Irish Guards

Lance-Corporal Michael O' Leary winning the first VC for the Irish Guards

took part in the Battle of Pilckem which began on the 31st July during the Third

Battle of Ypres. Further actions took place at Menin Road and Poelcapelle. During Third Ypres at Broenbeek, in September, Lance Sergeant Moyney and Private Woodcock of the 2nd Irish Guards, were part of an advance post that became surrounded by Germans. During the fifty day of the defence the Lance Sergeant attacked the advancing Germans with grenades and with his Lewis Gun. He and his men then charged the Germans, breaking through them and reaching a stream where he and private Woodcock performed a rearguard while the rest of the party withdrew. They then subsequently began to withdraw too, crossing the stream, but Private Woodcock heard cries for help and he then returned, retrieving the wounded man and carrying him back to British Lines under machine gun fire. They had held out for an astonishing ninety-six hours. Both were awarded the Victoria Cross.

The Irish Guards took part in the Battle of Cambrai ( 1917 ), the first large use of the tank in battle took place during the engagement. In 1918 the regiment fought at the same area that had caused so much pain to the British Army in 1916, the Somme. The Regiment fought in a number of engagements during the battle of the Somme, including Arras and Albert. The regiment took part in a number of battles during the British Offensive against the Hindenburg Line.

On the 4th November 1918 at the Sambre-Oise Canal, Acting Lieutenant-Colonel James Marshall of the Irish Guards but attached to the 16th Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers organised repair parties who were trying to repair a damaged partly finished bridge. The first party soon came under fire and all were killed or wounded. The Lieutenant-Colonel, disregarding his own safety, stood at the bank, encouraging and helping the men as they worked on the bridge. Once it was repaired the Lieutenant-Colonel then began to lead his men across the bridge but was killed in the process. He was awarded the posthumous VC. The irish Guards took place in the last advances on the Western front on the 11th November 1918 the Armistice was signed. The 1st irish Guards were at Maubeuge when the Armistice was signed, it was near to where the Irish Guards began their war in 1914 at Mons, yet there would not be many survivors of that first battel by the 11th November. On the 11th of December the regiment marched into Germany, drums beating, no doubt reflecting on the many experiences they had during the war, no doubt remembering the friends that had fallen in this deadly war that had effectively destroyed a generation, where old general with old fashioned ideas played with mens lives as if they were pieces on a chess board. The Irish Guards sacrifice during WW1 was immense. Over 2300 officers and men killed and well over 5000 wounded. Most would never live normal lives again.The regiment won 406 medals, including four VC's during WW1.

Among those killed serving with the Irish Guards in the First World War was Lt. John Kipling. The 18 year old son of author Rudyard Kipling, who was listed as missing at Loos in September 1915 ( it was claimed that his grave was identified in 1992, though there has been some dispute over this) In tribute to his son's Regiment, Kipling composed the poem " The Irish Guards " and after the war wrote a two volume history of the regiment's service in the war ( see poems page ).

Left, Guardsman Charles Quinn killed on the Western Front four weeks before the Armistice in 1918. Charles served in the 1st Battalion Irish Guards and is buried at Douchy-Les-Ayettes near Arras.

He was just 20 years of age when he lost his life like so many other young men of that generation.

Charles was described as a trustworthy, reliable young man who loved life and was an excellent football player, who supported Glasgow Celtic.

Charles was caught in a mortar attack and buried alive.

Guardsman Charles Quinn of the Irish Guards, killed in action on the 1st September 1918.

It is belived that this photograph of Charles was taken by his older brother when he was on guard duty at Buckingham Palace in 1916-1917

My sincere thanks to Mac from Mac's Web Log : ahoy.tk-jk.net for allowing me to use this photograph and information.

In 1919 the 2nd and 3rd Irish Guards were disbanded, and the 1st irish Guards returned to the UK victoriously, though no doubt being scarred by their experiences in the First World War. In 1920, for St Patrick's Day, the regiment donned its full-dress for the first time since WW1. In 1922 the regiment the deployed to to Constantinople as part of an allied force during troubles in that region. The regiment was also compelled to cope with the internal tensions caused by the political situation back home in Ireland. Several men were caught apparently attempting to divert weapons and ammunition to Republican Forces in Ireland. As some if not most Irish soldiers went to war for Irish home rule it would not have been uncommon if they joined the new Irish Republican Army.

The regiments continued existence was threatened briefly when Winston Churchill, who served as Secretary of State for War between 1919 and 1921, sought the ellimination of the Irish and Welsh Guards as an economy measure. This proposal, however did not find favour in government or army circles and was dropped. In late 1923 the regiment deployed to the garrison at Gibralter. They returned to the UK in 1924. They were then based in the south of England until 1936 when they deployed to Egypt. While stationed there the regiment deployed to Palestine for a number of months on internal security duties against Arab militants. The regiment returned to the Uk in 1938. The following year the 2nd Battalion of the Irish Guards was re-formed five months before World War 2 began.

During the Second World war, the Irish Guards lost over 700 men killed, 1500 wounded and was awarded 252 medals, including two Victoria Crosses.

Upon the outbreak of WW2 in September 1939, both battalions of the Irish Guards were based in the UK. In 1940 the 1st Irish Guards deployed to Norway as part of the 24th ( Guards ) Brigade in early April. In May the Polish liner, now troopship ' Chobry ' which was transporting the Brigade HQ and the 1st Irish Guards from another area of Norway to the northern town of Bodo, was hit by Heinkel He 111bombers which killed many men, including the CO Second in Command, the adjudant and three of the five company commanders of the 1st Irish Guards, as well as losing all their heavy equipment. Fire began to engulf the ship and, considering the amount of ammunition on board, a deadly and immense explosion seemed imminent. The men were rescued by escorting vessels. Later that monthe the battalion did fight on land in Norway, seeing action and holding out against tough German opposition for two days until they were finally forced to withdraw due to being outflanked by the advancing Germans. The Brigade HQ and battalion were withdrawn by boat, they they left many behind. The men left behind managed to break out, reaching allied lines later that day. The regiment was finally evacuated back to the UK with the rest of the expeditionary force in June.

In May 1940 the 2nd Irish Guards deployed to the Hook of Holland to cover the evacuation of the Dutch Royal Family. The Battalion evacuated the day after the Government and Dutch Royal Family had been evacuated. They only had a short respite upon their return to the UK for just a few days later they returned along with Welsh Guards, to the Continent, to Boulogne, a port in northern France, reaching the town on the 22nd of May. Their orders were to defend part of Boulogne during the epic evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force ( BEF ) from the overwhelming and inexorable advance of the Germans ( almost a repeat of 1914 ) The Guards stoutly defended their area of responsibility from better equipped German forces, repulsing a number of German attacks on the 22nd, but on the morning of the 23rd, superior German forces attacked the Battalion and the Guards suffered very heavily in the attack. Later that day the battalion was evacuated from Boulogne, they were the last to leave, and fought valiantly while waiting to be evacuated.

In 1941 the 2nd Irish Guards re-roled as an armoured regiment, joining the newly formed Guards Armoured Division. Later that year the 3rd Irish Guards was raised. In 1943, the 3rd Irish Guards joined the Guards Armoured Division as an Infantry Battalion.

In 1944 the 2nd and 3rd Irish Guards took part in the Normandy Campaign. The Irish Guards as part of the Guards Armoured Division took part in ' Operation Goodwood ' that began on the 18th of July. The Divisions objective was Cagny, Vimont and the surrounding area. During that day, near Cagny, Lieutenant ( later Sir) John Gorman of the 2nd Irish Guards was in his Sherman tank when he was confronted by a far superior 68 ton Tiger II or ' King Tiger '. Gorman's tank fired one shot at the Tiger II but to no avail; the shot simply bounced off the thick armour. Upon the order to fire again, the Sherman's gun jammed. The Lieutenant then gave the order to ram the Tiger II just as it was begining to turn its massive 88mm gun on Gorman's tank. The Sherman tank smashed into Tiger II, the collision disabling both tanks. Both tank;s crews bailed out. Lieutenant Gorman, once he had seen his crew to safety, returned to the scene in a commandeered Sherman Firefly and destroyed the King Tiger. He won the Military Cross for his heroics. The driver from his own crew, Lance Corporal James Brown, won the Military Medal. From the 25th of July both the 2nd and 3rd Battalions took part in Operation

' Bluecoat ' and two weeks of confused fighting in the ' bocage ' country around Caumont, which greatly favoured the German defenders cost the 2nd battalion alone 17 Officers and 123 men by 5th August.

By Mid August the two battalions had taken part in a series of actions at Montchamp, Maisoncelles, Le Busq and Estry. The eventual collapse of the German defences around Normandy saw the Guards Armoured Division begin their push north-west towards Brussels and Belgium. Advancing rapidly they passed through Amiens and Arras before entering brussels to an estatic welcome on the evening of 2nd September. However German resistance stiffened as the division crossed the River Dyle. The tank and mechanized Infantry battalions were now operating together as the Irish Guards Battle Group under command of Lt Col J.O.E Vandeleur. On the 10th September elements of the battle group captured an undemolished bridge over the Meuse-Escaut Canal at the De Groote Barrier and this was later christened ' Joe's Bridge ' in honour of Vandeleur.

This amazing photograph was taken of Gormans tanks oon after the incident with both tanks still in position

Due to their recent success, the Irish Guards Battle Group was chosen by Lt Gen Horrocks to lead the advance of XXX Corps during Operation Market Garden.' Market 'being the airborne phase of the operation, and 'Garden ' being the ground role. The operation was the ambitious idea of Field Marshall Montgomery which involved a strike through Holland towards the Rhur along a carpet of isolated pockets inserted with airborne landings. The divisions advance along the corridor began on the 17th September when the Irish Guards led the advance towards Valkenswaard supported by artillery and rocket firing Typhoon fighters. they soon lost nine tanks to concealed German Anti-tank guns and although these positions were later cleared by the Infantry the dangers of having to advance along a single exposed narrow axis were now all to obvious. The advance was much slower than expected. Having stopped at Valkenswaard for the night, the next day recce units of the guards division made contact with the 101st Airborne who had liberated Eindhoven, the rest of the Corps reached the city later that day.