(_From a Military Correspondent._)
"Well done; very well done indeed." Such was the remark of a General
standing at a Ginchy debris heap as the Irish battalions moved past
him on the way to a rest point in the captured line. The numbering of
the platoons did not reach the morning's total, but the men had
conquered, and they bore aloft the trophies of the battle, helmets and
such like, which they waved at the General. All had contributed to the
joy of Ireland from Cork to Derry, Ulsterman and Nationalist, and the
Royal Irish Rifles had made Belfast glad.
Colonel Fitch raised the regiment in Dublin six score years ago, and
the Army of that time called them "Fitch's Grenadiers," because the
men were small of stature. When they fought they were as giants, and
later on the good physique of the men and their hardy endurance earned
them the name of the "Irish Giants." One branch of the regiment was
raised in County Down, and to-day the name is perpetuated in the 4th
and 5th Battalions, which are known as the Royal Down Militia, despite
official changes of designation; and as a further link with the past
the depot is in Belfast and the Record Office in Dublin.
When mobilization was ordered, one battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles
was scorching under the sun at Aden, and the other was at Tidworth, on
Salisbury Plain. The former were to take over the barracks of the
latter, which unit was to commence at Malta, in the Winter of 1914,
and a tour of service abroad. The latter, however, went out with their
Tidworth comrades. It would be covering very old ground to repeat what
magnificent work was done in the Great Retreat, when the Royal Irish
Rifles showed themselves possessed of the grit which had characterised
them at Stormberg, where the writer witnessed them scaling the face of
a cliff of rock to get at the Boers, who had ambushed Gatacre's
force--an unforgettable and heroic sight. In the retreat towards Paris
and the advance to the Aisne Lieutenant-Colonel W.D. Bird, Major C.R.
Spedding, and a dozen others were mentioned by Lord French, and a
D.S.O., a Military Cross, several D.C.M.'s, a Medaille Militaire, and
a special promotion resulted, this being the beginning of many
subsequent rewards.
In the Ypres--Armentieres phase of the campaign, when the British Army
skilfully withdrew to the north of the line, the 7th Brigade repulsed
heavy assaults, and both battalions of the Royal Irish Rifles added to
their lists of distinguished names. The victory at Neuve Chapelle
further increased the record of the regiment, whose men charged the
enemy in splendid fashion. Lieutenant-Colonel Laurie was killed, and
his adjutant, Captain Wright, fell by his side, while Major Alston was
also killed. All three were mentioned in despatches, as well as a
score of others. At Hooge the Royal Irish Rifles tried to force their
way into the enemy's lines through uncut entanglement in the face of
machine-gun fire, and their conduct all through the Loos operations
was evidence of the high character of the regiment.
In the operations under Sir Douglas Haig in the early part of 1916
trench warfare, with its brilliant raids, two battalions were named
for distinguished conduct, and the numbers as well as the names of the
battalions were published in the list issued to the Press.
When the great advance began on July 1st, the Ulster Division attacked
the strongest position in the line, and suffered heavily. An officer,
describing this glorious attack, wrote:--"I am not an Ulsterman, but
as I followed the amazing attack of the Ulster Division on July 1st, I
felt that I would rather be an Ulsterman than anything else in the
world." With shouts of "Remember the Boyne" and "No surrender, boys,"
they threw themselves at the Germans, and before they could be
restrained had penetrated to the enemy's fifth line. The Royal Irish
Rifles went through hell that day, and sought out the machine gunners
at the bayonet's point. There has been nothing finer in the war than
this charge.
What the regiment did at Guillemont and Ginchy is the talk of the
moment, for, with the other Irish battalions, they accounted for all
who came in their front--Guards, Line, and guns. Perhaps the two
latest awards are among the best. The Victoria Cross was won by
Privates Robert Quigg and William McFadzean. The former went out seven
times in the heaviest fire for wounded men. The latter gave his life
for his comrades by throwing himself on the top of two bombs and
taking the whole force of the two explosions. He was blown to pieces.
There are many other battle phases and incidents worthy of record, but
that which has been written is enough to show what the old 83rd and
86th Foot, the men of County Down, Belfast, Antrim, the Young
Citizens, and the others have done, and are doing, in this tremendous
combat.