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 . " 3rd ( Reserve ) , 4th , 5th ( Extra Reserve ) Battalions " . Mobilisation . 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 3RMF ( formerly the " Kerry Militia " ( 1793 - 1908 ) ) had a stirring send - off on their way to Berehaven . The 4RMF ( 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 . Assignments . 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 . Disbandment . In April 1917 the 4RMF joined the 5RMF at the Curragh . In 4 August moved to Castlebar County Mayo , the 5th to Galway . With the changed political situation and growth in support for Sinn Féin loyalty was under test . Reports of loss of rifles , Lewis gun s and ammunition necessitated the massive transfer of the battalions out of the country in November , the 3rd to Devonport , England , the others to Scotland , 4th to Invergordon the 5th to Dreghorn . With the possibility of the extension of conscription to Ireland those Irish battalions still stationed in Ireland were transferred to England in April 1918 . The RMFs were relocated again , 3rd to Plymouth , 4th to Portobello and the 5th to Fort George , all three eventually amalgamating at Plymouth by August . The 3rd was absorbed into the 1st RMF in June 1919 . The Tralee Depot and the remaining reserves were moved to Devonport in England where they were disbanded on 31 . July 1922 . " 1st , 2nd ( Garrison ) Battalions " . Garrison battalions were first formed by the RMF in April 1917 , and were one of four Irish regiments to form them during the war , although the RMF had contributed men to other earlier formed garrison battalions . The battalions were mainly made up of soldiers no longer fit for front service . The 1st . ( Garrison ) was formed and stationed at Victoria barracks , Cork of men transferred from earlier garrisons to which were added men of the Leinster Regiment , the Connaught Rangers as well as men of the RMF . The garrison provided men for guard duty around the southern coast from the Shannon estuary round to Arklow , County Wicklow . Here there was the Kynock Ammunition Factory to be guarded employing 4 , 000 people , where a mysterious explosion occurred on 21 / 22 September 1917 killing 27 people . In November the garrison was transferred to England with all other Irish battalions . It was first stationed at Press Heath , Shropshire , then in January 1918 moved to Italy , based at Arquata Scrivia , providing guards for the British GHQ , airfield , ammunition stores and general lines of communication . It returned to Portsmouth , England in April 1920 and was disbanded the following month . The 2nd garrison was made up of those who remained after the 1st . Garrison departed for Italy and was formed in April 1918 at Portsmouth . The unit received and provided drafts for many Irish regiments abroad resulting in a high fluctuation of personnel . It was disbanded in February 1919 . " RMF ( Regular ) Battalions " . History of 1st and 2nd ( Regular ) Battalions related under " New Army ( Service ) Battalions " . History of 6th , 7th , 8th , 9th , and 10th ( Service ) Battalions related under