In the third year of World War I Douglas Haig, Commander of
the British Forces on the Western Front planned a military offensive in
Flanders to commence on 7th June 1917. This offensive which lasted during June and
July included the third Battle of Ypres (commonly called Passchendaele) and the
Battle of Cambrai. Ypres was a British held
salient which projected into the German lines and Haig planned a full-scale
offensive from there to divert attention from the French army which had
suffered huge losses during the month of April.
Those French losses, amounting to 120,000 men in one five-day period,
were deeply resented by the surviving French troops who mutinied and refused to
attack the German lines. Haig had
planned his offensive strategy for some months and had Welsh miners excavate
several tunnels under the German lines.
He realised that if an attack from the Ypres salient was to be
successful it was necessary to secure the high ground dominating the area which
was known as Messines – Wtyschaete Ridge.
The tunnels dug by the Welsh miners were packed with
explosives and at dawn on 7th June the explosives were set off,
producing a blast which we are told was heard in London. The explosion was followed by British troops
going over the top and using, amongst other forms of weaponry, poisonous gas
canisters which were hurled into the German trenches. The week-long battle at the Messines Ridge
saw for the first time the 36th Ulster Division and the 16th
Irish Division fighting alongside each other.
The German casualties at Messines were approximately 25,000, while the
British Army casualties accounted for 17,000 men wounded and killed.
Among the Irish causalities was Athy man Thomas Alcock, a
member of the 1st Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers and William King
of Crookstown who was a private in the South Irish Horse. William was the brother of Jim King and Tommy
King who also served in the South Irish Horse.
Many years ago I was told by a family member that Tommy King later
deserted from the army and dumped his uniform down a well at Burtown. Was Tommy Alcock, I wonder, a brother of
Frank Alcock who aged 20 years died of wounds in France on 4th July
1916? He had enlisted in the 2nd
Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers and in the 1911 Census was recorded as living
in Woodstock Street. Another possible
member of the Alcock family, Richard Alcock, born in 1892 was noted in the
Irish Military Service Pension Records as a member of the Volunteers during the
Irish War of Independence.
Clem Roche, whose book on Athy men killed in World War I,
was recently published (copies can be purchased in the Heritage Centre) has
embarked on a project with me to identify those local men and women who were
involved in the Volunteer movement during the Irish War of Independence. Clem has trawled through the I.R.A. pension
records, the War of Independence medal records and statistics compiled by
I.R.A. leaders in 1921 and 1922 and has identified many individuals, some whose
involvement was confirmed by the award of an I.R.A. pension or a black and tan service
medal. Many others who may well have
been active during that period, did not succeed in getting either a pension or
a medal and consequently their involvement has not received the attention it
deserves. Clem has identified 33 local
men whom he is satisfied were members of the Athy Company of the 5th
Battalion Carlow Kildare I.R.A. Brigade.
More names will undoubtedly be added as there are a few men generally
believed to have been involved who are not included among the 33 already
identified.
As we come to commemorate the Irish War of Independence it
is important that those men and women from Athy who were actively involved
should be remembered. If any reader has
any information about any local person involved in the Irish War of
Independence I would welcome hearing from them.
The following list of Cumann na mBan members in Athy in July
1921 has recently come to hand. I am
familiar with some of those named, but others are unknown to me and I would
welcome hearing from anybody who can help identify those involved.
Julia Whelan, Kilmoroney
Kathleen McDonnell
Rose McDonnell
Mary Malone
Mrs. Julia Dooley, St. Michael’s Terrace
Mrs. May, Woodstock Street
Mrs. O’Neill, Newbridge
Alice Lambe, Upper William Street
Mrs. John Whelan, Ballylinan
Miss Murphy, Maganey
Christina Malone
Let me hear from you if you can help in the search to
identify local patriots of almost 100 years ago.
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