We respect the effort he made to give us the peace and freedom we enjoy today. 1st Battalion. Welcome to Irelands Great War a program dedicated to exploring Irelands role in the Great War 1914 1918, its aftermath and legacy. We add around 200,000 new records each month. If you have a general question please post it on our Facebook page. (d.16th Aug 1917), McClelland James. In his history of the Ulster Division, Cyril Falls, an officer of the Division, dismisses the attack by 108th Brigade on the left flank as separate from the other and of less importance, a strange comment since this attack was integral to the overall 36th Division, and Fourth Army, plan. The Ulster Division withdrew to count its losses. A commemorative paving stone honouring the war hero was unveiled beside the sculpture by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip. In 1888 Wilhelm II was crowned 'German Emperor and King of Prussia' and moved from a policy of maintaining the status quo to a more aggressive position. Ken, we were under the assumption that he lied about his age when he enlisted. They embarked for Britain on the 27th of September 1914 and arrived at Liverpool on the 22nd of October they joined 25th Brigade, 8th Division at Hursley Park, Winchester. I came across a reference to my own granduncle's death (he was a mere rifleman/private) in Taylor's history of the 2 nd Royal Irish Rifles in the Great War. 9th Btn. Formed at Belfast in September 1914 as part of K2 and came under command of 48th Brigade in 16th (Irish) Division. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, ROUEN France ' Formed in Belfast in September 1914 from the Belfast Volunteers. var fontstart = '' WW1 Irish Soldiers Database - Ourheroesinmemoriam.co.uk - Google He enlisted as 5/9929 in 5th RIR 8.11.1916 and served with 2nd RIR in the BEF from 12.3.1918. Looking at the surviving records there is evidence that men enlisted significantly under age around this time and were weeded out. "Orbita." October 1915 : landed at Boulogne. On 8 February 1918 the battalion transferred again to 107th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division. Rfmn. Albert Edward Cox 14th Btn. (d.7th Jun 1917), Brown Patrick. 9th Btn. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. His medal citation reports that: ..Early next morning, hearing a rumour that his platoon officer was lying out wounded, he went out seven times to look for him under heavy shell and machine-gun fire, each time bringing back a wounded man. . By 16 August, when it had advanced well forward of the rest of the attacking force, it only had one surviving officer and 60 other ranks. 3rd July : Forceville. On 1 July 1916, Quigg advanced with his platoon towards the German trenches through a torrent of gunfire and artillery. This includes cookies that track any click through to affiliate links and advertisers that appear on this site. Its area consisted of Antrim, Down, Belfast and Louth, with its depot located at the Belfast Infantry Barracks (later renamed Victoria Barracks). 15th(North Belfast)Btn. 9th Btn. Rfl. Pte. The village had resisted all previous attempts to capture it and resistance remained stubborn, resulting in heavy losses for 47th Brigade. (IWM image (Q 1))]. The sculpture was created by David Annand (www.davidannand.com). L/Cpl. Royal Irish Rifles Battalions of the Regular Army 1st Battalion August 1914 : in Aden. (d.21st March 1915), Morrow Arthur Galway. S.. 2Lt. Royal Irish Rifles maxim gun detachment, Tibet, 1904 First World War Still in Britain on the outbreak of war in 1914, 2nd Battalion deployed straight to the Western Front. Rflm. October 1915 : landed at Le Havre. If you use Twitter, you can always contact me at my account @1418research. Welcome. (d.7th Jun 1917), Mercer Samuel. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time. 6 November 1914 : landed at Le Havre. Moved to Newtownards and came under orders of 108th Brigade in 36th (Ulster) Division. My grandad was an instructor but on the 25th of December 1914 he was sent to the front with the 2nd battalion of the RIR because of the high losses suffered they needed more experienced men. The Irish Military Heritage Foundation CLG, Educated for War The Story of Fingals Hely-Hutchinson Brothers, Braving No-Mans Land Sergeant Robert Quigg V.C, Irish Volunteer, Dublin Fusilier, Patriot Lieutenant Tom Kettle, County Donegal 1914 1918 Part 1 The Homefront and Rebellion, County Donegal in 1914 1918 Part 2: World War I, LAST OUT The Royal Munster Fusiliers on the Italian Front, Annual Somme Commemoration National War Memorial Gardens. 1st Garrison Battalion 'Nec Aspera Terrent. I don't know exactly how he died, as records say he "Died of Wounds." dailyinfo[30]=' B/469 Worker Charles BARLOW Australian Munition Worker who died 30/01/1918 NORTH SHEEN CEMETERY United Kingdom ' 15th (North Belfast) Battalion, Davies Henry John Herbert. dailyinfo[27]=' 5778 Private William CUMMINGS 6th Bn. Rfm 11th (South Antrim) Btn. (d.31st Jan 1917), Brady Edward. and Gen. Hos. Those known to have served with Royal Irish Rifles during the Great War 1914-1918. In all, twenty Irish battalions, plus The Tyneside Irish, took part in the attack. 16th (Service) Battalion (2nd County Down) (Pioneers) (Brigadier Nelson Russell, Commander 38 (Irish) Brigade, 1942-44), For individual museum opening times and information, please click on the relevant museum below: It was therefore most appropriate that on 28 June 2016 Her Majesty and His Royal Highness returned to the area to put the Royal seal of approval on this tribute to Bushmills very own Great War hero. (d.7th Jun 1917), Currie Harold. In the early 1880s Muhammad Ahmad, the self-proclaimed Mahdi (the Guided One) proclaimed a Jihad and led an uprising in the Sudan, known as the Mahdi Revolt, against the Khedivate of Egypt. There are:7597 items tagged Royal Irish Rifles available in our Library These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War. (d.20th August 1917), Gorman Gilbert. Ken, George's birthdate is 15 November 1898 (he was born in Gilford). Blair T.. (d.1st Jul 1916) Booth Hudson. 29 September 1915 : moved via Mudros to Salonika, arriving 4-5 October. dailyinfo[15]=' SS/342 Able Seaman Henry George SMITH (RFR/CH/B/5534). By doing so, you will enable it to remain free to all. Royal Irish Rifles | The National Archives Moved at first to Newcastle and disbanded on 20 February 1918 but otherwise record same as 8th Bn. During the First World War officers and men of The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers were awarded eight Victoria Crosses, The Royal Irish Rifles three and The Royal Irish Fusiliers two. Our Search this site. On 13 December, 10 officers and 450 other ranks were moved with only one hours notice to garrison Cairo. 14 August 1914 : landed at Rouen. Royal Irish Rifles - The Long, Long Trail Moved to Clandeboye and came under orders of 108th Brigade in 36th (Ulster) Division. During this patrol Major Herbert Musgrave from Corps Intelligence was killed. His name was Duff. Rflmn. Formed in Belfast in September 1914 from the Belfast Volunteers. (d.22nd Mar 1917), Mailey John Henry. His. 1/18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn. Rifleman 12th Battalion (d.1st July 1916), Black John. 10 x Army buttons London Irish Rifles group horn WW1 WW2 era KC 24 mm to help with the costs of keeping the site running. Although the part played by the 36th (Ulster) Division in the Somme battles was over, there was still much to do for Inniskilling, Rifles and Faugh battalions. Those who earned them did so in a tradition born in the 17th century and carried on in the 21st century by the officers and all ranks of The Royal Irish Regiment. The service of the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in World War I saw the battalion serving on the Western Front throughout the war. Please note we currently have a massive backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. In August 1914, Sergeant OCathain was with the 2nd Battalion garrisoned at Tidworth, Wiltshire in England. Our databases allow us to investigate almost the entire Army records and we can conduct research into any officer or soldier of any British Army regiment. dailyinfo[23]=' 9656 Private Isaac COOPER "A" Coy. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. My other grandfather, who served on the German side, was also aPoW. William McFadzean, 14th Bttn - 1st July 1916 at Theipval, France. The following month, the battalion was sent to the rear for rest and training after a full year in the trenches. 2nd Battalion (d.6th Aug 1917 ), McClements William James. 16th Btn. The Long, Long Trail has always been free to use but it does cost money to operate. (d.1st Jul 1917), Bothwell Thomas Henry. //-->, By This information will help us make improvements to the website. Rfm. The Society raised approximately 60,000, thanks to the help and support of the people of the Causeway area and far beyond. In early 1888, now Corporal OCathain and the 2nd Battalion was stationed at Alexandria in Egypt. (d.7th Jun 1917). Please note Sergeant Rory OCathain is a fictitious character. 1st July : Attack between St Pierre-Divion and Schwaben Redoubt. The last casualty that Quigg saved was Robert Matthews, from the village of Mosside, less than six miles from Bushmills. The ceremony was the result of four years of work by the Robert Quigg V.C. 15th Btn. The Royal Ulster Rifles | National Army Museum Royal Welsh Fusiliers who died 11/03/1915 FAUQUISSART MILITARY CEMETERY, LAVENTIE France ' We are incredibly proud of him and how he survived the unimaginable conflict that he endured from 1914 until his discharge in 1917. Looking at your PDF, the medals are (left to right): Curiously, his Medal Index Card (linked by Jon in post#3) isn't annotated to show an award of the 14/15 Star; and I didn't find him in the relevant medal roll. 10th Btn. (d.1st July 1916), Mills J.. Rfm. (d.9th May 1915), Rankin Samuel. Typically eighteen year old recruits received further training, e.g Machine Gun Corps, or were posted to a home service unit until they became of age, this posting would not usually appear on the Medal Rolls. 1st September 1914 Recruitment of 16th (Service) Battalion Royal Irish Rifles 16th (Service) Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (Pioneers). In 1937, the London Irish Rifles became a Territorial Army battalion of the Rifles, and the only TA battalion of an Irish regiment. Royal Irish Rifles (d.1st Jul 1916), Sgt. 11th Btn. Is there a way that I could find out if he was captured by the British? [1] [2] History [ edit] Royal Irish Regiment - The Long, Long Trail (d.7th Jun 1917), Corscadden Francis Theodore. By September 1914, only 6 officers and 200 men were fit for duty. Moved to Hursley Park and came under command of 25th Brigade in 8th Division. In later life, Quigg returned to the Bushmills area and became a boatman and guide at the Giants Causeway, like his father before him. On either flank of the Ulster Division, the German defences had prevailed. if (dailyinfo[daym] != "") { document.write(fontstart+dailyinfo[daym]+fontend) } 2nd Btn. Upcoming changes to logging in - click here, GWF is free to use so please support the Forum, http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/prisoners-of-war-british-hands/, The George V, General Service Medal - the clasp indicates the qualification was by virtue of serving at Ramadi or north of a line east and west through Ramadi between 10 December 1919 and 13 June 1920, or as part of an establishment within Iraq between 1 July and 17 November 1920. The Cairo garrison, together with a Royal Irish Rifles mounted infantry platoon of two officers and 37 other ranks, commanded by Brigadier Francis Grenfell, was hastily sent to Suakin in the Sudan were fighting ensued, where the military commander was Colonel Herbert Kitchener. 9th (Service) Battalion (West Belfast) Royal Horse Artillery who died 16/03/1917 VARENNES MILITARY CEMETERY France ' Moved to England in April 1918, going to Larkhill. 6 Reserve Lorry Park Royal Air Force who died 28/02/1919 BELGRADE CEMETERY Belgium ' William Lewis 10th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (d.1st July 1916) William James Lewis was the son of William James Lewis and Ellen Lewis of 58 Rutland Street, South Belfast. Appears to have been at Cawnpore, Allahabad and possibly Shahjahanpur. Free delivery for many products. Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events, All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, 1912-1917: records of the Young Citizen Volunteers of Ireland, later the 14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), 1917: company roll book for 7th Battalion, About our A date of birth may help to indicate when he was posted to the BEF. The Rifles were honoured for Bazentin Ridge, Pozires and Ancre Heights, while one of their affiliated Territorial Force battalions, 1st Bn The London Irish Rifles, also received the honour le Transloy. The Victoria Cross was awarded to three men from the Royal Irish Rifles: Edward De Wind, 15th Bttn - 21st March 1918 at Grugies, France. It participated in several of the most significant battles of the war, including the battles of Neuve-Chapelle, the Somme, Passchendaele and St Quentin. The Robert Quigg V.C. Over 60,000 was raised. The 1st Battalion took part in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March 1915, the Battle of Fromelles in July 1915 and the Battle of Loos in September 1915 before taking part in the Battle of the Somme in September 1916. HERE is the medal roll on Ancestry. In the Third Battle of Ypres the battalion took part in the Battle of Pilkem. please. [1] The Ottoman Empire had not yet entered the war so the battalion was sent to England in September, where it prepared for a deployment to France, attached to the 25th Infantry Brigade, 8th Division. Commemoration Society (Images courtesy of the Society). The 36th (Ulster) Division arrived in France in October 1915 and fought in France and Flanders, in the Battles of Somme, Messines, Passchendaele, Cambrai, Kaiserschlacht and the final 100 days of war that led to victory. Remembered Today: His name was Duff. 1st Battalion (d.21st March 1918), Bustard W. E.. 14th Btn. It played a prominent role in opposing the German attack during Operation Michael (known to the British as the Battle of St Quentin) in March 1918. For the rest of the war, he toured Ireland with recruiting parties encouraging men to enlist and serve their King and country in defence of the poor people of Belgium. 8th Btn. The regiment was one of eight infantry regiments raised and garrisoned in Ireland during this period. Royal Irish Rifles. 16th Battalion (d.22nd Aug 1916), Gorman Gilbert. 14 October 1917 : transferred to 108th Brigade in 36th (Ulster) Division. He left behind his wife Catherine (Nee McCormick) and his three sons Richard, Patrick and John. dailyinfo[22]=' 25368 Quartermaster Serjeant Leonard Henry CADE Meritorious Service Medal 12th Coy. All Rights Reserved. If anyone has any further information as to how he died, I would be very grateful to hear from you. CLM, thank you so much. All three regiments were awarded Albert, the official designation of the opening phase from 1st to 13th July 1916. However, the German assault on Verdun in February affected the Western Front plan when the defence of that town sucked in French reinforcements, reducing their commitment to the summer offensive. The Division was relieved on 2 July, having suffered 5104 casualties of who approximately 2069 died. John had been born in September of 1914 and his other sons were two and four years old. The Regiment was officially formed in 1881 when the 83rd and 86th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated however its history can be traced back 88 years prior to this date. 29 August 1917 : amalgamated with 9th Bn to form 8/9th Bn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps who died 02/03/1915 YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL Belgium ' 14th Btn. If you find it a valuable resource, please consider becoming a supporter. Salter J. W.. 2nd Lt. B Coy 11th (South Antrim) Btn. [4] The Battalion's chaplain, Donal O'Sullivan was killed in the Somme. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for British Army pre WW1 period Artist Rifles hat badge at the best online prices at eBay! in Runcorn, Cheshire. Rflmn. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. dailyinfo[29]=' Oberleutnant zur See Axel Carl Ludwig VON SCHOENERMARCK S.M.S. Hi Janis, He was born at Gilford, Co. Down, 15.11.1898, the son of George and Sarah Jane Harper nee Quinn. [6], Following the Armistice, the battalion was posted to the formerly German-occupied area of Mouscron in Belgium before returning to England in May 1919. With 49th Brigade called in to support the attack, more success was gained on the left where 7th Bn The Royal Irish Rifles of 48th Brigade and 7th Bn The Royal Irish Fusiliers of 49th Brigade broke through the German line, allowing two battalions from The Royal Dublin Fusiliers to pass through to seize the objective. Moved to Holywood in May 1915 and on to Ballykinlar in March 1918. Rfm. 12th (Mid Ulster) Btn. Moved to Hursley Park and came under command of 25th Brigade in 8th Division. Royal Army Medical Corps who died 22/02/1919 NUNHEAD (ALL SAINTS) CEMETERY United Kingdom ' Their attack was one of the finest displays of human courage in the world. The 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles was serving in Aden when the First World War broke out in August 1914. The 16th (Irish) Division arrived in France in April 1916 and fought in France and Flanders, in the Battles of Loos, Somme, Messines, Passchendaele, Cambrai and Kaiserschlacht when the entire division was reduced to cadre strength. 14th Btn. L/Cpl. dailyinfo[14]=' 16511 Private Albert COLEMAN "D" Coy. No personal details are collected. We have discovered photographs that we didn't know existed and have just recently discovered what our father looked like as a young man. 14th Bde. [6] Yet again, its colonel was killed on the opening day of the battle and the rest of the battalion suffered massive casualties. [1] The Ottoman Empire had not yet entered the war so the battalion was sent to England in September, where it prepared for a deployment to France, attached to the 25th Infantry Brigade, 8th Division. Royal Irish Rifles (d.21st Nov 1917), Rflmn. 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion [5], The battalion left the Somme for Loos after the first phase of the battle but returned in October 1916 to fight on the ridges of Le Transloy in appallingly muddy conditions. The third Battalion was short-lived and was disbanded in . 2th Btn. (d.1st Jul 1916), Gallagher Thomas. 11th Battalion (d.16th Aug 1917), Tweedie Charles. Belfast City Hospital History . October 1915 : landed at Boulogne. Written by Chris Baker. London Irish Rifles - Wikipedia 9th Battalion (d.1st July 1916), Hawthorne G. A.. 10th Btn. var year=mydate.getYear() Some Useful Sources of Information for Tracing Irish Ww1 Soldiers Collins William Robert. Rfmn. 4th Bn. The bloody and prolonged Somme campaign included some of the hardest-earned battle honours handed down from our antecedent regiments. October 1915 : landed at Boulogne. [4], In June 1917, the battalion was transferred to positions immediately east of Ypres, where it supported the British offensive that opened the Battle of Passchendaele on 31 July.