Story of the man from Royal Dublin Fusiliers

phaethon

Hi all,

Here is my next pick up.;)

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]James McIntosh (1885 – [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]22.06.1921)[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Corporal[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]8th[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif] Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Regimental number 15075[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]James was entitled following awards:[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Victory Medal (Roll B/101 B5 Page 374)[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]British War Medal (Roll B/101 B5 Page 374)[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]1914-15 Star (Roll B/7A Page 76)[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]James McIntosh was born in Maryborough, Co. Laois (known then as Queen's Co.) in 1885. He was a son of Edward and Mary (previously Prendergast). Their family listed their trade as general labourer and they were Roman Catholics. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]James had four sisters Mary Ellen, Bridget, Elizabeth and Emily he also had two brothers George and Edward.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]He was 5 feet and 6 inches tall and weight 194 pounds. His eyes were blue and hair brown.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]After finishing school, James moved to Dublin and worked as a Butcher. He was not married at this time and he was renting a room in Patrick Street, Dun Laoghaire (Kingstown) from an Irish couple Michael and Kate Keogh (1/12).[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]When war broke, James enlisted at Naas under the New Army scheme, he joined the Royal Dublin Fusiliers on the 1st October 1914.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]He received his initial training in Naas at the Royal Dublin Fusiliers depot where he was posted to the 8th Battalion which was part of te 48th Brigade in 16th (Irish) Division (2/4).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]8th Battalion was moved to Buttevant, then to Ballyhooley and in September 1915 to England, Blackdown.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]11th February 1915 he was appointed to the rank Lance Corporal and at end of the year, on the 9th December 1915 promoted to the rank Corporal.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]After more then a year training, the Battalion received orders on the 14th December 1915 and embarked to France on the 19th December 1915 and landed at Le Havre a day later (2/3/4).[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]They learned trench warfare in the Loos area in January and February 1916 and suffered heavy casualties during the Battle of Hulluch 27th – 29th April during the Easter Rising (8).[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]July they were moved to Somme Valley and engaged in the Battle of the Somme (1st July–18th November 1916) where James was wounded and was sent home on the 6th July 1916 (2).[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]After his recovery, he is listed to the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion on the 16th September 1916, which was based in Mullingar at this time.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]James was sent back to France on the 14th December 1916 and he was posted back to the 8th Battalion (2).[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]He was seriously wounded (peripheral neuritis) again during the Battle of Passchendaele on the 11th August 1917 and was transported to 4th London General Hospital, Denmark Hill S.E.5. James stayed in the hospital 131 days until 31st January 1918 (2/7).[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]After a short break, he was back in the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, which was in [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Brocklesby at this time.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]From 1st May 1918 he is listed to the 3rd Battalion of Royal Dublin Fusiliers what was in [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Grimsby area as part of Humber Garrison (6).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]During the Demobilizations following year, James volunteered on the 10th March 1919 under Army Order 55 to stay in service with the A Company of 3rd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]However, he was charged with disciplinary action, after he lost some of his kit.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The following year, the medical commission found him unfit for a future service and granted his army pension. His disablement is listed 40% and to be reviewed in 26 weeks. James McIntosh left the service 23rd February 1920 (2).[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]James’s next war – Irish War of Independent[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]James moved back to Dun Laoghaire near Dublin, when the Irish War of Independent was ongoing, James joined the Dun Laoghaire IRA Active Service Unit. At this time it was purely guerrilla war against the British authorities and troops in Ireland (9).[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Towards the end of the war, one assassination attempt failed in Dun Laoghaire on the 19th June 1921 eve, where James had a vital role;[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Actually James was on the way home with his girl from the Pavilion, when he met one of his mates who told him that the officer, who they were after, stays in the Royal Marine Hotel. James wanted to go home to get his own gun but because there wasn’t time, friend gave him his (10/11/12).[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]When James run into the hotel (some sources indicates four men entered to the hotel) he was spotted by the officer seated on the sofa in the lounge. The officer knew that he was going to shoot some of them and he turned against him. McIntosh tried to fire but his gun was jammed and officer shot him first.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]He managed ran out to the Marine Road where someone took his gun and[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif] helped him to the [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]St. Michael’s Hospital where James McIntosh died two days later on the 22nd June 1921. On his death certificate cause of death is listed as a [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]" general peritonitis following gun shot wounds (justifiable homicide)" (kill or [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]be killed) (2/10/11/12).[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]During his funeral on the 26th June 1921 hundreds of people followed it. On the Patrick Street corner, the procession was stopped by Black and Tans and one of the officers tried to remove the tricolour from the coffin.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]A young member of Cumann na MBan ([/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Irish republican women's paramilitary organization)[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif] Annie Barnes snatched the flag from the soldier and holt it behind her back. The soldiers took out their rifles and start shooting over the people’s heads, causing panic as people dived for cover.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]After things calmed down, procession managed to continue and James McIntosh found his last resting place in the Republican Plot, Deans Grange Cemetery,
Blackrock, County Dublin. [/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Corporal James’ medals, where earned during his service with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, where sent out to his parents in November 1921 (14-15 Star) and February 1922 (Victory Medal and British War Medal).[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Nowadays there is (incorrectly spelled) MacIntosh Park, off Pottery Road dedicated to his memory in Dun Laoghaire.[/FONT]










[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Source:[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif](1) National Archives: Census of Ireland 1901/1911[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif](2) Short Service (Three years with the Colours) Attestation Form[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif](3) British Army 1914-1918 Service Medal Index Card[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif](4) The Long, Long Trail – The British Army of 1914-1918 – for family historians[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]http://www.1914-1918.net/[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif] [/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif](5) Family Tree, Genealogy and Census Records - Ancestry.co.uk[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]http://www.ancestry.co.uk/[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif](6) Royal Dublin Fusiliers – a forgotten regiment[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]http://www.dublin-fusiliers.com/[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif](7) Ireland Unknown Soldiers, Terence Denman[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The 16th (Irish) Division in the Great War[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif](8) 16th (Irish) Division – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_(Irish)_Division[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif](9) Where’s Where in Dublin, by Joseph E.A.Connell jnr.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif](10) IRA KIA War of Independence[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]http://irishmedals.org/gpage49.html[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif](11) Chronology of Dublin 1900-2000[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]http://www.chaptersofdublin.com/books/chronology/1900-2000.htm[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif](12) James McIntosh – 1432 – Individual Information[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]http://www.caine.im/genealogy/individual.php?pid=I432&ged=caine.GED[/FONT]

phaethon

Looks like his cover was good, because 21st and 22nd of June newspapers all stated that he wasn't member of IRA. No publication about the incident during his funeral.

Morlar

The Somme, Paschendaele to the Dublin IRA !! Incredible story !!!!

The Royal Marine Hotel was for a time the location of British Intelligence in Dublin (in addition to Kingstown being full of British Soldiers) :

See also :

http://thompsongunireland.com/Hugh%20Pollard/pollard.htm

Pollard worked alongside Basil Clarke [see photograph of Clarke and Intelligence team pictured at Dublin Castle 1920] and Major Cecil Street who were based at Irish Office London and under Brigadier-General Ormonde Winter, deputy Police Adviser and Head of Intelligence.[Winter narrowly escaped an IRA murder bid in Dublin in June 1921]. The entire Intelligence team lived in the luxurious quarters of the Royal Marine Hotel at Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) but by September 1921 all had for safety moved inside the thick walls of Dublin Castle itself, address being Number 4 Upper Castle Yard

___________________________________________
http://www.cairogang.com/

Sir Basil Thomson was Director of Intelligence at the Home Office in London.The Intelligence group in Dublin worked under Ormonde Winter. deputy Police Adviser and Head of Intelligence. They included Capt H B C Pollard and Major Cecil Street . The entire Intelligence team lived in quarters at the Royal Marine Hotel at Kingstown but by September 1921 all had for safety moved inside the thick walls of Dublin Castle itself, address being Number 4 Upper Castle Yard.

MedalFuhrer

Amazing history! How/ where did you start or get all the information?
Well done!

HerrScheisse

Now that is some serious research! Great stuff as usual.

I still wonder where you get all these finds! And if you know beforehand some of the history before you buy?

phaethon

In this case I was lucky and I saw that his service papers are available, what was handy for research during his time with the RDF + they confirmed many dates after cross-checking (death, location, parents, trade, etc).
IRA part was hugh suprise to me as well and most of information was again available online. Great help from Step23 and Morlar, who helped locate some of the articles and pieces of information from their archives! Thanks guys!:cool:

molders

Hello, thats a really nice group. I've just bought his brother George's medals on ebay;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250862211707&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:GB:1123
Would be interesting to put his story together as well as James's!

phaethon

Great find and the same seller! I checked just in case does he have his Irish medal as well but no - he said he bought the trio from other collector in England. Didn't mentioned about his brother's set at all!

If you ever like to sell or trade the set, please keep me in mind - this would make nice family display all together:cool:

R.Dub.Fusilier

molders wrote: »

Hello, thats a really nice group. I've just bought his brother George's medals on ebay;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250862211707&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:GB:1123
Would be interesting to put his story together as well as James's!

as a matter of interest how did you find out they were brothers?

molders

Thanks, will keep you in mind if I do decide to pass it on, I'm going to do some research on him first, in particular I want to try and find out if he had any involvement in the War of Independence.
As to determining that the two guys were brothers;
James had two younger brothers; George and Edward. The 1911 census has George (then aged 21) listed as still living at home in Maryborough, Co. Laois.

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/results.jsp?census_year=1911&surname=McIntosh&firstname=george&county=&townland=&ded=&age=&sex=&search=Search&relationToHead=&religion=&education=&occupation=&marriageStatus=&birthplace=&language=&deafdumb=&marriageYears=&childrenBorn=&childrenLiving=

The 1911 census has 7 George McIntosh's listed as living in Ireland, of the 7, 4 would have been of age to enlist in 1915. The other three are all in Co.Down, Northern Ireland.



The medal index roles at the National Archives have 82 George McIntosh's listed, but only one with the Munsters. The medal index card for 5589 Pte George McIntosh shows his enlistment date as the 2nd June 1915.


James was with the 8th Btn RDF in Buttevant, Co.Cork at this time. Did they meet/talk together while James was there? (This was the Munsters recruiting country)

I'll have to do more research on George before I can show that the link is cast iron but I'm happy enough that James and George were brothers. Given that the same seller sold both sets of medals within a week is also a good sign. I'll post an update when I've finished my research.

phaethon

Did you found his service/pension papers?

Unfortunately I don't think so you can be 100% sure thats him. Yes, there is a big chance and especially because it came from the same seller (probably he bought all the medals from one family as a lot) but without the confirmation it is still a quess.

Regarding their recruiting locations, there isn't a law that the guys from one specific area start their service in local units. Again, in moust cases but as far I understand, many Ulster men where posted to the "Southern" regiments because poorer recruitment in these areas.

R.Dub.Fusilier

molders wrote: »

I'll have to do more research on George before I can show that the link is cast iron but I'm happy enough that James and George were brothers. Given that the same seller sold both sets of medals within a week is also a good sign. I'll post an update when I've finished my research.

it is quite possable that both are brothers. i had a similar question a while back.

kabakuyu

I remember that the 2 trios to the Mcintosh brothers were originally sold together,the seller on ebay may have split them.

phaethon

kabakuyu wrote: »

I remember that the 2 trios to the Mcintosh brothers were originally sold together,the seller on ebay split them.

This is mad how some dealers split the sets for a profit:mad:. If they were before together, I do not have a doubts that these medals belonged to the brothers.

Where you saw them together previously and was there any extra information, documents, photos, etc attached?

Regards,

Timo

kabakuyu

No Timo,Just the medals,no paperwork with them.That particular seller is a well known dealer and very highly regarded in the medal world, I do not think he would have split them on purpose.Also while he may have unknowingly split a family group,he did not split the trios which some people do on ebay.