Connaught Rangers

Within days of the execution of the French King Louis XVI, the Revolutionary Government of France declared war on Great Britain and Holland. The British Army, which consisted of 44,000 all ranks. The urgent need to defend the Empire saw the 88th regiment raised on the 25^th September 1793 by Hon. John Thomas de Burgh of Galway.

The 88th and 94th were to become the First and Second battalion Connaught Rangers under Cardwell Reforms.

During their service they would fight on most continents of the World. Their most famous war trophy is the “Jingling Jonnie”. The Jingling Jonnie was captured from the French at the battle of Salamanca on 22nd July 1812, during the Peninsular Wars 1808-1814. It is believed that this much prized trophy was captured by the French from the Turks during an earlier campaign.

The Regiment also saw service in the Boer War and were present for the Relief of Ladysmith.

The 1st Battalion sailed on the Bavarian about 10th November 1899, arrived at the Cape about the 28th, and was sent to Durban.  Along with the 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 1st Border Regiment, and 1st Dublin Fusiliers, they formed the 5th or Irish Brigade under Major General Fitzroy Hart. 

At Colenso the Connaught Rangers were in the thickest, and their losses were very heavy, being approximately 24 men killed, 2 officers and 103 men wounded, and 2 officers and 23 men missing: these latter had got so far forward that they either did not receive the order to retire or were unable to get back.  General Buller mentioned one incident which will long be remembered by the regiment.  “His colonel being severely wounded, Private Livingstone removed him through a hot fire, and though receiving a bullet in the neck, continued until he had put Colonel Brook under cover, 200 yards back”.

At the battle of Spionkop, 20^th to 24^th January 1900, the Connaughts were at Venter’s Spruit but was not so heavily engaged as the Border Regiment and Dublins, and their losses were trifling.

Geberal Buller’s final successful attempt to relieve Ladysmith was through Colenso and Pieters. In the attack on Hart’s Hill, on 23rd February 1900, the assault was delivered by the Inniskilling’s, the Connaught Rangers, and part of the Dublin’s.  That day the battalion lost 7 officers wounded, 19 men killed and over 100 wounded. 

Four officers were mentioned in General Buller’s despatch of 30th March 1900, and 3 men were recommended for the distinguished conduct medal.

Once Ladysmith had been relieved and the Battalion rested, about the middle of April 1900, the Connaught’s along with the Border Regiment and 2nd Dublin’s, were once more at the Cape. Major General Hart remained as brigadier and the place of the Inniskillings, being taken by the Somerset Light Infantry. 

The brigade having assisted to relieve Wepener, was railed to the Transvaal western border, and the greater part of it marched east with Sir Archibald Hunter, whose task it was to give the Mafeking relief column a clear start and thereafter occupy the towns in the Western Transvaal. 

In the latter half of June the Connaught Rangers and Border Regiment were at Irene, east of the Pretoria-Johannesburg line, where they were placed under Colonel Mahon, just returned from his brilliant relief of Mafeking. 

On 18th July the battalion, along with the Royal Fusiliers, joined a column north-east of Pretoria which was to support Ian Hamilton’s larger column in his movement on Bronkhorst Spruit by the north of the railway line. 

In the autumn the Rangers were brought down to Cape Colony to assist in keeping the enemy to the north of the Orange River, an endeavour which was not completely successful.

Fourteen officers and 17 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in Lord Roberts’ final despatch.

At the end of November 1900 Major General Macdonald was in command of a strong force in the Aliwal North district, which included this battalion and, temporarily, the 1st Suffolk.  In this neighbourhood the battalion remained till about the close of the war during which time they were frequently engaged. 

On 14th July 1901 the Connaught Rangers under Major Moore, intrenched in a position at Zuurvlakte, between Aliwal North and Jamestown, had to withstand a determined attack by the combined commandos of Fouche and Myburg.  The enemy pressed forward with great boldness, but were finally driven off at dusk after many hours’ fighting, during which their casualties were 7 men killed and 3 officers and 17 men wounded. All these belonged to the battalion.

Three men were mentioned in despatches by Lord Kitchener for gallantry on this occasion.  Five officers and 5 non-commissioned officers were mentioned in Lord Kitchener’s final despatch.

The Connaught Rangers went on to serve in the Great War (WW1) and during
the later stages of the battle of the Somme, at a small town called Guillemount, Pte. Thomas won a V.C. for extreme bravery while wounded; he disarmed a German machine gun section.

They were gassed in France at Pilckem Ridge; the 6th battalion was for all intents and purposes wiped out at Rosieres. The same fate had happened to the 2nd battalion in November 1914 while they were the rear guard to the allied troops during the retreat from Mons.

The Regiment was to be supported by the reserve battalions, The 3rd Battalion was
formed up in Galway and the 4th were formed up here in Boyle, from where many young local men went to their death.

After the war during a spell of duty in the Punjab, in India, some members of
the 2nd battalion mutinied and were imprisoned. Private James Daly was executed, while others had their sentences reduced from death to penal servitude for life.

After the formation of the Free State they were released back to Ireland.

The regiment was disbanded on 12th of June 1922 under the recommendations
of the, Geddes Committee on National Expenditure.