British Expeditonary Force, 1914.
At the outbreak of war, four Infantry Divisions were immediately sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Two further Infantry Divisions, which had initially been held back in England, joined the force at the end of August.
By the start of September 1914, the BEF included nine Infantry and four Cavalry units from Irish Regiments.
I Corps.
2nd Bttn, Royal Munster Fusiliers - 1st Guards Brigade, 1st Division.
1st Bttn, Irish Guards - 4th Guards Brigade, 2nd Division.
2nd Bttn, Connaught Rangers - 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Division.
II Corps.
2nd Bttn, Royal Irish Rifles - 7th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Division.
2nd Bttn, Royal Irish Regiment - 8th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Division.
III Corps.
1st Bttn, Royal Irish Fusiliers - 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division.
2nd Bttn, Royal Dublin Fusiliers - 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division.
2nd Bttn, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers - 12th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division.
2nd Bttn, Leinster Regiment - 17th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division.
Cavalry.
4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards - 2nd Cavalry Brigade.
5th Royal Irish Lancers - 3rd Cavalry Brigade.
B Squadron, South Irish Horse - Army Troops.
A and C Squadrons, North Irish Horse - Army Troops.
During the first few months of the war, a number of other Regular Irish battalions joined the BEF in France and Belgium, having travelled from overseas stations:
September 1914, from India.
1st Bttn, Connaught Rangers - 7th (Ferozepore) Infantry Brigade, 3rd (Lahore) Division.
November 1914, from Aden.
1st Bttn, Royal Irish Rifles - 25th Infantry Brigade, 8th Division.
December 1914, from India.
1st Bttn, Leinster Regiment - 82nd Infantry Brigade, 27th Division.
2nd Bttn, Royal Irish Fusiliers - 82nd Infantry Brigade, 27th Division.
1st Bttn, Royal Irish Regiment - 82nd Infantry Brigade, 27th Division.
January to March 1915.
The newly formed 29th Division planned to deploy to France but were instead re-directed to Gallipoli and this division included:
1st Bttn, Royal Munster Fusiliers from Burma - 86th Infantry Brigade, 29th Division.
1st Bttn, Royal Dublin Fusiliers from India - 86th Infantry Brigade, 29th Division.
1st Bttn, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers from India - 87th Infantry Brigade, 29th Division.
The BEF were involved in numerous actions during the last few months of 1914 including ones at Mons, Le Cateau, the Marne, the Aisne, La Bassee and at Ypres, in the course of which they suffered substantial amounts of casualties.
Reinforcements started to arrive from the Territorial Force during the spring of 1915 before the first New Army units started to arrive in the middle of the year.
Subsequent movements of the Regular Irish Infantry Battalions, who joined the BEF during 1914, are listed below.
2nd Bttn, Royal Munster Fusiliers - 1st Guards Brigade, 1st Division.
Became Army Troops in September 1914.
Transferred to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division in November 1914.
Absorbed troops from 9th Bttn, Munster Fusiliers in May 1916.
Transferred to 48th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division in February 1918.
1st Bttn, Irish Guards - 4th Guards Brigade, 2nd Division.
Transferred to 1st Guards Brigade, Guards Division in August 1915.
Continued on Western Front until November 1918.
2nd Bttn, Connaught Rangers - 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Division.
Absorbed into 1st Bttn, Connaught Rangers in December 1914.
2nd Bttn, Royal Irish Rifles - 7th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Division.
Transferred with the brigade, renamed 74th Brigade, 25th Division in October 1915.
Transferred to 108th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division in November 1917.
2nd Bttn, Royal Irish Regiment - 8th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Division.
Moved to Army Reserve in October 1914.
Transferred to 12th Brigade, 4th Division in March 1915.
Transferred to 11th Brigade, 4th Division in July 1915.
Transferred to 22nd Brigade, 7th Division in May 1916.
Transferred to 49th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division in October 1916.
1st Bttn, Royal Irish Fusiliers, 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division.
Transferred to 107th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division in August 1917.
2nd Bttn, Royal Dublin Fusiliers - 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division.
Transferred to 48th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division in November 1916.
2nd Bttn, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers - 12th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division.
Transferred as GHQ troops in December 1914.
Transferred to 5th Brigade, 2nd Division in January 1915.
Transferred as Army Troops to Third Army in July 1915.
Transferred to 14th Brigade, 5th Division in November 1915.
Transferred to 96th Brigade, 32nd Division in December 1915.
Transferred to 109th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division in February 1918.
2nd Bttn, Leinster Regiment - 17th Infantry Brigade, 6th Division.
Transferred with brigade, renamed 73rd Brigade, 24th Division in October 1915.
Transferred to 47th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division in February 1918.
1st Bttn, Connaught Rangers - 7th (Ferozepore) Brigade, 3rd (Lahore) Division.
Absorbed 2nd Bttn, Connaught Rangers in December 1914.
Moved with Division to Mesopotamia in December 1915.
Moved with Division to Palestine in April 1918.
1st Bttn, Royal Irish Rifles - 25th Infantry Brigade, 8th Division.
Transferred to 107th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division in February 1918.
1st Bttn, Leinster Regiment - 82nd Infantry Brigade, 27th Division.
Moved with Division to Salonika in December 1915.
Transferred to 29th Brigade, 10th (Irish) Division in November 1916.
2nd Bttn, Royal Irish Fusiliers - 82nd Infantry Brigade, 27th Division.
Moved with Division to Salonika in December 1915.
Transferred to 31st Brigade, 10th (Irish) Division in November 1916.
1st Bttn, Royal Irish Regiment - 82nd Infantry Brigade, 27th Division.
Moved with Division to Salonika in December 1915.
Transferred to 30th Brigade, 10th (Irish) Division in November 1916.
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