Royal Munster Fusiliers August 1914 - first battles.....

[casperdog]

Royal Munster Fusiliers August 1914 - first battles.....

 

On the way back from Guise, Northern France, on Thursday 9th August 2018  (the old fort photograph is Guise in the quaint town of that name it was badly damaged by German shellfire and held among other things artillery shells and other munitions), I wanted to see a British War Cemetery and was kindly allowed to stop on the return trip to do so. I was seeing family in Northern France.The Citroen C4 space cruiser stopped and I hopped out to take a few quick photographs and remember the fallen. It was a random stop and I just felt 2018 was a highly significant year of course.

 

I hadn't expected to see an Irish regiment marked here, but I was in for a surprise.

The early stages of World War One saw a small but highly professional British Expeditionary Force, or BEF, outnumbered by larger German forces and much of the early stages was a holding (or rear guard) operation.

We stopped at the British (and Irish) war Grave in the village of Etreux and surrounding area was one such rear guard action. I did wonder why I came across a large Celtic Cross in a sleepy French village. The Royal Munster Fusiliers, an Irish regiment, fought against an ever growing numbers of enemy. They paid a high price as this cemetery shows. The actions took place in late August 1914. 

The machine gun and artillery piece were WW1 and in the disused fort in the town of Guise.

 

As most of you know the British Army was falling back all over the front at that early stage of the war and it was quite a fluid situation. I wonder if they had more men they would have stopped the Germans and pushed them back?

 

Please enjoy these few very recent photographs I took.

 

Below the tower remains at Guise much else was destroyed by German shell fire, the old village seems fairly intact though. Worth a wander if you're in the area....

 

A 75 mm French artillery piece

 

I think this is a French machine gun but not 100% sure? Does anyone know?

 

Etreux British War Cemetery....

Edited 11 August , 2018 by casperdog

[Jervis]

Thanks for sharing the story and the pictures. The stand at Etreux is moving stuff. 

 

I hope to visit the site some day...

[corisande]

There is quite an informative thread on the Forum about the Munsters and this action - click

[casperdog]

22 hours ago, Jervis said:

Thanks for sharing the story and the pictures. The stand at Etreux is moving stuff. 

 

I hope to visit the site some day...

 

Jervis

 

thank you.

 

As it was 2018 I really felt , while I was over in France, it was right to stop at least at one cemetery. As my Mother was from Roscommon too it seemed right that I happened upon this memorial to Irish troops.

 

Dave

3 hours ago, corisande said:

There is quite an informative thread on the Forum about the Munsters and this action - click

 

Corisande,

 

yes that was most informative, thank you.

 

Dave