More stuff from the papers, Irish Guards, prisoner, wounds,Retreat fro

[museumtom]

...67 of us wounded and taken prisoners besides the killed. All our officers, except two, were shot.

[irishmen1916]

Thanks Tom, Always very interesting, in the last part a Paddy Sheehan is mention as falling at the Battle of Marne, as there where two "Battles of Merne" 5th - 12 Sept. 1914 and 15th July - 6th AUG. 1918, I dont see any Sheehan P. on the CWGC site that fit those dates, am I missing something here ?

Peter

[museumtom]

I thought the same, the newspaper was late in 1914 and I did not find any Patrick Sheehan killed in 1914. Maybe its a mistake or a different name or spelling. I just thought I would add that the writer of the above article survived the war. I found the reference to the use of a dum-dum bullet by the Germans was a first for me. I was of the impression that they were never used by anyone. I often wonder if the British newspapers would give as much information as the Irish ones seem to?

Regards.

Tom.

[Desmond7]

A Ballymena soldier at the front

‘Irish Guards will never surrender’

Thrilling Experience

Corporal W. J. Nesbitt, writing on the 9th inst. to his father, Mr. Nesbitt, Mount Street, gives an interesting a thrilling account of the Irish Guards in the retreat at Compiegne in September.

Cpl. Nesbitt was a constable in the Royal Irish Constabulary and being a reservist of the Irish Guards was called up at the outbreak of war. He writes:-

On the 1st of September the guards were covering the retreat of the 2nd Division. At about 4 o’clock in the morning, the Irish Guards took up a position to resist the enemy’s advance, who were quite close to us. My platoon, consisting

of some 50 men, occupied a small ridge in a cornfield. We remained there about two hours when suddenly came the advance guard of the enemy.

Our small force could not hold so many so we retired as fast as we could. When we reached the main body we found over half of our party was missing. Their fate is unknown, probably killed or captured. We found our btn. lining the road, guarding the entrance to a thick wood. The wood stretched for miles on both sides of the road.

Suddenly a shower of bullets was poured into us from all sides. Our commanding officer, Col. G. H. Morris, immediately gave orders for us to advance by companies into the woods. During the time our artillery, consisting of

four guns had been silenced by the enemy’s guns. We were thus left without support.

We advanced through the woods until we came to the outer fringe where we lay down to await the German advance.

Son we could see them coming over the skyline, thousands of them, in company column, marching shoulder to shoulder.

We awaited until the foremost ranks were about 200 yards distant when the order to fire was given. Our machine guns and rapid fire mowed them down like corn before a reaper, still they came on until their dead was piled five or six feet high (surely impossible! Des remark)

With drums beating, bugles blowing, uttering a peculiar kind of yell (the German ‘Hoch’ I suppose) they charged time and time again only to be driven back before the awful fire. This went on for about two hours when our

Brigadier gave the order to retire.

We retired again up the road....and this gave the enemy time to come up behind us, thus we were almost surrounded.

My company was again led into the woods to reinforce the Coldstreams who were on our left. Our captain had been shot some time previous to this so another officer, Lord Innes-Kerr took charge of us.

We were told not to fire on any account until we got an order. We went into the woods for some distance until we could see a line of men in front of us who were lying down.

Our officer said again: “Irish Guards don’t fire your own men are in front of you.”

Judge of our surprise when a voice came from the party whom we thought to be British, “if you be the Irish Guards we will give three minutes to surrender”

It was party of Germans dressed in khaki, probably taken from our dead and

wounded.

Our officer, like the hero and gentleman that he was, shouted back “Irish Guards will never surrender”. He was shot down immediately. We fought our best but what could a few do against so many? We charged our way with fixed

bayonets back to the road again. The bullets were poured into us from all sides and there seemed no hope of escape. We crossed through the wood on the other side of the road and fighting our way foot by foot, eventually got clear.

It would take the pen of a Hugo or Conan Doyle to adequately depict the deeds of unparalleled heroism which I witnessed that day. But suffice it to say, those who doubt the courage of Irishmen ought to have been there that day and they never again would doubt.

When we got safely out of that awful death trap, I thanked God for His mercy. The roll was called later on and we found we had lost our CO and eight officers (including the Brigadier wounded) and about 200n men. It would fill a small volume to detail every incident of that day. I only give you the base outline.

We had been fighting from 4am until three in the afternoon without bite or sup, then we had to march nearly 20 miles before we rested.

We halted at 12 midnight , got some tea and biscuits and then off again at 2o’clock a.m. Another 20-25 miles; so it went on day after day.

On September 6, the enemy began to retire. It was on a Sunday. The Guards Brigade were in advance. We came in contact with the enemy’s cavalry near a small wood. The Uhlans charged us but we repulsed them easily. We advanced towards the enemy infantry. In order to do this we had to cross a road then an open space swept by the enemy’s maxims.

We charged with fixed bayonets and I don’t think we did badly when we captured 12 maxims from the enemy (which) speaking of courage and bravado - this is an instance I witnessed that day.

When we were advancing across that open space there were a few apple and plum trees growing. Immediately our fellows came to them they commenced to pick them off and fill their pockets. Bullets were whistling round them like hail but they didn’t seem to regard them in the least.

Just the same here in the trenches where we have been for over three weeks. The men light fires, cook food and eat it, all the while shells continually bursting over them. One seems to get hardened to anything here.

Trusting you are all well at home, and hat you may get this safely. I have plenty of socks and shirts now but what I should like most would be a local paper every week if I could possibly get it. Hoping that I may hear from you all soon.

The Editor notes: In a PS he returns thanks for cigarettes which he said were much appreciated by the men in his section.

[irishmen1916]

I thought the same, the newspaper was late in 1914 and I did not find any Patrick Sheehan killed in 1914. Maybe its a mistake or a different name or spelling. I just thought I would add that the writer of the above article survived the war. I found the reference to the use of a dum-dum bullet by the Germans was a first for me. I was of the impression that they were never used by anyone. I often wonder if the British newspapers would give as much information as the Irish ones seem to?

Regards.

Tom.

Or could it be that he was seen falling, but later turned up in a hospital or as a POW ?

Peter

[museumtom]

Beats me.

Anyway I am just going through a newspaper report of the 6th Leinsters at Gallipoli, very enlightening. Takes a long time to type though.

Regards.

Tom.