Dedicated To The Bravery And Loyalty Of The Men From The Tyneside Irish Brigade
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probably a case of " God Save My Family and God Save Me ". By the 28th of October 1914 there was a reported strength of 303 in the battalaion. This was a result of postal applications and the work of the recruiting office in the Corn Exchange. Offers of help were received from Doctors and military and Police pensioners who were willing to instruct in drill. It was said that arrangements were in hand for a great recruiting meeting to be held in the Town Hall on the 31st and on that day, a second recruiting poster appeared in the papers, headed
IRISHMEN FOR THE BATTLE LINE . Again the poster displayed the heads of four famous Irish Generals. Theses were, Lord Roberts, Sir John French, Sir Smith-Dorrien, Lord Bresford and Field Marshall Viscount Kitchener. The poster read:
IRISHMEN FOR THE BATTLE LINE . Again the poster displayed the heads of four famous Irish Generals. Theses were, Lord Roberts, Sir John French, Sir Smith-Dorrien, Lord Bresford and Field Marshall Viscount Kitchener. The poster read:
how many Irish in the Tyneside Irish Brigade were thinking " God Save The King " when it more
The greatest fighting men of our time are Irishmen -KITCHENER, FRENCH, SMOTH-DORRIEN,
and ROBERTS. These men appeal to all Irish on Tyneside to join the Tyneside Irish Battalion, which is now being formed. Lord Kitchener makes a direct appeal to every North-Country Irishman " I feel sure "
he writes to the Lord Mayor of Newcastle ( Councillor Johnstone Wallace ) " that all Irishmen on Tyneside will respond willingly to your Lordship's appeal to defend the Empire " To save your country from the martydom of Belgium, you must enlist immediately. Louvain and Malines must be avenged, and this can only be done by your own strong right arm. Fill up the attached Enrolement form, and return it to the Secretaries ( Mr Grand Stoney. F.R.S and Mr John Mulcahy ) immediately.
Lord Kitchener's call is to every man that is fit. For every Irishman the path of duty is clear. If you would preserve your nationality, you must fight for it. Germany, the bully of the nations, must be defeated if free nations are to exist.
Irishmen must take a part in this great struggle. It means risk and sacrifice. But it also means honour, and comradship, and courage. The cause is worthy and the opportunity great. Will you respond to the call and the hour? Lord Roberts writes; Dear Lord Mayor - As an Irishman i am glad to hear it is proposed to raise a Tyneside Irish Battalion. We are all proud of the way in which English, Scottish and Irish troops are now fighting on the Continent. They have a hard task before them, and are contending against odds. It should be the pride of every young man of military age to help them, and i have every hope that the ranks of the Tyneside Irish Battalion will soon be filled.
Those who are inspired by that love of freedom dominant in the Irish race, and which is threatened
by Germany's lust of power should enrol themselves now in the Tyneside Irish Battalion, and
Preserve for themselves and their children that glorious liberty so dear to the heart of every Irishman "
and ROBERTS. These men appeal to all Irish on Tyneside to join the Tyneside Irish Battalion, which is now being formed. Lord Kitchener makes a direct appeal to every North-Country Irishman " I feel sure "
he writes to the Lord Mayor of Newcastle ( Councillor Johnstone Wallace ) " that all Irishmen on Tyneside will respond willingly to your Lordship's appeal to defend the Empire " To save your country from the martydom of Belgium, you must enlist immediately. Louvain and Malines must be avenged, and this can only be done by your own strong right arm. Fill up the attached Enrolement form, and return it to the Secretaries ( Mr Grand Stoney. F.R.S and Mr John Mulcahy ) immediately.
Lord Kitchener's call is to every man that is fit. For every Irishman the path of duty is clear. If you would preserve your nationality, you must fight for it. Germany, the bully of the nations, must be defeated if free nations are to exist.
Irishmen must take a part in this great struggle. It means risk and sacrifice. But it also means honour, and comradship, and courage. The cause is worthy and the opportunity great. Will you respond to the call and the hour? Lord Roberts writes; Dear Lord Mayor - As an Irishman i am glad to hear it is proposed to raise a Tyneside Irish Battalion. We are all proud of the way in which English, Scottish and Irish troops are now fighting on the Continent. They have a hard task before them, and are contending against odds. It should be the pride of every young man of military age to help them, and i have every hope that the ranks of the Tyneside Irish Battalion will soon be filled.
Those who are inspired by that love of freedom dominant in the Irish race, and which is threatened
by Germany's lust of power should enrol themselves now in the Tyneside Irish Battalion, and
Preserve for themselves and their children that glorious liberty so dear to the heart of every Irishman "
On the 28th October 1914 it was also stated in ' The Chronicle ' that Colonel V.M Stockley, late Indian Army had accepted command of the Tyneside Irish Battalion and that Colonel Ritson had offered two fields behind Jesmond Gardens as a training ground. The early parades in Eldon Square were a strange sight to the towns people when every morning the men gathered for the battalion parade.
Recruiting offices for the Tyneside Irish were being opened in all districts of the North-East, as follows:
DISTRICT OFFICE ORGANISER
Ashington Catholic Institute
Blaydon Wood's Cafe Wesley Place Mr Patrick Smith
Blyth Irish National Club
Consett Middle Street Councillor James Daly
Durham City 78 North Road Mr J.M Lynch Gateshead
Labour Exchange, Windmill Hills
Hebburn Catholic Institute Lyon St Rev E Witty
Jarrow Grange Road Mr Patrick Bennett
Newcastle Townhall Mr A.M Oliver
Newcastle Cornexchange
Newcastle 57 Westgate Road MrMcGee
Northshields Catholic Institute
Southshields Irish National Club
Sunderland High Street Councillor Hoey
Wallsend Catholic Institute
Recruiting offices for the Tyneside Irish were being opened in all districts of the North-East, as follows:
DISTRICT OFFICE ORGANISER
Ashington Catholic Institute
Blaydon Wood's Cafe Wesley Place Mr Patrick Smith
Blyth Irish National Club
Consett Middle Street Councillor James Daly
Durham City 78 North Road Mr J.M Lynch Gateshead
Labour Exchange, Windmill Hills
Hebburn Catholic Institute Lyon St Rev E Witty
Jarrow Grange Road Mr Patrick Bennett
Newcastle Townhall Mr A.M Oliver
Newcastle Cornexchange
Newcastle 57 Westgate Road MrMcGee
Northshields Catholic Institute
Southshields Irish National Club
Sunderland High Street Councillor Hoey
Wallsend Catholic Institute
The mood of the country was one of national patriotic hysteria, newspapers of the time were writing about previous battles where the horrors of modern warfare were hardly ever mentioned and where every British soldier was shot through the heart and died instantly with no suffering. It was always a ' glorious ' charge or a maginificent effort and behalf of our troops. Women were handing out white feathers to any unsuspecting male seen to be shirking his duty to join up for King and Country and go fight the Hun, and the music halls were full of people listening to the latest patriotic songs being sung by the stars of the day. It was like an ' express ' train that could not be stopped, and new cemetaries were being built every day in France and Belgium. Below is a film which gives the atmosphere and mood at the time. Some may recognise the voice of the famous Irish tenor of the time John McCormick singing that well known song, " It's a long way to Tipperary "
A great recruiting meeting was to be held at the Town Hall, Newcastle on the 31st October 1914 which was to be presided over by the Lord Mayor. At the meeting the official announcement was made to the effect that Colonel V.M Stockley had accepted command of the Tyneside Irish Battalion. The Colonel had served from 1874 to 1912, and had fought in Egypt in 1882 and China in 1901, being present at Tel El Kebir and the occupation of Cairo. He only commanded for a very short time before he accepted command of the Second Tyneside Scottish Battalion and command passed to Colonel Myles Emmet Byrne. A great rush of recruits was expected from thsi meeting and on Saturday morning it was reported that the Irish Battalion was at half strength, and that preperations were being made for attestations to begin on Monday. Now the question of accomodation for the battalion arose and difficulty was expected as the majority of those who enlisted were from outside Newcastle.
