5th Lancers (Royal Irish) in the Great War - The Wartime Memories Project -

5th Lancers (Royal Irish)

   5th Lancers (Royal Irish) were in Ireland when war broke out in August 1914. They proceeded to France and served on the Western Front as part of 3rd Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division through out the Great War.

26th Aug 1914 Prisoners Taken

26th Aug 1914 Prisoners Taken

12th Oct 1914 3rd Cavalry Brigade attack  On the 12th of October 3rd Cavalry Brigade were ordered to dislodge the enemy from Mont de Cats which they had recently occupied. The 4th Hussars and 5th Lancers undertook a dismounted attack, assisted by the 16th Lancers and reclaimed the hill. Amongst the German casualties was Prince Maximillian von Hesse, nephew of the Kaiser.
Holts Battlefield Guide

27th Oct 1914 First Aid

30th Oct 1914 Shelling

2nd Nov 1914 Luck

15th Dec 1914 Great Buildings Blown to Bits

14th Feb 1915 Reliefs

14th Feb 1915 Reliefs

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

4th Nov 1918 Advance

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Want to know more about the 5th Lancers (Royal Irish) ?

There are:6596 items tagged 5th Lancers (Royal Irish) 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 Lancers (Royal Irish)
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Anderson Robert. Pte. 7th Btn. (d.23rd Mar 1918)
Barry Michael. Pte. (d.27th Nov 1918)
Brennan James. Pte. 7th Btn. (d.28th May 1917)
Clare VC. George William Burdett. Pte. (d.28th Nov 1917)
Colgrave DCM, MID. Joseph. L/Sgt,
Flynn Timothy O. Tpr (d.5th Jan 1916)
Leen Patrick. Pte. 5th (d.1st May 1916)

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

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1205952

Pte. George William Burdett Clare VC. 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers (d.28th Nov 1917)

George Clare was killed in action on the 28th of November 1917, he is commemorated on the The Cambrai Memorial in France and was the son of George and Rhoda Clare. He was born at St. Ives, Huntingdonshire.
An extract from the London Gazette, dated 8th Jan., 1918, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when, acting as a stretcher-bearer during a most intense and continuous enemy bombardment, Pte. Clare dressed and conducted wounded over the open to the dressing-station about 500 yards away. At one period when all the garrison of a detached post, which was lying out in the open about 1 50 yards to the left of the line occupied, had become casualties, he crossed the intervening space, which was continually swept by heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, and, having dressed all the cases, manned the post single-handed till a relief could be sent. Pte. Clare then carried a seriously wounded man through intense fire to cover, and later succeeded in getting him to the dressing station. At the dressing-station he was told that the enemy was using gas shells to a large extent in the valley below, and as the wind was blowing the gas towards the line of trenches and shell-holes occupied, he started on the right of the line and personally warned every company post of the danger, the whole time under shell and rifle fire. This very gallant soldier was subsequently killed by a shell."
s flynn

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253601

Tpr Timothy O Flynn 5th Royal Irish Lancers (d.5th Jan 1916)

Timothy joined up in August 1915 at age 47.
He had lived in the town Cobh/ Queenstown where bodies of the RMS Lusitania victims were brought that summer (sunk by a U-boat in May), so that might have been the catalyst for his enlisting, as he left his family of 5 children behind.
He was moved to the Ypres salient in December and went on a three man night patrol a week later but didn't return.
I'm surprised he was picked for front line duty and patrol given his age, but this is all I've been able to find out so far.
He was my grand uncle and I remember his sister, Anne, being very bitter about his loss. His sisters became active republicans (ie. anti-British) subsequently in Ireland's war of independence.
Brian O'Grady

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250880

L/Sgt, Joseph Colgrave DCM, MID. 5th Royal Irish Lancers

Joe Colgrave was my grandfather's eldest brother. He survived WW1 although several of his siblings including my grandfather Colin Colgrave, did not. Born in 1880, Joe joined the Army at the age of 18yrs in Beverley, Yorkshire and enlisted into the East Yorkshire Regiment on 6 Aug 1898. Pte Colgrave was posted to the 2nd Btn which was stationed at Templemore in Ireland. On 17 Nov 1900 he transferred to the Cavalry and joined the 12th Lancers stationed in Hounslow and Aldershot. On 13 Mar 1901 he sailed with the Regt to South Africa. The 12th Lancers saw action during the Boer War in the Cape and the Transvaal. On 21 Sep 1902 the Regt was posted to India. Trooper Colgrave was promoted to LCpl on 27 Dec 1902. He remained in India until 25 Jan 1906.
On his return to UK he was posted to the 5th Lancers before he transferred to the Army Reserve relinquishing his stripe, effective from 6 Aug 1906.
On 4th of August 1914 he was recalled to the colours. He rejoined 5th Lancers and proceeded with the Regiment to France from Dublin with the British Expeditionary Force in Aug 1914 as part of 3rd Cavalry Brigade (5th Royal Irish Lancers, 4th Hussars and 16th Lancers), Brig Gough commanding. The 5th Lancers were in action at Mons, where they were the last Regiment to withdraw. During the Retreat 5th Lancers took part in the Battles of Le Cateau and the Marne, where the Germans were halted before Paris.
They then took part in the advance to the Aisne. Tpr Colgrave was awarded a Mention in Despatches and Distinguished Conduct Medal for gallantry and leadership in the face of the enemy during the First Battle of Ypres at Hollebeke on Messines Ridge on 30th October 1914, Gazetted on 16th Jan 1915, "On 30th October 1914 near Hollebeke, showed great presence of mind and coolness during an emergency in rallying several bodies of Indian troops who had lost their officers".
He was promoted again to L/Cpl on 12th Nov 1914. The 5th Lancers fought dismounted at the Battle of Loos and in the trenches throughout the war mainly in the Ypres Salient but were also held in readiness for the breakthrough which did not come until 1918. On 3 Mar 1916 he was promoted to Cpl.
On 25 Mar 1917 he was posted back to UK into the 1st Reserve Regt Lancers where he remained as an instructor and on 19 Nov 1917 was promoted to LSgt. He was a qualified bombing instructor. LSgt Colgrave DCM was transferred to the Reserve on 22nd May 1919.
He joined the Home Guard on the outbreak of the Second World War.
L/Sgt Colgrave DCM had 20 years Regular and Reserve service. He collapsed and died whilst taking part in the Royal Review of 63,000 ex-servicemen and women in Hyde Park, London. He was looking for his wife who had a seat in the stands when he collapsed near the Serpentine. He was taken to a First Aid post but died in the ambulance on the way to hospital on 5th July 1953.
He was awarded the DCM, MiD, Queens South Africa Medal clasps Cape Colony and Transvaal, King's South Africa Medal clasps 1901 and 1902, 1914 Star clasp 5Aug-29Nov, British War Medal, Victory Medal, and Defence Medal 1945.
Mal Beckly

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240467

Pte. Patrick Leen 5th Royal Irish Lancers (d.1st May 1916)

Private Leen was 22 when he died and is buried in the Other Ranks section of the Kilmainham (Royal Hospital) Graveyard, Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland.
S Flynn

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217271

Pte. James Brennan 7th Btn. Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment (d.28th May 1917)

James Brennan served with the 5th Lancers and subsequently with the Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, 7th Battalion. He died of wounds in May 1917.
s flynn

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216864

Pte. Michael Barry 5th Royal Irish Lancers (d.27th Nov 1918)

Michael Barry was the husband of Maria Barry, of 2, Rainsford Ave., Dublin. He served with the Household Cavalry and 5th Royal Irish Lancers He died of wounds at home, aged 27 in November 1918. He is buried in Grangegorman Military Cemetery, County Dublin, Ireland
s flynn

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216650

Pte. Robert Anderson 7th Btn. Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment (d.23rd Mar 1918)

Private Anderson was born in Dublin, and enlisted at Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland. Before joining the Royal West Surrey Regiment he was a member of the 5th Lancers. He was killed in action in Vendeuil, France, and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme.
S Flynn

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5th Lancers (Royal Irish)

Want to know more about the 5th Lancers (Royal Irish) ?

Those known to have served with
5th Lancers (Royal Irish)
during the Great War 1914-1918.

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The Wartime Memories Project - 5th Lancers (Royal Irish) during the Great War -

5th Lancers (Royal Irish)

Want to know more about the 5th Lancers (Royal Irish) ?

Those known to have served with 5th Lancers (Royal Irish) during the Great War 1914-1918.

Can you help?

If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.

Announcements

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- 5th Lancers (Royal Irish) during the Great War -

Those known to have served with
5th Lancers (Royal Irish)
during the Great War 1914-1918.