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The Irish people served in the British Armed Forces (including the British Army, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force and other elements). All of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom from January 1801 to December 1922, and during this time in particular many Irishmen fought in the British Army. Northern Ireland remains within the United Kingdom.
Following the outbreak of rebellion in Britain's Thirteen Colonies in 1775, Ireland provided large numbers of recruits to the expanded British Army. Following a vote in the Irish Parliament, it was agreed that a number of Irish Army regiments be allowed to serve in America.
During this time they were also part of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) in Germany on a number of occasions. They also served as the garrison of Hong Kong from 1970 to 1972. [22] The Irish Guards were one of the few regiments in the British Army initially exempt from service in Northern Ireland during The Troubles.
The Irish Guards mascot Leitrim Boy on recruiting duties in Waterford during the First World War, 21 February 1917.. The history of the Irish Guards as an infantry regiment of the British Army dates from the Regiment's formation in 1900.
At the turn of the 21st century, the British army numbered about 102,000 regular personnel, with about 25,000 recruits per year, mainly from the United Kingdom. The Army missed its recruitment targets in the 2010s due to low unemployment in Britain and other causes, despite raising the number of recruits from Commonwealth countries.
The British administration in Ireland promoted the idea of bolstering the RIC with British recruits. They were to help the overstretched RIC maintain control and suppress the Irish Republican Army (IRA), although they were less well trained in ordinary police methods.
The Connaught Rangers ("The Devil's Own") was an Irish line infantry regiment of the British Army formed by the amalgamation of the 88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers) (which formed the 1st Battalion) and the 94th Regiment of Foot (which formed the 2nd Battalion) in July 1881.
Among the British fencibles (British army soldiers given land) in 1847 many of them were Irishmen. The first Irish unit formed was in New Zealand - the Christchurch Royal Irish Rifle Volunteers were gazetted on 18 November 1868, re-designated No. 2 (Royal Irish) Company Christchurch R.V. on 4 April 1871, and then disbanded on 11 August 1874.