Post by groundhog on Aug 26, 2014 15:22:59 GMT
4th August 1914
Great Britain declared war on Germany. The Irish regiments of the British army were stationed mainly in England and India as follows;
1st Bn Irish Guards- Aldershot, England
1st Bn Royal Irish Regiment- Nasiribad, India
2nd Bn Royal Irish Regiment- Devonport , England
1st Bn Royal Munster Fusiliers- Rangoon, Burma
2nd Bn Royal Munster Fusiliers- Aldershot, England
1st Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers- Madras, India
2nd Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers- Gravesend, England
1st Bn Connaught Rangers- Forezepore, India
2nd Bn Connaught Rangers - Aldershot, England
1st Bn Leinster Regiment- Fyzabad, India
2nd Bn Leinster Regiment – Cork
1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers- Shorncliffe, England
2nd Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers- Quetta, India
1st Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers- Trimulgherry, India
2nd Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers- Dover, England
1st Bn Royal Irish Rifles- Aden
2nd Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers- Tidworth, England
The home-based battalions were very under-strength and immediately after the declaration of war reservists were recalled to the colours. Approximately 60% of the men who would fight at Mons three weeks later were not in uniform when the war began.
12th August 1914
Great Britain declared war on Austria-Hungary.
13th August 1914
The Irish Guards landed in Havre, France.
14th August 1914
The 2nd Bn, Royal Munster Fusiliers landed at Le Havre.
2nd Bn, Royal Irish Regt and 2nd Bn, Connaught Rangers landed in Boulogne.
19th August 1914
The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was officially formed in France.
20th August 1914
2397 Pte Patrick Mahoney, 3rd Bn Royal Irish Regt became Tipperary's first soldier to die during the war. He was from Fethard and is buried in Redcity Graveyard.
21st August 1914
The British Expeditionary Force, commanded by Field Marshal Sir John French, moved into Belgium. At this stage the BEF consisted of 2 Corps of
22nd August 1914
In Belgium, Cpl Thomas of the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards, became the first British soldier to fire shots in anger at the enemy in WWI. Thomas was from Nenagh.
The 2nd Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers landed in Boulogne. 2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers landed in France.
23rd August 1914
The British Expeditionary Force and the German Army clashed near Mons. Amongst the Irish units involved were 2nd Bn, Royal Irish Regt.
www.1914-1918.net/bat1.htm
Lt Maurice Dease, 4th Bn Royal Fusiliers, from Ballynagall, Co. Westmeath became the first soldier to win a VC in the Great War. In command of a machine gun section at Nimy Bridge in Mons, he stayed at his post until wounded for a fifth time. He later died of his injuries.
Killed in action with 2nd Bn Royal Irish Regt at Mons were;
4969 Sgt Denis Walsh from Cappoquin, Co. Waterford.
6820 L/Cpl William Roche, from Waterford City.
7622 Pte John Connolly, from Waterford City.
4834 Pte Patrick Ryan, from Waterford City.
1st Bn, Royal Irish Fusiliers landed in France
24th August 1914
Died on the retreat from Mons
8178 Pte Michael Brien, Kereen, Co. Waterford.
7037 Pte John Dwyer, Cashel, Co. Tipperary.
7309 Pte Stephen Hogan. Carrick on Suir.
7288 Pte William Lewis Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.
6726 Pte Stephen Ryan, Cashel, Co. Tipperary.
25th August 1914
2/Lt John Shine, 2nd Bn Royal Irish Regt. Son of Col. J. Shine, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Died of Wounds on the Western Front. One of three brother who would die in the Great War.
Battle of Le Cateau
The battle of Le Cateau took place during the retreat from Mons. Several Irish Regiments were involved including the Royal Irish Regiment and Royal Irish Rifles.
I Corps of the BEF reached Le Cateau on the night of August 25th. Field Marshal French ordered the retreat to continue and no effort be made to turn and engage the Germans. I Corps situation was, however, critical. Because of the proximity of the enemy, the cavalry would be unable to cover the withdrawal the following morning. The OC of 3rd Division reported his men exhausted with the first units of 7 Bde only reaching Le Cateau at 0200 on the 26th and 2nd Royal Irish Rifles arriving at 0400. Furthermore a gap was opening with I Corps further north and behind II Corps. Smith-Dorrien ignored French's orders and decided to fight.
He placed his three divisions on the high ground south of the Le Cateau-Cambrai road. The 5th Div held the ground around Le Cateau, the 3rd Div, a line from Troiselles through Audencourt to Caudry and the 4th Div west of Caudry itself. In the 3rd Div which had fought at La Bascule and which contained the 2nd Bn Royal Irish Regt as part of 8th Bde and the 2nd Bn Royal Irish Rifles, 7th Bde held the Caudry area, 8th Audencourt and 9th Troiselles.
Von Kluck decided on a frontal attack with his IV Corps while his III Corps probed the British right to try and out flank them. He was hoping for a breakthrough that would split the British Corps and leave the BEF open to destruction. After dawn on the 26th August the Germans entered Le Cateau meeting the KOYLI and the Suffolk Regts of 5th Div. After a short fight the British withdrew out of the town to the high ground behind it. On the left, German Cavalry attacked 4th Division and were beaten back. By mid morning the Germans had found the British right and were on the high ground east of the River Selle. Now the frontal attack commenced on I Corps and by 1300 the 5th Div was being assaulted by three German divisions. Smith-Dorrien decided to disengage and the order to withdraw was issued at 1340 hrs. Communications broke down badly however and while 5th Division had the order at 1400 and most forward units by 1500, 2nd KOYLI and 2nd Suffolks never received the order, held their ground and were destroyed by the Germans.
Meanwhile in 8th Bde, 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders and 2nd Bn Royal Scots who had fought at Obourg were dug in north of Audencourt with 2nd Bn Royal Scots and 4th Bn Middlesex Regt in reserve. The brigade Stood To from 0300 to 0500. Later in the morning the Middlesex was sent to dig in East of Audencourt and the Royal Irish was split up. C and D Coys were sent under command of Maj St. Leger to extend the line to the west of the Gordon Highlanders towards Caudry. C Coy was located in a railway cutting with one Platoon of D Coy and the remainder of D Coy under Maj Panter-Downes dug in on the flank facing Caudry. B Coy was attached to 3rd Bn the Worcestershire Regt of 7th Bde under Maj Daniell to defend Caudry itself while A Coy dug in astride the road SW of Audencourt in reserve. At 1000 the CO of 2nd Royal Irish was wounded by shellfire. He remained in command of the battalion on a stretcher.
In Caudry the bombardment continued fiercely until 1400 at which time Maj Daniell withdrew B Coy when 7th Bde began its withdrawal. He made his way back to Audencourt where he rejoined the Royal Irish as its brigade began its withdrawal.
Back in 7th Bde, Brigadier McCracken was concussed by shell-fire and replaced by the CO of Royal Irish Rifles, Lt-Col Bird.
In 3rd Div communications again failed and the Gordons, the two companies of the Royal Irish on their left plus a company of the Royal Scots never got the withdrawal order. At 1830 St Leger’s two companies began to move left, seeking other units in Caudry. They found Panter-Downes dying of wounds with several of his men where they had fought the German advance from Caudry until they were surrounded.
By Midnight on August 26th, the remnants of the Royal Irish were in Beaurevoir, about ten miles south-west of Le Cateau. The retreat continued until September 5th.
Some local men who died at Le Cateau
2nd Bn Royal Irish Regt
8366 Pte James Collins. Waterford City.
8285 Pte James Daniels. Portlaw, Co. Waterford.
2nd Bn Royal Irish Rifles
9995 Rifleman Thomas Chittick, Ardmore, Co. Waterford.
20 Km east of Le Cateau, 2nd Bn Connaught Rangers fought a rearguard action at Le Grand Fayt.
Great Britain declared war on Germany. The Irish regiments of the British army were stationed mainly in England and India as follows;
1st Bn Irish Guards- Aldershot, England
1st Bn Royal Irish Regiment- Nasiribad, India
2nd Bn Royal Irish Regiment- Devonport , England
1st Bn Royal Munster Fusiliers- Rangoon, Burma
2nd Bn Royal Munster Fusiliers- Aldershot, England
1st Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers- Madras, India
2nd Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers- Gravesend, England
1st Bn Connaught Rangers- Forezepore, India
2nd Bn Connaught Rangers - Aldershot, England
1st Bn Leinster Regiment- Fyzabad, India
2nd Bn Leinster Regiment – Cork
1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers- Shorncliffe, England
2nd Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers- Quetta, India
1st Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers- Trimulgherry, India
2nd Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers- Dover, England
1st Bn Royal Irish Rifles- Aden
2nd Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers- Tidworth, England
The home-based battalions were very under-strength and immediately after the declaration of war reservists were recalled to the colours. Approximately 60% of the men who would fight at Mons three weeks later were not in uniform when the war began.
12th August 1914
Great Britain declared war on Austria-Hungary.
13th August 1914
The Irish Guards landed in Havre, France.
14th August 1914
The 2nd Bn, Royal Munster Fusiliers landed at Le Havre.
2nd Bn, Royal Irish Regt and 2nd Bn, Connaught Rangers landed in Boulogne.
19th August 1914
The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was officially formed in France.
20th August 1914
2397 Pte Patrick Mahoney, 3rd Bn Royal Irish Regt became Tipperary's first soldier to die during the war. He was from Fethard and is buried in Redcity Graveyard.
21st August 1914
The British Expeditionary Force, commanded by Field Marshal Sir John French, moved into Belgium. At this stage the BEF consisted of 2 Corps of
22nd August 1914
In Belgium, Cpl Thomas of the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards, became the first British soldier to fire shots in anger at the enemy in WWI. Thomas was from Nenagh.
The 2nd Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers landed in Boulogne. 2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers landed in France.
23rd August 1914
The British Expeditionary Force and the German Army clashed near Mons. Amongst the Irish units involved were 2nd Bn, Royal Irish Regt.
www.1914-1918.net/bat1.htm
Lt Maurice Dease, 4th Bn Royal Fusiliers, from Ballynagall, Co. Westmeath became the first soldier to win a VC in the Great War. In command of a machine gun section at Nimy Bridge in Mons, he stayed at his post until wounded for a fifth time. He later died of his injuries.
Killed in action with 2nd Bn Royal Irish Regt at Mons were;
4969 Sgt Denis Walsh from Cappoquin, Co. Waterford.
6820 L/Cpl William Roche, from Waterford City.
7622 Pte John Connolly, from Waterford City.
4834 Pte Patrick Ryan, from Waterford City.
1st Bn, Royal Irish Fusiliers landed in France
24th August 1914
Died on the retreat from Mons
8178 Pte Michael Brien, Kereen, Co. Waterford.
7037 Pte John Dwyer, Cashel, Co. Tipperary.
7309 Pte Stephen Hogan. Carrick on Suir.
7288 Pte William Lewis Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.
6726 Pte Stephen Ryan, Cashel, Co. Tipperary.
25th August 1914
2/Lt John Shine, 2nd Bn Royal Irish Regt. Son of Col. J. Shine, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Died of Wounds on the Western Front. One of three brother who would die in the Great War.
Battle of Le Cateau
The battle of Le Cateau took place during the retreat from Mons. Several Irish Regiments were involved including the Royal Irish Regiment and Royal Irish Rifles.
I Corps of the BEF reached Le Cateau on the night of August 25th. Field Marshal French ordered the retreat to continue and no effort be made to turn and engage the Germans. I Corps situation was, however, critical. Because of the proximity of the enemy, the cavalry would be unable to cover the withdrawal the following morning. The OC of 3rd Division reported his men exhausted with the first units of 7 Bde only reaching Le Cateau at 0200 on the 26th and 2nd Royal Irish Rifles arriving at 0400. Furthermore a gap was opening with I Corps further north and behind II Corps. Smith-Dorrien ignored French's orders and decided to fight.
He placed his three divisions on the high ground south of the Le Cateau-Cambrai road. The 5th Div held the ground around Le Cateau, the 3rd Div, a line from Troiselles through Audencourt to Caudry and the 4th Div west of Caudry itself. In the 3rd Div which had fought at La Bascule and which contained the 2nd Bn Royal Irish Regt as part of 8th Bde and the 2nd Bn Royal Irish Rifles, 7th Bde held the Caudry area, 8th Audencourt and 9th Troiselles.
Von Kluck decided on a frontal attack with his IV Corps while his III Corps probed the British right to try and out flank them. He was hoping for a breakthrough that would split the British Corps and leave the BEF open to destruction. After dawn on the 26th August the Germans entered Le Cateau meeting the KOYLI and the Suffolk Regts of 5th Div. After a short fight the British withdrew out of the town to the high ground behind it. On the left, German Cavalry attacked 4th Division and were beaten back. By mid morning the Germans had found the British right and were on the high ground east of the River Selle. Now the frontal attack commenced on I Corps and by 1300 the 5th Div was being assaulted by three German divisions. Smith-Dorrien decided to disengage and the order to withdraw was issued at 1340 hrs. Communications broke down badly however and while 5th Division had the order at 1400 and most forward units by 1500, 2nd KOYLI and 2nd Suffolks never received the order, held their ground and were destroyed by the Germans.
Meanwhile in 8th Bde, 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders and 2nd Bn Royal Scots who had fought at Obourg were dug in north of Audencourt with 2nd Bn Royal Scots and 4th Bn Middlesex Regt in reserve. The brigade Stood To from 0300 to 0500. Later in the morning the Middlesex was sent to dig in East of Audencourt and the Royal Irish was split up. C and D Coys were sent under command of Maj St. Leger to extend the line to the west of the Gordon Highlanders towards Caudry. C Coy was located in a railway cutting with one Platoon of D Coy and the remainder of D Coy under Maj Panter-Downes dug in on the flank facing Caudry. B Coy was attached to 3rd Bn the Worcestershire Regt of 7th Bde under Maj Daniell to defend Caudry itself while A Coy dug in astride the road SW of Audencourt in reserve. At 1000 the CO of 2nd Royal Irish was wounded by shellfire. He remained in command of the battalion on a stretcher.
In Caudry the bombardment continued fiercely until 1400 at which time Maj Daniell withdrew B Coy when 7th Bde began its withdrawal. He made his way back to Audencourt where he rejoined the Royal Irish as its brigade began its withdrawal.
Back in 7th Bde, Brigadier McCracken was concussed by shell-fire and replaced by the CO of Royal Irish Rifles, Lt-Col Bird.
In 3rd Div communications again failed and the Gordons, the two companies of the Royal Irish on their left plus a company of the Royal Scots never got the withdrawal order. At 1830 St Leger’s two companies began to move left, seeking other units in Caudry. They found Panter-Downes dying of wounds with several of his men where they had fought the German advance from Caudry until they were surrounded.
By Midnight on August 26th, the remnants of the Royal Irish were in Beaurevoir, about ten miles south-west of Le Cateau. The retreat continued until September 5th.
Some local men who died at Le Cateau
2nd Bn Royal Irish Regt
8366 Pte James Collins. Waterford City.
8285 Pte James Daniels. Portlaw, Co. Waterford.
2nd Bn Royal Irish Rifles
9995 Rifleman Thomas Chittick, Ardmore, Co. Waterford.
20 Km east of Le Cateau, 2nd Bn Connaught Rangers fought a rearguard action at Le Grand Fayt.
