BORN ST. JOHNS TOWN, DUBLIN 1892. SON OF CHARLES & ELIZABETH WARD, OF HULL.
ENLISTED AT Clonmel, County Tipperary. A REGULAR ARMY SOLDIER. SERVED IN THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, WITH THE 2ND BATTALION, ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT. WOUNDED ON 22/12/1917. AWARDED THE MILITARY MEDAL (MM) FOR BRAVERY. DIED ON 27/09/1918. BURIED AT BUCQUOY ROAD CEMETERY, FICHEUX, PAS DE CALAIS, FRANCE. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS SISTER, MARGARET.
HIS GRAVE INSCRIPTION READS, “ON HIS SOUL SWEET JESUS HAVE MERCY R.I.P.”
HIS HULL ADDRESS IS NOT LISTED IN THE PENSION LEDGERS.
The Royal Irish Rifles raised 3 Battalions and gained 47 battle honors during the course of the war.
1st Battalion
04.08.1914 Stationed at Nasirabad, India.
13.10.1914 Embarked for England from Bombay arriving at Devonport, Plymouth and then moved to Winchester as part of the 82nd Brigade of the 27th Division.
20.12.1914 Mobilised for war and landed at Havre and engaged in various actions on the Western Front including;
1915
The action of St Eloi, The Second Battle of Ypres.
28.11.1915 Embarked for Salonika from Marseilles arriving 05.12.1915 and engaged in various actions against the Bulgarian Army including;
1916
The capture of Karajakois, The capture of Yenikoi.
03.11.1916 Transferred to the 30th Brigade of the 10th Division;
Kosturino, Retreat from Serbia, Capture of the Karajokois, Capture of Yenikoi.
02.09.1917 Sailed to Egypt arriving 06.09.1917 and engaged in various actions against the Turkish Army including;
Third Battle of Gaza, Capture of the Sheria Position, Capture of Jerusalem, Defence of Jerusalem, Tell ‘Asure, Battle of Nablus.
31.10.1918 Ended the war at Burka N.W. of Nablus, Palestine.
2nd Battalion
04.08.1914 Stationed at Devonport as part of the 8th Brigade of the 3rd Division
14.08.1914 Mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne.
24.10.1914 Transferred to Army troops to defence the Lines of Communication.
14.03.1915 Transferred to the 12th Brigade of the 4th Division at Le Bizet.
26.07.1915 Transferred to the 11th Brigade of the 4th Division which engaged in various actions on the Western Front including;
1916
The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Le Transloy.
22.05.1916 Transferred to the 22nd Brigade of the 7th Division.
14.10.1916 Transferred to the 49th Brigade of the 16th Division at Kemmel;
1917
The Battle of Messines, The Battle of Langemark.
23.04.1918 Transferred the 188th Brigade of the 63rd Division;
1918
The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of Bapaume, The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Drocourt-Queant, The Battle of the Canal du Nord, The Battle of Cambrai 1918, The passage of the Grand Honelle, The Final Advance in Picardy.
11.11.1918 Ended the war at Spiennes south of Mons, France.
3rd (Reserve) Battalion
04.08.1914 Stationed at Clonmel and the moved to Dublin.
Sept 1916 Moved to Templemore Co. Tipperary.
End o f 1917 Moved back to Dublin.
April 1918 Moved to England as part of the Irish Reserve Brigade at Larkhill.
