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18th (London Irish Rifles) Battalion, London Regiment
18th (London Irish Rifles) Battalion, London Regiment were a unit of the Territorial Force with their HQ at The Duke of York's Headquarters, King's Road, Chelsea. When war broke out in August 1914, serving as part of 5th London Brigade, 2nd London Division. The Division had just arrived for their annual summer camp on Salisbury Plain when war wasdeclared in August 1914, they were at once recalled to their home base and mobilised for war service. The Division concentrated in the St Albans area for training. They proceeded to France on the 10th of March 1915, landing at le Havre, being only the second TF Division to arrive in theatre. The 5th London Brigade was ordered to Cassel, and the remainder of the Division concentrated near Bethune and were joined by 5th London Brigade near the end of the month. On the 11th of May 1915 the formation was renamed 141st Brigade, 47th (2nd London) Division. They saw action in The Battle of Aubers Ridge, The Battle of Festubert, The Battle of Loos and The subsequent Actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, In 1916 they fought during The German attack at Vimy Ridge, and on The Somme in The Battle of Flers-Courcelette capturing High Wood, The Battle of the Transloy Ridges in which the captured Eaucourt l'Abbaye and The attacks on the Butte de Warlencourt. In 1918 they were in action in The Battle of Messines, the Third Battles of Ypres and The Cambrai Operations where they captured Bourlon Wood and fought against the German counter attacks. In 1918 they were in action on The Somme and the Final Advance in Artois including making the official entry into Lille. At the Armistice the the forward units of the Division had reached Franses-lez-Buissenal. They marched back to Tournai and on the 26th of November moved on to the Bethune area where demobilisation began with the first parties returning to England in the first week of January 1919.
1st Feb 1915 Inspection
2nd Feb 1915 Exercise
3rd Feb 1915 Divisional Exercise
12th Feb 1915 Exercise
12th Feb 1915 Divisional Exercise
22nd Feb 1915 Exercise
22nd Feb 1915 Exercise
26th Feb 1915 Exercise
4th Mar 1915 Preparations
6th Mar 1915 Orders
9th Mar 1915 On the Move
9th Mar 1915 On the Move
10th Mar 1915 On the Move
10th Mar 1915 In Camp
11th Mar 1915 On the Move
12th Mar 1915 On the March
13th Mar 1915 At Rest
14th Mar 1915 Company Training
15th Mar 1915 Musketry
16th Mar 1915 Training
17th Mar 1915 Orders
18th Mar 1915 On the March
18th Mar 1915 On the Move
19th Mar 1915 On the March
20th Mar 1915 Inspection
21st Mar 1915 Hostile Aircraft
22nd Mar 1915 Inspection
22nd Mar 1915 Inspection
23rd Mar 1915 Musketry
23rd Mar 1915 Orders
23rd Mar 1915 Praise
24th Mar 1915 Field Training
24th Mar 1915 Instruction
25th Mar 1915 Field Training
25th Mar 1915 Instruction 
26th Mar 1915 Training & Baths
26th Mar 1915 Instruction
27th Mar 1915 Training
27th Mar 1915 Frost
28th Mar 1915 Instruction
28th Mar 1915 No Wood
29th Mar 1915 Training
29th Mar 1915 Orders
30th Mar 1915 Instruction
30th Mar 1915 Orders Received
31st Mar 1915 Instruction
31st Mar 1915 Instruction
1st Apr 1915 Instruction
1st Apr 1915 Training
2nd Apr 1915 Lectures
2nd Apr 1915 Training
3rd Apr 1915 Instruction
3rd Apr 1915 Inspection
4th Apr 1915 Church Parade
4th Apr 1915 Training
5th Apr 1915 Orders
5th Apr 1915 Training
6th Apr 1915 Training
6th Apr 1915 Instruction
7th Apr 1915 On the March
8th Apr 1915 Instruction
8th Apr 1915 Instruction
9th Apr 1915 Reliefs
9th Apr 1915 Instruction
10th Apr 1915 Reliefs
10th Apr 1915 Instruction
11th Apr 1915 Orders
11th Apr 1915 Instruction
12th Apr 1915 Reliefs
12th Apr 1915 Instruction
13th Apr 1915 Reliefs
13th Apr 1915 Instruction
14th Apr 1915 Artillery Active
14th Apr 1915 Instruction
15th Apr 1915 Cleaning up
15th Apr 1915 Instruction
16th Apr 1915 Training
16th Apr 1915 Instruction
17th Apr 1915 Training
17th Apr 1915 Instruction
18th Apr 1915 In Billets
18th Apr 1915 Church Parade
19th Apr 1915 Move
19th Apr 1915 Into Billets
20th Apr 1915 Working Parties
20th Apr 1915 Inspection
21st Apr 1915 Working Parties
22nd Apr 1915 Training
22nd Apr 1915 Orders Received
23rd Apr 1915 Reliefs
24th Apr 1915 Attack Expected
24th Apr 1915 Relief
25th Apr 1915 Shelling
25th Apr 1915 Quiet
25th May 1915 Divisional Reserve.
26th Apr 1915 In Billets
26th Apr 1915 Quiet
27th Apr 1915 Reliefs
27th Apr 1915 Quiet
28th Apr 1915 Trench Work
28th Apr 1915 Quiet
29th Apr 1915 Reliefs
29th Apr 1915 Quiet
30th Apr 1915 Recce
30th Apr 1915 Some Shelling
1st May 1915 Reliefs
1st May 1915 Heavy Firing
2nd May 1915 Holding the Line
2nd May 1915 Quiet
2nd May 1915 Move tomorrow.
3rd May 1915 Gas Warnings 6th County of London Brigade RFA report information received from 1st Army of use by enemy of asphyxiating gas east and north of Ypres. Brigade conflagration just behind La Bassee Church. One of the guns of the 15th London battery was placed in a forward position at 2100 but was withdrawn by order at 2130.
16th London Battery fired two rounds at Cross Roads by P.4, at request of OC. B Company, 18th London Regiment. Two Germans seen doubling from M.22 wearing light blue uniforms and flat round caps.
All the men received masks and bicarbonate of soda for use against gases.
At the suggestion of the OC. Brigade a certain portion of the enemy's breastworks were bombarded by heavy guns.
17th London Battery fired four rounds to verify points on registered lines.
3rd May 1915 Holding the Line
4th May 1915 Holding the Line
4th May 1915 Reliefs
4th May 1915 Reliefs
5th May 1915 Reliefs
5th May 1915 Reliefs
6th May 1915 On the March
6th May 1915 Preparations
7th May 1915 At Rest
7th May 1915 Conference
8th May 1915 Orders
8th May 1915 Preparations
9th May 1915 Bombardment
9th May 1915 On the March
10th May 1915 Into Billets
10th May 1915 Orders
11th May 1915 Working Parties
11th May 1915 Orders Received
12th May 1915 On the March
12th May 1915 Relief
13th May 1915 Reliefs
13th May 1915 Orders Received
14th May 1915 In the Line
14th May 1915 Heavy Rain
15th May 1915 Orders
15th May 1915 Breastworks
16th May 1915 Attack Made
16th May 1915 Supporting Fire
17th May 1915 Assault
17th May 1915 Orders Issued
18th May 1915 Attacks Made
19th May 1915 Reliefs
20th May 1915 Recce
21st May 1915 Working Parties
22nd May 1915 Orders
23rd May 1915 Reliefs
24th May 1915 Inspection
25th of May 1915 Into the Front Line
25th May 1915 Attack Made
26th of May 1915 Situation Report
26th May 1915 Hard Fighting
27th May 1915 Message of Congratulation
28th May 1915 Bombing Attack
29th May 1915 Bombing Attack
30th May 1915 Enemy Active
31st May 1915 Recce
1st Jun 1915 Reliefs
2nd Jun 1915 Recce
3rd Jun 1915 In Billets
4th Jun 1915 Shelling
5th Jun 1915 Inspection
6th Jun 1915 Recce
7th Jun 1915 Reliefs
8th Jun 1915 Trenches Inspected
9th Jun 1915 Shelling
10th Jun 1915 Quiet
11th Jun 1915 Reliefs
12th Jun 1915 On the March
13th Jun 1915 Clothing
14th Jun 1915 Training
15th Jun 1915 Instruction
16th Jun 1915 On the March
17th Jun 1915 On the March
18th Jun 1915 Reliefs
19th Jun 1915 Quiet
20th Jun 1915 Quiet
21st Jun 1915 Shelling
22nd Jun 1915 Shelling
23rd Jun 1915 Pigeons
24th Jun 1915 Reliefs
25th Jun 1915 Reinforcements
26th Jun 1915 Working Parties
27th Jun 1915 Working Parties
28th Jun 1915 Reliefs
29th Jun 1915 Trench Work
30th Jun 1915 Shelling
1st Jul 1915 Trench Work
2nd Jul 1915 Trench Work
3rd Jul 1915 Shelling
4th Jul 1915 Heavy Shelling
5th Jul 1915 Heavy Shelling
5th July 1915 Operational Order No.19.
6th Jul 1915 Reliefs
7th Jul 1915 Shelling
8th Jul 1915 In Reserve
9th Jul 1915 Refitting
10th Jul 1915 Working Parties
11th Jul 1915 Working Parties
12th Jul 1915 Working Parties
13th Jul 1915 Working Parties
14th Jul 1915 Working Parties
15th Jul 1915 Reliefs
16th Jul 1915 Quiet
17th Jul 1915 Reliefs
18th Jul 1915 Quiet
19th Jul 1915 Quiet
20th Jul 1915 Instruction
21st Jul 1915 Quiet
22nd Jul 1915 Instruction
23rd Jul 1915 Under Shellfire
24th Jul 1915 Instruction
25th Jul 1915 Instruction
26th Jul 1915 Shelling
27th Jul 1915 Shelling
28th Jul 1915 Shelling
29th Jul 1915 Shells
29th July 1915 Operation Order No.21.
30th Jul 1915 Reliefs
31st Jul 1915 Training
29th October 1915 140th Infantry Brigade. Operational Order No.36.
29th October 1915 140th Infantry Brigade. Operational Order No.36.
16th December 1915 140th Infantry Brigade will relieve the 141st Infantry Brigade
17th December 1915 Operational Order No.45.
19th December 1915 Moved from Verquin in to Support C1 Sector
26th December 1915 Observation Posts Sighted
30th December 1915 140th Brigade Operational Order No. 47.
2nd April 1916 Reliefs
2nd April 1916 Operational Order No.73.
9th April 1916 Operational Order No.75.
25th April 1916 Operational Order No.76.
26th April 1916 Reliefs
27th April 1916 Shelling
23rd May 1916 Operations
7th July 1916 Schedule 7th July 1916
7th July 1916 Relieved by 18th Battalion.
29th September 1916 Infantry Assault
29th December 1916 Reliefs
7th Mar 1917 Reliefs Complete
11th May 1917 Back areas Shelled
16th May 1917 Visit
18th May 1917 Recce
21st May 1917 Recce
8th of August 1917 Moving up the line
8th August 1917 Battalion moved to Ridge Wood
26th October 1917 Reliefs
6th Aug 1918 Patrol Work
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 with18th (London Irish Rifles) Battalion, London Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Anderson Donald. Pte.
- Beamont Fredrick. Pte. (d.2nd May 1918)
- Brayden Kevin. 2nd Lt. (d.23rd Dec 1917)
- Brown George Thomas. Rfm. (d.7th Aug 1918)
- Brown George Thomas. Pte. (d.7th Aug 1918)
- Carberry William . Pte. (d.24th Nov 1917)
- Chapman Charles Henry. Rfm. (d.20th Jan 1917)
- Chennells Reuben James. Pte.
- Curnow Frederick James. Pte. (d.11th May 1916)
- Garrett W.. Rfm. (d.12th Jul 1917)
- Glasby Charles Samuel. L/Sgt. (d.23rd May 1916)
- Harrison C. E.. Rfm. (d.12th Jul 1917)
- Hewett William Walter. Rflmn. (d.5th April 1918)
- Hopkins Emsley. L/Cpl. (d.15th Sep 1916)
- Hotchkiss O. E.. Rfm. (d.13th Jul 1917)
- Kearns Thomas. Pte.
- Knight Edward. Pte. (d.8th April 1917)
- Maunder Richard. Pte.
- Mayzes Walter. Pte. (d.3rd Apr 1919)
- Mcleod MM. Frederick William. Rfmn.
- Mills Charles Clarence. Rflmn. (d.2nd Sep 1918)
- Nelson John Stanley. Rfmn.
- O'Neill MID. Joseph. Rflmn. (d.6th Sep 1918)
- Pelotto H.. Rfm. (d.9th Jul 1917)
- Pike John Sidney. Rflmn. (d.9th Jul 1917)
- Polston James. Rfmn. (d.8th Dec 1916)
- Polston James. Rfmn. (d.8th Dec 1916)
- Proud Charles Percival H. Rflmn. (d.1st Dec 1917)
- Richardson Frederick William. Pte.
- Rimell John. Rflmn.
- Skinner A. H.. Rfm. (d.13th Jul 1917)
- Wightwick Oswald. Pte. (d.9th Oct 1915)
- Wise Ernest Charles. Rflmn (d.11th May 1916)
- Woodrow John James. Rfl. (d.7th April 1917)
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 18th (London Irish Rifles) Battalion, London Regiment from other sources.
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L/Cpl. Emsley Hopkins 18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn London Regiment (d.15th Sep 1916) Emsley Hopkins was the son of Henry Lewis Hopkins and Elizabeth Gertrude Hopkins, he died in action at High Wood, aged 22.
I am currently studying GCSE history and visited Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, as part of a WW1 history trip, I came across this grave and decided to research Emsley as although I am not aware of any relatives who fought in WW1, Emsley does share the same last name as me.
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Rfmn. James Polston 18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn. London Regiment (d.8th Dec 1916) James Polston, eldest son of James and Elizabeth Polston of Bethnal Green, was killed in action on 8th December 1916, aged 31. He is commemorated at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground.
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Rfmn. John Stanley Nelson 18th Btn. London Regiment John Stanley Nelson served with 18th Battalion, London Regiment. I have his discharge to reserves papers and it lists him as serving overseas.
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Pte. Walter Mayzes 18th (Irish Rifles) Battalion London Regiment (d.3rd Apr 1919) My grandfather, Walter Mayzes, was in the Battle of the Somme. He came home and died from shellshock. Six months later my grandmother remarried and so my cousins have the same grandmother but different grandfathers.
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Pte. Edward Knight 18th Btn London Regiment (d.8th April 1917) My Great Uncle Ted Knight joined up with his younger brother Oscar Albert Knight (who joined the Royal Fusiliers and died on the 15th of September 1916). The family believes that he and his brother died within the same month as one another but we are unable to find Edward listed on the War Graves Commission site. We have his medals, still boxed, and with their pristine ribbons unattached, but as yet have been unable to find where he is commemorated.
Editors note: Edward is buried in
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium.
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Pte. Frederick James Curnow 1st/18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn. London Regiment (d.11th May 1916) Frederick Curnow was one of my grandfather's elder brothers, born 19th of Apr 1895 at 19 D'Oyley Street, Chelsea, London to Frederick & Annie Curnow.
We don't know much about his Army service except that he was killed in action. The family say his mother was so upset that she died of a broken heart 9 months later. His father being left with several young children was forced to split the family up between various relations to cope.
There is no known grave but there is a memorial to him at Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery on the Arras Memorial.
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Rfl. John James Woodrow 1st/18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn. London Regiment (d.7th April 1917) My Great Grandfather Rifleman John Woodrow was killed in action in Villers-Bretonneux on the 7th April 1917. His body was never found. His memorial is at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. Lest we forget. RIP.
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Rflmn. William Walter Hewett 18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn., C Coy. London Regiment (d.5th April 1918) William Hewett served with C Company, London Irish Rifles.
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Rflmn. Joseph O'Neill MID. Royal Irish Rifles (d.6th Sep 1918) Joseph O'Neill joined up with the Royal Irish Rifles, he was posted to the London Irish Rifles. He was killed on the 6th September 1918.
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Pte. Reuben James Chennells 18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn. London Regiment Reuben Chennells joined the London Irish Rifles and served from 1914 to 1918, latterly as a Lewis gunner. He was gassed twice. He returned in 1918 and married Lavinia McDowell. They had two children, Joan and Lavinia.
Reuben died in 1976 aged 80.
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L/Sgt. Charles Samuel Glasby 18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn. London Regiment (d.23rd May 1916) Charles Glasby joined as a Private in the London Irish Rifles. He was one of 400 that joined from Messrs Cooks Limited, the big wholesale house in St Paul's Churchyard, London
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Rflmn. John Sidney Pike 18th Btn. London Regiment (d.9th Jul 1917) John Pike is my great-uncle and was 20 years old when he died of his wounds. He was buried at Bailleul Cemetary in Nord, France.
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Pte. Frederick William "Fred" Richardson 18th Btn. London Regiment My father, Frederick William Richardson, was born the eldest of 12 in South London on 27th Sep 1899. He served in the the 18 Battalion, London Irish Rifles. He landed at Le Havre in France and on 27th August 1918 was severely wounded in the head by shrapnel from a bursting shell. He was unconscious in the field hospital after rescue and had an operation to remove some of the shrapnel. My father was repatriated and operated on (trepanned) but not all the shrapnel could be removed as it was in the brain and adjacent. He convalesced at Roehampton as a bluecoat. His father was also serving in France. Same name aged 39 (He had been a boxer, champion of England)in his youth and gave exhibition boxing bouts to the troops.) He was notified of my father's injuries and had to hitchhike to the field hospital.
He married my mother in 1927 but suffered all his life from the brain injury and the shrapnel which moved from time to time. He suffered from Jacksonian epilepsy all his life regularly fitting and eventually received a 100% disability pension. When I was 17 he had 101 consecutive epileptic fits and from then on was hospitalised. He was in Headington Hill Hall, Oxford and later the Queen Alexandra nursing home for service personnel in Worthing.
He died aged 70 in 1969, with little memory left. A sad end to a brave volunteer infantryman, so young at his enlistment. I feel he was ill served during his life and my mother had to work to support the poor pension and to care for him as he became more and more dependant.
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Rflmn. Charles Percival H Proud 18th (London Irish Rifles) Battalion London Regiment (d.1st Dec 1917) Charles proud was born in Lambeth 1898, the son of William and Caroline Phoebe (nee Warrier). He died of wounds and is buried at Equancourt, France.
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Rflmn. Charles Clarence Mills 18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn. London Regiment (d.2nd Sep 1918) Charles Mills was my father's best friend & second cousin. My father received news of his death while also serving on the Somme. His younger brother, unable to serve, due to medical conditions, had to give up his hopes of a career in teaching to enter the family bakery business in order to support the rest of the family.
Editor's Note:- Charles Clarence Mills had previously served in both the 5th and the 8th Battalions of the London Regiment.
At the time of his death, the 12th Battalion were involved in the 2nd Battle of Bapaume. He is interred in the Heilly Station Cemetery at Merricourt-L'Abbe.
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Rfmn. Frederick William Mcleod MM. 18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn. London Regiment Frederick Mcleod, known as Old Mac was my Grandfather and he served throughout the first world war. He was at Loos and I believe he took part in the valiant Footballer of Loos incident. He won a Military Medal in Oct. 1918.
Having survived during the war he went to Ireland with the Black and Tans. He then tried to re-enlist in 1939 but was rejected as too old and served in the London Fire Brigade during the blitz, with all the danger and trauma that implies.
He survived until the 1980s and to us this brave hero was just Grandad.
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Rfmn. James Polston 18th (London Irish Rifles) Btn. London Regiment (d.8th Dec 1916) James Polston served with the 18th (London Irish Rifles) Battalion , London Regiment during WW1 and was killed in action on the 8th December 1916. He is buried in Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm)in Belgium. He was the son of James and Elizabeth Polston of Lauriston Road, Hackney, London.
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Pte. Richard Maunder 18th Btn. London Regiment Dick Maunder was my Grandfather, and served with the 18th Battalion London Regiment.
He was severely wounded and gassed and invalided out in late 1915. He spent the rest of his life with an artificial leg and in bad health.
After the war he lived and worked as a canteen manager at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich.
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2nd Lt. Kevin Brayden 18th (London Irish Rifles) Battalion London Regiment (d.23rd Dec 1917) Kevin Brayden was the son of W. H. Brayden, O.B.E., and Ethel Mary Brayden (nee Shiell), of 28, Adelaide Rd., Dublin.
He served with the London Regiment 18th (London Irish Rifles) Battalion and was killed in action in Palestine in December 1917 aged 26. He is buried in Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel.
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Rfm. Charles Henry Chapman 18th Btn London Regiment (London Irish Rifles) (d.20th Jan 1917) Charles Henry Chapman was aged 21 when he died on 20th January 1917, whilst serving with the 18th Battalion London Regiment (London Irish Rifles)
(formerly 4532 4th Buffs). Born in Jarrow, he lived and enlisted Ash, Canterbury. Charles Henry Chapman age 15 is recroded as Working for Builder and living with his parents John Henry and Maria Chapman at Ash, Canterbury on the 1911 census.
Charles is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
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