Lieutenant Harold Daffen 2/8 Sherwoood

[dorrie]

I have just read a little bit about Harold Daffen in which it sates he was the battalion musketry officer. Can anybody enlighten me to what this would have entailed//

Thanks

Dorrie

[Ken Devitt]

Hello Dorrie,

I'm sorry I can't answer your question but I thought you might be interested in this photograph which I took in Dublin some months back. It is the headstone on the grave of Lt. Harold Charles Daffen.

Sincere regards,

Ken

[wig]

Daffen was killed in the rising. He had not had much chance to teach the muskety course which is the basic rifle handling and firing course of any infantry soldier. Capt Lee of the Sherwood Foresters wrote that most of the battalion had only been in uniform for 6 to 8 weeks and many had not completed their musketry course and had never fired their service Rifles. Capt Gerrard of the RHA who came across a group of the sherwoods under fire wrote that they did not know how to load their rifles and had to be shown how to do before they could return fire.

Have a look at http://www.wfrmuseum.org.uk/rhr_Ireland.htm

Is that not an excellant photograph

wig

[Andrew Hesketh]

More of Ken's photographs can be found on my website (see link in signature below) as well as more info and links on the Easter Rising. However Ken and Wig are the resident knowledge-base for such things.

I assume that a musketry officer was responsible for training the men in the use of their rifles.

[dorrie]

Thanks to all for your help yes the photgraph is excellent

Dorrie

[dorrie]

Wig excellent and informative article when did you write it?

Cheers

Dorrie