{"id":15306,"date":"2025-11-15T15:03:59","date_gmt":"2025-11-15T15:03:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/?page_id=15306"},"modified":"2026-04-01T09:19:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T09:19:35","slug":"38-irish-brigade-war-diaries","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/second-world-war\/38-irish-brigade-1942-1947\/38-irish-brigade-war-diaries\/","title":{"rendered":"War Diaries – Daily Brigade\/Battalions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A day by day consolidation of the war diaries of the Irish Brigade HQ and the three individual rifle battalions following their journey from Algiers to Austria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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November to December 1942 – Arriving in North Africa<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On route to North Africa \u2013 the Skins and Irish Rifles arrived in Algiers, followed two weeks later by the Faughs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nov 1942<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Dec 1942<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/h3>\n\n\n
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General view of Allied-occupied Algiers taken from the Royal Navy transport ship HMT Orion, 23 November 1942. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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January to June 1943 – From Bou Arada to Tunis.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

All 3 battalions of the Irish Brigade were soon fighting at Two Tree Hill, Grandstand and Hill 286.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jan 1943<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Feb 1943<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Mar 1943<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Apr 1943<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
May 1943<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Jun 1943<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/h3>\n\n\n
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A forward observation post held by the Germans was known as ‘Two Tree’ Hill as on its highest point two trees grew. It was important to take the hill as it had advantageous position commanding all the approaches for many miles around, 10 January 1943<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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July to December 1943 – From Sicily to the Moro River<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Returning from Algeria to Tunisia before crossing to Sicily with 8th Army in the last week of July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jul 1943<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Aug 1943<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sep 1943<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Oct 1943<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Nov 1943<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Dec 1943<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Bren gun position on outskirts of Centuripe, 3 August 1943. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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January to June 1944 – From the Apennines to Lake Trasimene<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The New Year starts in the snowdrifts near Castel di Sangro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jan 1944<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Feb 1944<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Mar 1944<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Apr 1944<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
May 1944<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Jun 1944<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Mortar carriers of 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers pass a wrecked German Nebelwerfer rocket launcher near Ceprano, 28 May 1944.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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July to December 1944 – From Egypt to San Clemente<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To Egypt and then back to Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jul 1944<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Aug 1944<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sep 1944<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Oct 1944<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Nov 1944<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Dec 1944<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/h3>\n\n\n
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In spite of enemy shellfire, every possible parking space in Castel Del Rio is occupied by vehicles of all kinds, 20 October 1944. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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January to May 1945 – From Italy to Austria<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Continuing raids in the mountains and readying for relief..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jan 1945<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Feb 1945<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Mar 1945<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Apr 1945<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
May 1945<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/h3>\n\n\n
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The stretch of valley through which runs the river Sillaro and the road to S. Clemente, a village well within range of enemy shellfire, is covered by a smoke screen. This screen is maintained by men of the 53rd L.A.A. Regiment, R.A., who work about 1,000 yards from the nearest enemy, 22 January 1945.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Rfn. Bernard Brister of 12 Syon Lane, Isleworth, Middx of 2 LIR keeps watch from a dugout near the Senio, 17 March 1945<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
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A Priest Kangaroo personnel carrier of 209th Self-Propelled Battery, Royal Artillery, transports infantry of 78th Division near Conselice, 13 April 1945. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Russian General and his staff walks with Lieut. General Keightley and Lt Colonel Bredin towards Btn. H.Q., 2nd London Irish Rifles, 12 May 1945.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A day by day consolidation of the war diaries of the Irish Brigade HQ and the three individual rifle battalions following their journey from Algiers to Austria. November to December 1942 – Arriving in North Africa On route to North Africa \u2013 the Skins and Irish Rifles arrived in Algiers, followed two weeks later by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":15215,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-15306","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15306","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15306"}],"version-history":[{"count":126,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15306\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22974,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15306\/revisions\/22974"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15306"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}