First World War - Connaught Rangers.

In addition to their two Regular battalions, the Connaught Rangers raised a number of Service and home based Reserve battalions:

Total - 6:

Regular - 2. Service - 2. Reserve - 2.

 

1st Battalion.

 

At the outbreak of war, they were based at Ferozepore in India as part of 7th (Ferozepore) Brigade, 3rd (Lahore) Division and arrived in France with the Indian Corps at the end of September 1914.

 

Due to heavy losses on the Western Front, the 1st Battalion absorbed men from the 2nd Bttn during December 1914.

 

The battalion left France in December 1915 on route for Mesopotamia and they spent more that 2 years in that region before moving to Palestine in April 1918, where they joined the Egyptian Expeditionary Force and campaigned with them in Transjordan and Syria until the end of the war. 

 

2nd Battalion.


At the outbreak of war, they were based at Aldershot and, as part of 5th Brigade, 2nd Division, landed in France in August 1914.

 

Following heavy losses during the autumn campaign, men of the battalion were absorbed into the Regiment's 1st Bttn at the end of November 1914.

 

5th Battalion.

 

They were raised in August 1914 and joined 29th Brigade, 10th (Irish) Division.

 

The division landed at Anzac Cove in August 1915 and, after a short period at Gallipoli, moved to Salonika in September 1915. After eighteen months campaigning in the Balkans, the division moved onto Palestine in April 1917 where they spent the next year.

 

During a period of 'Indianisation' of 10th (Irish) Division, the battalion left Egypt for France in April 1918 and then transferred to 199th Brigade, 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division in August 1918.

 

6th Battalion.


They were raised in September 1914 and joined 47th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Divisiion.

 

In December 1915, the battalion landed in France and served more than two years on the Western Front with 16th (Irish) Division.

 

In April 1918, when the Division was reduced to cadre status, men from the 6th Bttn transferred to 2nd Bttn, Leinster Regiment, and the battalion, itself, was eventually disbanded during August 1918.

 

The Victoria Cross was awarded to one man, who was serving with the Connaught Rangers during the First World War:

 

Thomas Hughes, 6th Bttn - 3rd September 1916 at Guillemont, France.

 

2,019 men from the Connaught Rangers are listed in the CWGC database of First World War deaths:

 

1914 - 362.

 

1915 - 566.

 

1916 - 517.

 

1917 - 298.

 

1918, up to 11th Nov - 298.

 

After 11th Nov 1918 - 100.

 

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