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Belfast Volunteer Defence Corps 1915-1916

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by Tom Wylie

Bronzed die struck cap badge of the Belfast Volunteer Defence CorpsAt the outbreak of the First World War in August, 1914, there were two uniformed and armed political organisations in Ireland, the Ulster Volunteers and the Irish Volunteers (the Irish National Volunteers, Irish Volunteers who followed the lead of John Redmond in supporting the war against Germany, were formed in September 1914).

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Lord Dunsany

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Lord Dunsany, Irish landowner, died on February 6 aged 92. He was born at Dunsany, Co. Meath, on August 25, 1906.

In public estimation Randal Plunkett, 19th Lord Dunsany in the peerage of Ireland, probably lived most of his life in the shadow of his famous father Edward, the dramatist and short-story writer, whom he succeeded in 1957. He pursued a military career in India and was a veteran of both battles of Alamein. After the war he was based on the family estate in Co. Meath where ascendancy life was maintained with much of its style and given a cosmopolitan dimension. He was an acute observer of the passing scene and an entertaining talker with a facility for striking pronouncements and bons mots. While his life may not have been marked by outstanding achievements, he was a man who counted in any company.

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Three Irish Guardsmen on the Somme

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by James Morton

The Battle of the Somme was not going well. Having begun on 1st July 1916 with such high hopes, it had by September developed into a war of attrition. The original plan to smash through the German defences, thus forming a large breach through which the cavalry division would charge and consolidate the victory, was gone. 

The dictionary defines attrition as "the act of gradually wearing down and exhausting an opponent by constant attack and harassment". The Germans were doubtless being worn down by the constant attacks but were still far from being exhausted. On the other hand the British Army, to judge by the casualty figures, was wearing down at an alarming rate. Casualties, although never again as high as an estimated 56,000 for the first day of the battle, had by early September reached somewhere between 220,000 and 250,000, a high price to pay for an advance of no more than three miles. On some parts of the 18 mile front the advance could be measured in yards. 

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Fort Davis & Cork Harbour

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by Michael Denieffe

Fort Davis was formerly known as Fort Carlisle after the 5th Earl of Carlisle - Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. A large regular fortification, with platform for Gun Batteries level with the water, was erected towards the end of Elizabeth’s reign (about 1600) - to protect the entrance to the harbour. It was garrisoned for James II, but his forces were driven out by the Earl of Marlborough on 21st September 1690. This was the first stronghold taken by Marlborough in Ireland. It was let fall into decay (Guy’s Directory 1886)

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Chieveley Casual Roll

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by J.W. Wilson

The following lists have been compiled from contemporary newspaper accounts, The South Africa Field Force Casualty List, medal rolls and the regimental history of the Durban Light Infantry.

As usual in these cases, there are many examples where the names and service numbers vary according to the source. Generally, where this occurs, I have used the name and number which appear on the medal roll.

I am certain that the lists are not complete, but they do summarise the most accessible information and are useful in that respect. I would be pleased to hear from anybody who can upgrade the list.

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The Service Medal 1917 - 1921 Background to a Recipient

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by Eamonn Dillon

(This and the following piece were produced by our youngest member, aged 17. Well done, Eamonn! Ed.)

Edmund (Ned) Stack was born in 1896 in Kilmorna, Co Kerry and joined Oglaigh na Heireann (IRA), 'E' Knockanure Coy, 6th Kerry Bn, No. 1 Brigade in 1914. From 1914 to 1917 his IRA activity was confined to training and the collection of arms and funds. His first action was in April 1917 when he took part in “The seizure of the Lawn in Listowel” an episode in the Land Distribution Protest. This affair resulted in several arrests and one man, 51 John Joe Mulvihill, was imprisoned for six months. Local officers were Lt. Edmund Murphy and Capt. Timothy O'Carroll. Battalion officers were Patrick J. McElligot and William O'Sullivan.
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Fire Away, Flanagan

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When Cromwell was in Ireland, during his march southwards he came to a castle garrisoned by some who were under the command of one Flanagan. This brave Hibernian sent the Protector a message, commanding him to quit the place at once, or he would open his cannon on the English forces. Cromwell returned the note with his reply written in one corner of it, “Fire away, Flanagan.”

(From THE REGIMENT, May 1896)
 

From India to West Cork - A Soldier’s Tale

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by Hugh Mason-Fennell

Richard Brian Sleeman came of proven military stock. Born in Belfast in 1911, he was the son of Colonel Sir James Sleeman CB CMG CBE MVO TD and a great grandson of Sir William Sleeman, famed suppressor of Thugee in India in the early part of the 19th century. Sleeman was commissioned in the Royal Sussex Regiment in 1933 and in 1935 found himself in Karachi, facing a situation which would have daunted officers much older and wiser than he.
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Disgraced Officer’s VC Sold

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Daily Telegraph 25 July 1990

A Victoria Cross forfeited by a disgraced hero was sold for £19,800 at an auction in London yesterday. The officer whom the highest award for gallantry became the first to lose it because he deserted from the Royal Navy in an attempt to “evade an investigation of a disgraceful offence.” The medal won in the Crimea by Lt. Edward St. John Daniel was sold at Christie’s. Bristol born Daniel developed a serious drinking problem while serving aboard HMS WASP in 1856. He was dismissed from his ship and reduced to the bottom of the lieutenants’ list. He had been described by his fellow officers as someone “none of us would mess with.” In 1861 he was placed under arrest for behaviour unbecoming a naval officer and accused of taking “indecent liberties” with junior officers. The Admiralty recommended to Queen Victoria that Lt. Daniel be struck off the roll of the Victoria Cross.
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Royal Hibernian Military School

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by Ed Sullivan

This famous school was founded in the 18th century for the orphans of soldiers and was located in Phoenix Park and later in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. The following extract from a report on education in Ireland dated 8 June 1827 gives some idea of the Spartan regime imposed on the hapless children. Most of them joined the Army on coming of age - which must have been quite a relief!
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Civil Medal for Bravery - A Limerick Award

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by M.S. Scott

On Saturday 15 August 1987 the Fire Brigade at Kilmallock, County Limerick was called to an incident at the nearby Golden Vale Mill, an industrial plant engaged on processing agricultural products. On arrival they found that two workmen inside a grain silo had been overcome by fumes and that their colleagues were unable to rescue them. Access to the silo was by an eighteen inch square manhole and, being the smallest man on the rescue team, Fire Station Officer Michael Moloney, 21 years a fireman, qualified for the job of squeezing through it into the darkness of the silo.
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Identification Parade - What is it No. 16

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by George Callaghan

Enamelled metal badge, 25mm in diameter. In centre is a white cross with bifurcated ends on a red background. Around is a white belt with gilt inscription 1st VIII A C D G 1905. There is a brooch pin on the reverse and a fixed wire as if for a suspension ribbon. There are no maker’s marks.
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A Masonic Jewel

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by H. Mason-Fennel

I was recently shown a badge which the owner could not identify, though he supposed it was probably Masonic. It was still in its case of issue, marked Spencer and Coy of Queen Street, London, makers of Masonic jewels and regalia since 1801.

The jewel, as can be seen from the illustrations, is an inscrolled circular badge within which is a Star of David enclosing Masonic emblems. It is suspended from a white silk moire ribbon, 32mm in width, with top and bottom oblong shaped engraved suspension bars, with a centrally placed engraved buckle on the ribbon. A long stick-pin is affixed to the reverse of the top suspension bar and all the parts are hallmarked silver gilt. It was made in London by George Kenning in 1892, he being the Kenning who, with Spencer the maker, founded the well known medallist company of Toye, Kenning and Spencer of Nuneaton.
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Rarities Department No. 8 - The USSR Order of Victory

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This extraordinary decoration (Order) is one of the rarest and certainly the costliest to emanate from WW2. It was instituted by the Soviet Government on 8 November 1943 for presentation to commanders of fleets or armies who had won major victories over the Nazi invaders, victories which contributed significantly to the final defeat of the enemy. By its very nature it could thus be given only to the most senior officers - no pretence of egalitarianism here! 
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Irish Place Names in South Africa

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by Paul Morrissey

When travelling in South Africa one occasionally comes across Irish place names - it seems a pleasant change from the hard Dutch sound of places ending in -berg (mountain) or -fontein (stream). Notable and historic places include Rorke’s Drift, named after James Rorke who was born in the Eastern Cape of a family which had emigrated from England. Rorke arrived at the crossing point for the Buffalo River in 1856, built a house and a store, and exploited the growing traffic coming through on its way to Zululand - hunters, missionaries, traders and many others. Rorke died in 1875 and is buried about 200m southeast of the church. On his gravestone it is mentioned that he was a Lieutenant in the Buffalo Border Guard. This corrects the item in JOURNAL No 10 (p12) from the SUNDAY INDEPENDENT about Rorke being a missionary. The mission station on the site was in fact founded by Swedes and the hill behind the station is known as ‘Oscarberg’ after the Swedish King of that time.
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In the Service of Peace - A Survey of United Nations Medals

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by Michael A. Kavanagh

The United Nations Organisation first issued a medal to the armed forces of member countries during the Korean War 1950-53 and others were to follow. Three types of medals have been issued, they are the United Nations Korea medal, the United Nations Emergency Force medal and the United Nations medal.

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Gongs for the Comrades

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The Soviets have always had a liking for orders and medals and indeed it was only a few months after the abolition of the decorations of the old regime in 1918 that they set about creating their own. Since the chests of the Soviets citizens of all classes and both sexes have been liberally besprinkled with glittering symbols of bravery, loyalty, good productivity and other communist virtues. The visitor to any city of the USSR will see many people actually wearing their insignia in plain clothes, a phenomenon which is probably peculiar to that nation.
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Identification Parade

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Michael Denieffe, 40, Oakley Park, Tullow Road, Carlow wishes to hear from any member who can positively identify the medal illustrated below.

Obverse:  Soldier standing above a scroll on which is written ‘In God We Trust.’ At either side of the soldier are various flags. To the left of the flags, facing the viewer, the words ‘United We Stand,’ and to the right of the flags facing the viewer, the words ‘Divided We Fall.’

Reverse:  A maple leaf which contains the following wording:  

‘The Allies’
England - France
Russia - Belgium
Serbia - Japan
War
1914

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Posthumous Awards of 1916 Medal and 1917-1921 Medal

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by Michael Kavanagh

According to official sources at the Department of Defence’s Finance Branch in Renmore Military Barracks, Galway, the following figures were the true figures on 15th October, 1992 for Posthumous Awards of the 1916 Medal and the 1917-1921 Medal:
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Irishmen in the Light Brigade, Balaclava 1854

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In the churchyard of St. Peter’s Church of Ireland Church in Drogheda there lies a tombstone near the left hand side of the church with the following inscription:

Sacred to the memory of John Duggan who died in Drogheda 22nd of March 1881 aged 67 years, late private 17th Lancers and sexton of St. Peters Church. He fought in the battles of Alma, Inkerman, Sebastopol and Balaklava.
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Identification Parade

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Silver medallion with suspension ring, 30mm diameter. The obverse has a harp in the centre with a scroll across it bearing the inscribed date 1924 and an inscription around it ‘DUBLIN WORKING GIRLS DRILLING ASSOCIATION.’ The reverse is plain with an Irish silver hallmark and the partially decipherable, makers name ‘----RS SONS, DUBLIN.’
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Newsflash

Medals, Militaria and Collectables Fair

A warm welcome awaits at the Medal Society of Ireland hosted "Medals, Militaria and Collectables Fair"

in Knox Memorial Hall, Monkstown, Dublin on Saturday 3rd February from 10 am to 2 pm

FREE ENTRANCE for members while admission charge for all other adults is €4 each (accompanied children free)