Irish Uprisings

[Johannesburg]

Is anyone an expert or know anything about the Irish Uprisings - is there a record of UK fatalities etc...... I believe its where my Great Uncle died but I have been finding it quite difficult to find out about it.

Would really appreciate any help, advice etc.....

[Guest KevinEndon]

132 British soldiers and policemen killed 397 wounded. However this number changes from website to website.

Have a look at http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/easterrising.htm

Hope this helps

Kevin

[curranl]

Hello Messenger2006,

I'm no expert on the Easter Rising, but I would suggest you get hold of a book called The Easter Rising by Michael Foy and Brian Barton - ISBN 0 7509 3433 6.

They give the official casualties for the Rising as follows;

.....450 people were killed, 2,614 were wounded and 9 were declared missing, almost all in Dublin. Military losses were 116 dead, 368 wounded and 9 missing while 16 policemen were killed and 29 wounded. The figures do not distinguish between Volunteers and civilians for whom the combined figure was 318 dead and 2,217 wounded. However, a roll of honour which was compiled later records 64 rebels as having died out of a grand total of 1,558 insurgents.

What regiment was your man in? If he was killed in the Rising he would be recorded on the CWGC website.

Note that when talking about the Rising most people are talking about events in Dublin; there were very minor risings elsewhere, but the vast majority of the action was in Dublin.

Regards,

Liam.

[Ken Devitt]

Hi messenger,

The website below gives quite a bit of detail on the Rising in Dublin as well as a list of all casualties, Police, military and civilians. A large number of soldiers killed are buried at Grangegorman Military Cemetery. If I can be of any help, give me a shout.

Regards,

Ken

http://www.nli.ie/1916/1916_main.html

[mhifle]

From Timomothy Bowman,s interesting Book "Irish Regiments In The Great War, Discipline and Morale".

Published by Manchester University Press. ISBN 0 7190 6285.

"The strengths and weeknesses of the Irish reserve battalions were shown most starkly during the Easter Rising of 1916. All units, to their credit, rapidly moblised and, indeed, it was the swift action of reserve units, such as the 3rd Royal Irish Rifles and 10th Royal Dublin Fusiliers which contained the rebellion in central Dublin and denied the rebels access to some key buildings, such as the Bank of Ireland, telephone exchange and electricity generating station. These battalions also incurred relatively heavy losses. The 3rd Royal Irish Rifles, which could muster just 200 men at the start of the Rising, lost 1 officer and 6 other ranks killed and 4 officers and 29 other ranks wounded. Outside Dublin, reserve battalions formed mobile columns which supported the RIC in arresting suspected rebels."

Mark

[wig]

Take a look at:

http://www.derbyshirelads.uwclub.net/Men/fc_dietrichsen.htm

Then explore the rest of that site. It has a full list of causulties including where buried, plus individual stories and lots of tips for further research.

Post your grandad's details - you will be amazed at the response!!

wig

[4thGordons]

Most of the accounts I have read deal with the conflict from a perspective that is sympathetic to the rising (not intended as a criticism - merely an observation as I am about to provide the titles!)

Caulfield, Max.1995(1963) The Easter Rebellion Dublin 1916 Roberts Rienhart 1-57098-042x

provides some fairly detailed accounts of the fighting (mainly focusing on rebels) although some good insights into the British response and aftermath - readable

Kostick, Conor and Lorcan Collins (2000) The Easter Rising: A Guide to Dublin in 1916. Obrien Press 0-86278-638-x

This is a very short book with lots of period photographs intended as a guide (the authors are/were tour guides) to the main sites of the uprising in Dublin. I had a lot of fun with a group of students recreating the pictures today, most of which we were able to do.

There is one, well known picture of British officers after the defeat of the rising, posing with the captured flag of the Republic. They are posed in front of a statue but only elements of the base are visible so it was difficult to figure out where it was. Eventually we did identify the location from the scrollwork and bollards and discovered that somone (perhaps the photographer) had a sense of the dramatic (or at least of irony) as they are posed at the foot of the statue of Charles Stewart Parnell upon which is inscribed (out of camerashot but above the posing officers )-"No man has the right to fix the boundary to the march of a nation....." Chris

[Armoured Farmer]

Have you tried getting his death certificate. Perhaps it may record what caused his death?

Soldiers Died records him: -

MARSHALL, John Turner,

1820, Sapper, 2/2nd Durham Fd Coy, RE,

Born Hebburn Co Durham

Enlisted Jarrow-on-Tyne Co Durham

Residence Hebburn Co Durham

Died 23/4/16, Home.

[montbrehain]

Does anybody know if Australian Troops were used in Ireland to help restore and maintain order in 1916 ? I have seen film taken at the time in Dublin showing 2 lighthorsmen walking down the street with hands in pockets , but I reckon these were on leave ? Anybody know anything else ??

[wig]

Some austrailian troops, on leave in Ireland, joined the crown forces in Trinity College and fought from there. Their role is mentioned in Max Caufield's Easter Rebellion - I shall look up the passage when I am next in my library, I think one of them may have been awarded some kind of gong.

wig

[Ken Devitt]

http://www.awm.gov.au/journal/j39/kildea.htm

Try this site for information on Diggers in Dublin 1916

Regards,

Ken

[wig]

Colonial soldiers who assisted in the defence of Trinity College during the Irish Rising:

454045 Pte Cassidy, 39th Res. Canandian Infantry

9343 Pte Charlton 3rd Sth African Infantry

2/1745 Cpl Don. NZ FA

3/1315 Cpl. Garland New Zealand MC

9405 Pte Gibson, 3rd S. Afr. Infantry

9208 Prte. Kinnahan 3rd S. Afr. Infantry

9435 Pte. Moffitt 3rd S. Afr. Infantry

4/666 L/Cpl. McLeod NZ Ryl. Eng.

3/1347 Sgt Nevin NZ MC

7625 Pte Russell Sth Afr. Infantry

13/1253 Pte Waring 6th New Zealiand R.

447766 Bugler Webb 56th Can Infantry

And the only Aussie: 1985 Pte McHugh 9tth Aus Infantry Force.

They all recieved replica silver cups for their efforts and if you ever come across one they are worth their weight in gold!

[Chris_Baker]

French's Despatch on the rebellion:

http://www.1914-1918.net/frenchs_ireland_despatch.htm

Quotes 17 officers killed, 46 wounded. 89 other ranks killed, 288 wounded.

[montbrehain]

Thanks Ken for that very interesting link. And others for your help. I did,nt know there were any Aussies there untill i came across Records of a Soldier buried at Balderton (St Giles) churchyard Nottingham. Remember a lot of these epitaphs were supplied inthe 20,s so i dont know how accurate but....... Pte Christopher Collins Burgin , 6058 , 20th Batt A.I.F. Died of pneumonia following wounds recieved in Ireland in 1916. 3rd july 1917 , Age 33 , Son of Christopher and Mary anne Burgin. Husband of Emma Lloyd Burgin of "Balderton" Edwin St Tempe , New South Wales , Born at Balderton.

[johnny_doyle]

more records are now online. Pte Burgin enlisted 29th May 1916 (ie after the Rising), departed from Sydney in October and landed in England in December 1916. His war record shows he was wounded in France in May 1917 (never set foot in Ireland), sent back to hospital in the UK. More or less recovered from wound then contracted and died of pneumonia. Originally from Newark he lived in Bondi, NSW. Buried with gun carriage and escort from the Royal Engineers, band etc.