The
Royal Munster Fusiliers
The Royal Munster Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1922. It traced its origins to the East India Company, East India Company's Bengal European Regiment raised in 1652, which later became the 101st Regiment ...
held the 'home' Depot for their three Reserve Battalions at
Ballymullen Barracks
Ballymullen Barracks () is an Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish military installation at Tralee, County Kerry in Ireland.
History
The barracks were built for local militia units between 1810 and 1815. In 1873 a system of recruiting areas based on ...
,
Tralee
Tralee ( ; ga, Trá LÃ, ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the Lee River') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in County ...
,
County Kerry
County Kerry ( gle, Contae ChiarraÃ) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...
, Ireland, where since 1881 most of the regiment's recruits enlisted in peacetime and received their first training before being assigned to regular battalions stationed around the
UK and Ireland. Regular officers and N.C.O.s also provided instruction for part-time special reserve battalions during their annual training camps and other special courses during the year.
3rd (Reserve), 4th, 5th (Extra Reserve) Battalions
Mobilisation
At the outbreak of war the Royal Munster Fusiliers three reserve battalions were all mobilised on 4. August 1914 and the regimental colours were sent to Tralee for safekeeping there until after the
Armistice
An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the La ...
. The 4RMF (formerly the ''Kerry Militia'' (1793- 1908)) had a stirring send-off on their way to
Berehaven
Castletownbere () is a town in County Cork in Ireland. It is located on the Beara Peninsula by Berehaven Harbour. It is also known as Castletown Berehaven.
A regionally important fishing port, the town also serves as a commercial and retail hub ...
. The 3RMF (formerly the ''South Cork Militia'' (1793–1908)) were assembled at
Kinsale
Kinsale ( ; ) is a historic port and fishing town in County Cork, Ireland. Located approximately south of Cork City on the southeast coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon, and has a population of 5,281 (a ...
before proceeding to
Queenstown, the 5RMF (formerly the ''Royal Limerick County Militia'' (1793–1908)) were mobilised at the
Strand Barracks
The Strand Barracks ( ga, Beairic na Trá) is the former army barracks on Clancy's Strand in Limerick city, Ireland.
1774 to 1800s
The barracks dates from the 18th century, founded in 1774, and lies on the banks of the River Shannon. It was a f ...
,
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
travelling on to join the 4RMF. Their initial assignment was to be coastal defence, but due to losses reducing the 2nd (Regular) Battalion to less than 200 within a month of the war, most of the pre-war reservists, particularly those of the 3RMF, were used to rebuild it. The 3RMF was deployed to
Aghada
Aghada () is a village in County Cork, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is situated on the eastern side of Cork Harbour, around 12 km by road south of Midleton.
Aghada is also the parish name for the area. The civil parishes in Ireland, civil ...
,
Cork Harbour
Cork Harbour () is a natural harbour and river estuary at the mouth of the River Lee in County Cork, Ireland. It is one of several which lay claim to the title of "second largest natural harbour in the world by navigational area" (after Port Ja ...
in May 1915 and from 1917 was barracked at
Ballincollig
Ballincollig () is a suburban town within the administrative area of Cork city in Ireland. It is located on the western side of Cork city, beside the River Lee on the R608 regional road. In 2016 it was the largest town in County Cork, at whic ...
.
Assignments
The 4th and 5th (Extra Reserve) Battalions joined other battalions in coastal defences of England due to an invasions scare, 4th to
Redcar
Redcar is a seaside town on the Yorkshire Coast in the Redcar and Cleveland unitary authority in the county of North Yorkshire, England. It is located east of Middlesbrough.
The Teesside built-up area's Redcar subdivision had a population of ...
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
, the 5th to
North Shields
North Shields () is a town in the Borough of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It is north-east of Newcastle upon Tyne and borders nearby Wallsend and Tynemouth.
Since 1974, it has been in the North Tyneside borough of Tyne and Wea ...
County Durham
County Durham ( ), officially simply Durham,UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. is a ceremonial county in North East England.North East Assembly â€About North East E ...
. Both battalions who were popular during their stay, returned to Ireland by the end of 1915, 5th assigned to the
Curragh
The Curragh ( ; ga, An Currach ) is a flat open plain of almost of common land in County Kildare. This area is well known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the ...
, 4th to
Fermoy
Fermoy () is a town on the River Blackwater in east County Cork, Ireland. As of the 2016 census, the town and environs had a population of approximately 6,500 people. It is located in the barony of Condons and Clangibbon, and is in the Dái ...
, then to
Bere Island
Bere Island or Bear Island (, although officially called ''An tOileán Mór'' meaning "the big island") is an island in Bantry Bay off the Beara Peninsula in County Cork, Ireland. It spans roughly 10 km x 3 km, with an area of 17.68&n ...
in February 1916. All three reserves were now at the location they would occupy for most of the war, the 3RMF with 76 officers and 1927 men being by far the strongest battalion (the other two comparatively weak with 500 men). Unless used as replacements for battalions in action, none of the RMF Reservists died during the war other than by accidents, sicknesses or natural causes. Nor were any killed during the 1916
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority.
A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...
, although some RMFs were dispatched to
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
from the Curragh, others to
Wexford
Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 N ...
and to
Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
.
Disbandment
In April 1917 the 4RMF joined the 5RMF at the Curragh. In August the moved to
Castlebar
Castlebar () is the county town of County Mayo, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Developing around a 13th century castle of the de Barry family, de Barry family, from which the town got its name, the town now acts as a social and economic focal poi ...
County Mayo
County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the Taxus baccata, yew trees") is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Conn ...
, the 5th to Galway. With the changed political situation and growth in support for
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...
loyalty was under test. Reports of loss of rifles,
Lewis guns and ammunition necessitated the massive transfer of the battalions out of the country in November, the 3rd to
Devonport, England, the others to Scotland, 4th to
Invergordon
Invergordon (; gd, Inbhir Ghòrdain or ) is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland (council area), Highland, Scotland. It lies in the parish of Rosskeen.
History
The town built up around the harbour which was establish ...
the 5th to
Dreghorn
Dreghorn is a village in North Ayrshire, Scotland, east of Irvine town centre, on the old main road from Irvine to Kilmarnock. It is sited on a ridge between two rivers. As archaeological excavations near the village centre have found a signifi ...
. With the possibility of the extension of conscription to Ireland those Irish battalions still stationed in Ireland were transferred to England in April 1918. The RMFs were relocated again, 3rd to
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
, 4th to
Portobello
Portobello, Porto Bello, Porto Belo, Portabello, or Portabella may refer to:
Places Brazil
* Porto Belo
Ireland
* Portobello, Dublin
* Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin formerly ''Portobello Barracks''
New Zealand
* Portobello, New Zealand, on Ot ...
and the 5th to
Fort George, all three eventually amalgamating at Plymouth by August. The 3rd was absorbed into the 1st RMF in June 1919 . The Tralee Depot and the remaining reserves were moved to
Devonport in England where they were disbanded on 31. July 1922.
1st, 2nd (Garrison) Battalions
Garrison battalions were first formed by the RMF in April 1917, and were one of four Irish regiments to form them during the war, although the RMF had contributed men to other earlier formed garrison battalions. The battalions were mainly made up of soldiers no longer fit for front service. The 1st.(Garrison) was formed and stationed at Victoria barracks, Cork of men transferred from earlier garrisons to which were added men of the Leinster Regiment, the
Connaught Rangers
The Connaught Rangers ("The Devil's Own") was an Irish line infantry regiment of the British Army formed by the amalgamation of the 88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers) (which formed the ''1st Battalion'') and the 94th Regiment of Foot (which ...
as well as men of the RMF.
The garrison provided men for guard duty around the southern coast from the
Shannon estuary round to
Arklow
Arklow (; ; , ) is a town in County Wicklow on the southeast coast of Ireland. The town is overlooked by Ballymoyle Hill. It was founded by the Vikings in the ninth century. Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 re ...
,
County Wicklow
County Wicklow ( ; ga, Contae Chill Mhantáin ) is a county in Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is bordered by t ...
. Here there was the Kynock Ammunition Factory to be guarded employing 4,000 people, where a mysterious explosion occurred on 21/22 September 1917 killing 27 people. In November the garrison was transferred to England with all other Irish battalions. It was first stationed at Press Heath,
Shropshire
Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...
, then in January 1918 moved to Italy, based at Arquata Scrivia, providing guards for the British GHQ, airfield, ammunition stores and general lines of communication. It returned to
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
, England in April 1920 and was disbanded the following month.
The 2nd garrison was made up of those who remained after the 1st. Garrison departed for Italy and was formed in April 1918 at Portsmouth. The unit received and provided drafts for many Irish regiments abroad resulting in a high fluctuation of personnel. It was disbanded in February 1919.
[Staunton p.168]
Notes
{{reflist
''RMF (Regular) Battalions''
History of 1st and 2nd (Regular) Battalions related under
*
Royal Munster Fusiliers
The Royal Munster Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1922. It traced its origins to the East India Company, East India Company's Bengal European Regiment raised in 1652, which later became the 101st Regiment ...
''New Army (Service) Battalions''
History of 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th (Service) Battalions related under
*
Royal Munster Fusiliers (New Army)
The Royal Munster Fusiliers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army. One of eight Irish regiments raised largely in Ireland, its home depot in Tralee. With the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 the immediate need for a considerabl ...
History of Ireland (1801–1923)
Ireland in World War I
Royal Munster Fusiliers
The Royal Munster Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1922. It traced its origins to the East India Company, East India Company's Bengal European Regiment raised in 1652, which later became the 101st Regiment ...