RootsChat.Com

General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: escollay on Friday 21 October 11 14:14 BST (UK)

Title: Identifying regiment (possible Connaught Rangers)
Post by: escollay on Friday 21 October 11 14:14 BST (UK)
Hi

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this but someone gave me the idea of posting a picture of my Great-Grandfather to see if anyone knew what regiment he belonged to. I've been told its the Connaught Rangers but I can't confirm that.

Any other information about the picture who be appreciated.

Eoin
Title: Re: Identifying regiment (possible Connaught Rangers)
Post by: apwright on Friday 21 October 11 15:18 BST (UK)
Definitely Connaught Rangers - the shoulder title is CONN.RANGERS, and the formation patch looks like that of 16th (Irish) Division, which would put him in 6th Battalion Connaught Rangers in 47th Brigade.

Adrian

EDIT: P.S. Was your man born in Moira, Co.Down, c.August 1897, son of John?
If so, then his service record is on Ancestry (indexed as Patrick Flanigan, service no.6624) and there are 2 medal/SWB cards - one with each spelling.
He joined 4th Bn (a training battalion) in Oct 1916, then posted to 6th Bn in France Jan 1917, serving with them until discharged in Jan 1919.
Title: Re: Identifying regiment (possible Connaught Rangers)
Post by: ceve5478 on Friday 21 October 11 15:32 BST (UK)
Definitely The Connaught Rangers from the cap badge.  If he was 6th Battalion and survived the war he was very lucky as the 6th suffered 400 plus casulties on The Somme in on week in September and where almost annhilated during the German offensive of March 1918, suffering 640 casualties, leading to the remaining 200 odd being transferred to he 2nd Leinster Regiment.

Total losses from the 6 battalions of The Connaught Rangers was 2500 for World War 1 with the 6th suffering the vast majority of these.
Title: Re: Identifying regiment (possible Connaught Rangers)
Post by: escollay on Friday 21 October 11 15:44 BST (UK)
Quote from: apwright on Friday 21 October 11 15:18 BST (UK)
Definitely Connaught Rangers - the shoulder title is CONN.RANGERS, and the formation patch looks like that of 16th (Irish) Division, which would put him in 6th Battalion Connaught Rangers in 47th Brigade.

Adrian

EDIT: P.S. Was your man born in Moira, Co.Down, c.August 1897, son of John?
If so, then his service record is on Ancestry (indexed as Patrick Flanigan, service no.6624) and there are 2 medal/SWB cards - one with each spelling.
He joined 4th Bn (a training battalion) in Oct 1916, then posted to 6th Bn in France Jan 1917, serving with them until discharged in Jan 1919.

Hi Adrian

Thank you very much for your information!! I am unsure who Patrick's father is but I think it is John. My grandmother was born in Moira, Co. Down, so it has to be more than a coincidence, I am almost certain that it is him, thanks to your information. Here is the census listing, that I assumed was him:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Moira/Ballymagarahan/1243078/

Does it tell you any more information on his service record?

Thanks again!
Eoin   
Title: Re: Identifying regiment (possible Connaught Rangers)
Post by: escollay on Friday 21 October 11 15:45 BST (UK)
Quote from: ceve5478 on Friday 21 October 11 15:32 BST (UK)
Definitely The Connaught Rangers from the cap badge.  If he was 6th Battalion and survived the war he was very lucky as the 6th suffered 400 plus casulties on The Somme in on week in September and where almost annhilated during the German offensive of March 1918, suffering 640 casualties, leading to the remaining 200 odd being transferred to he 2nd Leinster Regiment.

Total losses from the 6 battalions of The Connaught Rangers was 2500 for World War 1 with the 6th suffering the vast majority of these.

He must have been lucky then, because my grandmother was born in 1927!

Great help!
Title: Re: Identifying regiment (possible Connaught Rangers)
Post by: MizT42 on Sunday 04 December 11 10:09 GMT (UK)
http://www.ancestryireland.com/fileadmin/uhf_pdfs/ConnaughtRangers.pdf

is worth a read.