The last stand of 2nd Bn Royal Munster Fusiliers at Etreux, Acrylic in progress

Discussion in 'Prewar' started by soren1941, Dec 17, 2009.

  1. soren1941

    soren1941 Living in Ypres

    This one is in progress, I thought that you might like to be kept updated::


    Here is some info:
    The Etreux Action

    And the trusted wikipedia here:

    Étreux - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    The 2nd. Royal Munster Fusiliers, in their very first action in France, achieved a military feat unparalleled in modern warfare.[1] A brigade may occasionally have the task of trying to delay a whole enemy division. A division may perhaps be deployed in an attempt to turn aside or halt an advancing army corps - but for a single battalion to stem the advance of an entire army by their sole action was unprecedented. In fact, less than a battalion strength, just 3 companies of the 2nd. Battalion of The Munsters halted the advance of the German Army for fourteen hours in the area of Oisny & Etreux during the retreat from Mons, thus enabling the rest of the British Army to withdraw to a safe distance of twelve miles. They were outnumbered at odds of over 6 to 1, and when finally defeated, the survivors were congratulated on their supreme bravery by the German soldiers they had fought.

    In 1922, a cross was erected in an orchard in Etreux, just behind the railway station, to the memory of 120 men of the Munsters's 2nd. Battalion who fell there in their last stand on 27th. August 1914. The officers and men of the Regiment who died in that battle are buried there alongside the carved monumental cross dedicated to their memory. Part of the inscription reads " In proud and lasting memory of ..... the officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the 2nd. Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers ..... who laid down their lives during The Great War in the cause of Freedom and Justice, 1914-1918"
    Here is some info:
    The Etreux Action

    And the trusted wikipedia here:

    Étreux - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    The 2nd. Royal Munster Fusiliers, in their very first action in France, achieved a military feat unparalleled in modern warfare.[1] A brigade may occasionally have the task of trying to delay a whole enemy division. A division may perhaps be deployed in an attempt to turn aside or halt an advancing army corps - but for a single battalion to stem the advance of an entire army by their sole action was unprecedented. In fact, less than a battalion strength, just 3 companies of the 2nd. Battalion of The Munsters halted the advance of the German Army for fourteen hours in the area of Oisny & Etreux during the retreat from Mons, thus enabling the rest of the British Army to withdraw to a safe distance of twelve miles. They were outnumbered at odds of over 6 to 1, and when finally defeated, the survivors were congratulated on their supreme bravery by the German soldiers they had fought.

    In 1922, a cross was erected in an orchard in Etreux, just behind the railway station, to the memory of 120 men of the Munsters's 2nd. Battalion who fell there in their last stand on 27th. August 1914. The officers and men of the Regiment who died in that battle are buried there alongside the carved monumental cross dedicated to their memory. Part of the inscription reads " In proud and lasting memory of ..... the officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the 2nd. Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers ..... who laid down their lives during The Great War in the cause of Freedom and Justice, 1914-1918"
    Here is some info:
    The Etreux Action

    And the trusted wikipedia here:

    Étreux - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    The 2nd. Royal Munster Fusiliers, in their very first action in France, achieved a military feat unparalleled in modern warfare.[1] A brigade may occasionally have the task of trying to delay a whole enemy division. A division may perhaps be deployed in an attempt to turn aside or halt an advancing army corps - but for a single battalion to stem the advance of an entire army by their sole action was unprecedented. In fact, less than a battalion strength, just 3 companies of the 2nd. Battalion of The Munsters halted the advance of the German Army for fourteen hours in the area of Oisny & Etreux during the retreat from Mons, thus enabling the rest of the British Army to withdraw to a safe distance of twelve miles. They were outnumbered at odds of over 6 to 1, and when finally defeated, the survivors were congratulated on their supreme bravery by the German soldiers they had fought.

    In 1922, a cross was erected in an orchard in Etreux, just behind the railway station, to the memory of 120 men of the Munsters's 2nd. Battalion who fell there in their last stand on 27th. August 1914. The officers and men of the Regiment who died in that battle are buried there alongside the carved monumental cross dedicated to their memory. Part of the inscription reads " In proud and lasting memory of ..... the officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the 2nd. Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers ..... who laid down their lives during The Great War in the cause of Freedom and Justice, 1914-1918"
     

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  2. soren1941

    soren1941 Living in Ypres

    Further along
     

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  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Great Stuff mate...Love the Rifleman with his cap back to front.
     
  4. soren1941

    soren1941 Living in Ypres

    A little further again
     

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  5. soren1941

    soren1941 Living in Ypres

    A little further
     

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  6. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Major Paul Charrier, the charasmatic Company Commander who fell in this action, wore a solar topee on the 27th; something he always wore, with the Hackle of the RMF in it.

    You might also find this of interest?

    2nd Royal Munster Fusiliers - Great War Forum
     
  7. soren1941

    soren1941 Living in Ypres

    Major Paul Charrier, the charasmatic Company Commander who fell in this action, wore a solar topee on the 27th; something he always wore, with the Hackle of the RMF in it.

    Would this resemble a pith helmet?
     
  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    a solar topee
    Would this resemble a pith helmet?

    Two Patterns here.
    [​IMG]
     
  9. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  10. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Two Patterns here.
    [​IMG]

    The one Charrier wore is on the right (the MO with the Red Cross armband).
     
  11. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Soren,

    Another great painting that captures the atmosphere.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  12. soren1941

    soren1941 Living in Ypres

    I'm certain that I will never be that talennted
     
  13. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Your art is just different, mate - and there's plenty of talent there!
     
  14. soren1941

    soren1941 Living in Ypres

    I had looked for a photo of him, but no dice, so I've made him up...
     

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  15. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Soren

    as ever ,excellent work and please contine to share.
     
  16. Quarterfinal

    Quarterfinal Well-Known Member

    Irish media has featured that a haunting painting - once thought 'lost' - has been reported sold for €24,500 at a recent auction.
    upload_2023-12-21_18-33-48.jpeg
    "The Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois" by Italian war artist Fortunino Matania is a depiction of the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers receiving "absolution" from Chaplain Father Francis Gleeson on the eve of the Battle of Aubers Ridge in May 1915. Matania's painting is imbued with a sense of impending doom - many of the battalion died during the battle the following day. He was not present at the scene, but based the work on eyewitness accounts gathered by Jessie Rickard, who is believed to have commissioned the painting to honour her husband, Lieutenant-Colonel Victor Rickard, who perished during the battle.
    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/f...-details/583819/victor-george-howard-rickard/
    Jessie Louisa Rickard - Wikipedia
    The original painting was understood to have been lost in London during the Blitz according to
    "Lost" painting depicting Irish heroism during WWI fetches €24k at auction
    albeit unconfirmed.
     
  17. Warlord

    Warlord Veteran wannabe

    What a beaut, as usual :salut:
     

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