7th Battalion The Royal Irish Rifles form up in Belfast

Event

Tuesday, 8 September, 1914

Shortly after the outbreak of the First World War, the 7th (Service) Battalion The Royal Irish Rifles formed in Belfast as part of 48 Brigade of the 16th (Irish) Division. The Battalion moved to County Cork for training and soon afterwards there was news that the Jersey Militia had volunteered en masse for overseas service and were to join the 7th Battalion.

Welcome to the Royal Irish Virtual Military Gallery, The Irish Soldier in The British Army

'I turned over one poor chap on a rocky, bloody crag on Tanngoucha. He was facing the right way, the last round of a clip in the breech and three dead Germans in front of him. His name was Duff. After all is over - and the remainder of the Empire is understandably irritated with Ireland - I hope these countless Duffs, from both the North and the South, and in all three services, will be remembered.
(Brigadier Nelson Russell, Commander 38 (Irish) Brigade, 1942-44)

Museums

COVID-19: The museums continue to work towards reopening safely.
- Inniskillings Museum
- Royal Ulster Rifles Museum
- Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum
- Royal Irish Regiment Museum

Research Database

We have a large archive of soldier records. Trace your military heritage through our Research Database.

Find out more

Support by

Related Content

7th Battalion The Royal Irish Rifles form up in Belfast

Welcome to the Royal Irish Virtual Military Gallery, The Irish Soldier in The British Army

Museums

Research Database