Serving in 2 Regt in WW1

[Chris Baston]

Hi I am hoping someone can help please .My Grandfather served in both the Warwickshire Regt. and the Royal Irish Rifles during WWI he started in the Warwickshire Regiment but was discharged in 1919 from the Royal Irish Rifles, I have his discharge paper clearly showing this with 2 regimental numbers.Can anyone throw any light on this?

One story I have been told was that the British during the war sent Irish regiments over the top first to remove possible troubles after the war with the Irish problem of independence. If this was the case why would they then top up Irish Regiments with North London boys? Don't make sense!

Could it have been an age thing as he was only 15 when the war started in 1914 ,maybe lied about his age hence being in a training battalion while serving with the Warc. Regt..If so why not transfer him to a Warcwishire battalion once he was old enough?

Also How do I go about finding what theaters these Regiments saw action.


My grandfathers details:

Alfred Henry Baston

Born 1899 Barnet

33604 Pte. Royal Warwick Regiment
Training Reserve Battalion.

Also served

52249 Rifleman Royal Irish Rifles 30th September 1916
mobilized 24 May 1917
transferred to the Reserves 16 October 1919

I thank you in advance.

Chris baston
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[MonicaL]

Hi Chris

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[danuslave]

Hi Chris

My understanding is that so many men were lost during WWI that soldiers were transferred wherever they were needed to make up the numbers!

Are you aware of this site?

www.1914-1918.net

Linda

[The Mc]

Also How do I go about finding what theaters these Regiments saw action.

http://www.1914-1918.net/warwicks.htm

http://www.1914-1918.net/ririfles.htm

[Chris Baston]

Thanks for the input I have looked at the sites mentioned. As both Regt. are now disbanded I guess their Regt. museums would not be able to throw much light on what Battalions he served. I have a photo of him with a group of lads in uniform. You can not make out any detail of what regt., But the cap badge is the exploding bomb. Very similar to that worn by the Grenadier Guards. Certainly not that of either the Irish Rifle's or the Royal Warcs.

I have scans of both him and his demob paper that I could post later if anyone is interested.

The plot thickens.

Chris

[alan o]

Chris,

When he enlisted he joined the Training reserve bn of the Warcs regt.  This was UK only.  In 1916 he was transferred to the RIR to go to France.  By this stage of the war losses had been heavy and youw ent where there were gaps rather than where you enlisted.

I would add that the Irish bns were well thought of and the theory about sending them into danger becasue of Home Rule is laughable and quite insulting to them.

An exploding bomb badge could be several Infantry badges: Gren Guards, HAC Infantry or the Royal Fusilers, Royal Irish Fusiliers, Munster Fusiliers or Inniskilling Fusiliers.