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7th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles    7th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles was raised at Belfast in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army and joined 48th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division. From January 1915 they trained at Ballyvonare, absorbing a company of the Royal Jersey Militia on the 5th of March. In June they moved to Ballyholley and crossed to England in September for final training at Aldershot. They proceeded to France on the 20th of December 1915, landing at le Havre, the division concentrated in the Bethune area. In 1916 they were in action on the Somme during the The Battle of Guillemont in which the Division captured the village and The Battle of Ginchy. In 1917 they fought at the The Battle of Messines and on the 23rd of August they transferred to 49th Brigade still with 16th (Irish) Division. They were in action The Battle of Langemark, during the Third Battles of Ypres and on the 14th of October 1917 they transferred to 108th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division. The 7th Battalion was absorbed by the 2nd Royal Irish Rifles on the 14th of November 1917. 16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme 1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets 11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment 19th Dec 1915  On the move 20th Dec 1915 On the move 21st Dec 1915 On the move 22nd Dec 1915 On the move 23rd Dec 1915 Training 24th Dec 1915 Training 25th Dec 1915 Church Parades and Training 26th Dec 1915 Route March 27th Dec 1915 Route March 27th Dec 1915 Poor Conditions 10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens 9th February 1916 Call Ups 7th of March 1916 Trench Mortars Bombard Village   6th May 1916 7th Royal Irish Rifles go into the line  7th Inniskillings are relieved by 7th Royal Irish Rifles on the night of the 6-7th May 1916 1st Jul 1916 Report   1st Jul 1916 Report   2nd Jul 1916 Artillery   6th Sep 1916 Patrols 6th Oct 1916 Trench Mortar   6th Oct 1916 Enemy Active   14th Oct 1917 On the Move If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Want to know more about 7th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles? There are:5254 items tagged 7th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles 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 7th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles during the Great War 1914-1918. Armstrong John. Rflmn. (d.16th Aug 1917) Bailey Edward. Sgt. (d.16th Aug 1917) Blampied Charles William. Rflmn. (d.23rd July 1915) Brough Walter. Rflmn. (d.7th June 1917) Castle Arthur John. (d.22nd Oct 1916) Crutchley MM. Sidney Charles. Delap H.. Rflmn. (d.25th July 1918) Doherty Thomas. Rfmn. (d.30th Jul 1916) Eakins Joseph. Rflman. (d.6th Sept 1916) Foster Robert McKibben. Rfmn. (d.27th Mar 1916) Leighton William Alexander. Rflmn. (d.19th May 1916) Loughran John. Rflmn. (d.9th July 1916) McKenna John. Pte. (d.8th Aug 1917) Mulcahy-Morgan Francis Campion. Lt. (d.6th Sept 1916) Pirouet Arthur John Francis. Sgt. (d.9th Sep 1916) Ryan John. Rflmn. (d.3rd June 1915) Williams MM. Henry Alexander. Cpl. Wixted Michael. 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 7th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles from other sources. The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website. 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time. Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the Great War? Our Library contains many many diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. Looking for help with Family History Research?    Please see Family History FAQ's Please note: We are unable to provide individual research. Can you help? The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web. If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation. Announcements 19th Nov 2024     Please note we currently have a massive backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 264989 your submission is still in the queue, please do not resubmit. Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to the Great War. If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted. World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great battalion regiment artillery Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.   Pte. Michael Wixted 2nd Btn. Royal Dublin Fusilliers Michael Wixted was born in January 1889. He joined the British Army in mid 1915 and was allotted to the 7th Royal Irish Rifles. There is evidence of a Leinster Regiment being formed around this time and it is probable that along with thousands of other young Dubliner's, he enlisted. From his Medal Roll Card, we know he arrived in France with a Draft in early 1916 He had been transferred to the 8th Royal Dublin Fusiliers by late 1917, having left his original Regiment for reasons and a date unknown but likely to be due to a wound or sickness He was posted to the 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers in February 1918 when the 8th Battalion was disbanded. In total 400 men were absorbed into both the 1st and 2nd Royal Dublin Fusilier Battalions on the 10th of February 1918. 200 men being absorbed into each Battalion. Michael was captured by German forces on the 21st of March 1918 in the town of St. Quentin in France. This was during a very heavy offensive of 500,000 German Troops against some 200,000 Allied Troops. Sometime after his capture, Michael had been transferred to Soltau Prisoner of War Camp, Germany. He was repatriated to England in January 1919. Brian Connolly Add to this record.   Rflman. Joseph Eakins 7th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.6th Sept 1916) Joseph Eakins was born 30th August 1872 in Kingstown, Dublin. This would make him 45 and relatively old considering the age of his comrades. He had one brother, my Great Gandfather. At some point he moved to Belfast where I believe he married and had a family. He died on 6th September 1916 and is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial, France. V. Smith Add to this record.   Rflmn. John Armstrong 7th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.16th Aug 1917) John Armstrong was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Langemarck, which was part of the 3rd Battle of Ypres. He enlisted in Holywood, County Down on 10th of April 1915. His body was never found, but he is commemorated on the wall at Tyne Cot Memorial near Passchendaele, Belgium. He was only 21 when killed, and he is remembered with honour by his great-nephew. Philip Lister Add to this record.   Rfmn. Robert McKibben Foster 7th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.27th Mar 1916) Robert Foster died on the Monday 27th March 1916 and is buried at Dud Corner Cemetery, Loos, France. Add to this record.   Sgt. Arthur John Francis Pirouet 7th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.9th Sep 1916) Serjt. Arthur Pirouet of the 7th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles was killed in action on the 9th of September 1916. Aged 24, he was the son of James Thomas and E. Pirouet of Sea View, Samares, Jersey. Paul Linford Add to this record.   Cpl. Henry Alexander Williams MM. 13th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles My great grandfather Henry Williams served in the Great War with the 2nd and 7th Battalions, Royal Irish Rifles and the 13th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment and was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery in the field in France awarded 1919. He served from the 4th of August 1914 to 11th of November 1918 and was discharged due to injury I believe according to the documents I have. George Benjamin Williams-Holding Add to this record.   Rflmn. H. Delap 7th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.25th July 1918) Rifleman Delap was the Son of William Delap, of Bohemabreeda, Tallaght. He was 22 when he died and is buried in the South east part of the Tallaght (St. Maelruan) Church of Ireland Churchyard, Tallagh, Co. Dublin, Ireland. s flynn Add to this record.   Rflmn. John Loughran 7th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.9th July 1916) Rifleman Loughran was the Son of Felix Loughran, of 5, Euston St., Greenore. He was 21 when he died and is buried in the North-East part of Kilwairra Old Catholic Churchyard, Cooley, Co. Louth, Ireland. s flynn Add to this record.    Arthur John Castle 7th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.22nd Oct 1916) Arthur Castle was killed in action with the 7th Btn, Royal Irish Rifles, WW1. He is buried in the Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery. Add to this record.   Rflmn. John Ryan 7th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.3rd June 1915) Rifleman Ryan is buried to the Left (East) side of main path in the Doneraile (Old Court) Cemetery, Co. Cork, Ireland. s flynn Add to this record.   Rflmn. Charles William Blampied 7th Bn. Jersey Coy. Royal Irish Rifles (d.23rd July 1915) Charles Blampied is buried in the south-east corner of the Ballyhooly (Christ Church) Church of Ireland Churchyard in Co. Cork, Ireland. s flynn Add to this record.   Lt. Francis Campion Mulcahy-Morgan 7th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.6th Sept 1916) Captain Francis Mulcahy-Morgan of the Royal Irish Rifles was killed in action on the 6th September 1916 aged 25 years. He was the 4th son of Edward Campion Mulcahy-Morgan And Susan his wife. Formerly of Larkfield. "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life which the lord hath promised to them that love him." s flynn Add to this record.   Rflmn. William Alexander Leighton 7th Btn Royal Irish Rifles (d.19th May 1916) Only seventeen years old, when he was killed in action, William Leighton was the son of James and Rosie Leighton, Islandeffrick, Coleraine County Londonderry. Add to this record.    Sidney Charles Crutchley MM. 6th/7th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles Sidney Charles Crutchley's Army Record April 1915 – enlisted as a volunteer in the 6th Service Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles. (The only RIR battalion to serve in Salonika.) The 6th service battalion had been formed in Dublin in 1914 and by February 1915 was at The Curragh racecourse. May 1915 – 6/RIR arrived in Hackwood Park, Basingstoke for training which is where Sidney probably joined them. July 7th 1915 sailed from Liverpool for Mudros Island (via Alexandria, Egypt), the staging post for Gallipoli, arriving 26th July 1915. August 5th 1915 landed at Anzac Cove. September 29th back to Mudros. October 4th/5th to Salonika. October 23rd 1915. December in the Salonika salient. Sydney was probably invalided home in the spring or early summer of 1916 with malaria. On recovery he would have been posted to the 7/RIR, 48th brigade, 16th, division in France. August 30th 1916 – travelled by train from Chocques to Longueau and from there marched to Corbie. August 31st Marched to Sandpit Camp. Battles of the Somme. Battle of Guillemont. September 3rd moved to Carnoy. September 4th moved forward to Bernafey Wood near Guillemont. September 6th Three stong patrols sent into Ginchy. September 7th Took over the front line west of Ginchy. September 8 During the night, dug assembly trenches west of the sunken road between Guillemont and Ginchy, some 200 yards in front of the British line. Battle of Ginchy. September 9th Attack on Ginchy – the men moved forward at 4.45 pm – 1st Munster Fusiliers on the right and the 7th Royal Irish Fusiliers on the left. The German front line on the outskirts of Ginchy were soon taken and consolidated. The new positions won by the RIR came under heavy bombardment from their own British Artillery – news of their existence beyond no-man’s land apparently had not reached the batteries. September 11th sent back to Corbie to rest. September 18th back as far as Longpre. September 21st sent by train to the Ypres sector. November/December 1916 awarded the Military Medal but we don't know under what circumstances. March 25th 1917 M.M. announced in the London Gazette. June 7th/9th Battle of Messines (1X corps Second Army). June 7th – capture of Wytschaete. Battles of Ypres. July 31st – 2nd August – Battle of Pilckem Ridge (in reserve, XIX Corps, Fifth Army). August 16-18th – Battle of Langemarck (XIX Corps, Fifth Army. August 18th 1917 announcement in the Walsall Observer that he was in hospital in Epsom, Surrey suffering from malarial fever. Sidney was by now a corporal. August 23rd the 7/RIR was transferred to the 49th brigade, 16th division. October 15th 1917 the 7/RIR was transferred from the 16th division to the 36th division. Battle of Cambrai. November 20 and 21st -The tank attack. (IV Corps, Third Army.) November 23–27 The capture of Bourlon Wood (IV Corps, Third Army.) December 3rd The German counterattack. (108th Bde, with 61st Division.) (III Corps, Third Army.) First Battles of the Somme. 21-23 March 1918 Battle of St Quentin (XVIII Corps, Fifth Army). 24-25 March 1918 Actions at the Somme Crossings (XVIII Corps, Fifth Army). 26-27 March 1918 Battle of Rosieres (XVIII, Fifth Army). April 10-11 Battle of Messines (108 bde, with 19th division)(IX Corps, Second Army). April 13 – 1918 Battle of Bailleul (108th Bde, with 19th division) (IX Corps, Second Army). April 17 – 18 1918 First Battle of Kemmel Ridge. (108th Bde, with 19th division) (IX Corps, Second Army). July 20th to September 19th Advance to Victory (IX Corps, Second Army). The Final Advance in Flanders. September 28th to October 2nd 1918 - Battle of Ypres (II Corps, Second Army). October 14th--19th 1918 – Battle of Courtrai (II Corps, Second Army). October 25th 1918 Ooteghem (II Corps, Second Army). October 28th it was relieved in the front line and moved back towards the Lys valley between Courtrai and Menin, with headquarters at Belleghem. The Division was now transferred to X Corps. November 4th divisional headquarters and 107th and 108th Brigades moved into Mouscron (north-east of Tourcoing). November 9th the Division came under XV Corps. The troops were still occupying the same positions when the Armistice brought hostilities to a close at 11 a.m. on the 11th November. The Division settled down for the winter in Mouscron (divisional headquarters, 107th and 108th Brigades, two field companies, two field ambulances, and the Train). On 7th December H.M. the King with H.R.H. The Prince of Wales and Prince Albert passed through the divisional area. During this month the troops were employed in military training and education, and 54,203 attendances were recorded at the divisional educational classes. On the 30th and 31st January 1919 H.R.H. The Prince of Wales paid a two days’ visit to the Division; and during this month about four thousand men left for demobilisation. Gradually, the Division dwindled, units were reduced to cadre. On the 25th of February 1919 Sidney was demobbed. Add to this record.   Sgt. Edward Bailey 7th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.16th Aug 1917) Edward Bailey was born in Dublin and later enlisted there. The 7th Battalion came under the command of 16th (Irish) Division, and on 20th December 1915 landed at le Havre. Edward Bailey was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Langemarck in Flanders. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium. S Flynn Add to this record. Recomended Reading. Available at discounted prices.

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