On the 1st September 1939,
general mobilization was ordered again, and the training Battalion
was formed and moved to Couldsdon Common just outside the
Guards Depot at Caterham.
Meanwhile on the 3rd September 1939 when War was declared
both the First and Second Battalions were at Wellington Barracks,
London. In November 1940, The Holding Battalion (later to
be the 3rd Battalion) was formed.On the 10th April 1940 the
1st Battalion, which formed part of the 24th Guards Brigade,
left London for service in Norway putting an end to the questions
about where they might be sent first. It was here the Battalion
fought against German troops for the first time since 1918.
The ship carrying the Battalion into action HMT Chobry was
bombed by a force of Heinkel bombers resulting in a dreadful
loss of life, including the Commanding Officer Lt. Col. W.D.
Faulkner MC, the Second in Command Major C.L.J. Bowen, the
Adjutant Capt the Hon B.A. O'Neill and three of the five Company
Commanders. However, the Battalion successfully went into
action and was subsequently withdrawn in the evacuation on
the 4th June 1940 from Narvik. The Battle Honour Norway was
awarded.On the 12th May 1940 the day before the 1st Battalion
sailed, the 2nd Battalion was ordered to sail for the Hook
of Holland, to cover the evacuation of the Dutch Royal Family
and Government. Eight days later, in the company with the
2nd Battalion Welsh Guards, they were off again, this time
to Boulogne in an attempt to buy time for the BEF's evacuation
from Calais and Dunkirk. Pressed from all sides by the Germans
and being fired upon the remains of both Battalions re-embarked.
Each Battalion leaving behind 200 Officers and other ranks
killed, wounded or missing.In June 1941, the 2nd Battalions
equipped with well worn Covenanters Mark 1 Tanks and took
it's place in the newly formed Guards Armoured Division. The
3rd Battalion joined the Guards Armoured Division during the
Autumn of 1943 to be one of the Infantry Battalions in the
Division and from then until the end of the war they trained
with the 2nd Armoured Battalion on the Regiment. On the 1st
March 1943 the 1st Battalion embarked for North Africa and
formed part of the 1st Army.
They suffered very heavy casualties but it was during this
campaign that Lance
Corporal Kenneally won his Victoria Cross (For
his full citation see the Victoria Crosses page).From North
Africa the 1st Battalion moved across to Italy and took part
in the particularly bitter fighting in the Anzio beach head.
Casualties were very heavy and in April 1944, the remnants
of the 1st Battalion, a total of no more that 20 Officers
and 247 Other Ranks returned to England and took no further
part as a Battalion fighting in Europe with the survivors
being absorbed into the other two Battalions.
The 2nd and 3rd Battalions landed with the Guards Armoured
Division in Normandy in June 1944, and fought with the Division
until the end of the war, taking part in the advance from
Seine to Nijmegen. It was during this time the celebrated
Lt. Col. J.O.E. Vandeleur, Commander of the Irish Guards Group
led an attack on the bridge over the Meuse-Escaut Canal at
De Groote Barrier (which is forever immortalized by the film
"A Bridge to far".) This bridge is now named "Joe's
Bridge" in Honour of his exploits.In June 1945, the 2nd
Battalion relinquished it's tanks and reverted back to it's
original role as an Infantry Battalion and formed part of
the occupation Army of the Rhine. The Battalion returned from
Germany in March 1947 and was disbanded in July of the same
year when it's Colours were laid up.The 3rd Battalion were
withdrawn to England in February 1946 and was disbanded. The
training Battalion was disbanded in July 1946.
During the Second World War
the Irish Guards lost a total of 59 Officers Killed, 114 Officers
wounded, 675 Other Ranks Killed with 1464 Other Ranks wounded
