this is a brillant piece asnd interesting is the fact that a man named sammy noakes ran a horse drawn snack bar at the archway in the 30's and 40's according to my dad who lived up there
Tuesday 6 July 2010
Monday 5 July 2010
spencer smith ruritanians
Friday 2 July 2010
THE CONNAUGHT RANGERS
The Connaught Rangers The 88th Foot ("the Devil's Own") was an Irish
fixed bayonet unpainted 5.95. Made by us and ready to be posted to you. quote this post and get free post anywhere
Regiment
A regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. A regiment can be broken into two distinct categories, one being an administrative unit which is responsible for non-operational management of battalions , while the other being a deployable combat...
The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland .
. The 88th Foot or Connaught Rangers were raised in 1793 by The Earl of Clanrickarde to help counteract the Napoleonic threat. They formed part of the expeditions to Egypt in 1801, South America in 1806 and the short campaign in Holland against Napoleon. The 94th, formally known as the Scotch Brigade had fought in India ( earning the Army of India Medal with 3 clasps) prior to joining the 88th. in General Picton's, 3rd. Light Division in the Peninsular Wars against Napoleon.
Wellington used the 88th effectively as his Storm Troopers in the Peninsula where they were given the honour of providing the Forlorn Hope at Cuidad Rodrigo. The men of the 88th earned up to 12 battle clasps to the Military General Service medal for services in Egypt and the Peninsula and the 94th, 10 clasps.
After the Battle of Toulouse, the 88th departed to Canada while the 94th moved to Ireland and became over the next 50 years effectively an Irish Regiment. The 88th fought in the Crimean War 1854-56 and the Indian Mutiny 1857-59. The 94th sent small detachments with the 18th Royal Irish Regiment to The Crimea and to Egypt in 1882 .In 1881, the 88th (Connaught Rangers) Regiment of Foot (which formed the 1st Battalion) and the 94th Regiment of Foot94th Regiment of Foot
Five regiments of the British Army have been numbered the 94th Regiment of Foot:*94th Regiment of Foot , raised in 1760*94th Regiment of Foot, raised in 1780*94th Regiment of Foot, raised in 1794...
(which formed the 2nd Battalion) were amalgamated. The amalgamation of the two regiments into one was part of the British Government's Childers Reforms of Hugh Childers
Hugh Culling Eardley Childers was a British and Australian Liberal statesman of the nineteenth century. He is perhaps best known for being the politician responsible for the sinking of HMS Captain and for his reforms at the Admiralty. However he had other failures. At the War Office he made...
of the British Armed ForcesBritish Armed Forces
The armed forces of the United Kingdom, known as His/Her Majesty's Armed Forces or sometimes the British Armed Forces, and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, encompasses a navy, an army, and an air force...
which was, in turn, a continuation of the Cardwell ReformsCardwell Reforms
The Cardwell Reforms refer to a series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell between 1868 and 1874.-Background:...
implemented in 1879. At that time five infantry battalions were given Irish territorial titles.
Militarily, the whole of Ireland was administered as a separate command with Command Headquarters at Parkgate (Phoenix ParkPhoenix Park
Phoenix Park is the largest enclosed urban public park in Europe located 3 km to the north west of Dublin city centre in Ireland. It measures , with a walled circumference of 16 km that contains large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues. The park has been home to a herd of wild...
) Dublin, directly under the War OfficeWar Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1963, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
in London. The regiment recruited mainly in the counties of GalwayCounty Galway
County Galway is one of the traditional Counties of Ireland. It is located in the province of Connacht. It was named after the city of Galway...
, RoscommonCounty Roscommon
County Roscommon is one of the traditional counties of Ireland and is located within the province of Connacht. It was named after the town of Roscommon. The county covers an area of ....
, MayoCounty Mayo
County Mayo is one of the traditional counties of Ireland and is located within the province of Connacht. It was named after the village of Mayo . Mayo is the secondlargest of Ireland’s 32 counties in area and 15th largest in terms of population...
, SligoCounty Sligo
County Sligo is one of the traditional counties of Ireland and is located within the province of Connacht. It was named after the town of Sligo .Sligo is the 22nd largest of Ireland’s 32 counties in area and 25th largest in terms of population...
and LeitrimCounty Leitrim
County Leitrim is one of the traditional counties of Ireland and is located within the province of Connacht. It was named after the town of Leitrim .Leitrim is the 26th largest of Ireland’s 32 counties in area and smallest in terms of population...
: its garrison depot was located in Galway.
The 88th were based in BengalBengal
Bengal , is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent...
, British India, when they were amalgamated into the new regiment having deployed to India in 1879. The 94th were also abroad when they became the 2nd Battalion. They had deployed to the south of Africa in 1877 from Armagh, where they had taken part in the Zulu War and in 1880 the first Boer WarFirst Boer War
The First Boer War also known as the First Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881.-1877 annexation:...
where in January 1881 Lance-Corporal James MurrayJames Murray (VC)
James Murray VC was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
of the regiment won a Victoria CrossVictoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
. Pte. Fitzpatrick and Pte. Danagher of the 94th also won the VC in South Africa. Major Hans Garret Moore won the VC with the 88th during the Zulu War. In total the Regiment won 4 Victoria Crosses between 1877 and 1881.
The 2nd Battalion returned home the following year where they were stationed in IrelandIreland
Ireland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
and in 1887 moved to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The new 2nd Battalion sent a small detachment on The Gordon Relief Expedition in 1884 as Camel Mounted Infantry.
In 1889 the 2nd Battalion deployed to MaltaMalta
Malta , officially the Republic of Malta , is a densely populated developed European country in the European Union. The Southern European island nation is an archipelago that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands...
. The 1st Battalion departed India in 1890 for AdenAden
Aden is a city in Yemen, 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb.Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a low isthmus. This harbour, Front Bay, was first used by the ancient Kingdom of Awsan between the 5th and...
and returned home in 1891. In 1892 the 2nd Battalion remained in the Mediterranean and deployed to CyprusCyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon....
and then in 1895 to EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
. The following year the 2nd Battalion, as well as the machine-gun section of the 1st Battalion, deployed to the SudanSudan
Sudan is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and in the Arab World, and tenth largest in the world by area...
as part of the Dongola Expeditionary ForceDongola
Dongola is the capital of the state of Northern in Sudan, on the banks of the Nile...
under the command of Lord Kitchener as part of the reconquest of the SudanHistory of Sudan (1884-1898)
Developments in Sudan during the late 19th century cannot be understood without reference to the British position in Egypt. In 1869, the Suez Canal opened and quickly became Britain's economic lifeline to India and the Far East. To defend this waterway, Britain sought a greater role in Egyptian...
.
The 2nd Battalion departed for India the following year, while the 1st Battalion deployed to Ireland. In 1899 the 2nd Battalion deployed to Malta.
Boer War
The 1st Battalion deployed to South AfricaSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War , commonly referred to as The Boer War and also known as the South African War , the Anglo-Boer War and in Afrikaans as the Anglo-Boereoorlog or Tweede Vryheidsoorlog , or the Engelse oorlog was fought...
as part of 5th (Irish) Brigade which was commanded by Major-General Fitzroy Hart. The Rangers took part in numerous engagements during the Boer WarBoer War
Two Boer Wars were fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Orange Free State and the South African Republic , founded by settlers known as Voortrekkers who made the Great Trek from the Cape Colony....
.
The regiment took part in the Battle of ColensoBattle of Colenso
The Battle of Colenso was the third and final of the battles fought during the Black Week of the Second Boer War. It was fought between British and Boer forces from the independent South African Republic and Orange Free State in and around Colenso, Natal, South Africa on 15 December,...
on 15 December, part of the attempt to relieve the town of Ladysmith, besieged by BoerBoer
Boer is the Dutch word for farmer which came to denote the descendants of the proto Afrikaans-speaking pastoralists of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
forces. The Rangers and the rest of the 5th (Hart's) Brigade, who were on the left flank, had been forced to perform over 20 minutes of drill before the advance. The Brigade suffered heavily during their participation in the battle, the Boers inflicting heavy casualties. The advance was met with a fire from three sides that forced them to withdraw. The battle ended in defeat for the British. That battle and two previous defeats at MagersfonteinMagersfontein
The MagersfonteinMisspelt "Maaghersfontein" in some British texts battlefield is a site of the Battle of Magersfontein , part of the Second Boer War in South Africa...
and StormbergBattle of Stormberg
The Battle of Stormberg was the first British defeat of Black Week, in which three successive British forces were defeated by Boer irregulars in the Second Boer War....
became known as 'Black WeekBlack Week
Black Week is a phrase frequently used in the popular press to mark periods of a few days when a string of similar unfortunate events occur. Its celebrity usually fades to be replaced by another Black Week a few years later...
'.
The Rangers fought at Spion KopBattle of Spion Kop
The Battle of Spion Kop was fought about 38 km west-south-west of Ladysmith on the hilltop of Spioenkop along the Tugela River, Natal in South Africa...
and the Tugela HeightsRelief of Ladysmith
The Relief of Ladysmith, also known as The Battle of Tugela Heights, consisted of a series of military actions lasting from 14 February through 27 February, 1900 in which General Sir Redvers Buller's British army forced Louis Botha's Boer army to lift the Siege of Ladysmith during the Second Boer...
during further attempts by General Sir Redvers Buller to relieve the besieged town of Ladysmith. In late February the siege of Ladysmith finally came to an end after it was relieved by British forces. The regiment was awarded the battle honour Relief of Ladysmith in addition to South Africa 1899-1902.
The 5th Brigade subsequently deployed to Kimberley and took part in further operations against the Boer guerillas.
The Rangers finally departed South Africa for Ireland after the Boer War ended in 1902, and were also awarded the theatre honour.
In 1908 the 1st Battalion arrived in India while the 2nd Battalion returned home to Ireland. The 1st and 2nd battalions of the regiment were given new ColoursColour (flag)
A colour is a name for certain kinds of flags.*On land, it usually refers to regimental colours, but the term is also used outside military situations - for example, Scout and Girl Guide flags are known as colours....
by HM King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 1910 through World War I until his death in 1936...
in 1911. The 2nd Battalion had left Ireland and was in England when the "war to end all wars", the First World WarWorld War I
World War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
, began in August 1914.
First World War
In August 1914 the 1st Battalion, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Hurdis RavenshawHurdis Ravenshaw
Major General Hurdis Secundus Lalande Ravenshaw CMG was a senior British Army officer during the First World War who served at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and saw action on the North-West Frontier of India, in South Africa during the Second Boer War and in France and Greece during the...
, was stationed in Ferozepore, India. It was part of the Ferozepore Brigade, 3rd (Lahore) Division3rd (Lahore) Division
The 3rd Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army. It is believed to have been formed sometime around 1902. During World War I it became part of the Indian Corps and saw service in France before being moved to the Middle East where it fought against troops of the Ottoman...
of the Indian ArmyBritish Indian Army
The Indian Army , now sometimes called the British Indian Army to distinguish it from the modern army of the Republic of India, was the principal army of the British Raj in India during the last half-century before the partition of India in 1947.The Indian Army served both in India and,...
. It arrived in Marseilles, FranceFrance
France , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
on the 26 September 1914.
The 2nd Battalion was part of the 5th BrigadeBritish 5th Infantry Brigade
The 5th Infantry Brigade was a regular British Army formation from the First World War to disbandment in 1999.- History :During both World War I and the Second World War the 5th Brigade was part of the 2nd Infantry Division. It served in France in 1940, was evacuated to Britain from Dunkirk and...
, 2nd Division which was, in turn, part of the British Expeditionary Force. It arrived in BoulogneBoulogne-sur-Mer
Boulogne-sur-Mer is a city in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department of Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city was 44,859 in the 1999 census, whereas that of the whole metropolitan area was 135,116.-Name:...
in August 1914, the month in which war was declared. Its marching song It's A Long Way To TipperaryIt's a Long Way to Tipperary
"It's a Long Way to Tipperary" is a British music hall and marching song written by Jack Judge , a song that, allegedly, was written for a 5 shilling bet in Stalybridge, on the 30 January 1912 and performed the next night at the local music hall...
became famous.
The 3rd (Reserve) Battalion was based in GalwayGalway
Galway is the fastest growing and is the fifth largest city in Ireland and the only city in the province of Connacht. The city is located on the west coast of Ireland...
upon the declaration of war and would remain in Ireland until November 1917 when it moved to England. The 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion had been based in BoyleBoyle, County Roscommon
Boyle is a town in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is located at the foot of the Curlew Mountains near Lough Key in the north of the county. The renowned fishing lakes of Lough Arrow and Lough Gara are also close by...
in August and would remain there until November 1917 when it relocated to ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. In May 1918 the 4th Battalion was absorbed into the 3rd Battalion. The battalion ended its war at DoverDover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; west of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
.
The 5th (Service) Battalion was a battalion of Kitchener's ArmyKitchener's Army
The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, Kitchener's Mob , was an all-volunteer army formed in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of hostilities in World War I...
. The 5th Battalion was part of the K1 Group, the first New Army to be formed, and it was formed in DublinDublin
Dublin is the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is officially known in Irish as Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliath ; the English name comes from the Irish Dubh Linn meaning "black pool". It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the...
in August 1914. It subsequently joined the 29th Brigade, 10th (Irish) DivisionBritish 10th (Irish) Division
The 10th Division, was a New Army division, one of Kitchener's New Army K1 Army Group divisions raised largely in Ireland from the Irish National Volunteers in 1914...
at County CorkCounty Cork
County Cork is one of the traditional counties of Ireland. It is located within the province of Munster, and was named after the city of Cork...
and in 1915 it was dispatched to GallipoliBattle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign took place at Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey from 25 April 1915 to 9 January 1916, during the First World War. A joint British Empire and French operation was mounted to capture the Ottoman capital of Istanbul, and secure a sea route to Russia...
, where it fought alongside the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and the Royal Munster FusiliersRoyal Munster Fusiliers
The Royal Munster Fusiliers was a regular Irish Infantry Regiment of the British Army. One of eight Irish regiments raised and garrisoned in Ireland, it was originally formed in 1881 by the amalagamation of two regiments of the former East India Company. It served in India and the Great War until...
.
The 6th (Service) Battalion was another Connaught battalion of Kitchener's Army. It was part of the K2 Group and was formed at County Cork in September 1914 and joined the 49th Brigade, 16th (Irish) DivisionBritish 16th (Irish) Division
The 16th Division was a division of the New Army, raised in Ireland from the Irish National Volunteers in September 1914 as part of the K2 Army Group. In December 1915, the division moved to France, joining the British Expeditionary Force , under the command of Irish Major General William Hickie,...
. On the 18th December 1915 the battalion landed in Le HavreLe Havre
Le Havre is a city in north-western France situated on the right bank of the mouth of the Seine River as it flows into the Bay of the Seine in the English Channel. It is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region. The inhabitants of the city are called Havrais or...
.
Some 2,500 Connaught Rangers were killed in World War I. Their graves lie in France, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Egypt, Palestine, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, and England. In just over a week’s fighting in the Battle of the Somme (September 1916), the 6th Battalion lost 23 officers and 407 other ranks. On 21 March 1918, the same Battalion was “practically annihilated” during the German Spring OffensiveSpring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
breakthrough at St. Emilie in France. In one week the battalion lost “22 officers and 618 other ranks”, the latter figure including the 407 quoted by Denman. On the first day of the Spring Offensive the 6th Battalion found, following the opening bombardment, that the order to withdraw had not reached them so that they were left alone to face the onslaught of two fresh German divisions. Approximately 222 men were left standing after this. The Regiment lost over 300 men killed or wounded in action or missing on that day, following five weeks in the line. As a result of these heavy losses, the survivors were transferred into the 2nd Battalion, The Leinster Regiment, and the 6th Battalion, Connaught Rangers ceased to exist. Private Martin MoffatMartin Moffat
Martin Moffat VC was born in Sligo and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
from Sligo, later a winner of the Victoria Cross, was one of the men transferred.
Mutiny in India, 1920
When news of the Irish War of IndependenceIrish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence was a guerrilla war mounted against the British government in Ireland by the Irish Republican Army . It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence, and ended with a truce in July 1921...
, and the reprisals taken in Ireland by the Black and TansBlack and Tans
The term Black and Tans refers to the Royal Irish Constabulary Reserve Force ' onMouseout='HidePop("71859")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Auxiliary_Division">Auxiliary DivisionAuxiliary Division
The Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary , generally known as the Auxiliaries or Auxies, was a paramilitary organization within the RIC during the Irish War of Independence.-Recruitment and organization:...
reached the 1st Battalion at JalandharJalandhar
Jalandhar , is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. In Hindu mythology, Jalandhar was the eponymous kingdom of a devil in Satyuga...
the mutiny began. On 28 June 1920, five men from C Company refused to take orders from their officers, declaring their intent not to serve the King until the British forces left Ireland. The Union FlagUnion Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada...
at JalandharJalandhar
Jalandhar , is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. In Hindu mythology, Jalandhar was the eponymous kingdom of a devil in Satyuga...
, in the PunjabPunjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between India and Pakistan...
, was replaced by the flagFlag of Ireland
The national flag of Ireland is a vertical tricolour of green , white, and orange. It is also known as the Irish tricolour. The flag proportion is 1:2...
of the Irish RepublicIrish Republic
The Irish Republic was a unilaterally declared independent state of Ireland proclaimed in the Easter Rising of 1916 and formally established on 21 January 1919 by Dáil Éireann...
.
Within three days, the mutiny ended and the mutineers imprisoned at DagshaiDagshai
Dagshai is a cantonment town in Solan district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India.-Overview:Built by the British as a sanatorium for T.B patients, it has a British era graveyard overlooking a valley. It is on the same height as Lawrence School Sanawar near Kasauli, and is a short drive from...
. At SolanSolan
Solan is a city and a municipal committee in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Named after the goddess Shoolini, it is known as the "mushroom city of India" because of the mushroom centre situated at Chambaghat. The district is better known for the Mohan Meakin's brewery and...
, rumours began in the Rangers detachment there that the prisoners had been executed. Led by Private James Daly, about 70 Rangers joined the mutiny and stormed the armoury. The loyal guard successfully defended it: Privates Sears and Smyth were shot dead while other mutineers were taken prisoner. In all, about 400 men joined the mutiny, of whom eighty-eight were court martialled. Fourteen men were sentenced to death and the rest given up to 15 years in gaol. A few were acquitted. Thirteen of the men sentenced to die had their sentences commuted to life imprisonmentLife imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious felony crime where the convicted person is to remain in prison for the rest of his or her life...
.
The 21-year-old Daly was shot by a firing squad in Dagshai prison on November 2, 1920; he was the last member of British Forces to be executed for mutiny. Pte Sears and Pte Smyth were buried at Solan; Daly and John Miranda (who died in prison) were buried at the Dagshai graveyard (until 1970, see below).
James Daly had served in the Great War earning the British War Medal & Victory Medal and had volunteered to serve in India.
Regimental Colours and other memorabilia
The regiment was disbanded in 1922 upon the formation of the Irish Free StateIrish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand....
and the regimental coloursColours, standards and guidons
In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards or Guidons, to act both as a rallying point for troops, and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 years ago...
were laid up at Windsor Castle. An earlier set of colours can be found in the 14th century Collegiate Church of St Nicholas in GalwayGalway
Galway is the fastest growing and is the fifth largest city in Ireland and the only city in the province of Connacht. The city is located on the west coast of Ireland...
city centre along with several stone memorials to fallen members of the regiment. The Regimental HQ was in RenmoreRenmore
Renmore is a wide suburb of Galway City, Ireland, situated approximately 2 km to the east of the city. St Oliver Plunkett Church is located beside the primary school. Lough Atalia lies between Renmore and the city, which can be crossed using the public path beside the railway line...
Barracks, Galway (now Dún Ui Maoilíosa, MellowsLiam Mellows
Liam Mellows , often spelled 'Liam Mellowes', was an Irish Nationalist and Sinn Féin politician. Born in England, Mellows grew up in County Wexford in Ireland. He was active with the IRB and Irish Volunteers, and participated in the Easter Rising in County Galway, and the War of Independence...
Barracks, an Irish Army base) a few miles from the city centre. The barracks has a small museum of Rangers memorabilia which can be viewed by appointment with the curator.
Disbandment
As a result of the foundation of the Irish Free State under the terms of the Anglo-Irish TreatyAnglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the de facto Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of Independence...
, the Connaught Rangers and five other Irish infantry regiments of the British Army (from the territory of the new state) were disbanded in 1922. On 12 June the Rangers Colours, along with those of five other Irish regiments, were laid up in a disbandment ceremony at St. George's Hall, Windsor CastleWindsor Castle
Windsor Castle, in Windsor in the English country of Berkshire, is the largest inhabited castle in the world and, dating back to the time of William the Conqueror, is the oldest in continuous occupation...
in BerkshireBerkshire
Berkshire is a county in the South East of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1958, and Letters...
in the presence of King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 1910 through World War I until his death in 1936...
and the five other disbanding regiments. The Rangers detachment included the commanding officers of the 1st and 2nd Rangers, Lieutenant-Colonels W. N. S. Alexander and H. F. N. Jourdain. The regiment was formally disbanded on 31 July, after which there was no regular regiment of rangers in the British Army until 1968 (The Rangers (12th London/9th Kings Royal Rifle Corps) existed as part of the Territorial Army). Many of the Irish officers and men of the Connaught Rangers helped form the Western Command of the new Irish ArmyIrish Army
The Irish Army is the main branch of the Irish Defence Forces . It was first formed in 1922 after the implementation of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the subsequent foundation of the Irish Free State...
(then called the "National Army").
The Rangers after 1922
In 1936, the OireachtasOireachtas
The Oireachtas is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland, sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
(Irish Parliament) passed the CONNAUGHT RANGERS (PENSIONS) ACT, 1936 An Act to provide for the payment of pensions, allowances, and gratuities to or in respect of certain former members of the 1st Battalion, the Connaught Rangers, and to make provision for other matters connected with the matters aforesaid. August 1936. The effect of the Act was to give the Mutineers parity of esteem with veterans of the Anglo-Irish War.
In 1970, the remains of Sears, Smyth and Daly were repatriated to Ireland by The National Graves Association and given a military funeral with full honours. A special monument in their honour was erected at Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.
Today, the Irish Army RangersIrish Army Rangers
The Irish Army Ranger Wing is the special forces unit of the Irish Defence Forces.The ARW trains and operates with many international special operations units worldwide, including the US Army Rangers, Delta Force and Navy SEALs, French GIGN, German GSG 9, Swedish SSG, Italian COMSUBIN, Australian...
are the Special Forces unit of the Irish Defence ForcesIrish Defence Forces
The Irish Defence Forces encompass the army, navy, air corps and reserve forces of Ireland. Their official title in Irish is Óglaigh na hÉireann; another more literal translation, attested in Irish-language literature, is Fórsaí Cosanta na hÉireann...
and the Royal Irish RangersRoyal Irish Rangers
The Royal Irish Rangers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army.- Creation :...
are a regiment of the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
. However, these connections are a coincidence of name only; the Connaught Rangers name and traditions irrevocably came to an end in 1922 when the colours were laid up.
In 1966 a stained glass memorial window to the Connaught Rangers was included in the new Galway CathedralGalway Cathedral
The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas , commonly known as Galway Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Galway, Ireland and is one of the largest and most impressive buildings in the city...
, which renders honour to a regiment so long associated with that part of Ireland, the rolls of which bore the names of every family in Connaught. The cost of the window was covered by subscriptions collected by The Connaught Rangers Regimental Association via The Regimental Journal - "The Ranger" which was still being published twice yearly.
Further reading
William Grattan, Adventures With the Connaught Rangers 1809-1814 (London: Greenhill Books 1989) (edited by Charles Oman - a reprint of the first edition). A subaltern's account of life in this unit in the Peninsular War.
Lieutenant-Colonel HFN Jourdain, CMG, The Connaught Rangers - 1st Battalion, Formerly 88th Foot (London, Royal United Service Institution, 1926) 3-volume regimental history. Vol.1 = 1st Battalion, 1793-1922; Vol.2 = 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions, 1793- 1922; Vol.3 = 5th and 6th (Service) Battalions, 1914-18. Includes detailed records of war service, uniforms and badges. 1,160 pages.
TP Kilfeather, The Connaught Rangers. (Tralee: Anvil Books, 1969)
Gen EH Maxwell CB, With the Connaught Rangers in Quarters, Camp and on Leave (Hurst & Blackett, London 1883). Entering the army as an ensign in the Connaught Rangers in 1839, the author traces his career over 30 years, including the Crimea but principally in India, to 1870 when he sailed for home from Bombay, into retirement. 325 pp
Anthony Babington The Devil to Pay: The Mutiny of the Connaught Rangers, India, July 1920 ISBN 0-85052-327-3
Sam Pollock Mutiny for the Cause, Lee Cooper, London, 1969.
Great War Memorials
Irish National War Memorial GardensIrish National War Memorial Gardens
The Irish National War Memorial Gardens is an Irish war memorial in Inchicore, Dublin dedicated "to the memory of the 49,400 Irish soldiers who gave their lives in the Great War, 1914-1918" , out of over 300,000 Irishmen who served in all armies....
, Dublin.
Island of Ireland Peace ParkIsland of Ireland Peace Park
The Island of Ireland Peace Park and its surrounding park , also called the Irish Peace Park or Irish Peace Tower in Messines, near Ypres in Flanders, Belgium, is a war memorial to the soldiers of the island of Ireland who died, were wounded or are missing from World War I.The tower memorial is...
Messines, Belgium.
Ulster Tower MemorialUlster Tower Thiepval
The Ulster Tower is a memorial to the men of the 36th Division. The memorial was officially opened on November 19, 1921 and is a very close copy of Helen's Tower which stands in the grounds of the Clandeboye Estate, near Bangor, County Down in Northern Ireland...
Thiepval, France.
Menin Gate Memorial Ypres, Belgium.
fixed bayonet unpainted 5.95. Made by us and ready to be posted to you. quote this post and get free post anywhereRegiment
A regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. A regiment can be broken into two distinct categories, one being an administrative unit which is responsible for non-operational management of battalions , while the other being a deployable combat...
The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland .
. The 88th Foot or Connaught Rangers were raised in 1793 by The Earl of Clanrickarde to help counteract the Napoleonic threat. They formed part of the expeditions to Egypt in 1801, South America in 1806 and the short campaign in Holland against Napoleon. The 94th, formally known as the Scotch Brigade had fought in India ( earning the Army of India Medal with 3 clasps) prior to joining the 88th. in General Picton's, 3rd. Light Division in the Peninsular Wars against Napoleon.
Wellington used the 88th effectively as his Storm Troopers in the Peninsula where they were given the honour of providing the Forlorn Hope at Cuidad Rodrigo. The men of the 88th earned up to 12 battle clasps to the Military General Service medal for services in Egypt and the Peninsula and the 94th, 10 clasps.
After the Battle of Toulouse, the 88th departed to Canada while the 94th moved to Ireland and became over the next 50 years effectively an Irish Regiment. The 88th fought in the Crimean War 1854-56 and the Indian Mutiny 1857-59. The 94th sent small detachments with the 18th Royal Irish Regiment to The Crimea and to Egypt in 1882 .In 1881, the 88th (Connaught Rangers) Regiment of Foot (which formed the 1st Battalion) and the 94th Regiment of Foot94th Regiment of Foot
Five regiments of the British Army have been numbered the 94th Regiment of Foot:*94th Regiment of Foot , raised in 1760*94th Regiment of Foot, raised in 1780*94th Regiment of Foot, raised in 1794...
(which formed the 2nd Battalion) were amalgamated. The amalgamation of the two regiments into one was part of the British Government's Childers Reforms of Hugh Childers
Hugh Culling Eardley Childers was a British and Australian Liberal statesman of the nineteenth century. He is perhaps best known for being the politician responsible for the sinking of HMS Captain and for his reforms at the Admiralty. However he had other failures. At the War Office he made...
of the British Armed ForcesBritish Armed Forces
The armed forces of the United Kingdom, known as His/Her Majesty's Armed Forces or sometimes the British Armed Forces, and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, encompasses a navy, an army, and an air force...
which was, in turn, a continuation of the Cardwell ReformsCardwell Reforms
The Cardwell Reforms refer to a series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell between 1868 and 1874.-Background:...
implemented in 1879. At that time five infantry battalions were given Irish territorial titles.
Militarily, the whole of Ireland was administered as a separate command with Command Headquarters at Parkgate (Phoenix ParkPhoenix Park
Phoenix Park is the largest enclosed urban public park in Europe located 3 km to the north west of Dublin city centre in Ireland. It measures , with a walled circumference of 16 km that contains large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues. The park has been home to a herd of wild...
) Dublin, directly under the War OfficeWar Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1963, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
in London. The regiment recruited mainly in the counties of GalwayCounty Galway
County Galway is one of the traditional Counties of Ireland. It is located in the province of Connacht. It was named after the city of Galway...
, RoscommonCounty Roscommon
County Roscommon is one of the traditional counties of Ireland and is located within the province of Connacht. It was named after the town of Roscommon. The county covers an area of ....
, MayoCounty Mayo
County Mayo is one of the traditional counties of Ireland and is located within the province of Connacht. It was named after the village of Mayo . Mayo is the secondlargest of Ireland’s 32 counties in area and 15th largest in terms of population...
, SligoCounty Sligo
County Sligo is one of the traditional counties of Ireland and is located within the province of Connacht. It was named after the town of Sligo .Sligo is the 22nd largest of Ireland’s 32 counties in area and 25th largest in terms of population...
and LeitrimCounty Leitrim
County Leitrim is one of the traditional counties of Ireland and is located within the province of Connacht. It was named after the town of Leitrim .Leitrim is the 26th largest of Ireland’s 32 counties in area and smallest in terms of population...
: its garrison depot was located in Galway.
The 88th were based in BengalBengal
Bengal , is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent...
, British India, when they were amalgamated into the new regiment having deployed to India in 1879. The 94th were also abroad when they became the 2nd Battalion. They had deployed to the south of Africa in 1877 from Armagh, where they had taken part in the Zulu War and in 1880 the first Boer WarFirst Boer War
The First Boer War also known as the First Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881.-1877 annexation:...
where in January 1881 Lance-Corporal James MurrayJames Murray (VC)
James Murray VC was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
of the regiment won a Victoria CrossVictoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
. Pte. Fitzpatrick and Pte. Danagher of the 94th also won the VC in South Africa. Major Hans Garret Moore won the VC with the 88th during the Zulu War. In total the Regiment won 4 Victoria Crosses between 1877 and 1881.
The 2nd Battalion returned home the following year where they were stationed in IrelandIreland
Ireland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
and in 1887 moved to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The new 2nd Battalion sent a small detachment on The Gordon Relief Expedition in 1884 as Camel Mounted Infantry.
In 1889 the 2nd Battalion deployed to MaltaMalta
Malta , officially the Republic of Malta , is a densely populated developed European country in the European Union. The Southern European island nation is an archipelago that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino, along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands...
. The 1st Battalion departed India in 1890 for AdenAden
Aden is a city in Yemen, 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb.Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a low isthmus. This harbour, Front Bay, was first used by the ancient Kingdom of Awsan between the 5th and...
and returned home in 1891. In 1892 the 2nd Battalion remained in the Mediterranean and deployed to CyprusCyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon....
and then in 1895 to EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
. The following year the 2nd Battalion, as well as the machine-gun section of the 1st Battalion, deployed to the SudanSudan
Sudan is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and in the Arab World, and tenth largest in the world by area...
as part of the Dongola Expeditionary ForceDongola
Dongola is the capital of the state of Northern in Sudan, on the banks of the Nile...
under the command of Lord Kitchener as part of the reconquest of the SudanHistory of Sudan (1884-1898)
Developments in Sudan during the late 19th century cannot be understood without reference to the British position in Egypt. In 1869, the Suez Canal opened and quickly became Britain's economic lifeline to India and the Far East. To defend this waterway, Britain sought a greater role in Egyptian...
.
The 2nd Battalion departed for India the following year, while the 1st Battalion deployed to Ireland. In 1899 the 2nd Battalion deployed to Malta.
Boer War
The 1st Battalion deployed to South AfricaSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War , commonly referred to as The Boer War and also known as the South African War , the Anglo-Boer War and in Afrikaans as the Anglo-Boereoorlog or Tweede Vryheidsoorlog , or the Engelse oorlog was fought...
as part of 5th (Irish) Brigade which was commanded by Major-General Fitzroy Hart. The Rangers took part in numerous engagements during the Boer WarBoer War
Two Boer Wars were fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Orange Free State and the South African Republic , founded by settlers known as Voortrekkers who made the Great Trek from the Cape Colony....
.
The regiment took part in the Battle of ColensoBattle of Colenso
The Battle of Colenso was the third and final of the battles fought during the Black Week of the Second Boer War. It was fought between British and Boer forces from the independent South African Republic and Orange Free State in and around Colenso, Natal, South Africa on 15 December,...
on 15 December, part of the attempt to relieve the town of Ladysmith, besieged by BoerBoer
Boer is the Dutch word for farmer which came to denote the descendants of the proto Afrikaans-speaking pastoralists of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
forces. The Rangers and the rest of the 5th (Hart's) Brigade, who were on the left flank, had been forced to perform over 20 minutes of drill before the advance. The Brigade suffered heavily during their participation in the battle, the Boers inflicting heavy casualties. The advance was met with a fire from three sides that forced them to withdraw. The battle ended in defeat for the British. That battle and two previous defeats at MagersfonteinMagersfontein
The MagersfonteinMisspelt "Maaghersfontein" in some British texts battlefield is a site of the Battle of Magersfontein , part of the Second Boer War in South Africa...
and StormbergBattle of Stormberg
The Battle of Stormberg was the first British defeat of Black Week, in which three successive British forces were defeated by Boer irregulars in the Second Boer War....
became known as 'Black WeekBlack Week
Black Week is a phrase frequently used in the popular press to mark periods of a few days when a string of similar unfortunate events occur. Its celebrity usually fades to be replaced by another Black Week a few years later...
'.
The Rangers fought at Spion KopBattle of Spion Kop
The Battle of Spion Kop was fought about 38 km west-south-west of Ladysmith on the hilltop of Spioenkop along the Tugela River, Natal in South Africa...
and the Tugela HeightsRelief of Ladysmith
The Relief of Ladysmith, also known as The Battle of Tugela Heights, consisted of a series of military actions lasting from 14 February through 27 February, 1900 in which General Sir Redvers Buller's British army forced Louis Botha's Boer army to lift the Siege of Ladysmith during the Second Boer...
during further attempts by General Sir Redvers Buller to relieve the besieged town of Ladysmith. In late February the siege of Ladysmith finally came to an end after it was relieved by British forces. The regiment was awarded the battle honour Relief of Ladysmith in addition to South Africa 1899-1902.
The 5th Brigade subsequently deployed to Kimberley and took part in further operations against the Boer guerillas.
The Rangers finally departed South Africa for Ireland after the Boer War ended in 1902, and were also awarded the theatre honour.
In 1908 the 1st Battalion arrived in India while the 2nd Battalion returned home to Ireland. The 1st and 2nd battalions of the regiment were given new ColoursColour (flag)
A colour is a name for certain kinds of flags.*On land, it usually refers to regimental colours, but the term is also used outside military situations - for example, Scout and Girl Guide flags are known as colours....
by HM King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 1910 through World War I until his death in 1936...
in 1911. The 2nd Battalion had left Ireland and was in England when the "war to end all wars", the First World WarWorld War I
World War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
, began in August 1914.
First World War
In August 1914 the 1st Battalion, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Hurdis RavenshawHurdis Ravenshaw
Major General Hurdis Secundus Lalande Ravenshaw CMG was a senior British Army officer during the First World War who served at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and saw action on the North-West Frontier of India, in South Africa during the Second Boer War and in France and Greece during the...
, was stationed in Ferozepore, India. It was part of the Ferozepore Brigade, 3rd (Lahore) Division3rd (Lahore) Division
The 3rd Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army. It is believed to have been formed sometime around 1902. During World War I it became part of the Indian Corps and saw service in France before being moved to the Middle East where it fought against troops of the Ottoman...
of the Indian ArmyBritish Indian Army
The Indian Army , now sometimes called the British Indian Army to distinguish it from the modern army of the Republic of India, was the principal army of the British Raj in India during the last half-century before the partition of India in 1947.The Indian Army served both in India and,...
. It arrived in Marseilles, FranceFrance
France , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
on the 26 September 1914.
The 2nd Battalion was part of the 5th BrigadeBritish 5th Infantry Brigade
The 5th Infantry Brigade was a regular British Army formation from the First World War to disbandment in 1999.- History :During both World War I and the Second World War the 5th Brigade was part of the 2nd Infantry Division. It served in France in 1940, was evacuated to Britain from Dunkirk and...
, 2nd Division which was, in turn, part of the British Expeditionary Force. It arrived in BoulogneBoulogne-sur-Mer
Boulogne-sur-Mer is a city in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department of Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city was 44,859 in the 1999 census, whereas that of the whole metropolitan area was 135,116.-Name:...
in August 1914, the month in which war was declared. Its marching song It's A Long Way To TipperaryIt's a Long Way to Tipperary
"It's a Long Way to Tipperary" is a British music hall and marching song written by Jack Judge , a song that, allegedly, was written for a 5 shilling bet in Stalybridge, on the 30 January 1912 and performed the next night at the local music hall...
became famous.
The 3rd (Reserve) Battalion was based in GalwayGalway
Galway is the fastest growing and is the fifth largest city in Ireland and the only city in the province of Connacht. The city is located on the west coast of Ireland...
upon the declaration of war and would remain in Ireland until November 1917 when it moved to England. The 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion had been based in BoyleBoyle, County Roscommon
Boyle is a town in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is located at the foot of the Curlew Mountains near Lough Key in the north of the county. The renowned fishing lakes of Lough Arrow and Lough Gara are also close by...
in August and would remain there until November 1917 when it relocated to ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. In May 1918 the 4th Battalion was absorbed into the 3rd Battalion. The battalion ended its war at DoverDover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; west of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
.
The 5th (Service) Battalion was a battalion of Kitchener's ArmyKitchener's Army
The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, Kitchener's Mob , was an all-volunteer army formed in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of hostilities in World War I...
. The 5th Battalion was part of the K1 Group, the first New Army to be formed, and it was formed in DublinDublin
Dublin is the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is officially known in Irish as Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliath ; the English name comes from the Irish Dubh Linn meaning "black pool". It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the...
in August 1914. It subsequently joined the 29th Brigade, 10th (Irish) DivisionBritish 10th (Irish) Division
The 10th Division, was a New Army division, one of Kitchener's New Army K1 Army Group divisions raised largely in Ireland from the Irish National Volunteers in 1914...
at County CorkCounty Cork
County Cork is one of the traditional counties of Ireland. It is located within the province of Munster, and was named after the city of Cork...
and in 1915 it was dispatched to GallipoliBattle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign took place at Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey from 25 April 1915 to 9 January 1916, during the First World War. A joint British Empire and French operation was mounted to capture the Ottoman capital of Istanbul, and secure a sea route to Russia...
, where it fought alongside the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and the Royal Munster FusiliersRoyal Munster Fusiliers
The Royal Munster Fusiliers was a regular Irish Infantry Regiment of the British Army. One of eight Irish regiments raised and garrisoned in Ireland, it was originally formed in 1881 by the amalagamation of two regiments of the former East India Company. It served in India and the Great War until...
.
The 6th (Service) Battalion was another Connaught battalion of Kitchener's Army. It was part of the K2 Group and was formed at County Cork in September 1914 and joined the 49th Brigade, 16th (Irish) DivisionBritish 16th (Irish) Division
The 16th Division was a division of the New Army, raised in Ireland from the Irish National Volunteers in September 1914 as part of the K2 Army Group. In December 1915, the division moved to France, joining the British Expeditionary Force , under the command of Irish Major General William Hickie,...
. On the 18th December 1915 the battalion landed in Le HavreLe Havre
Le Havre is a city in north-western France situated on the right bank of the mouth of the Seine River as it flows into the Bay of the Seine in the English Channel. It is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region. The inhabitants of the city are called Havrais or...
.
Some 2,500 Connaught Rangers were killed in World War I. Their graves lie in France, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Egypt, Palestine, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, and England. In just over a week’s fighting in the Battle of the Somme (September 1916), the 6th Battalion lost 23 officers and 407 other ranks. On 21 March 1918, the same Battalion was “practically annihilated” during the German Spring OffensiveSpring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
breakthrough at St. Emilie in France. In one week the battalion lost “22 officers and 618 other ranks”, the latter figure including the 407 quoted by Denman. On the first day of the Spring Offensive the 6th Battalion found, following the opening bombardment, that the order to withdraw had not reached them so that they were left alone to face the onslaught of two fresh German divisions. Approximately 222 men were left standing after this. The Regiment lost over 300 men killed or wounded in action or missing on that day, following five weeks in the line. As a result of these heavy losses, the survivors were transferred into the 2nd Battalion, The Leinster Regiment, and the 6th Battalion, Connaught Rangers ceased to exist. Private Martin MoffatMartin Moffat
Martin Moffat VC was born in Sligo and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
from Sligo, later a winner of the Victoria Cross, was one of the men transferred.
Mutiny in India, 1920
When news of the Irish War of IndependenceIrish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence was a guerrilla war mounted against the British government in Ireland by the Irish Republican Army . It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence, and ended with a truce in July 1921...
, and the reprisals taken in Ireland by the Black and TansBlack and Tans
The term Black and Tans refers to the Royal Irish Constabulary Reserve Force ' onMouseout='HidePop("71859")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Auxiliary_Division">Auxiliary DivisionAuxiliary Division
The Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary , generally known as the Auxiliaries or Auxies, was a paramilitary organization within the RIC during the Irish War of Independence.-Recruitment and organization:...
reached the 1st Battalion at JalandharJalandhar
Jalandhar , is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. In Hindu mythology, Jalandhar was the eponymous kingdom of a devil in Satyuga...
the mutiny began. On 28 June 1920, five men from C Company refused to take orders from their officers, declaring their intent not to serve the King until the British forces left Ireland. The Union FlagUnion Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada...
at JalandharJalandhar
Jalandhar , is a city in Jalandhar District in the state of Punjab, India. In Hindu mythology, Jalandhar was the eponymous kingdom of a devil in Satyuga...
, in the PunjabPunjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between India and Pakistan...
, was replaced by the flagFlag of Ireland
The national flag of Ireland is a vertical tricolour of green , white, and orange. It is also known as the Irish tricolour. The flag proportion is 1:2...
of the Irish RepublicIrish Republic
The Irish Republic was a unilaterally declared independent state of Ireland proclaimed in the Easter Rising of 1916 and formally established on 21 January 1919 by Dáil Éireann...
.
Within three days, the mutiny ended and the mutineers imprisoned at DagshaiDagshai
Dagshai is a cantonment town in Solan district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India.-Overview:Built by the British as a sanatorium for T.B patients, it has a British era graveyard overlooking a valley. It is on the same height as Lawrence School Sanawar near Kasauli, and is a short drive from...
. At SolanSolan
Solan is a city and a municipal committee in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Named after the goddess Shoolini, it is known as the "mushroom city of India" because of the mushroom centre situated at Chambaghat. The district is better known for the Mohan Meakin's brewery and...
, rumours began in the Rangers detachment there that the prisoners had been executed. Led by Private James Daly, about 70 Rangers joined the mutiny and stormed the armoury. The loyal guard successfully defended it: Privates Sears and Smyth were shot dead while other mutineers were taken prisoner. In all, about 400 men joined the mutiny, of whom eighty-eight were court martialled. Fourteen men were sentenced to death and the rest given up to 15 years in gaol. A few were acquitted. Thirteen of the men sentenced to die had their sentences commuted to life imprisonmentLife imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious felony crime where the convicted person is to remain in prison for the rest of his or her life...
.
The 21-year-old Daly was shot by a firing squad in Dagshai prison on November 2, 1920; he was the last member of British Forces to be executed for mutiny. Pte Sears and Pte Smyth were buried at Solan; Daly and John Miranda (who died in prison) were buried at the Dagshai graveyard (until 1970, see below).
James Daly had served in the Great War earning the British War Medal & Victory Medal and had volunteered to serve in India.
Regimental Colours and other memorabilia
The regiment was disbanded in 1922 upon the formation of the Irish Free StateIrish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand....
and the regimental coloursColours, standards and guidons
In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards or Guidons, to act both as a rallying point for troops, and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 years ago...
were laid up at Windsor Castle. An earlier set of colours can be found in the 14th century Collegiate Church of St Nicholas in GalwayGalway
Galway is the fastest growing and is the fifth largest city in Ireland and the only city in the province of Connacht. The city is located on the west coast of Ireland...
city centre along with several stone memorials to fallen members of the regiment. The Regimental HQ was in RenmoreRenmore
Renmore is a wide suburb of Galway City, Ireland, situated approximately 2 km to the east of the city. St Oliver Plunkett Church is located beside the primary school. Lough Atalia lies between Renmore and the city, which can be crossed using the public path beside the railway line...
Barracks, Galway (now Dún Ui Maoilíosa, MellowsLiam Mellows
Liam Mellows , often spelled 'Liam Mellowes', was an Irish Nationalist and Sinn Féin politician. Born in England, Mellows grew up in County Wexford in Ireland. He was active with the IRB and Irish Volunteers, and participated in the Easter Rising in County Galway, and the War of Independence...
Barracks, an Irish Army base) a few miles from the city centre. The barracks has a small museum of Rangers memorabilia which can be viewed by appointment with the curator.
Disbandment
As a result of the foundation of the Irish Free State under the terms of the Anglo-Irish TreatyAnglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the de facto Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of Independence...
, the Connaught Rangers and five other Irish infantry regiments of the British Army (from the territory of the new state) were disbanded in 1922. On 12 June the Rangers Colours, along with those of five other Irish regiments, were laid up in a disbandment ceremony at St. George's Hall, Windsor CastleWindsor Castle
Windsor Castle, in Windsor in the English country of Berkshire, is the largest inhabited castle in the world and, dating back to the time of William the Conqueror, is the oldest in continuous occupation...
in BerkshireBerkshire
Berkshire is a county in the South East of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1958, and Letters...
in the presence of King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 1910 through World War I until his death in 1936...
and the five other disbanding regiments. The Rangers detachment included the commanding officers of the 1st and 2nd Rangers, Lieutenant-Colonels W. N. S. Alexander and H. F. N. Jourdain. The regiment was formally disbanded on 31 July, after which there was no regular regiment of rangers in the British Army until 1968 (The Rangers (12th London/9th Kings Royal Rifle Corps) existed as part of the Territorial Army). Many of the Irish officers and men of the Connaught Rangers helped form the Western Command of the new Irish ArmyIrish Army
The Irish Army is the main branch of the Irish Defence Forces . It was first formed in 1922 after the implementation of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the subsequent foundation of the Irish Free State...
(then called the "National Army").
The Rangers after 1922
In 1936, the OireachtasOireachtas
The Oireachtas is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland, sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...
(Irish Parliament) passed the CONNAUGHT RANGERS (PENSIONS) ACT, 1936 An Act to provide for the payment of pensions, allowances, and gratuities to or in respect of certain former members of the 1st Battalion, the Connaught Rangers, and to make provision for other matters connected with the matters aforesaid. August 1936. The effect of the Act was to give the Mutineers parity of esteem with veterans of the Anglo-Irish War.
In 1970, the remains of Sears, Smyth and Daly were repatriated to Ireland by The National Graves Association and given a military funeral with full honours. A special monument in their honour was erected at Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.
Today, the Irish Army RangersIrish Army Rangers
The Irish Army Ranger Wing is the special forces unit of the Irish Defence Forces.The ARW trains and operates with many international special operations units worldwide, including the US Army Rangers, Delta Force and Navy SEALs, French GIGN, German GSG 9, Swedish SSG, Italian COMSUBIN, Australian...
are the Special Forces unit of the Irish Defence ForcesIrish Defence Forces
The Irish Defence Forces encompass the army, navy, air corps and reserve forces of Ireland. Their official title in Irish is Óglaigh na hÉireann; another more literal translation, attested in Irish-language literature, is Fórsaí Cosanta na hÉireann...
and the Royal Irish RangersRoyal Irish Rangers
The Royal Irish Rangers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army.- Creation :...
are a regiment of the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
. However, these connections are a coincidence of name only; the Connaught Rangers name and traditions irrevocably came to an end in 1922 when the colours were laid up.
In 1966 a stained glass memorial window to the Connaught Rangers was included in the new Galway CathedralGalway Cathedral
The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas , commonly known as Galway Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Galway, Ireland and is one of the largest and most impressive buildings in the city...
, which renders honour to a regiment so long associated with that part of Ireland, the rolls of which bore the names of every family in Connaught. The cost of the window was covered by subscriptions collected by The Connaught Rangers Regimental Association via The Regimental Journal - "The Ranger" which was still being published twice yearly.
Further reading
William Grattan, Adventures With the Connaught Rangers 1809-1814 (London: Greenhill Books 1989) (edited by Charles Oman - a reprint of the first edition). A subaltern's account of life in this unit in the Peninsular War.
Lieutenant-Colonel HFN Jourdain, CMG, The Connaught Rangers - 1st Battalion, Formerly 88th Foot (London, Royal United Service Institution, 1926) 3-volume regimental history. Vol.1 = 1st Battalion, 1793-1922; Vol.2 = 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions, 1793- 1922; Vol.3 = 5th and 6th (Service) Battalions, 1914-18. Includes detailed records of war service, uniforms and badges. 1,160 pages.
TP Kilfeather, The Connaught Rangers. (Tralee: Anvil Books, 1969)
Gen EH Maxwell CB, With the Connaught Rangers in Quarters, Camp and on Leave (Hurst & Blackett, London 1883). Entering the army as an ensign in the Connaught Rangers in 1839, the author traces his career over 30 years, including the Crimea but principally in India, to 1870 when he sailed for home from Bombay, into retirement. 325 pp
Anthony Babington The Devil to Pay: The Mutiny of the Connaught Rangers, India, July 1920 ISBN 0-85052-327-3
Sam Pollock Mutiny for the Cause, Lee Cooper, London, 1969.
Great War Memorials
Irish National War Memorial GardensIrish National War Memorial Gardens
The Irish National War Memorial Gardens is an Irish war memorial in Inchicore, Dublin dedicated "to the memory of the 49,400 Irish soldiers who gave their lives in the Great War, 1914-1918" , out of over 300,000 Irishmen who served in all armies....
, Dublin.
Island of Ireland Peace ParkIsland of Ireland Peace Park
The Island of Ireland Peace Park and its surrounding park , also called the Irish Peace Park or Irish Peace Tower in Messines, near Ypres in Flanders, Belgium, is a war memorial to the soldiers of the island of Ireland who died, were wounded or are missing from World War I.The tower memorial is...
Messines, Belgium.
Ulster Tower MemorialUlster Tower Thiepval
The Ulster Tower is a memorial to the men of the 36th Division. The memorial was officially opened on November 19, 1921 and is a very close copy of Helen's Tower which stands in the grounds of the Clandeboye Estate, near Bangor, County Down in Northern Ireland...
Thiepval, France.
Menin Gate Memorial Ypres, Belgium.
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