Help in identifying this uniform

[FROGSMILE]

Yes, as I mentioned earlier in this thread (see post # 11) the collar badges were added in 1923 when the Civic Guard were renamed as the Garda.  Perhaps if you make notes it will help, otherwise you end up repeatedly going over the same ground.

 

Edited 21 February , 2019 by FROGSMILE

[FROGSMILE]

20 hours ago, patvnz said:

Oh yes please, if you could find out I would be ever so grateful. And I really appreciate all this information you have already given me - it really is enabling me to see my grandad in a fuller light

 

3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion RMF Headquarters at Bandon barracks. See flagged coffin photos below.

 

4th (Special Reserve) Battalion RMF Headquarters at Tralee barracks (shared with 1st and 2nd (Regular) Battalions as their training depot and overall RHQ).  Photo above at post #15.

 

5th (Special Reserve) Battalion RMF Headquarters at Limerick barracks.  Photos below.

 

 

 

 

Edited 21 February , 2019 by FROGSMILE

[patvnz]

2 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

Yes, as I mentioned earlier in this thread (see post # 11) the collar badges were added in 1923 when the Civic Guard were renamed as the Garda.  Perhaps if you make notes it will help, otherwise you end up repeatedly going over the same ground.

Oh heck, I'm sorry!!   I didnt quite 'get' the distinction between Civic Guard and Garda - I was thinking you meant much much later on Garda, not the name change of a couple of years later - my apologies!   It is now all permeating into the old brain cells - promise     I do appreciate all your help and in depth knowledge.

[FROGSMILE]

3 hours ago, patvnz said:

Oh heck, I'm sorry!!   I didnt quite 'get' the distinction between Civic Guard and Garda - I was thinking you meant much much later on Garda, not the name change of a couple of years later - my apologies!   It is now all permeating into the old brain cells - promise     I do appreciate all your help and in depth knowledge.

 

In my opinion it made complete sense for Edmond to join the Civic Guard in 1922 when the RMF were disbanded.  In peacetime one of the primary roles of the Irish Militia* under the Crown (*later Special Reserve) was ‘support to the civil powers’ (police) during disorder and insurrection.  He lost his income from the British through no fault of his own so it must have seemed entirely natural to join the Free State’s Civic Guard, which like the Special Reserve was a local force.

 

The First World War put immense strain on the Special Reserve battalions of the British Army and the ‘Troubles’ added another dimension for those of the Irish Regiments.  You can read some details of this at the following link where interestingly it is shown that the RMF Special Reserve battalions, along with many others of Irish regiments were sent to England (Oswestry) during late 1917: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=sDHYCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT148&lpg=PT148&dq=Irish+Special+Reserve+units+during+the+Great+War&source=bl&ots=rTp-g7VEGt&sig=ACfU3U2evdNAMFXV3Lv3YZh4hMztARz9sQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwipj9yZ1szgAhUFLewKHQ9GDTcQ6AEwC3oECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=Irish Special Reserve units during the Great War&f=false

I imagine that very small ‘rear parties’ would have been left behind to look after the barracks.

 

There is also relevant information regarding how most Special Reserve battalions were understrength at this link: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OT-wDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=Irish+Special+Reserve+units+during+the+Great+War&source=bl&ots=_4RS93Ew28&sig=ACfU3U1HAXJI9Uu8SsEkEfBUfls6xFFLpA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwipj9yZ1szgAhUFLewKHQ9GDTcQ6AEwDnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Irish Special Reserve units during the Great War&f=false

 

The table below shows the mobilisation “war stations” for the Special Reserve after their embodiment in 1914.  It shows the 3rd RMF at Berehaven and the 4th RMF and 5th RMF at Queenstown (renamed as Cobh in 1920)  All were defended ports.

 

There is a Thesis on the RMF in WW1 that covers some detail of the Special Reserve here: https://www.academia.edu/7141252/The_Royal_Munster_Fusiliers_in_the_Great_War_1914-19_by_Martin_Staunton_Thesis_M.A._University_College_Dublin_1986

 

P.S.  The “name change” you referred to was just one year later if you look again, 1922 Civic Guard, 1923 Garda.

 

Edited 21 February , 2019 by FROGSMILE