Regimental reputations, efficiency etc.

[grumpy]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

It's luck of the draw, you find some forum members (like me) who are proud enough of their old regiment but really don't give a hoot what criticism or insults are levelled at it, others (I can think of some) who bristle at such insult and those (I can think of one) who, outraged, lose all control of reason and hammer away at spittle flecked keyboards in foul mouthed rants before disappearing for extended periods (presumably scouring the web for more opportunity to vent on behalf of their old regiment).

In terms of WWI units, I've read that 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh Fusiliers (nicknamed "The Birmingham Welsh") are regarded by many people as the best British infantry battalion of WWI.

Birmingham Fusiliers I believe. Possibly the best recorded, in terms of published books and articles. Also a very lucky unit, in terms of casualties and in terms of continuity. The luck began when the 2nd were on a Home posting as war broke out so had first pick of the pool of regular reservists. By the time the 1st arrived from Malta, there were not a lot of reservists to choose from. The poor 1st were straight off the ship and into the worst experiences of 1st Ypres. By early November scarcely an officer or an original SNCO standing. Difficult to recover from that start.