Irishmen in the Great War: Reports from the Front 1914

August, 1914

Bombarded from the Sky

Zeppelins at Work

Bombarded from the Sky

A Night of Horrors – Antwerp, 25 August 1914

I have just lived through the most tragic night of the war. For the first time in history a great civilised community has been bombarded from the sky in the darkness of night. Count Zeppelin, whom the Kaiser called the greatest genius of the century, has performed the greatest exploit of his life. He may well be proud of his achievement. l he has mangled and slaughtered nonbelligerent men, women, and children. He has thrown bombs on hospitals where the Belgians were tending German wounded; he has staggered humanity. On August 5 the German commander warned General Leman at Liege that if the forts did not surrender the Zeppelin fleet would not move at once. The forts of Liege did not surrender, and the Germans have been as good as their word. They have surpassed themselves in the art of striking terror, and they have placed themselves outside the pale of humanity.

I was awakened at one o’clock this morning by a frightful cannonade. A Zeppelin had been sighted about 700 feet above the town. I at once went out into the streets. I have scarcely left the scene of the catastrophe. I my calculation there are about 900 houses slightly damaged and about 60 houses nearly destroyed. The number of victims is unknown. In a single house I found four dead; one room was a chamber of horrors, the remains of the mangled bodies being scattered in every direction. In the house opposite a husband and wife, whose only son had just died in battle, were killed-- a whole family wiped out. It is significant that the Zeppelin bombs were well aimed at public buildings, at the barracks, at the Government offices, and especially at the Royal Palace.

I was given by the King’s Secretary two fragments of a bomb that had been found afterwards, from the Palace. In order that all the Governments of Europe ad America should be informed from ocular evidence about this great German crime, in order that the whole diplomatic corps might issue a joint protest against this outrage to the law of the nations, I prevailed on the following to accompany me through the town; The Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs, baron von der Elswtoq, the Papal Nuncio, the Russian Ambassador, Prince Pougatchef; the Ministers of State, Vandervelde, the King’s Secretary, they were all terror-stricken. Prince Pougatchef was so horrified that he refused to follow me into the chamber of horrors. The population is in gloom.

The Zeppelin tragedy eclipses for the moment even the great battle which is being fought in Brahant and Hainau. Dr Sarolea.

TS, 08

Soldier Killed on Railway

On the Great Southern and Western Railway at Fota Bridge, not far from Queenstown, a private of the Royal Irish regiment, names James Ryan, aged 20, a native of Kilkenny, was killed on the permanent way whilst on protection duty. An engine struck him, tearing away the back portion of his head, and knocking him close to the rails, where he died. At the inquest on Thursday a verdict of accidental death was returned, and the jury recommended the next of kin to the kind consideration of the military authorities and the railway company.

LC, 08-1914

The soldier who was Private James Ryan, Royal Irish Regiment, born in Kilkenny. See ‘Soldier Killed on Railway’(WN, 01-1915) for more information on a court case regarding his death.

Famous War Songs

Where there is song there is victory. We read that English troops on arrival in France sang that idiotic music hall ditty with its smutty references ‘A Long Way to Tipperary’. Have we any Irish song of vigorous patriotic sentiment set to music to sweep one away, to carry men along with new hope, putting new spring into their tired limbs, and lift with exultation the heart that is beginning to droop? Certainly ‘A Nation Once Again’ is not a rousing song. It is a dirge. Happy is the army which goes oj singing longest for where there is song there is victory. ‘Let no one think that a great war hymn is a mere literary exercise. It is far more than that. It is a living thing. When nations are stirred to their depths they may be more moved to frenzy by the song or the hymn which suddenly is found to be what for fault pf a better word, we call inspired. Think of some of the songs which have stirred nations to their very soul. Can anyone compute to what extent the ‘Marseillaise’ has helped to shape the course of the world’s history? Its author was no great musician. Rouget de Lisle hardly knew enough music to be able to put down the notes on paper. But the miracle of inspiration was accomplished in an hour or two, and the strains, which breathe the very soul of revolutionary longing are now the National Anthem of France. The famous deputation from Marseillas sang it as they entered Paris in 1792; the Army of the Revolution sang it at Valmy and Jemappes; and their great grandsons are singing it this very day on the battlefields of Belgium. As little can one imagine French soldiers without the ‘Marseillaise’ as the Italian army singing other war-hymn when it moves to battle than the Hymn to Garibaldi, ‘Si scopron le tombe,’ to the strains of which the immortal Thousand overthrew the throne of King Bomba. It is the great patriotic song of the Italian nation, and their whole soul rushes to their lips as they sing So with the two superb national songs of Germany, Schneckenburger’s ‘Die Wacht am Rhein,’ and Fallersleben’s ‘Deutschland, Deutschland uber alles’ – that the legions of the Kaiser have marched at his call. Both date from about 1840; both were inspired by the passionate desire to keep German the left bank of the Rhine.

TS, 08-1914

Huge Guns of War

Siege Guns Which Fire One-Ton-Shells

The extraordinary advance made in the science of warfare in recent years is in no way better illustrated than the matter of siege guns, such as were used by the Germans to subdue the Liege and Namur Fortresses. The mediaeval cannon was clumsy, made of iron bars looped together with iron rings and projecting stones; this ineffective engine was discarded in favour of bronze ‘bombards’ and cast iron connonades. To-day, however, the siege gun is a cumbrous mass of steel or wrought-iron, weighing anything from 40 tons to 150 tons. The largest are capable of firing a shell weighing practically 1 ton, and with sufficient force to penetrate wrought iron at a distance of 1, 000 yards to a depth of nearly 2 feet. While some are sighted for a range of five miles, and at that distance may be relied upon to strike an object 10ft high, in actual battle, fire would rarely be opened at a greater range than about two miles owing to atmospheric and other difficulties. Even under the most favourable conditions the bringing up of siege guns and the placing of them in position is a Herculean task of transport and engineering.

A Herculean Task

The enormous engines of war have to be hauled up steep mountains and placed on a solid bed of concrete. The labour such a step requires is about equal to that of erecting a large machinery plant. When in position, the gun is hidden by earth-works thrown up around it and screened by brushwood. Adapted for high angle-rife, its heavy shells can be thrown over any outworks and directly upon the place intended to be attacked. All these preparations involve immense trouble and often much loss of life from the enemy’s fire, but one a siege gun is in position, even the strongest fortified place is bound to suffer severely.

TS, 08-1914

Irish Giant Soldiers

Three giant sons of Mr William A Jones, Clerk of Hacketstown Petty Sessions, have joined the Army since the outbreak of the war. They are: Lieutenant Robert, R. E., height 6 ft 3 ? inches; Corporal W. J., North Irish Horse, height 6 ft 2 ? inches; Private Richard, Canadian Volunteers, 6 ft 0 ? inches. Their grandfather was 6 ft 5 inches.

KCC, 1915

Robert and William survived the war, Richard was killed in action in May-1915.

The following is taken from The Scotsman in its issue of 22 November 1914. Private Smith came from Seskinrea, Leighlinbridge.

Irish Guardsman’s Battle Stories

The Fighting around Mons

Private John Smith, 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, who is at present recovering from a shrapnel wound received in the recent fighting at Ypres, tells an interesting story. Private Smith arrived at Deaconess Hospital, Edinburgh, on Saturday. He has been at the front since the beginning of the war.

He took part in the trying times at Mons, the retreat, the recovery, the fierce battles of the Marne. He was at the ‘siege’ of the Aisne, and latterly he was in the fighting at Ypres, and Ypres, according to Private Smith and several other soldiers who took part in the operations at that place, was the worst of the lot. For 15 days Private Smith was in the trenches. He described a particularly fierce German attack, the issue, which for some time hung in the balance, being decided, as frequently happens, by ‘cold steel’.

‘On the 8th November,’ said Private Smith, ‘the Germans started shelling our trenches about eight o’clock in the morning. They kept hard at it for hours, and then the infantry came forward to the attack in great masses. It was terrific. The French were in the trenches next our regiment, and the Germans broke through their lines at several points. This made it necessary for us to retire to a new position, and in doing so we lost a lot of our men. We formed up, however, and went at them with the bayonet. But it was no use; there were far too many of them. We fell back again, and just then the 2nd Life Guards came on the scene. That decided it. They put in their bayonets and made a tremendous charge, driving the Germans back, and taking 200 prisoners. Our losses were heavy, but for every one we lost it is certain the Germans lost twenty.’

The Prussian Guards.

On two occasions Private Smith came up against the German ‘crack’ corps, the Prussian Guard. There is no doubt, he says, that the Prussian Guard is a superior soldier to any other corp in the German Army. They are picked men, many of them, if not the majority, six feet high, and strongly built. ‘A finer body of men,’ said Private Smith, ‘it would be hard to find. They are very plucky, and they seem to be a better class of men altogether, intellectually and physically. When they come to the attack they give tremendous shouts, and they come forward in oped order, and not in masses, as is generally the case.’

One case of treachery came under Private Smith’s notice. While his regiment was at Soupier, the bread was supplied to the troops by a local baker. This man came under suspicion, and he was subsequently arrested. Nothing could be proved against him, however, and he was liberated. When the British left, the place was occupied by French troops, who were warned to keep the baker under observation. On the first day that the French arrived the baker was discovered endeavouring to send information to the enemy by means of pigeons. He was shot.

An Exciting Encounter

It was at Soupier that Private Smith and a ‘chum’ had a narrow escape. ‘We were fighting at the edge of a wood,’ said Private Smith. ‘The Germans were some distance in front. Presently some Germans showed themselves carrying a white flag. But we had been so often ‘had’ with that dodge that the officer told us to keep on firing, which we did. Shortly afterwards we got the order to advance, and crossing a field we came upon a crowd of Germans, Some of us fixed bayonets and charged, and a number of the Germans put up their hands. We disarmed them and sent them into a wood. We then crossed over a small hollow, and climbed a slope, and at the other side we ran into another crowd of Germans. My chum and I were somewhat detached, and three Germans came straight at us. One was an officer with a revolver, and the other two had fixed their bayonets. One of the soldiers made a lunge at me, but I caught his bayonet and put him out with a knock on the head. When I was engaged with this fellow the second German came at me with his bayonet, but before he got close my chum ran his bayonet through him. The officer fired on us with his revolver; missed us, but one of the bullets hit one of several Grenadier Guards who were coming to our aid. We captured the officer. Some time after this we had to lie five hours in a turnip field. We got between the enemy and our own men, and there was a hot rifle fire from both sides. We lay there till dusk, when the Grenadiers advanced. One of our men was shot while we were lying in the field.’

Cattle Roasted to Death

One of the most affecting sights which Private Smith saw was at a farm near Soupier. There was a big herd of cattle on the farm, and it was as pretty a sight as one could see. During the night the Germans shelled the farmhouse and buildings, which caught fire. In the morning the soldiers went to the smouldering ruins, and in the cattle sheds they were horrified to discover that all the cattle – numbering in all 140 – had been burned to death. At some of the stalls it was clear that the animals had made desperate attempts to get their liberty.

Private Smith said that the health of the men in the trenches was very good notwithstanding their privations. This was entirely owing to the precautions that were taken. There was practically no fever, which we believed was very prevalent in the German trenches.

NLT, 08-1914

John Smith died of wounds in May-1916 and is buried in Lincolnshire.

Kilkee Man’s Letter from the Front

‘Stood our Ground to the Last’

Lance Corporal Edward Twomey, a Kilkee man, to his mother.

‘We have had some very hot fighting. We were in the thick of it all the time. Our regiment was posted to cover the retreat for five days, and the Germans were as thick as bees around us all the time. When you are put on duty of that kind there’s no question of giving way until your task has been completed, and we stood our ground until the last. That meant in some cases that we had to be cut up, but we were selected because we could be relied on to make the best possible show and delay the enemy as long as possible.’

‘Some of our detachments had rough luck in every way, but they carried themselves with a steadiness that won them praise from everybody, and they made the Germans realise that they weren’t going to have it all their own way.

‘The Germans were furious over the stand our chaps made. They had never expected anything of the sort, and though they kept out of the way when we were anything approaching their strength, they were very brave about rushing us when our ammunition ran out and our weakness in numbers was obvious.

‘They didn’t reckon on the bayonets, and when we received them that way you may guess there was a nice howl all round.

‘General French has thanked us for the way we behaved, and praise from him is worth a great deal more than from any other men. He is not in a hurry to say nice things about us, but when he does speak, we know he means every word of it, and maybe more. That’s the way to get round the soldiers.’

(CJ, 08-1914)

Looking For Gold

There is a good story going the rounds and there is some foundation for it. The story runs that a lunatic in a certain Munster asylum kept continually telling the attendants that ‘long ago when he was mad’ (before he came to the asylum) he had hidden 200 sovereigns near a bridge in a locality well-known to may of our readers. The story continues that last week two attendants and two police, accompanied by the lunatic as director of operations, went in quest of the gold. When they reached the spot the lunatic calmly said, ‘Tis you who must be mad – not me.’ The golden tale was a myth.

(TS, 08-1914)

Prophetic Article

An article published two years ago from the pen of Mr Hilaire Belloc, a famous Catholic writer, has been quoted in the English Times as one of the most astonishingly accurate forecasts of a great war, in the history of journalism. The keynote of the article is contained in a sentence which foretold that ‘a siege of Liege would be the first imperative necessity imposed upon the Germans at the outset of the campaign. When Mr Belloc wrote his remarkable article Germany was on the brink of war with France and Great Britain and he endeavoured first to show that, as Liege could neither be neglected nor carried, it would have to be reduced; and to prevent this reduction would be the whole business of Anglo-French forces advancing from the direction of the sea towards the lower line of the Marne. The article went on to show how the Germans were likely to be beaten.

(TS, 08-1914)

What Aeroplanes Will Do in the War

By B. C. Hucks, the Famous looping-the-loop Airman who has just joined the Royal Flying Corps as a second lieutenant.

There is little doubt that the big European war which is now in progress will prove in no uncertain fashion the value of the aeroplane as a dangerous factor on warfare. For it happens that each big Power involved in the struggle is in a position to place in the field a number of the latest type of military machines, piloted by trained airmen and carrying observers. Germany, if anything, are ahead of France in aeronautical matters. They have perhaps a round dozen of big dirigible balloons which can manoeuvre for long periods at night time, and thus have an advantage over aeroplanes, which can in the ordinary way be safely used only during daylight. On the other hand, these dirigibles have many disadvantages. They have to be given their daily feed of hydrogen, an expensive item; they need a large landing party to assist them when starting and alighting. They are almost unmanageable in bad weather, and they present an easy target to hostile artillery unless they are flying at a great altitude. Being covered by light coloured fabric they can be detected easily during night time by search-lights. But Germany has also a tremendously strong fleet of aeroplanes, which will probably be of more use to her than her airships. One estimate places her fleet of heavier than air machines at over seven hundred strong. Neither France nor any other nation can muster this number.

They Won’t do Big Things

With regard to what aeroplanes will actually do during the war, I do not anticipate that they will achieve any big coup. We must not overlook the fact that aeroplanes are still in the experimental stage for general flying did not commence until five years ago. The effect this war will have on aircraft, however, will be to provide much invaluable data concerning the value of aeroplanes in warfare. I think aeroplanes will prove most useful for scouting purposes. The moral effect of a fleet of aeroplanes hovering over the enemy’s camp is an aspect which should not be overlooked. The enemy harassed in this manner know that their exact position is revealed to the other side and they know that at any moment they may be surrounded unawares. Then, again, they expect bombs to be dropped on to them at any moment, and both these demoralising factors are. I think sufficient to throw a military squad into a state approaching panic.

(TS, 08-1914).

What the Galloping Kitchen Does

Since the army marches on its stomach, the greatest battle of all involves the greatest catering feat of all times. Two millions of men along the frontiers of France must be fed, or they cannot fight. They must be fed with bread and meat ad vegetables, and kept supplied with water. Every German and every Frenchman among them is, besides, entitled daily to over an ounce of coffee and to a share of sugar and salt.

5, 000 Cattle a Day

The scale of rations in the different armies varies, but on the rough military assumption that one ox feeds 400 men these will consume 5, 000 head of cattle every day. They will consume something approaching four million gallons of water. These are the barest necessities. Then for each horse the allowance is twelve pounds of corn or its equivalent, and from five to ten gallons of water. And the cattle and sheep for slaughter must be considered, for unless they are kept in condition the yield of meat will suffer. For a time, of course, the troops will live on the country through which they are passing. When that is eaten bare each army will depend on its own base. Then will come the test of the commissariat with its effect on the fortune and duration of the war.

The military base may be described as the heart of the supplies system – it radiates energy through a network of channels to the body and limbs of the army in front. We may see the manner in which it works by considering what would happen in the case of a British Expeditionary Force being sent to the Continent. The base then would be established at the port of landing. It would be formed before the arrival of troops and would be stocked with several months supplies. As far as possible stores would be sent by railway.

From the railway they would be taken on to depots along the line of communication by motor lorry. Every depot would gather in supplies from the surrounding country as long as they lasted – cattle, corn and hay would be purchased and baker’s and butcher’s portable places set up. The transport would be done by stages, at a sufficiently fast pace to keep several day’s supplies immediately accessible at the temporary field depots in the area of actual fighting.

The defence of the line of communication is, of course, the first consideration. Great Britain is not without experience in this matter, for in many of her campaigns the line of communications has had to be maintained across great wastes of country where no food was available. In the Afghan campaign in the early eighties, between Kabul and Peshawar, a distance of 160 miles, 15, 000 men were guarding the communications, while 12, 000 were engaged in fighting.

Now if the German commissariat proves unequal to the huge strain imposed upon it, it may be that the German war lords will have to deal not only with France and Belgium on the west, and Russia on the east, but that a new trouble will arise midway between the two.

(TS, 08-1914)

Why it Rains After a Battle

These heavy downpours have more than once helped to make history. It is one of the extraordinary things of warfare that a big battle invariably produces torrents of rain. History contains innumerable instances, both on land and sea, and on more than one occasion the storm or showers that followed an engagement had no small influence upon the life of nations. We can hardly have a better example that that recorded in 1588, when England was threatened by the great Spanish Armada. After its encounter with our own fleet, it was, as we all know, struck by a heavy storm, which completed the work of our own gallant seamen.

The soldiers who fought so bravely under the leadership of Marlborough at Blenheim in the year of 1704 had to suffer the misery of successive downpours after their brilliant victory. Marlborough was anxious to follow up his victory without delay, but his men were so worn by the fatigue of the battle and the discomfort caused by heavy rains that he was unable to push on for several days.

On June, 1815, the British defeated the French at Quatre Bras, and Napoleon worsted the wily Blucher at Ligny, both within measurable distance of Waterloo. The heavy rains which followed made the clayey soil almost impossible for cavalry manoeuvres at Waterloo (fought on June 18th), and so crippled the tactics of Napoleon. During the early weeks of the siege of Sebastopol in 1854, the roar of cannon and explosion of bombs was followed, day by day by heavy downpours of rain, until, as we read, men stood in the trenches knee-deep in mud. A terrible gale broke over the Black Sea and caused great disaster to transports, and on the heels of this tempest came a heavy, steady downfall of rain that brought death to hundreds of gallant fellows.

In yet another instance the heavy cannonading of a siege brought in its train a disturbance of the elements. This was just prior to the fall of Plevna, in 1877, when the moisture of the clouds was turned to snow as it fell, and, by increasing the sufferings of the besieged helped to make Osman come to the determination to try a last chance for freedom.

The explanation of the rain is simple, and has been made use of for the benefit of agriculture in various parts of the world. The atmosphere is laden with moisture, a concussion caused by loud reports or noises will often burst the clouds, with the natural result that the drops of water fall to the earth. This has been tested when farmers have been groaning over the drought, and scientists have induced the desired rainfall by causing cannon to be discharged at altitudes varying with the locality. When, however, the discharge is continuous, as in battle, it is obviously more effective.

(TS, 08-1914)

September, 1914

Some Officer Casualties

Major Pack-Beresford, Kents, who was killed, was a Carlowman. The late Major Brooke, Temporary Lieutenant Colonel since 1907 in India, was a son of the late Sir V. Brooke, Colebrooke, Fermanagh. Captain Creswell, reported killed, an all-round sportsman, and well-known at Belfast, as were also Lieutenants Leishman, Openshaw, Oakes, Margetts, and Paget. Captan Lutherm killed, was prominent in Irish cricket this year, having assisted the Garrison and Leinster teams. He was aSussex County man, Lieutenants Oliphant and Earle played for Monkstown last year. Lieutenant Colonel M’Micking(sic), commanding the Royal Scots, was only slightly wounded, and he resumed. M. M’Micking, daughter of Duke de Stacpoole, has four brothers at the front, three in Irish regiments, and one in the Royal Artilery. The family of the late Major Stafford, of the Wellingtons, stationed in Dublin before the war, reside in Palmerstown Road. Captain Acroyf (killed) and Captain McDonald (missing) also resided in that district. Lieutenant Teeling, of the K.O.S.B. (missing), a son of Mr Teeling, Accountant General of the Irish High Court, is a Barrister who gave up law for military life. He was a member of the Dublin Repertoire Theatre Co., and appeared in several parts. The Army Medical Corps, non-combatants. Of course, has one doctor wounded and twelve missing. Captain Egan, one of the corps, is a Dungarvan man. Colonel Bond, D.S.O., reported as killed, got promotion while serving in Dublin with the Yorkshire Light Infantry.

Lieutenant Joynson, who is missing, was the owner of the horse who won the race at the last Curragh meeting, and was a constant rider to hounds with the Wards and Meaths. Mrs Joynson was presented at Dublin Castle the season before that. Major Chandon Leigh, also missing, was also known in Dublin society.

(LC, 09-1914)

The Royal Irish Regiment

Casualties to Officers

Colonel St. John Cox, commanding the 2nd Royal Irish Regiment, who was in a London Hospital wounded, in a letter to a friend (published in the Morning Post.) says: ‘The poor battalion suffered dreadfully. Our medical officer is a prisoner, and Mr Tandy has been wounded in the head, but is still doing duty. At Mons, we lost Captain Mellor, killed by a shell; Mr Gibbons, killed by machine-gun fire; Captain George, severely wounded in both legs; Captain Fitzgerald, wounded (these two had to be left of the field).

‘Captain Forbes is missing, and no one knows what happened to him. Mr French is badly wounded in the shoulder. Mr Phillips, wounded; bullet remains in, Mr Shine, bullet wound in groin. Mr Guinness, several superficial wounds (these last four got into hospital at Mons, and are probably prisoners).

‘Caudry casualties – Major St. Leger, missing, Major Panter-Downes, badly wounded, stomach; missing; Mr Anderson, missing; and Mr Magrath, missing, are prisoners.’ This is the first news of the officers missing.

LC, 09-1914

Colonel St John Cox survived the war. 40 year old Brevet Major Panter-Downes, died of wounds at the Marne, September, 1914. He has no known grave and is listed on La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial in France. 23 year old Lieutenant Archdale Maurice Stratford Tandy, was killed in action a month after this article was published. He has no known grave but is listed on the Le Touret Memorial in France. His father was a Colonel in the Indian Army. 36 year old Captain Walton Mellor was killed in action a few weeks after the war began. He is buried in St Symphorien Military Cemetery in Belgium. 22 year old Second Lieutenant Charles Barry Gibbons died with Captain Mellor and is also buried in St Symphorien Military Cemetery in Belgium. 36 year old Major Ion Barry George, died in May-1918. He was a prisoner of war in Germany and is buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, UK. No officers named Fitzgerald died with the Royal Irish Regiment. 32 year old Captain Fergus George Arthur Forbes (The Earl of Longford) died in the first month of the war and is buried in St Symphorien Military Cemetery in Belgium. 19 year old Dungarvan Officer Second Lieutenant John Denys Shine, died in the first month of the war. He is buried in Mons (Bergen) Communal Cemetery in Belgium. Second Lieutenant Eric Cecil Guinness, D.S.O. died in September-1920.

There were two officers named Phillips with the Royal Irish regiment who died in the war-Captain Edward George Dunscombe Phillips, died November, 1916 and Lieutenant Charles Ernest Phillips, died October, 1918).

From the Front

Tipperary Lady’s Experience

The Battle of Liege

Big German Casualties

How Spies Are Treated

Interesting Account

Some interesting facts regarding the