceased to have any connection with the Regiment and as such then sent drafts to any unit of the armies overseas.

The 12th. Battalion Worcestershire Regiment was raised again in Burton on the 1st June 1940 it was commanded by Lieut.-Colonel A. P. Watkins. The Battalion was raised as the 50th (Holding) Battalion, the permanent staff coming from the 1st Militia Training Group at Dover and from the Worcestershire Company of the 8th Holding Battalion at Crewe. Three companies were raised from men called up from civil life, a fourth company being formed from “old soldiers” and men of Worcestershire returning from Dunkirk. Immediately after Dunkirk the Battalion housed and re-clothed some 250 officers and men of the B.E.F.

On 28th February, 1942, the Battalion changed its identity and became the 179th Field Regiment, R.A., and as such were destined to meet the 1st Battalion in close co-operation two years later in France as part of the 43rd (Wessex) Division.

Below is a list of all the officers who have commanded the 12th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment from 1914 to 1942.

MORE DETAILS ABOUT EACH OFFICER MY BE OBTAINED BY CLICKING ON THE INDIVIDUAL SURNAME

Surname
Forename/s
Commissioned to
From
To

Clarke

Sir Edward Henry St. Lawrence

Worcestershire Regiment

Nov. 1914

Oct. 1915

Swanson

J. G. R. 

-

Oct. 1915

Oct. 1916

-

-

-

-

-

Watkins

Arthur Powell

Worcestershire Regiment

Jun. 1940

Mar. 1942


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