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phaethon

Not my collecting interest but I was lucky to pick this Silver War Badge up from the junk box from Bangor fair last weekend:

Edward James Stevenson (1898 – 02/06/1921)
2nd Lieutenant, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
District Inspector (Royal Irish Constabulary)

Edward was born on the July-September 1898 in Belfast. He was third son of James Verdier Stevenson from Athlone, Co.Westmeath. His father joined Royal Irish Constabulary in 1884 and rose to the rank of District Inspector. He served in Donegal, Cork and Belfast before being appointed Chief Constable of Glasgow in 1902 out of 93 applicants. His mother, Helen Halliday Stevenson (previously Little) was from Ballina, County Mayo. Edward had three brothers and three sisters (William, George, Maurice, Ethel, Monica and Enid).



James Verdier Stevenson (Chief Constable of Glasgow 1902-1922) M.V.O., C.B.E.

After his father’s appointment whole Stevenson’s family moved to Scotland. They lived 5 Beech Avenue, Dumbreck, Glasgow. His father annual salary of £1,000 allowed them to have as well two servants as shown in the 1911 Census. When Edward grows up, he studied in the High School of Glasgow.

The Great War

Commissioned to the rank 2nd Lieutenant on the 2nd 1st August 1918. Edward joined 14th (Fife & Forfar Yeomanry) Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) on the 27th August 1918. At that time his unit was under command of 229th Brigade in 74th (Yeomanry) Division. Unluckily he was wounded on the 15th October 1918 at Wauchope when he was shot in the foot.



As a result, he was invalided home and subsequently joined the Royal Irish Constabulary in Ireland.
He became a District Inspector (officer rank in the forces) in County Mayo. The Royal Irish Constabulary and was Ireland's armed country-wide police force between 1822 in 1922 and 85,028 men passed through its ranks. Dublin had its own unarmed Dublin Metropolitan Police from 1836 to 1925.

Carrowkennedy Ambush

The ambush was organized by Major General Michael Kilroy, later Commandant of the 4th Western Battalion of the IRA. On the evening of Thursday the 2nd of June 1921 he and his flying column of volunteers took up position between Widow Sammon’s House and that of Widow McGreal in Carrowkennedy. The patrol, which was under the command of District Inspector Edward James Stevenson, along with Head Constable Hanlon and Sergeant Cregan and 17 Constables left Westport for patrol duty at Bundorragha, a small fishing village on the south-east coast of County Mayo. When the patrol, which was travelling in two Crossley Tenders and a Ford car reached a point near Carrowkennedy they were stopped by a trench which had been dug across the road. Some local men were rounded up and forced to fill in the trench. The patrol proceeded to Bundorragha without further incident. When returning through Carrowkennedy at about 7pm that evening the patrol was ambushed. Driver of the first Crossley Tender was Edward, who insisted when they leaved from Darby Hasting’s public house, to take the wheel himself which was actually contrary to regulations.



Crossley Tender during the Irish troubles

There is detailed witness statement made by IRA West Mayo Brigade Adjutant Thomas Hevey to Irish Bureau of Military History about their activities during the period of 1919-1921. Regarding the ambush there is detailed note about Edward death. Thomas states;

Soon the purr of engines was heard and swiftly into view glided an armoured Crossley tender. At least ten rifles were trained on the driver, whose attention seemed to be drawn towards our position for he partly turned his head and looked in our direction.
Sharply Malone said: “Let the bastards have it, boys”. Ten rifles blazed, the tender lurched, laboured, stopped, and the fun began. One tall Tan took a flying leap over the side of the tender….

The battle raged for about three and a half hours, the District Inspector was reported to have been killed outright at the beginning of the attack. Wikipedia home page of the ambush states that the shooter of District Inspector was Jimmy O'Flaherty, a former Connaught Ranger.
Thomas Hevey wrote to his statement:

He (Edward James Stevenson) did not hear the shot that killed him. He was hit right in the centre of the forehead and had three wounds in the left breast and two in the right shoulder, as we examined his wounds after the fight. I remember thinking he was quite old. I now know he was 24 at the time. I was just short of my seventeenth birthday and I suppose at that age anyone over 20 seems ancient. Stephenson (Stevenson) had family connections in Ballina, a fact which perhaps explains why he was buried here and not in Glasgow. I have to-day visited Stephenon’s burial place and photographed his grave.

Also there was a note in the book “Raids and Rallies” by Ernie O’Malley:

A small revolver which District Inspector Edward Stevenson had carried had an inscription on the goldmounted handle. It was given by Sir Edward Carson to the District Inspector’s father when the elder Stevenson had been head constable of Glasgow. District Inspector has served in Erris, but immediately after Kilmeena he was transferred as an additional officer to Westport to keep the police more aware of danger.

The seven Royal Irish Constabulary men who were killed in Carrowkennedy Ambush:

District Inspector Edward J. Stevenson aged 22. He was the son of the Chief Constable of Glasgow, Scotland.
Constable Sydney A Blythe aged 26, from London.
Constable James Y. Brown aged 23, from Roxboro, County Limerick.
Constable John Doherty aged 47. He was from Knockrow, Tuam, County Galway.
Constable William T. J. French aged 25, from Bristol, England.
Sergeant Francis Creegan (Creagan) aged 43 died from wound received in the ambush on the 3rd of June, he was from Johns Row Westport, County Mayo.
Constable Thomas Dowling aged 44 died on the 4th of June from wounds received during the ambush.

Final Resting Place

Edward’s interment took place at St Michael's Church, Ardnaree, Ballina on the 9th June. His remains were removed from Westport in a motor tender to Ballina Royal Irish Constabulary barracks and then carried to the cemetery by members of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The burial took place in his mother family vault of the Littles. A large number of Constabulary was present. Also his father and younger brother were there.
Burial service was carried out by Reverent J.F.Nash, Rector. Three volleys were fired over the grave.
Reverent Nash said:

“This morning we lay Captain Stevenson’s body with the remains of many of his ancestors. His mother comes of the Little family, long known and respected in this neighbourhood. The tragedy of Mr. Stevenson’s death is all the more keen when we remember that he passed safely through the war, and then returned to meet his death in the county from which his mother came. God help Ireland when such things are done in her name. Deeds of a similar nature have, we know, been happening almost every day. We have had experience of them before this in Ballina. To the father, mother, and relatives our prayers go out that they may be comforted in the hour of their very great sorrow.”

There are words cut in limestone on his grave:

This stone was erected by the officers and men of the City of Glasgow Police Force in respectful sympathy with their Chief Constable in memory of Edward James Stevenson, District Inspector, Royal Irish Constabulary.
Third son of James Verdier Stevenson, Chief Constable of Glasgow and Helen Halliday Stevenson, daughter of John Little of Ballina.
Killed in Ambush at Carrowkennedy along with a Sergeant and four Constables on 2nd June 1921
Aged 22 years
He served as Lieutenant in the Black Watch in the Great War and was wounded in France.
“Faithful unto Death”


Edwards father James retired following year from his position as a Chief Constable of Glasgow in following year. He went to live in Herne Bay in Kent where he died 1933.









Silver War Badge B80956