Major Arthur Rees recorded a series of interviews (22 in all) for the Imperial War Museum (IWM) during the Regiments 75th Anniversary year (1990) and these interviews are free to listen to here:
Born in Ogmore Vale on 17 May 1916, Arthur Rees (2733690) joined the Welsh Guards at the age of seventeen and within six months of leaving the Guards Depot had ben promoted to Lance Corporal. Further promotion was rapid: by the outbreak of the Second World War he had risen to he rank of WO2, serving in that rank with the 2nd Battalion throughout the war. In August 1945 he was posted to the 1st Battalion as Regimental Sergeant Major and remained in that post during the tour to Palestine. His knowledge and experience were essential when the 1st Battalion returned to London to take up public duties, notably in preparing for the 1949 Birthday Parade. When the Army produced a recruiting poster with the slogan "Pride of the Principality", he was the model wearing the uniform on the Welsh Guards.
He remained as Regimental Sergeant Major of the 1st Battalion until September 1951 when he was posted to the School of Infantry, Warminster as the Regimental Sergeant Major where he remained until June 1956 when he received his commission and returned to the 1st Battalion as Lieutenant-Quartermaster, a post he held until 1961. He retired from the Army on 2 March 1968 in the rank of Major, but worked as a retired officer at Headquarters London District for many years. He excelled at most sports, notably heavyweight boxing, and it was said of him that "few of his opponents entered the ring with any degree of confidence of a successful outcome". Rightly revered as an outstanding Welsh Guardsman, he died on 14 October 1991 while visiting his son in the USA.
Record of Service
1933 - Recruit Training at the Guards Depot, Caterham
1933 - 1934; NCO with 4 Coy, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, London District
1934 - 1936; instructor at Guards Depot, Caterham
1936 - 1938; 1st Battalion Welsh Guards in London District
1938 - 1939; instructor at Guards Depot, Caterham
June 1939 - October 1939; 2nd Battalion Welsh Guards in London District and Aldershot Command
October 1939 - April 1940; 2nd Battalion Welsh Guards 20th Independent (Guards) Infantry Brigade in GB
April 1940 - September 1941; 2nd (Armoured) Battalion Welsh Guards, 6th Guards Tank Brigade in GB and North West Europe,
September 1941 - April 1945; 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, 1st Guards Brigade, Palestine Command
August 1945 - September 1951; Regimental Sergeant Major 1st Battalion Welsh Guards
1949 - Appointed to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE)
October 1951 - 1956; Regimental Sergeant Major School of Infantry, Warminster
1956 - 1960; Quartermaster 1st Battalion Welsh Guards
1961 - 1964; Station Staff Officer, Hubbelrath, BFPO 44
1965 - 1968; Quartermaster, Guards Depot
