English officers in Welsh regiment ‘looked down on Welsh colleagues’
Martin Shipton
Jonathan Morgan from Brecon, who was in the Army in the 1970s, feels so strongly about the matter that he has contacted First Minister Eluned Morgan, Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens and Newport West Labour MP Ruth Jones, who chairs the Welsh Affairs Committee at the House of Commons. All three have responded to him.
PTSD
Mr Morgan told Nation.Cymru: “I came out of the army with PTSD or a related condition after an horrific tour in Northern Ireland in 1972. I became a captain in the Royal Regiment of Wales, but I was affronted by the culture in the regiment which seemed to favour English officers. They were down on officers with Welsh accents and who came from comprehensive schools.
“I was told I would never get anywhere as a Welshman in the regiment by two senior captains. I myself came from a great Welsh sporting family. My great uncle Dr Teddy Morgan captained Wales and the British Lions at rugby and my Uncle Guy Morgan captained Wales and Cambridge University at rugby and Glamorgan at cricket, so Welsh was very much part of my identity.
“After three years in the Army attached to Aberystwyth University, I went out to Belize where my PTSD or similar mental problems kicked in and the regiment was hopeless in dealing with it.
“The Royal Regiment of Wales was an amalgam of the South Wales Borderers and the Welsh Regiment. The former looked down on the latter because they considered the Welsh as rather down market in the officers’ mess. It was a disgrace really when you think of the hundreds of Welsh officers who died for their country, especially in world wars, and such marvellous men as Lord Justice Tasker Watkins VC had come out of the Valleys. He was in the Welsh Regiment.”
A former chair of the Welsh Liberal Democrats in Brecon and Radnorshire, and vice chair of the European Movement in Wales, Mr Morgan said: “My father was quite a well known prisoner of war padre in the Second World War and performed heroics on the Death March in Poland. We are probably one of the greatest sporting families and the majority of us went to Christ College Brecon.”
He added: “This English attitude towards the Welsh in my day in the 1970’s was positively colonial and racist. I hope now that the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who love their Welsh roots, have amalgamated with the Royal Regiment of Wales that the horrible nature of that culture has been destroyed.”
In a letter to the First Minister, Mr Morgan said: “I know you have no jurisdiction over the military but could you keep a careful eye on the present culture in regiments in Wales from a Welsh perspective. Thousands of Welsh officers have died for their country so the anti-Welsh culture I encountered was a disgrace.”
Baroness Morgan responded: “Thank you for contacting me. I am extremely disappointed at the suggestion that there was a poor attitude towards the Welsh in the Royal Regiment of Wales . I shall raise the issue when I speak to the military representative when we next meet.”
Ms Stevens wrote to Mr Morgan stating: “I was disappointed to hear about the culture that you experienced when serving in the Royal Regiment of Wales. My office engages regularly with the Ministry of Defence, and I assure you that I will raise these concerns where appropriate.
“As a government we are committed to delivering for service personnel and our veterans. An early indication of that was at the Budget, where we extended the National Insurance relief for employers recruiting qualifying veterans for a further year until April 5 2026.
Divisions
After writing in similar terms to Ms Jones, Mr Morgan received a reply which stated: “I am concerned at your account of the culture within the Welsh regiments. I agree with you that there should be no divisions on grounds of class and I am always grateful to the many who gave their lives to keep us safe.
“The Welsh Affairs Select Committee has no plans to review the Welsh military in the immediate future but I will of course keep an eye out for any inappropriate reports regarding the Welsh military.”
The Royal Welsh proclaims its pride in Wales on its website, stating:” We are The Royal Welsh, loyal to our Royal Welsh family and proud of our history. We live by our motto, Gwell Angau na Chywilydd: Death rather than Dishonour. We are selfless in spirit, inspiring each other to achieve the extraordinary. We are determined to succeed, courageous in adversity, never failing in our duty. We are ferocious in battle, always ready to stand up, step forward and serve our nation. We are Welsh Warriors.
“The Royal Welsh is Wales’ oldest and most decorated regiment. As the Army’s most experienced armoured infantry unit, The Royal Welsh are a key part of the only warfighting division at continual operational readiness in the UK; ready to protect the UK and project its influence across the globe.
“The history of the Royal Welsh covers over 330 years, including nearly every major campaign that the British Army has participated in. Its antecedent regiments, the Royal Welch Fusiliers and the Royal Regiment of Wales amalgamated in 2006, uniting into one family Regiment the 23rd, 24th, 41st & 69th Regiments of Foot.”
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The discrimination seems to be straightforward racism rather than class based.
I can’t say I’m surprised to be honest. The military irrespective of the Regiment’s name are a fundamental part of the British establishment (For British see English). I never saw the attraction in serving a state that oppresses us frankly.
My father served proudly in WW2 and saw service on DDay to fight fascism. Born and forged in the Amman Valley.
This was exactly the same attitude when I joined in 94 unfortunately.
It was promoted, encouraged and expected.
Strangely they would utter their fragile, racist insults really quietly after I had one PTI who despised racism and encouraged differences to be settled via milling, and being quite at home in a scrap, I was completely happy to put those scabby old gloves on.
I was reliably told that during World War One and Two that Welsh soldiers were regularly used as canon fodder.
Dyna pan na ddylai’r un Cymro fyth ymladd dros y goresgynwyr.
This is awful. Same things has happened ( and still does) to some of my English friends who have worked for organisations in Wales and have experienced vile anti English bigotry. People won’t say anything while they are working for these organisations due to fear of being sacked. Anti Welsh and Anti English bigotry is vile and we need to have these conversations to confront these issues. I commend Mr Morgan for his bravery in talking about his experience and hope it will lead to others who have experienced anti Welsh bigotry and also anti English bigotry
Its not only in the military. Most English look down on the Welsh and is true today. Their attitude is a legacy from colonialism whereby whether your from Africa, India or Wales your automatically inferior.
I would say most English, the majority of English do not look down at Welsh people, some do , but the majority don’t. A lot of my English friends are some of the kindest friends I have ever had. In the same way a majority of Welsh people do not look down at the English, there are some , yes, but most Welsh people are wonderful . In fact I would say most people are wonderful and kind, it doesn’t matter what nationality they are.
I don’t understand how anyone can give your statement about the wider world a negative tick. Bit I totally agree with your sentiment.
I noticed that you get negative ticks because you’ve made a reasonable point (and I would agree with you) But I’ve noticed that any comments that support the English are not well received.
Thanks Paul. If that’s the case, that any comments that support the English are not well received here, that’s clear ……..( I won’t say the word but it’s pretty obvious what I’m talking about). So sad.
He’s clearly telling the truth, and it’s disgraceful that privileged public school boys view people from the Celtic nations as mere cannon fodder. Eluned Morgan must investigate these allegations immediately.
but he’s from a public school himself, as is the “majority” of his family according to the article.
I served in the South Wales Borderers and then as a Cpl in the Royal Regiment of Wales leaving in 1977 both Regiments recruited from South Wales and border counties of England most of the officers WHERE OF WELSH DECENT and on Reunions the most of the Officers who become C O,s Lt Col upwards came from and retired from Wales some officers are from the South east of England but are in a minority
We even had officers from Scotland and Northern Ireland in those Regiments
The 2nd SWB on D-Day, they didn’t get a mention this year, shame…
Attached to Aber Uni…the International Politics assault course was a toughie as I recall…
Is this news? As far as I can see this a matter of long standing public record. Jonathan published a book in 2014 in which what he says now is repeated. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tragedy-War-Artists-Writers-Regiments/dp/099302680X
I have a copy. According to the book he left the military in 1980 – so we are talking of experiences over 45 years ago.
The issues he raises are, of course,concerning but some reference to current experience of Welsh military is needed.