1916 Rising Mystery - Metropole Hotel and the captured Officer

[James862]

Hi folks, 

I'm writing a book on the life and times of ordinary Dubliners from 1760 to 1922 following the real life stories of one family, the Roes and those they came into contact with. 

One of the Roe family worked as a Valet in the Metropole Hotel on Sackville Street which was located next to the GPO. On the 24th of April 1916 about an hour after the rebels had taken the building, Liam Tannam, a rebel officer entered the hotel to seize food and bedding. He describes how he spotted a British Officer rushing up the stairs and sent a man after him taking his .45 and sword. I'm looking to identify the Officer in question or if the incident happened at all. 

I've identified 6 Officers who were staying in the hotel at the time. 5 out of 6 of them were Army Service Corps Officers most, if not all, of whom were stationed at Kingsbridge Station (Now Heuston Station) where there was a supply hub. There are a few Officers listed (AWP Todd and Oscar Henderson) in the 1916 Compensation claims who had equipment and clothing stored in the hotel but were away on active service so I've left those out. I've linked their Forces records and their compensation claims below for review. The only officer listing a sword as destroyed or missing is Captain Henderson of the 4th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, which I believe was on Home Duty at the time and was living in the hotel with his family. While its possible there were other Officers mulling around the hotel at the time, I believe this officer was living there as 'he made a hasty retreat upstairs' according to Tannam. Whoever the Officer was, he was not taken prisoner as the only officers taken prisoner that day were caught in the GPO and held there until they evacuated a few days later. Tannams account of the incident goes as follows:

"I raided the Metropole Hotel for food and beading. Our transport was one of those Post Office basket oars and when I entered the Metropole Hotel I saw a British Officer making a hasty retreat upstairs. I sent a man after him and he captured his .45 and a sword. When I entered the Metropole Hotel the Manager, a foreigner, stood in my way and said: "You cannot enter here". I said, "We are entering and you, better not try to stop. us". He said: "My duty is to prevent unauthorised persons from entering this place", and again got in my way. I saw what he really wanted and I pushed him with the flat of my arm out of the way. He was satisfied he had. done his duty, so he turned after me then and said, "What do you want?". He said: "Will you give me a receipt for what you have taken?". I said, "Yes", and we proceeded at once to take any foodstuffs we wanted and a certain amount of bedding. He produced the receipt later on when claiming compensation."

There is another account from a journalist L.G Redmond. He does not mention this incident but does mention him speaking to a 'number' of subalterns in the hotel who were unarmed. His account is as follows:

"Everyone at the hotel was in a state of consternation, for hardly six yards away the windows of the Post Office were crashing to the ground in the street, and at everyone bags of refuse were being piled up, and the muzzles of rifles were commanding all the windows of the hotel guests. Several soldiers were staying at the “Metropole,” and as I saw the Sinn Feiners watching us, I suggested their changing the khaki into mufti, if only for the safety of the civilians—for on all sides soldiers were being shot at sight by snipers—a suggestion which found acceptance, for most of the officers were young subalterns on leave, and therefore unarmed. For a long time we could not tell what was going to happen; every minute we expected the soldiers or the constabulary, and peered anxiously out, but it seemed as if they were never coming, and men in the hotel were anxiously consulting what to do and women packing up their jewels. The one man who all the while kept as cool as a cucumber was Mr. Oliver, the manager of the “Metropole.” At last there came a martial tap, tap at the glass door of the hall entrance, from an officer arrayed in green and gold, wearing cocked hat and feathers and high top-boots, with a sword in one hand and a revolver in the other. Behind him were two minor officials, each armed with a loaded rifle of modern pattern, with bayonets fixed. I was at Mr. Oliver’s side at the time, and we could see that only a pane divided us from a whole line of them ranged along the pavement. Resistance was useless, and Mr. Oliver gave orders to admit them. “We intend to commandeer your food supply,” said the man in the cocked hat, “and I must ask you to show me the way to your provisions.” For a second Mr. Oliver hesitated. “Suppose I refuse?” he said. “In that case I will take them and you too,” was the reply, and then, addressing the two men, he added, “Men, do your duty,” and they ransacked the place, while I took down a list of the goods they took. Eventually the officer signed a receipt for the goods taken in the name of the Irish Republic, and Mr. Oliver, much to my disappointment, pocketed the precious document. They left, and after a few minutes came back with a ten-pound note. Again I presented myself, and ventured one or two questions."
 

I have listed the individuals below:

Royal Army Service Corps

Lt. Thomas Newton Brady (Compensation Claim) - Stationed at Kingsbridge Depot, living in Metropole

Captain Henry Willam D'Esterre (Compensation Claim)

Major Frederick James (Compensation Claim)

Lt W.R Cann (Compensation Claim)

Captain Aylward R O'Conor (Compensation Claim)

4th Bn, Royal Irish Rifles

Captain Richard Lilbert Henderson (Compensation Claim)

Given that these are the only soldiers who lived in, I hope members of the forum might be able to shed light on the possibility of the incident taking place. It is possible that all of these Officers were armed so why was only one targeted or was he the only one unfortunate enough to be sighted? Would the ASC Officers have carried sidearms and swords in the first place? If so, surely they would be in their rooms? Was there any punishment for surrendering your side arm and sword? 

Any steer would be gratefully received

James

[corisande]

Perhaps @FROGSMILE  may be able to help

As far as I know it was not “normal” for an officer to be walking round a hotel wearing his sword.

So the question to me would be  “under what circumstances would or could this officer been wearing a sword.?”

[FROGSMILE]

2 hours ago, corisande said:

Perhaps @FROGSMILE  may be able to help

As far as I know it was not “normal” for an officer to be walking round a hotel wearing his sword.

So the question to me would be  “under what circumstances would or could this officer been wearing a sword.?”

The simple answer is that if the officers were formally billeted in the hotel (not unusual if there was no barracks accommodation available**) then it had become their ‘Mess’ (place of residence with a dining arrangement).  The officers were not there on vacation, but on duty and as such they would have all their kit and equipment with them that at that time included sword and pistol, along with full Sam Browne leather equipment and various other uniforms required for duties and protocols.  If the hotel was then captured, or infiltrated by armed adversaries, and one or more of the officers captured then it would be normal to relieve them of their side arms.  The officers’ servants (the batmen) were usually accommodated in servants quarters, or placed several to a room in the hostelry/hotel.  There was a military “subsistence allowance” for these arrangements.  In addition the officers received “messing allowance” and paid a subscription known as “extra messing” to cover ancillaries such as e.g. newspapers, fresh fruit and condiments.  These things had evolved over many decades.

As regards wearing the sword, if he’d just returned to the hotel from duty then it may be that he was still wearing his equipment as he walked to his room.  If heading to an ante room (large reception area/sitting room) to relax in company then it would be normal (and expected) for him to remove his equipment before doing so. 

**the very first purpose built officers’ mess was established in Woolwich in 1767, before then and subsequently, until the practice had become widespread in barracks across the UK, it was entirely routine for officers’ messes to be established in Inns, Hostelries and Hotels.

Edited 22 October , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[James862]

Thanks for this both. There was the Fairyhouse Races that day. Might the officer been wearing ceremonial dress and was caught unaware? There was one other ASC Officer who returned to the hotel just after midday, Major Frederick James, he received a telegram with orders and apparently went straight to his nearby depot, can't imagine he planned to take his sword with him though?

[FROGSMILE]

15 minutes ago, James862 said:

Thanks for this both. There was the Fairyhouse Races that day. Might the officer been wearing ceremonial dress and was caught unaware? There was one other ASC Officer who returned to the hotel just after midday, Major Frederick James, he received a telegram with orders and apparently went straight to his nearby depot, can't imagine he planned to take his sword with him though?

If he alone was wearing his equipment** then  I suspect that he had been ‘Orderly Officer of the Day’ (a roster duty organised by the Adjutant) and had been returning to his accommodation from his place of duty (the depot).

**there was one regiment whose officers by special tradition wore their swords at all times on duty, in the mess, and even in church.  They were the Worcestershire Regiment.

Edited 22 October , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[James862]

Thanks for that FROGSMILE. He was returning from the countryside apparently and had full uniform. Likely  The Curragh depot. His car was stopped near the city and he proceeded by foot to the hotel where the telegram was waiting for him to report to Kingsbridge so perhaps this might be the man in question and he proceeded after the event. 

[FROGSMILE]

On 22/10/2022 at 15:04, James862 said:

Thanks for that FROGSMILE. He was returning from the countryside apparently and had full uniform. Likely  The Curragh depot. His car was stopped near the city and he proceeded by foot to the hotel where the telegram was waiting for him to report to Kingsbridge so perhaps this might be the man in question and he proceeded after the event. 

Whoever he was, if wearing his sword it’s because he was on duty and nothing to do with “ceremonial”.  It’s hard for us to imagine now, but at that time the field service dress for officers and staff sergeants (meaning sergeants in staff roles) was sword and revolver.  When men fixed bayonets, the officers drew swords.  Although the former had been dropped in the trenches of France, it was still routine dress on the ‘home establishment’ when on duty in field service dress.  When men fixed bayonets, it was usual for the officers to draw their swords (it meant hand-to-hand fighting was potentially in the offing).

Edited 28 October , 2022 by FROGSMILE

[James862]

Gent. Thanks a million for your help!

[Airshipped]

Interesting discussion. However, Tannam's statement is a little imprecise as to what happened, e.g. it describes the following:

• observes a British officer disappearing up the stairs,
• sends a man in pursuit,
• said man captures the British officer's revolver and sword.

Did Tannam's Irish Volunteer capture the equipment after it had been discarded? Did he capture and parole the British officer?

Tannam's statement glosses over what exactly happened:

https://www.militaryarchives.ie/collections/online-collections/bureau-of-military-history-1913-1921/reels/bmh/BMH.WS0242.pdf#page=21

On that general theme of capturing officers' swords etc here's an example of one being seized then returned to the British officer in question on account of its sentimental value:

https://www.militaryarchives.ie/collections/online-collections/bureau-of-military-history-1913-1921/reels/bmh/BMH.WS1389.pdf#page=12 

[doyle3]

Captain Charles MacKay supposedly in the Metropole when the Easter Rising broke out. His brother George held prisoner at Bolands.

MacKay supposedly left at some point in civilian clothes with uniform in a parcel.

 

 

[James862]

Hi Doyle3, thanks for this, can't see the reference to the Metropole there, is there another passage you could share? Would be nice to include him

[doyle3]

1 hour ago, James862 said:

Hi Doyle3, thanks for this, can't see the reference to the Metropole there, is there another passage you could share? Would be nice to include him

References in his diary to being in the Metropole. 

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/an-irishman-s-diary-on-charles-mackay-pioneering-raf-officer-was-eyewitness-to-1916-rising-and-fought-in-war-of-independence-1.2928220