Lives of the First World War

11th September 1914 - 30th September 1914

From his army medal index card it can be seen that Private Michael Griffin embarked for France on the 11th September 1914. He was most likely a member of a draft of reinforcements, consisting of Captains G.O.M. Furnell, H.G.Gregorie and W.J.Parins-England, 2nd Lieutenants J.R.Smyth, D.S.Smyth, P.E.N.Howard, W.H.Flinn and possibly J.H.B.D.McLouglin and an unrecorded number of men, which joined the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment on the front line at Vailly-sur-Aisne on the 17th. However, it is possible he was among the draft of reinforcements that arrived at the frontline 5 days later on the 22nd. By the time he joined them, his battalion, over the previous month, had already been involved in four dramatic engagements with the enemy - at Mons, Le Cateau, Orly and Vailly - and had suffered significant numbers of casualties, including nearly 80 killed and many more wounded and/or taken prisoner. The British advance had just stalled on the Aisne and the war was beginning to assume a form that was to persist for nearly the next four years, with the antagonists establishing formidable systems of trenches and defensive works. At 4 pm the day before Private Michael Griffin joined his battalion, very heavy artillery fire with high-explosive shell was opened on the battalion’s position and 4 men had been killed and 12 wounded. “On the 18th there was less artillery fire, but some sniping. There was very little firing during the night, but very heavy rain. Next day there was artillery fire, but no serious fighting. On the 20th the 7th and 9th Brigades on the right were attacked in strength during the evening; both sides suffered heavily, especially the Germans who were repulsed. On the 21st two machine guns were received. There was very little fire all day, but the Germans renewed their attack on the right in the evening. On the 22nd Lieutenant K.Foulkes, 2nd Lieutenant H.G.O. Downing and 83 men joined. The next three days were quiet. On the evening of the 25th the battalion was relieved by the 4th Royal Fusiliers and proceeded to Courcelles for a rest. The casualties between the 12th and 25th September...were 10 men killed, 49 wounded and 40 missing. From the 26th to the end of the month the 8th Brigade remained at Courcelles resting and refitting. (The 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment was one of the four regiments forming the 8th Infantry Brigade. The other three regiments of the Brigade were the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots, the 4th Battalion Middlesex and the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders. The 7th, 8th and 9th Infantry Brigades formed the 3rd Division of the BEF which was part of II Corps.) On the 27th they were addressed by General Sir H. Smith-Dorien, G.C.B.” (From The Campaigns and History of the Royal Irish Regiment,Vol.II)

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