AT the end of the first “War to end all Wars”, the survivors of the 3rd Mons saw their beloved battalion disbanded. Over 1000 men went to France in 1915 and only 134 came home after the 2nd Battle of Ypres. Yet when the threat of war in Europe loomed once again, the 3rd Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment was re-mobilised, with its headquarters once again in Abergavenny.

Who knew then at the outbreak of the second World War, that history would repeat itself, and after a long period of training and champing at the bit, the 3rd Mons who would go to war and in a short period of months, distinguish themselves on the European battlefield and once again, come out the other end virtually wiped out.

The Territorial Army was reconstituted in 1922 and the 3rd Mons once again raised as a merged battalion with the Brecknockshire Battalion, South Wales Borderers, as the 3rd Battalion (Brecknockshire & Monmouthshire) The Monmouthshire Regiment TA. In 1939 the battalion split and the Monmouthshire element became a separate unit.

At the start of World War II, the 3rd Mons, with the 1st Battalion, Herefordshire Regiment and the 4th Battalion, The Kings Shropshire Light Infantry formed the 159 (Welsh Border) Brigade, part of the 53rd Welsh Division.

After years of training as pure infantry the Brigade in 1942 was selected to become part of the new 11th Armoured Division, and for the next two years took part in intensive training before landing in Normandy in 1944.

Battalion strength was 37 officers and 809 other ranks.

Ten months later, with victory only a month away, the Battalion fought its final battle against fanatical German resistance on the Teutoberger Wald wooded ridge in Germany, suffering serious casualties. In that ten months of nearly continuous action, some 25 officers and 242 other ranks were killed and 660 reported wounded, missing or prisoners.

But before those months of action after D-Day, the battalion had to endure years of training some of which appeared designed to ‘keep the men busy’ rather than hone their fighting skills.

During those early years, later called ‘the Phony War’ a sense of humour helped morale through an almost farcical period with a lack of equipment, vehicles, rifles and ammunition.

According to Hedley Bunce who wrote the history of the 3rd Mons from 1939 – 1946 after his time in Headquarter Company, there were elements of ‘Dad’s Army’ about those early years. The battalion was re-mobilised in September 1939 and after concentrating on Abergavenny at the old Volunteers Hall in Tudor Street, opposite The King’s Arms and within a few days moved to Moreton-on-Lugg.

Suddenly it was no longer just away for a fortnight’s camp, they were in for the duration, a daunting thought.

In October of that first year of war, the battalion received its first batch of 120 new raw recruits and a week later moved by train to Tenby with detachments at Pembrey and Pembroke Dock.

In those days shortages of arms and ammunition made a mockery of the enthusiasm of the officers and men. At training sessions, the sections would have perhaps a gun barrel, or the trigger assembly but never the entire weapon to assemble and use.

Charged with the defence of many miles of Welsh coastline, the battalion formed a “Mobile Column” that could be despatched rapidly to repel an invasion. The transport consisted of one german car, one 15cwt truck, one bren gun carrier and a furniture van. When the order was given “Mobile Column mount” those nearest to a vehicle clambered aboard. The rest stepped into squares chalked in the road representing vehicles. When the column moved off to reach the threatened invasion with all possible speed, those in the chalked areas fell out and returned to their billets.

One recruit recalls standing in a sand-bagged area on the front at Tenby on ‘Air Defence’ with a yard broom as his ‘gun’. An inspecting Brigadier ordered him to “look more aggressive boy”.

As equipment slowly started trickling through, 120 recruits arrived in January 1940, allowing some of the original volunteers to be sent back home for the more important task of mining coal.

On St David’s Day, 1940, the battalion moved out of Tenby for Londonderry in Northern Ireland by way of Stranraer in Scotland. Rations issued for this 26 hour journey were one lump of cheese, one lump of bread and a handful of pickled onions, sprinkled with a liberal helping of sand thanks to the cookhouse being on the beach. However on landing at Larne in Ireland, the local population donated sandwiches and other goodies to the famished Monmouthshire Terriers, before moving into Eglinton Barracks in Londonderry.

By now the Germans had started their blitzkrieg across the Low Countries, sweeping everything before them. By the end of May 300,000 soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk.

With a German invasion of Southern Ireland a possibility, the battalion moved with the rest of 53rd (Welsh) Division to the border area, to make room for two more divisions to defend Ireland. The battalion eventually returned to the mainland in October to Knowsley Park in Preston.

January 1942 saw the final draft of new recruits, bringing the battalion up to over 800 other ranks. These recruits came from all parts of the country, but despite their different backgrounds and their rawness soon blended into the battalion, which was on the move again, to Kent. 159 Infantry Brigade bade farewell to the 53rd (Welsh) Division and became the motorised infantry brigade of the newly formed 11th Armoured Division.

While the battalion travelled major distance by transport, on reaching a battle area, had to be highly mobile – on foot. The phrase “10 in 2” was the order of the day, ten miles in two hours in fighting order of small pack, rifle, bayonet, helmet and respirator. The whole battalion was required to achieve this level of fitness and those who failed were returned to the Depot.

The increase in the tempo of training saw the 3rd Mons move several times to take advantage of live firing and street fighting ranges. Christmas 1942 and New Year 1943 saw short embarkation leave and an advance party left for North Africa, but a change for the better in the Middle East saw the battalion still in the UK.

Training in Yorkshire over which the infantry – and tanks – roamed through fields of waist high corn horrified men aghast that such destruction of valuable food supplies was allowed. They were reminded forcibly of the value of the training when later in action in Normandy, they moved through almost identical fields of corn. The battalion saw its final landing trials at Inverary in Scotland. Shades of things to come.

After four years of training, a move to Aldershot at long last heralded the prospect of battle. With D-Day on the 6th of June, the battalion was ready and did not have much time to wait. The journey to the point of embarkation on the south coast was like a carnival, reported Hedley Bunce, with thousands of civilians waving and shouting to the convoys full of thousands of troops all heading south. Above – formations of bombers and fighter escort headed for France to soften up the enemy in support of units already fighting on the beachhead.

After an uneventful but choppy crossing, of the English Channel, arrival in Normandy was relatively quiet. The battalion moved to its concentration area at the village of Pierrepoint, for their first night on foreign soil and stayed there for the next ten days.

On 26 June, the battalion was ordered forward to Mondrainville, facing the heavily fortified German positions on Hill 112. C Company went out to the left to protect the battalion flank and suffered the first of heavy casualties. Only a handful of men returned, with many being taken prisoner. More casualties were suffered at Battalion Headquarters during nine days of heavy shelling. Two officers and 23 soldiers were killed in action, 60 wounded and a number taken prisoner.

After six days rest the battalion moved to Ranville, north-east of Caen in preparation for an attempt to break out of the bridgehead. The battalion was now ready for its first real offensive action as the spearhead of the entire 2nd British Army. After a massive air attack and artillery barrage, the battalion moved forward, capturing Demouville and going straight on, capturing Cuyerville and 100 prisoners.

The next day the battalion moved on to attack Bras. Heavy and confused fighting took place. The Regimental Aid Post was hit, the M.O., Captain P.W.Henderson, RAMC, was severely wounded, and medical Orderly Corporal W.O G.Watkins carried on tending the wounded, for which he was awarded the Military Medal. Although Sergeant B. Robinson of “A” Company was severely wounded in the leg (his lower left leg was later amputated), after the loss of their officers he rallied the company, holding the position until relieved, winning the D.C.M. At the end of this action, moving slowly out of the line (it took eight hours to travel 16 miles in the mud), the Battalion was attacked from the air by about 16 Messerschmit fighters, but luckily escaped with minor casualties.

By August the battalion was on the extreme right of the British sector, adjacent to the American forces. A steady advance was made through the dangerous Bocage countryside, suffering light casualties until arriving at high ground beyond the village of Burcy. 3rd Mons had advanced further than any adjoining units, finding itself out on a limb. The enemy took a strong dislike of this intrusion and for five days in early August the battalion bore the brunt of determined attacks by the 10th and 21st Panzer Divisions. There were many casualties before the battalion was relieved by the Norfolk Regiment.

On 4th September the British Second Army continued its swift advance through Belgium and reached the great port of Antwerp, second largest city of the country. Here, as in Brussels, the Germans were caught completely by surprise and more than 2,000 prisoners taken. Among them was General Graf von Stolberg, the German commander of Antwerp, who was captured by British privates while he was lunching in his private house.

The battalion then moved to Vassy for rest, refit and reinforcements, The Division moved up through the Falaise Gap, (where the carnage inflicted on the enemy was appalling – men, horses, and equipment lying everywhere, and the smell sickening), and started a steady advance across France.

The leading Companies attempted to cross the River Orne by toggle rope. Luckily some ladders were found nearby which helped them span the gap in the blown bridge. After crossing the Seine, during the night several German vehicles joined the 3rd Mons column in the belief they had joined their own retreating forces, but dawn brought them a great surprise, and a lively half hour followed.

By the end of the month the battalion reached Amiens, to a great reception from the inhabitants, who were busy rounding up collaborators. In August, the battalion suffered five officers and 57 other ranks killed in action, and well over 100 wounded had been evacuated. Private Joe Logan won the BEM for rescuing two comrades when crossing the river Orne.

Further rapid advance saw the battalion on the boundaries of Antwerp on the night of the 3rd September, when a civilian defused a bomb on a bridge, enabling a rapid advance into the city on the 4th September, with the bells of the cathedral ringing out "Its a long way to Tipperary" - something the bell-ringers had been secretly practicing, just hoping for this very event. The next task was to swiftly secure the docks, and the vital sluice gates were soon captured, Captain E.A. Campbell winning the M.C., and Corporal Quartermaine the M.M., in this brief but brave action.

The stay in Antwerp was brief, and on went battalion eastwards, to Hechtel. There they consolidated and then moved on to Wychmael. Then followed a quiet period from 12th to 22nd September, crossing the Belgian border and then advanced to Geldrop and Helmond and back again to Geldrop on a change of plan. Light casualties were suffered, crossing a canal en route to St Anthonis.

All seemed quiet, and the enemy was proving elusive, but they were there somewhere. Patrols sent out to find the whereabouts and strength of the enemy, but little was found. But then the battalion suffered a grievous loss. Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel H.G.Orr was fatally wounded by small arms fire from a German half-track which suddenly appeared making a hurried escape attempt, but was accounted for by the C.O's driver, Private Norbury. Col Orr was buried in the grounds of the local school and later reburied in a military cemetery in Holland. The battalion then moved on to Westerbeck where it remained to the end of the month. September had seen the battalion suffer five officers and 29 other ranks killed in action.

Orders were received to move forward on the 7th October to a position between Oploo and Overloon. There was much patrol activity by both sides, and three members of the Pioneer Platoon - all old T.A's - were killed doing mine clearance.

At dawn on 18 November, the 3rd Mons advanced into Germany. A powerful assault started north and south of Geilenkirchen by the British Second Army which had been switched to the front from Holland, and was fighting side by side with the Americans. A strong pincer movement finally took this important German stronghold before the Rhine. Geilenkirchen was reduced to rubble by heavy air and artillery bombardment. Of the town’s normal population of 20,000, no more than 300 remained. After falling to the Allies, the Germans shelled and mortared the town and its remaining inhabitants completing the job of flattening the town.

The 3rd British Division moved forward through 3rd Mons positions to attack and clear the wooded area around Overloon with orders to go on to capture Venray. The plan was for the 3rd Mons to leap frog them and take Amerika, but this plan foundered due to stubborn resistance, and heavy casualties were suffered by 3rd British Division.

A new advance was made by the battalion across 1000 yards of open ground, against strong opposition, to cut the German line Deurne/Venray road. All civilians were ordered out of the area, presenting a sad and sorry sight. The battalion remained in this position to the end of the month, spending much time on patrol, laying mines, and 'Standing to' at dawn and dusk, a period of 14 days action with no relief. During this month, one sergeant and 16 privates were killed in action. About 40 were wounded, and a sergeant and three men were known to have been taken prisoner.

At the end of November, the battalion moved forward to relieve the Welsh Guards at Veulen. The weather was extremely cold and wet, making movement possible only by tracked vehicles. The supply route to the battalion was under constant observation by the enemy, and could only be used during the hours of darkness, once again, much patrol activity.

After a rest and refit, the battalion was ordered to attack the last enemy pockets of resistance west of the River Maas. The enemy was in a sound, almost impregnable defensive position, in a castle-like building, surrounded by a 20ft moat and a well-laid minefield, with a full view of the advancing troops over open ground. It was discovered later that the German artillery had pre-recorded their range on the whole of this area. In a matter of hours, the battalion suffered appalling casualties, as the enemy slaughtered the advancing men. The battalion lost their new C.O., two Company Commanders, three Captains, one Lieutenant and one 2nd Lieutenant, one Company Sergeant Major, two Sergeants and 19 men all killed in action.

The news on the radio the next day merely said, "The last enemy stronghold west of the River Maas has been cleared". As far as the battalion was concerned, this was the under-statement of the year. In that month, a total of eight officers and 30 other ranks were killed in action.

See next week's Chronicle for part two.