1 5th May 1916 C Coy 10th Batt RDF Royal Bks Dear Mamma, It seems as if
I had a terrible nightmare
so terrible & strange things
I have been through since
I wrote you before Easter.
The letter you wrote to
me before Easter arrived
here last night. I know
you have been anxious
to know if I am still
above the sod. well thank
God I am but I am
sorry to say theres 2
many a one in there last
resting place who were in
the pink of health hardly
a week ago & but for sheer
luck there would be double
the number. Such slaughter
& wholesale destruction no
one in Ireland ever saw.
Here we were on Easter Monday
morning all unconscious of
what was to happen in
a few hours. Luckily we
only got a halfholiday. You
will see how this saved
the lot of us. We were
dismissed from drill at
12. o.c. & of course we all
went post-haste to dress
to go down town for the
remainder of the day.
Just as I was having a wash
I heard a volley of shots right outside the Barracks.
In three minutes we were
rushed into the streets with
full equipment, Rifles, & as
much ammunition as we
could carry The houses
on all sides were full of
Sein–feiners & the minute
we turned the corner
down goes an officer &
several of the men in
our party. We got down
flat on stomachs on the
road & here our first
pitched battle raged.
I forgot to mention that
while we were both hard
at it the men, women,
& children who hadn't
time to clear from the
street were screeching,
& crying to the solders 3
to save them & they too
were shot down all over
the place by the Sein-feiners
from the windows but I
suppose the bullets were
meant for us. It was
awful to see the unfortunate
wounded ones lying on
the street crying for
waterwater & every time
we went to rescue them
the Sein-fs fired on us.
Red - cross, white Cross,
priest, or parson all
were fired on. Dozens of
people rushed into the
Barracks for safety. To continue about the fighting
we succeeded in driving
them out of the houses
on one side of the
street but only when 4
we rushed into the houses
with the bayon e ts. This
always seemed to put the
fear of God in their heart.
They too had bayonets but
they never dared to rush
us. There were a few
houses we couldn’t subdue
with rifle fire alone & we
got bombs & blew them
& the Sein f's to some
where in no - where.
But this was only childs
play till we got to the
centre of the city where
they were in their
thousands & armed
to the teeth. We were
outnumbered & had to
keep on the defensive
till reinforcements 5
arrived. They were in the
chimneys firing through
loop - holes & on the roofs
sniping for further orders.
We worried them for 3
days & then the Artillery
came along. Before a
dozen shells fell in the
G. P. O. out comes a
white sheet. The unfortunate
devils were like ghosts
when we took them out.
Inside there were pieces
of Sein - fs which told
their old own tale. They had
sufficient food & ammunition
to last a 3 month’s seige.
The same thing was happening
all through the city unti l
three days when practically
all surrendered. At night time the whole
city was in darkness. Lights
of any description were
fired upon. The reason for
this was that they were
signalling from one window
& housetop to another
with flash lights. The fighting at night
time only took place
between the snipers &
our sentries. The last
night I was on sentry
didnt the beggars get
at the Power Station &
turn on all the streets
lights & immediately
several volleys
rang out. I happened
to be right under one
of the lamps so I 6
took point blank aim at
the lamp itself which was
too high to reach other
wise & I fear you never
see the same one in Dublin
again. Now I could keep
on telling you about
incidents such as these
for a week & hair —
breadth escapes which
we wouldn’t notice.
But theres something
else I’m sure you would
like to know. How
did we get our food
our sleep etc. As regards food we
lived on Bully Beef
& dog biscuits & 7
when we happened to
meet a stray morsel
it died a noble death.
We slept on the streets,
in the streets, on top
of houses, in stables,
outhouses & anything
we could get. No
such luxury as a
doze with clothes of
not even equipment.
Even though we might
be asleep just one
shout from the lonely
sentry who watched
over us & we stood
up ready for any
emergency. 8 Its almost a thing of
the past now & Im
sure the majority are
glad. I had the pleasure
of helping to bury the
three Ring-leaders who
were Pierce, Connolly
& Byrne. They were
brought out of their
cells in “Arbour Hill”
jail where I & a few
more solders were
guarding. They were
blindfolded & their
hands tied behind
their back & six
volleys fired into 9 each man They were
buried just as they fell,
no coffin or any other
covering. Thrown into
a hole & covered with
quick lime & then
sufficient clay to keep
their toes from turning
up. This must suffice
for the present as duty
calls me elsewhere &
I hope this finds you
all like myself over
the sod & then
you neednt grumble. Ever your loving
Son Herbert 10 Ciss’s cake came in so useful as a
matter of fact I ate it in view
of the Rebels. PS
Send this letter to Shercock
as I will not get a chance of writing
for a while again. 11 Pte. Herbert Shekleton (1895-1917) 12 Pte. Herbert Shekleton (1895-1917)