Was going through some photos this morning and came across this. It's a picture of Dad taken I believe in 38 or 39. He enlisted in September 39 and so I suspect it is before that. Looks to be a senior NCO summer course. Dad is back row fifth from right. More than this, I don't know. Anyone anything to offer? Notice the chap in the second row with an MM and five more to go with it. cheers. phil
hello there! My grandfather also served in the Irish Regiment of Canada, 2nd Battalion. although i have very little information about this regiment, i do know he was sent to england for training in 1940, and then off to italy in '42 or '43. do you have any more photographs or general information to help research the significance of these great men's sacrifice?
Phil & Danskefolk Phil - a right bolshie looking lot - they were- and didn't change much ! Danskefolk the 2nd battalion Irish were a part of 11th Bde of the 5th Cdn. Armoured div along with the Perth's and the Cape Breton's which landed in Italy around the end of October '43 - and refused to take on the cast off vehicles of the 7th British Armoured div - which had returned to the Uk after "liberating" Naples - so they waited - in the huff - for new tanks etc to come from the UK - then they were ready - to upset the Seaforths at Ortona - which caused Monty to fire them and as a consequence - the British 21st and 25th Tank Bdes had to be "volunteered" to support the 1st Cdn DIv - all the way until they left for Belgium in Feb of 1945 - meanwhile they stumbled from one faux pas to the next and bumping into the British 6th Armoured div in the Liri Valley - finally they got smart at the Melfa River where Capt Mahony of the Westminsters won the V.C. -then at the reservoir at Ceprano - they did a fine job at the Gothic Line under Bert Hoffmiester and after Rimini were hampered by the swollen rivers and flooding by the enemy...... They were a first class Division by the time they left for Belgium and had some tough jobs handed to them ... Cheers
Phil, Danskefolk, Tom, There is (I think) a highly amusing story about the progress of the Irish Regiment of Canadian in the 1st Royal Irish Fusliers' accounts of that time - as you know, the Faughs were with the 38th (Irish) Brigade. Their story tells an incident when the Faughs took over positions from the Irish Regiment of Canada on the night of 26 May 1944, 5 miles from Ceprano. Accounding to the Faughs' accounts, that night a Canadian standing at a road junction on Route 6 was directing traffic thus : "Canadian Irish this way, English Irish that way". This was recounted at the time in their written accounts, and totally accurate or not, is a very funny story. As the Faughs were quite substantially represented by Southern Irishmen at that time, it would have caused a whole lot of hilarity in the many retellings at the time. When I drive down this road in a week or so, I shall be smiling at the thought. Richard
Richard thanks, I enjoyed that story - reminds me of one about the Irish Guards in Italy when they were faced with Germans shouting and gesticulating wildly as if doped ... shouting 'Sieg Heil! Gott mit Uns!' .... As soon as the MMG had fired its last round, three Germans jumped into the trench shouting, "Hands up Englishmen!" The three 'Micks' were not going to stand for any insults; they flattened the Germans with their fists and made off to No. 4 Company. Hope you have an enjoyable trip. Diane
Diane Very funny. I've read many in the same vein - Brigadier Pat Scott tells a couple of similar stories when captured Germans asked their Irish captors why they were fighting for the English got replies like : "Ah, we're not particular who we fight for" and "Sure, we didn't want to see the English beat". Of course, Irishmen from north and south (Orangeman and Republican alike) were all volunteers - it is estimated that well over 100,000 served in the various services all in all. My father used to tell the nuns in Rome that he was from County Brixton (Hill). Richard
Bexley - you will be driving through some great History on that road - I take it you have read Stan Scislowski's "Not all of us were brave" he gives a good account of the fracas at the reservoior at Ceprano - much more peaceful to-day I would guess ! Have a good trip and stay away from the grappa -it's a killer ! Cheers
Tom, Yes thanks. I think my Dad had a few problems with the gin and lime back then. Forli, 29th March 1945 (belatedly) commemorating St Patrick was a day he wouldn't forget : although in actual fact he could hardly remember a single moment of it. Beforehand, he had assured the Brigade chaplain Father Dan Kelleher that it wouldn't turn into a "blinder" - I guess after 2 1/2 years in some pretty dicey places , a few white lies to a priest was probbaly thought to be acceptable. Maybe that's one of the reason that in the 47 years I knew my father, I didn't ever see him drink more than a pint of shandy. Ripi, San Giovanni, Arce. Strangolagalli, Aquino, Piumarola, Sinagoga amongst other places are on the agenda this time. I think the brave Canadians became quite acquainted with this area in May 1944 - dreadful tank country as it is recalled. Also I'm heading up to the Trasimene area to walk the area near Sanfattuchio, and thence towards Ranciano and Pescia. Then towards the area north of Florence around Monte Spaduro. A common theme of most of these memories was how the Canadian armoured support and the Irish Brigade worked so closely together. Richard
Bexley - and don't forget Frosinone and the Melfa where Mahoney won his V.C. with the Westminsters - or the Gothic line at Tuvalu Cheers
Tom, Thanks once again - yes the head of the Liri valley has a hugh amount of historical resonance for many. Re-reading Major Mahony's citation leaves one short of words. I'm sure he lived his life to the full, and (it appears) very modestly during his additional "bonus" 46 years of life. Whilst recently in the UK National Archives, I browsed a selection of citations from the British Army. Amongst other feelings, I felt a deep sense of humility whilst doing so. Also, thank you for the connect for "Not all of us are brave". All the very best, Richard
Bexley - "Smokey" Smith of "A" company Seaforths was no slouch either in winning his V.C. at the Savio river in October - he now and again would ride on the back of my Tank going into yet another "skirmish" Try the Windsor Legion - you might meet Stan Scislowski - if he is still around- he was with the Perths in 5th Armoured ! Cheers
Hello: My grand father was a sniper in the Canadian Irish Regiment and was captured at the Rubicon river. I have been trying to look info as my grand father never talked about it very much, I did find a website that has the war diaries. I was given a group photo from 1942 with him in it but it was lost or destroyed and i have been trying to source a copy that could be scanned or photgraphed to replace it. the photo is the men behind a artillery gun and has the words "Rose" and Pembroke on it
If you haven't already, get in touch with Cliff through his site. You're unlikely to find anyone more familiar with their archival material. Assuming it was a personal photo, it is probably irreplaceable, but he's your best bet to track something down.
Hey Kevin, Yes Greg was in touch with me. I am still out of the country so do not have access to very much at all. I must admit to being very slow to reply to Greg's query. In fact I only answered it today. I feel very 'out of the loop'. I was out of the country for 8 months, home for 4 months then back overseas again. Currently I have been out of the country for 5 days shy of 12 months, with another 6 months to go. I get home to Canada for short HLTAs but with only 18 days out, its not a lot time at home.
Bexley Your Dad's narrative shows up in "Bill Reid's war" I posted it to in my 5th Canadian Armoured div thread a few days ago. Sorry cant copy or paste due a glick somewhere. Edit: Oops must have read that some where else apologies. Matt
Matt, hopefully this is the link for Bill Reid's War.. http://vre2.upei.ca/islandmagazine/fedora/repository/vre%3Aislemag-batch2-508 best
This is an old thread but worth re-asserting during the 74th anniversary period of the events in question...in 1944, Brigadier Scott, 38th (Irish) Brigade, wrote about the events of that time.. this excerpt from a Faughs' account: “On 26th May 1944, we embussed and motored up ACE Route, through Aquino and along Route Six to the Melfa River, where we got out because one feels rather naked in a TCV when under shell fire. Then started a long march due west from Route Six across country to Ceprano. The Guards were fighting for Monte Piccolo and Monte Grande to our north, and our task was to by-pass this resistance which was preventing the capture of Arce and to meet up with the Canadians in the Ceprano area. So off we set. D Company led the way to the first bound and B Company went through until contact was made with our Maple Leaf cousins. This advance was not opposed except by the closeness of the country and the presence of several natural anti vehicle obstacles, the latter, however, being easy meat to Ronnie Denton and his boys. We halted that night round a road junction five miles from Ceprano, where we took over positions from the Irish Regiment of Canada. One incident remains fresh in my mind – that of a Canadian standing at the junction calling ‘Canadian Irish, this way, English Irish that way.’ It was at this location that we were heavily shelled with a large percentage of wounded and dead amongst Bttn HQ. Such is war, however, and only serves to emphasise that forward of Division, you aren’t safe anywhere.” Coincidentally a group from the Irish Regiment of Canada were over in London this week and we took the chance of inviting the Canadian Irish to go this way to the bar and the English Irish to go that way to the bar.. Faugh a Ballagh!
Brill.. Actually I note that Major LaPrairie who is mentioned in the war diaries above actually served with the London Irish Rifles for a period (on short term posting) in Tunisia during Feb/March 1943. Excellent connections.
