Medal Society of Ireland

by J. Condon

Dermot McKnight Hartigan was born in London on 16 October 1886 and was educated at St Christopher's School, Eastbourne (September 1898 - July 1901) and at Rugby (September 1901 - July 1904). He joined The Royal Military College Sandhurst as a Cadet in January 1905 and was commissioned into the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on the 24th of January 1906. Joining the 1st Battalion in Belfast on 1 March, he later served with the Battalion in Crete (from 24 April 1907); Malta (from 26 February 1908) - where he qualified as an Interpreter in French in July 1908, and where he was promoted Lieutenant on 13 January 1910; N China - Tsientsin (from 23 September 1909), and in India - Mhow - from 3 January 1912. Posted to the Depot in Omagh on 1 November 1912 he was there when war was declared in August 1914.

by Liam Dodd

A court of inquiry was held at Shorncliffe camp on Monday into an outbreak of disorder in the camp on Sunday night. It appears that a man of the West Kent Regiment and another of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers quarrelled in a Sandgate public house over a girl during the evening. About midnight the Dublin Fusiliers who felt aggrieved at their comrade having been assaulted, went to the barrack room in the search of his assailant.

Ratio of Bars to Battalions

On a careful examination of the rolls it is believed that the Defence of Mafeking is also unique. One would also imagine that officers should have received all the bars their men received but this was not the case. Other ranks perhaps serving under non-regimental officers. Some men are known to have received no bar medals due to sickness or late claims. In some cases exact numbers of bars issued in known but I have omitted these as available sources vary. Any one interested in further information on the above should contact the Editor personally. 

by James W. Taylor

Lt. Arthur Lancelot Baker was born 22.6.1893, educated at Aravon School, Bray, Co. Wicklow, and entered Trinity College, Dublin, 1912. Applied for a commission 5.8.1914, expressing a preference for ‘Any Infantry Regiment'. He was a student and unmarried. ‘About to join DUOTC.’ Height 5 foot 3 inches, weight 127 pounds, chest 34-37 inches; address, Rockford, Sandycove, Co. Dublin.

A Limerick based member of An Garda Siochana has become the first member in the history of the force to receive two Scott gold medals. Det. Garda Ben O’Sullivan received his second award at a ceremony at the Garda Training College, Templemore, Co. Tipperary on the 6th of July this year. His medal was presented to him by the Minister for Justice Mr. J. O'Donoghue, T.D.

from the ''Derby Mercury''

by Roger Willoughby

5.5.16  Under the heading “17 Officer Casualties” the following are extracts:

Capt. F.C. DIETRICHSEN.... practised as a barrister on The Midland Circuit and well known in the legal circles of Derby, native of Essex and commissioned several years ago in the Foresters.

by Tom O'Neill

The following is part two which covers UNTSO and UNIFIL recipients of An Réalt Mileata and was compiled with the assistance of Cpl. Dan O'Connell of Army Headquarters for which l am grateful. While the Irish Defence Forces suffered fatalities while serving in CYPRUS, none received this medal.

The Irish Association of the Severeign and Military Order of Malta was formed in 1934 and in 1938 set up the first Ambulance Corps unit in Ireland at Galway. The Corps is now a nationwide organization with 78 active units in Northern Ireland and the Republic, a full-time membership of around 2,000 and a cadet division of about the same numbers.

While normally awarded un-named, the 1916 Medal was awarded officially named and numbered to the next of kin of those who did not live to receive the award themselves. Given the time which elapsed between the events it commemorates and the date of award, the number of named medals (401) is far greater than the number of people who died as a direct result of the 1916 Rising (80-90 depending on the source used). The logic behind the numbering system used on the medals, or the apparent lack of logic, has been the subject of previous articles in this journal by myself end other contributors. By now I think that I may be able to provide some answers for the reasons behind part of the numbering system.