38 (Irish) Brigade - 70th Anniversary.

Discussion in 'Higher Formations' started by bexley84, Jan 13, 2012.

  1. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    All,

    To coincide with the 70th anniversary of the formation of 38 (Irish) Brigade, which started to form in Norfolk during January 1942, I would like to highlight a web site that my brother and I have recently set up to highlight the history and associated human stories of the men of the Irish Brigade as they marched from Algiers in November 1942 to Austria in May 1945 as part of British Army 6th Armoured Division and 78th Infantry Division.

    You can find the home page of the web site here : Irish Brigade - Welcome...

    and Churchill's missives to form the brigade during the latter part of 1941 here: Irish Brigade - Formation of the Irish Brigade

    The web site also includes

    - the complete war diaries of the Rifle battalions of the Irish Brigade:

    1 Royal Irish Fusiliers: http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/original-war-diaries---1942-to-1945/war-diaries-of-1-royal-irish-fusiliers.php

    6 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers: http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/original-war-diaries---1942-to-1945/war-diaries-of-6-royal-inniskilling-fusiliers.php

    2 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers: http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/original-war-diaries---1942-to-1945/war-diaries-of-2-royal-inniskilling-fusiliers.php

    2 London Irish Rifles: http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/original-war-diaries---1942-to-1945/war-diaries-of-2-london-irish-rifles.php

    - narratives of the campaigns written at the time by their Brigadiers:

    Brigadier Nelson Russell: http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/eyewitness-accounts/irish-brigade-in-tunisia-by-brigadier-nelson-russell-transcript.php

    Brigadier TPD Scott: http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/eyewitness-accounts/irish-brigade-mar-1944---mar-1945-by-brigadier-tpd-scott.php

    - the official history of the London Irish Rifles at War written in 1948:

    http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/the-story-of-the-irish-brigade--1942-1947/london-irish-rifles/the-london-irish-at-war-1939-1945.php

    - a full listing of the more than 1000 men of the Irish Brigade who lie in peace in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, including personal family feedback on some of the men who did not return to their families:

    Irish Brigade - They Shall Not Grow Old

    Irish Brigade - Personal Stories

    - battlefield overviews and maps with up to date current day details:

    http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/visits-to-the-battlefields.php

    - personal memoirs of my father CQMS Edmund (Rosie) O'Sullivan who served with 2 London Irish Rifles from Oct 1939 to June 1946, and made the whole journey from Algiers to Villach with the Irish Brigade before able to write his story down at the age of 85 years:

    Irish Brigade - All My Brothers: the story of London Irish Colour Sergeant Edmund O'Sullivan


    It is a living web site and will be updated regularly with new stories and personal feedback.

    Best to all

    Richard
     
    4jonboy and Our bill like this.
  2. Our bill

    Our bill Well-Known Member

    Hello Richard, Thankyou for your post which has given me lots of great information . I shall be eternally grateful for this site and it's members. As I now embark on my new journey of researching my dads brother John (jack Freeman) who was in the 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. I have applied for his service records and obviously wanting to learn as much as possible about the history of the R I F during WW2 while I wait the long wait for the records to arrive . Your post has given me what I was looking for and I shall enjoy my new history lesson . Once again Thank you Elsie.
     
  3. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Elsie
    Don't forget the 2nd Batt Innisk and their actions in the 5th Division when they were globe trotting all over the place-especiaally Sicily... and they got lucky to

    join 38th Bde in 78th Div to replace the 6th Batt... with Lt.Col Scott - who was a bit of a tiger and just the man for that job...

    Cheers
     
  4. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Elsie,

    Thank you for your kind words - and thank you too for re-highlighting this thread. I've just re-reviewed the links and some of them had become become unhooked so I've now re-established them...oops, sorry for that.

    To ease reading, too, I'm also going through all the war diaries, month by month, to transcribe those documents and a number of other personal narratives - this does ease the reading experience.

    As Tom mentions, the 2nd Skins were with 13th Infantry Brigade in 5th Infantry Division from 1940 until they joined the Irish Brigade in Egypt in July/August 1944 - the 13th Brigade had indeed a most storied and widely travelled war time period.. And of course, the 1st Skins were out in the east.

    Since Jan 2012, I've also a number of new things including:

    - A month by month narrative of the Irish Brigade's progress from Algiers to Villach during Nov 1942 to May 1945 :

    http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/month-by-month-campaign-narrative..php

    - A number of unpublished personal memories, including those of Major Lawrie Franklyn -Vaile, Capt Percy Hamilton MC and Major Mervyn Davies MC.

    http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/eyewitness-accounts.php

    - the transcription of Pat Scott's narrative in Italy, more to be added.

    http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/eyewitness-accounts/irish-brigade-in-italy-by-brigadier-tpd-scott-transcribed.php

    - regularly updated news stories.

    http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/news--articles.php

    best
     
    4jonboy likes this.
  5. Our bill

    Our bill Well-Known Member

    Bexley84 A Big Thankyou to you for your links to a fantastic site and great information. I have had a most enjoyable time reading and getting an education from all your links . Forever in this site and members debt for being so sharing in what you yourselves have learnt. Elsie
     
  6. bexley84

    bexley84 Well-Known Member

    Elsie,

    Ta very muchly...5 years ago when my Dad died, I knew the square root of ... .. very little..... about what my Dad and his mates did for 2 1/2 years... Now I know a little bit more about that period but still learning.

    Nec Aspera Terrent.

    best wishes
     
  7. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Richard-you are far too modest :wink:
     

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