The Wartime Memories Project - The Great War
14th (Young Citizens) (Service) Battalion, The Royal Irish Rifles



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14th (Young Citizens) (Service) Battalion of the The Royal Irish Rifles was formed in Belfast in September 1914, from the Belfast Volunteers. The Battalion was attached to 109th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division. They saw action in the Battle of the Somme at Theipval Wood.

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:









List of those who served with 14th (Young Citizens) (Service) Battalion, The Royal Irish Rifles during The Great War.

  • T Blair (d. 1st July 1916)
  • R Bothwell (d. 1st July 1916)
  • W E Bustard (d. 1st July 1916)
  • W Devlin (d. 1st July 1916)
  • J Dobbin (d. 1st July 1916)
  • J H Fitzsimons (d. 1st July 1916)
  • J Henderson (d. 1st July 1916)
  • A McCleery (d. 1st July 1916)
  • Private William Frederick McFadzean VC. 14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. Read his story
  • Samuel McIlroy attd. 109th Light Trench Mortar Bty. (d. 1st July 1916)
  • John Trid Moore attd. 109th Light Trench Mortar Bty. (d. 1st July 1916)
  • Arthur Galway Morrow (d. 1st July 1916)
  • Charles Owen Slacke (d. 1st July 1916)




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