When the Great War began in August 1914 battalions of the three Irish Regiments were included in the original British Expeditionary Force; the London Irish Rifles were soon in France also.
Many additional battalions were raised and served in all theatres of war. (There were over one hundred Irish Infantry Battalions altogether of which eighty saw active service). Losses were heavy: The Inniskillings alone had 2,208 killed or wounded on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Seventy battle honours were gained in the four years of war, more than in all the earlier history of the Regiments.
More Victoria Crosses had also been won: The Inniskillings were awarded eight, of which two were posthumous; the Royal Irish Rifles gained three, of which two were posthumous and the Royal Irish Fusiliers two, of which one was posthumous (the other VC winner was killed shortly afterwards). Four of these VCs were won on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. Two were won by Inniskillings at Gallipoli and another in Palestine.
James Somers (June 12, 1884 - May 7, 1918 born in Belturbet, County Cavan was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
He was 31 years old, and a sergeant in the 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 1/2 July 1915, in Gallipoli, Turkey, when, owing to hostile bombing, some of our troops had retired from a sap, Sergeant Somers remained alone there until a party brought up bombs. He then climbed over into the Turkish trench and bombed the Turks with great effect. Later on, he advanced into the open under heavy fire and held back the enemy by throwing bombs into their flank until a barricade had been established. During this period, he frequently ran to and from our trenches to obtain fresh supplies of bombs.
In a letter to his father, Somers wrote:
"I beat the Turks out of our trench single-handed and had four awful hours at night. The Turks swarmed in from all roads, but I gave them a rough time of it, still holding the trench. It is certain sure we are beating the Turks all right. In the trench I came out of, it was shocking to see the dead. They lay, about three thousand Turks, in front of our trenches, and the smell was absolutely chronic. You know when the sun has been shining on those bodies for three or four days it makes a horrible smell; a person would not mind if it was possible to bury them. But no, you dare not put your nose outside the trench, and if you did, you would be a dead man."
He had been severely wounded during the Retreat from Mons in August 1914.
He died on 7 May1918 (aged 33), and was buried with full military honours in Modreeny Church of Ireland cemetery. His Union Jack-draped coffin was carried on a gun carriage, led by the Pipe Band of the Cameron Highlanders. His headstone states simply. He stood and defended. The Lord wrought a great wonder.
In 1922 the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom and most of the Irish regiments were disbanded. The survivors were originally only to be The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Royal Irish Rifles, (renamed The Royal Ulster Rifles), each with two battalions. The Inniskillings offered up their Second Battalion to save The Royal Irish Fusiliers.
This left the Faughs and Inniskillings as single-battalion regiments. They were linked from 1924 with a common depot at St Lucia Barracks, Omagh, becoming a two-battalion regiments again in 1937. In that year also The London Irish Rifles became a Territorial Army Battalion of The Royal Ulster Rifles.
In the inter-war years the three regiments served in many parts of the world and soldiers saw active service in Iraq, India and Palestine.
In 1939 a British Expeditionary Force was again sent to France to support the French Army. This force included The 2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 2nd Royal Ulster Rifles and 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers. All three battalions played their part in the retreat to Dunkirk. The Inniskillings formed part of the rearguard and only 215 were eventually evacuated. The Royal Irish Fusiliers alone held a German Panzer division for almost three days.
In early 1942 the 38th (Irish) Brigade was formed: it included The 6th Inniskillings, 1st Irish Fusiliers and 2nd London Irish. As part of First Army the Irish Brigade served in Tunisia and took part in the breakthrough to Tunis in the spring of 1943. It then fought, with Eighth Army, in the brief Sicilian campaign where 6th Inniskillings captured the mountain top town of Centuripe.
The Brigade then moved to Italy and played a vital role in the Allied breaking of the Gustav Line at Cassino in May 1944. It was the cutting of Highway 6 by the Irish Brigade that forced the Germans to abandon the Monte Cassino strong point. Following that success the Brigade went on to Lake Trasimene and distinction in the battles that broke the Albert Line. In early 1945 the Irish Brigade's final actions in Italy included the smashing of the Argenta Gap where the London Irish Rifles fought as mechanised infantry in the Kangaroo Army, an all-arms battle group. 1st London Irish Rifles fought in Sicily and Italy as well and their battle honours include Anzio where 2nd Inniskillings also fought. After the breakout from Anzio and the final Cassino battle, 2nd Inniskillings joined The Irish Brigade to replace 6th Inniskillings who were disbanded.
In North-West Europe The Royal Ulster Rifles had the unique distinction of being the only regiment in the British Army to have its two regular battalions included in the invasion of Normandy - Operation Overlord - on 6 June 1944. One battalion landed from the sea while the other was airborne. Both battalions fought through the subsequent campaign until the end of the war in Europe.
In the Far East 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers had been sent from India to Burma when the Japanese invaded that country. The battalion suffered heavily as British forces retreated and just over a hundred men returned to India. In the Arakan campaign of 1943 the battalion again had heavy losses in action against the Japanese at Donbaik.
The Royal Irish Fusiliers lost their Second Battalion when the island of Leros fell to the Germans in late 1943. The Battalion had earlier taken part in the defence of Malta during the siege of that island; 6th Royal Irish Fusiliers reformed as 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers after the original battalion was captured on Leros.
Remember this url www.royalirishre-united.co.uk
it could be your only link with the Regiment once Op Banner is complete
When the Great War began in August 1914 battalions of the three Irish Regiments were included in the original British Expeditionary Force; the London Irish Rifles were soon in France also. 
the earlier history of the Regiments. 
In 1922 the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom and most of the Irish regiments were disbanded. The survivors were originally only to be The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Royal Irish Rifles, (renamed The Royal Ulster Rifles), each with two battalions. The Inniskillings offered up their Second Battalion to save The Royal Irish Fusiliers. 
In 1939 a British Expeditionary Force was again sent to France to support the French Army. This force included The 2nd Royal Inniskilling 
Fusiliers, 2nd Royal Ulster Rifles and 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers. All three battalions played their part in the retreat to Dunkirk. The Inniskillings formed part of the rearguard and only 215 were eventually evacuated. The Royal Irish Fusiliers alone held a German Panzer division for almost three days. 
In North-West Europe The Royal Ulster Rifles had the unique distinction of being the only regiment in the British Army to have its two regular battalions included in the invasion of Normandy - Operation Overlord - on 6 June 1944. One battalion landed from the sea while the other was airborne. Both battalions fought through the subsequent campaign until the end of the war in Europe.