SYBIL HEAD SIGNAL STATION MAY 1ST. 1916

[chops]

Is anything more known of the attack by a Republican group on the Signal Station defended by a platoon of Royal Marines, than appeared in Blomberg's 'History of the Royal Marines in the War 1914-1919'?

I have the names of the 2 Royal Marine officers and 1 of the 3 other ranks, all of whom were wounded, but know nothing of the attackers and have no further details.

Has anything been written from the Irish perspective?

Given the momentous events, unfolding in Ireland, at the time, perhaps the attack remained little known or reported.

[corisande]

from http://www.britains-smallwars.com/ni/RM.html

On 27th April 1916, as part of the response to the so-called 'Easter Uprising', a RM battalion was landed at Queenstown, county Cork. The Haulbowline Dockyard and Admiralty House were secured whilst a detachment proceeded to Galway to guard the naval establishments. Another detachment landed at Fenit near Tralee to protect the naval base there. Signal stations were particularly vulnerable so a section was sent to the stations at Sybil Head, and Cahirmore nr Berehaven. During the evening of 1st May the signal station at Sybil Head was attacked, and three Marines were wounded. The attackers were counter-attacked and although met with a heavy return fire, escaped. The detachment at Galway made landings on some of the islands in Galway Bay, and, in conjunction with the RIC, (Royal Irish Constabulary), rounded up suspects. Garrison duties continued until June 1920 when the newly arrived 8th RM Battalion, which landed at Cork, reinforced them. They provided detachments for the protection of coastguard and signal stations around the coast. A typical post was at Buncrana on Lough Swilly, (County Donegal), which was "to be defended to last man" if attacked. The Corp's involvement ended during the spring of 1922 following the establishment of the 'Free State'. It was to be over 47 years before they were back, when 41 Commando arrived on the streets of Belfast in September 1969.

[chops]

Corisande

Thank you for the added details of the Royal Marine's involvement in Ireland in 1916. It may be of some interest that one of the officers - 2nd LT. E L PLATTS, was only 16 at the time and was killed in France a year later, the youngest Royal Marine officer to die in W11.

Regards

Corona

[corisande]

Yes, I took a look, I see from his RM record that he took two years off his age when he joined up, giving June 1897, rather than Jun 1899 as in BMD. Mis-transcribed in 1901 census as "Plotts"

I am always skeptical of the "youngest" claims, but this lad certainly was very young when he joined up