The Wartime Memories Project - The Great War
11th (South Antrim) (Service) Battalion The Royal Irish Rifles

If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation. Search this site:     Site Home     Index of Memories     Index of Photographs  Features     Allied Army     Central Powers Army     The Home Front     The War in the Air     Prisoners of War     Ships of WWI     Women at War     Can you Answer?     World War Two  Submissions     How to add Memories     Add Your Memories     Message Board     View the Guestbook     Sign the Guestbook     Printable Memories Form  Schools     School`s Study Center     Children's Bookshop  Information     Your Family History     Contact us     News     Bookshop     About     Links    Newsletter. World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great

The 11th (South Antrim) (Service) Battalion of the The Royal Irish Rifles was part of 108th Brigade 36th Division. Raised in County Antrim in September 1914 from the Antrim Volunteers. The battalion commenced training in December 1914 at Clandeboye. In July 1915 they moved to to Seaford and then to France in October 1915 landing at Boulogne. They saw action in the Battle of the Somme at Theipval Wood. On the 13th Nov 1917 the 11th Btn amalgamated with 13th Bn to form 11th/13th Bn. the 11th/13th was disbanded in France on the 18th Feb. 1918. The Ulster Tower, at Theipval is a memorial to the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division, built as a copy of Helen's Tower at Clandeboye, County Down, where men of the 36th Division trained. There is a small visitor centre with a cafe behind the tower which is staffed by members of the Somme Association. Inside the tower is a small chapel with a number of paintings and plaques from Northern Ireland. Today Theipval Wood is owned by The Somme Association and guided tours are available of a section of recently excavated trenches. Please note that Theipval Wood is not open the public, it is used by French huntsmen who use live ammunition and who will shoot, you are putting yourself at risk by entering without permission. Please go to the visitor centre at the Ulster Tower to arrange a guided tour. A DVD is now available, released for the official opening of the wood for guided tours on the 1st of July 2006, follows the Community Archeology Project, undertaken by The Somme Association and No Man's Land, The European Group for Great War Archaeology. You can order a copy on-line by clicking the image below: Theipval Wood 90 Years On: Revealing History through Archaeology. Click here for more information. List of those who served with 11th (South Antrim) (Service) Battalion, The Royal Irish Rifles during The Great War. Rifleman Dickson Adams. (d.7th Sept 1916) J H Davison (d. 1st July 1916) 2nd Lt T M Bond Capt C F K Ewart Mjr E F Smyth MC. Captain O B Webb W Webster (d. 1st July 1916) Joseph Watson (d. 1st July 1916) If you have a story or any photographs which you would like to share please get in touch. Send an E-mail to Website and ALL Material © Copyright MM - All Rights Reserved