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There are but a few books that provide information about the Regiment,
however those that do exist are very good, often mentioning the names of
individuals (mostly officers) though a good few NCOs and other ranks get a
mention in various anecdotes.
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are the preferred suppliers of books about the
Leinster Regiment
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Details of the two most famous books are shown below
PRINCE OF WALES’S LEINSTER REGIMENT (ROYAL CANADIANS): The History of the
Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians), late the 100th Prince of
Wales Royal Canadian Regiment
Author Lieutenant Colonel F. E. Whitton
This is a two-volume history Vol.1. ‘The Old Army’ is devoted to the regiment’s
formation and activities before the Great War. It covers the War of 1812-14
against the young United States. Service in Montreal, Quebec, Aldershot,
Shornecliffe, Malta, Gibraltar, India, & Ireland. Also included are events
during the Indian Mutiny, the colonial service in Aden, the Mediterranean, and
the West Indies - for the rest of the 19th century. This volume is accompanied
by four maps and four illustrations. Vol. II - ‘The Great War and the
disbandment of the regiment’ is a substantial record of service in many of the
theatres of the war; in the first battle of the Aisne and the ‘Race to the Sea’
- the Ypres Salient, Gallipoli & Macedonia. In 1916 the Battle of the Somme -
the Easter Rising in Dublin. In 1917 action in Egypt and the Palestine campaign,
as well as Canada’s famous capture of Vimy Ridge on the western front. The
battles of Passchendaele and Cambrai, the 1918 German Spring offensives and the
allied advance which led to the armistice. After the armistice and before being
disbanded in 1922 the regiment served in occupied Rhineland, in India in Silesia
Volume II has eight illustrations and fourteen maps. Both volumes come with an
index.
Written by an officer of the regiment the two volumes provide an excellent
time-line narrative. The volumes contain references to many soldiers and
(mostly) officers. There are good accounts of various actions in which the
battalions took place.
This book is available as a reprint. An economy paper-back 2 volume version
(under £40) is available from the Naval & Military Press, but a better and
stronger bound 3 volume version (albeit more expensive) is available from
Schull Books in
Ireland. Schull Books
supply a fully illustrated set of books that are accompanied by a folder of
maps. All three volumes are cloth-bound and in a hard slipcase that looks
excellent on your bookshelf!.
“STAND TO” A Diary of the Trenches 1915-1918.
Author Capt F. C. Hitchcock MC
A diary account by an officer of 2nd Bn Leinsters who served with the
2/Leinsters in the trenches of the Somme and Ypres. It covers a period from May
1915 to the armistice in 1918. This is an excellent personal narrative of events
as they impacted Captain Hitchcock, however there are times when Hitchcock was
absent (on other duties) from the front line with the Regiment and so on
occasion describe what Hitchcock was doing and not what the 2nd Battalion were
doing. Nevertheless the book provides an outstanding account of the day to day
life of a junior officer.
This book is available as a reprint. An economy soft back version, under £10,
and a better quality hard back version, around £35. Both are available from the
Naval & Military Press, In both cases the quality of reproduced photographs
in the books is relatively poor.
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