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It would not be long before the battalion would be on its way to one of the war fronts. Whither, was not known, but there were many guesses, ranging from North Africa to the Far East. The battalion received a number of new officers to bring it up to strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several former officers, who had been with the Young Soldiers or attached elsewhere, returned, and in August 1942 the roll of officers was:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lieut-Colonel IH Good, Commanding Officer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Major the Viscount Stopford, Second-in-Command.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Captain MD Ryan, Adjutant.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr J Cairns, RSM.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Headquarters Company:<\/strong> A Company:<\/strong> B Company: C Company:<\/strong> D Company:<\/strong> Reinforcement Company:<\/strong> The 1st Battalion was the first to proceed overseas. They embarked at Liverpool on August 27, 1942, in HMT Orduna, formerly a cargo and passenger liner of ten thousand tons belonging to the Pacific Steam Navigation Co. In normal times she sailed between Liverpool and Valparaiso with a general cargo and a number of cabin passengers. She had been converted into a troopship by covering part of the holds on each deck and making them into mess-decks and sleeping-quarters combined. Men slept above where they ate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some complaints have been made since the war regarding the accommodation and food on board troopships, but the post-war conditions bear no comparison with those endured by the other ranks in HMT Orduna. It says much for their loyalty, their discipline, and their high regard for duty that they bore great discomfort, poor food, little water, and practically no extra amenities with good sense and humour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Portholes had to be closed at night to prevent lights being seen. In daytime, too, they had to be closed in a heavy sea, or even in a swell on an otherwise calm day, because the sea would have rushed in. The crew were ordered to keep watch on the mess-decks, particularly when the liner reached warm climes, to ensure that there was no unauthorised opening of portholes. There were no fans down below, no ice or ice-cool water, and when the tropics were reached the other ranks sat at their mess-tables stripped to the waist and in PT shorts, wearing towels or handkerchiefs to soak up the perspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These discomforts did not prevent all ranks making the most of a long voyage, for to most of them it was a new experience. A daily training programme was carried out in order to prevent boredom and to keep everyone fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The convoy\u2019s first call was at Freetown, for fuel and other needs. The ship lay well out, and no shore leave was granted. The voyage proceeded without incident down the west coast of Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n South Africa was reached after a month at sea. As Cape Town was approached at dawn all on board who rose from their hammocks or cabins saw the most wonderful spectacle of the sun rising behind the massive grandeur of Table Mountain. From the grey light of early morning, the sky was transformed by myriad shafts of gorgeous colour scintillating in ever-changing hues as the sun rose in all its glory. It was hidden by the vastness of the mountain, but a fiery glow was reflected in the heavens, spreading slowly westwards and absorbing the greyness of the departing night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The South Africans took the men of the caubeen and the green hackle to their hearts. They gave the troops a great reception, and their generous hospitality was almost overwhelming. It will long he remembered by those officers and men of the battalion who were invited to visit and even to stay at homes, both humble and proud, in various parts of the fine city. One of the first to greet the London Irish at Cape Town was Captain Dunlop, of the South African Irish, who had already been in action with his regiment in the Western Desert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The stay of the London Irish in Cape Town was all too brief, but many lasting friendships were made and they still endure, thus helping to strengthen the ties that exist between two nations of the Commonwealth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the next part of the journey the battalion transferred to HMT California, a troopship of the Anchor Line. A battalion of the Royal Ulster Rifles sailed in her to Palestine four years earlier. She was a fine vessel; her mess-decks were much better arranged, and the food and amenities were an improvement on those during the first part of the voyage. A number of officers and men were left in the Orduna to proceed to an Egyptian port to collect the battalion\u2019s transport, which was sent to the Middle East by another route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HMT California reached Bombay after another uneventful voyage in convoy on October 17. Several days were spent out in the spacious harbour before the troopship was allowed to clock. On October 25 the London Irish moved to another ship, the Dutch motor-ship Melchior Treub, named after a distinguished Dutch statesman and botanist. The Melchior Treub had escaped from Batavia at the time of the Japanese invasion, and she still had her Dutch captain and Batavian crew. It was a small vessel, and the battalion were more cramped than ever, but they were on the last lap of the<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The battalion passed through the Persian Gulf to Basra and thence up-stream to Marquill, where they disembarked. Then followed a most uncomfortable journey in trucks through a desert sandstorm to a large transit camp alongside the Baghdad railway at Az Zubair, a small Arab village whose minarets were the only break on the dreary skyline. It was the battalion\u2019s first experience of a sandstorm, and they were not prepared for it. Sand penetrated everywhere and everything, and all ranks were glad of an opportunity for a wash when camp was reached. But water in that remote desert area was scarce, and the utmost economy had to be enforced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A fortnight was spent at Az Zubair, during which there were desert marches to harden the battalion once again. On November 15 the battalion entrained for the north.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The journey was made in covered goods wagons with an opening on either side, at which guards had to be on the alert against prowlers, particularly when halts were made at lonely stations. Changing stations at Baghdad the next day involved a brisk march through the Iraqi capital, the legendary and romantic charm of which was lost amid the filth of its beggars and the squalor and nasty odours of its narrow streets. At midnight the journey northwards was continued, through land famed in Biblical history. All that could be seen were the countless stars in a wonderfully clear sky, with the occasional outline of a camel train or a palm-tree in the foreground of the desert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Journey\u2019s end was at Kirkuk, about six hundred miles north of Baghdad, in the heart of the oil country. Camp was pitched about fifteen miles away on the virgin plain that stretched on either side of the narrow main road to Mosul. To the north-east were the long range of hills full of oil borings. In the background were the towering snow-clad peaks of the mountains of Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The camp had literally to be dug out of the desert. Under a covering of about ten inches of soft sand the ground had been hardened by the summer heat, which was just declining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A tropical thunderstorm accompanied by a fierce wind broke with sudden violence as the tents were being pitched, and everything and everybody was soaked. When the storm had subsided the camp was erected, and no one was sorry when night came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For many weeks, training was interrupted by heavy and continuous rain and everyone had to dig in to a depth of six to eight feet, with a well-constructed drainage system round each tent. Nevertheless, many tents were often flooded seriously, and on one occasion the Chaplain, Father Flynn, found all his possessions floating in four feet of water after a severe downpour. Roads and drains had to be laid through the camp, but despite these precautions the rain was so heavy at one period that a raging torrent, several yards wide, separated the cookhouses and mess-tents from the company lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eventually the rainy season ended, and the battalion settled down to strenuous battalion, brigade, and divisional exercises, prominent among which were forced night and day marches through mountains, instruction in handling mules, assault craft, and the rest. During one scheme a night crossing of the Little Zab River had to be made, and while engaged on a preliminary reconnaissance two young riflemen were lost when their canvas assault boat capsized in the swiftly flowing river. They were swept away by the current and despite gallant rescue attempts by Captain Sir James Henry and Lance Corporal J Short, of D Company, who dived into the river, the young men, Rifleman Tracey<\/a> and Rifleman Andrews<\/a>, were drowned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The gallantry of Captain Sir James Henry and Lance-Corporal Short was brought to the attention of the Army Commander, who directed that it should be recorded in their Army documents in accordance with King\u2019s Regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The only operational duties performed by the battalion during its stay in Iraq were to guard the oil installations against saboteurs and parachutists, also the many large dumps of ammunition placed in the hills in case the Germans broke through the Russian defences in the Caucasus. That, of course, was the main reason why the 56th (London) Division and other British troops had been sent to Iraq\u2014to help stem the German threat to the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the North African campaign was in its closing stages, the success of the Russian offensive in the Caucasus had removed the threat of German penetration to the Middle East. Early in 1943 British forces in Iraq were reduced, and among the first to move was the 56th (London) Division. Two brigades were sent in an emergency to Tunisia to assist in the final moves there, but the transfer of 168 Brigade was delayed owing to heavy rains in the south.<\/p>\n\n\n\n News came that the brigade was to take part in forthcoming combined operations, and this proved a great relief to the boredom which desert life eventually brings. A stay of nearly six months near the malodorous oil wells was enough for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The London Irish left Kirkuk on April 1, and after a night in a transit camp at Baghdad they started a nine-day trek in lorries across the Trans-Jordan desert to Palestine. The long convoy passed through the Judean hills, across the Jordan, and thence through central Palestine past Beersheba, with its London Irish dead of the 1914-18 War, to the Suez Canal. Training in combined operations technique was carried out at Kabrit, a small Royal Naval station on the shores of the Little Bitter Lake. The work was hard but morale was high, especially when news came that the 2nd Battalion had acquitted itself very well in its initial battles in Tunisia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There was further land training at Gaza, during which four days\u2019 leave was given to the battalion and visits were paid to Jerusalem, Haifa, Tel Aviv, and the Services Holiday Camp at Nathanya on the Mediterranean coast north of Tel Aviv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In June, 168 Brigade became attached to the 50th Division, and in a brief talk the Divisional Commander, Major-General SC Kirkman, a former CRA of 56th (London) Division, told the battalion that the brigade had been assigned a reserve role in the forthcoming landing operations. About this period the battalion lost several of its old stalwarts, among them being Captain \u201cPaddy\u201d Toal, the energetic Quartermaster since pre-war Territorial days, Captain \u201cBunny\u201d O\u2019Brien, Father Flynn, and Captain Phillip Isitt, each of whom took up another appointment. The quartermaster\u2019s post was filled by Lieutenant EB Gardner, of the Green Howards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM THE ARMY COMMANDER TO BE READ OUT TO ALL TROOPS.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n July 1943.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe time has now come to carry the war into Italy, and into the Continent of Europe. The Italian Overseas Empire has been exterminated; we will now deal with the home country.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n To the Eighth Army has been given the great honour of representing the British Empire in the Allied Force which is now to carry out this task. On our left will be our American Allies. Together we will set about the Italians in their own country in no uncertain way; they came into this war to suit themselves and they must now take the consequences; they asked for it, and they will now get it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n On behalf of us all I want to give a very hearty welcome to the Canadian troops that are now joining the Eighth Army. I know well the fighting men of Canada; they are magnificent soldiers, and the long and careful training they have received in England will now be put to very good use \u2013 to the great benefit of the Eighth Army.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The task in front of us is not easy. But it is not so difficult as many we have had in the past and have overcome successfully. In all our operations we have always had the close and intimate support of the Royal Navy and the RAF, and because of that support we have always succeeded. In this operation the combined effort of the three fighting services is being applied in tremendous strength, and nothing will be able to stand against it. The three of us together \u2013 Navy, Army, and Air Force \u2013 will see the thing through. I want all of you, my soldiers, to know that I have complete confidence in the successful outcome of this operation.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, with faith in God and with enthusiasm for our cause and for the day of battle, let us all enter this contest with stout hearts and determination to conquer.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The eyes of our families, and in fact of the whole Empire, will be on us once the battle starts; we will see that they get good news and plenty of it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n To each one of you, whatever may be your rank or employment, I would say:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n GOOD LUCK AND GOOD HUNTING IN THE HOME COUNTRY OF ITALY!<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It would not be long before the battalion would be on its way to one of the war fronts. Whither, was not known, but there were many guesses, ranging from North Africa to the Far East. The battalion received a number of new officers to bring it up to strength. Several former officers, who had […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":26286,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-26311","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26311","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=26311"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26311\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26493,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26311\/revisions\/26493"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonirishrifles.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Major PM Mahon, Officer Commanding.<\/strong>
Captain J.G Adams, Carrier Platoon.<\/strong>
Captain PJ Toal, Quartermaster.<\/strong>
Lieutenant DA Gibson, Mortar Platoon.<\/strong>
Lieutenant H St.G Gallaher, Carrier Platoon<\/strong>
2nd Lieutenant A Mace, Transport Officer.<\/strong>
2nd Lieutenant S Sharp, Intelligence Officer.<\/strong>
2nd Lieutenant D McVitty, Anti-tank Platoon.<\/strong>
2nd Lieutenant J Gates, Pioneer Platoon.<\/strong>
2nd Lieutenant H Miller, Signals Platoon.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Major J Cantopher, GM, Officer Commanding.<\/strong>
Captain A Palmer.<\/strong>
Lieutenant GE Buss.<\/strong>
Lieutenant ALF Orr.<\/strong>
Lieutenant JV Reynolds.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Captain HCS Lofting, Officer Commanding.
Captain M Bonham-Carter.
Lieutenant CA Croft.
Lieutenant SW McCabe.
2nd Lieutenant T Barry.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Captain WE Brooks, Officer Commanding.<\/strong>
Captain Stewart-Liberty.<\/strong>
Lieutenant WK Byrne.<\/strong>
2nd Lieutenant TW Coghlin.<\/strong>
2nd Lieutenant PC Isitt.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Captain Sir James Henry, Bt., Officer Commanding.<\/strong>
Captain JR Strick.<\/strong>
Lieutenant EM Grace.<\/strong>
Lieutenant M Power.<\/strong>
2nd Lieutenant TJ Sweeney.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Captain RA O\u2019Brien, Officer Commanding.<\/strong>
Lieutenant JA Boddam-Whetham.<\/strong>
Lieutenant AG Hamer.<\/strong>
2nd Lieutenant DA Hardy.<\/strong>
2nd Lieutenant RA Wigger.<\/strong>
2nd Lieutenant J Grennan.<\/strong>
Chaplain: The Rev T Flynn (RC).<\/strong>
Medical Officer: Lieutenant C Byrne (RAMC).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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BL MONTGOMERY, General<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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