Chris_Baker Posted 13 October , 2003 Share Posted 13 October , 2003 It seems a large number of men transferred from the Hussars to the 2nd Royal Irish Regiment, being given numbers in the region 8500-8700. It looks from the earliest date of death of these men to have been before October 1915, and I believe it could have been in May or June of that year. Does anyone have any specific knowledge of which regiment of Hussars, and when this transfer might have taken place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 13 October , 2003 Share Posted 13 October , 2003 Both regiments are remembered in the exhibits at the Eastbourne Redoubt (recently visited on a rota basis by the S/East Pals), and were garrisoned there around the turn of the century. Excuse me if I have got this totally wrong but did the 20 Hussars amalgamate with a battalion of the Royal Irish to become Royal Irish Hussars. This may later have been linked to the Royal Sussex Regiment in some way. Chris if I am talking rubbish I apologise but I think as absurd as this may sound, there is some connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 13 October , 2003 Share Posted 13 October , 2003 Sorry Chris I was wrong as you have probably realised. The 4 and 8 (not 20th) Hussars amalgamated, but it wasnt until the 50's to form the Royal Irish Hussars. Both these original regiments had been garisoned in Sussex previously. Interestingly the Royal Sussex Regiment was raised in Belfast. Of course none of this helps you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick ODwyer Posted 13 October , 2003 Share Posted 13 October , 2003 Chris I am interested in this but have no answer. I haven't heard of any such transfer from the 7th Hussars, 13th Hussars, 14th Hussars or 20th Hussars. Could it have been from one of the Yeomanry Regiments. The numbers seem to be relatively low (4 figure) which to me implies they were pre-war enlistments but I'll have to re-check that. Can I ask your source - it may help? Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted 14 October , 2003 Share Posted 14 October , 2003 I've not come across this one before. I'm certain no men from the 10th Hussars were involved though the Regiment included its fair share of 'Micks'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 14 October , 2003 Author Share Posted 14 October , 2003 This began with a soldier that I am researching. He served with the 2nd Royal Irish Regiment, and lost his life during the fight for Bazentin le Petit in July 1916. "Soldiers Died" showed him as being with the Hussars before the RIR, although his medal entitlement documents do not mention this. I started to look at other men with nearby numbers in the battalion, and discovered that he was not alone. As he came from that way, I thought it might be the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry, but none of the other soldiers came from anywhere near that part of England. He moved to France June 1915, and by that time was with RIR. By the way, anyone interested might like to see the war diary of the 2nd Royal Irish Regiment, that I transcribed and now have on the website. Click here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Dodd Posted 15 October , 2003 Share Posted 15 October , 2003 Hi, I think the answer to this may be the fact that in October 1914 the 2nd Battalion of the Irish Regiment really took a hammering at Le Pilly to put it nicely, you may as well say that the whole battalion was either Killed wounded or taken prisioner. I now that what was left of the battalion was taken back and then it wasn't too long before they were almost back to full strength. So my guess is that a lot of these men where these Hussars and others as well. I can find out when the battalion was back fighting after Le Pilly if you like. Cheers Conor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 15 October , 2003 Share Posted 15 October , 2003 Chris I think that the answer lies in the Army Transfer Act of May 1915. This removed the right of a Territorial not to be posted to another unit without his agreement. As a result some 5,000 Yeoman were transferred to the Infantry. Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxman Posted 5 May , 2005 Share Posted 5 May , 2005 Chris, a bit late, but seems to fit in with your earlier thoughts re Hussars to 2RIR. I've cut and paste part of my submission on another thread :- William Charles Cowley, Pte 8158., 2RIR "Whilst researching the family tree my Great Aunt remembered that her father had spoken of a brother who'd died in the Great War, who turned out to be the above named. A search of local newspapers revealed that He stood 6 ft tall, was 20yrs and in September 1914 he joined the 4th Hussars, trained in Dublin for 10 months and then transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment (Regimental number 8158) and went to France. Reports say that he was shot and wounded on either the 23/11/15 or 27/11/15 (different dates in different reports) in the vicinity of Arras and suffered a fractured spine. It is said he was shot by a sniper whilst leaving a trench. The paper copies a letter from an E.D. Smail, sister in charge of a CCS. He then went to a base hospital in Rouen. He was subsequently transferred to the Royal Victoria Military Hospital at Netley Abbey, his relatives were called for urgently just before Xmas 1915. He died on the 23rd February 1916 at the hospital and was brought home to Peel, Isle of Man for burial on the 27th Feb. 1916. There was a lot of press coverage because apparently he was the first of the Peel boys who died to actually be brought home. It is reported there was a guard of honour numbering 500 men from the Knockaloe internment camp guard, along with the band of the 10th Company KLR. The local Oddfellows (he was a member), lifeboat crew and rocket brigade all paraded. It is said that large crowds had greeted his coffin when it had been taken to his father's (Henry Cowley) house the night before burial, outside the chapel during the funeral service and at the graveside." His MIC shows him as entering theatre of war 28/06/15, with the RIR: if the newspaper is accurate, he transferred in about May 1915. His number is near to the range that you spoke of in your original post. Did you ever discover whether or not there was a mass transfer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxman Posted 5 May , 2005 Share Posted 5 May , 2005 Further to above "soldiers died .........." shows William Cowley as formerly 23047, K.O. Hussars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxman Posted 16 August , 2005 Share Posted 16 August , 2005 Just bringing to top For Chris Baker, Did you learn any more on this subject? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxman Posted 5 May , 2006 Share Posted 5 May , 2006 bringing this to the top I want to try and establish William Charles Cowley's intial Regiment. Contemporary newspaper reports state that he joined the 4th Hussars, at Dublin in September 1914. From what I've seen elsewhere this Regiment was the "Queen's own", he went to France and subsequently died with the 2 Royal irish Regiment. As he was already with 2 RIR when he went overseas, there is no mention of his hussar service in his MIC. What confuses me is that SDGW show him as"formerly 23047 K.O. Hussars" and not Queen's own. Is this simply a mistake? perhaps by a relative. Can anyone tell me did the 4th Hussars have their depot at Dublin in 1914? Does 23047 look like a 4th Hussars number? Is there a regimental museum? if so has anyone had experience of what info. they likely hold (I have already found that his record is not at the NA) thanks one and all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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