Conference to save The Royal Irish Fusiliers

Regimental Recruiting Areas in Ireland

At the same time as Ireland was partitioned, the British government decided to reduce the strength of the Army. As the majority of The Royal Irish Fusiliers’ recruiting areas were then part of the newly formed Irish Free State, War Office reforms, in response to post-First World austerity measures (known as the ‘Geddes Axe’) proposed to disband all such Irish infantry regiments, except The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and The Royal Irish Rifles (to be renamed The Royal Ulster Rifles).

Although the Faughs did their utmost via influential politicians and serving or retired officers to save the Regiment from extinction, there was little official sympathy. At length the Colonel of The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers declared his willingness to sacrifice one of his two battalions so that one battalion of the Faughs might be preserved. At the end of March 1922, the authorities accepted his generous offer, much to the gratitude of all Irish Fusiliers. At a formal conference on 19 July 1922, the matter was finally decided. The 1st and 2nd Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers merged on 15 October 1922.