British Army communications during War of Independence

jamesdiver

Hi,

Does anyone know any good sources of information on the communications networks that the British Army had in Ireland during the Irish war of Independence? Good books, records, archives, or even someone you may know that specialises in this field will all be welcome,

thanks,

James

goldie fish

Kew.

There are a number of books dealing with the topic by William Sheehan.
"British Voices from the Irish War of Independence (Collins Press, 2005)" is a good place to start.

johnny_doyle

Sheehan's book "Fighting for Dublin" would be my recommended starting point on the basis that it has some standing orders that give some structure to what the British Army had to work with. It is basic though. Not aware of anything that looks in depth at communication networks.

Are you trying to focus on how orders were issued to units? How patrols kept in contact? How intel was gathered? How troops on the ground/in trains kept in contact with aircraft? the use of radio/wireless, telephony, mail? use of despatch riders? work of the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy in communications?

The Paper Wall by Ian Kenneally touches on some of the PR and propaganda work attempted by the British and the communications/intel gathering from the RIC/Army units.

Jawgap

Some more info on what you're after would be useful.

Kew is an obvious starting point.

The Royal Corps of Signals also has a museum

their collections extend to cover the period when signals support was provided by the Corps of Royal Engineers.

jamesdiver

Thanks, that's given me plenty of material to follow up on. Kew and Signal Corp museum now added to list of places to visit. I've a few other documents to follow up at Kew anyways.

Yes I want an insight into how communication networks across the country were structured in the run up and during the rising. Especially how they reacted to cut networks and worked around them (e.g. Sending messages from station in Clifden across the Atlantic and back to London).

jamesdiver

johnny_doyle wrote: »

Sheehan's book "Fighting for Dublin" would be my recommended starting point on the basis that it has some standing orders that give some structure to what the British Army had to work with. It is basic though. Not aware of anything that looks in depth at communication networks.

Are you trying to focus on how orders were issued to units? How patrols kept in contact? How intel was gathered? How troops on the ground/in trains kept in contact with aircraft? the use of radio/wireless, telephony, mail? use of despatch riders? work of the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy in communications?

The Paper Wall by Ian Kenneally touches on some of the PR and propaganda work attempted by the British and the communications/intel gathering from the RIC/Army units.

Spot on, couldn't have worded that better myself.

Dozen Wicked Words

Don't think the Royal Signals museum would be worth the visit tbh, wasn't a few years back anyway. Slap bang in the middle of current home of the Royal Corps camp, the hole that is Blandford. Quite small too.

Certa Cito.

Jawgap

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

Don't think the Royal Signals museum would be worth the visit tbh, wasn't a few years back anyway. Slap bang in the middle of current home of the Royal Corps camp, the hole that is Blandford. Quite small too.

Certa Cito.

Never been or used their collection but I'd still advise a visit or at least a call to them.

Often, while they might not have material you're after, they will know where information is held.

jamesdiver

~No harm in sending them an email i guess and seeing what they have.
thanks again for the useful replies

Cork boy 55

I believe they had a network of wireless sections attached to garrisons
manned largely by royal naval sailors for some reason.

Here's one reference to them in the BUREAU OF MILITARY HISTORY, 1913-21.
I have seen photos in a few books of these guys as well In
unit portraits photos of various British units/garrisons the sailors stand out with their hats. For example there is a photo in Tom Barrys book of a royal navy wireless section in west Cork.

They also captured two British Navy men
who were attached to the Bandon garrison as wireless
operators. The Navy men were released and handed a
letter addressed by Tom Barry to the 0/C of the Essex in
Bandon warning him that in view of the fact that the Essex
had murdered and tortured prisoners, he (Barry) had given
orders that the Essex were to be s

http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS1234.pdf

johnny_doyle

jamesdiver wrote: »

Yes I want an insight into how communication networks across the country were structured in the run up and during the rising. Especially how they reacted to cut networks and worked around them (e.g. Sending messages from station in Clifden across the Atlantic and back to London).

The Seahound by Daire Brunicardi carries some baisc info re the use of W/T by the Royal Navy during the Rising (stations at Skerries and Kingstown plus HMS Adventure) to keep in touch with England/London.

Lt Col Allatt who was involved in the suppression of the Rising was an advocate of the use of pigeons by the British Army, having seen them in use during the siege of Paris in the Franco-Prussian war. While pigeons did get used on the Western Front in general and as part of the communications 'equipment' on British WW1 tanks they don't appear to have been used in Ireland as far as I can gather (other than 1 mention in the BMH witness statements re use by one RIC station)

jamesdiver

Thats great, had been looking for a good book on the Helga/Muirchu. Just reading the pdf on bureauofmilitaryhistory now.