Royal Munster Fusiliers (Reserves)

The Royal Munster Fusiliers held the 'home' Depot for their three Reserve Battalions at Ballymullen Barracks, Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland, where since 1881 most of the regiment's recruits enlisted in peacetime and received their first training before being assigned to regular battalions stationed around the UK and Ireland. Regular officers and N.C.O.s also provided instruction for part-time special reserve battalions during their annual training camps and other special courses during the year.

At the outbreak of war the Royal Munster Fusiliers three reserve battalions were all mobilised on 4. August 1914 and the regimental colours were sent to Tralee for safekeeping there until after the Armistice. The 4RMF (formerly the Kerry Militia (1793- 1908)) had a stirring send-off on their way to Berehaven . The 3RMF (formerly the South Cork Militia (1793–1908)) were assembled at Kinsale before proceeding to Queenstown, the 5RMF (formerly the Royal Limerick County Militia (1793–1908)) were mobilised at the Strand Barracks, Limerick travelling on to join the 4RMF. Their initial assignment was to be coastal defence, but due to losses reducing the 2nd (Regular) Battalion to less than 200 within a month of the war, most of the pre-war reservists, particularly those of the 3RMF, were used to rebuild it. The 3RMF was deployed to Aghada, Cork Harbour in May 1915 and from 1917 was barracked at Ballincollig.

The 4th and 5th (Extra Reserve) Battalions joined other battalions in coastal defences of England due to an invasions scare, 4th to Redcar Yorkshire, the 5th to North Shields County Durham. Both battalions who were popular during their stay, returned to Ireland by the end of 1915, 5th assigned to the Curragh, 4th to Fermoy, then to Bere Island in February 1916. All three reserves were now at the location they would occupy for most of the war, the 3RMF with 76 officers and 1927 men being by far the strongest battalion (the other two comparatively weak with 500 men). Unless used as replacements for battalions in action, none of the RMF Reservists died during the war other than by accidents, sicknesses or natural causes. Nor were any killed during the 1916 Rebellion, although some RMFs were dispatched to Dublin from the Curragh, others to Wexford and to Galway.

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