Lives of the First World War

In uniform, as featured in "The Bond of Sacrifice"

This is a photo of the fields between Caudry and Audencourt close to where Major Panter Downes was fatally wounded on 26th August 1914 (photo taken by P.Barrett on 3/8/2015)

Photo of WW1 Royal Irish Regiment cap badge

This is a photograph from circa 1907 of Raglan South Barracks, Devonport, where the Royal Irish Regiment were based from 2nd October 1913 until their embarkation to France on 13th August 1914.

WW1 Royal Irish Regiment cap badge

The Memorial to the Royal Irish Regiment at Mons overlooks the ground on which the 2nd Battalion fought on the 23rd August 1914. It was unveiled by Lord Ypres on 11th November 1923.

The plaque at the base of the Mons memorial to the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment. The memorial was unveiled on 11th November 1923 at La Bascule crossroads.

The road south on the western edge of Bois La Haut, Mons. The Royal Irish Regiment were hotly pursued down this road by the Germans on the afternoon of the 23rd August 1914.

Edward Martin Panter-Downes in his Clifton Rugby Club kit circa 1890-91

Clifton College, Bristol, where Edward Martin Panter-Downes was a student between 1885 and 1890 and where he was a keen member of the rugby team

Mollie, Edward Martin Panter-Downes daughter who went on to become a novelist

The grave of three unknown British officers who were killed on 26th August 1914 and are buried in Caudry Communal Cemetery. Edward Martin Panter-Downes has no known grave and could be one of the three men buried here.

The Church at Rushford, Thetford. Edward Martin Panter-Downes was born at the Rectory, Rushford, in 1872

In the autumn of 1898 the bronze medal of the Royal Humane Society was presented to Lieutenant E M Panter-Downes by Colonel W Lawrence who was Commanding the 18th Royal Irish regimental district. In August 1898 Lt Panter-Downes and Captain Vigors went for a swim at Kilkee in County Clare and saw a man's clothes on the rocks. Looking out to sea, which was very choppy at that time, they saw a man, exhausted and in difficulty. Lt Panter-Downes jumped in and swam 40 yards to rescue him. He brought the man back to an iron ladder where Captain Vigors, with great difficulty, helped them out as huge waves were crashing against the wall.

Kilkee, County Clare, where Edward Martin Panter-Downes saved a man from drowning in August 1898 and was subsequently awarded a medal by the Royal Humane Society.

SS Herschel, the ship which transported the Royal Irish Regiment across the channel to France. They disembarked in Boulogne on 14th August 1914.

Map of the Battle of Mons from The Campaigns and History of the Royal Irish Regiment, Vol. II (drawn by Major St.Leger)

Map of the battle at Caudry/Audencourt from The Campaigns and History of the Royal Irish Regiment, Vol. II (drawn by Major St.Leger)

The area around the hospital and cemetery, to the east of Mons, where the Royal Irish Regiment first came in contact with the enemy

The area around the hospital and cemetery, to the east of Mons, where the Royal Irish Regiment first came in contact with the enemy

La Bascule crossroads, Mons, Belgium, where a small detachment of the Royal Irish Regiment held out for hours against a superior enemy force.

Restaurant Leon on Chausee de Binche on the site of the former Chateau Gendebien which was used as a Red Cross hospital at the time of the Battle of Mons

The Maison Communale in Hyon, which was the 8th Brigade's Headquarters on 23rd August 1914.

The pave (pa-vay) road along which the Royal Irish Regiment hurriedly retreated with the Germans close behind around 6pm on 23rd August 1914, Mons, Belgium. These roads were hard on the feet of the retreating soldiers of the BEF, especially those reservists whose feet had grown soft and had not had sufficient time to grow accustomed to day-after-day of hard marching.

The road cutting south west of Audencourt where Lieutenant Colonel Cox, Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment was severely wounded at around 10 am on the morning of 26th August 1914.

Audencourt in and around which the companies of the battalion were positioned on 26th August 1914

The location of the 8th Brigade headquarters in Audencourt on the 26th August before the bombardment

C and D companies of the battalion were positioned on the north eastern outskirts of Caudry.

Caudry Old Communal Cemetery where there are many graves of unknown British soldiers from the fighting on the 26th August 1914 including three officers.

The La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial commemorates 3,740 officers and men of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) who fell at the battles of Mons, Le Cateau, the Marne and the Aisne between the end of August and early October 1914 and have no known graves...The memorial was designed by George H. Goldsmith, a decorated veteran of the Western Front, and unveiled by Sir William Pulteney, who had commanded the III Corps of the BEF in 1914, on 4 November 1928. (From CWGC Cemetery Details)

Raglan Barracks, Devonport, where the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment was based prior to their embarkation for France in August 1914.

Audencourt, in and around which the companies of the battalion were positioned on 26th August 1914

"A Company 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment: Winners of the Regimental Shield 1896-97". 2nd Lieutenant Edward Martin Panter Downes is sitting in the second row, third from the left. Sitting beside him is Captain Stratford Edward St Leger.

"A Company 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment: Winners of the Regimental Shield 1896-97". 2nd Lieutenant Edward Martin Panter Downes (detail)

"A Company 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment: Winners of the Regimental Shield 1896-97". Captain Stratford Edward St Leger and 2nd Lieutenant Edward Martin Panter Downes.