London Regiment: 20th (County of London) Battalion (Blackheath and Woolwich)

In 1860 the 1st Administrative Battalion, Kent Rifle Volunteer Corps was formed at Blackheath to administer existing local Lewisham corps of 3rd KRVC at Lee (7 November 1859), 8th KRVC at Sydenham (1859, disbanded 1869), 21st KRVC at Lewisham (1860, disbanded 1861), 27th KRVC at Deptford (1860) and 34th KRVC at Deptford (1860) and a number of other out of borough KRVC units. In 1880 it was renamed the 3rd Kent (West Kent) Rifle Volunteers and in 1881 became the volunteer battalion of the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment).

The 20th London Regiment was formed on 1st April 1908 with Headquarters at Holly Hedge House, Blackheath, when the old Volunteer battalions became part of the new Territorial Force. In the majority of cases the new Territorial battalions were linked to a regiment of the regular army but the London Regiment was unique in that it contained no regular battalions. It was the largest infantry regiment in the army with 26 battalions in peacetime, eventually increasing to 88 battalions over the course of the First World War. It was also the only regiment in the army that did not have a regimental badge - each battalion having its own individual cap badge.

In 1916 the battalion was transferred to The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) and was reconstituted in the Territorial Army with Headquarters at Blackheath in 1920. Being named 20th London regiment (The Queen's Own) in 1922. With it's lineage being discontinued in 1961.

The 1st Battalion was formed 4 August 1914 and formed part of the 2nd London Division which was a Territorial Force Division and already in existence at the outbreak of the war. The Division and Brigades were not numbered until April 1915 previously just named. They arrived in France in March 1915 and served in France and Flanders until the Armistice. They were involved in battles in France and Flanders: Battle of Aubers. 9 May 1915, including the attack on Fromelles and the attack at Rue du Bois. Battle of Festubert. 15-25 May 1915. Battle of Loos. 25 Sep-8 Oct 1915. Actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt. 13-19 Oct 1915. And the German attacks on Vimy Ridge. 21 May 1916. Battle of Flers-Courcelette. 15-22 Sep 1916, including the capture of Martinpuich. Battle of Le Transloy. 1-18 Oct 1916, including the capture of Eaucourt l’Abbaye, Le Sars and the attacks on Butte de Warlencourt. Battle of Messines. 7-14 Jun 1917, including the capture of Wytschaete. Local operations around St. Julian. 19, 22, 27 Aug 1917. German counter attacks. 30 Nov-3 Dec 1917. First Battle of Bapaume. 24-25 Mar 1918. Battle of the Ancre. 5 Apr 1918. Battle of Amiens. 8-11 Aug 1918. Battle of Albert. 21-23 Aug 1918, including the capture of Chuignes. Second Battle of Bapaume. 31 Aug-3 Sep 1918. The final advance to Artois. 2 Oct-11 Nov 1918, including the capture of Douai.

Names of the 1st Battalion 20th London Regiment members with Lewisham Borough connections who died during the First World War and who are remembered on Lewisham War Memorials :

This is not a complete list of names, but will be added to as more detail is found for those named on Lewisham memorials:

The 2nd Battalion was formed in September 1914. And was part of the The 2/2nd London Division which was formed from the Home Service men of the Territorial Force units in the 47th Division, it was formed in Great Britain in January 1915. The Division received orders to prepare to go overseas in April 1916. The move to France was completed by the end of June 1916 and served in the Vimy Ridge trenches. The Division served in France until November 1916.They then transfered to Macedonia or Salonica in December 1916 and was involved in important action in April 1917 (Battle of Dojran. 24-25 Apr and 8-9 May 1917.) The Battalion then went to Egypt and took part in the Palestine offensive in June 1917. (Third Battle of Gaza. 27 Oct-7 Nov 1917. Capture of Beersheba. 31 Oct 1917. Capture of the Sheria Position. 6 Nov 1917. Capture of Jersusalem. 7-9 Dec 1917. Defence of Jerusalem. 26-30 Dec 1917. Capture of Jerico. 19-21 Feb 1918. First Trans-Jordan raid. 21 Mar-2 Apr 1918. Second Trans-Jordan raid. 30 Apr-4 May 1918. Battle of Sharon. 19-23 Sep 1918.) Where they captured water suppllies in Sheria and fought at Nebi Samwil. One company also took part in the battles for Jerusalem, Ibrahim and 2 raids east of Jordan.The Division was reduced to just one English Battalion per Brigade in May 1918, the shortfall was made up by Indian units. In July 1918 the Battalion returned France in time to take part in the final counter-offensive fighting at Vraucourt, Havrincourt, Flesquieres and Solesmes and finally ending up as part of the Army of Occupation in Germany.

Names of the 2nd Battalion 20th London Regiment members with Lewisham Borough connections who died during the First World War and are remembered on Lewisham War Memorials:

This is not a complete list of names, but will be added to as more detail is found for those named on Lewisham Memorials.

Names of 20th London Regiment members with Lewisham Borough connections who died during the First World War and who are remembered on Lewisham War Memorials:

Not a complete list of names, but will be added to as more detail is found for those named on Lewisham Memorials.

These men of the 20th London Regiment are remembered on the St Dunstan's WW1 War Memorial:
ALDRIDGE, B G
BENWELL, G A
BOOTH, C L
BUTLER, S W
CROUCH, N S
DOUGHTY, C E
FARLEY, S J
FINCH, W A E
GLADWIN, W G
HYATT, W V
KNIGHT, R A
MOYCE, S F
ROLFE, C G
SILVESTER, P
SILVESTER, R
SMITH, J C
STEVENSON, E A
WALLIS, A W

Regimental Memorials:

Click here for battalion Roll of Honour

Click here for local memorial to battalion

Do you have more information on people named above? If so click here to contribute information.

by Local History and Archives Centre, Lewisham and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Lewisham War Memorials

By Local History and Archives Centre, Lewisham