Letter from Pte. Herbert Shekleton to his mother in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan, 5 May 1916. Letters 1916-1923 Herbert Shekleton

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Private Shekleton (1895-1917) served in Dublin during The Easter Rising 1916 and records events in this letter written to his mother on 5th May 1916 from the Royal Barracks Dublin. In it he describes the fighting in and around the city centre and the execution and burial of the ring-leaders Pierce,Connolly and Byrne.Herbert Shekleton was from Kingscourt, County Cavan, and while apprenticed to an outfitting firm in Drogheda, enlisted in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Shekleton died aged 22 during the battle of Arras on 15th April 1917 and is commemorated on the Lutyens Memorial in Arras.

 Private Collection Private Collection https://letters1916.ie/item/1332 English Herbert Shekleton 1916-05-05 Royal Barracks, Dublin. Sarah Jane Shekelton née Dixon Kingscourt, Co. Cavan Male Easter Rising Ireland 1916 World War I (1914-1918)

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 & 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. 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 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 Ciss’s cake came in so useful as a matter of fact I ate it in view of the Rebels. PSSend this letter to Shercock as I will not get a chance of writing for a while again. Pte. Herbert Shekleton (1895-1917) Pte. Herbert Shekleton (1895-1917) Kingscourt, Co. Cavan Letter from Pte. Herbert Shekleton to his mother in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan, 5 May 1916. Royal Barracks, Dublin. Letter from Pte. Herbert Shekleton to his mother in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan, 5 May 1916. Herbert Shekleton Letter from Pte. Herbert Shekleton to his mother in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan, 5 May 1916.