The Formation of the 6th Battalion King’s Shropshire Light Infantry (6 KSLI)
It became clear that after the evacuation of what remained of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk in May/June of 1940, the British Army would have to be rebuilt. National Conscription had been introduced in September 1939 and these men would be the fighting force of the new British Army.
The earliest recruits to 6KSI began arriving at the Depot Shrewsbury in Late June 1940 men continued arriving in batches throughout July and August to begin their Infantry training. These were men from all walks of life, Solicitors, Farmworkers labourers, shop workers, factory workers, Students, etc… imagine these men about 1,000 in total being thrown together, having to live, sleep, eat, etc… in an 8-man tent! Imagine being one of the Officers or NCOs charged with turning them into a fighting force!
After 6 months of drill, and training, and learning the way of the army 6KSLI became a proud, smart fighting unit, a battalion of one of Britain’s finest and oldest Regiments with a proud military tradition to uphold. They were to be posted to coastal defence in Lincolnshire, waiting for the expected German invasion.
The highlights of those early days re-called by the men I interviewed were The Greyhound meetings. The football, and The Shrewsbury march, which was keenly followed by the local newspapers, plus of course those long uneventful days and nights guarding the coastline.
With the threat of Nazi invasion over General Montgomery wanted more artillery units to take the battle to the Nazis who occupied most of Europe. Therefore, hundreds of newly formed infantry battalions were to be re-trained as Royal Artillery units. This was to be the destiny of 6 KSLI. After a short War Office test about 500 of the men of 6 KSLI were selected to re-train as artillery men in the best tradition, and on the last day of February 1942, the 6th Battalion KSLI ceased to exist.
My Late Father – 4040028 Gnr. G.H.Neal (1912-1990) Enlisted into the 6th Btn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry 17 July 1940, Into 3 section 9 Platoon ‘W’ Company.
Transferred in to ‘C’ Troop 178 Bty 181 Field Regt RA 1 March 1942. Photographed, probably in late 1942. Wearing the diamond shaped ‘Apple’ badge of Northern Command, RA arm of service strip and the ‘cut down’ Shropshire title with straight edges. The lanyard indicates that Gnr Neal has completed his 6 months basic training.
5248531 L/Cpl Freddie Poole
His number indicates that he was originally enlisted into the royal Warwickshire Regt. A nice portrait with a clear image of the KSLI Cap Badge on a rifle green field service cap.
L-R Sgt’s Owen; Jennings; S/I Thompson; Franklin; Holliday
Rear; Sgt’s, Owen; Thompson; Jennings Robley; Roberts
Front; Sgt Booth; CSM Bennett; Sgt Cresswell
Rear; L/Cpl Clarke; Pte Blount; Pte Richards
Front; Pte’s Jamieson; Whent; Hooton
No4 Mortar Detachment Mareham 1941
Rear; Swain; Sage; Catchpole; Whent ; Arnold; Clarke; Miller 87
Front; Bynon; Worrall; Jamieson; Parsons; Randall
Mortar Platoon Skegness 1941.
L-R; CSM Bennett; RSM Brown; 2/Lt Gibbons; 2/Lt Walters
L-R Capt.Bill Busby; 2/Lt Mathewman 2/Lt Gibbons
L-R. 2/Lt Spooner; Rev ST Hughes; Lt/Col RBS Munn; RSM Brown; 2/Lt Paddock. Depot 6 KSLI
Intelligence Section 6 KSLI I/C 2Lt ADG Shaw
Rear; Cpl Colin Powell; Cpl Andy Mullan
Front; L/Cpl Charlie Ashton.
NCO’s 6 KSLI East Coast
Lt Jack Woods; Lt Nevill. The Depot Shrewsbury.
Capt. Bristowe (front row second left) on his left Lt N. Prutton with NCO’s of X Coy.
Officers Mess 6th Bn. King’s Shropshire Light Infantry Burgh-Le-Marsh, September 1941
Standing, Capt Grishotti 2i/c, 2Lt’s Meredith, Mullholand, Lt.Walters, 2Lt’s Hynde, Paddock, U/K, Jaques, Gibbons, Neville, Sturley, Stokes.
Seated, 2Lt’s Raitz, JS Woods, Lt’s RG Bristowe, RG Maurice, Lt.Col. RBS Munn MC C/O, Lt.’s JLMartin, DN MacOwen, PG Spooner, 2Lt. NW Prutton
THE DOGS. Greyhound meeting c.1941. Centre, Lt. Col. RBS Munn M.C. with Officers 6 KSLI, Capr Grishotti far left.
Football and Greyhounds, was the first things that sprang to the minds of the veterans during their interviews. ‘All Ranks Must Attend’ were the
Regimental Orders of the day – more important than church services! The younger officers were in charge of the Tote whether they liked it or not.
The chap ‘blacked up’ at the rear smacks of ‘mummery’ an ancient tradition celebrated around Christmas/ New year time.
Ex Left Lt/Col RBS Munn C/O 6th Bn KSLI. Holding dog no3 is Cpl Andy Mullan. The greyhounds were a great feature of 6 KSLI an idea of the C/O. There was a stable of about 20 dogs at one time. Andy Mullan had 3 dogs of his own. Greyhound meeting 13.10.40.
L-R. 2/Lt Bill Mathewman; Lt Len Sturley.
L-R rear; 2/Lt’s Jacques; Hyde; Sturley; N/K; N/K; Lt Grischotti; N/K; N/K; N/K; 2/Lt’s Macowen; Mathewman; Paddock; Mathewman; Meredith; Haydon; N/K
Front; 2/Lt Raitz; Capt Corbett; Capt Maurice; Lt Col RBS Munn MC; Capt Martin; Capt Bristowe; 2/Lt Hyne
On 28/02/1942 the 6th Btn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry ceased to exist, the following day it was transformed into 181 Field Regt RA. This is a photo of the last Officers Mess Probably taken towards the end of February 1942.
Signal Section 6 KSLI
Once again snow on the ground is a feature of many of the photographs. As you will see the caps are now being worn at a rather jaunty angle on the side of the head, which seems to have become acceptable. Unfortunately, largely unnamed, except for; In the middle the Officer; 2/Lt MacOwen; Seated, extreme right; Cpl Onions; standing 4th left: Pte G.Gwatkin; front rank kneeling; Sig Harding. This photo was sent to me by John Abbis, whose father, Alf, probably took the shot he went on to become a signaller with C Troop 178 Bty and features in many of those photos. John has been one of the many people who have contacted me through my website.
The Bren Carrier Platoon 6 KSLI
Rear rank; Sgt Bourne; Cpl Powell; L/Cpl Eden; next 4 unknown
Middle rank; Pte Wakely; L/Cpl Ashton; U/K; Pte Whittle; Cpl Mullan
Front Rank; U/K; L/Cpl George; Pte Fowler; U/K
Bren Carrier Platoon
Rear rank; U/K; U/K; L/Cpl George; Sgt Bourne; Pte Wakely.
Middle Rank; U/K; Cpl Mullann; L/Cpl Ashton; U/K; L/Cpl Eden; Pte Whittle; Cpl Powell
Front rank; All Unknown
The Shrewsbury March. When 6KSLI left the East Coast for the last time the officers thought it be a good morale booster to organise a forced march in full kit back to the depot in Shrewsbury and make a competition of it to see which company covered the miles in the quickest time. This story was picked up by the local newspaper.
Guns and Bugles p.5.
13pl. ‘Y’ Coy. get a visit from the YMCA ‘Tea’ van, East Coast
Cadre Platoon 6 KSLI Wellbeck Abbey October 1940. Rear L/R, L/cpl. Burgess, Pte’s, Cox, Catchpole, Morriss, Caler, McCoy, Hartshill, Sgt. Meredith. Middle rank, L/cpl’s. Pollet, Whittaker, Walters, Causer, Sgt’s. Mills, Walker Bennet, L/Cpl. Bowhill. Front rank, Lcpl’s Davis, Davies, Hill, Pte.Wheeler, L/cpl Fisher, L/cpl. Brookes.
Lt ‘Johnny’ Gibbons with X platoon from 6 KSLI. seated extreme right Pte Albert Titley .
Sgt Owen, Lt Gibbons, Sgt Franklin – 6th KSLI
Guns and Bugles 