Does a photo exist of Erskine Childers RNAS?

[oak]

Is any member aware if a photograph exists of Erskine Childers in Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) uniform? Childers was born in London to an English father and an Irish mother. He served in the Boer War and later came to public attention as the author of "Riddle of the Sands." In July 1914 he brought German guns to Dublin on board his yacht "Asgard", to arm those who wished to see Home Rule granted to Ireland. (His action was in response to an earlier Unionist importation of German guns for those who wished to block the introduction of Home Rule for Ireland). Upon the outbreak of war he joined the RNAS. On Christmas eve 1914 he took part in the raid on Cuxhaven. He later served in the Med. He was executed by the Irish government in 1922, during the Irish Civil War.

While a number of biographies show photos of Childers in army uniform during the Boer War, I have yet to come across a photo of him in RNAS uniform. I would be very grateful if any member could help me on this.

Regards,

Philip

[MikeW]

If he obtained his RAeC pilots licence there is a good chance it will be in the collection held at the RAF Museum at Hendon - if he's there, there's a good chance the photo will be in uniform.

Not all pilots took the full licence or "ticket", and there is one complete album missing from the archive, so don't get your hopes up too much.

Mike

[Muerrisch]

He was executed by the Irish government in 1922, during the Irish Civil War.

Surely not? My understanding is that he was shot by the British for being in possession of a pistol provided by Michael Collins.

[michaeldr]

Lt [now Lt-Cmdr] Erskine Childers RNVR was awarded the DSC

See L.G. 21 April 1917 p.3820 http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...&selHonourType=

Perhaps there was a press photograph at the time of the presentation and it may be worth checking newspapers and/or the Fleet Air Arm Museum

LB: I think that you will find that he was executed by the Free State in 1922

Regards

Michael D.R.

[BeppoSapone]

Childers was shot by the Irish for being in possession of a pistol. It could very well have been provided by Collins, when they were 'on the same side'.

"The Treaty bitterly divided Sinn Féin, and Ireland slipped into civil war. Soon Childers was regarded as a traitor not merely by the British, but by the pro-Treaty government in Dublin.

Said to be the inspiration behind the Republican terrorist tactics, Childers was hunted by Free State soldiers and had to travel secretly. In November 1922 he was arrested by Free State forces at his home, Glendalough, in County Wicklow, while travelling to meet De Valera. He was court-martialled because he was carrying an automatic pistol and was one of the first to be sentenced to death under the Free State’s Emergency Powers legislation. He was executed by firing squad at the Beggar's Bush Barracks in Dublin.

His last words were a joke at the expense of his executioners: "Take a step or two forward, lads. It will be easier that way."

[Muerrisch]

I sit corrected gentlemen. Thank you. "Riddle of the Sands" is one of my Desert Island must-haves.

[oak]

Many thanks MikeW and MichaelDR for the information. I wasn't able to check in for a few days. As has already been mentioned by Bepposapone, during the Irish Civil War Childers was captured by soldiers of the Irish Free State Army. He was sentenced to death for carrying a firearm, supposedly given to him by Michael Collins when they were both fighting the British. Collins had in the meantime been killed in the civil war. (It has been suggested that he would have prevented the execution if he had been alive). Collins was killed in August 1922 and Childers executed in November 1922.

Regards,

Philip

[wig]

I have no such photograph but last year Childers was remembered on a very fine Irish stamp

[Desmond7]

Couldn't be? The guy on the stamp'd death is given as 1974

[Brett Holman]

The Erskine Childers on the stamp is actually his son, who was the Irish

President in 1973-4.

[marina]

http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=erskin...G=Search+Images

Some photos of both Childers and his son here.

Marina

[wig]

Whoops!

Wig

The Erskine Childers on the stamp is actually his son, who was the Irish

President in 1973-4.

[Desmond7]

www.gutenberg.org/files/ 13235/13235-h/13235-h.htm

[Desmond7]

Home Rule

Around this time Childers became increasingly attracted to Irish Nationalism and became an advocate of Home Rule. He resigned his post at the House of Commons in 1910 in order to campaign for this cause, writing The Form and Purpose of Home Rule in 1912. In July 1914 he and his wife even smuggled German arms to Howth, County Dublin, in their yacht - days before the outbreak of World War I. These weapons would later arm the Irish Volunteers during the Easter Rising of 1916. This had been organised in response to the Larne gunrunning of the Ulster Volunteer Force.

With the start of war, Childers joined the Royal Navy as an Intelligence Officer and was active in the North Sea and the Dardanelles. He was awarded the DSO and promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1916.

However the violent suppression of the Easter Rising had angered Childers, and after the war he moved to Dublin to become fully involved in the struggle against British rule. He joined Sinn Féin, forming a close association with Éamon de Valera and Michael Collins.

In 1919 he was made Director of Publicity for the First Irish Parliament and represented the Irish nationalists at the Versailles conference in Paris. In 1920 Childers published Military Rule in Ireland, a strong attack on British policy. In 1921 he was elected to the Dáil as member for Wicklow and published the pamphlet Is Ireland a Danger to England?, which attacked the British prime minister, David Lloyd George. He became editor of the Irish Bulletin after the arrest of Desmond FitzGerald.

[edit]

Civil War and Death

Childers was secretary-general of the Irish delegation that negotiated the Anglo-Irish Treaty with the British government, but he was vehemently opposed to the final draft of the agreement, particularly the clauses that required Irish leaders to swear fidelity to the British King. The Treaty bitterly divided Sinn Féin and the IRA, and Ireland slipped into civil war. Soon Childers was regarded as a traitor not only by the British, but by the pro-Treaty government in Dublin.

Said to be the inspiration behind the Irregulars' propaganda, Childers was hunted by Free State soldiers and had to travel secretly. In November 1922 he was arrested by Free State forces at his home, Glendalough, in County Wicklow, while travelling to meet De Valera. He was court-martialled because he was carrying an automatic pistol, which, ironically, had been a gift from Michael Collins, and was one of the first to be sentenced to death under the Free State’s Emergency Powers legislation. He was executed by firing squad at the Beggar's Bush Barracks in Dublin.

His last words were a joke at the expense of his executioners: "Take a step or two forward, lads. It will be easier that way."

Winston Churchill, on hearing of his capture, expressed the British establishment view of Childers: "No man has done more harm or done more genuine malice or endeavoured to bring a greater curse upon the common people of Ireland than this strange being, actuated by a deadly and malignant hatred for the land of his birth."

[Lambretta150]

Good Morning,

Childers is a real hero of mine. Purely because of his many-faceted talent. Perhaps off topic a bit, but it struck me reading this that we do not seem to be able to produce such multi-talented and useful people nowadays.

Childers was (and this is from memory and these posts, no research) a soldier, pilot, offshore sailor and yachtsman, very accomplished author, political thinker on a national scale, political activist, military strategist (or at least tactician) and a man of humour and great courage.

The only other chap I can think of with that range of skills is WS Churchill. I make no comparison of their effects or causes merely that, at about the same time, we had two chaps at least who could succesfully turn their hand to almost anything.

Who have we got that is comparable today? Blair - politician, onetime legal hack, and student guitarist; your man Galloway (see elsewhere on this site); Cowell, Paxman........................???

We seem to produce single field specialists with the odd attempted cross over into a second sphere such as Geldof or Coe. Even there, success in the second endeavour seems to be rooted very much in what they have from the original career.

I wonder if the First World War, and this is where it comes back on topic, I wonder if the gene pool really was fatally weakened by the loss of a great swathe through a particular class or section of society and that this is a significant part of the price that we have paid and are paying. Not just here in the UK, but the other major participants as well?

Regards

Adam

[oak]

Thanks pals --- an interesting exchange of information there.

If anyone does manage to come up with a photo of Childers in RNAS uniform I'd be very grateful if they'd let me know please.

Regards,

Philip

[PFF]

Years ago there was a bio of Childers in Time Magazine and a nice photo shot-but in civilian cloths

[wig]

Found this picture of Childers, circa 1900, dont recognise the uniform at all.

[

[delta]

Mounted infantry perhaps - the hat and leather equipment looks new (unlike the boots and clothing)

[oak]

Wig,

It's the unit in which Childers served in the Boer War. I don't have my references to hand, but I think it was the Honourable Artillery Company.

But still no sign of Childers in RNAS uniform!!!

Regards,

Philip

[Eddie Bosano-Andrews]

Childers was in the HAC and CIV.

I have a copy of his biography 'Zeal of the Convert', it contains all the pictures posted here and examples of RNAS planes but none of him in RNAS uniform.