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11th (Donegal and Fermanagh) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
The 11th (Donegal and Fermanagh) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was formed at Omagh in September 1914, from the Donegal and Fermanagh Volunteers. The Battalion was attached to 3rd Brigade, Ulster Division until the 2nd of November 1914 when the formation was renamed 109th Brigade, 36th Division.
The men trained at Dufferin and Ava Estate at Clandeboye, County Down and in July 1915, the Division moved to Seaford, in Sussex, England and then to France in early October 1915. The 36th Ulster Division are most famous for their action on the 1st of July 1916, when they were one of the few Divisions to reach their objective. The front lines were at the edge of Thiepval Wood, troops crossed about 400 yards of No Man's Land, entering the Schwaben Redoubt, (close to where the Ulster Tower stands today) then advancing on towards Stuff Redoubt. The men held out for the day but as their stocks of bombs and ammunition dwindled, they were forced to fall back.
The casualties suffered by the 36th Division on the 1st of July were over 5,000 in total. Nine men of the 36th Division were awarded the Victoria Cross on the 1st of July 1916.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. When the army was reorganised in early 1918 the Battalion was disbanded in France on the 21st January 1918 with the troops transferring to other units.
The Ulster Tower, at Theipval 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
12th of October 1915 Instruction
16th of October 1915 Divisional Exercise
21st of October 1915 More Moves
25th of October 1915 Royal Inspection
26th of October 1915 More Instruction
1st of November 1915 Marching Orders
7th of November 1915 Present Stations
25th of November 1915 Orders
27th of November 1915 Move
19th of December 1915 Movement Instructions
1st of January 1916 Move 
2nd of January 1916 Further Moves
8th of January 1916 Moves
16th of January 1916 Building Huts and Railways
2nd of February 1916 Moving to the Trenches
6th of February 1916 Units Move to Front Line
12th of February 1916 A Line Rearrangement
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
20th of February 1916 System for Reliefs
21st of February 1916 Active German Patrols
23rd of February 1916 Weather Turns
24th of February 1916 Snowy Weather
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
5th of March 1916 Relief Completed
7th of March 1916 Trench Mortars Bombard Village
5th of May 1916 Bombs and Reliefs
24th of June 1916 Our Artillery Cuts Wire
27th of June 1916 Intense Bombardment
1st July 1916 Terrible Losses
2nd of July 1916 A Gallant Plan
10th of July 1916 Entraining Plans
16th of November 1916 A Large Scale Raid
14th of May 1917 Relieving Inniskillings
1st of June 1917 Instructions for the Offensive
7th of June 1917 Attack a Complete Success
12th Jun 1917 Ground Held 
Brigadier-General Ambrose Ricardo, the Commander of the 109th Brigade, 36th Division (centre), and his four battalion commanders (9th, 10th, 11th Battalions, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and 14th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles) after the capture of Wytschaete, 12th of June 1917 © IWM (Q 6163)
19th of June 1917 On Relief
30th of September 1917 Battle Narrative
24th November 1917 Daily Activity 9th Btn. (North Irish Horse) the Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Battalion relieved in the trenches by the 11th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at dawn.
Proceeded to Hermies for rest and reorganisation.
7th of December 1917 Attacks and Counter-attacks
1st of February 1918 An Inspection
8th of February 1918 Battalions Transferred
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 with11th (Donegal and Fermanagh) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers during the Great War 1914-1918. - Allan W.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Allen James Shaw. Capt.
- Anderson G.. (d.1st July 1916)
- Baird James. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Beattie John. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Bennett James. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Bodle G.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Bonner J.. Cpl. (d.7th Jun 1917)
- Bowen E.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Bowen Thomas Henry. 2nd Lt. (d.2nd Aug 1916)
- Brown C.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Burns James. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Byers James. Pte.
- Carroll W.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Chesnutt Robert. L/Cpl. (d.7th Jun 1917)
- Craig John Arnott Taylor. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Craig William James. Pte. (d.6th July 1917)
- Devenny William. Pte. (d.16th Aug 1917)
- Dornan William James. Pte.
- Drew Frederick Charles. Pte. (d.16 August 1917)
- Dunn Andrew. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Eames H.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Elliott T.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Fairbrother S.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Garbett James. Pte. (d.10th Mar 1916)
- Gardiner Samuel. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Goldsmith M.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Gourley James. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Heslip H.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Hodgins James Barlow. Pte.
- Hoye G.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Irvine S.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Johnson Angus. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Kirkpatrick Alexander A. L/Cpl. (d.1st July 1916)
- Knight T.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Kyle G.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Long Francis. Pte. (d.9th July 1916)
- Lowes N.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Lyttle J.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Lyttle John. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Macbeth William. Sgt. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Mackenzie John. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- McCaffrey W. R.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- McFarland A.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- McKendrick C.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- McKeown Thomas. Pte. (d.16th August 1917)
- McVitty David Moore. Pte.
- Moore Thomas William. Pte.
- Newton Peter. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Pearson J. G.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Peoples George. Pte. (d.1 July 1916)
- Robertson John Gilfillan. 2nd Lt. (d.7th June 1917)
- Roulston Thomas. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Rutherford T. A.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Rutledge MM William George. L/Cpl. (d.16th August 1917)
- Scott G.. Pte.
- Spence George W.. Pte. (d.7th June 1917)
- Spence W. J.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Stephenson Nicholas. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Stewart Herbert. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Stewart Thomas. L/Cpl. (d.16th Aug 1917)
- Stratton W. J.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Sutherland D.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Thompson F.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Watson Samuel. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Weightman H.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- White J. L.. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Wilkinson Joseph Lewins. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Wylie James. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
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 11th (Donegal and Fermanagh) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers from other sources.
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Capt. James Shaw Allen 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers James Allen joined during September 1914 and was gazetted to 2nd Lieutenant on 19th of April 1915. He was in the Battle of the Somme and then was sent to India. In June 1917, he was promoted to captain. On 19th of December 1922, he retired from service.
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Pte. William James Dornan 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers William Dornan served with the 11th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. In the photograph, my grandfather is on the right.
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Pte. Francis Long 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (d.9th July 1916) Private Long was the son of John Long of Mullains, Buckless, Co. Donegal.
He is buried in the Killaghtee Old Graveyard, Killaghtee, Co. Donegal, Ireland.
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Pte. G. Scott 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers I have a photograph of G.Scott found with Thomas William Moore's memorabilia. The details on the back of the photograph give the soldier's name and regiment. Finner Camp 8th of March 1918 is also written on the back of the photograph.
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G. Anderson 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (d.1st July 1916) I have a photograph of G.Anderson found with Thomas William Moore's memorabilia. G. Anderson was killed on 1st of July 1916 during the battle of the Somme. Thomas William Moore found a photograph in G. Anderson's breast pocket pierced by shrapnel, it is of G. Anderson's girlfriend.
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Pte. Thomas William Moore 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers After the war Thomas Moore emigrated to Johannesburg, South Africa. This was owing to the political situation in Ireland. His family never heard from him again.
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Pte. Andrew Dunn 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (d.1st July 1916) Andrew Dunn was one of eight children (five girls, three boys) born in 1895 to Robert and Margaret Dunn (nee Buchanan). He signed up in St. Johnston in 1914, and was shipped to training and then to France where he fell on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1st of July 1916 at the age of 21. It is to be noted that his paperwork was not correctly recorded as they have dying at the age of 26. Andrew has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, and in his family's church, Ballylennon Presbyterian. Sadly, the family has no photos of Andrew.
Andrew's death devastated the family, and was a driving force in their decision to immigrate to Canada in 1926, in which through his death, they were entitled to the Soldiers Settlement Act which provided them with a parcel of land in Manitoba.
Interestingly enough his older brother Robert, who had emigrated to Canada in 1912 joined up in 1914 as well with the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
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Pte. Joseph Lewins Wilkinson 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (d.1st July 1916) Joseph Wilkinson was my grandfather's brother who was killed in action on the first Day of the Battle of the Somme.
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Pte. Thomas McKeown 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (d.16th August 1917) Thomas McKeown is my great uncle. I don't know much about him. His younger brother Robert was in the 9th Btn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and died six weeks earlier than Thomas.
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L/Cpl. Alexander A Kirkpatrick 11th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (d.1st July 1916) Alexander Kirkpatrick served with the 11th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 36th Ulster Division and was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
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Pte. William Devenny 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusilers (d.16th Aug 1917) William Devenny was my great uncle who I knew very little about, but on the wall of the old family home was the `death penny and service certificate'. I asked my father and some of my uncles about William but they couldn't tell me very much. He joined up on 27th December 1915 and was reported missing on 16th August 1917. I found out that his name was on the memorial wall at Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery. He died at the Battle of Langemark. I was lucky to visit Tyne Cot in 2012 and lay a cross at William's memorial.
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Pte. James Burns 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (d.1st Jul 1916) James Burns, my grandmother's brother ran away from home in Glasgow and joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers whilst under age. When his parents found what he had done they informed the army to get him discharged but then discovered that James had already been posted to France. James was killed on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme aged 16.
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L/Cpl. Thomas Stewart 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (d.16th Aug 1917) Lance Corporal Stewart was the son of John and Rachel Stewart, of Keely, Aghadowey, Co. Derry. He enlisted at Glasgow. Thomas Stewart was aged 22 when he was killed in action, and he is buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium. He is commemorated in Aghadowey Presbyterian Church.
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Pte. William James Craig 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (d.6th July 1917) William Craig joined the 5th (or 6th) Battalion and saw action first at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli in August 1915. After that he transferred to the 11th Battalion who were then landing in France in October 1915.
I gather he was wounded at Messines and died (aged 24) after the battle on 6th July. He is buried at Etaples beside a Seaforth Highlander. His brother (my grandfather) survived the war, starting in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and finishing in the Berkshire Regiment.
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2nd Lt. Thomas Henry Bowen 6th Btn. Leinster Regiment (d.2nd Aug 1916) Thomas Bowen was attached to 11th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
when he as killed in action. He is buried in Berkshire Cemetery Extension, Ploegsteert, Belgium.
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Pte. James Garbett 11th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (d.10th Mar 1916)  My Great Grandfather, 18361 Private James Garbett 11th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was killed in action on 10th March 1916 aged 37 years old. He was a miner born in Dukinfield (Greater Manchester) he followed his father also a miner around the UK and ended up in a town called Easington near Durham. He was married to Miriam Garbett and had 4 children at the time of his death and lived and worked at Easington Colliery.
In December 1914 the German Navy shelled the town of Hartlepool and this is when my Great Grandfather decided to join up in the British Army. He enlisted in 1915 in Newcastle. I have obtained a copy of the War Diaries from the National Archives and read through them and thought there were several soldiers injured my great grandfather unfortunately appears to be the first fatality for the battalion in the trenches and was killed by rifle fire on the 10th March 1916 (although his surname name is spelt incorrectly) and is buried in Hamel Military in grave I.E.14 Cemetery in the village of Hamel
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Pte. Frederick Charles "Fred" Drew 11th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (d.16 August 1917) Frederick Charles Drew was born at Morchard Bishop in Devon in Q3 1892. By 1911 he was a butcher's assistant to his uncle at Worle, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. He enlisted into the Somerset Light Infantry at Taunton (date unknown) as a private, no 26403. At an unknown date he was transferred to the 11th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusilers (reg no 40551)and was killed in action on 16 August 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 70-72 at the Tyne Cott Memorial and on the parish War Memorial at Morchard Bishop
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Pte. George W. Spence 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusilliers (d.7th June 1917) George Spence lost his life on the 7th of June 1917, he is buried at Irish House Cemetery near Wijschate.
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