First World War - Irish Guards.
In addition to their two Regular battalions, the Irish Guards raised one Reserve battalion:
Total - 3:
Regular - 2. Reserve - 1.
1st Battalion.
At the outbreak of war, they were based in Aldershot, and, as part of 4th (Guards) Brigade, 2nd Division, arrived in France during August 1914.
In August 1915, the battalion transferred to 1st Guards Brigade, Guards Division with whom they remained for the rest of the war.
2nd Battalion.
They were formed in July 1915 and joined 2nd Guards Brigade, Guards Division in France during August.
In February 1918, the battalion transferred to 4th Guards Brigade, 31st Division, before transferring to Army reserve during May 1918.
The Victoria Cross was awarded to four men, who were serving with the Irish Guards during the First World War:
James Marshall, attached to the Lancashire Fusiliers - 4th November 1918 at Sambre-Oise, France.
John Moyney, 2nd Bttn - 12th/13th September 1917 at Broembeek, Belgium.
Michael O'Leary, 1st Bttn - 1st February 1915 at Cuinchy, France.
(Link to a short Pathe News clip of Sgt O'Leary returning to London).
Thomas Woodcock, 2nd Bttn - 12th/13th September 1917 at Broembeek, Belgium.
2,261 men from the Irish Guards are listed in the CWGC database of First World War deaths:
In 1923, Rudyard Kipling wrote an account of the actions of both battalions of the Irish Guards during the First World War and these are links to the transcribed histories.
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