Royal Irish Fusiliers Dunkirk

Discussion in '1940' started by Montyjw, Dec 16, 2013.

  1. Montyjw

    Montyjw Member

    So young for such responsibility. Out of interest
    How did you obtain that photo? Think I will contact Drew. He's helped me before. Like to have all detail even though perhaps not very enlightening. Don't like to think I'm missing something lol. I have a lot of admiration for whoever transcribes war diaries. It may be just me but I find it very difficult and sometimes impossible to decipher the writing. Guess some officers were doctors in a previous life
     
  2. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    I visited Tunisia in April 2012..and visited Beja, Medjez, Bou Arada etc...rather nice in the spring, lots of wild flowers and quite green.
     
  3. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    last one in the sequence, i attach a picture of Captain Nicolas Jefferies
     

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  4. Montyjw

    Montyjw Member

    Bexley, thanks for that. I have just obtained the Horsfall book re Tunis. There is a picture at the front as you probably know of the Bou Arada battlefield. Looks very expansive and remote. Can imagine it would look quite lovely in Springtime. Did you ever visit there with your father?
     
  5. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Sadly not - Dad died in 2009 after I had just got back from Cassino (I had been with him there in 1997) ..He, himself, went back to Tunisia in the 1990s but didn't get over to the battlefield area or able to visit any of the war cemeteries.

    One sample photograph from April 2012 taken from Hill 286 across the Bou Arada to Goubellat road towards DJebel Rihane.

    enjoy the book,

    best
     

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  6. harvey571

    harvey571 Junior Member

    Researching 3 members of the 1st battalion the royal irish fusiliers who where killed in action 19 may 1940 and are buried in Outer communal cemetry
    any ideas of the war diary i am looking for(if not destroyed)
    One of soldiers is listed as the 2i/c of D company
    Any help would be greatly appreciated
     
  7. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Is it Captain H A Jefferies?
     
  8. harvey571

    harvey571 Junior Member

    Thats correct ,along with Fusiliers R.johnston and J mc Crory
     
  9. KeonaMulcahy

    KeonaMulcahy New Member

    Hello

    Can anyone tell me where I can find a nominal roll for D Coy 1st R.I.F. for May 1940?

    I am a student researching the defense of La Bassee by 1st RIF for the National History Day (NHD) 2018 competition. NHD is an academic program focused on historical research for 6th- to 12th-grade students. The 2018 competition theme is conflict and compromise in history.

    I chose this theme having seen the movie Dunkirk and because my dad is Irish and likes military history. I have copies of "30 Days to Dunkirk" and "Fling our Banners to the Wind". I wish to research and write about the action from the viewpoint of D Coy and if possible focus on a member of the unit, ideally from Eire (as it was then), to see if I can weave a personal account of conflict and compromise into the research along with the battalion, the BEF in general, and the political & economic decisions before the war that led to the BEF losing the battle for France and the heroic actions of 1 RIF at La Bassee.

    Ideally I might be able to carry out research with the descendants of the individual.

    thanks in advance for any help

    KM
     
  10. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Keona,

    Given 1 RIrF were a regular unit, there should be some good pre-war records available - perhaps the Faughs' museum in Armagh may be able to point you in the right direction.

    You may also wish to add John Horsfall's 'Say Not the Struggle' (France 1940) into your list of essential reading... and his book about Tunisia 'The Wild Geese are Flighting',

    and of course the battalion's war diaries at Kew:
    1 Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) | The National Archives

    best wishes
     
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2017
    Tricky Dicky likes this.
  11. KeonaMulcahy

    KeonaMulcahy New Member

    Thank you, I have obtained a copy of 'Say Not the Struggle"

    I am interested in researching further John Horsfall's driver, which he mentions in his book as Michael Quinlan from Dublin. I think I found his service number in the London Gazette, 6979216 Fus. M. QUINLAN. The museum have not gotten back to me. Does anyone on this forum have any details on Michael Quinlan that they can share?

    thanks

    K
     
  12. Gough1944

    Gough1944 New Member

    My son's great grandfather was Brigadier Guy Gough. Unfortunately we have very little information. Would you consider sharing any info you have with us?

    thank you,
    Linda
     
  13. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    As mentioned... 'Thirty Days to Dunkirk' is still buyable..

    Here's a first page of preface - no doubt you know the background well.

    IMG_7470.PNG
     

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    Drew5233 likes this.
  14. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Linda

    As well as the book mentioned above, there's the battalion war diary which I have a copy of. I'll happily send you a copy if you donate the standard 10p per page amount to my son's fundraising page.

    Cheers
    Andy
     

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