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| Your
guided tour to Ireland's Battlefields and Military Heritage |
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World War 1 Tour :::: Background
to Ire 1912-1922 :::Location of the Irish
Fallen
MHTL Affirmation :::::: Roger
Casement :::::: Old Soldiers Day Ballymena
Military Heritage of Ireland Trust :::::: Normandy
Tour D Day 60 Anniv ::: Historical Note
Sergeant Major Coughlan VC Dedication plus speeches
and obituary:::: Photogallery
:::::
Previous Newsletters:- July
2004 :::::: Jan 2003
::::::: April 2002
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::NEWSLETTER SEPT 2004::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WW1 TOUR
We brought a group on a tour to WW1 battlefield, museums and cemeteries. The
guide was Colonel Dick Heaslip, a man who has an intimate knowledge of the
Irish involvement in WW1.
The group was composed of the Roger Casement Branch (Air Corps), Organisation
of National ex-Servicemen and Women and other people who had an interest in
or who had relatives who fell in WW1.
We flew from Dublin to Charleroi and met the coach at the airport. Then straight
to the location where the opening Allied shots of the war were fired on Aug
22, 1914 by Irishman Corporal Thomas of
the Dragoon Guards. We also visited St. Symphorian Cemetery where Mullingar
officer, Lt Dease, the first VC of the War is buried.
The tour included the following locations:
Lochnagar Crater
Cemetery at Cerisy-Gailly
Pozieres Cemetery
Thiepval Memorial
Ulster Tower
Newfoundland Park at Beaumont- Hamel
Faubourg-dAmiens Cemetery, Arras
Pipers Memorial
Tyne Cot Cemetery
Vancouver Corner
Polcapple Cemetery
Langemark German Cemetery
Artillery Wood
Essex farm
Sanctuary Wood
Ypres museum, Flanders Field
Menin Gate
Island of Ireland Peace Park at Messines
Ploegsteert Wood
Redmond Grave and Memorial
Wytchaete Cemetery & 16 Division Memorial
By this location list alone it would seem even to the unfamiliar eye
to be a comprehensive tour, and it was. However it was much, much more.
BACKGROUND TO IRELAND 1912-1922
During WW1the island of Ireland contributed in the region of 230,000 volunteer
soldiers to the British Army. What is now the Republic of Ireland was then
part of the United Kingdom. The democratic introduction of Home Rule for Ireland
was a goal sought after by many people for a long time. It was finally to
be introduced in 1912. A minority of Irish people, in the main Loyalist/Protestant/
Unionists from the North East of Ireland was determined that Home Rule would
not be introduced. The Ulster Volunteer Force was established to resist by
force of arms, its introduction. Weapons were openly imported from Germany
and many thousands flocked to its ranks.
An organisation called the Irish Volunteers was then formed by people, mainly
Catholic/Nationalist/Republicans, were determined that after years of democratic
lobbying, nothing would prevent the introduction of Home Rule. 120,000 men
flocked to its ranks. A limited number of weapons were imported from Germany
and in contrast to the UVF situation; the authorities actively resisted their
import.
In 1914, with the commencement of The Great War, the British Government put
the Home Rule Bill on hold until the end of the War. The UVF quickly merged
into the British Army, forming the 36th (Ulster) Division, desperately anxious
to be seen to assist Britain in her hour of danger and confident that at War’s
end, their loyalty would be rewarded by the scrapping of Home Rule for Ireland.
The Irish Volunteers were encouraged by their politicians and leaders to enlist
as it was thought that if loyalty was shown to Britain in her time of danger,
the granting of Home Rule at war’s end would their reward. 30,000 Irish
Volunteers enlisted, in addition to the scores thousands of other Nationalist
Irishmen and the 16th (Irish) Division was formed in addition to the already
existing 10th Division. All Divisions fought with extreme bravery and gallantry
and equally suffered the horrors and deprivations of WW 1. Death or gallantry
was not discriminatory.
1916 RISING
Meanwhile in Ireland, a minority group within the Irish Volunteers reckoned
that no matter what happened, no matter what sacrifices were made, Britain
would bow to the demands of the minority who did not want Home Rule at war’s
end and decided to stage a Rising in 1916, without the knowledge of the leadership
of the Irish Volunteers. Given Britain’s record in this matter, this
assumption was not unreasonable.
A Rising was staged, mainly in Dublin in 1916. It was accepted that this Rising
could not be a military success, but that it would “awaken Ireland’s
desire for freedom”. It was quickly subdued. Many of the “British”
troops in action against the Rebels were in fact Irish soldiers from Irish
Regiments and also Australian troops who were passing through en route to
and from the front.
In general people were outraged by the Rebellion. Lives were lost, property
was destroyed and jobs were lost. People reckoned that it was a stab in the
back and that husbands, brothers and loved ones, fighting at the front had
been betrayed. The prisoners being marched to the docks, heading for internment
camps in Britain were protected by outraged Dublin mobs by their British Army
escorts. The British Government acted quickly and courts-martial were established
to deal with the rebellion. However the hand of justice was ham fisted. Death
sentences were carried out over a protracted period. Innocent people were
shot and many people who had nothing to do with the Rising were interned in
Britain. After a while a grudging respect was given to the Rebels (as per
their plan), and it was thought after all that they had behaved honourably
and put up a fair fight. Recruitment to the British Army dropped (as it also
did in the North of Ireland) and the British Government reckoned that conscription
was the answer. The Conscription Act was passed in 1918. Note that it was
never introduced in Ireland, Ireland has never had conscription.
Nationalist leaders, the Catholic Church and (old) Sinn Féin strongly
resisted the introduction of conscription. A general election was held in
1918 and Sinn Féin candidates, with an independent Republic of Ireland
agenda, swept the boards.
1918 GENERAL ELECTION, WAR OF INDEPENDENCE, TREATY
The new Irish parliament, known as the Dáil, sat in the Mansion House in Dublin and the Declaration of Independence was read. On the same day in Soloheadbeg, Co. Tipperary, two Royal Irish Constabulary men were ambushed and shot dead. The Dáil was declared illegal and the War of Independence began. It lasted from 1919 to 1921 when a Truce was called. Talks ensued and a Treaty was agreed in 1922. A Free State would be established in 26 Counties and a State known as Northern Ireland would be established in 6 of the 9 Ulster Counties.
AFTERMATH
The troops of the 36th (Ulster) Division who came back have rightly never been forgotten by the people of Northern Ireland. They are very much remembered to this day. However, people in Northern Ireland do not tend to remember much the 16th (Irish) Division and the 10th Division.
As for the Republic, the contribution of Irish soldiers was written out of history altogether. The concept of Irishmen fighting in British uniform did not suit the image of the New Ireland. All the sacrifices made, all the grieving families, all the dead soldiers, all the returned heroes who had fought for the “Freedom of small Nations” and “Poor little Catholic Belgium” were airbrushed out of history. It was as if it had never happened and yet, not a town or village in Ireland escaped the horrific casualty roll of the Great War. (A similar occurrence was to happen in WW 2. See Normandy notes below).
CHANGING TIMESIt was with this sense, this knowledge, this awareness and this burden that
Military Heritage Tours organised this tour to Belgium and France to visit
our dead, our fallen and our patriots.
It was with this same sense that we were joined by servicemen, ex-servicemen
and others who wanted to visit, wanted to pay their respects and wanted to
remember their dead.
The morning after we arrived we crossed the Somme at Albert and visited the
military cemetery at Cerisy-Gailly. One ex-serviceman, Sgt Michael Prince
had information that his Uncle Pte Patrick Prince of the Kings Liverpool Rifles
and who fell in June 1916 was buried there. Pte Patrick Prince’s grave
was soon found and one can imagine the emotion displayed by Michael and by
all who accompanied him.
This man had never seen before where his uncle had been buried. A relative
had never visited before this grave. Photographs were taken, poetry was read
and a significant moment in Irish history and Michael’s life was experienced
Also on tour we had the honour and pleasure of being accompanied by 90-year-old
Mrs. Lily Sheehan and her younger sister, Mrs Alice Goggin. In 1924, Lily
had asked about her uncle, Pte John Lawlor. Her mother told her that he had
been killed in the Great War. She resolved that day that she would visit his
grave. Down through the years there were some potential opportunities to realise
this ambition but for one reason or another they were never realised. Finally,
after 80 years this lady and her sister joined our tour to complete what was
literally a life-long ambition.
Can one imagine the emotion of the moment when the name of Pte. Joseph Lawlor
was discovered on the memorial wall of Pozieries Cemetery on the Somme? This
elderly lady and her sister making her way past the names of thousands of
fallen to visit her Uncle’s name etched on a wall far from home. 2,700
soldiers are buried here and the names of 14,600 soldiers who have no known
grave are remembered here. Having waited literally 80 years to travel to this
cemetery, to place her hand upon the name of Joseph Lawlor, this was some
experience in the lives of Mrs Cunningham and Mrs. Goggin. Again, no one had
ever visited this man, this hero. It took 88 years for this to happen.
We had another gentlemen with us, Mr.Gerard Donnelly. His story was similar. In that same cemetery he found the name of his relative 2/Lt Meeghan and I visited the name of my wife’s granduncle, Pte John McHale.
How many families in Ireland could repeat the same story? Only in Ireland
has this additional cruelty been imposed upon the families of the fallen (and
the survivors) not only the families of the Great War, but also families of
WW2.
However attitudes are now changing and Military
Heritage Tours will go out of its way to facilitate anybody who would like
to visit the site where a relative fought, fell, is remembered or is buried.
It should be noted well that in 2004, for the first time ever an Irish Army
Officer was present in an official capacity at the remembrance ceremony at
Messiness.
MENIN GATE
The tour visited Menin Gate and partook in the ceremonies.
The ceremony commenced with Reveille and followed with a Wreath Laying Ceremony.
A wreath on behalf of the tour, in memory of the “Nearly Forgotten Irish
Soldier”, was laid by Captain Buckley (Retd) and Sgt John Condon (Retd),
Roger Casement Branch of the ONE, Air Corps. It was a most emotional occasion
for everybody and a moment we will not forget.
A piper from the London Irish Rifles played during the ceremony and also a
Welsh Male Voice Choir rendered superbly a selection of hymns including:
Bread of Heaven
Onwards Christian Soldiers
I Vow to Thee
Calon Lan.
See photogallery (new photot will be posted by mid to late sept 2004)
MESSINES
At the Island of Ireland Peace Park a further wreath was laid in memory of the Irish fallen. This ceremony was led by Patrick McLaughlin and accompanied by his comrades from the Roger Casement Branch of the ONE. This was another emotional occasion, Irish servicemen, making a tribute to their fallen comrades. These comrades fell in another time, in another world, in another political maelstrom.
ROGER CASEMENT
It is interesting to ponder for a moment on the further intricacies of the participants in this ceremony. A full grasp of the complexities Irish history would be a decided advantage because it is in one way ironic and yet fully correct that it should have happened. The unravelling of the intricacies and implications here is a basis for thesis in itself.
Sir Roger Casement was an Irishmen, knighted by Britain for exposing horrific
cruelty by Belgians in their then Congo colony. He was involved in the organisation
of the 1916 Rising. He was also involved in the visiting of Irish prisoners
in German POW camps and attempting to recruit them to fight against Britain
in the Casement Brigade. When he landed in Kerry in 1916 by German U Boat
he was promptly captured. In London he was tried and sentenced to be hanged,
for treason.
His body was returned home to Ireland in 1965, landing at the Air Corps base
at Baldonnell, Co. Dublin. The Air Corps base was thereafter named as Casement
Aerodrome and it’s ex-Serviceman’s Branch was since known as the
Roger Casement Branch, the “Sir” being dropped in deference to
his status as a hero of a Republic. Many of the troops providing the ceremonial
detail for the arrival and reburial of Casement’s body would have been
freshly returned from peace enforcing duties in the newly independent Congo.
One can appreciate the complexity here. An Irishman, knighted by Britain for his humanitarian work in the Belgian Congo, plotting against Britain during wartime, working with Germany, infiltrating Irish POW’s (British Army) in Germany in an attempt to get them to fight against Britain, being hanged for treason. Then 49 years later returned to his then freed country and greeted by troops who assisted in the stabilisation of the newly independent Congo. An ex-Serviceman’s group (containing Congo veterans) named in his honour, visiting the graves of their fallen countrymen in Belgium to honour those who had fought and served in the British Army. History is not black and white, Irish history is no exception. History is what happened. History is not what we would have liked it to be.
MILITARY HERITAGE TRUST OF IRELAND BRIEFING AT COLLINS BARRACKS, DUBLIN
The Military Heritage Trust of Ireland held a briefing in Collins Barracks Dublin about developments and we also were briefed by Mr. Labhras Joye, on the plans for the new Military Museum. The briefing was attended by a cross section of people, military, civilian and academics from north and South of the Border. The Military Heritage of Ireland Trust is a body set up as a result of the Good Friday Agreement to preserve and perpetuate Irish military heritage.
See photo gallery
World War II D DAY 60th ANNIVERSARY TOUR, NORMANDY
This tour was a very special tour, not only because it was the 60th Anniversary,
but also because we had four Irish WW2 veterans with us, three of whom who
had been in action on D Day.
It was an absolute privilege to be in the company of these men and some members
of their families. We salute Bill FitzMaurice, Tommy Meehan, Leo Cafferkey
and Jack Allshire. Because of the popularity of the trip it was necessary
to sail via Roscoff. This added to the travel time but the interim hotel arrangements
in Pont Orsonne were superb. D Day itself was mainly spent in St. Mere Église
as the congestion around Arromanche was prohibitive.
DEDICATION TO THE FALLEN IRISH
The highlight of the trip was to be present at the dedication to the fallen
Irish soldier near Caen, at Longueval and Le Cambé wood, where troops
of 1 Bn and 2 Bn Royal Ulster Rifles respectively, fell in action. The organisation
and hospitality extended to us by the RUR Association and the Royal Irish
Regiment was beyond comparison. It was a superb occasion and it was correct
and proper that MHTL attended this commemoration. 66,000 Irish soldiers fought
in the Battle of Normandy in British uniform plus countless others who fought
in other Allied uniform. The hospitality shown us by the French people in
the area was equal to the reception provided to the Irish in Belgium.
It is noted with great honour that whilst our tour bus was running late on
the day (traffic congestion), the ceremony was delayed pending our arrival.
One of the famous personalities we met in Normandy was General Corran Purdon.
Gen Purdon was born in Rushbrook, Co. Cork. He was captured in St. Nazaire
after the famous raid involving HMS Cambletown. He escaped, was recaptured
and was incarcerated in Colditz until liberated by American Forces.
SAMUR
It was decided to visit the French Armour museum at Saumur. This was indeed a treat for armour buffs. The range and scale of the equipment on display is quiet astonishing and is well worth a visit
HISTORICAL NOTE
In WW 2 Ireland, or the Free State or Éire as it was then, was officially neutral. This was a stance also adopted by Sweden, Switzerland and Spain. At the commencement of War, the government of the day decided that we would stay neutral and that we would enter a period to be known as “The Emergency”.
This stance was to be observed more in the breach than the observance. A lot of pressure was brought to bear by Britain as she did not respect our neutrality being a former colony and neighbour, and yet as the war progressed she was full aware of the covert help she was receiving. In addition, most neutral countries prevent by law its citizens from joining belligerent forces. 165,000 citizens from the Free State enlisted in the British Army. This figure does not include the numbers who served in the RAF, RN, other Commonwealth Forces and US Forces. It also does not include the 55,000 Regular soldiers in the Irish Army and 100,000 in her Reserve. It includes however the figure of 5,500 Irish Army deserters who joined the British Army when it was realised that they were not going to get to grips with the Axis Forces, if they stayed at home to defend “neutral Ireland”.
The Irish Government was in an invidious situation. The War of Independence was fought just 20 years previously and the idea of joining forces with a country that unleashed the Black & Tans and the Auxiliaries was abhorrent to many minds. However, Éire was in danger of being invaded by Germany and by Allied Forces and was prepared to make any invader “pay in blood for every inch of territory that was invaded”. If she were to ally herself to Britain, she would automatically become an enemy of the Axis Forces and would make herself a target like the UK. If she remained neutral, she was in danger of being invaded by British Forces who would like to get her hands on Irish ports and Airfields and deny the ground to the Axis Forces. Her stated policy was that she would deny her territory to all comers. In reality, the Irish and British Forces held regular staff meetings and plans for British assistance were in readiness, should there be an attack/invasion from Germany.
Irelands position is perhaps best summed up by the British Dominion’s Secretary, Viscount Cranbourne on 21 Feb 1945 commenting on whether or not Ireland should be invited to join the United Nations. He gave the following examples of Irish co-operation during the war:
(A) The arrangement of Staff talks to plan against a possible
German invasion of Ireland and the subsequent close liaison between Britain
and the Irish Authorities.
(B) The similar liaison between British Intelligence regarding
all aliens (including Germans) resident in Ireland.
(C) Permission given to Allied aircraft to over-fly a corridor
of Irish territory for easier access to the Atlantic.
(D) The transmission of meteorological reports and of submarine
and air activity around Irish coasts.
(E) Internment of all German fighting personnel reaching
Ireland and the sharply contrasting treatment of Allied personnel, who by
the early stages of the war were allowed “to depart freely” and
who were given full assistance in recovering damaged aircraft.
(F) The Irish Government’s silent acquiescence in the
departure from their jurisdiction of thousand’s of Irishmen who wished
to serve in the Allied Forces and in their returning to Ireland on leave (in
civilian clothing provided at British ports)
(G) The establishment of a radar station in southern Ireland
for use against the latest form of submarine warfare.
It should be also noted that the newly formed Irish Naval Service’s
first operation was at Dunkirk. Whilst Irish crews were in Britain to collect
Motor Torpedo Boats that had been ordered, the Dunkirk evacuation took place.
It is a little known fact that one if not two Irish MTB’s crewed by
uniformed Irish sailors assisted in this evacuation.
At the end of the War, the US Government wanted to decorate the Irish Chief of Staff, Assistant Chief of Staff and the Colonel Commanding the Air Corps with the Legion of Merit. However, the offer was declined by the Irish Government so as to maintain the overt assistance covertly.
Again at war’s end the returning soldiers, sailors and airmen disappeared into the new Ireland. No thank you, no well done, no regimental reunions and no mention. Again it was as if it never happened. Churchill went on air to fume about “Éire’s lack of co-operation” and how lucky she was that Britain was not forced to come to terms with her. How she might have done but did not in spite of the fact that German and Japanese embassies/ legations were open in Dublin.
The fact that De Valera went to the German Legation to sign a Book of Condolence when Hitler died was without doubt a serious mistake to put it mildly. In his insistence that the pretence of neutrality continue, this appalling act was carried out. It horrified all right thinking people around the world and history will judge this act as being a dreadful error of judgement at best.
MILITARY MUSEUM DESIGN TEAM
Tour of waterloo, WW1 sites and Fontenoy. The design team that will create Ireland’s new Military Museum in Collins Barracks, Dublin were brought to the above locations on a reconnaissance.
DEDICATION OF THE GRAVE OF SGT MAJ COUGHLAN VC
Speech from Minister of Defence,
Mr Michael Smith TD
Speech from Donal on behalf of Military
Heritage Tours Ltd
Obituary form Mayo News,
20 Feb 1915, Westport, Co. Mayo
On Aug 07 at Aughavale Cemetery, Westport Co. Mayo, the unmarked grave of Sgt Maj Coughlan was dedicated and a headstone was unveiled.
This was a day of outstanding significance. Firstly because the good Sgt Maj had his grave marked. For any man to be buried in an unmarked grave is sad and wrong. This situation sadly does happen on occasion however. For a decorated Irish warrior hero and VC winner to be so unmarked is more than wrong.
The Defence Minister, Mr Michael Smith T.D. in the presence of the British
Ambassador Mr. Stuart Eldon, unveiled the headstone. Many descendants of Cornelius
Coughlan VC travelled from Glasgow and Bradford for the ceremony. Whilst the
good Sgt Maj’s grave was properly dedicated the significance day was
much more. It marked a milestone in Irish history and a milestone in Anglo
/ Irish relations. For the first time since the foundation
of the State, the Irish Government, formally and publicly acknowledged the
long and proud tradition of the Irish in British military service.
Representatives of many former Irish Regiments of the British Army paraded
with their Standards on this occasion. It may have been too late for WW1 veterans
but it was not too late for their families, and it was not too late for WW2
survivors and their families. In terms of Anglo / Irish relations, in terms
of the Good Friday Agreement, it was a momentous and emotional
occasion. Every right thinking person on this island and in these islands
could only agree that this was a most proper thing to happen.
MHTL is proud to have been the instigator of this event and proud
that it was in a position to facilitate the Irish Government to copper fasten
another chapter in the Good Friday Agreement.
The overwhelming support and acknowledgement received by MHTL from numerous sources is very much appreciated. We wish to thank those who attended; they include a very wide range of opinion in these islands. The Defence Minister, the British Ambassador, Unionists, Nationalists, Republicans, historians, serving and retired military of the British Army and Irish Army and Irish soldiers of both armies, US veterans, politicians, Regimental Associations, Ex-Service organisations, Connaught Ranger re-enactors, numerous other people who strive for peace & reconciliation and the presentation of unbiased history, families of relatives who served and who fell in WW1 and WW2, veterans of WW2 especially Major Mervyn Clarke (14th Army Burma and originally Trinity OTC). See photo.
It should be noted that not one Republican organisation
complained about this event. This is very gratifying. It is a sign that Republicans
are very aware of the contribution that their fellow countrymen made to the
“Freedom of Small Nations”.
It is also a sign of the realisation that a very large part of Irish military
heritage was hijacked by the British and Unionists and was rejected by Republicans
and that this was very wrong. It is a sign that we as a nation or now ready
to reclaim this heritage with an open mind and with justifiable pride
The small minority of people who have “complained”
about this event are insignificant. Not one of them attended the ceremony.
Not one of them is aware of what was said at the ceremony. Not one of them
represents informed opinion at any level. There are always people who knock
initiative for the sake of it. There will always be begrudgers and people
for whom reacting to initiative and progress is their only way of expressing
themselves. My only advise to them is to wake up, grow up, listen and learn.
Every country suffers in wartime or in times of rebellion. For a newspaper
editorial to remind me about the atrocities of the Indian Mutiny or the murderous
brutality of the Black and Tans is down right backward. Every informed person
realises the awful savagery inflicted by the British Army on the Indians during
the mutiny. I am also very much aware of the behaviour of the Black and Tans,
the Auxiliaries and the Essex Regiment during the War of Independence, just
as I am aware of the discriminatory behaviour towards the Irish Divisions
by the Establishment in WW1. For how long to we keep the pot of hatred boiling?
For how long do we keep looking back without looking forward? For how long
will insular minds foment bitterness? If France and Germany can get along
as neighbours after the violation and savagery of two World Wars, if the German
Head of State can stand as an ally at Arromanche on the 60th Anniversary of
D Day, why cannot some people on this small island look forward for once?
Why is the concept of reconciliation so difficult? There has to be closure
at some stage. Descendents of perpetrators of crime cannot be blamed for the
actions of their forebears. Have they ever heard of forgiveness or indeed
of Jesus?