Irish Regiments - Britain

Britain

A significant number of Irish people, of all backgrounds, have served in the forces of the British Crown over the centuries (by the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, well over one-half of the British military forces consisted of Irish men), because of:-

  • the fact that the Irish, the English and Scottish Kingdoms were in personal union under the Monarch until the partition of Ireland.
  • the long history of the Kingdom of Ireland to 1800, and Ireland being a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801-1922
  • the continuing close links following the 26-county Irish Free State's evolving constitutional and legal independence from the UK
  • the self-esteem of the nobility and landed gentry that caused them to prefer military service to a career in trade (see: Noblesse oblige)
  • economic necessity
  • ambition
  • family tradition
  • loyalty
  • the vastly greater size of the Irish population relative to the British population, compared to the 20th century. for example, in 1800 Ireland's population was 8 million, not far below the population of England at 10 million, a ratio of 1:1.25 . By 1900 the ratio had fallen astonishingly to 1:12. This shows how the immediately pre- and post-1900 enlistment was proportionately very high, even though the absolute numbers seem low.

Some of those with notable or outstanding careers included:-

  • Admiral Matthew Aylmer, 1st Baron Aylmer
  • William Blakeney, 1st Baron Blakeney
  • Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Dermot Boyle
  • Lieutenant-General Sir Edward Bulfin
  • Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Callaghan
  • Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
  • Major General Sir George Colley
  • Lieutenant-General Sir Eyre Coote
  • Lieutenant-general Alan Cunningham
  • Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
  • Major-General Beauchamp Doran
  • Eric Dorman-Smith
  • Major-General Lord Dugan
  • Paddy Finucane
  • Air Chief Marshal Sir Francis Fogarty
  • Field Marshal Viscount Gough
  • Walter Guinness, 1st Baron Moyne
  • Major General Sir Charles Gwynn
  • Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings
  • Tom F. Hazell
  • Major General Sir William Hickie
  • Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet
  • Brigadier General Richard Kane
  • Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Kelly-Kenny
  • Field Marshal Lord Kitchener
  • Major General Louis Lipsett
  • Lieutenant General Henry Lyster VC
  • General Sir Bryan Mahon
  • Paddy Mayne
  • George McElroy
  • Lieutenant General Sir Charles MacMorrough Kavanagh
  • George Napier
  • Henry Napier
  • General Sir William Napier
  • Major General Luke O'Connor VC
  • Field Marshal James O'Hara
  • Major General David The O'Morchoe
  • Admiral Sir Robert Otway
  • Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Richards
  • Admiral of the Fleet Sir John de Robeck
  • Admiral Sir Peter Warren
  • Field Marshal The Duke of Wellington
  • Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson MP
  • Field Marshal Lord Wolseley

Others were not born in Ireland, but were born of Irish parents, such as:-

  • Field Marshal Lord Alanbrooke
  • Field Marshal Lord Alexander of Tunis
  • General Sir Miles Dempsey
  • Brigadier General George Grogan VC
  • Field Marshal Lord Gort VC
  • General Sir Charles John Stanley Gough VC
  • General Sir Hugh Henry Gough, VC
  • Field Marshal Lord Lambart
  • Lieutenant General Sir George Macdonogh
  • Col. Henry McMahon
  • Field Marshal Lord Montgomery
  • General Sir Richard O'Connor
  • General Charles O'Hara
  • General Sir Edward Quinan
  • Field Marshal Lord Roberts

Victoria Cross recipients:-

The Victoria Cross, the British Army’s highest award for valour, has been awarded to 188 persons who were born in Ireland or had full Irish parentage. Of these 30 were awarded in the Crimean War, 52 in the Indian Mutiny, and 46 Irish VCs in numerous other British Empire campaigns between 1857 to 1914. In the 20th century, 37 Irish VCs were awarded in World War I, and eight in World War II.

Read more about this topic:  Irish Regiments

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