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15th (North Belfast) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
15th (North Belfast) Battalion was raised in Belfast September 1914 from the Belfast Volunteers. They joined the 107th Brigade 36th (Ulster) Division at Ballykinler. The Ulster Division was formed from the Ulster Volunteer Force in August and September 1914, a process complicated by the tension surrounding the issue of Home rule. In July 1915 they moved to Seaford, Sussex in England. They proceeded to France in the first week of October, landing at Boulogne. The 36th (Ulster) Division concentrated near Flesselles, north of Arras. With training and familiarisation, including periods in the trenches with 4th Division in the front line north of the River Ancre near Albert. On the 21st of October they moved to the area around Abbeville. From the 5th November 1915 to 3rd Feb 1916 the 8th served with with 107th Bde, 4th Division for winter training. On the 29th August 1917 the 8th amalgamated with 9th Bn to form 8th/9th Battalion The 36th Ulster Division took over the front line in Spring. In 1916 they Division suffered heavily on the first day of the Battle of the Somme where they attacked at Thiepval. In 1917 They were in action at The Battle of Messines, capturing Wytschaete and in the The Battle of Langemarck during the Third Battles of Ypres and the The Cambrai Operations where the Division captured Bourlon Wood. In 1918 they were in action the Somme in the Battles of the Lys and the Final Advance in Flanders. At the Armistice they were at Mouscron, north east of Tourcoing, where the Division remained throughout demobilization which was complete by June 1919
The Ulster Tower, at Thiepval is a memorial to the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division, built as a copy of Helen's Tower at Clandeboye, County Down, where men of the 36th Division trained. There is a small visitor centre with a cafe behind the tower which is staffed by members of the Somme Association. Inside the tower is a small chapel with a number of paintings and plaques from Northern Ireland.
Today Thiepval Wood is owned by The Somme Association and guided tours are available of a section of recently excavated trenches.
Please note that Thiepval Wood is not open the public, it is used by French huntsmen who use live ammunition and who will shoot, you are putting yourself at risk by entering without permission. Please go to the visitor centre at the Ulster Tower to arrange a guided tour.
A DVD is now available, released for the official opening of the wood for guided tours on the 1st of July 2006, follows the Community Archaeology Project, undertaken by The Somme Association and No Man's Land, The European Group for Great War Archaeology. You can order a copy on-line by clicking the image below:
23rd of November 1914 Reorganisation
Oct 1915 Reorganisation
8th of October 1915 Inspection
10th of October 1915
13th of October 1915 First Casualties
18th of October 1915 Instruction
25th of October 1915 Royal Inspection
1st of November 1915 Marching Orders
4th of November 1915 More Moves
25th of November 1915 Orders
1st of January 1916 Move 
2nd of January 1916 Further Moves
2nd of February 1916 Moving to the Trenches
7th of February 1916 New Sector
8th of February 1916 Shelling
9th of February 1916 Villages Shelled
10th of February 1916 Shelling and Bombs
12th of February 1916 A Line Rearrangement
14th of February 1916 Mine Blown
15th of February 1916 Digging and Mending
16th of February 1916 Collapsing Trenches
18th of February 1916 Lots of MG Fire
19th of February 1916 Under Heavy Fire
21st of February 1916 Active German Patrols
23rd of February 1916 Weather Turns
25th of February 1916 Heavy Snow and a German Patrol
26th of February 1916 A Store Burns
28th of February 1916 Changes to the Front
29th of February 1916 Active Aeroplanes
1st of March 1916 Reorganisation
2nd of March 1916 Very Strong Enemy Wire
3rd of March 1916 Divisional Artillery Relieved
7th of March 1916 Trench Mortars Bombard Village
25th of March 1916 Hostile Aeroplanes
1st May 1916 Reorganisation
5th of May 1916 Bombs and Reliefs
1st of June 1916 Lively Shelling
10th of June 1916 William Redan Bombarded
13th of June 1916 A Fine Piece of Work
22nd of June 1916 Moves are Planned
24th of June 1916 Our Artillery Cuts Wire
27th of June 1916 Intense Bombardment
29th of June 1916 Assault Positions
1st Jul 1916 Over the Top
1st of July 1916 In Thiepval Wood
1st July 1916 Terrible Losses
2nd of July 1916 A Gallant Plan
10th of July 1916 Entraining Plans
5th of August 1916 Another Relief
27th of January 1917 Enemy Activity
1st of June 1917 Instructions for the Offensive
7th of June 1917 Attack a Complete Success
12th of August 1917 A Bavarian Deserter
30th of September 1917 Battle Narrative
31st of March 1918 Account of Operations
21st August 1918 Daily Activity 9th Btn. (North Irish Horse) the Royal Irish Fusiliers.
The day passed as usual. Our relief of the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers was cancelled and orders given for an attack to be made by the Brigade. The 15th Royal Irish Rifles (107th Brigade) captured Mural and Wirral Farms, capturing 17 prisoners, at 0030, with 40 (wounded) casualties.
22nd of August 1918 22 POWs Captured
5th of September 1918 Situation Unchanged
17th of September 1918 A German Sailor Killed
1st of October 1918 Allies Attack
2nd of October 1918 Co-operating with 29th Div
14th of October 1918 A Busy Day
15th of October 1918 Attack Continues
22nd of October 1918 A Combined Attack
25th of October 1918 Heavy Fighting All Day
4th of October 1918 Reports and Reliefs
15th of February 1919 Boxing Tournament
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with15th (North Belfast) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles during the Great War 1914-1918. - Agnew William. Rfmn. (d.5th August 1918)
- Armer William James. Sgt.
- Bailie David. Rflm. (d.23rd Nov. 1917)
- Baxter MM. Samuel. L/Cpl.
- Bell William J.. Rfm (d.17th Aug 1917)
- Blunden Robert. Rflm. (d.21st Nov 1917)
- Bradshaw Thomas Henry. L/Cpl. (d.1st October 1918)
- Bryans Frederick. Rflmn. (d.21st Nov 1917)
- Careswell Ernest Francis. Pte (d.22nd Nov 1917)
- Casey Charles John. Lt.
- Clydesdale John. Rfm. (d.22nd Nov 1917)
- Craig James. Rflmn. (d.4th October 1914)
- Currie Harold.
- DeWind VC Edmund. 2nd Lt. (d.21st March 1918)
- Dowds H.. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Fell David. Pte. (d.29th March 1918)
- Fell David. Pte. (d.29th March 1918)
- Gentle Sidney. Rfmn. (d.23rd Oct 1918)
- Girvin William David. Rflmn. (d.1st July 1916)
- Grainger David. Rfn
- Grant MID Malcolm. L/Sgt. (d.3rd January 1917)
- Gray Samuel Singleton. Rflmn. (d.21st March 1918)
- Henry William James. Rflmn. (d.31 Lilliput Street, Tiger's Bay)
- Ireland James. (d.1st July 1916)
- Kelly MM. David Fergus Ferguson. Rfm.
- Latimer W.. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Lightbody William. Pte.
- Mcannally James. Rfm.
- McAuley John. Rflmn (d.1st July 1916)
- McCracken J. E.. Rflmn. (d.19th Mar 1916)
- McCullough William Walter. Rflmn. (d.1st July 1916)
- McNeill Robert Boyd. Cpl. (d.1st July 1916)
- Mepham Henry. Rfmn. (d.22nd Nov 1917)
- Mills Robert. Pte. (d.29th March 1918)
- Palmer J.. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Parker Robert John. Pte. (d.19th Aug 1918)
- Price MM F. J.. Pte.
- Russell Christopher. Rfm (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Russell Christopher. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Scott James. Rfm (d.6th Aug 1918)
- Scott Kennedy. Rfl. (d.6th Jun 1918)
- Sixt Charles Joseph. Rfmn. (d.9th Aug 1917)
- Spalding John.
- Sprott MC. Robert. Lt.
- Stewart John. Rfmn. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Templeton James. Rflmn. (d.19th Mar 1916)
- Tweedie Charles. Rflmn. (d.21st March 1918)
- Wadeley Ernest Benjamin. Sgt. (d.22nd October 1918)
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 15th (North Belfast) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles from other sources.
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2nd Lt. Edmund DeWind VC 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.21st March 1918) Edmund De Wind died on the 21st of March 1918, aged 34 and is commemorated on the Pozieres British Cemetery in France.
He was the son of the late Arthur Hughes De Wind, C.E., and Margaret Jane De Wind, of Kinvara, Comber, Co. Down.
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Rflmn. Frederick Bryans 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.21st Nov 1917) Frederick Bryans was killed in action on the 21st of November 1917, aged 19 and is commemorated on The Cambrai Memorial in France.
He was the son of Samuel and Rachel Bryans of Belfast.
One of 5 brothers who fought in the war, two were killed; Henry and Frederick, one was badly wounded and the other two came through physically unharmed.
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Lt. Robert Sprott MC. 15th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles Robert Sprott started as a signalman at the start of the war. He had a commendation received in 1917 at Theipval Wood for repairing phone lines constantly under enemy machine gun fire. He was captured on the Somme on 21st of March 1918, on the same day he was awarded the Military Cross. He became a POW.
After war he went to Turkey to Gallipoli to assist with the dead where he contracted malaria in 1920. He returned home and married in 1922.
I am still trying to piece together his history. Later as a civil servant he was awarded an MBE in 1954 one week before his sudden death aged 59.
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Pte. Christopher Russell 15th (North Belfast) Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (d.1st July 1916) Christopher joined the Reserve Battalion from his home town of Dundrum. He was called up to the 15th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles some time after the end of 1915. He was killed in the morning of the 1st July 1916. He was part of an advanced patrol before the main attack that fateful day.
He was confirmed as missing to his family, and his brother put a notice into the local paper asking returning soldiers if they had any news of him.
Christopher still has family in the Dundrum area and he will always be remembered with great honour and pride by his family. His name is engraved in the memorial at Kilmegan Parish Church where he worshipped.
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Rfmn. William Agnew 15th (Service) Btn. (d.5th August 1918) William Agnew was my great uncle (my mother's, father's, brother). He was a Rifleman, and served with the 15th (North Belfast Volunteers) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles in WW1.
William was killed in action, 5th of August 1918, aged 41 years, whilst captive as prisoner of war, Germany. He was the son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Agnew, 18 Westminster Avenue, Strandtown, Belfast.
He was re-interred in the Berlin South-Western Cemetery, Germany in 1922.
He initially served with the 8th (East Belfast Volunteers) Battalion, but this Battalion disbanded in February 1918 with most men transferring to the 15th Battalion.
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Rfmn. John Stewart 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.1st Jul 1916) John Stewart was killed on first day of the Somme and commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
He must have joined up very early because of his low service number.
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Pte. William Lightbody 15th (North Belfast) Battalion Royal Irish Rifles The information I have on William Lightbody is very limited. He came from Groomsport, Bangor, Co. Down. He was my grandfather's brother. His medals were passed down to me which I have had in a box for over 40 years. Before I got them thy were in my grandfather's possession so he must have gotten them after William died. I don't know when he died. I feel he needs to have his name out there. I now have his medals hanging proudly in a glass case in my house. I'm just sorry I can't provide any more information on him.
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Pte. David Fell 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.29th March 1918) David Fell was my uncle. He joined the 15th Royal Irish Rifles and in 1915 moved to France.
As part of the 107th Brigade he was at the Somme on 1st July 1916 and they with the Division moved to Messines. He was attached to the 107th Trench Mortar Battery and remained with the unit till March 1918 when he was killed during the Operation Michael, German Spring Offensive,
He is remembered in Pozieres Cemetery on the Albert Bapuame Road in Picardy and not far from the Ulster Tower. He is also remembered in St Paul's Parish Church, York Street, Belfast. His name appears also on the Workman and Clarke's Shipyard Memorial in Belfast Harbour Estate near HMS Caroline.
David was the eldest son of Ellen and Thomas Fell. He was my father's brother. At his death he was aged 23 years.
I have in my possession several items of interest, medals, the Penny and some photographs.
There is some doubt about the exact date of his death. Official records at the time were few and scant due to the pressure caused by the enemy in March 1918. Officially it is 29th March but I am not sure.
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L/Cpl. Thomas Henry Bradshaw 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.1st October 1918) Thomas Bradshaw was killed in action.
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Rflmn. William Walter McCullough 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.1st July 1916) William McCullough was my great great uncle. I am just discovering what happened to him. He served with the 15th Bn. Royal Irish Rifles and was killed on the 1st of July 1916 aged 28.
Son of the late Matthew and Margaret McCullogh, of 9, Fleet St., Belfast and husband of Frances Kelso McCullough, of 19, Sandfaulds
St., South Side, Glasgow.
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L/Sgt. Malcolm Grant MID 15th Btn. Attchd. 107th Trench Mortar Bty. Royal Irish Rifles (d.3rd January 1917) Malcolm Grant was my grandfather. He left three children behind, one of whom was my father. I am so proud of what my grandfather did. I am trying to find out as much as possible about him. The one thing I don't have is a photograph, but I will keep searching.
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Rflmn. William David Girvin 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.1st July 1916) William Girvin served with the 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles and was killed on the 1st of July 1916.
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Rflmn. William James Henry 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.31 Lilliput Street, Tiger's Bay) Remembering my brave grandad William Henry who served during the 1st and 2nd World Wars. I have mementos from your life - your Christmas card from Lord and Lady Carson and a small soldier's hand book.
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Rfmn. Henry Mepham 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.22nd Nov 1917) Born in Heathfield, East Sussex, Rifleman Henry Mepham was the son of Frederick and Caroline Mepham, of Bemzells Cottage, Herstmonceux, Hailsham, Sussex. He enlisted in Brighton and served with the Royal Sussex Regiment (Service No: 4909). Henry Mepham was aged 19 when he was killed in action during the Battle of Cambrai. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, and on the Bodle Street Green War Memorial in the grounds of St John The Evangelist Church, Sussex.
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Pte. Robert Mills 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.29th March 1918) Robert Mills was my great uncle, he is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial. enlisted with his older brother William and younger brother Thomas, the only sons in my great grandfathers family. Thankfully, William and Thomas survived. Robert's body was never found so we have no information how he died. Although I never met him he is always remembered.
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Rflmn. Samuel Singleton Gray 15th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (d.21st March 1918) Samuel Gray is remembered on the Poziers War Memorial.
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Pte. David Fell 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.29th March 1918) David Fell was killed during the St Michael German offensive in Villiers Tornelle on 29th of March 1918. He served from 1914. He was a member of 107th Brigade Trench Mortar Battery in the 36th (Ulster) Division. He was the eldest son of Thomas and Ellen Fell, 20 Hanna St., Belfast. He joined the 15th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles (North Belfast Volunteers) in 1914. He had signed the Ulster Covenant. In 1915 the RIR moved to France and they were first engaged in major action on 1st July 1916. David survived the slaughter and with the rest of the Division was moved to Messines. There they fought alongside the 16th (Irish) Division. His unit with others captured Wytschaete. His unit was involved in the 3rd Battle of Ypres in July and in November 1917 at the Battle of Cambrai. David's unit was in the front line on 21st March 1918 south west of St Quentin. There they were overrun by the enemy and put up courageous resistance in a series of redoubts. On 28-29th March the Battalion was withdrawn to regroup. During the retreat to Saleux he was killed in action. He is remembered in Pozieres Cemetery on the Albert to Bapuame Road not far from the Ulster Tower.
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Rfmn. Sidney Gentle 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.23rd Oct 1918) Sidney Gentle served with the 15th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles and died on 23rd October 1918.
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Rfmn. Charles Joseph Sixt 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.9th Aug 1917) Charles Joseph Sixt was the oldest son of a German immigrant of the same name and his English wife, Hannah. He was born in St Pancras but his father (and initially his mother) worked in Ireland (in Dublin and Bundoran) for some years which may be why he joined an Irish unit, the Royal Irish Rifles. I find it very touching that the father was interned, as an enemy alien, while the son fought and ultimately died for Britain on 9th August 1917.
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Rflmn. J. E. McCracken 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.19th Mar 1916) Rflmn. J E McCracken served with the 15th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles. He was executed for desertion on19th March 1916 aged 19 and is buried in Mailly-Maillet Communal Cemetery Extension, Mailly-Maillet, France.
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