Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Irishmen Conscripted


nialld

Recommended Posts

Although there was no conscription in Ireland,Irish men resident in the rest of the UK were subject to conscription.

As an example,my G/uncle,William Harnett(7617),from Carrick-on-Suir,was working and living in Manchester where he was conscripted. When he did report for enlistment on 10th July 1916 he chose to join the Connaught Rangers and so was sent back to Ireland,arriving at the regimental depot in Galway on 14th July 1916. After a medical,including vaccination,and issue of uniform he was posted to the 3rd Battalion at Charles' Fort,Kinsale on 18th july.He was subsequently posted to the 5th Battalion in Salonika on 31st December 1916 and was embarked the following day.He joined the battalion in the field at Mekes in the Sturma valley in Feburary 1917.While there he,like a lot of others,contracted malaria and died of complications in Egypt on 24th September 1917, a long way from Tipperary.

He gave his address on his enlistment papers as Carrick-on-Suir,Co.Tipperary

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

at the other end of the spectrum, a number of Irish rebels were conscripted into the BA after the Easter Rising including Hugh Thornton (brother of Squad member Frank Thornton) and London born brothers Sean (John) Nunan and Ernest Nunan.

Thornton was based in Kinmel but refused to wear khaki uniform or to obey any orders. Refused a medical and refused to sign forms. Sentenced to 2 years hard labour; released/discharged Dec 1916.

Similarly the Nunan's refused to obey orders, refused to undergo medicals and didn't sign any forms. Both sentenced to hard labour. Both released/discharged early 1917. Both treated as conscientious objectors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...