Steven Moore - The Chocolate Soldiers : The Story of the Young Citizen Volunteers and 14th Royal Irish Rifles During the Great War read book FB2, DJV
9781780730592 English 1780730594 Born in the politically charged atmosphere of 1911 14 Ireland, and with the support of some of the most influential figures in Belfast, the Young Citizen Volunteers was founded with vision and ambition.Conceived as non-sectarian and non-political, the YCV was at various times a youth movement with national and even international aspirations; a paramilitary body prepared to take up arms to prove its loyalty; and the core of a battalion of the British Army that fought in all the major battles on the Western Front during 1916 and 1917, and helped halt the German advances of 1918.Seen as an elite unit, due to their standard of training, the YCV was given a favored status when it eventually merged with the more working-class Ulster Volunteer Force. Although enlisting with enthusiasm at the outbreak of war and forming the core of the 14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, the YCVs were unkindly dubbed The Chocolate Soldiers and remained the odd men out throughout the Great War, and beyond.From naive young men who paraded Belfast in their signature gray uniforms to the karki-clad battle-hardened troops of the Western Front, this is the story of the YCV and 14th Royal Irish Rifles told largely through the words of the soldiers themselves.", Born in the politically charged atmosphere of 1911-14 Ireland, and with the support of some of the most influential figures in Belfast, the Young Citizen Volunteers was founded with vision and ambition.Conceived as non-sectarian and non-political, the YCV was at various times a youth movement with national and even international aspirations; a paramilitary body prepared to take up arms to prove its loyalty; and the core of a battalion of the British Army that fought in all the major battles on the Western Front during 1916 and 1917, and helped halt the German advances of 1918.Seen as an elite unit, due to their standard of training, the YCV was given a favored status when it eventually merged with the more working-class Ulster Volunteer Force. Although enlisting with enthusiasm at the outbreak of war and forming the core of the 14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, the YCVs were unkindly dubbed 'The Chocolate Soldiers' and remained the 'odd men out' throughout the Great War, and beyond.From naïve young men who paraded Belfast in their signature gray uniforms to the karki-clad battle-hardened troops of the Western Front, this is the story of the YCV and 14th Royal Irish Rifles told largely through the words of the soldiers themselves., From an interest sparked by a family involvement in the Young Citizen Volunteers and the First World War, author Steven Moore has crafted an extensive, revealing and sympathetic account of the organization. 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 to prove its loyalty; and the core of a military unit of the British Army that fought in virtually all the major battles of 1916 and 1917. Unkindly dubbed 'The Chocolate Soldiers' and often, in short, the 'odd men out', their story is revealed through photographs and the words of the men themselves.
9781780730592 English 1780730594 Born in the politically charged atmosphere of 1911 14 Ireland, and with the support of some of the most influential figures in Belfast, the Young Citizen Volunteers was founded with vision and ambition.Conceived as non-sectarian and non-political, the YCV was at various times a youth movement with national and even international aspirations; a paramilitary body prepared to take up arms to prove its loyalty; and the core of a battalion of the British Army that fought in all the major battles on the Western Front during 1916 and 1917, and helped halt the German advances of 1918.Seen as an elite unit, due to their standard of training, the YCV was given a favored status when it eventually merged with the more working-class Ulster Volunteer Force. Although enlisting with enthusiasm at the outbreak of war and forming the core of the 14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, the YCVs were unkindly dubbed The Chocolate Soldiers and remained the odd men out throughout the Great War, and beyond.From naive young men who paraded Belfast in their signature gray uniforms to the karki-clad battle-hardened troops of the Western Front, this is the story of the YCV and 14th Royal Irish Rifles told largely through the words of the soldiers themselves.", Born in the politically charged atmosphere of 1911-14 Ireland, and with the support of some of the most influential figures in Belfast, the Young Citizen Volunteers was founded with vision and ambition.Conceived as non-sectarian and non-political, the YCV was at various times a youth movement with national and even international aspirations; a paramilitary body prepared to take up arms to prove its loyalty; and the core of a battalion of the British Army that fought in all the major battles on the Western Front during 1916 and 1917, and helped halt the German advances of 1918.Seen as an elite unit, due to their standard of training, the YCV was given a favored status when it eventually merged with the more working-class Ulster Volunteer Force. Although enlisting with enthusiasm at the outbreak of war and forming the core of the 14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, the YCVs were unkindly dubbed 'The Chocolate Soldiers' and remained the 'odd men out' throughout the Great War, and beyond.From naïve young men who paraded Belfast in their signature gray uniforms to the karki-clad battle-hardened troops of the Western Front, this is the story of the YCV and 14th Royal Irish Rifles told largely through the words of the soldiers themselves., From an interest sparked by a family involvement in the Young Citizen Volunteers and the First World War, author Steven Moore has crafted an extensive, revealing and sympathetic account of the organization. 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 to prove its loyalty; and the core of a military unit of the British Army that fought in virtually all the major battles of 1916 and 1917. Unkindly dubbed 'The Chocolate Soldiers' and often, in short, the 'odd men out', their story is revealed through photographs and the words of the men themselves.