famous irish regiments & irish military history

Rudyard Kipling summed up the character of the Irish soldier on campaign: ' Here the Irish rank and file by temperament excelled. They had all their race's delight in the drama of things; and, whatever the pinch - whether ambushed warfare or hand-to-hand shock, or an insolently perfect parade after long divorce from the decencies-could be depended upon to advance the Regimental Honour.'

When handled sympathetically even indulgently by their officers, Irish soldiers established a fearsome reputation for ferocious 'elan' in the assault and mulish obstinacy in defence. During both World Wars, their soldierly qualities would be tested to the full

The 83rd ( County of Dublin ) Regiment : The first Regiment to carry the number 83 was raised in Ireland on the 14th October 1758. After service in Portugal in 1762 it returned to Ireland to be disbanded in 1763.

The second Regiment was Scottish, the 83rd ( Royal Glasgow Volunteers ) Regt of Foot, formed during the American War of Independence in 1778, in Glasgow. Five Companies of the Regiment were stationed at Fort Henry at Grouville, three and a half miles from St Helier in the Channel Islands in 1781, being under the command of Capt William Campbell when the French invaded jersey, and consequently played its part in the battle of that name. From the Channel Islands the Regiment went over to New York but was disbanded in 1783, its colours believed at one time to be in the possession of the City of Glasgow.

The regiment raised in Dublin in 1793 by Col William Fitch, has under four different titles remained on constant service up to the present day. It is said of Col Fitch that he was a brave soldier with an attractive personality and was revered by his men. The latter acquired the title of Fitch's Grenadiers, believed bacause of their diminutive stature. The Regiment was soon sent on active service to Jamaica where it fought a guerilla war agianst the Maroons and where Col Fitch was killed in 1795. ( Below Col William Fitch )

A 2nd Battalion was raised by the 83rd, mainly men from the county of Middlesex and volunteers from the 3rd Royal Lancs Militia. It was this Battalion which was to gain the following Battle-Honours for the Regiment between the years 1809 and 1814: Talavera, Busaco, Fuentes d' Honor, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajos, Salamanca, Vittoria, Nivelle, Orthes, Toulouse, and Peninsula. With the exception of Peninsula, which was granted beforehand, the remaining battle honors were granted after submission to the Sovereign dated 4th August 1819. In 1805 the 1st Battalion was despatched to the Cape of Good Hope where as part of the army under Sir David Baird, it took part in the recapture of that colony.

Eleven years were spent on garrison duty at the Cape. Although ordered home the Regiment actually proceeded to Ceylon and did not return for many years. When it did it was stationed in Southern England, To Ireland Castlebar and Limerick from 1832-3, Dublin 1834, and to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1834. At this time Canada was a wild country and service for British soldiers hard. One expedition meant a journey of 600 miles on sleighs, in tempretures of 30deg below zero, followed by a charge across ice to dislodge a party of bandits.

When successfully concluded it was named ' the action at Fighting Island, to be followed later by an attack on Pelee Island in Lake Eerie.

Accompanied by Red Indians an advance of 15miles across ice had to me made on this occasion.Service in Canada ended in 1843 and the regiment returned to England.Two years were spent in England prior to a move to Ireland in 1845 and embarkation in 1849 for the Regiment's first tour of Indian service. It was stationed at Deesa when the Indian Mutiny flared up and the left wing was ordered to proceed to Nasirabad, 237 miles by route march, a march accomplished in 17days at the hottest time of the year- and not a single man fell out. Later the whole Regiment concentrated at Nasirabad and in 1858 became part of the Rajputanan Field Force commanded by Sir Hugh Rose. In the same force was an Irish Cavalry regiment, the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars; nearly one hundred years later in 1950 the two Regiments were to be grouped together again in the 29th Infantry Brigade in Korea ( The Royal Irish Rifles were then known as the Royal Ulster Rifles )Much hard work faced the Regiment throughout this period of the Indian Mutiny; one of the tasks towards the end, with the rebels on the run and the 83rd part of a Force Commanded by General Roberts ( see Famous Irish Soldiers Page), entailed pursuit of rebels from Jaipur. Marches during the hot weather period were responsible for many deaths from sunstroke, but two decisive actions completely routed the enemy before return of the Regiment to Nasirabad at the end of August 1858.

In 1859 by HM Queen Victoria's pleasure, approval was given for the title of the 83rd to be the The County Dublin Regiment in recognition of the connection with their birthplace. A year before leaving India in 1862 a frock of scarlet serge and a wicker helmet covered with grey linen was ordered to replace the old shell jacket and shako. Sailing from Bombay the regiment arrived home in May to be stationed at Dover, Shorncliff and then various other locations in England. In 1867 the 83rd relieved the 86th ( Royal County Down ) Regiment at Gibralter. Colours were presented by Lady Airley, wife of the Governor, at Gibralter in May 1867.

In 1873 both the 83rd and the 86th became linked Regiments but it took another five years before a permanent depot for both was established at Victoria Barracks, Belfast, ( then known as Queen Street Barracks)

From the reforms of 1881 and by GO41, 1st July 1881, the 83rd ( County of Dublin) and the 86th ( Royal County Down ) Regiments of Foot, were joined together and became the 1st and 2nd Battalions the ROYAL IRISH RIFLES respectively.

The first Regiment carrying the number 86th did have an Irish connection, raised in that country in November 1756, but was disbanded at Winchester in 1763 after service in Africa.The second Regiment, 1778-3, was raised in England and sent to the West Indies. Two Companies detached to Tobago, were captured by the French in 1781. Two years later the Regiment returned home and was disbanded at York in April 1783.By the 1790's up to 50 additional Regiments of Foot were needed, most raised in 1793 under the threat of hostilities , and one of the first corps embodied was General Cuyler's Shropshire Volunteers- although most of the men came from the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cheshire. The following year these newly raised corps were numbered, and this Regiment received the designation 86th or Shropshire Volunteers. General Cuyler succeeded in the Colonelcy by Lt - Gen Russell Manners, the Regiment in the meantime, having travelled to Ireland. Returning to England in 1795 the 86th was inspected at Newport, Isle of Wight, by HRH The Duke of York, and brought up to strength by drafts from the 118th and the 121st Regiments. The men from the 121st apparently just liberated from a French prison.In 1796 the 86th was inspected embarked for the Cape of Good Hope landing on the 22nd September. It was to be 23 years before returning to England during that time there was continuous movement and fighting, in India, Egypt, the Island of Bourbon, India again, Ceylon in 1818, return ti India and finally home by 23rd October 1819. Only two soldiers who had embarked in June 1796, returned with the Regiment in 1819, Major D. Marston and Quartermaster R.Gill, the latter having gone out as a private soldier.

In the year 1806 the designation was changed to 86th or Leinster Regiment of Foot, but this was short lived as in May 1812 Royal Authority was given for the corps to be styled the 86th or Royal County Down Regiment of Foot;

At this time the 'Irish Harp and Crown' was placed on the Regiments buttons, and the Harp was added to the distinctions displayed on the Regimental Colours. In 1823 the Regiment was in Armagh when authority was received for bearing the word ' India' on the Colours and appointments, in consideration of the distinguished conduct of the Regiment during the period of its service in India from the year 1799, to the year 1819.

The Regiment sailed for Barbados in 1826 and remained abroad until 1837. Prior to embarkation an inspecting General said of it, in a letter to Lt - Col Sir Michael Creagh, that he had reported the 86th as about to embark for England, after ten years service in the West Indies, in a state of hardy, soldier like efficiency, fit if necessary for immediate service in the field; a circumstance alike creditable to the commanding officer and the corps. Nevertheless the Regiment had lost five officers and 299 soldiers during the period abraod , bringing back 424 effective men.The time at home was comparitively short-five years and by 1842 the regiment was in India , there aquiring the nickname of 'IRISH GIANTS' because of the height and good physique of the soldiers , that is before the climate began to take its toll. During the Crimean War the Regiment was transferred to Aden on a stand-by-duty, but returned to Bombay after the outbreak of the Mutiny. From then until February 1859 the Royal County Down Regiment was heavily engaged in the suppression of mutineers, actions of varying severity at Betwa, Jhansi, Koonch, Gowlowgee, Calpee and finally Gwalior on 19th June 1858.

Service in " the Shiny "( India ) had its compensations..Food was generally plentiful..Maurice Moriarty an Irish - speaking NCO from Dingle in the 29th Regiment wrote home to his parents in the 1840s

'extras such as fowl, eggs, sweetmeats and fruit ...are not beyond the means of any soldier in India ' It is not surprising many soldiers chose to stay in India, transferring to another unit when their own returned home.

Thousands of Irish Soldiers saw service in India where quite often the fighting was ferocious. It was considered a good posting for them though.Left , bitter fighting at the siege of Delhi 1857, storming of the Breach on September 14th

John Ship was twelve when his mother died, and his English soldier father was on Foreign postings. In 1815 John rose through the ranks and was given a commission in an Irish Regiment in India. On catching up with his new Regiment he was delighted that all the officers including the commander received him kindly and wrote the following in his memoir. 'This generous welcome ...i did not in the least expect..Officers promoted from the ranks are generally received with some caution and perhaps a little prejudice, but there was nothing like that with this distinguished Regiment' He also wrote the following about the men he was serving with..

There is a promptness to obey, a hilarity, a cheerful obedience,and a willingness to act, which i have rarely met with in any other body of men..a generosity of spirit i have never known...They were willing to share their last drop, and last crust with a comrade; and would go to any lengths to oblige, or cover up, for one another. There was a unity among them that excelled anything i have ever met and for fighting they were absolute demons...They are said to be too impetuous ...but that is a fault on the right side, and has gained England many a victory...