The Royal Hospital in Kilmainham was completed in 1684 by Sir William Robinson, official State Surveyor General for James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, as a home for retired soldiers and continued in that use for over 250 years. The ceremony of laying the first stone took place on the 29th April 1680 and was performed by the Duke of Ormond before a large assemblage of the nobility and principal officers of the army. The cost of the home for retired soldiers was roughly about £24,000, with accommodation for around 200 men. Within the boundaries of the Royal Hospital is the last resting place of many of the old soldiers, who passed away in Kilmainham. Over many years a large number of the headstones have been damaged for various reasons. Below is a list of graves with damaged or missing headstones. The dates of burials covered are from 1905 to 1930. This is first of a serial of articles on the Royal Hospital which will appear in the journal.

Name/Rank                 Regiment         Died           Age  Row

Name	Regiment	Died	Age	Row
Pte. James Blackeney	18th Foot	17/05/1908	69	H7
Pte. John Blackmore	Shropshire L.I.	22/07/1915	69	R2
Pte. Andrew Broderick	59th Foot	30/01/1917	79	C1
Pte. Michael Broderick	84th Foot	30/04/1908	69	H6
Pte .Michael Brogan	49th Foot	17/05/1909	74	I7
Pte. William Bryan	102nd Foot	21/03/1911	78	K3
Pte. John Buckley	19th Foot	25/06/1905	75	A1
Col. Sgt. James Carney	R.I. Fusiliers	02/01/1916	71	N7
Pte. John Carthure	30th Foot	31/05/1908	83	H9
Pte .Thomas Casey	18th Foot	17/04/1906	72	C6
Pte. John Cashen	East Kent Regt.	25/11/1919	54	P10
Pte. John Chawner	Scots Fusiliers	07/05/1918	77	O16
Pte. Bernard Coin	8th Hussars	24/02/1906	72	B6
Pte .Joseph Coli	1st Worcester	25/08/1924	78	S4
Pte. Joseph Collopy	36th Foot	25/04/1909	74	I6
Pte. Thomas Connolly	K.O.S.B.	10/07/1908	78	H10
Pte. Vere Copelly	9th Regiment	19/02/1915	73	M15
Pte. William Corry	51st Foot	06/04/1906	78	C3

 

Name	Regiment	Died	Age	Row
Pte. William Craven	R.A.S.C.	28/08/1926	77	S22
Pte. James Crawley	107th Foot	24/06/1912	85	H2
Pte. Denis Crimin	39th Foot	18/01/1912	74	F2
Pte. Richard Cronin	87th Foot	01/03/1915	80	M16
Pte. Michael Cummins	31st Foot	24/04/1908	83	H5
Pte Thomas Cunningham	R.H.A.	16/02/1909	70	I4
Pte. Francis Curtey	14th Foot	18/01/1907	73	E5
Pte. Christopher Daly	Bengal Artillery	14/02/1909	79	I3
Pte. Stephen Devaney	88th Foot	20/10/1907	69	G7
Sgt. Thomas Digney	Royal Artillery	11/03/1909	77	I
Owen Donnelly	Easter Rebellion	27/04/1916		U
Pte. James Dooley	17th Foot	25/01/1908	68	G10
Pte Thomas Downey	Devon Regiment	16/02/1919	63	L1
Pte. Patrick Dunne	106th Foot	30/04/1906	75	D3
Pte. James Edgill	96th Foot	01/02/1915	80	M14
Pte. Robert Ellis	4th Hussars	27/11/1917	75	O11
Pte. George Faulkner	39th Foot	23/12/1908	88	I1
Pte. James Finn	55th Foot	06/08/1911	73	K7
Pte. Patrick Fitzgerald	108th Foot	20/11/1905	66	B4
Pte. Richard Fitzwilliam	18th Foot	31/10/1905	74	A2
Pte William Fox	15th Foot	17/02/1910	67	I9
Pte. Robert Franklin	40th Foot	12/02/1920	82	P16
Sgt. John Frawley	Royal Artillery	21/09/1906	74	D5
Pte. Daniel Gibbens	76th Foot	27/11/1911	79	K12
Pte. Edward Gorman	88th Foot	05/05/1907	71	F6
Pte. George Grainger	30th Regiment	02/11/1910	73	J6
Pte. Michael Grehan	106th Foot	09/04/1906	84	C5
Pte. William Halley	Royal Irish Regt.	02/10/1924	49	S5
Pte. Denis Halloran	Royal Scots	11/06/1917	80	F1
Pte. John Halloran	Gloucester Regt.	16/09/1918	82	O18
Pte. John Hargetton	5th Lancers	04/01/1922	82	S1
Pte. Denis Harrington	2nd Manchester	25/09/1917	70	O8
Pte. John Hillard	York & Lancs	13/11/1917	70	O9
Cpl. George Hillier	R.G.A.	03/05/1925	69	S10
Pte. John Hobin	Dorset Regiment	27/04/1917	72	E1
Pte. David Hughes	22nd Foot	11/12/1918	72	H1
Pte. Henry Hutchin	R.G.A.	04/01/1922	81	T6
Pte. William Jackson	5th Lancers	23/04/1907	66	F5

 

Name	Regiment	Died	Age	Row
Pte. Patrick Joyce	Durham Lancers	17/02/1917	76	D1
Pte. Simon Kearney	87th Foot	21/01/1909	76	N3
Pte. John Keilty	East Surrey Regt.	05/06/1928	77	T23
Pte. Edward Kelly	86th Foot	02/01/1917	75	B1
Pte. Thomas Leary	78th Foot	05/11/1905	80	B3
Pte. Maurice Madden	55th Foot	21/02/1911	74	C2
Pte. Thomas Manders	19th Regiment	08/05/1913	77	L9
Pte. Martin Manion	16th Foot	30/05/1911	74	K6
Pte. William Marren	Royal Artillery	08/09/1920	73	Q1
Pte. George Matthews	5th Lancers	18/12/1906	66	D8
Pte. Patrick Meaney	R.H.A.	18/09/1912	84	L4
Pte. William Mercer	R.H.A.	26/01/1908	68	J2
Pte. Edward McNally	94th Foot	17/06/1907	69	F9
Pte. Hugh McMahon	27th Foot	12/10/1906	83	D7
Pte Philip McQuillan	Canadian Rifles	12/04/1907	87	F4
Pte. James McVey	Scottish Rifles	05/05/1910	87	P3
Pte Francis McVeeney	Scottish Rifles	26/03/1925	67	S9
Pte. James Mitchell	70th Foot	13/11/1910	82	J7
Pte. Robert Moneypenny	8th Hussars	08/04/1906	81	C4
Pte John Monks	Somerset Regt.	14/09/1910	64	J4
Pte. Christopher Moore	35th Foot	14/02/1911	74	B2
Pte. William Moore	105th Foot	04/09/1906	66	D4
Pte. John Mulcare	10th Foot	12/02/1919	66	J13
Pte. Owen Mullane	49th Regiment	26/12/1906	75	E3
Pte. Peter Mullen	East Kent Regt.	16/05/1918	70	O17
Pte. Patrick Nash	19th Foot	08/04/1907	66	G3
Pte. Thomas Nealon	10th Foot	24/06/1917	77	O5
Pte. John O’Bryan	Royal Artillery	22/04/1910	81	I11
Pte. Michael O’Toole	5th Lancers	08/04/1915	72	M17
Pte. Joseph Peaton	40th Regiment	22/04/1920	78	N1
Pte. William Porter	44th Foot	30/09/1909	73	I8
Pte. James Purtell	58th Foot	30/07/1907	76	I2
Pte. Henry Rance	16th Regiment	01/01/1907	77	E4
Pte. Daniel Ring	Dorset Regiment	30/06/1919	77	P6
Pte John Ryan	76th Foot	27/03/1908	71	H4
Pte. John Scotton	Yorkshire Regt.	24/07/1925	77	S13
Pte. Bernard Sheeran	10th Foot	01/10/1906	68	D6
Pte. John Simpson	98th Foot	6/03/1907	67	E8

 

Name	Regiment	Died	Age	Row
Nurse George Shore	R.H.K. Staff	12/12/1914		U
Pte. Thomas Skelly	62nd Foot	14/08/1917	80	O7
Pte. James Stafford	R.H.A.	06/03/1930	82	T4
Pte. Martin Slater	70th Foot	02/10/1910	77	J5
Pte. Edward Smiley	54th Foot	29/03/1907	69	F3
Pte. James Smeyton	56th Foot	05/02/1927	84	S23
Pte. William Stanley	Royal Artillery	16/05/1907	74	F7
Pte. John Stephens	57th Foot	28/01/1909	70	O3
Pte. Joseph St. John	41st Foot	16/12/1914	74	M11
Pte. Frederick Stokes	Staff Clerk	23/12/1922	87	R9
Pte. Martin Tehan	Royal Artillery	29/09/1908	61	H11
Cpl. John Tomney	R.H.A.	17/03/1926	75	S20
Pte .John Conway Tighe	55th Foot	03/04/1910	69	I10
Pte, Nicholas Tighe	2nd Bombay	29/08/1917	71	G5
Pte Joseph Tomlinson	95th Regiment	01/10/1911	74	K11
Sgt John Tuck	Oxford Light Inf	25/05/1923	78	R13
Pte. Maurice Tuite	Royal Engineers	25/05/1914	76	M4
Pte George Tumpenny	19th Regiment	10/01/1918	75	O12
Pte. Charles Webber	R.H.A.	12/04/1920	79	M1

 

Notes.

 

Owen Donnelly was an out-pensioner of the hospital and was buried in the pensioners graveyard, today there is no marker on his grave. He was shot during the Easter Rebellion on the 27th April near Kilmainham. Employed at the A.O.S. Department at Islandbridge in the city. Donnelly was an old soldier having served in the army for 21 years. He leaves a family of seven children, who reside at 15 Allingham Buildings, South Summer Street.

 

In the 1911 Census Owen Donnelly a native of Co. Tyrone, states that he is 52 years old and is employed as a labourer in the army ordnance department. He resides at 7 Fountain Street, with his wife Elizabeth and six children.

 

In 1911 Francis McVeeney a widower resides at 5 Hospital Lane, Usher’s Quay in Dublin. In the census he is recorded as head of the family and he states that he is a hotel servant, but is out of employment. Also in the house is his two daughters Anne and Mary, along with her husband Gerald Stokes and two grandchildren.

 

Thomas Nealon was born in Limerick City and in the 1911 Census is recorded as being 71 years old. At that time he resides with his son James, his daughter-in-law Katherine and grandson Thomas at 28 Doris Street in Dublin.

 

The oldest tombstone in the graveyard at the Royal Hospital is that of Corporal William Proby, who died on 28th July 1700. He had been only admitted to Kilmainham seven weeks before his death.

 

John Tuck on the census of 1911 is recorded as an in-pensioner at the hospital, aged 66 years and a widower. He was born in Queen’s Co (Co Laois).

 

References.

 

1911 Census, Evening Herald, The Story of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

Major James William Henry Cusack D.L. J.P. late 87^th Royal Irish Fusiliers, of Abbeyville House Malahide Dublin ,who died on 26^th July 1929, left personal estate’s in England and the Irish Free State valued at 16,071-4-0. Probate of the will dated 10^th June 1926 has been granted to the surviving executric his niece Miss Elizabeth Violet Cusack of the same address. The Testator left 100 to his niece Elizabeth Violet Cusack and the residue of his property to his wife. 

 

Source

Irish Times 20^th December 1929

“The Last Full Measure”

 

Lieut. Colonel George Francis Reginald Forbes, Commanding 1^st Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment who died 17^th March 1915 of wounds received in action two days previously was the eldest son of the late Colonel the Hon. W.F. Forbes, Resident Magistrate at the Curragh; nephew of the late Earl of Granard whose ancestor raised the Royal Irish Regiment in 1864 and cousin of Lady Maurice Fitzgerald Johnstown Castle Waterford. He joined the Royal Irish Regiment in 1889,served throughout the Tirah campaign 1897-98,was Adjutant of the Bombay-Barroda Railway Volunteers 1899-1904 and Staff Captain No.12 (South Irish) Division 1905-09. He succeeded to the command of the 1^st Battalion then serving in India on 12^th March 1912. “No better officer or true friend has ever given his life for his country” writes an old comrade, who deeply mourns his loss.

 

Lieutenant Colonel George Francis Reginald Forbes  Royal Irish Regiment  Died 17^th March 1917 – Aged 48 years – Mentioned in Despatches – Son of Colonel the Hon W.F. Forbes D.L. – Husband of Agnes Margaret Forbes of Fyfield Manor, Abingdon, Berks, England – Buried Bailleul Communal Cemetery (Nord)

 

Source

Free Press Wexford 27^th March 1915

C.W.G.C

The men who had stolen the lorry it is believed, got behind the fences along the side of the road when they saw the Crossley tender approaching and believing, it is assumed, that in it was a party send out to recover the lorry, opened fire. The soldiers in the tender were taken by surprise. Behind the fences were about twenty armed men, and each man fired at least one shot at the advancing tender. Lieutenant Mead and Quartermaster-Sergeant Connolly were the only men hit. The driver fortunately escaped unhurt and promptly increased the speed of the car. The escort, consisting of two men of the Lancashire Fusiliers, were seated in the body of the tender and they immediately prepared to return fire on the attackers, but before they could do so the tender turned the corner, cutting the civilians off from view. The escort however caught a momentary glance of the men and they estimate that they numbered about twenty. The tender was then driven to the military hospital, where Connolly died. A civilian who is employed in the motor department at the Royal Barracks stated last night when the tender was returned it bore many evidences of the shooting. Lieutenant Mead it is under, was a settlement officer and was going to see a farmer in the Blackchurch district in connection with the compensation to be paid him on a claim for damage to his property by the military. On inquiry at the General Headquarters of the Irish Republican Army, Dublin last night, a representative of the Irish Times was informed that the Irish Republican Army forces are co-operating with the British forces in trying to track down the perpetrators of the outrage and that no efforts will be spared on the part of the Irish Republican Army to secure their arrest.  SourceIrish Times 21st February 1922

On Sunday April 25^th the consul at the Russian Federation embassy in Dublin, Andrie Nikeryasov, travelled to Cork City Hall to present 93-year old John Hallahan with the 65^th Anniversary Medal of the Great Patriotic War struck by a decree of Dmitry Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation. John Hallahan is one of only three remaining Irish ex-servicemen who served on WW2 Arctic convoys.

John Hallahan joined the Royal Navy in 1938 and between 1940 and 1942 served as a boiler room technician on the cruiser HMS Devonshire which protected convoys bringing vital arms, food and medical supplies to the Soviet ports of Murmansk and Archangel. These convoys had to run the gauntlet of treacherous ice floes, mine fields, in addition to the constant treat of attacks from German aircraft and submarines. After leaving the Royal Navy in 1950, John Hallahan worked at Cork's Whitegate Oil Refinery for 25 years.   

Due to Mr. Hallahan's recent ill health, Mr. Nikeryasov made the journey to Cork to present him with his medal in Cork City Hall in the presence of Lord Mayor Cllr. Dara Murphy. Children from the Cork Russian School, founded by Tania Zhinzhina, presented Mr. Hallahan with flowers and a piece of Russian soil. 

During the presentation ceremony Mr. Nikeryasov said that it was due to people such as Mr. Hallahan and fellow Irish Royal Navy veterans George Jones and Geoffrey  Metcalfe, both of whom live in Dublin, that the Soviet Union had survived  that they are owed a great debt  as it was thanks to them  and their comrades that the Soviet Union  was able to get food and medicines  from  our allies in Britain and the United States of America  which helped thousands survive  and contributed  to the victory over the Nazis. 

Former submariner Ronald Erridge, Secretary of the Royal Naval Association in Cork and County, said that the life expectancy of an Arctic convoy sailor who fell into the water was one minute and that few people could accept that without the strength of character that John has and that they were very proud of him.    

The Russian Federation will present similar medals to George Jones and Geoffrey Metcalfe in their embassy in Dublin in May and to the relatives of Norman Sparksman who died earlier this year and the family of Thomas O'Neill who died in 2008.

49^th Battalion. Canadian Infantry - Alberta Regiment(formerly 5169 Sgt. 1^st. Battalion The Royal Dublin Fusiliers) 

Kilkenny man Nicholas Walsh, a son of James Walsh, originally from Baronsland, Bennettsbridge was born on June 12^th 1876. By the standards of the day he was a relatively tall well built man of five foot eleven with brown hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion. A Catholic, by trade he was a clerk. Before he emigrated to Canada he served for eight years in the Dublin Fusiliers.

At the time of his attestation into the Dublin Fusiliers on 9^th August 1894, he was twenty two and a half years of age and gave his previous trade as a farm labourer Most likely his labouring days were spent on his Father’s farm near Bennettsbridge. Walsh was medically examined and passed fit for service in the Dublin Fusiliers on the 7^th. August 1894. His application for enlistment was formally approved by the officer commanding the 18^th. Regimental District at Clonmel on August 10^th. 1894. By August 11^th. Walsh found himself at the Regimental Depot in Naas where he was sworn in as a private in the RDF.  

For the next five and a half years until 8^th November 1899 his service with the 1^st Battalion RDF was entirely at home.  Drawing from the information given in his service papers one can conclude that he was an enlisted man with some ability as indicated by his promotion through the ranks.  By August 1895 he was promoted to the unpaid rank of lance corporal. The following February this appointment became a paid rank. In August of 1896 he earned a good conduct badge and the following October he was promoted to the rank of corporal. January 1899 saw his promotion to lance sergeant which became a paid position the following month.  The 4^th of August 1899 was his final promotion in the RDF, at this stage he became a sergeant, the rank he took overseas to South Africa 

Sergeant Walsh served with the 1^st Battalion of the Dublin Fusiliers throughout the Boer War from 9^th  November 1899 to 12^th September 1902.  He was awarded the Queens and Kings South Africa Medals. His QSA was  with five bars, Transvaal, Orange Free State, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith and Laing’s Nek. 

Walsh was discharged from service with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers on the 8^th August 1906 on the termination of his engagement.  At some stage after this he emigrated to Canada where he found work as a clerk. With the outbreak of the Great War he chose to rejoin the army. Having been medically examined at Edmonton, Alberta on the 4^th January 1915 by the M.O., and at the age of thirty nine and a half years, he was passed as medically fit for service overseas with the Canadian Army.  The date is important; being the date of establishment of the unit, Walsh, a man of significant previous military experience would have been identified as someone who could make an important contribution to the development of the new regiment. 

Some background data on the 49^th Canadian Infantry Battalion in which Walsh served.   This unit was raised and organised in Edmonton Alberta, (Canada) and served there from January 4^th 1915 until June 4^th 1915 when it moved to England. The unit arrived in England on June 13^th remaining until October 9^th 1915 when it went to the Western Front as part of the 7^th Infantry Brigade, 3^rd Canadian Division.  At the end of the war the Battalion returned to Canada in March 1919.  The contribution of the Canadians to the war effort in France and Flanders is significant, the 49^th Battalion Battle honours were extensive – Mount Sorrel; Somme 1916; Flers-Courelette; Ancre; Arris 1917, 1918; Passchendaele; Amiens; Scarpe 1918; Hindenburg Line; Canal du Nord; Pursuit to Mons.   

We will probably never learn the full extent of Walsh’s distinguished military service with the Canadians, but piecing together the available evidence from primary source material, we can determine that he was quite a brave soldier and leader. 

Entries in the 49^th Battalion War Diaries on the 28^th February 1916  had two recommendations for gallantry. The first was for Major A.K. Hobbins Adjutant who was recommended for the D.S.O. for his  

“steady and consistently good work in the organisation and since the organisation of this Bn. 29^th/ Dec.1914 to the present time as Adjutant.”

On the same date (28^th February 1916) the War Diary recommends a second award 

“432178 Company Sergeant Major Walsh. N. ‘B’ Company recommended to G.O.C.7^th. Canadian Infantry Brigade, for D.C.M., for efficient faithful and consistently good work as Company Sergeant Major since the organisation of this Bn. 29^th Dec.1914 to the present time.” Despite the recommendation for a D.C.M., it was not awarded. Amongst the names recorded “for gallant and distinguished conduct” in the London Gazette of Tuesday 13^th June 1916, RSM Nicholas

Walsh was mentioned in the despatch (MID) of General Sir Douglas Haig Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in France.

As a result of further gallant actions later that year he was awarded an M.C.  A posthumous entry in the London Gazette on the 14^th November 1916 states that   

“His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to confer the Military Cross on No. 432178 Sgt. Major N. Walsh (W.O. First Class) 49^th. Canadian Infantry Battalion for conspicuous gallantry in action. He acted as Adjutant with courage and efficiency.  Although very seriously wounded, he continued at his duty.  He set a fine example”.

Arising from the above action, Walsh was seriously wounded and evacuated to the 2^nd  Northern Special Hospital, Leeds where he died on the 24^th  of September 1916

Over 30 pages of photocopied records supplied by the Library and Archives Canada[9] helps greatly in adding information to the personal and service history of this man. However, the Leeds Hospital medical records contained in the file show graphically how RSM Walsh suffered as a result of his wounds. 

He had multiple gunshot wounds to both arms, hands, thigh, feet and right leg. He received these wounds on the Somme on the 15^th September. His worst wound was on his left thigh, which was described on the 23^rd. of September as “very septic – swollen – smelly”. By the following day his general condition was described as “much worse” with gangrene spreading much further around his thigh with “bubbles of gas coming from front wound”. His pulse was very feeble and he spent a “poor night”. At some stage during the night a decision was taken and a guillotine amputation of the upper third of the thigh took place.        

In preparation for the operation Walsh was given “N₂O” (used for anaesthesia, commonly known as laughing gas) Ethanol was also administered to him. After the amputation he was given two pints of blood and brandy. He died on the 24^th  September as a result of his wounds.  His body was returned to Ireland and is buried at Bennetts Bridge Catholic Churchyard which is located five miles south of Kilkenny city.  His is the only Commonwealth grave in the cemetery. He was survived by his parents, siblings and his wife Nellie Walsh whose address was the Nore View Hotel, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny.   

Nicholas Walsh was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry in the action which ultimately caused his death as a result of the wounds he received.   

The cased and engraved M.C. was presented by General Doran to Nicholas Walsh’s widow Nellie at a ceremony in Cork on the 22^nd. February 1917. 

To date I have been unable to locate any reports on this particular event. However, on May 12^th 1917 General Doran officiated at a similar presentation of a D.C.M. to Battery Sergeant Major Pounden of Enniscorthy. A huge crowd had assembled with troops of the Munster Fusiliers and Royal Irish Constabulary. Without doubt the presentation of the M.C to Nellie Walsh in Cork would have been quite like the Wexford conferring.   

John Graham (sometimes spelt Greham) Devenish was born in Waterford ‑ where his father was a Church of Ireland Curate¹ ‑ on 27 June 1879. His family had come originally from Roscommon, and although worthy people (his aunt was married to a Major General in the Indian Army), there was only one really notable antecedent. She was Olivia Marianne Devenish (1771 ‑ 1814), the daughter of John's great, great grand uncle, who married, first, Dr Jacob Fancourt. On his death, she married, as his first wife, Stamford Raffles, the legendary founder of Singapore. It was believed that before she married Raffles she was the inamorata of Thomas Moore, the great Irish poet, who addressed "many of his amatory elegies to her"². As the wife of Raffles she was to make him very happy, and her early death in Java in 1814 was a great grief to him.

Long after Olivia, Robert Jones Sylvester Devenish married, on 5 February 1877, Rosamond Price of Waterford. They had a daughter and three sons ‑ the first of whom was John, the subject of this study.

John was educated at St Columba's College, Dublin, from 1893 and it would appear that he left there circa 1896, when he is recorded as entering Trinity College Dublin ‑ it is not clear if he ever completed a degree course. He was commissioned into the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers as a Second Lieutenant from 4^th Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment (Militia), on augmentation, on 18 October 1899³.

He joined the 1st Battalion at Mullingar too late to be included in the photograph of the officers, but he did sail with the Battalion from Queenstown (Cobh) on 5 November 1899. He fought with the Battalion at Colenso at few weeks later, on 15 December, where he was severely wounded. It is not known what type of injuries he suffered, but they were clearly not bad enough for him to be evacuated to England as other officer ca­sualties (like A J Hancocks and W W Meldon) were.

On 23 February 1900, Devenish took part with the rest of the Battalion in the Battle of Inniskilling Hill. Once again, he was severely wounded, being shot in both legs. Unable to walk, he spent a freezing night out on the veldt, in danger of being shot if he moved, and listening to the cries of the wounded and the dying. The next day, the Battalion's Medical Officer, Lieutenant Inkson RAMC, carried him off the battlefield. This incident rates few lines in the Battalion's various acounts of the Boer War, but it was a feat of gallantry striking enough to earn for Inkson the Victoria Cross⁴

 

"On the 24th February 1900, Lieutenant Inkson carried Second Lieutenant Devenish (who was severely wounded and unable to walk) for three or four hundred yards under a very heavy fire to a place of safety. The ground over which Lieutenant Inkson had to move was much exposed, there being no cover." 

Without wishing in any way to denigrade Inkson's actions ‑ which, after all, were carried out in full view of an enemy who had proved that he was quite prepared to kill anyone who moved ‑ it is of interest that Devenish was quite a small man. He was just five feet, eight inches tall, weighed some 108 pounds, and was of a very slight build.

It is not recorded where Devenish went to recover from his wounds ‑ these were noted, years later⁵ as "bullet wound (scars) on left thigh in front, and on right hip in front." He, once again, cannot have been repatriated to England as he re­turned to the Battalion on 11 April 1900 ‑ Capt Auchinleck⁶ recorded in his diary that "Major Brannigan" (the MO, wounded at Colenso, for whom Inkson was doing locum) "and Devenish returned this morning ‑ Devenish quite recovered from his second wound." In the same diary entry, Auchinleck refers to the departure from the Battalion of Lieutenant Inkson "to the great regret of every man in the Regiment. He got a tremendous send‑off, and we are all dreadfully sorry to lose him." It is ironic that when Inkson's VC was announced the following January, the Regiment appears to have taken no note of it⁷. 

Devenish took part in the Battle of Belfast on 27 August 1900 where, for once, he escaped unscathed. On 2 September he, according to Auchinleck, "had a pretty warm time" after the Battalion crossed the Crocodile River and passed Badfontein Hotel. Sadly, neither Auchinleck nor the regimental history clarifies what happened here, but it is possible that whatever he did led to him being Mentioned in Despatches a year later⁸.

Devenish was promoted Lieutenant⁹, with effect 20 Septem­ber 1900 in the place of Lieutenant James Lowry, who died of blood poisoning, on 19 September, in London (having been medical­ly evacuated from South Africa). 

He transferred to the 2nd Battalion sometime after its arrival in South Africa (in February 1902) and, by March 1903, was seconded to the Mounted Infantry. But before he left the Battalion he was recorded¹⁰ as coming third in the officers' mule race at the Mafeking Garrison Sports (including the Army, the Cape Police and the British South Africa Police) on 18 Febr­uary 1903. How long he remained with the Mounted Infantry is not known, but he was back in the 2nd Battalion in Egypt by March 1904. Around that date he was in command of A Company, handing over¹¹ to Captain E J Buckley. He can be found in two photo­graphs in the Regimental Museum ‑ on St Patrick's Day 1904 in Egypt, and when the Battalion was inspected by the Duke of Connaught, in Cairo, in January 1905. In both, he can clearly be seen wearing his two medals for the Boer War^12. Promoted Cap­tain on 7 January 1906¹³ he finally left the Army in September 1907, and effectively disappears from Regimental sight.

His entry in Burke's¹⁴ refers merely to him as "Captain, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, served in South African War 1899‑1902, and in World War I, 1914‑1918," but, frustratingly, gives no further details (apart from his date of death). However, the St Columbas' Roll Of Honour¹⁵ provides the clue as to at least part of his movements after leaving the regiment, when it refers to his WWI service as a Sergeant, 5th New Zealand Reinforcements ‑ twice wounded. 

New Zealand Defence Force Records¹⁶  were able to fill in details of his WWI service. He joined the Expeditionary Force on 11 December 1914 at the age of 35 years, where he admits to service in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, but without giving a rank. It is intriguing to note that the recruiters do not appear to have attempted to clarify his previous regular service, or to query the scars of bullet wounds on his legs. It is very possible that Devenish wished to play down his background ‑ he refers, for example, to his father simply as R J Devenish, not as "Very Reverend." He gave his own occupation as “self employed contrac­tor” and an address at Pembroke House, Grey Street, Auckland. The doctor noted that he had a tattoed Japanese girl on his right forearm ‑ it is amusing to speculate that he may have acquired this en route to New Zealand (or, at least, after he left the Army) as it is unlikely that he would have sported such an emblem while still serving with the Regiment.

He was initially posted to G Company, 5^th Reinforcements¹⁷, on 8 January 1915, as a Sergeant, and would appear to have been a Company Sergeant Major by 30 June. However, when he joined 16^th Company, 2nd Bn AIR¹⁸ in the Dardanelles on 8 August (1915) he did so as a Private. Just five days later, on the 13^th , he was wounded by a bullet in his left leg, and was evacuated to St David's Hospital, Malta, on the 20^th.  On 5 September he was posted to the New Zealand Advanced Base at Mustapha from which, on the 15^th, he embarked at Alexandria for the Dardanelles. Arriving there on the 21^st, he was again admit­ted to hospital, this time at Mudros, suffering from diarrhoea, on 9 October. On the 21^st, diagnosed as suffering from dysentry, he was sent to England where, on the 28^th, he was admitted to the 2^nd Western General Hospital in Manchester. On 14 January 1916 he was attached to the New Zealand Base Depot at Hornchurch, before joining 1^st Bn AIR at Ismailia on 1 March. Five days later he was appointed Lance Corporal, and a month later (on 5 April) he rejoined the 2nd Battalion. On 8 April the Battalion embarked, from Alexandria, on the HT Ascania, for France. At Rebecq, on 23 April, he was appointed Temporary Corporal, being given substan­tive rank, at Armentieres, on 14 May. 

On 7 June 1916, Corporal Devenish was wounded for the second time ‑ by a gun shot wound in the right thigh. Admitted initially to No 13 Stationary Hospital in Boulogne he was evacuated to the 2^nd Scottish General Hospital in Aberdeen on the 12 of June. On 16 August he joined the New Zealand Convalescent Camp at Horn­church, before being invalided to New Zealand, and struck off the strength of the Expeditionary Force, on 28 October 1916. I wonder if he had been able, while at Hornchurch, to travel to Ireland for the funeral of his father, who died on 16 September?

Back in New Zealand, he was discharged ‑ no longer physical­ly fit for war work on account of wounds received in action ‑ on 26 May 1917. This is hardly surprising, when one considers that he was twice wounded in both legs ‑ it is a wonder that he was able to walk at all. For his service in Gallipoli and France he was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War and Allied Victory medals ‑ all named to him as 12/2271 Corporal J G Devenish NZEF. 

After the war, Devenish ceased being a contractor, and is recorded¹⁹ as a Clerk, living at 29 Hayden Street (and, later, at 31 Upper Vincent Street), Auckland Central. The last morsel of knowledge of him is that he died, unmarried, at Epsom (a suburb of Auckland) on 1 June 1947.  His youngest brother Robert, Arch­deacon of  Lahore 1934 ‑ 1940, had two daughters. The middle brother, William, sometime Vice President of Canadian National Railways, did have a son but he died as a Lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Engineers in World War II. So, John was the last of the Devenish men, and with him the line died out. 

 

Extract from J G Devenish's Record of Service

Invalided to New Zealand per HS Maheno, from Southampton, and struck off strength of NZEF, 28 Oct 1916 

 

Extract from "The War Effort of New Zealand" p.133

On Oct 28th (1916), 328 New Zealand sick and wounded were embarked (on the HS Maheno) at Southampton, and voyaged home uneventfully except for delay at Albany, due to a coal strike in New Zealand.

 

References

1.     Later (1883 ‑ 1886) Prebendary in Waterford Cathedral; Vicar of Cahir 1886 ‑ 1913 and, from 1913 to his death in 1916, Dean of Cashel.

2.     According to Lord Minto, quoted in "Raffles" by Maurice Col­lis, published Singapore 1966

3.     London Gazette 17 Oct 1899 p.6265. Officers from Militia regiments were commissioned into regular regiments going to South Africa, to bring them up to war establishment

4.     London Gazette 15 Jan 1901

5.     In Devenish's recruit form when he joined the New Zealand forces for WW1

6.     Captain Dan Auchinleck, KIA 20 Oct 1914

7.     Inkson's VC was never included in the list of VCs to the Inniskillings until I pointed out that, as he rescued an officer of the Regiment, while actually serving with the Regiment, he should be counted among our VCs. This has now been done, and ninety years after the event, Inkson's gallantry is remembered by the successors to the Inniskillings, The Royal Irish Regiment.

8.     London Gazette 10 Sep 1901 p.5942

9.     Announced in the London Gazette 12 Mar 1901 p.1766

10.   "The Donegal's Own" Journal May 1903

11.   "The Donegal's Own" Journal Mar 1904

12.   Queens' South Africa medal with clasps Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, and Relief of Ladysmith; and King's South Africa medal with clasps South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902. All are named to him as a Lieutenant.

13.   Army List 1907 p.743

14.   Burke's "The Landed Gentry of Ireland" 1958 pp.232/233

15.   For WW1, published by the Old Columban Society

16.   Letter from Dr M J McNamara dated 30 Mar 1993

17.   The 5th Reinforcements (2299 in total) left New Zealand on 3 ships on 13 June 1915. They all sailed for Suez, but they appear to have arrived a week apart. It is likely that Devenish tra­velled on the Aparima, which arived in Suez on 6 August,  two weeks after the first trooper (the Maunganui), which arrived there on 24 July

18.   This was the 2nd Battalion the Auckland Infantry Regiment  

19.   According to the 1925 and 1931 Electoral Rolls

Arising from a meeting on April 27^th in Dublin  by a group of relatives  of the Easter Week 1916 Rising  and politicians from  the Irish Parliamentary Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Connolly Heron, great-grandson of  Irish Citizens Army leader James Connolly, said that the campaign  to protect Dublin's  historic Moore Street area  will one of the most  important preservation campaigns  since Wood Quay in the 1970's. The comments were made following a tour around the area of the General Post Office and Moore Street  which is scheduled to be redeveloped.

In March the An Bord Pleanala ( The Planning Board)  approved planning permission  for a major development of the Carlton Cinema site  which occupies  a 2.7 hectare site  taking in most of a block of Upper O'Connell Street  and fronting onto Henry Street, Moore Street, O' Rahilly Parade, Parade and Parnell Street. This area  covers most of the route taken by the leaders of the Easter Week 1916 Rising  after they left  the General Post Office where they had been for mist of the week  and 16 Moore Street which was their final headquarters and where  the decision to surrender was taken.

Developer Joe O'Reilly, who built the south Dublin Dundrum Town Centre, has been granted planning permission granted for an 800,000 sq. ft. development comprising 98 retail units, 69 residential units, 12050 sq. ft. of restaurants and coffee houses and parking for 700 cars.

Addressing the Parliamentary Committee. John Heron Connolly, who is a member of the ' Save 16 Moore Street Committee ', said that the State needed to a proactive role in the preservation of the area, an issue which was too important to left in the hands of a private developer. Nos. 14 to 17 Moore Street is a designated National Monument and under the development plans the facade of the buildings will be preserved and an a 1916 Rising Commemorative Centre constructed in No.16.  However campaigners are proposing that the interior of the these building be preserved in its original condition as this was where the leaders of the 1916 met for the last time and have called on the Government to establish a museum in it along the lines of the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam.

Irish Soldier.

 

William  Monahan (1887 – 1941)

William Monahan was born in New Ross, Wexford. He married Sarah Mullens and their children were Mary, Philomena, Gerard and Madeleine. William worked as a butler. Sarah died on the 4^th April 1920 aged 49. His mother Mary Anne Monahan, who practiced as a midwife, having trained in Sir.Patrick Dun’s Hospital, brought up his younger children. She died on the 1^st August 1937 at the age of 88.

He married again on 28^th January 1926 to Rose Gallagher in Buncrana, Donegal. They had two sons, Patrick and William.

 

Service In The ‘Royal Dublin Fusiliers’.

Many of the service records of World War One were destroyed during the ‘blitz’ on England during the Second World War. However, the Public Records Office, at Kew, was able to provide some limited information on his army service in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. The surviving records indicated that he had served in the 2^nd and 8^th battalions and that he had entered the field of battle in France in December 1915. The Medal Roll showed that he had been awarded the 1914-1915 Star and two other medals, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. So, he was the holder of the triple medals of World War One. He had attained the rank of Sarjeant.

 

Service In The National Army.

Back in Ireland he initially worked as a canteen manager/barman in Monaghan He then enlisted, for a period of six months, in the National Army on 18^th July 1922. (Oglaigh na h-Eireann, Voluntary Reserve). His first posting, as a sergeant, was to the Special Infantry Corps at Portobello Barracks, Rathmines, Dublin. He was discharged on the 18^th January 1923 and reattested on 20^th February 1923 retaining his rank of sergeant and was posted to the 35^th Infantry battalion at Sligo in the Donegal Command (Service Number 884). On the 3^rd June 1924 he was promoted to Company Quartermaster Sergeant and posted to Finner Camp in Buncrana. Further promotion followed on 26^th August 1924 to Acting Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant. Following a course of instruction, 14th February to 3^rd May 1925, at the Curragh he was promoted to Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant and posted to West Command HQ in Custume Barracks, Athlone.

In 1927 the Defence Forces were going through a period of reduction in strength. He was not retired due to this reduction in the Establishment of Ranks but was posted to 4 Garrison Transport Company at Athlone.

On the 16th July 1927 he was discharged - “Time Expired” - having served for four years and one hundred and forty seven days.

 

Service In The Local Defence Force.

Following his discharge from the army, his days in uniform were not over. After the outbreak of World War Two, he joined the Local Defence Force which was formed in response to “The Emergency” in Ireland. Although, the records of the LDF in Buncrana have been lost, the local newspaper’s report of his funeral with Full Military Honours provided some information. He was a Section Leader and died on 21^st April 1941 on duty and the newspaper speculated that he was the first LDF casualty in Donegal. He was awarded the Emergency Service Medal posthumously.

 

William  Monahan – Date Of Birth.

There is some doubt as to his actual age on discharge from the Irish Army. His Army records show a variation in the data on his age. It states that his date of birth was 30^th March 1884. So, on discharge in July 1927 he would have been 43 but the Discharge Medical Board Form shows his age at discharge as 50 years, this implies that the year of birth was 1877. The Death Certificate states he died on 21^st April 1941 at age 64, this would give credence to the year of birth being 1877. Without the assistance of the Irish Army Archives much of his military service would not have come to light and one is very grateful to them for that.

 

Sad Addendum.

In 2012 his British War Medal and Victory Medal were stolen. The inscription on the medal rims was “21367 SJT.WILLIAM MONAHAN. R D Fus.” Any information about these two medals and the lost 1914-1915 Star would be appreciated and sent to the Editor.

 

“The Roll of the Drum”

National Defence Week 1940.

 

“All creeds and classes have rightly united in raising their voices in tribute to the Soldiers of Ireland. Statesmen, industrialists, captains of commerce, publicists, and the press have all joined in the chorus. Only one voice has been missing – the voice of the theatre. Its silence is not in accordance with Irish traditions. In the brave days of old the ancient bards and minstrels took a great pride in singing the praises of the fighting men of Erin. Their successors in the Irish theatre of today will take an equal pride in carrying on the old tradition”.

This quotation is taken from the August 1940 Souvenir Programme of Dublin’s, famous but long gone Theatre Royal, where “The Roll of the Drum” was presented. The programme was illustrated with military history drawings by Micheál Mac Liammoir.

 

With the outbreak of World War Two, Ireland was in a very difficult position. In remaining neutral, the State set upon a major programme of self-defence, which required a great increase in the size of the small peacetime army and the establishment of many civilian support services, such as Air Raid Precaution, Local Security Force and Auxiliary Fire Service.

 

A major programme of recruitment and training was put in place for the Army. So, the Theatre Royal presented “The Roll of the Drum”- A special production ‘Dedicated to National Defence’. This was with the permission of the Minister of Defence and with the co-operation of the Army General Staff.

 

Military music was provided by the No.1 Army Band under the baton of Lieut. Dermot O’Hara and the Drums and Pipes of the 2^nd and 5^th Infantry Battalions also participated. Colonel Fritz Brase, a former German Army Bandmaster, who became the Director of the Irish Army School of Music in 1923, composed and arranged many of the music items. In addition the Theatre Royal Orchestra conducted by Jimmy Campbell and Theatre Organ played by, Gordon Spicer added to the occasion.

 

With the increased operational duties and major training programmes ongoing, the Army was limited in the number of personnel that it could make available for this theatrical production. There were many non-soldiers in this ‘National Defence Week’ show. “Sundown” – a campfire singsong scene and “The Battle Eve of the Brigade” an historical song scene, included the Dublin Grand Opera Society Baritone, John Lynskey.

 

Colourful dance routines were provided by the Royal Violettes who for the occasion were renamed as “The Blue Hussar-ettes”. Presumably this was based on the mounted Blue Hussars who provided the Presidential Escort.

 

Comedy was not forgotten with the inclusion of the “Sojering is Sojering” sketch with Mike Nolan, Joe Duffy, Paddy Tyrell and Jimmy Davenport.

 

The real soldiers presented many displays of physical fitness including “Drill as Drill Should be” and “A nation Fit is a Nation Free”.

 

This successful theatrical event was both a recognition of the Army’s expansion and progress in effectiveness to deal with “The Emergency”. It also was important for both soldier and civilian morale at this most dark period in European history.

Late Mr P. Kavanagh

Obituary

The sudden death of Mr Patrick Kavanagh, 29 Bloomkeld Avenue, S.C.R. Dublin has caused deep regret both in Dublin and Wicklow. To all appearances in the best of health he attended ten o’clock mass at St Kevin’s Church on All Souls’ Day, and as was his usual routine went down town to transact some business. He became ill in High St. and was conveyed to the Meath Hospital, where he lived just a few minutes after the Last Rites of the Church were administered to him.

Mr Kavanagh was the youngest son of Edward and Sarah Kavanagh of Ballyreigh, Enniskerry. He went to Dublin in 1899 and being a man of powerful build we was admitted to the ranks of the D.M.P. on Feb 3^rd of that year. He spent many years in the force and had the distinction of being the tallest man in the ranks. For this reason he was one of the picked men who formed the bodyguard for Queen Victoria’s funeral in London. Always a lover of his native county Mr Kavanagh spent a long period annually in his old home in Enniskerry. There he and his family were well known and esteemed by a wide circle of friends. In Dublin he was well known and respected both by his fellow D.M.P. men and by all of Wicklow extraction in the city.

The funeral took place following Requiem Mass at Mount Argus to Mount Jerome Cemetery. The chief mourners were – Mrs Kavanagh (widow), Edward, Patrick and Eugene (sons), Kathleen, Ada and Lillie (daughters), Miss Kavanagh and Mrs Graves (sisters) G. Kirwan, E.P. Byrne, J.R. Graves (nephews), Misses M. Byrne, S. Kavanagh, T. Fegan and Mrs Ryan (nieces), ex-Sergeant M. Birmingham, ex-Sergeant J. Egan (brothers-in-law), Mrs Egan, Mrs Kirwan, Mrs Birmingham, the Mrs J.K. Fegan (sisters-in-law) Mr and Mrs T Morgan, Mr and Mrs N. Megan and J Megan (relatives).

There was a large attendance of his colleagues of the D.M.P. and the the Dublin-Wicklowman’s Association. The prayers at the graveside were recited by Very Rev. Father Whelan, C.P.

Source

Wicklow People 5^th November 1941

Retired Church of Ireland clergyman was awarded France’s highest decoration

On Tuesday 26 January 2016 Irish World War II veteran and retired Church of Ireland clergyman, Canon Robert William Marsden, was named Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest decoration, by the French Ambassador to Ireland, Jean–Pierre Thébault, during a ceremony at the Residence de France in Dublin, for his role in World War II.

Born in Dublin in 1924, Canon Marsden joined the infantry voluntarily, trained with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and went on active service in Normandy in 1944. Landing on the Mulberry Harbour as part of the 1^st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, he joined the 50^th Northumbrian Division with which he took part in the liberation of Brussels.

The 1st Battalion was then sent on to Nijmegen in the Netherlands, on the road to the battle of Arnhem. Due to severe losses, the 50^th Northumbrian Division was then sent to reinforce the 7^th Armoured Division more famously known as the “Desert Rats” and finished the war near the Kiel Canal in the German state of Schleswig– Holstein.

Upon his return to Ireland, Canon Robert Marsden was ordained a Church of Ireland Deacon for St James’ Parish, Dublin, in 1950, and a priest in 1951. He served as Port Chaplain in the Missions to Seamen in Dublin Port between 1954 and 1958. He also served as Rector of Parishes in the Clogher Diocese in Currin (Scotshouse), Drum, Clones and Killeevan and was made Canon and Precentor of Clogher Cathedral. He retired in 1994 and now lives in the Dublin suburb of Sandymount with his wife.

Presenting the award, the French Ambassador said he was being honoured for exceptional acts of courage. “He put his life at risk like tens of thousands of other Irish,” he said afterwards. Canon Marsden said he was very proud to have been honoured in this way.

THE DESTRUCTION OF U-476

On the 24^th May, 1944 a Catalina, JX255, took off from Sullom Voe in the Shetlands on a routine anti-submarine patrol of the area lying between Iceland and Norway. The aeroplane was piloted by Captain F.W.L. Maxwell SAAF with the following crew F.O. J.A.Wickson (second pilot), F.O. A.H.Jackson (navigator). P.O. K.Fraser (engineer), F/Sgt. R.Le Cheminant (wireless operator), P.O. Coulson-Smith (wireless operator), P.O. E.H. O’Toole (wireless operator and air gunner), F/Sgt. L. Conway (rigger), Sgt. F.G. Williams (flight mechanic) and Sgt. E.H. Shubroe (spare air gunner).

The plane took off at 01.00 and at 07.16 a heavily armed U-boat was sighted on the surface at five miles distance. This turned out to be U- 476, a type VIIC submarine, under the command of Oberleutnant Otto Niethmann. This was the first time the crew had flown under the command of Captain Maxwell rather than their usual pilot, Ted Jones, and it was also the first time they sighted a U- boat after spending 600 hours or 61 sorties searching this stretch of water. The klaxon warned the crew to man their stations. The .50 Browning was swung out of the blister and as they approached their target they were met by a heavy flack barrage. The submarine was not going to crash dive but was going to fight it out on the surface. The forward .303 Browning manned by Coulson-Smith blazed away at the submarine as it made a hard turn to the port. Captain Maxwell flew the plane in at full throttle for a depth charge attack. The Catalina, flying at one hundred feet above he waves, dropped a stick of depth charges which produced huge plumes of water, one of them quiet close to the U-boat. The Catalina, unable t take evasive action at that height, continued to pour fire into the submarine, hoping to distract the German gunners, The plane turned back over its target with machine guns still blazing, and noted that the U-boat had stopped and appeared to be in difficulties. A sudden heavy squall reduced visibility and sleet began to fall as the crew of the Catalina caught a final glimpse of the submarine as she began to sink stern first. At this point the Catalina, without having been struck by a single bullet, headed for home.

The U-476 had just joined the Arctic Flotilla and had left Bergin four days earlier. It had been so severely damaged in the depth charge attack that it foundered. Twenty-one members of the crew were rescued by U-990, which was herself sunk the following day 25^th May, 1944. By Liberator ‘S’ FL984 of 59 Squadron flying out of Ballykelly. Fifty-two of the joint survivors of the two U-boats were rescued by the German patrol boat VP-5901.

Wing Commander Eamonn O’Toole, a native of Limerick, served as a member of the crew of that Catalin as a wireless operator and air gunner. He had entered the RAF as a boy entrant on the 11^th January, 1938 and trained as a wireless operator at the Electrical and Wireless School, Cranwell. This was followed by further training as a wireless operator mechanic and Air Gunner. It was not until late 1942 that he was employed as Air Crew. He did a tour of duty with 190/210 Squadron and then went to Killadeas as Instructor. A tour with 521 (Fortress) Squadron followed. He was granted an Extended Services Commission at the end of the War in Europe and then a Permanent Commission in 1947. He served in Aden, Kenya, Greece, Palestine and Malaya. He was the Station Adjutant at RAF Leuchar in 1946 when ordered to train a fifty man guard of honour for a visit by General Eisenhower.

Eamonn returned to his native Limerick after the war. He had a deep and insatiable interest in medals and for many years was a member of the OMRS and contributed many articles to their journals. He was a founder member of the Medal Society of Ireland with the membership number 3 and was granted an honorary life membership. He served as a Captain in the UDR for a number of years and died on the 21^st August, 2001. It was a privilege to have known him. 

PATRICK KAVANAGH - D.M.P.

Further to my article ‘Michael O'Brien-D.M.P.’ in the Journal of the Medal Society no. 97 of December 2015, I wish to thank Mr. Jim Herlihy most sincerely for unearthing the attached photo.

Patrick Kavanagh joined the Dublin Metropolitan Police on 3^rd of February 1899 (warrant no. 10214). He was six feet five and a half inches in his bare feet. He is seated in the front row, second from the left. Patrick Kavanagh died on the 1st of November 1941. In his obituary in the Wicklow People newspaper of the 2nd of November 1941, it was stated that due to his height and general physical bearing he was one of the “picked men” chosen to represent the D.M.P. at Queen Victoria’s funeral in early February 1901.

I made extensive enquiries over the last number of years in an attempt to find any evidence of the D.M.P’s participation in Queen Victoria’s funeral. The Metropolitan Police Museum in London, the Royal Estate in Windsor, Buckingham Palace, Irish Times archive were just a few of the places I contacted and all drew a blank. Until now. Queen Victoria died on the 22^nd of January 1901 at Osbourne House on the Isle of Wright. She was interred in the Frogmore Mausoleum on the Windsor Estate on the 4^th of February1901.

There are so many unanswered questions regarding the participation of the D.M.P. contingent who attended the Funeral. Where was the photograph taken? Through what port did the party depart from and arrive back through? What actual part in the overall funeral arrangements did the D.M.P. play? Were they pall bearers at any stage of the funeral? Were they part of an Honour Guard overnight on the coffin? If so, where? The funeral consisted of many processions over several stages over the two week period. The coffin was conveyed by boat and train to Waterloo Station and then by gun carriage through the streets of London to Paddington Station and then to Windsor for the actual funeral. The pall bearers, escort and Guards of Honour changed may times. What part did the D.M.P. play?

As can be seen in the attached photograph, every member of the party is wearing a single medal with a very light coloured ribbon. Most appear to be senior officers (except Patrick Kavanagh who joined in February 1899) yet not one single member is wearing any other medal or decoration. Why? What is the medal the officers are wearing?

If there are any members who can help me in any way regarding any of the above questions I would be extremely grateful.

I may be contacted on: 0872397001 or email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Thank you. Mark O'Brien 

The Nearest I Will Ever be to Owning a Victoria Cross

 

This is the story of two men, who came from two totally different walks of life but after Military Service in the 40^th Foot are together for eternity.

 

It started when I was offered a New Zealand undated War Medal, to Lt John Van der Horst Rees of the 40^th Regiment. The member of the family also included his (Rees) Gold and Maroon Sash, sword belt complete with buckle and hangers, his Wilkinson Sword numbered 8161. There were also 2 photographs of Lt Rees, the first of him in his uniform wearing his medal, sash, sword belt and sword as Captain of Invalids (Royal Hospital Chelsea). The second taking part in Founders Day parade at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in the 1890’s. His original Commission Document signed and dated 26^th December 1856 appointing him an ensign in the 40^th Foot. His World map, that has wrote on it “rebounded in 1898” with his signature and Royal Hospital address. A letter from Wilkinson Sword shows from their archive that the sword, Regulation Infantry Sword possibly had a new blade fitted on the 9^th April 1857 and was paid for by Rees. In the letter, which accompanied these items it was intimated that he (Rees) had been seriously wounded in a skirmish with the Maoris in New Zealand and the chap who saved him was given a Medal for so doing. I was now on a mission!!

 

Next stop my bookcase where I took out several books, which had sat unopened for years, bearing the label “These might come in useful one day”, and the search was on. The first I looked at was by Ian Tavender published and dated 1979 which gives casualties for the whole of the New Zealand Wars, Imperial Units, RN & RM. Turning to the page for the 40^th Foot under Lieutenants, third down J.V.H Rees Severely Wounded 18/3/61. Under his name is J.T. Whelan slightly wounded 18/3/61. Later, I had managed to get a copy of the roll for the 40^th Foot covering that period and noted the following also wounded in this action:- 3355 Patrick Casey slightly wounded near Pukerangura 18/3/61, Michael Roach killed in action near Pukerangura 18/3/61. John Chinnar dangerously wounded near Pukerangura 18/3/61. 

 

The next book I looked at was Heroes of the Victoria Cross published in 1895 and on page 177 New Zealand I found Colour-Sergeant John Lucas (including a photograph) Late Sergeant Major 40^th Somersetshire (Now South Lancashire) Regiment. As I read the citation I now had discovered the Medal and the chap who saved Lt Rees, yes Col-Sgt John Lucas who was awarded the Victoria Cross. The citation reads:- 

 

The Victoria Cross has been gained in every part of the world even at or near the antipodes. In New Zealand hard fighting with a brave enemy took place many years ago. This here-he looks it all over, and through life bore out the appearance presented in this portrait-had, four-and-thirty years ago (March 18, 1861), his valour and his discipline put to a severe test. On that date he was engaged with a party of Maoris in the Huirangi bush. All were shot down around, even his officer, Lieutenant Rees. His party being either killed or wounded, he took charge of the sufferers and their arms, keeping up a steady fire on the enemy till assistance reached him under Lieutenants Gibson and Whelan (he is shown as wounded on the roll, see above) Had he flinched in the slightest they would have been at once rushed upon and destroyed. Two years ago he died in Dublin, the capital of his native land.

 

Another book off the shelf “The Register of the Victoria Cross” published by “This England” has the following on Col-Sgt later Sgt-Major John Lucas. He was born in Cashgonny, Banglestown, Carlow, Ireland in 1827 and died in Dublin 29^th February 1892 and an account of the deed (slightly different) and I quote “On the 18^th March 1861 in New Zealand, Colour Sergeant Lucas with a party employed as skirmishers, when they were suddenly ambushed. Three men were wounded, two of them mortally” (these I feel are the 3 mentioned on the roll Richard Jeffrey, Thomas Watson and Michael Roach) “and help was called for, but when the relief party arrived one of them fell and a Lieutenant was also wounded. Col-Sgt Lucas, under heavy fire from the rebels, who were not more than 30 yards away, immediately ran to the assistance of the officer and send a man with him to the rear. He then took charge of the arms belonging to the killed and wounded until the arrival of support troops”.

 

Here is an extract from “Our Correspondent” The Taranaki Herald dated the 23^rd March 1861 

 

Monday March 18. The enemy fired so little on our working parties in the early part of the day that everyone rightly anticipated an attack from the natives in some unknown quarter, and Major Nelson, who was field officer of the day, frequently walked round and cautioned the men to be extremely vigilant. The 14^th, 57^th and 65^th furnished the working and covering parties for the trenches and the main parallel was constantly gaining ground towards the Pa, under the cover of Guns and Mortars that played on the enemy’s positions. About 3 pm large columns of smoke rose up in front of the Pa; this signal attracted the attention of our men, and they were instantly on the alert. There was now a few minutes silence on both sides, when suddenly several peals of musketry were heard to the right of 7 redoubt, followed by constant file firing. The enemy had made the assault on a company of the 40^th who were protecting a party of their regiment, and the Royal Engineers engaged in erecting a battery of 9-pounder guns to play on the pits and hills to the right of the position. The natives stealing round by a distant route, gathered in great force in the bush and on the brows of gullies to the right of number 7 redoubt, and delivered their fire with too much effect on our troops. The 40^th though exposed on open ground to the deadly fire of their enemy, and only one division strong, maintained their position bravely, and continued firing and advancing upon their bold assailants until aided by reinforcements from their regiment, and by guns and Royal Artillery from No 7 redoubt, speedily dispatched by Colonel Leslie. The Maoris around the Pa, who were hitherto comparatively silent now opened a very brisk fire on the coverers in the sap, and Major Nelson caused the working parties to run for their arms, which were piled at some distance. A company of the 57^th from No 1 redoubt, and the inlying piquet of the 65^th from number 6 were hastened forward as further reinforcements, and the loud din of battle grew more furious at every moment, for the natives also fought with great obstinacy. But they could not stand out long against the destructive fire showered on them from the well aimed rifles of the 40^th and shell and shot from the Royal Artillery. Groans of pain were frequently heard coming from the enemy, and, after sustaining a vain struggle for upwards of an hour, they were forced to fly. But our gallant troops purchased the victory with a considerable loss. I am sorry to have to state that the 40^th had two officers wounded, and three privates killed and two wounded; I append a list of casualties:-

 

 

Killed

 

40^th Regt:- Pte R Jeffrey: Private J. Watson, Pte M. Roach

                 

Wounded

 

Royal Artillery:- Gunner J. Tadford

40^th Regiment:-  Lieut. Rees Severely, Lieut Whealan slightly

Private R. Carey severely, Private J. Colan severely

Sergeant Christie, R.A., was also slightly wounded in front of the sap, early in the morning. A heavy fire was kept on the troops whilst retiring, but we incurred no further loss. 

 

It may be interesting to scientific men to state that, today: whilst Captain Mercer was throwing shell from a cohorn mortar, at the head of the sap, the following singular circumstance occurred in the flight of one. A shell when discharged from the mortar rose in the usual manner and fell in the place it was directed for; but, to the amazement of all, after striking the ground in rebounded from the earth, rose into the air, and came back (without bursting) close to the place from which it was fired, like a boomerang. The shell must have fallen with the fuse down, and, as there was not sufficient powder to burst it, the explosion forced it back to us to be furnished with a better charge. 

 

Copy of the names from the Muster Rolls of the 40^th who were killed January to 18^th March 1861. Information shown in the following columns; Number, Rank, Sir Name, First Name, Place of birth, Trade on Enlistment, Date of Enlistment, How became non-effective, Place and day on which became non-effective, NOK Latest known residence 

1. 4026 Private Gilbert William, Rathdrum(sic), Shoemaker, 15Aug1840, KIA 2 Jan 1861 NOK was a Brother John who was from Rathdrum? Co Wicklow.

2. 2778 Private Govrey? Edward Mullingar Shoemaker 5Oct1849 DOW 31 Jan 1861 NOK his wife (small book lost) who was Present with the Regiment

3. 130 Private Hewry? Michael Discharged wounds 27 Feb NFI

4. 217 Private Jeffery Richard Guildford Labourer 15Dec1858 KIA 18Mar1861 NOK Mother Hannah W. Horsley? Berkshire

5. 3006 Private Lawrence James Langport Labourer 12Jan1852 KIA 14Feb1861 NOK Sister Harriet Hambridge Somerset

6. 240 Private Roche Michael Doneraile Grocer 5Mar1859 KIA 18Mar1861 NOK (small book lost)

7. 2144 Private Sanson? Robert Stockland Labourer 5Aug1845 KIA 18Mar1861 NOK (small book lost)

8. 1859 Private Watson Thomas Rathmoylian Labourer 26Nov1853 KIA 18Mar1861 NOK Father Lawrence Sydney

 

On checking the Times Index the following was recorded “The Times 27 Nov. 1861”

 

“Australia.-Plymouth, Tuesday,- The details of the passage home of the two gold ships just arrived in the Thames from Melbourne are as follows:- Roxburgh Castle, 1,200 tons. Capt M.H Smith, belonging Messrs. Green, left August 29, rounded Cape Horn September 29, and crossed the line Oct.23. She brought 51,000 ounces of gold dust, valued £204,000., and a cargo of wool, tallow and copper. Among the passengers were Mr and Mrs Williams, Mrs Lynch, Miss Clapburn, Messers Britten, Sherwin, Ross and Oldham, and Lieut Rees 40^th Regiment, and 40 invalided soldiers from New Zealand; also above 150 ‘tween-deck and steerage passengers. The Roxburgh Castle met quantities of ice and experienced very rough weather between New Zealand and Cape Horn.”

 

Further information found on Captain of Invalids Rees; he was born in 1834 the son of John Hughes Rees of Kilymsenllyd, Carmathenshire. On the death of his father in 1871 he inherited the title; I have reproduced the following from “The Country Families of Carmathenshire“:- 

 

Rees John Van Horst, Esq., of Kilmsenllyd, Carmathanshire. A J.P for the co. of Carmarthen: served as a Lieut. In the 40^th Regiment, in the war with the Maories (sic) in New Zealand in 1861, where he was severely wounded: was made captain in the Military Hospital, Chelsea; eldest son of the late John Hughes Rees Esq. (d. 1871) of Kilymaenllyd, J.P and D.L for co. Camarthen, Chairman of the Llanelly Petty Sessions, and of the Llanelly Harbour Commission, by Isabella, his wife, only child of the Late Thomas Rutson Esq., of Cobham House, near Uxbridge: b. 1834: m. dau. of B. Jones Esq., of Llanelly, and has issue: s. to estates on decease of father, Oct, 1871. Mr Rees has had three brothers and five sisters:- 1. Elyder b. 1838; 2. Mansel, b, 1840: 3 Richard Montague, b. 1844. Of the sisters, two, Isabella and Anna were accidentally drowned whilst baithing 4^th July, 1855; Carolin d. 1855; Bertha d. 1869; Sole surviving sister, Emily. Residence, Kilymaenllwyd, near Llanelly, South Wales. Arms Three ravens proper, inter a chevron sa., for Rees; quartering a lion ramp., or inter fleures-de-lis, in a true-love knot, arg., for Hughes. Crest: A Talbot Motto: Spes Melioris Aevl. 

 

His Obituary appeared in the Times dated 19^th of September 1908.

 

Captain J.V.H. Rees, who for 40 years has held the office of Captain of Invalids at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, died yesterday in his 75^th year. Captain Rees was a native of Killyaenllyd, Carmarthenshire, and, having been educated at Cowbridge Grammar School, Gloucestershire Cathedral School, and Cambridge, he left for Australia, and joined in prospecting for gold. On his return to England he went to Sandhurst for military training. His first commission was in the 90^th Light Infantry. Subsequently he exchanged to the 40^th, and with this regiment served in all of the engagements of the New Zealand war of 1864-65 (sic). When in command of an advance party in front of Te Arei he was wounded in the thigh, and in consequence of the severity of his injury was invalided home. On February 4, 1868, he received his appointment as a Captain of Invalids at the Chelsea Hospital, where he was on duty at the time of his death. The funeral service will take place in the chapel of the Royal Hospital on Thursday. 

 

I was fortunate enough to get a copy of 2607 Sergeant Major John Lucas Army discharge documents which give the following information. John Lucas was a Carpenter by trade born in the Parish of Glasgomy near the town of Bagnulstown in the county of Carlow. He was 21 years of age when he attested for the 40^th Regiment in Dublin on the 6^th January 1848. He was a Private from 6 Jan 1848 to 4 Feb 1850; Cpl 5 Feb 1850 to 31 March 1854; Sgt 1 Apl 1854 to 2 Feb1858; Col-Sgt 3 Feb 1858 to 14 Aug 1862; SgtMajor 15 Aug 1862 to 24 Dec 1868. His overseas service was Australian Colonies Melbourne Victoria 7 years and 9 months, New Zealand 6 years 5 months. In the Character column it states They have been very good. He was when promoted in possession of 1 Good Conduct Badge and would have been in possession of 5 Good Conduct Badges. He is in possession of the Victoria Cross granted him for bravery in presence of the enemy during the New Zealand War of 1860-61 and a Silver Medal for Long Service & Good Conduct. His name is not in the Defaulters Book and he has never been tried by Court Martial. He left the Army at Carlisle Castle on the 24^th of December 1868 after serving 21 years and 7 day (he was awarded 19 days extra service from the 25^th December 1868 to 12^th January 1869 Christmas leave?)

 

He is described as being 42 years old, fresh complexion, Blue eyes with Light brown hair. There is no mention of him being married, however there is an entry on his documents dated 26/11/03; £188.33? Assistance to Sisters. £44 to Miss A.M. Lucas. £53 copy of her letter to Rl.Com of Patriotic Fund. £53 and copy of letter to Royal Cambridge fund.  

 

SgtMajor J Lucas Victoria Cross resides in the Museum of the South Lancashire Regt.

 

On a recent visit to the Royal Hospital Chelsea for Founders Day Parade I discovered and managed to get a photograph of a Memorial to Capt Rees which was erected by his Brother Officers on his death

 

My thanks to Steve Lewis who trawled the London Gazette on line. He also found the site in New Zealand for the Taranaki Herald, I should like to thank them for letting me use this piece. Kevin Aspin for getting me copies of the Muster Rolls for the 40^th Foot and copies of SgtMajor Lucas Service Documents. 

Major William (Willie) Redmond, M. P. Commemorated

The centenary of the death of Major William Redmond, brother of John Redmond, M.P., leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, who was killed on June 7^th 1917 at the battle of Messines, was commemorated with several events including the June 8^th launch of an exhibition ‘Major William Redmond’ in Wexford Town Library at which Jarlath Glynn presented a lecture ‘An Extreme Irishman – the life and death of Major Willie Redmond’ and the June 10^th one day ‘Major Willie Redmond (1861-1917) seminar organised by the Wexford Historical Society in the Greenacres Art Gallery, Selskar, Wexford, at which the contributors included John Redmond’s biographer Dermot Meleady, historians Felix Larkin and Martin McDonagh, and Jarlath Glynn, local historian and librarian. On Sunday June 11^th Wexford Borough District Council hosted a Ceremony of Remembrance and wreath laying in Redmond Memorial Park. The Irish government was represented by Mr. Michael D’Arcy, T.D., and the Redmond family by Dr. Mary Green, grand-niece of Major Redmond. 

The Sad Tale of Petty Officer Stoker James Leach cgm

James W. Taylor

 

Kilmokea Cemetery, near Campile, contains a single Commonwealth War Graves headstone to a local man and, after some research, an interesting yet poignant story emerged. James Leach was born at Great Island, Campile, Co. Wexford, 22 December 1890, the son of John and Kate Leach née Ryan. His father was a labourer and sometime fisherman. He had a brother John born 28 May 1892. His mother died from tuberculosis 6 March 1895, aged 29. His father married Catherine Fitzhenry 13 February 1899 but she also died from tuberculosis 21 November 1899, aged 25.¹

 The 1911 Census shows James as a farm servant at Mylerspark, New Ross.² He enlisted as a stoker in the Royal Navy on 7 July 1911, number K/11874. He was then recorded as being 5 foot 5¼ inches in height, maximum chest measurement 39½ inches, dark brown eyes and hair with a dark complexion, scars on the top and left side of his head, Roman Catholic.³

 On 10 February 1913 he joined the cruiser HMS Hyacinth, flagship of the Cape of Good Hope Station. In the early part of the Great War she was engaged in escorting convoys around South Africa and, in January 1915, was deployed to German East Africa to blockade the German light cruiser SMS Konigsberg at the Rufiji Delta in what is now Tanzania.⁴

 He was made Leading Stoker, 25 June 1916, and posted to HMS Thistle on 17 November 1916. It was ‘notable for being the last classic Victorian gunboat, and the last British warship to retain a practical sailing rig’.⁵ The ship’s log, 11 June 1917, 8.30 a.m., recorded that the vessel received a hit from a land-based German 4.1 inch shell through the port side ‘perforating the engine room bulkhead’ killing 269463 Engine Room Artificer 1st Class James Coxon and ‘wounding Stoker Leach in the leg’.⁶

 New Ross Standard, 30 November 1917, reported that he ‘is now quite recovered’. Awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, Supplement to London Gazette 19 December 1917: ‘For conspicuous gallantry during the combined naval and military operations in the neighbourhood of Lindi, East Africa, on the 10th and 11th June 1917. Though wounded in two places in the legs, he showed exemplary conduct in continuing to stand by the engines (the engine-room artificer in charge having been killed) until ordered on deck for medical treatment.’ Only 108 of these naval medals, equivalent to the Distinguished Conduct Medal and second only to the Victoria Cross, were issued during the war.⁷

Returned to England 4 December 1917 and promoted to Petty Officer Stoker 1 May 1918. He married Ellen Mary ‘Helena’ Kennedy, the daughter of a Great Island fisherman, at Horeswood Church, 25 May 1918.⁸

The medal was presented to him by the King on 8 June 1918. Awarded the French Medal Militaire, Supplement to London Gazette 28 August 1918, and the French Croix de Guerre Supplement to London Gazette 14 September 1918.

Posted to HMS Rocket (1916), an R Class destroyer, 6 March 1920. The Irish War of Independence was in full swing when Leach came home on furlough in March 1921. A state of emergency was declared in England after a miners strike was called on 31 March. Coal rationing began on 2 April 1921 and he was ordered to return to duty. Leach died that day.

Enniscorthy Guardian, Saturday, 9 April 1921 reported that he ‘had been home on furlough … and under ordinary circumstances his leave would expire on Tuesday, 5th inst, but in the meantime he received a wire from his superiors ordering his immediate return to Devonport Naval Barrack. In obedience to this mandate he left his native place on Saturday, travelling by the mid-day train from Campile to Waterford to catch the Fishguard boat, which sailed that evening about 5 p.m. He was accompanied to Waterford by his cousin, Thomas O’Brien, who parted with him about 3.30, when deceased was preparing to go on board the boat. Deceased told O’Brien that when the boat would pass down by Great Island, he would wave his handkerchief from the vessel’s deck … as O’Brien waited for the signal from his cousin, he saw a man fall from the ship ... O’Brien, who was in a boat with another man, pulled for the man in the water … A boat put off from Cheekpoint … and a little fellow from Great Island named Michael Nolan, aged 12 years, also pluckily pulled single-handed in a prawng [sic] to render what assistance he could ... Deceased had been through many engagements during the late war, and was a most expert swimmer … On Monday … a man named P. Heffernan, Cheekpoint, succeeded in locating the body but was unable to bring it to the surface owing to defective tackle. The search had, therefore, to be discontinued till Tuesday. Notwithstanding all efforts of those engaged, the search again proved fruitless, but the men were unable to procure the proper hooks to lift the body. It is confidently hoped that when good tackle is obtained, they will be successful, but up to the time of writing there is no chance of success.’

New Ross Standard, 6 May 1921, reported that the body had been found on Sunday evening, 24 April floating at the junction of the rivers Barrow and Suir and was buried on the following Tuesday afternoon. ‘What adds considerably to the poignancy of the already sad event is the fact that, on the day after the body was recovered, a second little daughter was born, making two children now bereft of their father.’

A military court of inquiry, in lieu of an inquest, was held at Great Island on 26 April 1921. His father stated that on 24 April, about 4 p.m., he assisted in recovering the body from the river Barrow and identified it ‘by his medals and the papers found on his body’. His cousin Thomas O’Brien of Great Island testified: ‘I saw the deceased … in Waterford City about 3 p.m. He was quite sober. He bid me goodbye on the quay and said he was going over to England by the Great Western that night, and bid me look out for him as the ship passed Great Island Point. As the ship was passing Great Island Point, I heard a cry “Man overboard”. I was in a boat at the time. I looked astern and saw a man swimming in the water. I pulled towards him and the steamboat backed towards him also. By the time I reached the place I had seen the man, he had gone down.’

Being unable to attend, three passengers, William Pickens from the Channel Islands, Sgt F. Johnson and Sgt C.A. Smart of the Royal Field Artillery, had provided a joint statement dated 2 April 1921: ‘We, whilst travelling as 3rd Class Passengers … got into conversation with a Naval P.O. after leaving Waterford. We were standing on the poop deck talking; the deceased then sat on the rail and said he would jump overboard. Turning our backs for a moment, we heard a splash, and turning, found that the Naval man had carried out his threat. An alarm was at once raised, and ship stopped and boat lowered, but the man had then disappeared. Three shore boats were quickly on the scene but could not see any sign of the man. Apparently, the deed was premeditated, as the deceased was wearing several medals on his breast at the time, and had spoken of domestic trouble.’

The court considered that the passengers’ statement was not satisfactory enough to enable them to base their findings on it. ‘If the statement be true then the passengers concerned are deserving of censure for turning their backs on him and not taking steps to prevent him from carrying out his threat.’ The court then adjourned until 6 June 1921 at Waterford to enable investigations to be made on board the S.S. Great Western. Due to the ongoing coal strike, travel had been restricted and revised statements were sought from the witnesses.

On 5 May, 1029463 Sgt C.A. Smart, 504th Royal Field Artillery, wrote: ‘Whilst returning from Ireland after conducting a draft of men to Fermoy, I embarked on the SS Great Western at Waterford on 2nd April 1921. Whilst on board we got into conversation with P.O. Leach, who asked my companion, Sergt Johnson, 501st Battery, RFA, for a match. There was another man also talking to the deceased, who I presume was William Dickens. We were chatting and laughing together when P.O. Leach said to me, “I dare you, Sergeant, to jump overboard with me”. Taking it as a joke, I replied “You are much better on board here”. He said “It will be all right if we get clear of the propellers”. Shortly after that my companion and I walked around to the other side of the ship, leaving William Dickens and deceased together. We had gone about two minutes when we heard the shout “Man overboard”. We rushed round at once, and found it was deceased who was overboard, and the ship had then left him about 500 yards behind. P.O. Leach appeared sober, but had apparently had just enough to drink. At the time there were two boats in the vicinity, one containing a boy and the other two men. We shouted to them, but they did not apparently understand what we were trying to convey, as they were close to the bank and some distance away. However, the boy in the boat rowed towards the deceased, and got within about 20 yards, when the deceased disappeared. All this occurred about 18.30 hours … just before we reached Dunmore. Although I am not asked to form an opinion, I must state a peculiar occurrence which altered my opinion that the deceased contemplated taking his own life. First, a man contemplating suicide would hardly swim strongly for about 200 yards. Second, that the two men in the boat, when they rowed up, asked, without any previous information, “Was it a Navy man that went overboard”. Consequently, we formed the opinion that it was a pre-arranged affair that the deceased should jump overboard and be picked up by the boat.’ 1018648 Sgt Frederick Johnson had sworn a corroborating statement on 24 May adding: ‘I rushed to the side and saw the deceased in the water, apparently struggling. A life belt had been thrown, but was some distance short.’

The reconvened court declared that Leach ‘accidentally fell overboard … No blame attaches to anyone’ and concluded that there was ‘not sufficient evidence to enable the court to form an opinion as to how the deceased came to be in the water.’⁹

James’ widow resided at Kilmokea, Great Island. The younger child was Margaret ‘Peg’ born 25 April 1921. Buried about 25 yards south-west of the cemetery entrance. His widow married James Heneberry, a fisherman, 29 April 1925. His father died at the County Home, Enniscorthy, 7 June 1941, aged 82. His daughter Peg O’Neill, residing at Campile, died from colon cancer at Wexford County Hospital, 27 January 1956. His widow died in 1987¹⁰

 

References

1      https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/

2      http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Wexford/Rochestown/Mylerspark/687915/

3      https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM/ADM188/890/0/0375&parentid=GBM/ADM188/239186

4      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Hyacinth_(1898)

5      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Thistle_(1899)

6      http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM%2053-62889/ADM%2053-62889-008_1.jpg

7      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspicuous_Gallantry_Medal

8      https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/

9      https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=IRE/WO35/153A/00573&parentid=IRE/EAS/RIS/045126

10    https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/

Remains of German World War I Submarine Found in Cork Harbour and Subsequently Looted

By James Scannell 

 On Tuesday 25 January 2011 a group of five amateur divers announced that that they had discovered the remains of a German World War I submarine UC-42 at the entrance to Cork Harbour in 27 metres of water near Roche’s Point. The submarine measured 38 metres in length and was found to be in remarkably good condition.

UC-42 was launched in September 1915 and lost in Cork Harbour on September 10th 1917 when it is believed one of its mines exploded while it was engaged in a mine laying operation and resulted in the death of all 27 crew.

On November 2 1917 divers from the Haulbowlin dockyard positively identified the submarine as the UC-42 and noted the damage to its stern and the presence of the bodies of some of the crew. Prior to its loss, the UC-42 was credited with sinking 13 vessels and disabling a warship.

In 1918 American and British divers attempted to disarm the mines and torpedoes on board and up to its discovery in November 2010 it had been believed that divers from the HMS Vernon torpedo school had destroyed the wreck with explosives and that its remains had been dispersed over the seabed by wire sweeps.

For the past 2 years the 5-member diver team had been searching around the Cork Harbour area for the remains of the submarine and were more than amazed to find it on the seabed. Since the discovery the team has videoed and photographed the wreck and taken a series of measurements to record its condition. The dive team has placed a plaque near the submarine’s propellers as a memorial to the submariners still within. No examination of the interior has been made.

Historians and the divers have been in contact with the German authorities with a view to tracing relatives of the deceased crew as it is intended to hold a remembrance service in Cork at a future date. The divers have called on the diving fraternity who may visit the wreck to respect it as a war grave and to look at it but not touch and respect it as such.

But since this January 2011 announcement Gardai in Cork have commenced an investigation into allegations that artefacts, including sailor’s attire, have been illegally removed from the wreck of this submarine.

The Criminal Investigation Antique Branch of An Garda Síochána was alerted to this activity by the underwater archaeology unit of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht after it had received reports from divers about the desecration of the wreck site through the removal of crew members’ effects as these divers did not agree with the pillaging of the wreck site. They had also reported that human remains were evident at it. The unit also received reports that divers had damaged the structure of the wreck in a recent attempt to remove parts of it as well as the personal effects of the crew and that one of the propellers showed evidence of having been prepared ready for removal. The underwater unit has dived on the site to carry out a full examination and assessment of the wreck site.

The assistance of the Irish Underwater Council, the principal body representing diving clubs in Ireland, in raising awareness of this looting has been sought. The Council’s code of conduct prohibits members from interfering with wrecks or sea life and requires them to respect all wreck sites. A spokesperson for the Council has indicated that it takes a very dim view of those who take items from wrecks.

The German embassy in Dublin has also indicated its interest in the wreck’s preservation and protection, indicating that it has a particular sensitivity due to its being a relatively recent German loss in which most of the crew, who are known by name, are likely to have close living relatives.

Any material removed from the wreck and not reported to the Receiver of Wrecks, is an offence under the Irish Merchant Shipping (Salvage & Wreck) Act, 1993, and in addition to protection under that merchant shipping legislation, any artefacts fall within the definition of archaeological monuments as specified in the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2004.

As the wreck of UC-42 is of particular significance to both Irish and German maritime history, it’s possible that a ministerial Underwater Heritage Order may be placed on it as was done during the 1990s in the case of the RMS Lusitania which restricts access and places it under the protection of the National Monuments Acts. It’s believed that this action will be initiated shortly to protect the wreck site as first and foremast it is a war grave where up to 27 sailors drowned when it sank in September 1917.

Other organisations involved in this investigation are the Customs & Excise maritime unit and the National Museum of Ireland.

Private Francis Allen
6143 – 2nd South African Infantry Regiment.

 

Michael Nugent

Killed in Action – Tuesday 18^th of July 1916. Francis was born on Sunday the 3^rd of April 1887 at Ballymooney, Donard, Co. Wicklow, the fifth son of Anthony and Mary Jane Allen, nee Bollard. At the time of his birth, Anthony Allen was a Farmer. Francis emigrated to South Africa on the 2^nd of August 1913, sailing from Southampton to Natal on the SS Kildonan Castle.

At the outbreak of the war in 1914, in common with other Empire countries, the Union of South Africa raised an Imperial Force designed to serve on the Western Front in aid of the war effort with a Depot established at Potchefstroom. Four battalions of Infantry were raised as well as five batteries of Heavy Artillery, a Field Ambulance, a Royal Engineers Signal Company and a General Hospital. The Infantry formed part of the South African Infantry Brigade and comprised of the 1^st Regiment - raised in Cape Province, the 2^nd Regiment – raised in Natal and the Orange Free State, the 3^rd Regiment – raised in Transvaal and Rhodesia and the 4^th Regiment, the South African Scottish – raised from existing Militia Units, the Transvaal Scottish and Capetown Highlanders.

Francis enlisted in the 2^nd Regiment, most likely in the beginning of 1915 and following training, the entire brigade embarked at Cape Town in October 1915, arriving in England in November and being based at Bordon Camp, Hampshire, where further training was undertaken. Plans for a deployment to the Western Front were however put on hold and the Brigade embarked at Southampton on the 30^th of December 1915, arriving at Alexandria, Egypt on the 10^th of January 1916. The Brigade had been deployed to Egypt due to agitation from the Senussi tribe led by Gaafer Pasha, who was attempting to seize control of the country.

The 2^nd Regiment joined the Western Defence Force and saw action against the Senussi at Halaxin on the 23^rd of January 1916. Although a success, the regiment had eight men killed and records indicate that Francis was wounded, his name appearing on the wounded list issued by the War Office on the 11^th of February 1916. There are no details of the nature or severity of the wound, however, it is likely that he had recovered sufficiently to travel to the Western Front with his comrades.

The South African Brigade embarked at Alexandria on the 13^th of April 1916 and landed at Marseille seven days later, travelling to Steenwerck in Northern France where they joined the 26^th (Highland) and 27^th (Lowland) Brigades to form the Infantry complement of the 9^th (Scottish) Division. Francis and his comrades remained in this area, training and becoming accustomed to life on the Western Front before travelling to the Somme area to support the offensive there.

The battalion war diary indicates that the 2^nd Regiment were in reserve for the opening of the offensive on the 1^st of July and moved to positions at Bernafay Wood on the 8^th of July, taking over the front line from the 16^th Battalion Royal Scots and the 6^th Kings Own Scottish Borderers. There was heavy shelling from German Artillery and when the regiment was withdrawn on the 10^th of July, they had sustained 138 casualties. Francis and his comrades moved into billets and remained in reserve until the 14^th of July.

The 2^nd Regiment moved on to Montauban on the night of the 14^th of July and the troops spent an uncomfortable night in old German trenches. On the 15^th of July, the South African Brigade was ordered to advance and expel the Germans from Delville Wood. The Wood was of great importance to the Germans, as it was situated on slightly higher ground and afforded a view of British positions. The British were also keen to capture the wood as it straightened the British line and would afford them a strong position to continue the offensive.

On the 15^th of July, the South African Brigade marched to the village of Longueval and then into Delville Wood under enemy fire, sustaining 64 casualties.

The Battalion war diary records the events of the following days:

16^th of July. Holding and consolidating ground won on the previous day. Fairly numerous casualties caused by enemy snipers who remained concealed in the wood in rear of our positions, also making it awkward for Regimental ration and ammunition carriers. Great difficulty in passing orders along the line owing to large gaps caused by casualties and positions being exposed to enemy. Casualties - 48.

17^th of July. Entrenching and making good positions. Casualties – 84. CO Lt Colonel WEC Tanner wounded.

18^th of July. Strong German counter-attack being bombarded by guns of all calibre compels regiment to evacuate position on edge of wood, falling back on battalion HQ and trench on outer edge of the village of Longueval. Late afternoon, relieved by fresh troops. Casualties – 221.

Unfortunately, Francis was killed in this counter-attack, although he was initially reported as missing. He was originally buried in Delville Wood in a marked grave before being exhumed and re-buried at Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, in November 1920 in a graves concentration process. From analysis of records it has been possible to establish the area in which Francis was originally buried.

 

 

Sources

The research and write-up was carried out by Mr Michael Nugent - WW1 Research Ireland.

Patrick Cullinan and the Albert Medal – Part 2

 

Allan Stanistreet 

Patrick Cullinan was born on 17^th July 1869 at Ardsollus, not far from Ennis in County Clare, the son of Patrick Cullinan, a railwayman. Nothing is known of his early life and education. However, in 1882, he was appointed to a post with the Waterford and Limerick Railway. By 1900, he had risen to the rank of Traffic Inspector, Limerick Coaching, on the Great Southern and Western Railway, as the W & L had become. By 1^st July 1904, he was earning thirty shillings (£1.50) a week and was based at Ennis, the county town of Clare.

 

At about 17:40 on the evening of 16^th November 1905, Inspector Cullinan was engaged in conversation with another person, when a passenger, Mrs Bridget Davis, aged about 55, an apple seller of Ennistymon, fell from the platform in front of an approaching non-stop cattle special from Limerick. The London Gazette of 27^th March 1906 tells the story.

 

On the evening of the 16^th November, 1905, between 6 and 7 o’clock, while a special cattle train was running through Ennis Station from Limerick, a woman fell between the rails in front of, and about 15 yards from, the approaching train. Inspector Cullinan, who was on the platform at the time, immediately jumped on the track, and just succeeded in dragging the woman into the six-foot way, though not before the guard of the engine had come in contact with her clothing. So little time remained for action that but for Inspector Cullinan’s promptitude and great personal strength the woman’s life would have been lost.

 

Among the papers in the relevant Home Office file there is a typed statement from the woman whose life Inspector Cullinan saved. It has added poignancy in that it is signed with a cross, as Mrs Davis was clearly unable to read or write. It reads as follows.

 

I went to Ennis by the 9.45 o’clock train from Ennistymon on Monday 16^th November last to buy apples. I intended to come back by the 12 o’clock noon train from Ennis, but I was about 15 minutes late for it. I then went back to the railway station to come home by the train which, leaves Ennis about 6 o’clock in the evening. I put my apples into the van and the porter objected to take them as I had not enough money to pay for the carriage. I went to the station master’s office to get change for a shilling which I borrowed, and while there I heard a train whistle. I thought it was my train was starting and I ran out to catch it. I kept too much to the right and fell into the Great Western track on my right side. The train from Limerick was coming in at the time. A railway man, named Cullinan, whom I knew before by eyesight took hold of me by or under the arms and pulled me away from the moving engine, and I thank him for saving my life. My clothes were torn by the engine. I was excited and I don’t remember whether Mr Cullinan jumped into the railway track or not but tis to him I owe my life. My left knee and hip are still stiff. The platform was badly lighted and my sight was weak.Mr Cullinan was standing on the platform talking to another man about 3 feet from where I fell into the track, and he immediately ran and caught me.

 

Ennis station, by modern standards, would have been very poorly lit in 1905, particularly at that time on a November evening and Inspector Cullinan certainly risked his life in saving that of another. The train made an emergency stop but the pair was still dragged for 12 yards before it could be stopped.

 

Patrick Cullinan was recommended for the award of the Albert Medal of the Second Class, which was approved by HM King Edward VII on 22 January 1906. He attended at Dublin Castle on 14^th March 1906, where he was presented with the Albert Medal by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, on behalf of the King, in the Throne Room. The medal was inscribed on the reverse:

 

Presented in the name of His Majesty

To

Patrick Cullinan

for gallantry in saving life

at Ennis Railway

Station

on the 6^th November 1905

 

Patrick Cullinan married Ellen Torpey in 1919 and they had three children: William (died 20^th April 1987), Patrick Frank (died 11^th November 1987) and daughter Maura (died 20^th April 2002). His wife died on 28^th January 1988. All are buried in the family grave in St. Finian’s Churchyard, Quin, County Clare. The family originally came from Cashel in Tipperary and Patrick’s father worked at Ardsollus.

 

By 1922, Mr Cullinan was a Supervisor and he retired on pension on 20^th May 1929, aged 60. He died on 4^th December 1933 and family tradition has it that he was buried wearing his Albert Medal, as it has not been seen since the day of his funeral. His descendants still live in Ennis and helped the writer with material for this article.

 

In 2020, a memorial plaque was installed in Ennis station commemorating Patrick Cullinan and his gallant act. He is the only Irish railwayman to be so honoured.

 

I cannot conclude these articles without recording my gratitude to my friend and regular correspondent Joe Murphy of Monkstown, Co Cork, whose diligent enquiries enabled me to track down the family of Mr Cullinan. Joe seems to know everybody in Ireland and he came to my rescue after many years of fruitless research. Joe also, along with myself, generously contributed half the cost of the memorial plaque to Pat Cullinan now in Ennis station building.

 

Sources:

Home Office file 135176/2 – Recommendation for the Albert Medal

The London Gazette dated 27 March 1906

The Irish Railway Record Society – for details of Patrick Cullinan’s railway service

The descendants of Patrick Cullinan of Ennis, Co Clare.

 

Thanks to Joe Murphy of Monkstown, Co Cork, without whose invaluable assistance I would probably never have been able to tell this story.