Armstrong Papers Launched

[alanlw]

This week Limerick University officially launched the "Armstrong Papers", making it available to researchers and historians all over the world. This is an enormous collection of photographs, letters, diaries and other documents spanning a period of 350 years formerly in possession of the Armstrong Family of Moyaliffe, County Tipperary, Ireland. Of particular interest to this forum will be the papers of Captain William Maurice Armstrong (1889-1917, known as Pat Armstrong). He joined the 10th Royal Hussars in 1910 in India, moving with them to South Africa in 1912. At the outbreak of the Great War he was at the Cavalry School in Netheravon and the 10th Hussars were still in South Africa. Pat joined GHQ and ended up working for General Sir Henry de Beauvoir de Lisle and Field Marshal Douglas Haig among others. When the Hussars eventually landed in France Pat kept in close touch with his old regiment.

Pat's letters to his mother (daily or every other day in the war) and others provide a unique account of life in the army both before and during the Great War. The photos taken by him in India, South Africa, France, Gallipoli and elsewhere are an invaluable resource.

The University's official announcement can be found here:

http://www.ul.ie/news-centre/news/history-brought-to-life-as-armstrong-papers-launched-at-ul

The catalogue to the on-line collection can be found here:

http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Services/Library/Special_Collections/Armstrong%20Collection

The photo shows Pat Armstrong.

[Steven Broomfield]

Great stuff, Alan. Thanks for the notification.

[alanlw]

There is a fascinating WW1 tale unfolding on a Limerick University website http://longwaytotipperary.ul.ie/ where they have the Armstrong Archive. Pat Armstrong was in the 10th Hussars though at the outbreak of war he was at the Cavalry School in Netheravon, which was run by another XRHer, John Vaughan. Pat became an ADC to General Beauvoir de Lisle and left for France on 15 August. Pat was a good friend of Courtney Brocklehurst of Swythamley and he, Brock, gets a few mentions. The site is updated weekly with extracts from Pat's letters and diaries and those of his parents and sisters. It will continue till 2018.

[museumtom]

A particular interest of mine. Pat lived just a few miles away in Moyaliffe House which was sold about ten years ago. This will also be great for those interested in the 10th Hussars as he mentions a lot of the officers who served with him. I read all his papers before they went to UCL while I was involved in St Mary's Famine and War Museum in Thurles. One item Alanlw please if I may, in his papers he mentions (as memory serves) he was the officer over a firing squad and found it very distasteful. Can you post a link to this please?.

Kind regards.

Tom.

[alanlw]

One item Alanlw please if I may, in his papers he mentions (as memory serves) he was the officer over a firing squad and found it very distasteful. Can you post a link to this please?.

Kind regards.

Tom.

Hi Tom. The quote you mention is not one I am familiar with. I imagine it was much later in the war when he was on the front line in Gallipoli or France so might appear later on the Tipperary website. Meanwhile you could try searching their on-line catalogue - see http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Services/Library/Special_Collections/Armstrong%20Collection

Alan

[museumtom]

Thank you Alan.

Tom.