Current Information:

Enlisted-Ilford

The 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers battalion were in India when the war started in August, 1914, but they soon returned to England where they joined 82 Brigade, 27th Division which landed in France in December, 1914. 82 Brigade took over the St Eloi sector, south of Ypres where they stayed until mid-March. On 8th February, 1915, 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers moved into the front line at St Eloi where they remained until relieved two days later. Harold Healing was killed on 10th February but the battalion diary has no information concerning his death. The attrition rate among British soldiers on the Western Front was on average 300 each day and 60% of these were as a result of shellfire. When not involved in an actual battle it was either shell fire or a sniper’s bullet that caused most deaths and injuries.