20th (Reserve) Battalion 18 February 1918 : disbanded in France. 9th Btn. Formed at Belfast in September 1914 from the Belfast Volunteers. He has travelled to places most have never heard of. Rflmn. KANE, J. Lance Corporal, 12/17998. 28 June was a wonderful day for the people of Bushmills and a great honour for our Society that the Queen graciously agreed to perform the official unveiling. 27563 Pte Sydney James Ward MGC He was a prisoner-of-war but I don't know where. (d.24th Jun 1915), Bruce James. 2nd Battalion (d.6th Aug 1917 ), McClements William James. Rflm. The 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles was serving in Aden when the First World War broke out in August 1914. The battle mentioned here should be the Battle of Aubers ridge (910 May 1915) - the battalion successfully took its objectives at Rouge Bancs near Fromelles, but it again suffered very heavy casualties. The medals in your PDF are in the reverse order. He fought in 15 major battles while in France. 10th Btn. A training unit of the Special Reserve, it moved on mobilisation to Holywood Barracks, with detachments going on coast defences. 9th Btn. The Royal Irish. Its area consisted of Antrim, Down, Belfast and Louth, with its depot located at the Belfast Infantry Barracks (later renamed Victoria Barracks). (d.7th Sep 1916), Aggas George Robert. George Smith 2nd Btn. In 1827 the Regiment added the titles of Fusilier and Royal to its name when its namesake the Prince of Wales acceded to the throne as King George IV and became the 87th (or Royal Irish Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot. L/Cpl. 14th Btn. August 1914 : at Tidworth. Kings Royal Rifle Corps who died 02/03/1915 YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL Belgium ' Rfm. While 7th Bn The Royal Irish Rifles was the only battalion of our antecedent regiments to serve in either 47th or 48th Brigades, 49th Brigade included two battalions of Inniskillings and two of Faughs (7th and 8th in both cases) and was known unofficially as the 'Ulster Brigade'. CLM, thank you so much. Rfm. Moved to Hursley Park and came under command of 25th Brigade in 8th Division. Pages. Allsopp Matthew. (d.1st July 1916), McAuley John. Sir Harry Macnaghten has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France; he is among 26 men from Bushmills and district who were killed on the first day of the Somme. L/Cpl. 15th Btn. Privacy Policy and Rflmn 1st Battalion (d.16th August 1917), Craig James. Fortunately for Quigg, his platoon commander was twenty-year-old Second Lieutenant Sir Harry Macnaghten, the heir to the Macnaghten estate and a man he would have known well. August 1914 : at Belfast. JOHN THE BAPTIST, LAWRENCE AND ANN) CHURCHYARD United Kingdom ' (d.14th Nov 1916), Brooks Patrick. Re-enlisted the following day, number 7006511. Formed in Belfast in September 1914 from the Belfast Volunteers. 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. My mission is to make the Long, Long Trail the best and most helpful reference site about the British Army in the Great War. 3rd (Reserve) Battalion There is help on how to research a soldierhere. 1st Garrison Battalion 9th Btn. Split by the Ancre River, the brigade suffered severely with the 9th Bn The Royal Irish Fusiliers being all but wiped out. 7th (Service) Battalion 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. (d.1916), Cozens Charles Edward. 1st Btn. - Royal Irish Rifles during the Great War -. We are now on Facebook. Today it has passed from memory, but its opening day is written indelibly into the Armys history as its bloodiest ever. L/Cpl. It was increased after the Armistice by the concentration of graves (chiefly of 1914-15 and 1918) from the battlefields East of Estaires and Bethune and from certain smaller cemeteries, including:- . Terms of Service apply. Rfmn. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time. 2nd Battalion 2th Btn. August 1914 : at Downpatrick. 14th Btn. They joined the 107th Brigade 36th (Ulster) Division at Ballykinler. Absorbed the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th (Reserve) Battalions in May. A training unit of the Special Reserve, it moved on mobilisation to Dublin. Protection of the Suez Canal was of great strategic importance and the 2nd Battalion and a detachment of the 1st Battalion were sent to the region. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. 10th Btn. 1st Bn. Ironically, the sole Somme battle honour not awarded to an Irish regiment was Thiepval. Before the First World War, Robert Quigg worked on the Macnaghten estate close to the Giants Causeway, Co. Antrim. Upon the outbreak of war in 1914 he was called up to regular service and the battalion went to Belfast to act as a training unit. Those known to have served with Royal Irish Rifles during the Great War 1914-1918. What happened next earned Rifleman Robert Quigg the Victoria Cross, the highest military honour awarded for valour in the British Commonwealth. Both regular battalions of the Inniskillings were involved, as were 1st Bn The Royal Irish Rifles and 1st Bn The Royal Irish Fusiliers. Our Moved to Clandeboye in December 1914. Lincolnshire Regiment who died 05/03/1916 CITE BONJEAN MILITARY CEMETERY, ARMENTIERES France ' 15th Btn. World War One Photos, Obituaries & Service Records. Rifleman 9th Btn. In later life, Quigg returned to the Bushmills area and became a boatman and guide at the Giants Causeway, like his father before him. Pte. Was 19 years old that a man could enlisted? The 2nd Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, known as The Lumps, were in the 32nd Division on the right flank, which had been stopped almost as its units left their start lines by heavy machine-gun fire from the Thiepval Spur. Formed in County Antrim in September 1914 from the Antrim Volunteers. In 1937, the London Irish Rifles became a Territorial Army battalion of the Rifles, and the only TA battalion of an Irish regiment. The regiment was one of eight infantry regiments raised and garrisoned in Ireland during this period. (d.25th Sep 1915), Bowler Harold. 6th Btn. Thank you, Janis. 1st Garrison Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, 8th (East Belfast) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, 9th (West Belfast) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, 10th (South Belfast) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, 11th (South Antrim) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, 12th (Central Antrim) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, 13th (1st County Down) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, 14th (Young Citizens) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, 15th (North Belfast) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, 16th (2nd County Down Pioneers) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, Adams Dickson. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for WW1 14th Battalion (Young Citizens Volunteers) Royal Irish Rifles Cap Badge Bras at the best online prices at eBay! (d.7th Jun 1917), Brien Phelim. The Royal Irish Rifles was formed in 1881, under the Childers Reforms, with the amalgamation of the 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot and the 86th Regiment of Foot. 2nd Btn. Harris Lee Moore. Rflmn. . Appears to have been at Cawnpore, Allahabad and possibly Shahjahanpur. 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. 11th Btn (d.1st Jul 1916), Whelan William Clement. Their company-strength operation succeeded, resulting in the capture of enemy equipment and prisoners, and a Military Cross for the Company Commander. This was a XIV Corps operation to secure suitable ground from which to launch the first operation involving tanks, which occurred a few days later at Flers-Courcelette. (d.21st Mar 1917), Kerr A G.. L/Cpl. Rfm. var dailyinfo= new Array(31) Rflmn. 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. Attacking on the left flank of the Ulster Division, as part of 29th Division, 1st Bn The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers sustained heavy losses, their casualties numbering 568, much the same as the most heavily hit units of 36th Division 13th Bn The Royal Irish Rifles and 11th Bn The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (595 and 598 respectively). Pte. The 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles came into being following the reorganisation of the British Army in 1881. Rfm. October 1915 : landed at Boulogne. Seaforth Highlanders who died 20/03/1919 BEIRUT WAR CEMETERY Lebanese Republic ' 15th Btn. He was facing the right way, the last round of a clip in the breech and three dead Germans in front of him. Moved at first to Newcastle and disbanded on 20 February 1918 but otherwise record same as 8th Bn. Rfm. He was my Grandfather's brother. Exploring a Shared History for a Better Future. By doing so, you will enable it to remain free to all. Belfast City Hospital History . (d.2nd May 1915), Bowes Michael. Machine boy. 5 March 1915 : absorbed a company of the Royal Jersey Militia. 6 November 1914 : landed at Le Havre. 19th (Reserve) Battalion //-->, By Formed in Belfast in September 1914 from the Belfast Volunteers. Middlesex Regiment who died 25/02/1921 LADYWELL CEMETERY United Kingdom ' The Regulars remained on the Somme front as the campaign continued and additional service battalions arrived at the end of August with the transfer of 16th (Irish) Division to the sector. Otherwise my contact details can be found at www.fourteeneighteen.co.uk. [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. The unit suffered badly at the Battle of Stormberg in December 1899, and on 3 April 1900 the regiment was forced to surrender to Orange Free State Commandant-General Christiaan de Wet after a siege at Reddersberg. - Royal Irish Regiment Museum. Royal Irish Rifles, Rfm. There is help on reading map referenceshere. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. 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. Please note Sergeant Rory OCathain is a fictitious character. (d.23rd Nov. 1917), Baker W. J.. Rfm. You signify acceptance of our use of cookies when you click the Accept button or by your continued use of the site. Beggs Thomas Alexander Thompson. 13 November 1917 : transferred to 108th Brigade in 36th (Ulster) Division, absorbing 7th Battalion. Moved to Clandeboye and came under orders of 108th Brigade in 36th (Ulster) Division. - Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum The ceremony was the result of four years of work by the Robert Quigg V.C. 14th (Young Citizens) Btn. Although it gained ground, it had to withdraw. We respect the effort he made to give us the peace and freedom we enjoy today. He served with the regiment in Gibraltar in 1864, Mauritius in 1867, and the Cape of Good Hope in 1870. 1st Btn. The cap badge of The Royal Irish Regiment traces a direct lineage back through The Ulster Defence Regiment to The Royal Ulster Rifles, although the harp and crown in various different shapes is emblematic of a significant number of Irish regiments. 14th (Service) Battalion (Young Citizens) The Great War Forum Limited ROYAL IRISH RIFLES. att 109th Light Trench Mortar Bty (d.1st Jul 1916), McNally F.. Rfm. dailyinfo[14]=' 16511 Private Albert COLEMAN "D" Coy. My other grandfather, who served on the German side, was also aPoW. . Rflmn. Rfmn. 14th Btn. (d.7th Jun 1917), Blunden Robert. I don't know exactly how he died, as records say he "Died of Wounds." dailyinfo[26]=' Chaplain 4th Class The Rev. 1st Battalion (d.21st March 1918), Parker Robert John. 2nd Bn. 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. Royal Irish Rifles (d.21st April 1917), Rfm. dailyinfo[11]=' Captain Charles Edmund WOOD Mentioned in Despatches Adjt. Their front line skirted the northern edge of Thiepval wood, facing a gentle upward slope toward Schwaben Redoubt, a defensive complex in the second main German trench system north of Thiepval. Researching soldiers of the British Army in the Great War of 1914-1919. Moved in June 1915 to Ballyholley and to England in September, going to Aldershot. In 29th Division, on the left, 1st Bn The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, veterans of Gallipoli (as was the Division), suffered losses second only to those of 1st Bn The Hampshire Regiment; 29th Divisions overall losses were higher than those of 36th. As the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act of 1907 did not call for the creation of TF units in Ireland, the regiment had no TF battalions. 1st Battalion (d.21st March 1918), Bustard W. E.. 14th Btn. Record same as 11th Bn. September 1917 : moved to Egypt for service in Palestine. Royal Engineers who died 31/01/1919 COLOGNE SOUTHERN CEMETERY Germany ' It suffered very heavy casualties, repeatedly losing its commanding officers during offensives; by the end of one attack in 1916, it was down to only one surviving officer and sixty men. [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. (d.1st Jul 1916). We are incredibly proud of him and how he survived the unimaginable conflict that he endured from 1914 until his discharge in 1917. 15th (North Belfast) Btn. Formed at Belfast in September 1914 as part of K2 and came under command of 48th Brigade in 16th (Irish) Division. This was on the 30th May 1916. (d.2nd August 1917), Burnett Corry. dailyinfo[16]=' 22659 Serjeant George SNELL Military Medal "T" Bty. The Long, Long Trail website uses cookies only to make sure the site works and to improve your experience as a user. It participated in several of the most significant battles of the war, including the battles of Neuve-Chapelle, the Somme, Passchendaele and St Quentin.