A Tale of Two Aprils 1916
The following article has been written by Michael Lee, who is a parishioner of St Philip and St James’ Church, and whom has done extraordinary research into those who died during World War 1 from our three constituent parishes. The small piece of information after Michael’s name has been contributed by the Rector, to illustrate the feelings of some of those who were alive at the time, and living through, the experience of Easter in Dublin in 1916
On Easter Monday, 24th April 1916 the Irish Rebellion began. At around midday outside the GPO in Sackville Street Dublin, Padraig Pearse read out the Proclamation of the Irish Republic. Amongst the many ideas and ideals included in it was a reference to the support of “gallant allies in Europe”. Three days later, at 5am on the 27th April 1916 at Hulluch, six kilometres north of Lens in Northern France, the Germans commenced a heavy bombardment of the Irish front line. Fifteen minutes later, a strange cloud of greenish smoke drifted towards the Irish trenches. The cry went out, “Gas”. The Irishmen in the trenches scrambled to get their inadequate gas masks over their faces before the chlorine gas, released from 3,800 cylinders could tear their eyes and lungs out. Immediately behind the gas cloud, the Germans began their assault. Some troops managed to get into the Irish trenches before they were beaten back by the Irishmen. More gas was released by the Germans but again they were repulsed by the Irish; the bombing parties holding back the Germans for a considerable time. The 49th Brigade of the 16th (Irish) Division which included the 8th Royal Irish Fusiliers was at the epicentre of the attacks.
Captain Guy Wellesley Eaton, a member of St Philip and St James’ congregation was in charge of No. 15 platoon. The 8th Battalion RIF war diary for 27th April stating:
“Captain G W Eaton saw that the situation was serious so decided to bring up part of No. 15 platoon to support the bombing party and placed his men on the high ground South of Munster Crater, forming a block behind the bombing party and at the same time commanding Connaught Lane so as to prevent the enemy advancing without direction.”
The 16th (Irish) Division suffered almost 2,000 casualties that day, hundreds of Irishmen dying in agony as the gas took its gruesome toll. Captain Guy Eaton was not amongst them this time; he and the other survivors had come through their first real test in battle.
The Easter Rebellion lasted six days. There were 485 people killed; 262 of these were civilians. One of soldiers killed, Lt. Philip Addison Purser RASC, died in Dublin on 30th April 1916. Philip was a parishioner of one of our original parishes, Christ Church Carysfort in Blackrock.
Michael Lee, April 2016
Lieutenant Philip Addison Purser RASC, was the son of a member of the Select Vestry of Christ Church Carysfort, and he will be remembered at our services on Sunday 1st May 2016, the Sunday nearest the 100th anniversary of his death. The extract below from the Select Vestry Report and Statement of Accounts for 1916, gives an insight into the feelings of the people alive at the time, in one of our parishes.
“The year through we have just passed has been in many ways, the most critical which our Empire has experienced in the long course of its long history. A world wide war had at its commencement been in active operation for a year and five months, and at its close, the great struggle was still unfinished. To the deep and heart felt regret of every right thinking Irishman, our country was destined during the year to be drawn directly into the Great Conflict, and to endure the sorrow and pain of knowing that a section of our fellow-countrymen were prepared to join with the enemies of the Empire, and to assist in forcing on the world a military despotism inconsistent with either Christianity or civilization. That the attempted Irish Rebellion of 1916 was possible under then existing circumstances is deeply to be deplored, and that it was directly responsible for the death of the son of a member of our Select Vestry brought home to us the sorrow and grief of this misguided and criminal disturbance”.