Byddin Frenhiniol Gymreig - Royal Welsh Army (Welsh History Post Glyndwr)
From Alternative History
Amongst the oldest Armies in Europe (only England, France, Spain and Portugal are older in terms of countries still in existance) the Welsh Army has seen substantial changes over the years. It has been influenced by many outside agencies. For most of its history it has paralleled the British Army, both in regimental and organisational matters. In the 20th Century the notable influences have been the Germans in the thirties and the United States from the 1950’s onwards. From the largely volunteer organisation of the Great War era to the conscripted army of the 1950s (National Service), it has settled again onto a volunteer based system. There are approx 25,000 soldiers in the Army, 11,000 regulars and 14,000 in the reserve Militias. The Army is very much like its cousins across the Bristol Channel in ethos and operation however prolonged exposure to US troops that were based in the country until the late 80’s has had an effect. Welsh soldiers wear US style uniform, salute in the American style and much of the equipment used is of US or Canadian manufacture.
The current Commander of the Army is Field Marshal Alun ap Grufydd Cleddyf-Gof . A former Infantry officer of great experience having fought in the 60s alongside the US Army and on operations in the first Gulf War.
[edit] History of the Byddin Frenhiniol Gymreig (BFG)
The Army started as most European armies did, as feudal levies raised by the Lords to serve in war and then to return to their previous occupations. The Welsh were a little different as for the 100 years or so following the Edwardian conquest Welsh soldiers had plied their trade both in England with the English armies of the period and on the continent. Hence, when Owain Glyndwr raised the Golden Dragon Banner he already had a small core of what was for the 15th Century, a professional army. He was also able to call upon feudal levies, something which had never before been available to Welsh Princes
[edit] The Royal Welsh Army 1400-1650
The Army raised in 1400 was for all that a rag-tag army. Men loyal to the lords that raised the unit, some units such as the Plant Owain were little more than bandits. The numbers raised by Owain and the lords loyal to him were small in number at first. With the Battle of Pumlumon seeing a Welsh army of just 400 men. From 1402 things began to move upwards in scale. The French and Bretons begun to send men and equipment to Wales. The Breton's out of a cultural loyalty, the French from a political need to counteract the English. In 1405 a French army of 2800 knights landed in Wales and with this increase in men at arms Owain was able to wage war more effectively and gained more territory. In 1405 the most important battle in Welsh history was also fought. The Battle of Worcester, between Henry IV and Owain Glyndwr cemented Welsh independance, with the archers and pikemen of the Welsh Army standing up to the English forces and finally defeating them. This defeat opened up the whole of the Welsh March and gave Owain the platform from which to cement his independance, wedded to his French alliance which would see in 1408 the English recognition of Wales as an independant Principality.
With Independance the Welsh armies were disbanded, the men returning to their fields, livestock and previous lives. Wales though was now allied to the English and the new king, Henry V of England demanded Welsh troops to form part of his army to invade France. The heir to the Welsh throne, Prince Maredudd led the Welsh troops and served under Henry at the Battle of Agincourt. Welsh troops remained with the English army until the completion of Henry's war with Charles of France, although Maredudd returned to Wales in 1419 to become Prince of Wales at the death of his father, Owain.
With the successful completion of the Pembrokeshire war the army again, disolved as the men returned to their usual forms of living. Maredudd however did retain a small number as part of his retinue, much in the manner of Welsh Princes of old. Retaining enough men to man all the Royal Fortress' of Wales and providing his Household with a Personal Guard. This core nuclei would become the central formation of all Welsh Armies until the 1600's.
The English Wars of the Roses is the next occasion that Welsh Levies are raised, though not all Cantref's are asked to raise men. Primarily it is the men of Gwent and Morgannwg along with the Cavalry of the Marches that see action as Wales supports the House of Lancaster in its attempts to retain the English Crown, though with the heir to the throne supporting the House of York there are tensions within Wales. Welsh forces see action in the Battles of Bloreheath, Northampton and Wakefield under the Lancastrian banner. However, in 1462 with the Prince Owain gaining stronger political control Welsh forces lay seige to Lancastrian held Chester which Owain took on the 8th August that year. Under Owain, Welsh forces fought at Hexham (under the King) and at Tewkesbury (under the Duke of March)
The practice established by Maredudd of maintaining enough Men at Arms to man all the Royal Fortress' proved a sensible one in 1490 with the 1st Rebellion of March. The heir to the throne, Prince Hywel, using the Royal Guard and his father's personal retinue of troops moved southwards from the Royal Fortress of Shrewsbury, whilst the southern Lords raised feudal levies and marched northwards through Henffordd. The limited actions of this period were the last actions of the 15th century Welsh army, though in 1492, with the Treaty of Ravenscraig, the Royal Arsenal was formed in Conwy utilising Scottish cannon and artillery pieces.
The next 100 years (1500-1600 AD) would see some wars (the 1st Anglo-Welsh war of 1535-39), the first recorded use of the rank of General by a Welsh Army (1547, John Grey, Duke of March). The century would also see the 2nd Anglo-Welsh War (1547-49). The century would also see the gradual decline of the use of feudal levies as well as technology advanced.
The 2nd Anglo-Welsh war saw the first use in Wales of the arquebus, whilst in the 1560 Powysian rebellion the Welsh army for the first time in its history saw more salaried Men-at-Arms than feudal levies (though the Army would still depend on such troops until the 1598-1600 Protestant Rebellion which saw the last battles fought in Wales using such troops.
Welsh troops, had a long reputation in Europe and the late 1500's saw in increase in the number of mercenaries being employed abroad of Welsh descent. This was something that would flavour the Protestant Rebellion as such soldiers served on both sides and that conflict saw the first use in Wales of the Pikemen-Musket-Arquebus units as well as being the first time that no units comprising of archers formed part of a Welsh Army.
The fifty years from 1600 to 1650 saw a gradual semi-professionalism enter the realms of Welsh soldiering. Whilst not a professional or standing army, the Kings Household Guard and the Royal Fortress Guards became a more established military model, with the Royal Arsenal in Conwy suppling and maintaining the growing use of muskets and arquebus' whilst Bristol established itself as a centre for the practice of artillery (something which would be maintained by the army into present times)
[edit] First Foundation of the BFG - 1650 to 1718
Welsh troops were to see action during the 30 years war, fighting as part of the French Armies, the King of Wales at this time. Dafydd IV was more interested in raising the Welsh Navy than Army modernisation and as such, the pace of reform in the Welsh Army remained slow and in the hands of people such as the Princes of Morgannwg, Powys, and the Dukes of March and Gwent. Reforms were slow and patchy, though an increasing pool of officers and skilled soldiers began to accumulate. The heir to the throne, Prince Hywel served in Europe as a junior officer in 1640 (aged 15) to gain practical experience of the world of war. When his father died, he was serving with the French in Germany and as such did not hear of his accession to the throne until 1641. His return to Wales coincided with the outbreak in England of the English Civil War and as such, the Army began to receive the attention it had been denied for some years.
At first Wales sides with the English Royalist Faction and Hywel raises the traditional feudal levy based Army and marches it to the Welsh side of the river Severn. Late in 1642, Parliament negoitiates with Hywel to remove the presence of the Welsh Army from the border. By now, the Army was at less than half strength, with many of the levy soldiers having melted away during the preceeding few months. Duke Tomos II of March was charged by the King with looking into alternatives to the old style army.
In 1645, the New Model Army first took the field in England, and its repercussions were felt rapidly in Wales where the success of the Parliamentarians and the aggression of Cromwell was noted with fear. By 1650, Tomos had presented the King with his ideas and findings. The result was the 11th June 1650 , Kings Charter, establishing for the first time in Wales a standing, professional Army, based largely on the English model. The Charter was ratified by the Welsh Parliament later that year and the first Welsh Army was formed.
[edit] The Welsh Army
The new Welsh Army was commanded by Tomos (until his death in 1651) and then by Prince Iago I of Morgannwg and consisted of 5 Regiments of Cavalry (600 men per regiment), 6 Regiments of Foot (1200 men per regiment) and 1 Regiment of Dragoons (1000 men). The Royal Artillery, which at this time was split between the Arsenal in Conwy and Castell Caer Odor (Bristol Castle) supplied the Army with both its firearms and the artillery support.
As such the Welsh Army could field 3000 cavalry, 7200 soldiers and 1000 mounted Dragoons. Whilst this represented only half of what England could field at the same time, it was a considerable advancement for Wales as for the first time full time professional soldiers were in the employ of the king and Parliament, earning 4 ceiniogau (4 pence) a day for an Infantryman and 1 swllt (1 shilling) for a Cavalryman. The Army Headquarters was moved to Ludlow with a permanent staff being employed.
The New Welsh Army was seperate though to the Kings Household Guard and the Royal Fortress Guards, though they also benefited from the new pay scales and the new professionalism brought to the Army. The Army units were also, following the new English custom, barracked as well.
[edit] 1651 to 1688
This period was the high water point of the early Welsh Army. Under the command of Prince Iago of Morgannwg the army was drilled and organised with the Officers College in Ludlow educating a new generation of Welsh officers. This period also saw the army engaged in the fewest number of engagements, with the Navy engaged in the Dutch Wars, the main role of the Army at this time was to provide the Marines for service on the ships. In 1672, Iago retired from the Army and King Hywel retired Wales from all major European engagements and as a result both the Army and Navy suffered from the beginings of neglect, though the Army, funded as it was by Parliament continued to muster and drill and therefore retained a strong operational base. This situation continued into the reign of Hywel IV (reigned 1683-1706).
[edit] 1688-1718
In 1688, Hywel signed a treaty with James II of England, pledging Welsh support to James attempts to retain his English Crown and two years later Welsh troops fought for the deposed English king in Ireland. 1690 also saw the start of the reduction in the rates of pay for the Welsh soldiers. Where before it had been 4 ceiniogau and 1 swllt, in 1690 pay was reduced by Parliament to pisyn tair (three pieces) for an Infantryman and chwecheiniog (sixpence) for a cavalryman. Such reductions in pay saw a decrease in the numbers of men joining the Army and the army was reduced from 5 Cavalry regiments to 3 and 6 Infantry regiments to 4, with the number of men available for the Dragoon regiment diminished as well. In 1704, Welsh troops took part in the Battle of Blenheim under Marlborough and this was to be the last engagement prior to the 3rd Anglo-Welsh war in 1718.
In 1709, during the reign of the last crowned Welsh king (before the Restoration) Dafydd V the army was in such a neglected state that the king had to employ mercenaries to put down the Gower Uprising. The failure of the Army to provide men or material for the supression of the Gower Uprising led to the almost complete mothballing of the Army establishment, with only the Household and Fortress Guards retained. This state of affairs continued until 1716, when the Prince of Powys and the Duke of March (Llewellyn Powys-Fadog and Edmund Grey) were appointed to control the Army (Powys as Commander and the March as his active deputy).
Under March, the Army was restructured with Regiments taking the place of the previous Milwraid (Colonel) Regiments (the first of these being the Regiment of the March), pay was also increased, with an Infantryman now earning 10 ceiniogau and a Cavalryman earning 2 swllt, with officers now earning a Coron (Crown or 5 swllt) Such a move pulled men to the colours, but at a bad time for Wales. In 1718, Dafydd declared war on England with the army only two years into its reorganisation. Men were half trained, supplies low, and the chain of command fractured. The King takes command of the Army from Powys and March and manages to lead the army to almost total destruction. The army is shattered and broken upon two battles in 1718. June sees the first battle of the war, the Battle of Amwythig (Shrewsbury). At this battle Dafydd loses over half his "veteran" troops and also loses Northern March, Powys and Gwynedd east of Conwy to the English. The second battle, fought on the 28th August outside Caerdydd (Cardiff) saw the death of Dafydd, the death or capture of the remaining "veteran" troops and results in English control of over half of Wales. Pockets of troops continue to resist the English advance, and the Household Guard provide a fighting retreat to the port of Milford Haven where the nobility and government are preparing to flee to France.
[edit] The BFG in Exile 1718-1796
The Army in Exile was more a paper creation than anything else. Some units were created during this period. most notably the Welsh Border Regiment in 1720. However, so few regular soldiers escaped to France that the Army consisted of officers but no Infantrymen and as such the invasion forces of king Rhys of Wales tended to consist of hired mercenaries from the continent. In Wales itself men continued to be raised to fight the English, 1720 saw the Rebellion of Gwent which included many escaped soldiers from the Welsh Army, the '23 Morgannwg-Gwent rebellion again saw many former soldiers return to fight. The Rebellion of the North in 1732 saw another attempt as did the Cardinal's revolt in 1739 which saw the Archbishop of St Davids lead an uprising to time with an invasion by Rhys. In 1744, the whole of Wales rose up in revolt, for five years, the Welsh rebels manage to maintain control over some parts of the former Welsh Kingdom, notably, Caer Odor. This is a new period for Welsh warfare, as the majority of the combatants now are the sons of former Welsh soldiers. After five years of revolt, the English succeed in putting down the rebellion (though English control of the Welsh countryside is seriously weakened) and for the next 10 years the English force many people overseas to the English colonies in America.
In 1759, the new king of Wales, Rhisiart, lands a successful invasion of North Wales, landing at Harlech, though without a Welsh army. The invasion, fiananced by France and the sale of the remaining Welsh capital abroad, was spearheaded by mercenary troops and French troops on loan. Managing to hold Harlech in the winter of 1759, Rhisiart then directs local men into the army, training a new generation of Welsh soldiers. The English 41 year occupation and the distruption to Welsh life that this caused means that Rhisiart is able to create an army to his tastes, meaning that men were no longer raised to fight under their local Lord or even arranged in strictly geographical Milwraid Regiments, but in all-encompasing regiments with no main geographic base. The war of independance would go on for another 39 years, eating up the lives of both men and kings, with the third House of Morgannwg monarch, Arthur I being king for the Treaty of Shrewsbury (1796) which saw Wales reestablished as an independant Kingdom. The army that emerges at the end is a battle hardened, small force of men, forged in the crucible of fighting quite literally for king and Country.
[edit] The Second Constitution of the Army 1796-1821
The Army that emerged from the 1796 peace treaty was very different to the one that entered the 1718 3rd Anglo-Welsh war. The Army was now almost 14,000 men strong in terms of Infantry with a Cavalry arm numbering some 8000 men and horses. The Gun-Runners of the 2nd War of Independance had kept the early Welsh army supplied and as the war progressed and the Government regained control of Welsh territory then Wales began the manufacture of war material again, with the main weapon of the Welsh Infantryman being the 42 inch short land pattern "Brown Bess" musket. This musket carried over into the Restoration Period where Welsh armies fought alongside the English in the Napoleonic Wars (though again following the English lead, the musket was ammended to the 36 inch barrel version.
This period was notable both for Welsh actions in Europe, fighting in the coalitions against Napoleon, and also for forging the Welsh Empire. The Spainish-Welsh war of 1799 culminated with the land Battle of Trerawlson in Patagonia. The result was the first Welsh Colony of Y Wladfa (Patagonia). In 1803, Welsh Troops saw action in West Africa resulting in the claiming of the West African Welsh Colony. In 1810, under Maredudd of Gwynedd, Welsh troops form part of Wellington's army in Spain, and again in 1815 as part of the final war against Napoleon.
The Napoleonic Wars were also responsible for the 1815 Army Revolt, where returning soldiers started demanding better pay and conditions in Wales. The King was forced to use mercenaries to put down the Army Revolt, whose aftermath saw many ringleaders exilled to Y Wladfa. The 1820 2nd Rebellion of March was the last armed action of the old Welsh Army. Upon the successful supression of the revolt the Army was disbanded and then in 1821 reformed with a new Kings Charter.
[edit] Second Foundation of the Army - Granting of Kings Charter 1821
The Arthurian Charter (1821) established the Byddin Frenhinol Gymreig as a permenant standing army with its Headquarters initially in Ludow, though this changed in 1822 to the newly completed Caefilli Palace. Two officers colleges were established, one in its historic location of Ludlow and the other in Caerfilli, where it had been established during the 2nd War of Independance. The Army was now a paid organ of the State and as such Parliament (such as it was in this period) was required to authorise its existance yearly (the Army Act) and if Parliament was unable to be callled then the Kings Council was directed to pass the Act.
The Act also established the Regiments of the Army and their Baracks and laid provision for the Royal Artillery and the Royal Military Hospitals
[edit] Army Actions in the 19th Century
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[edit] Army Actions in the 20th Century
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[edit] Current Constitution of the Royal Welsh Army
The Army is split into three distinct Army Groups, North, South and Central. The Joint Service Operational Headquarters is in Caerphilly (Based in the former Royal Palace of Caerphilly Castle) but each group has its own HQ unit. North is at Glyndwr Barracks, Caernarvon, and Central at Diamond Barracks, Ludlow and South at Brecon in Corless Lines. The Army is then split into its constituent branches etc.
- Transportation Corps
- Medical
- Corps of Military Police and Security
- Corps of Signals/CIS
- Special Services Section (One Coy of Rangers and one of SF)
- Infantry Corps (Includes one Battalion of Airborne Infantry)
- Artillery Corps
- Armoured Corps
- Corps of Engineers
- Supply and Ordnance Corps
Most units of the Army are involved in the defence of the home nation. However, many Regiments of the Army deploy in support of Operations in Afghanistan. This falls in with Wales' membership of NATO. There are soldiers deployed on UN operations and also on exchange tours with the British, German and US forces. Border patrols are undertaken by the Army in conjunction with the Police and National Border Control Service.
The Army currently fields two specialist units. The first of these is the Border Rifles. The Regiment is the Premier Infantry Unit and also the Airborne or Para unit. They are currently deploying 2 companies to Afghanistan. The second of these is the Special Services Section, “The Grey’s”. A 2 Company unit providing a Ranger element and a dedicated SF element. This is drawn from all three services and trains alongside the US Marines and British SAS. There is a small Marine Infantry unit that provides security detachments for all Navy vessels, Shore Bases and also a limited specialist Marine assault unit. The majority of Sea based assaults are undertaken by regular Army units under the supervision of these Marines. These troops are distinguished by their Anchor cap badges and green berets.
The main HQ for the army is in Brecon and contains HQ elements for all of the constituent corps. Also it houses the training regiments for officers and enlisted ranks. The Army Group (South) HQ is also located in the area at Corless Lines. There are large bases at Sennybridge, Cardiff, Llantwit Major, Welshpool, Holyhead and Pembroke. As well as many smaller bases dotted around the country.
[edit] Weapons and Equipment
The standard field uniform of the Army is currently the US Marines MARPAT uniform in Woodland and Desert. It replaced the older US woodland and Desert uniforms in 2003. Equipment varies between units, Infantry units are issued with modern Molle based LBE in Coyote Brown. This does give the Welsh Army a distinct American look and reflects the US influence on the nation during the last thirty years. In Support units olive green ALICE equipment is used but many soldiers opt to privately purchase their own. The Air Force and Navy have the same uniforms issued for field or combat deployments. Service dress is khaki and follows the same pattern as the British Army.
The standard Infantry weapon is the Canadian C7/8 System. With the M249 as the standard support weapon. This replaced the earlier M16A1 in the late 80s. Sidearms are either Beretta 92F or Sigarms 226 pistols. Heavier weapons are the usual M2 fifty calibre machine gun and the now standard FN MAG GPMG. Snipers usually opt for the Accuracy International in 7.62mm whilst the Barratt Light Fifty is also used for longer ranges. The SSS use a variety of systems from around the world but the Counter Terror unit use FN P90s, FN Five Sevens and M40A2s.
Vehicles range from Ford Pickup trucks, Land Rovers and Hummvees to MAN trucks. The SSS operate Iveco Panther vehicles and Dingo MRAPs in deployed locations. Armoured vehicles include M1126 Stryker vehicles in a number of guises from APC to Armoured Engineer and mobile gun platforms. M2 Bradley CFVs and M60A4 MBTs are being withdrawn from service and replaced with Italian C1 Areite MBTs and a further order of Strykers. Artillery is towed British 105 mm light guns, US 155 mm howitzers and Stryker based mobile weapons as well as a small number of MLRS systems
[edit] Ranks in the Byddin Frenhiniol Gymreig
| NATO Code | Officers Ranks | English Equivalent |
| OF-10 | Maeslywydd | Field Marshal |
| OF-9 | Cadfridog | General |
| OF-8 | Cadfridog Is-Gapten | Lieutenant General |
| OF-7 | Cadfridog Uchgapten | Major-General |
| OF-6 | Cadfridog Brigad | Brigadier |
| OF-5 | Milwraid | Colonel |
| OF-4 | Milwriad Is-Gapten | Lieutenant Colonel |
| OF-3 | Uchgapten | Major |
| OF-2 | Capten | Captain |
| OF-1 | Is-Gapten | Lieutenant |
| OF-1 | Is-Gapten Ail | 2nd Lieutenant |
| Student Officer | Swyddog Mab Ieuengaf | Officer Cadet |
| NATO Code | NCO Ranks | English Equivalent |
| OR-9 | Uchgapten-Rhingyll Catrodol | Regimental Sergeant Major |
| OR-8 | Uchgapten-Rhingyll | Sergeant Major |
| OR-7 | Rhingyll Swyddogion | Staff Sergeant |
| OR-6 | Rhingyll | Sergeant |
| OR-4 | Is-Rhingyll | Corporal |
| OR-3 | Uwch Cyfrinachol | Lance Corporal |
| OR-1 | Cyfrinachol Dosbarth Cyntaf | Private (1st Class) |
| OR-1 | Cyfrinachol Ail Ddosbarth | Private (2nd Class) |
