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- 5th (Pioneer) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

5th (Pioneer) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment



   5th (Pioneers) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment was raised at Clonmel in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army and joined 29th Brigade, 10th (Irish) Division. In June 1915, they converted to Pioneer Battalion. On the 7th of July 1915 they sailed from Liverpool to Mudros. They landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipolli and were in action at Kiretch Teke Sirt between the 6th and 10th of August then went on to attack Hill 60 later in the month. They were withdrawn from Gallipoli on the 29th of September 1915 to Mudros, moving to Salonika, landing between the 5th and 10th of October. On the 7th and 8th of December they were in action at Kosturino, in the retreat from Serbia. Some units of the Division were in action at the Karajakois and Yenikoi in late September and early October. They sailed from Salonika to Egypt in early September, concentrating near Rafa to prepare for the Palestine Campaign. On the 1st of April 1918 they transferred to 52nd (Lowland) Division and sailed for France, landing at Marseilles and the Division concentrated near Abbeville. They moved to Aire and went into the front line near Vimy on the 6th of May. On the 31st of May 1918 the 5th Royal Irish transferred to the Lines of Communication, then on the 14th of July 1918 joined 50th (Northumbrian) Division as a Pioneer Battalion. They went into action in October in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line, The pursuit to the Selle and the Final Advance in Picardy. At the Armistice the 50th Division was resting at Solre le Chateau, demobilisation began December.

Jan 1915 Specialist Training

1st Aug 1915 5th Royal Irish Regiment land Gallipolli  5th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipolli.

16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme

1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets

11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment

10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens

9th February 1916 Call Ups

10th Mar 1917 Pioneers at Work

13th May 1917 Bombardment

15th May 1917 Attack Made

16th May 1917 Counter Attack

18th August 1917 Orders

1st Sep 1917 On the Move

5th Sep 1917 On the Move

22nd Sep 1917 On the Move

12th of November 1918 Casualties

12th of November 1918 Casualties

20th March 1919 Daily Activity  9th Btn. (North Irish Horse) the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Two Officers 27 Other Ranks despatched to 5th Royal Irish Regiment on the Rhine.

War Diaries



22nd March 1919 Daily Activity  9th Btn. (North Irish Horse) the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Three Officers 60 Other Ranks despatched to 5th Royal Irish Regiment. One Officer to Concentration Camp for dispersal and 22 Other Ranks.

War Diaries



27th March 1919 Daily Activity  9th Btn. (North Irish Horse) the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Nine Other Ranks to Concentration Camp for dispersal. Two Officers despatched to 5th Royal Irish Regiment.

War Diaries



31st March 1919 Daily Activity  9th Btn. (North Irish Horse) the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Nineteen Other Ranks despatched to 5th Royal Irish Regiment.

War Diaries



1st April 1919 Daily Activity  9th Btn. (North Irish Horse) the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Twenty-three Other Ranks despatched to 5th Royal Irish Regiment.

War Diaries



3rd April 1919 Daily Activity  9th Btn. (North Irish Horse) the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

One Officer despatched to 5th Royal Irish Regiment.

War Diaries



7th April 1919 Daily Activity  9th Btn. (North Irish Horse) the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Twelve Other Ranks to 5th Royal Irish Regiment.

War Diaries



11th April 1919 Daily Activity  9th Btn. (North Irish Horse) the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

One Officer to 5th Royal Irish Regiment.

War Diaries



17th April 1919 Daily Activity  9th Btn. (North Irish Horse) the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Eight Other Ranks to 5th Royal Irish Regiment. One Officer Royal Irish Rifles attached to Battalion.

War Diaries



22nd May 1919 Daily Activity  9th Btn. (North Irish Horse) the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Four Other Ranks to 5th Royal Irish Regiment.

War Diaries



If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.





Want to know more about 5th (Pioneer) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment?


There are:5257 items tagged 5th (Pioneer) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

5th (Pioneer) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Carter Edmund George. Pte.
  • Dooley John. Pte. (d.5th February 1915)
  • Flynn William. Pte. (d.24th Jan 1918)
  • Flynn William. Pte. (d.24th January 1918)
  • Flynn William C.. Pte. (d.24th Jan 1918)
  • Gingell Clifford George. Pte.
  • Godwin George. Pte. (d.20th November 1915)
  • Green Michael. Pte. (d.16th August 1915)
  • Kelly Michael. L/Cpl. (d.18th April 1915)
  • Knox Michael. Pte.
  • Macklin Henry. Pte.
  • Ryan Michael. Pte.
  • Summers William. Pte.

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 5th (Pioneer) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment from other sources.


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  Pte. Michael Ryan 5th Btn. Royal Irish Regiment

Michael Ryan was a master stonemason and was home from New York when he heard that the Lusitania has been sunk as he had travelled home on it the previous homeward bound journey so he joined the Royal Irish Regiment.

He suffered a very bad head injury and was in military hospitals in Scotland, Dublin and Cork but was unable to remain at home as he had very bad PTSD and unfortunately spent his remaining days in St Joseph's mental institution in Limerick City. Michael died in the 1950's and is buried in the Ryan family plot with his parents and my grandparents







  Pte. William C. Flynn 5th Btn. Royal Irish Regiment (d.24th Jan 1918)

William C. Flynn

William Flynn was my great-uncle. He is remembered on the Chatby Memorial.

Edmond C. Byrne






  Pte. William Flynn 5th (Pioneer) Battalion Royal Irish Regiment (d.24th January 1918)

William Flynn was my great uncle. I only discovered him in September 2018. He died at sea in January 1918.

Edmond C Byrne






  Pte. William Flynn 5th Btn. Royal Irish Regiment (d.24th Jan 1918)

My great uncle William Flynn was buried at sea and is honoured at the Chatby Memorial in Alexandria in Egypt. He was the son of William and Ellen Flynn, of Ballinagulkee, Ballinamult, Co. Waterford. Sadly little is known of the man.

Edmond Byrne






  Pte. George Godwin 5th Btn. Royal Irish Regiment (d.20th November 1915)

My great great uncle, George Godwin, was a private in the 5th Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment. His surname is incorrectly stated as ˜Goddard on his death documents and medal cards.

George was born in 1894 in Clonsilla, Dublin. He was the younger brother to my great grandfather. George died on the HMHS Carisbrooke Castle Enterie which is a hospital ship. His cause of death is unknown but possibly from disease. George is buried in the East Mudros Military Cemetery in Greece.

Nai






  Pte. Edmund George Carter 5th Btn. C Coy. Royal Irish Regiment

My paternal grandfather, Edmund Carter, joined the 5th Royal Irish Regiment because the Somerset Regiment was full, he was determined to fight for his country and the Irish Regiment was recruiting. He was badly wounded as he reached the beach at Suvla Bay on 16th of August, 1915. It was another 2/3 days before he was found barely alive and transported to a hospital ship. He was very lucky, the men who found him thought he would not survive, he had been stripped of any personal belongings, ring, watch etc and he was identified only by his dog tag (which I still have). His injuries were severe, bullets and shrapnel were removed from his stomach. I still have some of the bullets.

He was taken to a hospital in Ireland and then, as his condition improved, he was brought back to England and spent over two years recovering at the Winsley Chest Hospital in Somerset. I still have his autograph book which he started at the hospital. In it he drew and painted many of the Regiment badges and flags which would have been so familiar to him, and there are poems and rhymes written by other patients who were casualties of the war. His autograph book means a great deal to me and my family. He never talked much about what happened to him, but his injuries had a lasting affect on his health and, for the last 17 years of his life, he was confined to a wheelchair. He was a kind and gentle man who lived in Midsomer Norton all his life, he married and had four children and three grandchildren who loved him very much. He died of pneumonia at the age of 77.







  L/Cpl. Michael Kelly 5th Btn. Royal Irish Regiment (d.18th April 1915)

Lance Corporal Kelly is buried close to south boundary in the Newtown Forbes Old Graveyard, Clongesh, Co. Longford, Ireland.

S Flynn






  Pte. John Dooley 5th Btn. Royal Irish Regiment (d.5th February 1915)

Private Dooley was the son of Patrick and Johanna Dooley of Columbine Cottage, Thomastown.

He is buried in the Jerpoint Abbey (Hunt's Church) Old Graveyard, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland.

S Flynn






  Pte. Clifford George Gingell 5th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment

My Grandfather Clifford Gingell served in the 5th Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment throughout WW1. I remember him being sent a little box of shamrocks every St Patricks day. My uncle told me they were from his army pal, Mr Chris Kelly of Tiperarary Ireland.

He seldom talked about his experiences but did say on the boat going ashore during the Suvla Bay Landing, he decided to follow right behind an officer when they reached the beach, a man next to him stood on a mine.







  Pte. Michael Knox 5th Btn Royal Irish Regiment

My Grandfather, Michael Knox, served in WW1. He was born on 3rd of October 1882 in Waterford, Ireland and later moved to Wales were he got married to Ellen Young. We believe he served in the Army in 1914/15. Due to his service he was granted a land in Busselton, Western Australia, and moved there with his wife and children in 1925.

John Knox






  Pte. William Summers 5th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment

William Summers enlisted on the 2nd of Sept 1914 joining the Somerset Regiment under false name. His real name was William Edmund Larner Semmence he was over 21 years of age. He was transferred to Royal Irish Regiment, 5th Battalion in Longford. He was moved to Basingstoke in England 1915 and sent to Gallipoli where he landed at Suvla Bay on the 7th July 1915 on A-Beach.he was sent to Salonica on the 4th of Oct 1915 and moved to Egypt in Sept 1917 and took part in the 3rd Battle of Gaza. Then in April 1918 he was transfered to France until 1919.







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