A G Coy photo from Bureau Military History - outside Lakeside Hotel
G Coy Officers in photo H L Hemming Coy commander, 2nd in Command and 6 DI3 with Sam Brownes. Photo dated around 1st week in July 1921 just before move to Corofin
From Collins Papers
The bulk of the early recruitment for G Coy was from 13 Oct 1920 onwards.
Company Commander - there appear to have been at only two company commanders
The full Platoon make up plus Officers and NCOs
1920 Oct 5. A J Andrews appointed Coy Commander of G Coy
1920 Oct 13 to Oct 20 The main bulk of G Coy recruits are enlisted.
1920 Nov 17. Section Leader AH Waugh dismissed the ADRIC for drunkenness and threatening to shoot a civilian
1920 Nov 15. A contingent from G Coy lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in London. The commanding officer must have been A J Andrews.
1920 Nov 16. Andrews commandeered the Shannon, for riverbourne operations. This action led to much soul searching by the army and civil service as to the expense, as there were costs incurred when it was returned to its civilian owners. Andrews was a convenient man to blame for the problems incurred, as he was no longer in ADRIC. David Starrett, Crozier's batman, described Andrews as 'a machine that never ran down'.
1920 Nov 17. Nenagh Guardian carries a story of the Auxiliaries commandeering the Lakeside Hotel, Killaloe, Clare
View from Lakeside Hotel towards the bridge, and the view from the bridge towards the hotel.
1920 Nov 17 . The murder of 4 men on Killaloe Bridge. A 13 Arch Bridge connects Killaloe, Co. Clare and Ballina, Co. Tipperary. In the centre of the bridge is a plaque commemorating four young men that were shot here in November 1920. After the attack on Scariff R.I.C. Barracks, the Auxiliaries searched the countryside for suspects. They found three men in hiding in Williamstown House. They were Alfie Rogers and Brud McMahon from Scariff and Martin Gildea from Galway. Micheal Egan from Whitegate was caretaker at Williamstown House and he was also captured. Two others, John and Michael Conway were captured en route and all six were taken by boat to Killaloe. The boat landed at the jetty of the Lakeside Hotel. After questioning in the hotel the Conway brothers were released.
An RIC DI, V S Gwynne, from Killaloe, was called to the Lakeside Hotel, to take possession of 4 prisoners. He had 6 RIC constables with him, and they took the 4 prisoners on foot across the bridge to Killaloe. He took the prisoners at 11.45 pm on a dark night. On the bridge, Gwynne says that the prisoners made a concerted effort to escape, that they were called on to halt, and when they did not halt, his men opened fire. Gwynne says about 10 shots in total were fired (of which he fired 2) . All 4 prisoners died immediately
What it boils down to is "Could the police have killed 4 running men on the bridge on a dark night with only 10 shots ? "
JAM Faraday , GPT Dean, CRW McCammond, CGS Rowell, WG Price, PB Cullinan Taken between mid Oct 1920 and end Dec 1920 from the dates that the men were in G Coy
1920 Nov 23. General Crozier reported that he returned from Galway to Dublin via Killaloe. At Killaloe he inspected G Company, and learned there that the Roman Catholic Bishop of Killaloe Dr Michael Fogarty was to be “ done in “ and his Body was to be dumped in the Shannon. In order not to have another “Griffin Case,” which horrified him, Crozier said that sent a message to the Bishop to warn him. As a result, Crozier believed the Bishop went to Armagh where he obtained shelter with Cardinal Archbishop Logue.
1920 Dec 3 The Auxiliaries raided the home Dr. Fogarty Bishop of Killaloe, Westbourne House, who though sometimes critical of the actions of the I.R.A. was associated with the moderate section of the Sinn Fein party and Dail Eireann. This was part of a long series of tit for tat raids and burnings that had being going in the area for some time
From ennisparish.com Bishop Fogarty took exception to some of the statements contained in the book published in 1923.In an interview with a Clare Champion reporter he said there were some serious inaccuracies. It was quite possible; he said that General Crozier was good enough to direct someone to give him warning of the intentions of the Black and Tans towards him But he did not receive any such warning and his escape from being “done in” and his body being dumped in the Shannon was due to entirely different reasons, and “ I never went on the run to Armagh or anywhere else “ he added. Requested to state the facts regarding his escape Bishop Fogarty said that it was quite true that the Black and Tans, four of them armed with revolvers and blackened faces visited his residence on the night of December 3, 1920 and were subsequently heard to express regret that they missed him.
He had left before they arrived. The reason for his departure was not the receipt of a warning from General Crozier but the following: Late on the evening of December 2, 1920 he had received a telegram from Dr. Mannix who was then in London, to the effect that Archbishop Clune was crossing to Dublin that night by the Mail Boat and desired to meet him (Dr. Fogarty) at the Gresham Hotel. Dr. Fogarty had just returned to Ennis after a long journey and did not feel physically fit for another. Consequently he sent a prepaid telegram to be delivered to Archbishop Clune at the Gresham Hotel in the following words. “IMPOSSIBLE TO COME UP CAN YOU COME DOWN “Dr Fogarty awaited a reply to that message all day on Dec. 3rd and its non receipt caused him great anxiety as he was aware that Archbishop Clune’s mission was for the arrangement of peace terms if at all possible. Eventually he became very alarmed and the crisis was of such magnitude that he decided to set out for Dublin. There were no trains running from Ennis and most of the private cars had been commandeered. However through the kindness of Dr. John B. McClancy, he succeeded in getting a car and as all the main roads had been blocked, they set out for Limerick by the back- roads after an adventurous journey they got to Limerick and the Bishop stopped the night in St. Johns Hospital. Early the following morning they set out for Limerick Junction where Dr.Fogarty got a train for Dublin.
On his arrival in Dublin he stayed in All Hallows College where he met Archbishop Clune. In conclusion Dr Fogarty said he was quite willing to accept General Croziers statement, warning him to of the Black and Tans threat but that warning never actually arrived. The then County Inspector was later reported to have received instructions to guard Westbourn House against attack, and Lloyd George was credited with having personally interested himself in the protection of the Bishop of Killaloe. The escape of the Bishop from the Black and Tans who raided Westbourne House on the night of Dec. 3, 1920 was even narrower than is reported above. It transpired after the outrage that Archbishop Clune, having received Bishop Fogarty’s telegram had drafted a reply for despatch to Ennis this was to the effect that Dr. Fogarty need not travel to Dublin. Through some inadvertence the wire was not sent, had it been sent the Bishop would have been found in Westbourne House by the prospective assassins. So without doubt, the Bishop owed his life to a providential accident.
1920 Dec 3. From the reports of County Judge Bodkin (quoted in American Commission Report) Mrs. McDonnell, of Kielty, Tomgranny, claimed compensation for the burning of her house, furniture, and other property on December 3 by the armed forces of the Government. Mrs. Bridget McDonnell, daughter of the applicant, proved the burning of the property and the harsh treatment to which she and her mother and sister had been subjected by the raiders. The house, she swore, had been previously raided and searched on several occasions by Auxiliary forces under the command of officers, On the night of the burning she recognized two of the Auxiliaries who had been there on previous occasions. She went to the Lakeside Hotel, Killaloe, after the burning to complain to Colonel Andrews, in command of the Auxiliaries at their headquarters there. While she was speaking to the Colonel she recognized one of the men she had seen at the burning, and requested that the men should be paraded for identification after having pointed out the man she had recognized. The Colonel made no reply, and the men were not paraded.
1920 Dec 17 WN Harrison and AH Taylor were wounded and admitted Mil Hospital Limerick
1920 Dec 20. About 20 ADRIC of G Coy were on patrol when they were fired on. They saw 2 men attempt to escape in a cart, fired at the cart and killed the two men in the cart - Patrick Connors and Michael Walton. Evidence was given by T/C JS Meyer
1921 Jan 20. Glenwood Ambush. Three Black and Tans, Michael Moran from Castlebar in Mayo, Frank Morris from London and William Smith from Kent, had been killed in the ambush, plus two regular R.I.C. men Sergeant Mulloy from Mayo and John Doogue from Laois. The sixth British casualty was the commander of the patrol and the local district inspector D.I. William Clarke from Armagh who had recently been promoted from the Auxiliaries to the regular R.I.C.The IRA report that Auxiliaries stationed at the Lakeside Hotel in Killaloe joined in the reprisals at Killkishen. They are believed to have burned the Bridgetown Creamery and various other houses.
1921 Feb 2. A J Andrews resigned from ADRIC and H S L Hemming takes command of G Company . He continues as company commander until the ADRIC was disbanded. It would appear that Andrews was on the way out for a period before this, as Hemming seems to have been recruited specially for the job.
1921 Mar 7. The 2 Lord Mayors of Limerick were murdered by, it is believed T/Cadet G M Nathan and T/Cadet L H P Ibbotson probably were the two Auxiliaries involved. Nathan certainly was at Killaloe. Ibbotson had been a Permanent Cadet since 21 Jan 1921
1921 Mar 12. WF Russell-Jones was shot and wounded. I cannot find the background to this
1921 Mar 21. A 16 year old youth, Martin Burke, was shot by a G Coy patrol under S/L HJ Splatt
1921 Mar 27. T/Cadet GB Hope, T/Cadet GT Bodley and Driver JC Stuart were in the leading car of a convoy. They saw 5 men in a field outside Moneygall. The men ran, and were fired upon by the ADRIC. One of them, John O'Leary, was hit, and died in hospital in Nenagh. The inquest states that John O'Leary was "on the run" at the time of his death
1921 Apr 17. T/Cadet D Pringle was killed in an exchange of gunfire when off duty RIC men challenged an Auxiliary patrol from G Company when they raided the Shannon View Hotel, Castleconnell. The Shannon View Hotel is now called the Shannon Inn, and is situated on the main street in Castleconnell village. The ADRIC patrol was commanded by DI Wood, 2nd in command of G Coy ADRIC. 3 RIC men in civilian clothes were drinking in the Shannon View Hotel, 12 Auxiliaries in civilian clothes raided the hotel. There is disagreement in the reports as to what actually happened. However in essence 4 men from an ADRIC patrol, in plain clothes, entered the bar, and produced revolvers. The 3 RIC men believed that these plain clothes men were IRA, and fired at them with their own revolvers. The ADRIC men withdrew, a fire fight followed, and at the end of the day one ADRIC man, Pringle, One RIC man, Sgt Hughes, and one civilian (O'Donnovan the hotel owner) were dead. Pringle was shot apparently by one of the RIC men who fired out into the yard, and the RIC man was shot inside the bar itself. Three civilians ran out into the yard, the hotel owner and two of the RIC men. The Auxiliary commander, 2DI Wood, says one then turned and ran back toward the hotel, and was hit (this was O'Donovan the hotel owner who was dead), the other two put their hands up and surrendered (the RIC men, one had been wounded). A later Hansard Report says That the orders issued by Captain and 2 /DI W. P. Wood were so framed as to show the intention of avoiding unnecessary bloodshed.
1921 Apr 24. Raid on church at Scariff to get men to fill in trenches.
1921 Apr 21. Capt C H Lawrence MC the 2nd in command of G Coy reverted to Platoon Commander
1921 May 23. Telegrams are found in a raid
1921 Jun 15. Reynolds who had been passing high grade intelligence to the IRA, was transferred away from "F" Company to "G" Company with a promotion to Platoon Commander. 'G' Company
1921 Jul 8. They moved from Killaloe to Corofin. It was reported in the Irish Times 7 July 1921 that Corofin Union Workhouse 8 miles from Ennis had been taken over as a temporary barracks by Auxiliary Police, and the inmates moved to Ballyvaughan Workhouse.
It transpired that the IRA, Mid-Limrick Brigade, had mined the Birdhill to Limerick railway line at Cantor Bridge, near Killonan when the got intelligence that the Auxiliaries at Killaloe would be moving. The Auxiliaries were due to cross at 8am, but a sweep of the bridge just before this by the British revealed the mines. There was a short engagement as the IRA opened fire on these troops, but the IRA had to withdraw when British troops alerted by the gunfire arrived to reinforce those already there. (this action is in detail in War of Independence in Limerick). The ADRIC company apparently moved out by road a few days later. The Limerick Leader has a story on it too.
All that now remains of the workhouse is the single-storey front block, now used as a storage depot.
A Hansard Report gives Sir M. DOCKRELL asked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that G Company of the Auxiliaries, on arriving at Killaloe in November, 1920, opened accounts with the local shopkeepers for the supply of their mess and canteen; that, upon removal to Corofin in July, 1921, the company left a large sum unpaid; that, as a result of various efforts to obtain payment, Colonel Guard, second in command of Auxiliary Divisions, on the evening of 2nd January, 1922, having previously interviewed the debtors, made an offer of part payment, giving the shopkeepers until the following morning to make a decision as to whether they would accept the sums offered in full discharge of the money due to them, informing them that unless they did so they would not be paid any portion of the debts due to them; and that the receipts given were, it is alleged, obtained under duress and in the absence of any legal assistance; and whether it is intended that losses amounting to a large sum are, in the circumstances, to be inflicted upon people who in all good faith parted with their property in the belief that they would be paid in full for the same.
Post Truce. WS 0168. It was obvious that the Auxiliaries were well- informed as to my usual haunts and detailed investigation pointed to a local R.I.C. pensioner as the probable spy. The local Volunteers were absolutely certain this man was a British intelligence agent and they were insistent that he should be shot. I had very little doubt that they were right, but as we had no direct proof I wouldn't permit his execution, so they had to content themselves with raiding his house and warning him. After the Truce I met the Auxiliary Intelligence Officer from Killaloe [note- if true this is J E Workman] drunk in a Kilrush hotel and I learned from him that our suspect was in fact a spy. He went to Killaloe once a week for his pension (ostensibly) and gave his reports to the R.I.C. After the Treaty I had the spy arrested as a suspected "Irregular" and we kept him interned for about two years - just to get some of our own back
1921 Jun 11. A cycle patrol of ADRIC was attacked at Darragh between Lissyensey and Ennis
1921 Nov 26 . An incident at Corofin in which JC Fillery (at the time G Coy 2nd in Command) and F Wooley? were wounded in an attempt by the IRA to obtain guns
Records of 1st Oxford & Bucks L I record that strong parties of the Battalion were employed on protecting the railway line between Sixmilebridge and Limerick while Auxiliary Police were moving from Killaloe to Ennis.
Reynolds who had been transferred to G Coy as a Platoon Commander has a description of ADRIC in Collins Papers. He says that there was a Section Leader at Corofin called Clark who ran away with Mrs Richardson's daughter, having gagged Mrs Richardson while the colonel was away It subsequently turned out that Clark had 3 previous convictions according to Reynolds. One can see that Reynolds description was largely correct.
1922 Jan G Coy , as with the other ADRIC Coys, went to Dublin, and from thence to Holyhead and demobilisation
1922 Mar. The Treasury had a report which showed G Company's accounts were short more than £291. "Lt.-Col. Andrews, who has been under notice in connection with various irregularities, is responsible."