PRIVATE H.J. SWIFT, 8TH BATTALION ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT. British War Medal (officially impr

THE RARE BRITISH WAR MEDAL AWARDED TO PRIVATE H.J. SWIFT, ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT, WHO SAW SERVICE DURING THE GREAT WAR WITH THE 8TH (SERVICE) BATTALION ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT, A BATTALION THAT WAS NOT FORMED UNTIL MAY 1918, SEEING SERVICE IN FRANCE FOR LESS THAN SIX MONTHS DURING THE GREAT WAR, HAVING PREVIOUSLY SEEN SERVICE AS THE 2ND (HOME SERVICE) GARRISON BATTALION IN DUBLIN DURING THE 1916 RISING. British War Medal (officially named, impressed: in plain block capital numbers and letters: 18850 PTE. H.J. SWIFT. R. IR. REGT.). Couple of minor rim nicks, otherwise Good Very Fine to Almost Extremely Fine.

Medal accompanied by copied Medal Index card and extract WW1 medal roll, which confirms that Herbert James Swift saw service during WW1 exclusively with the 8th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment, which was originally raised in Dublin, in March 1916, as the 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Battalion, and which saw extensive service in Ireland during the 1916 Rising and had numerous casualties.

Medal Index card confirms Swift was also entitled to the Victory Medal (no Star).

The 8th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment began life as the 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment. That battalion was formed in Dublin in March 1916 and remained in Dublin until April 1918, when it became the 2nd Garrison Guard Battalion, on 18/4/1918. The battalion subsequently saw service in France with the 187th Brigade, 59th Division. On 25/5/1918 the 2nd Garrison Guard Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, became the 8th (Garrison) Battalion Royal Irish Regiment. The battalion transferred to the 21st Brigade, 40th Division on 20/6/1918. On 13/7/1918 “Garrison” was deleted from the battalion title, the battalion being re-titled 8th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment. On 11/11/1918 the battalion was serving with the 21st Brigade, 40th Division in France at Lannoy, south of Roubaix.

The following description of the services of the 8th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment in the First World War is taken from the regimental history:”THE 2nd Garrison Battalion was raised in March 1916 from various details scattered about Ireland, principally Royal Irish Rifles and Royal Munster Fusiliers. The battalion found guards for the Naval wireless stations, cable landing points, various bridges and for important points near Dublin. Headquarters and two companies were stationed at Portobello barracks, Dublin, and one company each at Belfast and Cork. They served through the 1916 rebellion and had numerous casualties. On the 14th May 1918 the battalion embarked at Dublin, strength, 32 officers and 1017 men. On arrival at Holyhead they entrained for Dover, where they arrived next morning. They reached Calais that afternoon and went into camp at Beaumaris.

On the 17th they moved by rail and road to Hurionville, where they joined the 179th Brigade, 59th Division, 10th Corps, and spent a month digging trenches. On the 26th, Colonel Sir F. W. Shaw, Bart., D.S.O., took over command of the brigade and Lieut. Colonel M.A. Tighe took over the battalion. On the 18th June the battalion was transferred to the 121st Brigade, 40th Division, 7th Corps, Second Army, and joined them on the 20th at Tilques. On the 23rd, leaving behind all B2 and B3 men for transfer to the Base and to Labour battalions, the battalion was moved by busses to Le Noir Trou (near Hazebrouck) and started training. On the 16th July the battalion was renamed as the 8th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment. Major J. McCarthy O’Leary joined as second in command and ten days later he took over command from Lieut. Colonel Tighe, who went on leave. On the 1st August the 121st Brigade relieved the 119th Brigade in the right sub-sector of the 1st Australian divisional front near Vieux Berquin. On the 12th a patrol, under 2nd Lieutenant A. F. Jackson, D.C.M., captured 3 machine guns and 7 prisoners. Next day the battalion moved back into billets. The casualties during this tour were 6 men killed, 17 wounded and 5 gassed. On the 1st September the brigade was again in the line and gradually advanced to Nieppe, which was reached on the 5th. B Company advanced through Pont de Nieppe, but north of the village they were caught by enemy machine guns and either killed or captured. Next day the battalion moved into reserve. The casualties were 9 men killed, 2nd Lieutenant F. I. Blagden and 13 men wounded, Captain T. Bedell-Sivright, Lieutenants S. Rivers and A. Paterson and their company missing. They were again in the front line from the 23rd to the 1st October. Casualties: 5 killed and 13 wounded. After twelve days training the brigade returned to the front and took part in the advance via Houplines and Wasquehal to Leers. On the 6th November the 121st Brigade went into divisional reserve and the Royal Irish went into billets at Lannoy. On the 22nd January 1919 a King’s Colour was presented to the battalion by Lieut. General Sir Beauvoir de Lisle, K.C.B., D.S.O. On the 5th March 4 officers and 108 men were transferred to the 7th Battalion for the Army of Occupation. “

Given that the 8th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment saw service in Ireland during the 1916 Rising as the 2nd (Home Service) Garrison Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, Swifts medal perhaps worthy of further research with regard to whether he perhaps saw service in Dublin in 1916.