Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Encyclopedia
The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was a Irish infantry
regiment of the British Army
formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot
and the 108th Regiment of Foot (Madras Infantry)
. It saw service in the South African War, the First World War and the Second World War, before being amalgamated into the Royal Irish Rangers
in 1968.
for their fusiler sealskin hats to commeorate the original grey uniforms of the Inniskilling Regiment.
The regimental district comprised the counties
of Donegal
, Londonderry
, Tyrone
and Fermanagh
in Ireland
, with its garrison depot located at Omagh
. The local militia
regiments also became part of the new regiment, becoming the 3rd to 5th (Militia) Battalions. Militarily, the whole of Ireland was administered as a separate command within the United Kingdom
with Command Headquarters at Parkgate (Phoenix Park
) Dublin, directly under the War Office
in London.
Under the Childers system, one regular battalion of each regiment was to be at a "home" station, while the other was abroad. Every few years, there was to be an exchange of battalions. In the period from the regiment's formation to the outbreak of the Second Boer War
the two regular battalions were stationed as follows:
. The 1st Battalion landed at Durban
, where they became part of the 5th (Irish) Brigade. The battalion was involved in a series of military reverses at the hands of the Boers that became known as the "Black Week
", culminating in defeat at the Battle of Colenso
. The unit subsequently took part in the Tugela Campaign
before helping relive Ladysmith
in early 1900. The regiment lent its name to "Inniskilling Hill", which was taken by the 5th brigade on 24/25 February 1900.
The 2nd Battalion only arrived in South Africa from India in the late stages of the war and saw little action.
Following the war in South Africa, the system of rotating battalions between home and foreign stations resumed as follows:
. The 1st Battalion participated in the Landing at Cape Helles
on the Gallipoli peninsula
in April 1915 with the 29th Division
. There were also nine New Army
battalions raised seeing service with the 36th (Ulster) Division and the 16th (Irish) Division on the Western Front
and at Gallipoli, the Macedonian Campaign
and Palestine
.
during the Easter Rising
of 1916 in Dublin. Two of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers were killed and seven more wounded.
for home service. With the independence of the Irish Free State
in 1922 six British army regiments were disbanded. The 2nd Battalion of the Inniskillings was also disbanded, and they formed a two-battalion "corps" with the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers
, sharing the Omagh depot.
The 1st Inniskillings moved from India to Iraq
in 1922, returning to Shorncliffe
, England in 1925. They were stationed in Northern Ireland
from 1927 to 1933, before moving to Aldershot
. They resumed foreign service in 1934, moving to Shanghai
and then Singapore
two years later.
In 1937 there was an expansion of the army, and the 2nd Battalion was reraised at Omagh, moving to Catterick
in the following year. The 2nd Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers was also reformed, and the arrangement of 1922 ended. The 1st Inniskillings moved to Wellington
, Madras
in 1938. The two battalions were in these locations when the Second World War broke out in 1939.
The 2nd Battalion, as part of the BEF
, was among those that were evacuated from Dunkirk
after desperate fighting as the rear guard to the retreating BEF. In 1942 the 1st Battalion was flown to Burma to help stem the Japan
ese advance and in 1943 took part in the operations in the Arakan
peninsula. After re-fitting, the 2nd Battalion, as part of Fifth Division
, left England in 1942 for the East Indies. Before they could join the rest of the division, the second battalion was recalled for duties in North Africa maintaining POW camps. Their journey was to take them to Syria
, Persia, India
and Madagascar
, and eventually they arrived in the Mediterranean in time to take part in the invasion of Sicily followed by that of Italy
.
During the Italian Campaign
, the 6th Battalion would serve in the same theatre as the 2nd but with the 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade. The 6th Battalion fought in the Tunisian Campaign
in North Africa and the 2nd Battalion took part in the landings on Sicily and then Italy. Some units of the 2nd Battalion took part at the Battle of Monte Cassino
.
was engaged for many months hunting insurgents in the jungles of Malaya
. In 1948 both regular battalions were amalgamated as the 1st Battalion, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. In 1949, after a brief spell at home, the battalion went to the West Indies, returning to the United Kingdom
in April 1951. In 1952 it was presented with the Freedom of Enniskillen, the town of its founding. Later that year it went abroad to the Suez Canal
Zone and afterwards to Kenya
, where it helped to suppress the Mau Mau uprising; while in the latter country, it received the Freedom of Nairobi in perpetuity, the first and so far only time that a British regiment has been so honoured by a colonial city. For a short time, from April 1952, the 2nd Battalion was reformed and saw service in Egypt and Cyprus, where it was in action against EOKA insurgents. The battalion had also deployed 400 men to help the civil authorities during severe flooding in the Thames estuary. In 1956 the battalion was again disbanded.
The First Battalion returned to England in 1955 and after two years at the School of Infantry went to Germany, being stationed in Berlin and Wuppertal. In 1960 half of the battalion was back in Kenya
with a detachment in Bahrein. In 1961 the battalion flew into Kuwait
when the sheikdom was threatened by Iraq. The battalion returned to England
in 1962, stationed at Gravesend.
In April 1968 the 1st Battalion had its final operational deployment when Tactical Headquarters and B Company were ordered at short notice to Bermuda
with trouble brewing on the island due to a tense political situation. Following a peaceful election the detachment returned to Worcester
in preparation, along with the remainder of the battalion, for the final regimental chapter; at midnight on 30 June 1968, following a nostalgic ceremony, the regimental flag was lowered for the last time.
and the Royal Irish Fusiliers became the Royal Irish Rangers
(27th Inniskilling, 83rd and 87th). The date of 1 July was chosen as it marked the fifty second anniversary of the first day of the Battle of the Somme, in which battalions of all three merging fought. The Royal Irish Rangers was later to amalgamate with the Ulster Defence Regiment and on the 1st July 1992 became the Royal Irish Regiment.
† Awarded to 27th Foot
‡ Awarded to 108th Foot
¶ Awarded in 1909 for services of the 27th Foot
♦ Awarded in 1882 for services of 27th Foot
Borne on the Queen's Colour (10 selected honours each for the First and Second World Wars)
, Enniskillen
:
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot
27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot
The 27th Regiment of Foot was an Irish infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1689 and amalgamated into The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in 1881.- History :...
and the 108th Regiment of Foot (Madras Infantry)
108th Regiment of Foot (Madras Infantry)
The 108th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1862 to 1881, when it was amalgamated into The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers....
. It saw service in the South African War, the First World War and the Second World War, before being amalgamated into the Royal Irish Rangers
Royal Irish Rangers
The Royal Irish Rangers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army.-Creation:...
in 1968.
1881 – 1914
On 1 July 1881 the 27th and 108th were redesignated as the 1st and 2nd Battalions, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers respectively. In 1903 the Regiment was granted a grey hackleHackle
The hackle is a clipped feather plume that is attached to a military headdress.In the British Army and the armies of some Commonwealth countries the hackle is worn by some infantry regiments, especially those designated as fusilier regiments and those with Scottish and Northern Irish origins. The...
for their fusiler sealskin hats to commeorate the original grey uniforms of the Inniskilling Regiment.
The regimental district comprised the counties
Counties of Ireland
The counties of Ireland are sub-national divisions used for the purposes of geographic demarcation and local government. Closely related to the county is the County corporate which covered towns or cities which were deemed to be important enough to be independent from their counties. A county...
of Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
and Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, with its garrison depot located at Omagh
Omagh
Omagh is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The town, which is the largest in the county, had a population of 19,910 at the 2001 Census. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and...
. The local militia
Militia (United Kingdom)
The Militia of the United Kingdom were the military reserve forces of the United Kingdom after the Union in 1801 of the former Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of Ireland....
regiments also became part of the new regiment, becoming the 3rd to 5th (Militia) Battalions. Militarily, the whole of Ireland was administered as a separate command within the United Kingdom
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
with Command Headquarters at Parkgate (Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is an urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses , one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the seventeenth...
) Dublin, directly under the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
in London.
Under the Childers system, one regular battalion of each regiment was to be at a "home" station, while the other was abroad. Every few years, there was to be an exchange of battalions. In the period from the regiment's formation to the outbreak of the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
the two regular battalions were stationed as follows:
| Location of 1st Battalion (ex 27th Foot) | Years | Location of 2nd Battalion (ex 108th Foot) | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
1881–1883 | England | 1881–1882 |
| Straits Settlements Straits Settlements The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867... and Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
1883–1886 | Ireland | 1882–1886 |
| South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
1886–1889 | England | 1886–1888 |
| England | 1889–1893 | India and Burma (fought in Tirah Campaign Tirah Campaign The Tirah Campaign, often referred to in contemporary British accounts as the Tirah Expedition, was an Indian frontier war in 1897–98. Tirah is a mountainous tract of country.-Rebellion:... of 1897) |
1888–1899 |
| Ireland | 1893–1899 |
Second Boer War
In October 1899 war broke out between the United Kingdom and the Boer RepublicsBoer Republics
The Boer Republics were independent self-governed republics created by the northeastern frontier branch of the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of the north eastern Cape Province and their descendants in mainly the northern and eastern parts of what is now the country of...
. The 1st Battalion landed at Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, where they became part of the 5th (Irish) Brigade. The battalion was involved in a series of military reverses at the hands of the Boers that became known as the "Black Week
Black Week
In one disastrous week, dubbed Black Week, from 10-17 December 1899, the British Army suffered three devastating defeats by the Boer Republics at the battles of Stormberg , Magersfontein and Colenso , with 2,776 men killed, wounded and captured...
", culminating in defeat at the Battle of Colenso
Battle of Colenso
The Battle of Colenso was the third and final battle 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 1899.Inadequate...
. The unit subsequently took part in the Tugela Campaign
Tugela River
The Tugela River is the largest river in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The river originates in the Drakensberg Mountains, Mont-aux-Sources, and plunges 947 metres down the Tugela Falls...
before helping relive Ladysmith
Relief of Ladysmith
When the Second Boer War broke out on 11 October 1899, the Boers had a numeric superiority within Southern Africa. They quickly invaded the British territory and laid siege to Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking...
in early 1900. The regiment lent its name to "Inniskilling Hill", which was taken by the 5th brigade on 24/25 February 1900.
The 2nd Battalion only arrived in South Africa from India in the late stages of the war and saw little action.
Following the war in South Africa, the system of rotating battalions between home and foreign stations resumed as follows:
| Location of 1st Battalion (ex 27th Foot) | Years | Location of 2nd Battalion (ex 108th Foot) | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 1902–1907 | Egypt | 1902–1908 |
| Crete Crete Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits... and Malta Malta Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in... |
1907–1911 | Ireland | 1908–1910 |
| China | 1911–1913 | England | 1910–1914 |
| India | 1913– |
First World War
In 1914 the Great War broke out and the 2nd Battalion was first to see action in the Battle of Le CateauBattle of Le Cateau
The Battle of Le Cateau was fought on 26 August 1914, after the British, French and Belgians retreated from the Battle of Mons and had set up defensive positions in a fighting withdrawal against the German advance at Le Cateau-Cambrésis....
. The 1st Battalion participated in the Landing at Cape Helles
Landing at Cape Helles
The landing at Cape Helles was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli peninsula by British and French forces on April 25, 1915 during the First World War. Helles, at the foot of the peninsula, was the main landing area. With the support of the guns of the Royal Navy, a British division...
on the Gallipoli peninsula
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
in April 1915 with the 29th Division
British 29th Division
The British 29th Division, known as the Incomparable Division, was a First World War regular army infantry division formed in early 1915 by combining various units that had been acting as garrisons about the British Empire. Under the command of Major General Aylmer Hunter-Weston, the division...
. There were also nine New Army
Kitchener'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 the First World War...
battalions raised seeing service with the 36th (Ulster) Division and the 16th (Irish) Division on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
and at Gallipoli, the Macedonian Campaign
Macedonian front (World War I)
The Macedonian Front resulted from an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. The expedition came too late and in insufficient force to prevent the fall of Serbia, and was complicated by the internal...
and Palestine
Sinai and Palestine Campaign
The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
.
1916 Easter Rising
The 12th battalion fought against Irish rebels who were fighting to end British rule in Ireland and to establish the Irish RepublicIrish Republic
The Irish Republic was a revolutionary state that declared its independence from Great Britain in January 1919. It established a legislature , a government , a court system and a police force...
during the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
of 1916 in Dublin. Two of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers were killed and seven more wounded.
Inter War
After the war, the Childers system was resumed, with the 1st Battalion moving to India for foreign service, and the 2nd Battalion based on Salisbury PlainSalisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known...
for home service. With the independence of the Irish Free State
Irish 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...
in 1922 six British army regiments were disbanded. The 2nd Battalion of the Inniskillings was also disbanded, and they formed a two-battalion "corps" with the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers
Royal Irish Fusiliers
The Royal Irish Fusiliers was an Irish infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of the 87th Regiment of Foot and the 89th Regiment of Foot in 1881. The regiment's first title in 1881 was Princess Victoria's , changed in 1920 to The Royal Irish Fusiliers...
, sharing the Omagh depot.
The 1st Inniskillings moved from India to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in 1922, returning to Shorncliffe
Shorncliffe
Shorncliffe can refer to:* Shorncliffe, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane in Australia** Shorncliffe railway line, to the suburb** Shorncliffe railway station, Brisbane, in the suburb...
, England in 1925. They were stationed in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
from 1927 to 1933, before moving to Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
. They resumed foreign service in 1934, moving to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and then Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
two years later.
In 1937 there was an expansion of the army, and the 2nd Battalion was reraised at Omagh, moving to Catterick
Catterick Garrison
Catterick Garrison is a major Army base located in Northern England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world with a population of around 12,000, plus a large temporary population of soldiers, and is larger than its older neighbour...
in the following year. The 2nd Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers was also reformed, and the arrangement of 1922 ended. The 1st Inniskillings moved to Wellington
Wellington, Tamil Nadu
Wellington is a town in The Nilgiris District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Wellington is home to The Defense Services Staff College , a premier tri-service training establishment that imparts training to middle level officers of the three wings of the Indian Armed Forces, friendly foreign...
, Madras
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
in 1938. The two battalions were in these locations when the Second World War broke out in 1939.
Second World War
In addition to the 1st and 2nd battalions, the regiment raised three battalions (5th, 6th and 70th) to fight in the war.The 2nd Battalion, as part of the BEF
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
, was among those that were evacuated from Dunkirk
Battle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 26 May–4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
after desperate fighting as the rear guard to the retreating BEF. In 1942 the 1st Battalion was flown to Burma to help stem the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese advance and in 1943 took part in the operations in the Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
peninsula. After re-fitting, the 2nd Battalion, as part of Fifth Division
British 5th Infantry Division
The 5th Infantry Division is a regular army division of the British Army. It was established by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsula War, as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, and has been active for most of the period since, including the First World War and the...
, left England in 1942 for the East Indies. Before they could join the rest of the division, the second battalion was recalled for duties in North Africa maintaining POW camps. Their journey was to take them to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Persia, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, and eventually they arrived in the Mediterranean in time to take part in the invasion of Sicily followed by that of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
During the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
, the 6th Battalion would serve in the same theatre as the 2nd but with the 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade. The 6th Battalion fought in the Tunisian Campaign
Tunisia Campaign
The Tunisia Campaign was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African Campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces. The Allies consisted of British Imperial Forces, including Polish and Greek contingents, with American and French corps...
in North Africa and the 2nd Battalion took part in the landings on Sicily and then Italy. Some units of the 2nd Battalion took part at the Battle of Monte Cassino
Battle of Monte Cassino
The Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
.
Post War
After the war, the First Battalion returned to India from Burma and after a stay in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
was engaged for many months hunting insurgents in the jungles of Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
. In 1948 both regular battalions were amalgamated as the 1st Battalion, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. In 1949, after a brief spell at home, the battalion went to the West Indies, returning to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in April 1951. In 1952 it was presented with the Freedom of Enniskillen, the town of its founding. Later that year it went abroad to the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
Zone and afterwards to Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, where it helped to suppress the Mau Mau uprising; while in the latter country, it received the Freedom of Nairobi in perpetuity, the first and so far only time that a British regiment has been so honoured by a colonial city. For a short time, from April 1952, the 2nd Battalion was reformed and saw service in Egypt and Cyprus, where it was in action against EOKA insurgents. The battalion had also deployed 400 men to help the civil authorities during severe flooding in the Thames estuary. In 1956 the battalion was again disbanded.
The First Battalion returned to England in 1955 and after two years at the School of Infantry went to Germany, being stationed in Berlin and Wuppertal. In 1960 half of the battalion was back in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
with a detachment in Bahrein. In 1961 the battalion flew into Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
when the sheikdom was threatened by Iraq. The battalion returned to England
England
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, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1962, stationed at Gravesend.
In April 1968 the 1st Battalion had its final operational deployment when Tactical Headquarters and B Company were ordered at short notice to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
with trouble brewing on the island due to a tense political situation. Following a peaceful election the detachment returned to Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
in preparation, along with the remainder of the battalion, for the final regimental chapter; at midnight on 30 June 1968, following a nostalgic ceremony, the regimental flag was lowered for the last time.
Amalgamation
On 1 July 1968, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, the Royal Ulster RiflesRoyal Ulster Rifles
The Royal Ulster Rifles was a British Army infantry regiment. It saw service in the Second Boer War, Great War, the Second World War and the Korean War, before being amalgamated into the Royal Irish Rangers in 1968.-History:...
and the Royal Irish Fusiliers became the Royal Irish Rangers
Royal Irish Rangers
The Royal Irish Rangers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army.-Creation:...
(27th Inniskilling, 83rd and 87th). The date of 1 July was chosen as it marked the fifty second anniversary of the first day of the Battle of the Somme, in which battalions of all three merging fought. The Royal Irish Rangers was later to amalgamate with the Ulster Defence Regiment and on the 1st July 1992 became the Royal Irish Regiment.
Battle honours
Borne on the Regimental Colours (including the combined honours of the 27th and 108th Foot)- Martinique 1762 ¶
- Havannah ¶
- St Lucia 1778Battle of St. LuciaThe Battle of St. Lucia or the Battle of the Cul de Sac was a naval battle fought off the island of St. Lucia in the West Indies during the American War of Independence on 15 December 1778, between the British Royal Navy and the French Navy.-Background:...
–96 ¶ - MaidaBattle of MaidaThe Battle of Maida on 4 July 1806 saw a British expeditionary force fight a First French Empire division outside the town of Maida in Calabria, Italy during the Napoleonic Wars. John Stuart led 5,200 British troops to victory over about 6,000 French soldiers under Jean Reynier, inflicting...
† - Busaco †
- Badajoz †
- SalamancaBattle of SalamancaThe Battle of Salamanca saw Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish armies under the Duke of Wellington defeat Marshal Auguste Marmont's French forces among the hills around Arapiles south of Salamanca, Spain on July 22, 1812 during the Peninsular War....
† - VittoriaBattle of VitoriaAt the Battle of Vitoria an allied British, Portuguese, and Spanish army under General the Marquess of Wellington broke the French army under Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan near Vitoria in Spain, leading to eventual victory in the Peninsular War.-Background:In July 1812, after...
† - Pyrenees †
- NivelleBattle of NivelleThe Battle of Nivelle took place in front of the River Nivelle near the end of the Peninsular War . After the Allied siege of San Sebastian, Wellington's 80,000 British, Portuguese and Spanish troops were in hot pursuit of Marshal Soult who only had 60,000 men to place in a 20-mile perimeter...
† - Orthes †
- ToulouseBattle of Toulouse (1814)The Battle of Toulouse was one of the final battles of the Napoleonic Wars, four days after Napoleon's surrender of the French Empire to the nations of the Sixth Coalition...
- PeninsulaPeninsular WarThe Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
† - WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
† - South Africa 1835, 1846–47Xhosa warsThe Xhosa Wars, also known as the Cape Frontier Wars, were a series of nine wars between the Xhosa people and European settlers, from 1779 to 1879 in what is now the Eastern Cape in South Africa....
♦ - Central IndiaCentral India Campaign (1858)The Central India Campaign was one of the last series of actions in the Indian rebellion of 1857,...
‡ - Relief of LadysmithRelief of LadysmithWhen the Second Boer War broke out on 11 October 1899, the Boers had a numeric superiority within Southern Africa. They quickly invaded the British territory and laid siege to Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking...
- South Africa 1899–1902Second Boer WarThe Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
† Awarded to 27th Foot
‡ Awarded to 108th Foot
¶ Awarded in 1909 for services of the 27th Foot
♦ Awarded in 1882 for services of 27th Foot
Borne on the Queen's Colour (10 selected honours each for the First and Second World Wars)
- Le CateauBattle of Le CateauThe Battle of Le Cateau was fought on 26 August 1914, after the British, French and Belgians retreated from the Battle of Mons and had set up defensive positions in a fighting withdrawal against the German advance at Le Cateau-Cambrésis....
- Somme 1916, '18Somme 1918 (Battle honour)Somme 1918 was a battle honour awarded to units of the British and Imperial Armies that took part in one or more of the following engagements in the Great War:*First Battle of the Somme , 21 Mar–5 Apr 1918...
- Ypres, 1917, '18Fifth Battle of YpresThe Fifth Battle of Ypres is the unofficial name used to identify a series of battles in northern France and southern Belgium from late September through October 1918....
- St QuentinOperation MichaelOperation Michael was a First World War German military operation that began the Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918. It was launched from the Hindenburg Line, in the vicinity of Saint-Quentin, France...
- Hindenburg LineHindenburg LineThe Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
- France & FlandersWestern Front (World War I)Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
- Macedonia, 1915–17Macedonian front (World War I)The Macedonian Front resulted from an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. The expedition came too late and in insufficient force to prevent the fall of Serbia, and was complicated by the internal...
- Landing at HellesLanding at Cape HellesThe landing at Cape Helles was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli peninsula by British and French forces on April 25, 1915 during the First World War. Helles, at the foot of the peninsula, was the main landing area. With the support of the guns of the Royal Navy, a British division...
- Gallipoli, 1915–16
- Palestine, 1917–18Sinai and Palestine CampaignThe Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
- North-West Europe 1940Battle of FranceIn the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
- Djebel TanngouchaTunisia CampaignThe Tunisia Campaign was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African Campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces. The Allies consisted of British Imperial Forces, including Polish and Greek contingents, with American and French corps...
- North Africa, 1942–43North African campaignDuring the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
- CenturipeAllied invasion of SicilyThe Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
- Sicily, 1943Allied invasion of SicilyThe Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
- Garigliano CrossingWinter LineThe Winter Line was a series of German military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt. The primary Gustav Line ran across Italy from just north of where the Garigliano River flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west, through the Apennine Mountains to the...
- Cassino IIBattle of Monte CassinoThe Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
- Italy, 1943–45Italian Campaign (World War II)The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
- Yenangyaung, 1942Battle of YenangyaungThe Battle of Yenangyaung was fought in Burma, now Myanmar, during the Burma Campaign in World War II. The battle of Yenaungyaung was fought in the vicinity of Yenangyaung and its oil fields.-Background:...
- Burma, 1942–43Burma CampaignThe Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
The Regimental Chapel
The Regimental chapel is in St. Macartin's CathedralEnniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
, Enniskillen
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
Great War Memorials
- Ulster Tower MemorialUlster Tower ThiepvalThe 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. - Irish National War Memorial GardensIrish National War Memorial GardensThe Irish National War Memorial Gardens is an Irish war memorial in Islandbridge, 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 ParkThe 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, during Ireland's...
Messines, Belgium. - Menin Gate Memorial Ypres, Belgium.
Victoria Cross
Recipients of the Victoria CrossVictoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
:
- Captain Gerald Robert O'SullivanGerald Robert O'SullivanGerald Robert O'Sullivan 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.He was 26 years old, and a captain in the 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers,...
, 1st Battalion. 1/2 July 1915, GallipoliBattle of GallipoliThe Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
. - Sergeant James SomersJames SomersJames Somers 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.-Biography:...
, 1st Battalion. 1/2 July 1915, GallipoliBattle of GallipoliThe Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
. - Captain Edward William Derrington BellEdward William Derrington BellMajor General Edward William Derrington Bell VC CB was a 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....
, (attached to 4th Trench Mortar Battery) 1 July 1916, Thiepval. - Lieutenant Colonel John Sherwood-KellyJohn Sherwood-KellyJohn Sherwood Kelly VC CMG DSO was a South African 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...
(Norfolk RegimentRoyal Norfolk RegimentThe Royal Norfolk Regiment, originally formed as the Norfolk Regiment, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. The Norfolk Regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as the county regiment of Norfolk...
) CMGOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
DSODistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, commanding 1st Battalion, 20 November 1917, MarcoingMarcoing-References:*...
, Cambrai. - Second Lieutenant James Samuel EmersonJames Samuel EmersonJames Samuel Emerson VC was a British Army officer, and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award of the British Commonwealth for gallantry "in the face of the enemy", during the First World War.-Biography:...
, 9th Battalion, 6 December 1917, Hindenburg LineHindenburg LineThe Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
, Cambrai. - Private James DuffyJames Duffy (VC)James Duffy was a British Army soldier during the First World War, and an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross.Duffy was born on 17 November 1889 in Gweedore , County Donegal, Ireland....
, 6th Battalion, 27 December 1917, Kereina PeakFirst Battle of GazaThe First Battle of Gaza was fought in and around the town of Gaza on the Mediterranean coast in the southern region of Ottoman Palestine on 26 March 1917, during World War I...
, PalestinePalestinePalestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. - Lance Corporal Ernest SeamanErnest SeamanErnest Seaman VC MM was an English 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....
, 2nd Battalion, 29 September 1918, TerhandTerhandTerhand is a tiny hamlet approximately 12 km east of Ypres in Belgium.The village consists of about 40 houses with a small street running through the middle of them. The road from Ypres is lined with fields but very few trees, most of them were destroyed in the First World War....
, Belgium. - Private Norman HarveyNorman HarveyNorman Harvey VC was an English 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...
, 1st Battalion, 25 October 1918, Ingoyghem Belgium.
External links
- Regimental History (Museum Site)
- The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers by The Fame of Tipperary Group
- The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, by Gerry McNeilly
- Irish Brigade: The Story of the 38th (Irish) Brigade in the 2nd World War The website includes information and eyewitness accounts about the Irish Brigade in the 2nd World War, including the battles of the River Sangro, Cassino, Lake Trasimeno, for the Gothic Line and the Argenta Gap.