Eamon de Valera

[wig]

I know it's a long time since this was posted. I Only joined recently. Can you give me info on how you know this was his favorite photo and why you are sure it's Richmond Barracks.

One of De Valera's grandchildren is now a Judge of the Irish High court. I often appear before him in various trials and we have often taken tea together to discuss Irish History. It was he who gave me the background to the photograph. Fairly good souce!

[corisande]

Its not what you know, its who you know

[NRP.HKP]

Hi,

I have tried to locate the service records (in the NA catalogue) of Capt. Edo John Hitzen 2/5th Lincs. He is not listed amongst the Territorial Officers (WO 374). He is on the Grimsby AVL as being with the 5th Battalion. There is no reference to him in either 1/5th/2/5th war diary.

Does any pal have any further information about Capt Hitzen, or have a clue as to where i would look for his service record?

Below is Capt Hitzen's connection with Eamon De Valera (The Times 16/4/66)

MR DE VALERA AND OLD ENEMY MEET

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

DUBLIN APRIL 15

In pouring rain, Mr de Valera, President of the Republic of Ireland, who with 100 riflemen fought British troops in Dublin during the 1916 uprising today embraced the man who accepted his surrender, Captain E J Hitzen, aged 80, now of Grimsby, was the guest of the Irish Government for the commemorations.

As Mr de Valera unveiled a commemorative plaque on a bakery building Captain Hitzen stood with his head uncovered in the rain. After the unveiling they inspected a guard of honour of 40 of Mr de Valera's Easter Week battalion survivors.

Captain Hitzen met old friends who were his 1916 enemies. The old IRA men had entertained him in Ireland at the silver jubilee of the rising.

He said that in 1916 he was held at bay for four days with his company of The Lincolnshire Regiment, aiding The Sherwood Foresters, by 'this garrison of invisible men whose snipers were terrific". He added: "When I met de Valera in the hospital where he made his surrender he was gaunt, unshaven, curt but courteous. His first words to me were: "Do what you will with me, but treat my men as prisoners of war'. When marching Mr de Valera and his men to gaol that day, Captain Hitzen said : "The President walked as if he were the leader of an army".

The members of Mr de Valera's battalion exchange cards at Easter and Christmas with Captain Hitzen and send him shamrock on St Patrick's Day. Today he had tea with Mr de Valera and Mr lemass, the Prime Minister.

Regards,

Steve.

[NRP.HKP]

Capt von Hitzen,

I note that Peter Chapman,in his ' Odd Man Out' Column in this evening's Grimsby Telegraph returns to the question of the good Captain's activities during the Uprising and subsequent events.

Yellowbellies and the like may wish to refer,I regret I am unable to scan.

[Stephen R]

On 25/09/2005 at 11:07, Steve Bramley said:

Hi,

I have tried to locate the service records (in the NA catalogue) of Capt. Edo John Hitzen 2/5th Lincs. He is not listed amongst the Territorial Officers (WO 374). He is on the Grimsby AVL as being with the 5th Battalion. There is no reference to him in either 1/5th/2/5th war diary.

Does any pal have any further information about Capt Hitzen, or have a clue as to where i would look for his service record?

Below is Capt Hitzen's connection with Eamon De Valera (The Times 16/4/66)

MR DE VALERA AND OLD ENEMY MEET

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

DUBLIN APRIL 15

In pouring rain, Mr de Valera, President of the Republic of Ireland, who with 100 riflemen fought British troops in Dublin during the 1916 uprising today embraced the man who accepted his surrender, Captain E J Hitzen, aged 80, now of Grimsby, was the guest of the Irish Government for the commemorations.

As Mr de Valera unveiled a commemorative plaque on a bakery building Captain Hitzen stood with his head uncovered in the rain. After the unveiling they inspected a guard of honour of 40 of Mr de Valera's Easter Week battalion survivors.

Captain Hitzen met old friends who were his 1916 enemies. The old IRA men had entertained him in Ireland at the silver jubilee of the rising.

He said that in 1916 he was held at bay for four days with his company of The Lincolnshire Regiment, aiding The Sherwood Foresters, by 'this garrison of invisible men whose snipers were terrific". He added: "When I met de Valera in the hospital where he made his surrender he was gaunt, unshaven, curt but courteous. His first words to me were: "Do what you will with me, but treat my men as prisoners of war'. When marching Mr de Valera and his men to gaol that day, Captain Hitzen said : "The President walked as if he were the leader of an army".

The members of Mr de Valera's battalion exchange cards at Easter and Christmas with Captain Hitzen and send him shamrock on St Patrick's Day. Today he had tea with Mr de Valera and Mr lemass, the Prime Minister.

Regards,

Steve.

 

 

On 25/09/2005 at 11:07, Steve Bramley said:

Hi,

I have tried to locate the service records (in the NA catalogue) of Capt. Edo John Hitzen 2/5th Lincs. He is not listed amongst the Territorial Officers (WO 374). He is on the Grimsby AVL as being with the 5th Battalion. There is no reference to him in either 1/5th/2/5th war diary.

Does any pal have any further information about Capt Hitzen, or have a clue as to where i would look for his service record?

Below is Capt Hitzen's connection with Eamon De Valera (The Times 16/4/66)

MR DE VALERA AND OLD ENEMY MEET

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

DUBLIN APRIL 15

In pouring rain, Mr de Valera, President of the Republic of Ireland, who with 100 riflemen fought British troops in Dublin during the 1916 uprising today embraced the man who accepted his surrender, Captain E J Hitzen, aged 80, now of Grimsby, was the guest of the Irish Government for the commemorations.

As Mr de Valera unveiled a commemorative plaque on a bakery building Captain Hitzen stood with his head uncovered in the rain. After the unveiling they inspected a guard of honour of 40 of Mr de Valera's Easter Week battalion survivors.

Captain Hitzen met old friends who were his 1916 enemies. The old IRA men had entertained him in Ireland at the silver jubilee of the rising.

He said that in 1916 he was held at bay for four days with his company of The Lincolnshire Regiment, aiding The Sherwood Foresters, by 'this garrison of invisible men whose snipers were terrific". He added: "When I met de Valera in the hospital where he made his surrender he was gaunt, unshaven, curt but courteous. His first words to me were: "Do what you will with me, but treat my men as prisoners of war'. When marching Mr de Valera and his men to gaol that day, Captain Hitzen said : "The President walked as if he were the leader of an army".

The members of Mr de Valera's battalion exchange cards at Easter and Christmas with Captain Hitzen and send him shamrock on St Patrick's Day. Today he had tea with Mr de Valera and Mr lemass, the Prime Minister.

Regards,

Steve.

Hi. Captain EJ Hitzen was actually made an honorary member of D Company, 3rd Battalion, Dublin Brigade, Old IRA by Dev later in life. 

[Stephen R]

On 04/12/2005 at 23:06, SMG65 said:

Is this the same de Valera who sent condolences to Germany upon the announcement of Hitler's death?

Yep, and the same Dev that the Israelis called a forest after and the Irish Jewish community commissioned a Book of Honour for!

[Gunner 87]

There is quite a lot in the press about de Valera being handed back his field glasses by Neville Chamberlain that were originally surrendered to Captain Hitzen in 1916... this is from the Coventry Evening Telegraph 26 April 1938

[Stephen R]

Capt Hitzen honorary member of Old IRA 

[Michael Pegum]

I did not notice this thread until recently, and I have a personal interest.

“As Mr de Valera unveiled a commemorative plaque on a bakery building Captain Hitzen stood with his head uncovered in the rain. After the unveiling they inspected a guard of honour of 40 of Mr de Valera's Easter Week battalion survivors.”

In 1966, I watched this ceremony from the doctors’ residence of Sir Patrick Dun’s Hospital, where I was working at the time, and took a photo of the proceedings. I was then in the front hall of the hospital when Dev came in to meet men from the past, including Dr. Charles McDonagh, a consultant radiologist on the staff of the hospital, who had been present as a student when Dev surrendered.

A photo of Dev inspecting the veterans does not show Capt. Hitzen, contrary to the report in the Times, and I don’t remember seeing him myself.

However, here is an image of Dev and Captain Hitzen drinking each other’s health after the ceremony.

The memorial nay be seen at: irishwarmemorials.ie/Place-Detail?siteId=158

[museumtom]

I used to work there, Bolands Bakery. 

[doyle3]

A transcript of the letter to Dev from his prisoner Cadet George MacKay mentioned earlier in the thread. In the archives at UCD.

 

 

 

 

 

[TK1967]

Just to add my Grandfather Senior (Methodist) Chaplain Rev George Kendall OBE was attached to 177th Brigade in 1916. He was at the arrest of De Valera and had a long conversation with him. He was also at Markievicz arrest. He visited all the Sinn Fein leaders at Kilmainham jail as well as twice James Connelly, including the night before his execution. Afterwards he briefed Prime Minister Asquith when he visited Dublin the day after the execution. Read into that what you will.