Welcome to the Irish Brigade website

About the Irish Brigade Website

This is a resource devoted to the history of 38 (Irish) Infantry Brigade, a Second World War formation of the British Army which, when it was formed in early 1942, comprised men who were largely from Ireland or of Irish origin.

Over the next three and a half years, the Irish Brigade would gain an unrivalled reputation during Allied campaigns in Tunisia, Sicily and mainland Italy.

This is a living project that aims to preserve the memory of the thousands of men who served with the brigade during the Second World War and to build bonds of friendship today among the people of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Tunisia and Italy.

Edmund (Gerard) and Richard O'Sullivan were inspired to create the website by their father Edmund, who served with the 2nd Battalion of the London Irish Rifles from 1939 to 1946, and their mother Patricia (nee Webb), who served with the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) from 1942 to 1946.

Latest stories about the Irish Brigade

The Liberation of Rome Conference, 31 May-1 June 2024, Anzio

This Week in the Italian Campaign Youtube show

This Week in the Italian Campaign Youtube show is hosted by Vice-Chairman of the Freedom for Italy network Edmund O'Sullivan, son of Irish Brigade veteran Edmund O'Sullivan (1919-2009). It tells the story of the Italian Campaign from the landings on the Italian mainland in September 1943 until the end of the war in Italy on 2 May 1945 through video reports and live interviews with historians, experts and family members of Italian Campaign veterans. The list of programmes is shown below. Each episode includes:

A factual account of events that week 80 years ago in the campaign
Interviews with historians and experts about the campaign.

Click on the link to see each episode:

Episode 1. Introduction to the Italian Campaign. Why the Allies invaded Italy and the Italian response.

Episode 2. The Armistice of Cassibile in September 1943. Historian Giulio Poggiarino joins the show to discuss the background to the Italian government’s decision to end the war and switch sides.

Episode 3. Mussolini escapes and the Allies land at Salerno. The guest is Dr Felice Vitale in Sicily who has been leading memorialisation of the campaign in Sicily.

Episode 4. The uprising in Naples in September 1943. The guest is Richard O’Sullivan, assistant to the curator of the London Irish Rifles Museum in London.

Episode 5. Operation Devon and the Capture of Termoli. The guest is Gavin Mortimer, specialist in special services.

Episode 6. The Battle of Termoli on 4-6 October 1943. The guest is Marco Altobello, curator of the Campomarino Museum and expert on events in the Adriatic Campaign.

Episode 7. The crossing of the Volturno River in October 1943. The guest is Frank de Planta, an expert in the Italian Campaign.

Episode 8. The advance to the Trigno River valley in October 1943. The episode covers the deportation of Jews from the Ghetto of Rome, the evacuation of the Abbey of Monte Cassino, the transfer of Allied troops to Europe and the arrival of the Indian Division. The guest is Richard O’Sullivan.

Episode 9. The first attack on San Salvo on the Adriatic front on 27 October 1943. The guest is actor Charlie Lawson who spoke about his uncle John Glennie of the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Episode 10. The second attack on San Salvo in November 1943 and Kesselring is appointed supreme German commander in Italy. The 8th Indian Division enters the war in Italy and crosses the Trigno.

Episode 11. The bombing of the Vatican, the Allied Control Commission formed, Castel del Sangro is destroyed; Jews declared enemies by the Social Republic and the first attack on Monte Camino in December 1943. The special guest is Frank de Planta.

Episode 12. Plans for the crossing of the River Sangro in December with Richard O’Sullivan. The episode cover the first involvement in the Italian Campaign of the New Zealand Division and the attack on Mozzagrogna by the 8th Indian Division.

Episode 13. The 8th Army attack across the River Sangro in November 1943. The 8th Indian Division attacks the Mozzagrogna, the 78th Division attacks, the French Expeditionary Corps arrives in Italy and the Tehran Conference is held.

Films about the Irish Brigade

Irish Films & Website has produced six original documentary films of a planned series of nine about the history of the Irish Brigade and its role in the Second World War named All My Brothers.

All the films were written and directed by Edmund O'Sullivan and presented by Richard O'Sullivan, co-founders of the Irish Brigade Website.

You can view all episodes of All My Brothers by clicking on the relevant item below.

Part 1. The formation of the Irish Brigade and the early experiences of Edmund O'Sullivan, a London Irish rifleman conscripted in 1939; Operation Torch and the role of the Irish Brigade in the Tunisian campaign until March 1943. The film features an interview with Charles Ward, a London Irish Rifles sergeant at the time. Location filming includes at Grandstand Film, Stuka Ridge and Tunis. 35 minutes.

Part 2. The Tunisian campaign from March 1943 until July 1943. This covers the battles for Jebel Mahdi and Tangoucha/Jebel Ang and the capture of Tunis. 26 minutes.

Part 3. The Sicilian campaign and the Irish Brigade's advance from landing beaches to Catenanuova, Centuripe, the Simetto river and Maletto. It features an interview with Angelina Vitale (born in 1922) who saw the London Irish Rifles march into Piedimonte Etneo in September 1943. 31 minutes.

Part 4. The Adriatic campaign in October-December 1943 and the Irish Brigade's deployment in the high Apennines in the winter of 1943/44. It covers the battles for Termoli, the Trigno, the Sangro and San Vitale and concludes with the story of the brigade in Castel del Sangro, Capracotta and Montenero in the Abruzzi Mountains. 27 minutes.

Part 5. The battle of Cassino from March 1944 and the liberation of Rome in June 1944. This covers the brigade's deployment on Monte Castellone overlooking the abbey of Monte Cassino and its role in the attack on the Gustav Line on 15-17 May 1944. This is followed by an account of the brigade's pursuit of the retreating German army and the audience it was granted in the Vatican by Pope Pius XIII, the first for an Allied formation. 37 minutes.

Part 6. The advance of the brigade north of Rome and the battle of Trasimeno followed by its dispatch to Egypt for rest. 27 minutes.

Part 7. The brigade's return to Italy in September 1944 and its deployment in the northern Apennines against the Gothic Line. The film will cover the battle for Monte Spaduro and its period along the Senio river in March 1945. Part 7 is due for release in the summer of 2023.

Part 8. The brigade's preparation for the final attack on the Germany army in April 1945. It covers the advance to the River Po and the end of the war in Italy on 2 May 1945. Part 8 is due for release in early 2024.

Part 9. The end of the war in Europe, the brigade's role in the occupation of southern Austria and Ted O'Sullivan's return to London in the spring of 1946. Part 9 is due for release in 2024.

Irish Brigade podcasts

The Men of the Irish Brigade

The Homecoming: men of the Irish Brigade after the war

The Fallen: stories of the men of the brigade who did not return

The Austrian occupation. The extraordinary story of the role of the brigade in Carinthia in 1945

The Gothic Line. The role of the Irish Brigade in the assault on the Gothic Line in the northern Apennines in October 1944

The final victory: the story of the Irish Brigade in Operation Grapeshot and the advance to the River Po in April 1945

Stories of men who served with the Irish Brigade

To find out more about some of the men who served in the Irish Brigade in 1941-47, click on the names below.

Rifleman James Murtagh MM at Maletto.

Father Daniel Kelleher MC.

Major Colin Gibbs MC.

Charles Ward remembers his time with the London Irish Rifles and Special Operations Executive.

Lieutenant Desmond Fay at Casa Spinello, October 23rd 1944.

Major Sir Mervyn Davies MC 1918 - 2015.

Captain Strome Galloway at Stuka Farm, February 1943.

Canadians serving with the Irish Brigade.

Fusilier Edward Graham.

Lieutenant John Bruckmann

James McCabe

Rifleman James Cullen

Eric Jennings

Captain Joe Beglin

Sergeant Edward Mayo MM

Daniel Merron

John Lofting

Robert Warden

Sergeant John Geohegan MM

Corporal Edward O’Reilly MM

Major Lawrence Franklyn-Vaile

Frederick Gilligan

Joseph Whelan

Sydney Montrose Ekin

War Diaries, Eyewitness Accounts and Other Documents

Details of more than 1,000 men who died while serving with the Brigade

Day by day account of the Irish Brigade's journey from Algiers to Austria

First hand accounts written by men who served in the Irish Brigade.

An account of the Brigade's actions from November 1942 to December 1943 by Brigadier Nelson Russell

Tunisia from November 1942 to May 1943

Sicily in July and August 1943

Italy from September to December 1943

Italy from March 1944 to July 1945 by Brigadier TPD Scott.

War Diaries of the campaigns in Tunisia and Italy from November 1942 to May 1945:

38 (Irish) Brigade.

2 London Irish Rifles.

6 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers from November 1942 to August 1944

2 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers from July 1944 to May 1945.

1 Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Citations for honours and awards awarded to men of 38 (Irish) Brigade.

Irish Brigade Battlefield Guides and Tours

A detailed battlefield walking guide to the Bou Arada area where the Irish Brigade fought its first actions during January and February 1943.

A narrative guide of the advance from Termoli to the Moro River during October to December 1943.

A detailed battlefield walking guide to the Liri Valley for the period 14-17 May 1944.

A narrative guide to the Irish Brigade's assault on San Fatucchio and Pucciarelli on 21-25 June 1944.

A day by day guide to Operation Buckland from 9th to 25th April 1945.

Photographs from The Sicily Peace, Security & Prosperity conference 7-8 July 2023

The Massed Pipes of the Irish Brigade in front of St Peter's Basilica in June 1944

(Courtesy of the Imperial War Museum).

The Irish Brigade website pays tribute to all those who served with the infantry battalions of the Irish Brigade but we should not forget the support provided to them by men of 56th Reconnaissance Regiment, 17th Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery, 1st Kensington Regiment, 214 Field Squadron of the Royal Engineers and numerous armoured regiments as well as the RAF, Royal Navy, RAMC, Royal Signals, RASC, REME and RAOC.

With the greatest respect and utmost humility, we salute them all.

This website is a private, non-profit initiative dedicated to the memory of Edmund O'Sullivan, Colour Sergeant, E Company of the 2nd Battalion, London Irish Rifles during its campaigns with the Irish Brigade from November 1942 until May 1945.