by Liam Dodd

Navan 18th September, 1916

The interment took place here today in the New Cemetery with full military honours of Sergeant John Wither, a Crimean veteran aged 81 years and who enlisted in Mullingar on the 17th March 1854 in the 41st Regiment at the age of 17 years and 10 months, being discharged at Barbadoes in September 1869. He was a native of Munster-Connaught, Knockarchee, Co. Cavan, and had 13 years 3 months foreign service and held the Crimean and Turkish medals and clasps for distinguished service at Sebastopol. 

by Michael Scott

Genappe and Afterwards

On the evening of 18 June 1815, the Emperor Napoleon left the fateful field of Waterloo and, escorted by a few staff officers and a small mounted escort, made his way on horseback to the village of Genappe, some five kilometres to the south. In the narrow streets of the village the retreating French troops, fearful of the Prussians at their heels, had degenerated into an undisciplined mob and were struggling to cross a small bridge to the relative safety of the other side of a river. In the middle of this melee of some 40,000 fleeing soldiers stood the Emperor’s great campaign coach and another carrying some of his goods and chattles and although he managed to reach the first in safety it could not be moved in the crush.

1/Leinster Regt

The Roll shows all dates of service as 7 Dec. '95 to 5 Feb '96, unless specified otherwise. Stars to the Regt. were issued. Regimentally named. The stars were issued 19 August 1896. Roll signed by Lt. Col. Stopford, G Gds (later Commander of Gallipoli invasion!)

Lieutenant-General Sir Ian Harris, KBE, CB, DSO, GOC Northern Ireland, 1966-69, died on March 12 aged 88. He was born on July 7, 1910.

Tommy Harris - as he was known for most of his life - was a Royal Ulster Rifleman who came from Southern Ireland and buit up his connections with the North through his military career and, after his retirement from the Army, through his association with the Irish Bloodstock Breeders. 

The son of J.W.A. Harris, owner of the Ballykisteen and Victor Stud, at Golden, Tipperary, he was educated at Portora Royal School, Enniskillen and Sandhurst, and was commissioned into the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1930. He acquired his nickname Tommy because as a young man straight from Sandhurst he habitually referred to his rifle men, much to their indignation, as tommies. 

Incident in India Leads to Discharge From Army

News Feature in the “Weekly Freeman” Saturday August 27th 1921.

Mr. Geoffrey O’Donoghue, only son of the O’Donoghues of The Glens, arrived in Athlone on Saturday after being discharged from the 2nd Batt. Dublin Fusiliers, stationed in India, on a visit to his aunts at Ballinahoun Court.

by James O'Day

Two officers of the 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers, Captains John Chaffey and F.J.B. Thackwell on a hunting expedition in Terai, Bengal during the hot season of 1869 encountered a tigress with two cubs. Captain Thackwell managed to shoot the tigress, an injury which necessitated amputation and which led to his death a few days later.

3rd BN, The Royal Irish Rifles

by Dr. F.K. Mitchell

Some twenty years ago I acquired for my collection of military medals of South African interest, a Cape of Good Hope General Service medal with clasp "BECHUANALAND" engraved to "CAPT. E. C. GIRDWOOD - ROYAL IRISH RIFLES". 

I was delighted. This medal was awarded by the Cape Colonial Government with Royal approval to survivors with clasp "Basutoland" or "Transkei" for service in 1880-81 in the Gun War of Basutoland or the Pondomisi Rebellion in Transkei, and for the Langeberg campaign in Bechuanaland (now Botswana) in 1896. Some 5,000 medals were issued, but as the entire proceedings were undertaken by the colonial government, only a handful of imperial military personnel were present - and then usually in an "observer" capacity.

by Liam Dodd

The Military Hospital started its life in April 1877 as the Meath Industrial School for Protestant boys. However, in 1917 it was taken over by the British Army as casualties mounted on the Western Front. It remained a hospital until April 1932 when the remaining patients were transferred to Leopardstown. In Thom's Directory of 1918, the building was listed as a "Military Orthopaedic Hospital".

by Eamonn O'Toole