Royal Irish Rifles - Soldiers and their units - The Great War (1914-1918) Forum Home Serving in the Great War Soldiers and their units Royal Irish Rifles Remembered Today: 25368 Quartermaster Serjeant Leonard Henry CADE Meritorious Service Medal 12th Coy. Welcome to Irelands Great War a program dedicated to exploring Irelands role in the Great War 1914 1918, its aftermath and legacy. He died in 1955, at the age of seventy, and was buried with full military honours at Billy Parish Church, near Bushmills. Royal Welsh Fusiliers who died 11/03/1915 FAUQUISSART MILITARY CEMETERY, LAVENTIE France ' 9th Btn. L/Cpl. July 1915 : moved to Seaford. Hi Janis, He was born at Gilford, Co. Down, 15.11.1898, the son of George and Sarah Jane Harper nee Quinn. 6 November 1914 : landed at Le Havre. Later in the war, he served in Mesopotamia and Egypt and he continued his army career until 1934, finishing with the rank of Sergeant. Royal Irish Rifles (d.21st March 1918), Pte. cojanis15 February , 2019 in Soldiers and their units. In 1888 Wilhelm II was crowned 'German Emperor and King of Prussia' and moved from a policy of maintaining the status quo to a more aggressive position. Moffett Alexander. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for WW1 14th Battalion (Young Citizens Volunteers) Royal Irish Rifles Cap Badge Bras at the best online prices at eBay! This was a XIV Corps operation to secure suitable ground from which to launch the first operation involving tanks, which occurred a few days later at Flers-Courcelette. Formed in County Antrim in September 1914 from the Antrim Volunteers. 12th Batallion, Davison J. H.. 11th Btn. By nightfall, the 12th Battalion had suffered horrific casualties and Quigg learned that Sir Harry Macnaghten was among the missing. Royal Irish Regiment Battalions of the Regular Army 1st Battalion August 1914 : in Nasirabad (where it had been stationed since 1912). Typically eighteen year old recruits received further training, e.g Machine Gun Corps, or were posted to a home service unit until they became of age, this posting would not usually appear on the Medal Rolls. Free shipping for many products! 5 March 1915 : absorbed a company of the Royal Jersey Militia. dailyinfo[27]=' 5778 Private William CUMMINGS 6th Bn. 17117 Lance Corporal. 27563 Pte Sydney James Ward MGC (d.1st Jul 1916), Careswell Ernest Francis. (d.21st March 1915), Morrow Arthur Galway. 2th Btn. (d.7th Jun 1917), Blunden Robert. 4th Bn. (d.20th August 1917), Gorman Gilbert. 2nd Battalion On 13 December, 10 officers and 450 other ranks were moved with only one hours notice to garrison Cairo. Now Sergeant OCathain and The Royal Irish Regiment were mobilised on 9 October and some 695 reported out of a total number recalled of 704. Commemoration Society was formed in October 2012 with the main objective of raising sufficient funds to erect a statue of Robert Quigg V.C. 262 names. The regiment returned home in 1875 and then Rory found himself in Bermuda in 1880 before the unit was amalgamated. You should be aware of a few constraints and limitations. Although the Battle Honour SOMME 1916 covers all the fighting along that sector of the Western Front during those months, twelve subsidiary honours were also awarded. Returned to UK and landed at Liverpool on 22 October 1914. We are incredibly proud of him and how he survived the unimaginable conflict that he endured from 1914 until his discharge in 1917. The events of the day were made even more spectacular by the presence of some 150 members of the Irish Guards the regimental band, the pipes and drums, the regimental mascot, wolfhound Domhnall, and a guard of honour. In July 1968 the three constituent Regiments merged to form the three component battalions of the newly created "Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd & 87th)". Appears to have been at Cawnpore, Allahabad and possibly Shahjahanpur. We have a large archive of soldier records. Like this page to receive our updates, add a comment or ask a question. 23 August 1917 : transferred to 49th Brigade in same Division. Rflmn. Rflmn. (d.7th Jun 1917), Bird Alfred Thomas. (d.7th Jun 1917), Allen Sidney Charles. attchd 11th Btn Royal Irish Rifles, Grainger David. Rflmn. I will send the link to George's son. + AU $7.00 postage. His name was Duff. 1st Btn. There is help on reading map referenceshere. please. Their attack was one of the finest displays of human courage in the world. (d.19th Aug 1918), Patton T. J.. 10th Btn. World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles were based at Tidworth with 7th Brigade, 3rd Division when war broke out in August 1914. [1] The Ottoman Empire had not yet entered the war so the battalion was sent to England in September, where it prepared for a deployment to France, attached to the 25th Infantry Brigade, 8th Division. Royal Irish Rifles (d.1st Jul 1916), Sgt. (d.16th Aug 1917), Bailie David. 6th Battalion, The Royal Irish Rifles were raised at Dublin in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army and joined 29th Brigade, 10th (Irish) Division. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. July 1915 : moved to Seaford. By Richard Doherty, military historian, writer and broadcaster. of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Donegal County Museum. The regiment was then posted to Nova Scotia. 3 February 1918 : transferred to 107th Brigade in 36th (Ulster) Division. Please note: We are unable to provide individual research. 20 December 1915 : landed at le Havre. (IWM image (Q 1))]. Middlesex Regiment who died 25/02/1921 LADYWELL CEMETERY United Kingdom ' Moved to Bundoran in December 1914, going on to Randalstown in January 1915. Royal Irish Rifles. Rflm. (d.1st Jul 1916), Mulholland David. Royal Irish Rifles (d.19th May 1916), Rflmn. 15th Btn. Split by the Ancre River, the brigade suffered severely with the 9th Bn The Royal Irish Fusiliers being all but wiped out. 9th Btn. 15th (Service) Battalion (North Belfast) (d.9th May 1915), Rankin Samuel. They proceeded to France with the BEF, landing at Rouen on the 14th of August. 18 February 1918 : disbanded in France, troops going to 22nd Entrenching Battalion. Rfm. 1st of September 2022 marks 23 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Rfm. Free delivery for many products. Returned to UK and landed at Liverpool on 22 October 1914. On 29th August 1917 the 8th (Service) Battalion, (East Belfast) amalgamated with the 9th (Service) Battalion, (West Belfast to form the 8th/9th Battalion. Moved to Holywood in May 1915 and on to Ballykinlar in March 1918. John had been born in September of 1914 and his other sons were two and four years old. Address Stromore Road, Gilford. Battle Honour ST QUENTIN - German Spring Offensive 1918. (d.2nd August 1917), Burnett Corry. 14th Btn. dailyinfo[18]=' 6422 Private Charlie GILBERT 4th Coy. Pat Toman was part of the re-built battalion until the 2nd of June 1918 when he was wounded while on a night patrol in the Ypres area. On 8 February 1918 the battalion transferred again to 107th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division. The Army did not send men on active service overseas until aged nineteen. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. dailyinfo[6]=' 345190 Sapper Forrest A. KNOWLES Canadian Signal Corps who died 06/03/1921 REIDS MILLS CEMETERY Canada ' 12th Btn. It participated in several of the most significant battles of the war, including the battles of Neuve-Chapelle, the Somme, Passchendaele and St Quentin. McComb James. 8th Btn. [6], The remainder of the battalion spent a gruelling winter on the ridges above Paschendaele before being transferred in February 1918 to the 36th (Ulster) Division near Saint-Quentin. Formed in Belfast in September 1914 from the Belfast Volunteers. London Scottish at Messines, Halloween 1914. att 109th Light Trench Mortar Bty (d.1st Jul 1916), Moore Robert. Royal Irish Rifles Battalions of the Regular Army 1st Battalion August 1914 : in Aden. Looks like 2nd Battalion. 7,340 men from the Royal Irish Rifles are listed in the CWGC database of First World . My other grandfather, who served on the German side, was also aPoW. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. Remembered Today: Royal Irish Rifles (d.21st June 1917), Sgt. (d.7th Jun 1917), Barnett Robert Henry. On Sunday 3rd September the Division took part in the attack on Guillemont, committing 47th Brigade after 20th (Light) Division had been withdrawn; two VCs were earned. Rfm. Fortunately for Quigg, his platoon commander was twenty-year-old Second Lieutenant Sir Harry Macnaghten, the heir to the Macnaghten estate and a man he would have known well. We add around 200,000 new records each month. In 29th Division, on the left, 1st Bn The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, veterans of Gallipoli (as was the Division), suffered losses second only to those of 1st Bn The Hampshire Regiment; 29th Divisions overall losses were higher than those of 36th. It was increased after the Armistice by the concentration of graves (chiefly of 1914-15 and 1918) from the battlefields East of Estaires and Bethune and from certain smaller cemeteries, including:- . We have a large archive of soldier records. The army and the regiment have been good to him. A Coy. Repatriated 27.11.1918. Absorbed the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th (Reserve) Battalions in May. The Victoria Cross was awarded to three men from the Royal Irish Rifles: Edward De Wind, 15th Bttn - 21st March 1918 at Grugies, France. 13 November 1917 : transferred to 108th Brigade in 36th (Ulster) Division, absorbing 7th Battalion. Cooper, Bryan, The Tenth (Irish) Division in Gallipoli (Dublin, Irish Academic Press, 1993). (d.1st Jul 1916), Gallagher Thomas. Val Whitty 1st Btn. October 1915 : landed at Boulogne. On 14 August it landed in Rouen with 1,100 men as part of the 7th Brigade, 3rd Division. All three brigades fought in the Battle for Ginchy, although 49th Brigade was in reserve initially. The bloody and prolonged Somme campaign included some of the hardest-earned battle honours handed down from our antecedent regiments. The 83rd who were fighting in the Transvaal War (First Anglo-Boer War) at the time, became the new regiments 1st Battalion. Leinster Regiment who died 27/02/1918 JERUSALEM MEMORIAL Israel and Palestine (including Gaza) ' CLM, thank you so much. May 1915 : moved to Hackwood Park (Basingstoke). (Salonika) Territorial Force Nursing Service who died 01/03/1918 KNOWLE (SS. The Long, Long Trail has always been free to use but it does cost money to operate. On 1 July 1916, Quigg advanced with his platoon towards the German trenches through a torrent of gunfire and artillery. dailyinfo[31]=' 420628 Sapper William Bayne YOUNG 63rd Field Coy. was unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the town of Bushmills, County Antrim. (d.4th Jun 1916), Boulding Frank Thomas. Bluecher German Navy who died 29/01/1915 CANNOCK CHASE GERMAN MILITARY CEMETERY United Kingdom ' Rflm. 6th Btn. Moved to England in April 1918, going to Larkhill where absorbed by 3rd (Reserve) Bn. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. dailyinfo[5]=' 12147 Private Harry COOK 8th Bn. It was thought he might have to lose the leg but it was saved. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. dailyinfo[1]=' Staff Nurse Edith Mary CAMMACK Associate of the Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class 4th Southern Gen. Hos. The Royal Irish. The attack was unsuccessful and cost the battalion many lives, including that of its colonel, who was mortally wounded early in the offensive. 15th Btn. Moved to Ballykinlare and came under orders of 107th Brigade in 36th (Ulster) Division. (d.3rd September 1916), Fitzsimons J. F.. 14th Btn. It was amazing to see him with both arms and looking amazingly like my son, his grandson at the same age 100 years apart. He is buried in Forceville Communal Cemetery and Extension, France. 8th Btn. The summary includes a brief description of the collection(s) (usually including the covering dates of the collection), Terms of Service apply. 1st July : Attack between St Pierre-Divion and Schwaben Redoubt. 15th Battalion (d.1st July 1916), Kane J.. L/Cpl. When the Great War started in August 1914 The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, The Royal Irish Rifles and The Royal Irish Fusiliers were in the British Expeditionary Force that went to France and fought in the first battles that developed into the stalemate of trench warfare. Sign up for a new account in our community. 13 November 1917 : amalgamated with 13th Bn to form 11/13th Bn. Moore John Trid. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 36th CCS. This sample comprises some 15,000 records of soldiers who served with the Royal Irish Rifles and Royal Irish Fusiliers up to 1922. [1] 11th Btn (d.1st Jul 1916), Moorhead James. However, the German assault on Verdun in February affected the Western Front plan when the defence of that town sucked in French reinforcements, reducing their commitment to the summer offensive. Battalion Unknown Abigail S H Rfn 9/43518 : Short Record Of Service Apperson G J Captain MC : Photo Ash R W Rfn (POW) : Short Record Of Service Baskwell W Rfn : Short Record Of Service Best F V Rfn 43399 : Short Record Of Service Bowkett W G T Rfn : Short Record Of Service What happened next earned Rifleman Robert Quigg the Victoria Cross, the highest military honour awarded for valour in the British Commonwealth. (d.7th Jun 1917), Brown Patrick. KANE, J. Lance Corporal, 12/17998. 'I turned over one poor chap on a rocky, bloody crag on Tanngoucha. Upcoming changes to logging in - click here, GWF is free to use so please support the Forum, http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/prisoners-of-war-british-hands/, The George V, General Service Medal - the clasp indicates the qualification was by virtue of serving at Ramadi or north of a line east and west through Ramadi between 10 December 1919 and 13 June 1920, or as part of an establishment within Iraq between 1 July and 17 November 1920. 15th Batt (d.21st March 1918), Wadeley Ernest Benjamin. There is a guide at TNAhttp://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/prisoners-of-war-british-hands/. Royal Irish Rifles. (d.6th Jun 1918), Scott Walter. (d.22nd Aug 1916), Graham N. C.. Capt. Exploring a Shared History for a Better Future. Rfm. 3rd Bn. William John Thompson 13th Battalion, B Company Royal Irish Rifles (d.30th May 1916). 8th (East Belfast) Btn. 2nd Lt. 10th Btn. (d.28th Jul 1917), Boyd Samuel. John Armstrong 7th Btn. 13th Btn. In July 1953, during the Coronation Tour of Northern Ireland, Robert Quigg V.C. The following month, the battalion was sent to the rear for rest and training after a full year in the trenches. The battle mentioned here should be the Battle of Aubers ridge (910 May 1915) - the battalion successfully took its objectives at Rouge Bancs near Fromelles, but it again suffered very heavy casualties. The battalion war diary for March 1918 ishere at the National Archives, orhere on Ancestry. 12th (Mid Ulster) Btn. Patrick Toman 2nd Btn. (d.31st Jan 1917), Brady Edward. Royal Irish Rifles (d.21st Nov 1917), Rflmn. He was seven hours engaged in this most gallant work, and finally was so exhausted that he had to give it up. Salter J. W.. 2nd Lt. B Coy 11th (South Antrim) Btn. Although the attack in the northern sector of Fourth Armys line had been repelled almost everywhere, there was significant success to the south where divisions of XV and XIII Corps took most of their first-day objectives; many of the others were taken in subsequent days. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for WW1 British Army 1914 -15 Star, British War & Victory Medal, Royal Irish Rifles at the best online prices at eBay! He returned to his unit 30th of November 1916 and took part in the battle of Messines Ridge, the 1917 campaigns in Flanders, the tank battle at Cambrai, and the German Spring offensives of March 1918. (d.7th Jun 1917), Birnie Robert. He fought in 15 major battles while in France. Harris Lee Moore. He was then aged 20 years 4 months. 11th (South Antrim) Btn. Rflm. Thomas Robert Corkin 16th Btn. For King And Country. var day=mydate.getDay() Sergeant OCathain is a long service career soldier joining up with the 86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot when he was only a young teenager: he had lied about his age. My granddad made a life after the war but suffered PTSD which he dealt with by prayer, solitude, and by swearing off alcohol. Pte. dailyinfo[21]=' L/32287 Driver John Frampton GAZE "O" Bty. The unit suffered badly at the Battle of Stormberg in December 1899, and on 3 April 1900 the regiment was forced to surrender to Orange Free State Commandant-General Christiaan de Wet after a siege at Reddersberg. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 3rd July : Forceville. Training was twelve weeks so the earliest he could have gone to France was February/March 1917. (d.7th Jun 1917), Corscadden Francis Theodore. (d.24th Jun 1915), Bruce James. A greater British commitment was called for and Haigs plea for a delay until August was rejected. 20 December 1914 : landed at Le Havre. The London Irish Rifles (LIR) was a reserve infantry regiment and then company of the British Army. 2nd Battalion (d.6th Aug 1917 ), McClements William James. October 1915 : landed at Le Havre. Please note we currently have a massive backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. Rfm. Its area consisted of Antrim, Down, Belfast and Louth, with its depot located at the Belfast Infantry Barracks (later renamed Victoria Barracks). The 2nd Battalion were in action again on the Somme in the Battles of the Lys and the final advance in Flanders. Although it gained ground, it had to withdraw. Their company-strength operation succeeded, resulting in the capture of enemy equipment and prisoners, and a Military Cross for the Company Commander. 11th Btn. 1st September 1914 Recruitment of 16th (Service) Battalion Royal Irish Rifles 16th (Service) Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (Pioneers). July 1915 : moved to Seaford. I was able to visit the battle fields in Belgium, where he fought for so long, in 2007. There is help on how to research a soldierhere. (d.1st Jul 1916), Hill William Quintis Ewart. Attack of the Ulster Division, 1 July 1916'. [6], Following the Armistice, the battalion was posted to the formerly German-occupied area of Mouscron in Belgium before returning to England in May 1919. dailyinfo[28]=' 19673 Leading Aircraftman Samuel Ambrose TICKNER Meritorious Service Medal No. Formed in Belfast in September 1914 from the Belfast Volunteers. The medals in your PDF are in the reverse order. Update News. 6th Btn. 16th (Service) Battalion (2nd County Down) (Pioneers) 1996-2023 The Long, Long Trail. Formed in Holywood around November 1915 as a Reserve Battalion, from depot companies of 13th and 16th Bns. Royal Irish Rifles This page summarises records created by this Organisation The summary includes a brief description of the collection (s) (usually including the covering dates of the. Royal Irish Rifles maxim gun detachment, Tibet, 1904 First World War Still in Britain on the outbreak of war in 1914, 2nd Battalion deployed straight to the Western Front. Belfast Recruiting. They moved to the Curragh in February 1915 then in May 1915 they moved to Hackwood Park, Basingstoke, England for final training. 10th Btn. 15th Btn. The Cairo garrison, together with a Royal Irish Rifles mounted infantry platoon of two officers and 37 other ranks, commanded by Brigadier Francis Grenfell, was hastily sent to Suakin in the Sudan were fighting ensued, where the military commander was Colonel Herbert Kitchener. Rifleman 12th Battalion (d.1st July 1916), Black John. George Smith 2nd Btn. Rflmn. Their front line skirted the northern edge of Thiepval wood, facing a gentle upward slope toward Schwaben Redoubt, a defensive complex in the second main German trench system north of Thiepval. Pte. Rfm. (d.4th October 1914), Craig Thomas. 15th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles Battalions of the Regular Army 1st Battalion August 1914 : in Aden. They embarked for Britain on the 27th of September 1914 and arrived at Liverpool on the 22nd of October they joined 25th Brigade, 8th Division at Hursley Park, Winchester. Rfm. Rfm. ROYAL IRISH RIFLES. Pte. privacy policy, GB/NNAF/C22543 (Former ISAAR ref: GB/NNAF/O38291 ). After all is over - and the remainder of the Empire is understandably irritated with Ireland - I hope these countless Duffs, from both the North and the South, and in all three services, will be remembered. If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small 14 October 1917 : transferred to 108th Brigade in 36th (Ulster) Division. Sgt. "Foyle." October 1915 : landed at Boulogne. Formed in County Antrim in September 1914 from the Antrim Volunteers. 'I turned over one poor chap on a rocky, bloody crag on Tanngoucha. Register with your email address now, we can then send you an alert as soon as we add a record close matching the one you were searching for. 28 November 1915 : sailed from Marseilles for Salonika. In the Third Battle of Ypres the battalion took part in the Battle of Pilkem. [4], In June 1917, the battalion was transferred to positions immediately east of Ypres, where it supported the British offensive that opened the Battle of Passchendaele on 31 July. 14th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.14th Jul 1917), 2nd Lt. Sydney James Livingston Downey 14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (d.7th Jun 1917), Rflmn. (d.22nd Nov 1917 ), Shorter Alfred. Rflmn. . Machine boy. All Rights Reserved. Rfmn. Rfm. The Wartime Memories Project is a non profit organisation run by volunteers. Protection of the Suez Canal was of great strategic importance and the 2nd Battalion and a detachment of the 1st Battalion were sent to the region. 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion Albert Edward Cox 14th Btn. 1st Btn. Rflm. dailyinfo[16]=' 22659 Serjeant George SNELL Military Medal "T" Bty. 19th (Reserve) Battalion In the absence of a service record its impossible to be certain. var mydate=new Date() His British War & Victory medal roll record (as linked by Jon in post #2) indicates that his WW1 overseas service was entirely with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles. After an initial artillery bombardment, the battalion advanced to the previously captured German front lines and helped to secure the village of Neuve-Chapelle. 5th (Extra Reserve) Battalion 6 Reserve Lorry Park Royal Air Force who died 28/02/1919 BELGRADE CEMETERY Belgium ' This production was made possible with support from The Minstrel Boys Living History Group, the Dep. More Royal Irish Rifles records. He has travelled to places most have never heard of. (d.7th Jun 1917) Beggs Thomas Alex Thompson. David Watson 12th Btn. (d.1st July 1916), Mills J.. Rfm. (d.7th Jun 1917), Bryan Alfred. Bleakley . After a rest, it was posted to Bouchavesnes-Bergen at the end of December and advanced to take a swathe of German-held territory during the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917. dailyinfo[2]=' 8020 Serjeant Charles POOLE "C" Coy. All Rights Reserved. 1st Garrison Battalion It would appear he remained in the Army after repatriation and was posted back to the 2nd Battalion who were sent to Iraq in 1919. He was facing the right way, the last round of a clip in the breech and three dead Germans in front of him. Formed in Belfast in September 1914 from the Belfast Volunteers. Absorbed into 2nd Bn on 14 November 1917. Irish Guards who died 18/03/1916 CALAIS SOUTHERN CEMETERY France ' He received four metals and have attached two pages of the medals that my uncle/his son sent to me: (1) Victory Medal; (2) medal from his tour in Middle East because it read Iraq under the ribbon and the medal; (3) a silver medal with the bust of George V on one side and on the other side is a man on a horse; and the last one is gold with crossed sword with a wreathon one side and on the other side is 9929 (line 1), - I cannot read -Harper (line 2), and Royal Irish Rifles (line 3). At the subsequent Battle of Loos in SeptemberOctober 1915, the battalion carried out a subsidiary attack at Bois Grenier. (d.1st Jul 1916), McClelland James Arthur. 1st Battalion (d.24th April 1917), Gibson Walter David. 2nd Bn. The Red Cross have a couple of records which can be linked to (using the 'PA' and 'R' numbers shown) from thisindex card. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Pte 13th (1st County Down) Battalion, Richardson I.. 10th Btn (d.1st Jul 1916), Russell Christopher. Copyright 2023. (d.21st Nov 1917), Bothwell R.. 14th Btn. Both regular battalions of the Inniskillings were involved, as were 1st Bn The Royal Irish Rifles and 1st Bn The Royal Irish Fusiliers. His medal citation reports that: ..Early next morning, hearing a rumour that his platoon officer was lying out wounded, he went out seven times to look for him under heavy shell and machine-gun fire, each time bringing back a wounded man.