The Irish Guards

 

Circa 1908.

 

"The following pages are dedicated in memory of L/cpl Ian Malone
From Dublin and Gdsm Chris Muzvuru from Zimbabwe both
talented pipers of the Irish Guards, killed in Iraq, May we
always remember them. Dedicated by Paul, ex Irish Guardsman "

Have you ever met the Micks me lads,

When wandering round the town,

They are the crowd of Irishmen, whose

fame is renown.

There's Alexander, Mungo Park and

Michael Vernon too,

But these names i state to you me lads

Are merely just a few.

Now once you join the Irish Guards

Then you're a Mick for life,

They'll stand by you, through thick and thin,

Through every kind of strife,

And should you ever be in a fight,

With your back against the door,

Just holler ' UP THE MICKS ' me lads,

For that's the call for war.

They've been in many battles,

And you'll find they always win,

For your never meet a Mick me lads,

who says ' well I'll give in '

They'll do or die, they're trained that way,

They think the life is grand,

And heaven help old England,

if they all came to Ireland.

Each one of you went through the mill,

Your life was made real hard,

But every single one of you,

Became an Irish Guard.

Those days are gone, ' tis sad to say '

But memories fondly cling,

And the Devil who chased most of you,

Was known as Pokey Flynn.

The pride he took in his uniform,

They still speak of today,

And if your cap peak was a fraction out,

My God, there was hell to pay.

I'll make a Mick of you me lad,

or die in the attempt,

There's many often wished he would,

Tho' it really was not meant.

As time goes by, old Micks pass on,

But their names are ne'er forgot,

For they helped to rewrite history,

Tho' it might not be a lot,

And as Peter greets them at the gates,

with a smile upon his lips,

The Angels all in chorus sing,

Welcome ' UP THE MICKS '

  R. Flynn

Postcard from my own collection

Postcard from my own collection

The newer Regiment was formed on the 1st April 1900 by Order of Queen Victoria in response to the many courageous actions performed by the Irish regiments in the Second Boer War. The Irish Guards first honourary Colonel-of-the- Regiment was Field Marshall Lord Roberts, known to many troops as ' Bobs'. Because of this, the regiment gained the nickname ' Bobs Own ' though now are known affectionately as ' The Micks '. This is not seen as offensive or derogatory by the Regiment.

In May 1902, at Horse Guards Parade, the regiment's first Colours were presented by King Edward VII. A few Irish Guardsmen saw action as mounted infantry in the final stages of the Boer War. Otherwise, the Irish Guards were stationed in the United Kingdom for the first 14 years of its existence, performing a number of ceremonial duties in London during that time, until, in 1914, the ' Great War '

began. The Guards regiment as already stated was raised by order of Queen Victoria following an initial suggestion from Lord Wolseley.

 

The Queen accepted this suggestion and the wearing of the shamrock was duly authorised. On 28th February 1900 a letter from an Irish MP was printed in ' The Times ' newspaper praising the conduct of certain Irish Regiments and finishing with the sentence : " ' ' ' 'There are Scotch Guards and English Guards - why not add to the roll of glory a Regiment of Irish Guards ?' The same subject was raised in the House of Commons next day going one step further in suggesting that the proposed new regiment should bear the title

' The Royal Irish Guards ' , and that Lord Roberts should be its first Colonel. Her Majesty who had in fact been considering the question of a regiment of Irish Guards, approved . No time was lost and by Army Order No 77, 1st April 1900 the Regiment was created.

 

" that the queen should now order all her Irish Regiments to wear the

Shamrock ' in their headdress on the 17th instant ( March ) to be worn by all her Irish Regiments in future years on St Patrick's Day as a mark of Her Majesty's appreciaition of the daring display by her loyal Irish soldiers in the recent operations near Ladysmith "

"Her Majesty the Queen having deemed it desirable to commemorate the bravery shown by the Irish Regiments during operations in South Africa in the years 1899-1900 has been graciously pleased that an Irish Regiment of Foot Guards be formed to be designated the " Irish Guards ".

At a time when the fortunes of the British Army in South Africa were at a low ebb, Field Marshall Lord Roberts was appointed to take over as Commander -in-Chief, January 1900. Up to that time there had been defeat after defeat culminating in the " Black Week " of December 1899. There had been littel to cheer apart from the heart-warming bravery displayed by the British soldier and that of certain Irish regiments, The Inniskilling Fusiliers, the Dublin Fusiliers and the Connaught Rangers had particularly distinguished themselves. Things began to improve after Lord Roberts's arrival - Cronje, the Boer Commander surrendered at Paardeberg on 27th February, Ladysmith was relieved about the same time, and Bloemfontein, capital of the Orange Free State, was occupied on 13th March.

So the finest compliment that Her Majesty could pay her Irish soldiers, the formation of a regiment of Irish Guards, was added yet a further honour, that so distinguished a soldier and Irishman as Field Marshall Lord Roberts be appointed Colonel of the Regiment,

17th October 1900. Major R.J Cooper, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards was appointed the first Commanding Officer on the 2nd May 1900 and 200 Irishmen from the same regiment were transferred as a substantial nucleus ( which just go to show just how many Irish were serving in English Regiments as well ) Colour Sergeant Conroy from the Royal Munster Fusiliers was given the Regimental Number 1, whilst a new recruit, James O' Brien from Co Limerick was Number 7. A ' transfer-in ' from the Connaught Rangers, was Private Jordan, six feet six and a half inches tall. Colonel V.J Dawson, CVO, 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards, who was appointed Officer Commanding the Regiment and Regimental District in September 1900, and by this time the regiment was really underway with 400 rank and file. Hostilities in South Africa ceased on 31st May 1902.The Irish Guards did not serve as a whole unit in the Anglo - Boer War, but contributed a section to the 1st Guards Mounted Infantry Company. In a heavy action Colour Sergeant Hudson won the DCM for gallantry, the first Irish Guards non-commissioned officer to receive a medal in action. Lord Roberts, ' Bobs' whose Generalship had turned the tide of battle in 1900 and was instrumental in boosting morale, handed over to Lord Kitchener in November 1900. From then on until his death on the 14th November 1914, he took the greatest interest in all the regimental activities and events. ( The regiment last saw him when he came to bid the guardsmen God speed on the 11th August 1914, when the Battalion paraded at wellington barracks before embarkation for France.

 

Irish Guards 1900, wearing the distinctive Brodrick Cap.

  One observer recorded his first reaction on seeing the cap in wear on the London Streets.

" When i first saw the new Gaurdsmen the other evening in the street , i quite thought that we must have been

  secretly invaded by Russia, so like the Czar's soldiery did the new form of fatigue cap in conjuction with the

  Guards' great - coat make them look. I do not think i like this new cap; it savours too much of the Fire Brigade or

  the Bakers.