Timeline
1908-1913
July 1908
The North of Ireland Imperial Yeomanry disbanded and re-formed as the North Irish Horse.
June-July 1909
First annual camp at Dundrum Bay, County Down.
June-July 1910
Annual camp at Bellarena, County Londonderry.
May 1911
Annual camp at Newbridge, County Kildare.
May-June 1912
Annual camp at Dundrum, County Down.
June-July 1913
Annual camp at Bundoran, County Donegal.
1914
June-July
Annual camp at Dundrum, County Down.
5 August
NIH mobilised.
17 August
A Squadron sails from Dublin for le Havre on board SS Architect and assigned as GHQ cavalry.
20 August
C Squadron sails from Belfast for le Havre on board SS Matheran and assigned as 5th Division cavalry.
22 August
A Squadron arrives at le Cateau.
24 August
Two troops of A Squadron (Cole) assigned to the 4th Division, two troops (Herdman) to GHQ.
25 August to 5 September
Herdman’s troops withdraw with GHQ to St Quentin, Noyon, Compiegne, Dammartin and Melun.
25 August
C Squadron arrives at St Quentin.
26 August
Cole’s troops in fighting at le Cateau, attached to 3rd Division, then rearguard on the retreat.
28 August
Cole’s troops reach Crisolles and rejoin 4th Division.
28–30 August
C Squadron joins retreat and locates its Division near Pontoise.
1 September
First NIH fatality. C Squadron in rearguard action at Crépy-en-Valois.
2 September
Cole’s troops reach Dammartin, C Squadron at Vinantes.
3 September
Cole’s troops and C Squadron withdraw over the Marne.
4 September
Cole’s troops at Jossigny, C Squadron at Tournan, the furthest extent of their retreat.
6–12 September
C Squadron advance guard to 5th Division on advance to the Marne and then to the Aisne.
6–8 September
Cole’s troops of A Squadon advance guard to 4th Division.
9 September
A Squadron reunited at GHQ.
12 September
C Squadron reaches the Aisne.
30 September
First NIH officer casualty.
8–13 October
A and C Squadrons move to St Omer with GHQ.
Early December
D Squadron leaves Antrim for England. Go to billets at Cople, Bedford.
1915
January to December
A Squadron on the Ypres front as GHQ cavalry.
January to April
C Squadron on the Ypres front as Corps HQ cavalry.
14 April
C Squadron transfers to 3rd Division. They remain with this division on the Ypres front for the remainder of the year.
1 May
D Squadron sails from Southampton for le Havre on board the SS Anglo-Canadian and SS Empress Queen as cavalry to the 51st Division. They move to the la Bassée front.
May-July
F Squadron leaves Antrim for England, where they are billetted at Hemel Hempstead.
July
B Squadron leaves Antrim for England, where they are attached to the 59th Division in Hertfordshire.
July
Contingent of NIH leaves for Egypt and Dardanelles as military mounted police.
28 July
D Squadron moves to the Somme front.
20 August
First ‘time expired’ man leaves the regiment.
November
Largest ever monthly intake of recruits for NIH.
16 November
F Squadron leaves Netheravon to entrain at Amesbury for Southampton, where they embark for le Havre on board the SS Western Miller as cavalry to the 33rd Division. The squadron is sent to the la Bassée front.
1916
4 January
A Squadron leaves GHQ and becomes cavalry to the 55th Division.
11 January
E Squadron leaves Longbridge Deverill to entrain at Codford for Southampton where they embark for le Havre on board SS Rossetti as cavalry to the 34th Division. The squadron is sent to the Ypres front.
February
A Squadron moves to the Arras front.
Late April to early May
B Squadron returns to Ireland following the Easter Rebellion.
May
C and F Squadrons move to the Somme front and are attached to 49th (West Riding) Division.
10 May
A, D and E Squadrons form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, attached to VII Corps. They concentrate at Grouches.
21 May
F Squadron transfers to 32nd Division.
25 May
F Squadron renamed B Squadron.
1 June
C Squadron transfers to 36th (Ulster) Division.
21 June
B and C Squadrons and 6th Inniskilling Dragoons (Service Squadron) form 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, attached to X Corps. They concentrate at Toutencourt.
23 June
1st Regiment moves to Pas.
5 July
Two troops of Inniskilling Dragoons Squadron, 2nd Regiment, caught in a German artillery barrage in Aveluy Wood.
9–24 July
2nd Regiment clearing Somme battlefield of bodies and equipment.
2 August
2nd Regiment moves to Flesselles.
10 September
1st Regiment moves to Humbercourt, where they remain until April 1917.
26 October
2nd Regiment begins move north to the Ypres front.
18 November
2nd Regiment arrives at Boeschepe, where it remains until May 1917.
7 December
One hundred North Irish Horsemen at Antrim transfer to the RIR and embark for France.
1917
9 January
Forty North Irish Horsemen at Antrim transfer to the Inniskillings and embark for France.
4–8 March
The hundred former NIH in RIR in local attack near Bouchavesnes.
7 June
2nd Regiment held ready to exploit breakthrough at Messines.
mid-June
Orders that 2nd Regiment be disbanded. Other ranks to be compulsorily transferred to infantry.
13–16 July
1st Regiment moves to the Ypres sector and attached to XIX Corps.
22 July to 23 August
2nd Regiment moves to Aix-en-Issart and begin ‘dismounting’ process.
31 July
1st Regiment held ready to exploit XIX Corps success at Third Ypres.
14 August to 5 October
One officer and 70 men convey 2nd Regiment’s horses to Egypt.
16 August
Thirteen former NIH killed at Langemarck (Third Ypres).
23 August
2nd Regiment moves to 36 Infantry Base Depot at le Havre.
5 September
67 other ranks supernumerary to 1st Regiment transferred to 36 Infantry Base Depot.
6 September
Ten men of 1st Regiment casualties in gas attack at Ypres.
7 September
1st Regiment transfers to V Corps.
20–25 September
495 2nd Regiment other ranks transfer to the RIrF - 304 sent to 9 RIrF. The remainder sent in following weeks. Battalion re-named 9th (NIH) Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers.
1–11 October
1st Regiment moves to la Bassée front.
12 October
72 other ranks (Egypt group) join 9th (NIH) Battalion at Ruyaulcourt.
3 November
9th (NIH) Battalion in major trench raid near Havrincourt.
12–20 November
1st Regiment moves south to Bapaume.
22–23 November
9th (NIH) in attack on Moeuvres (Cambrai).
1–23 December
1st Regiment moves to Sarton, then to winter quarters at Barly.
4–8 December
9th (NIH) in defensive battle south of Marcoing (Cambrai).
9–24 December
1st Regiment in the line west of Marcoing.
17–28 December
9th (NIH) moves to winter quarters near Amiens.
28 December
26 former NIH cavalrymen transfer from 9th (NIH) Battalion to Tank Corps.
1918
7 January
Twelve men of the 1st Regiment transfer to the Tank Corps.
7–19 January
9th (NIH) Battalion moves to St Quentin front.
18 February
Orders received that 1st Regiment to be dismounted and become a cyclist regiment.
14 March
1st Regiment travels to Villers-au-Flos and becomes the NIH Cyclist Regiment, attached to V Corps.
21–30 March
9th (NIH) Battalion in fighting retreat with heavy losses from St Quentin to near Amiens.
23–26 March
NIH Cyclists retreat from Villers-au-Flos to Rubempre.
4 April
9th (NIH) Battalion moves to Ypres front.
10–15 April
9th (NIH) Battalion in heavy fighting around Kemmel and Messines Ridge.
18 April
Eleven former NIH cavalrymen among the dead in an artillery barrage on the 9th (NIH) Battalion near Kemmel Hill.
6 July
9th (NIH) Battalion moves back into the line in the Kemmel sector.
21 August to 3 September
NIH Cyclists advance guard to V Corps, advancing from the Ancre to the Canal du Nord.
24 August
9th (NIH) Battalion in successful attack on German positions near Mont Noir.
31 August to 5 September
9th (NIH) Battalion joins pursuit following German withdrawal, moving from Mont des Cats to Douve river valley, where severe fighting takes place.
2 September
A/Lt Col Richard Annesley West killed in action with the Tank Corps, earning him a VC.
4–9 September
NIH Cyclists with V Corps advance towards Hindenburg Line.
29 September to 6 October
NIH Cyclists with V Corps advance to St Quentin Canal and close to Villers-Outreaux.
30 September to 11 October
9th (NIH) Battalion with 36th (Ulster) Division in severe fighting to capture Hill 41.
8–10 October
NIH cyclists with V Corps overrun Beaurevoir Line and reach the Selle at Neuvilly.
14–16 October
9th (NIH) Battalion with 36th (Ulster) Division advance to the Lys and force crossing at Courtrai.
20–25 October
NIH Cyclists with V Corps cross the Selle and advance to Forêt de Mormal.
21–26 October
9th (NIH) Battalion with 36th (Ulster) Division advance south-east from the Lys.
27 October
9th (NIH) Battalion relieved and marches to rest billets.
4–10 November
NIH Cyclists with V Corps push through Forêt de Mormal and advance several miles beyond.
7 November
Last North Irish Horseman killed in action.
7–10 December
NIH Cyclists move to billets at Vignacourt, near Amiens.
1919
28 January
9th (NIH) Battalion receives its ‘colours’.
March to May
9th (NIH) Battalion men remaining in the army transfer to the 5th Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, and move to Cologne, Germany.
June
NIH headquarters at Antrim closes.
7 June
Men of the NIH Cyclist Regiment remaining in the army transfer to IV Corps Cyclist Battalion and move to Rolsdorf, Germany.
9 June
9th (NIH) Battalion cadre leaves Mouscron for home.
11 June
NIH Cyclist Regiment cadre leaves Vignacourt for home.