Pte James Kavanagh MM.2nd R.Irish Rifles

[tony paley]

On a recent visit to the Salient I decided to visit some CWGC sites a little off the track, and not previously visited by me. Whilst browsing Kandahar Farm Cemetery not far from Wulvergen I noticed the grave of a James Kavanagh 17 years, A Coy. 2nd Batt. Royal Irish Rifles who was KIA on 6th September 1918. James was from Summerhill Bridge, Dublin. I now have a photograph of his grave and would appreciate any information regarding his MM. so that I can include a small tribute in my album. Thanking you in anticipation.

Tony P.

[Murrough]

I don't have any further info but this appears to be his 1911 census return

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/page...iam_Lane/80535/

another thing,I always thought you had to be over 18 to serve overseas.

[Murrough]

Pte.Kavanagh's MM was listed in the the LG on the 16/8/1917, the 2nd Rifles were part of the 74th brigade attached to 25th Div.The 25th Div had been involved in the Battle of Messines 7-14th June,the 2nd Rifles were involved in the the successful attack on the 7/6/17 and took 200 prisoners (3rd Bavarian Div.) 5 machine guns and 2 trench mortars.their casualties were 2 officers and 23 men KIA or DoWwith 5 officers and 216 men wounded.While I have no definitive proof,I would suggest that Pte.Kavanaghs MM was most likely for actions at this time, It looks like Pte Kavanagh was probably one of the youngest recipients of the MM,thanks for highlighting it.

Regards,

Murrough.

[tony paley]

Murrough,

Thanks for the information. His age and the award of the MM. is what caught my eye. Just shows what you can discover by visiting CWGC sites a little off the beaten track. It looks like he probably gave a false age which was discovered after he was KIA.

Tony P

[tony paley]

Murrough,

Having had a closer look at your post it would seem that James was actually 16 years when he was awarded his MM. the census confirms this, lets hope some pals can provide more information.

tony P

[johnny_doyle]

came across 5915 James Kavanagh MM whilst searching for another James Kavanagh from Dublin supposed to have died during WW1.

There's a note here with a date 16/8/1917 :

http://royalirishrifles.webs.com/otherranksaward.htm

[Desmond7]

Source Falls (for September 5,6,7,8, 1918)

That night the 2nd Battalion, with " D " Company of the 1st, was ordered to relieve the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers, and to carry out a new attack on the 6th. But the relief was, if truth be told, something of a muddle. The orders gave little time for the necessary movements to be carried out. And in their course the enemy poured down upon the area one of the heaviest gas bombardments that any man there remembered to have experienced. Messengers, with their masks on, lost their way in the darkness, or were overcome with vomiting.

It was the night of the new moon, and the officers and men in the Battalion who knew the country realty well were but a handful. As a result, several platoons were late, and were not in position when dawn broke. And the road from Neuve Eglise to Wulverghem ran down a forward slope, completely exposed to the enemy's numerous and well-placed artillery, so that no movement of formed bodies of troops was possible in daylight. For the troops not in their positions of assembly there was nothing for it but to take cover by the roadside and wait.

Then came orders for the new attack to he launched at 4 p.m., with the objective of the old British front line of the days before the Battle of Messines, from Gabion Farm on the Douve on the right to the Wulverghem - Messines road at Boyle's Farm on the left. The 36th Divisional Artillery had now its batteries up, and was prepared to put down an effective barrage, advancing at the rate of 100 yards in three minutes, and then forming a protective curtain beyond the objective. A," B " and " C Companies were disposed in front line, with " D " and " D " of the 1st Battalion in support.

Lieut.-Colonel Bridcutt had a difficult task, and organized it cleverly. At " zero " the platoons not already in position began to advance in columns of sections, taking what cover they could and picking their way through wire, largely uncut. Rain was falling heavily, it was impossible to complete time advance till dusk began to screen the troops from the German machine gunners. Germans appearing on the left flank, time men began to fancy they were surrounded, though the hard-pressed Germans were really in no mood to counter-attack at that moment. To reassure them, Colonel Bridcutt brought up his " D ' Company to form a defensive line between the front and support lines.

All objectives were taken eventually except Gabion and Boyle's Farms.

These were later reached about dawn on the 7th, but the company commander on the spot decided not to hold the latter owing to its exposed position and the fact that it was a mark for the enemy's gunners. He established his line from thirty to forty yards west of it. In this his judgement was confirmed by his commanding officer. Nineteen prisoners and eight machine guns, as well as a trench-mortar, had been captured. So secure did the position appear that Colonel Bridcutt sent back the company of the 1st Irish Rifles, to save them from the bombardment.

His own battalion had suffered severely, having 170 casualties, whereof 150 had been wounded, or gassed during the relief on the night of the 5th. It is sometimes said that there was by this time a falling-off in the clash and bravery of the British Army from the days of, let us say, Ypres, 1917. This may have been so in cases where the youths who filled the ranks of so many battalions after the defeats of the spring had not been fully trained and hardened. But it is obvious that there was not much wrong with a Battalion that could go forward across open wire-strewn ground, in face of heavy artillery fire and machine guns so numerous that eight could be captured on its own front, could suffer loss such as this, and win its objectives.

On the morning of the 8th the enemy attempted a counter-attack, two groups moving forward, after a very heavy bombardment, upon posts in our front line. They were annihilated by Lewis-gun lire, and a wounded survivor of each captured. That night the front was widened, down to Hyde Park Corner, in " Plug Street" Wood, and taken over by the 1st Battalion on the right and the 15th on the left, while the 2nd Battalion was withdrawn for a well-earned rest at Neuve Eglise. While it was in line, Lieut.-Colonel Hunt returned to the command of the 1st Battalion from hospital.