The Irish Guards
The newer regiment was formed on 1st April 1900 by order of Queen Victoria in response to the many courageous actions performed by Irish Regiments in the Second Boer War. The Irish Guards' first honorary Colonel-of-the-Regiment was Field Marshal Lord Roberts, known to many troops as ' Bobs '. Because of this the regiment gained the nickname ' Bob's Own ' though are now known affectionately as ' The Micks '.
This is not seen as offensive or derogatory by the regiment.
In May 1902, at Horse Guards Parade, the regiment's first Colours were presented by King Edward VII.
A few Irish Guardsmen saw action as mounted infantry in the final stages of the Boer War. Otherwise the Irish Guards were stationed in the United Kingdom for the first fourteen years of its existence, performing a number of ceremonial duties in London during that time, until in 1914, the ' Great War ' began.
This is not seen as offensive or derogatory by the regiment.
In May 1902, at Horse Guards Parade, the regiment's first Colours were presented by King Edward VII.
A few Irish Guardsmen saw action as mounted infantry in the final stages of the Boer War. Otherwise the Irish Guards were stationed in the United Kingdom for the first fourteen years of its existence, performing a number of ceremonial duties in London during that time, until in 1914, the ' Great War ' began.
First World War
The 1st Irish Guards deployed to France, eight days after the UK had declared war upon the German Empire, as part of the 4th ( Guards ) Brigade of the 2nd Division. The 1st Irish Guards would remain on the Western Front for the duration of World War One. The battalion took part in the Battle of Mons and the subsequent arduous and bloody Retreat from Mons, which began on the 24th August and would not end until the 5th of September. The Irish Guards were one of the units of the rearguard during the retreat and took part in a small-scale action at Landrecies against the advancing Germans. The 1st Irish Guards also took part in another rearguard action at woods near Villers-Cotterets, on 1st September, during the battle of Le Cateau in which their Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. George Morris and the Second in Command Major Hubert Crichton were killed. Le Cateau was a successful action that helped delay the inexorable German advance towards Paris, inflicting very heavy losses on the Germans in the process.
In August that year, the 2nd ( Reserve ) Battalion was raised at Warley Barracks. The 1st Irish Guards later in September took part in the Marne and the advance towards Aisne. It was already becoming a bitter time for the Irish Guards, having lost their CO only a few weeks after they had arrived in France. They would soon face one of the bloodiest battles of 1914, Ypres, which began on the 19th October. The battle would rip the heart out of the old Regular Army, just like the Somme would rip the heart out of the New Army.
The battalion was in the thick of it for the duration of ' First Ypres ' taking part in the actions at Langemarck, Gheluvelt and Nonne Bosschen. By the end of ' First Ypres ' on the 22nd of November, the battalion had suffered over 700 casualties. The 2nd Division that the 1st Irish Guards were part of suffered 5,769 officers and men killed.
The rest of 1914 and early 1915 was spent in the trenches with little happening, yet still danger faced the British soldier from snipers and shells. In February 1915, Lance-Corporal Michael O'Leary performed an astonishing act of bravery at Cuinchy, where attack and counter attack had been taking place between the British and Germans there from the 29th January to early February. On the 1st February, the Lance Corporal was part of a storming party which attacked an enemy barricade, during the attack the party suffered casualties and a group of the storming party then got caught up in their own artillery bombardment. The Lance-Corporal rushed forward, shooting five Germans before attacking a further three in a machine-gun position at the next barricade, capturing two Germans in the process. The trench and many prisoners were taken thanks to the actions of O'Leary. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry and the first VC the Irish Guards won in the war.
In August that year, the 2nd ( Reserve ) Battalion was raised at Warley Barracks. The 1st Irish Guards later in September took part in the Marne and the advance towards Aisne. It was already becoming a bitter time for the Irish Guards, having lost their CO only a few weeks after they had arrived in France. They would soon face one of the bloodiest battles of 1914, Ypres, which began on the 19th October. The battle would rip the heart out of the old Regular Army, just like the Somme would rip the heart out of the New Army.
The battalion was in the thick of it for the duration of ' First Ypres ' taking part in the actions at Langemarck, Gheluvelt and Nonne Bosschen. By the end of ' First Ypres ' on the 22nd of November, the battalion had suffered over 700 casualties. The 2nd Division that the 1st Irish Guards were part of suffered 5,769 officers and men killed.
The rest of 1914 and early 1915 was spent in the trenches with little happening, yet still danger faced the British soldier from snipers and shells. In February 1915, Lance-Corporal Michael O'Leary performed an astonishing act of bravery at Cuinchy, where attack and counter attack had been taking place between the British and Germans there from the 29th January to early February. On the 1st February, the Lance Corporal was part of a storming party which attacked an enemy barricade, during the attack the party suffered casualties and a group of the storming party then got caught up in their own artillery bombardment. The Lance-Corporal rushed forward, shooting five Germans before attacking a further three in a machine-gun position at the next barricade, capturing two Germans in the process. The trench and many prisoners were taken thanks to the actions of O'Leary. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry and the first VC the Irish Guards won in the war.
Lance-Corporal Michael O'Leary VC, Irish Guards
In May 1915, the 1st Irish Guards took part in the Battle of Festubert, though did not see much action, no doubt a good thing to many of the Guards in the trenches. In July 1915, the 2nd ( Resrve ) Battalion was redesignated the 3rd ( Resrve ) Battalion and another battalion, the 2nd Battalion was formed at Waverley Barracks. In August that year the 1st Irish Guards, and the rest of the 4th ( Guards ) Brigade was moved to the Guards Division. The brigade was redesignated the 1st Guards Brigade. In September that year, the battalion, as well as the 2nd Irish Guards, who had reached France in August, took part in the Battle of Loos, which lasted from the 25th September to early October.
The 1st Irish Guards spent much of the remainder of 1915 in the trenches, but on the 1st July 1916 the Battle of the Somme began. It was, and still is the bloodiest day in British military history. The 1st Irish Guards took part in an action at Flers-Courcelette where they suffered severe casualties in the attack but performed bravely in the face of terrible withering fire from the German machine-guns. The battalion also took part in the action at Morval. They were involved in the capture of the northern part of the village, during the action and were relieved the following day by the 2nd Irish Guards. The 1st Irish Guards suffered quite heavily during the Morval engagement.
In 1917 the Irish Guards took part in the Battle of Pilckem which began on the 31st July during the Third Battle of Ypres. Further actions took place at Menin Road and Poelcapelle " Third Ypres ", at Broenbeek, in September, Lance-Sergeant Moyney and Private Woodcock of the 2nd Irish Guards, were part of an advance post that became surrounded by the Germans. Lance-Sergeant Moyney attacked the advancing Germans with grenades and with his Lewis Gun. He and his men then charged the Germans, breaking through them and reaching a stream where he and Private Woodcock performed a rearguard while the rest of the party withdrew. They then subsequently began to withdraw too, crossing the stream, but private Woodcock heard cries for help and then returned, retrieving the wounded man carrying him back to British lines under machine-gun fire. They had held out for an astonishing ninety-six hours.
The Irish Guards took part in the in The Battle of Cambrai ( 1917 ), the first large use of the tank in battle. In 1918 the regiment fought at the same area that had caused so much pain to the British Army in 1916, The Somme. The Regiment fought in a number of engagements during the Battle of the Somme, including Arras and Albert. The Regiment also took part in a number of battles during the British offensive against the Hindenburg Line.
On the 4th November 1918 at the Sambre-Oise Canal, Acting Lieutenat-Colonel James Marshall of the Irish Guards, but attached to the 16th Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers, organised repair parties who were trying to repair a damaged partly finished bridge. The first party soon came under fire and were all killed or wounded. The Lieutenant-Colonel, disregarding his own safety, stood at the bank, encouraging and helping men as they worked on the bridge. Once it was repaired he then began to lead his men across the bridge but was killed in the process. He was awarded the posthumous Victoria Cross.
The 1st Irish Guards spent much of the remainder of 1915 in the trenches, but on the 1st July 1916 the Battle of the Somme began. It was, and still is the bloodiest day in British military history. The 1st Irish Guards took part in an action at Flers-Courcelette where they suffered severe casualties in the attack but performed bravely in the face of terrible withering fire from the German machine-guns. The battalion also took part in the action at Morval. They were involved in the capture of the northern part of the village, during the action and were relieved the following day by the 2nd Irish Guards. The 1st Irish Guards suffered quite heavily during the Morval engagement.
In 1917 the Irish Guards took part in the Battle of Pilckem which began on the 31st July during the Third Battle of Ypres. Further actions took place at Menin Road and Poelcapelle " Third Ypres ", at Broenbeek, in September, Lance-Sergeant Moyney and Private Woodcock of the 2nd Irish Guards, were part of an advance post that became surrounded by the Germans. Lance-Sergeant Moyney attacked the advancing Germans with grenades and with his Lewis Gun. He and his men then charged the Germans, breaking through them and reaching a stream where he and Private Woodcock performed a rearguard while the rest of the party withdrew. They then subsequently began to withdraw too, crossing the stream, but private Woodcock heard cries for help and then returned, retrieving the wounded man carrying him back to British lines under machine-gun fire. They had held out for an astonishing ninety-six hours.
The Irish Guards took part in the in The Battle of Cambrai ( 1917 ), the first large use of the tank in battle. In 1918 the regiment fought at the same area that had caused so much pain to the British Army in 1916, The Somme. The Regiment fought in a number of engagements during the Battle of the Somme, including Arras and Albert. The Regiment also took part in a number of battles during the British offensive against the Hindenburg Line.
On the 4th November 1918 at the Sambre-Oise Canal, Acting Lieutenat-Colonel James Marshall of the Irish Guards, but attached to the 16th Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers, organised repair parties who were trying to repair a damaged partly finished bridge. The first party soon came under fire and were all killed or wounded. The Lieutenant-Colonel, disregarding his own safety, stood at the bank, encouraging and helping men as they worked on the bridge. Once it was repaired he then began to lead his men across the bridge but was killed in the process. He was awarded the posthumous Victoria Cross.
