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Category Archives: Second World War
Major Desmond Woods, 2 LIR
We were delighted to have been contacted recently by Adrian Woods, the son of Major Desmond Woods, who served with the 2nd Battalion as Officer Commanding of H Company from October 1943 to June 1944 until he was wounded in the fighting near Lake Trasimene in central Italy. As well as his note to us, […]
CSM Ashton Frank Clarke
We have been been contacted by Jan Clarke, the daughter in law of CSM Ashton Clarke, who served in Italy with the 1st Battalion London Irish Rifles from 1943 to 1946 and where he was Mentioned in Despatches. In her note to us, Jan explained that CSM Clarke had served overseas with the 56th (London) […]
Rifleman Thomas Hatton
On Loos Sunday, we were delighted to meet the son and grandson of Rifleman Thomas Charles Hatton, who served with the 1st Battalion in the UK from April 1940 to June 1942. His son, also named Tom, explained to us that soon after joining up, his father was based in Kent where the battalion was […]
The London Irish Rifles in Piedimonte
During the recent Association visit to Sicily, we were delighted to receive a copy of a new book outlining the story of Piedimonte Etneo during the Second World War written by our friend Dr Felice Vitale. The book, which has been privately published, relates the background to the events of August and September 1943 when […]
Rifleman Louis Jeffrey
We are pleased to receive a note and some photographs from Chris Jeffrey with information about his father Louis, who served with the 1st Battalion in the UK, Middle East and Italy during the Second World War. Rifleman Jeffrey first joined up with the London Irish Rifles in May 1938 and was finally demobbed in […]
Sergeant Pat Sweeney, 1st Battalion
We’ve received some tremendously evocative photographs from David Sweeney, the son of Sergeant Pat Sweeney, who served with the 1st Battalion London Irish Rifles throughout the Second World War. David told us that his father, who was born in 1912 in Galway, joined the London Irish before the war when, at the time, Pat lived with […]
Lance Corporal John Gregory DCM
We have been contacted by Glenn Russell, the son-in-law of L/Cpl John Gregory, who served with the 2nd Battalion London Irish Rifles in Tunisia and Italy and where he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. John Gregory, known as Jack to his family, was born on 18th May 1922 and lived and died in Bromley, Kent […]
Rifleman George Hurdley with the 2nd Battalion, 1939-45.
We have received a note and some great photos from the son of Rifleman George William Hurdley, who served with the 2nd Battalion from 1939 to 1945. In his note to us Tony Hurdley said: “My father’s number was 7014849, and he enlisted on 27th April 1939 and was then called to the colours at […]
Memorial Plaque Unveiling in Piedimonte Etneo.
The Regimental Association was honoured to attend a Commemorative event in the town of Piedimonte Etneo on the north eastern slopes of Mt Etna that took place on the exact 75th anniversary of the date when men of the 1st Battalion, London Irish Rifles entered the town in early September 1943. The Chairman, Major Peter […]
The 38th (Irish) Brigade in the Second World War
To mark the 75th anniversaries of the London Irish Rifles’ remarkable fighting role during the Second World War, Association members, Richard and Edmund O’Sullivan, have commenced a project to film the route that their father, CQMS Edmund (“Rosie”) O’Sullivan followed with the 2nd Battalion London Irish Rifles all the way from Algiers to Austria. The […]