Commemorating Ireland’s World War 1 links with Guernsey

I travelled to Guernsey on 4 March for a unique World War 1 commemoration. It was my second visit to the island. I had been in Guernsey in June 2014 with the Taoiseach for a session of the British-Irish Council, which meets twice a year, bringing together the Heads of Government from Dublin, London, Belfast, Edinburgh, Cardiff, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey.

During that June visit to Guernsey, I was introduced to a retired teacher from Elizabeth College, Alan Cross, who had a remarkable story to tell me. Alan is a past-President of the Guernsey Sporting Club, which traces its origins back to 1919, when Guernsey veterans of the First World War wanted a place where they could meet and remember their fallen comrades. I discovered that these Guernseymen’s wartime experiences had a strong Irish flavour.

It all started at the outbreak of the war in 1914, when the members of the Royal Guernsey Militia wanted to volunteer for service, but their numbers were insufficient to constitute a regiment of their own. By law, they were also forbidden from serving outside of Guernsey. It was decided, therefore, that they should be attached to an existing regiment of the British Army. The choice was the Royal Irish Regiment whose home base was in Fermoy, Co. Cork.

Why did these Guernseymen choose to join an Irish regiment? After all, there were regiments located in southern England that would have been considerably closer to their island home. The answer is that the Royal Irish Regiment had been stationed in Guernsey between 1910 and 1913. The Irish soldiers had evidently made a very positive impression on their hosts and there are accounts in the local media of the Irish regimental band playing at village fêtes and of members of the regiment playing rugby with local teams.

On the 4th of March 1915, 247 members of the Royal Guernsey Militia marched from their barracks through St. Peter Port to the harbour for embarkation to Weymouth and then on to Cork. Large crowds of well-wishers lined their route to the harbour.

The Guernseymen joined the 6th Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment, where they became the Battalion’s D Company. They spent 6 months training in Fermoy before being sent to the front in early 1916. The barracks in Fermoy had been built between 1806 and 1809, and at its peak could accommodate almost 3,000 officers and men.

The Guernseymen went to the front in December 1915 and went on to fight at the Somme in 1916 as part of the 16th Irish Division. Of those who left Guernsey in March 1915, at least 60 never returned from the front. Other Guernsey contingents were attached to the Royal Irish Fusiliers and in all up to 800 Guernseymen fought in Irish regiments during the war.

This week Guernsey is commemorating the island's participation in World War 1 and I paid a visit there to mark the occasion. I was delighted to be accompanied by Commandant Patrick O’Connor of the Irish Army, whose regiment was the last contingent to occupy the barracks at Fermoy. In Guernsey, I was received by the Lieutenant Governor, Air Marshall Peter Walker and met with the Chief Minister, Jonathan Le Tocq and the Guernsey Bailiff, Sir Richard Collas. I attended a commemorative event organised by the Guernsey Sporting Club, founded by Royal Irish Regiment veterans, whose insignia still displays the Irish harp. I also participated in a business breakfast hosted by the island’s Treasury Minister, Gavin Le Pier, where I met a significant number of Irish people who are in business in Guernsey. In my remarks, I stressed the importance for Ireland of our Diaspora and encouraged them to continue cultivating business links with Ireland.

The departure of the Guernseymen for Cork is the subject of a centenary re-enactment this weekend in which a colour party from the Irish Defence Forces will participate. I find it fascinating that so many men from Guernsey found themselves in 1915 living in Co. Cork and then fighting side by side with Irishmen in the trenches of the Western Front during those dreadful wartime years. It was a privilege to be able to commemorate this little-known story of Irish and Guernsey involvement in World War 1.

I thank Alan Cross of Guernsey and Fermoy historian, Paudie McGrath, for drawing this extraordinary Ireland-Guernsey link to my attention.

Daniel Mulhall is Ireland’s Ambassador in London.