The Chocolate Soldiers: The Story of the Young Citizen Volunteers and 14th Royal irish Rifles during the Great War

by Steven Moore

Overview

Conceived as non-sectarian and non-political the YCV was, in stages: a youth movement with national aspirations; a paramilitary body prepared to take up arms; and core of a British Army military unit fighting in most 1916 -7 battles. Dubbed 'Chocolate Soldiers' and 'odd men out', their story is told via photos and the words of the men themselves.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781780730592
Publisher:	Colourpoint
Publication date:	12/21/2015
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 5

Maps 7

Chapter 1 An Oddity of History 9

Chapter 2 The Swirl of the Pipes 15

Chapter 3 Discipline of the Highest Order 24

Chapter 4 Drill, Brothers, Drill 31

Chapter 5 A Lorry Loomed Out of the Darkness 40

Chapter 6 Soldiers of the King 46

Chapter 7 Bun Fights and Card Schools 58

Chapter 8 Arrival of the Wild Irish 72

Chapter 9 Standing in the Shelter of the Dugout 83

Chapter 10 Sweeping their Way Across France 101

Chapter 11 Waiting like Cattle in a Slaughter House 117

Chapter 12 The Supreme Test 128

Chapter 13 Picking up the Pieces 146

Chapter 14 We are Merry and Bright 160

Chapter 15 The Hell that was Passchendaele 173

Chapter 16 Cursed in the Worst Cockney Irish Ever 184

Chapter 17 There Wasn't a Shot to be Heard 191

Chapter 18 The Last Post 199

Appendices 1 The YCV Constitution and Bye-Laws 206

2 An Irish Corps d'Elite 208

3 Units of the 36th (Ulster) Division 211

4 Armchair Generals and Afternoon Frocks 212

5 The Soldier Boy of the McFadzeans 216

6 Late Lieutenant Victor H Robb 220

7 14th (YCV) RIR Dead of July 1916 221

8 14th (YCV) RIR Dead of Early June 1917 225

9 14th (YCV) RIR Dead from 16-31 Aug 1917 226

10 14th (YCV) RIR Dead from 6-18 Dec 1917 230

11 14th (YCV) RIR/23rd Entrenching Battalion Dead from 21 Mar-27 Apr 1918 231

12 Young Citizen Volunteers Revisit Mesnil 233

End Notes 236

Notes on Sources 249

Index 251