1 Pass round please quickly R.A. & at home
Emma
Merrie
Mona
Haddie and back home again recd May 12 & sent same date
no map enclosed 25 Oaklands Park, Ballsbridge, Dublin. 27 April 16 3 July 16 Received FAH Dear friends, I may as well write but whether you will get
the letter soon or not is a mystery. Such goings on!
We reached Dublin at 8:30 on Tuesday eve to find
Kingsbridge in the hands of the military, and passed out
between 2 lines of men with fixed bayonets! The train
came in at the arrival platform which made us very
suspicious but we little knew what was to come. Outside
all darkness — no trams or cars of any description of
course and no one to give any information as to what
was going on anywhere. About 700 or so got out of
our train, some for cross channel most for Dublin so we
looked round in wonderment. Quay at Guinness's side
held by fixed bayonets — the Kings bridge ditto but they
let us pass one way. I thought I might get a corner in
Ross's but it was crammed to the doors, not even a
chair left — so I slung in my bag and asked Mr R to
keep it until I could send for it. Then I started to
walk home — No go! 'Halt — who goes there? at every blessed 2
turn or crossroad and it seemed as if we were en—
circled with a ring of fixed bayonets. Then I thought of
Epworth Tce and faced up to cadge a bed from Rev S. J. Boyd,
R Morgan or Dr Smith. Tried Mr Boyd first and found them
quite free, having 4 beds to spare and so I gratefully left
them my big umbrella & Carnie Hat etc. while I went back for
my bag! All this time there was continuous popping of
rifles in the distance. It was absolutely impossible to face
the Quays or you risked being shot at sight! Dr Smith
came in and told us all the news so far which was that
S.F. was in possession of Stephen's Green, Westland Row, Custom H o,
Metropole Hotel, G.P.O., Jacobs, Four Courts, 'Daily Express',
South Dublin Union and Inchicore - numerous casual—
ties amongst both parties and several S.F. prisoners
in military hands at Arbour Hill Barracks with a few
wounded in 'George 5' Hospital - lorries flying about
&c. He had been through the City and coming home
had passed through 5 barricades made by the Sinn Fein
men up in Phibsboro road - One of these the Military
had blown to bits with a 18/H Shell no less! On top
of the shooting, looting had started and Sackville 3
Street was badly handled — Nobletts, Manfields and
Lawrences had been completely cleared out and Law—
rences was burning fiercely — It was eventually burned
to the ground. All this while I haven't said anything of the
beginning because I don't know it. The Liberty Hall (Larkin's men)
appear to have seized the G.P.O. first of all and the other
points were quickly seized by S.F. Well to continue —
we went to rest, rifle fire still going on and some heavy
gunfire also. Wednesday morning - no telephones available,
no train back home for the day so I fortunately collared a
railway porter and scribbled a note to Mr Wilson to ask him
to get his Limerick folk to communicate with you and
stop Mona coming up for a while — I, of course, don't
know whether this has gone through or not. I can only
hope it has as I cannot get near K.B.! As I was parleying
with this porter up came one of Switzers girls who was
pretty well upset thro inability to get home since the night
before. Had left Midleton 2.30 on Monday & got as far as
the Junction same day. Then turned back to Cork again
and spent the night in a railway carriage. Came up on 4
the same train as I had and had spent nearly two
hours looking for a sleeping place. Finally, in desperation,
she with 5 others had entreated a housekeeper to give them
if only a covering for the night and were brought in
and given supper, beds — 3 on the floor — (they slept in their
clothes) and breakfast. When I met her she was absolutely
'at sea', so I proposed that if she liked to stay in my com
pany we would endeavour to get round the city and so
we started on a 6 mile walk. eventually landing at
her door at 1pm. to her great delight and undisguised
relief. Then I sailed over to Mrs Nelson's and gave her
all the Limerick news. She was in a very nervous state
as you might expect but seemed much relieved that
no trouble had arisen in Limerick or Cork as both places
were reported as 'very much disturbed' indeed.
At 2.30 I restarted my journey homewards taking
my usual route — Bless you! soldiers hundreds
of them on the march from Kingstown along Morehampton 5
road so I stayed to watch them pass. The people
came out of the houses in numbers with all sorts
of refreshments and the chaps did enjoy the rest.
Then I went on through Herbert Park where I stopped for
a word or two with Mr Fannin - then on again to find
Ballsbridge held by the military and a fairly smart fusillade
in progress. 4 soldiers shot dead there during the morning!
So I had to turn again and go out through Donnybrook
and along by the Dodder and so home without any
mishap at 4.30! much to Mrs Richard's surprise. I had a good wash, some tea and then strolled
out to Mr Moore's place to ask about business arrange—
ments — stayed there about 1 1/2 hours and then home. Steady firing going on all the time. This
morning more military in from Kingstown — full brigade
all departments. Engineers, RAMC, Chaplains etc. etc.
several batteries of artillery and a new gun 6
that goes off like a motorbike exhaust — pop — pop — pop
for 40 or 50 times together. The machine gunfire is
like a glorified Electric bell without the gong. I got so far on Thursday night. It is now Satur
day and I could write a book with what I've
seen and heard since. The trouble is I don't know
where to begin! Firing is going on constantly all
the time — up to tonight we have had none
near us but tonight! Some S.F. chap had got
into the second house in the avenue, up near
the tramline you know, and fired at a soldier
wounding him. Then the fun (?) began and
the place was alive with the firing all round
for quite 10 minutes — then the end — they got
him dead! Really it is awful to think of!
About half an hour or so after that there was
some desultory firing and smack came a
bullet against next door house. I skipped you 7
may be sure double quick time. Everyone
has to be in by 7.30 or get hauled up.
Damages so far are Boland's Bakery at Ringsend
Shelled and a heap of ruins. Sackville St
from the Bridge end. the D.B.C. and houses both
sides of it as far as Cleary's one one side the
whole front of that block in ruins and burnt
to the ground. much other damage done here
and there. In Grafton St the mob looted
Knowles (Fruit Shop) Leverette & Fry's Woolworths
Kapp & Petersons, Noblettes and Maison Phillips.
Switzers & that end quite safe so far! Today I rode over to Mr Wilsons to see
whether any trains were running south
and on the way passed a milk cart - 3 empty 8
tankards in it and horse lying dead between the
shafts. shot two days ago and left there (I had walked
along here on Wednesday - In S.C. Road our
Church at Dolphin's Barn had had one bomb thrown
at it by the military who thought they were being
sniped from it and wouldn't wait for the door to
be unlocked. I saw the damage - about forty
holes in the ceiling — curtains all holed and torn
in streamers and a hole blown in the floor.
One little child killed — 9 1/2 years — one of our children
too now buried in the Manse Garden. I finally
got up to Miss Wilson to find that he had
not been home since Monday and he is on
duty in Beggars Bush Barracks relieving the
military. Perhaps the hottest spot hereabouts
is just opposite Geo. Elliott's house — some of you 9
may remember that the road branches there thus: hand drawn map from Ballsbridge to Haddington Road showing Elliott's house at the junction between Pembroke Road and Lansdowne Road with the words 'to Victor's [Comment: Wesley's brother who lived in Lansdowne Road) and into town'
The house at the corner hand drawn symbol was held
by the S.F. party with a machine gun
and the soldiers were at Ballsbridge so you can
imagine what a hot spot it was for 3 days until
14 dead S.F. rebels were accounted for and the house
taken. The house farther on marked X at the
corner of Haddington Road is — rather was — a
death trap and some of Victor's Volunteer Corps Victor was in A company of the 1st Battalion of the Irish Rugby Union Volunteer Corps
were shot from it on Monday — one killed out 10
right and several wounded. You may remember
the 3 men and the motor car in Monday's paper. Well
on the Saturday previously Sir Roger Casement was
captured in Ireland - taken to London and shot on
the Sunday. This precipitated matters and Limerick
and Cork were to have 'gone out' also. Plans
miscarried somewhat and Limerick & Cork did
not — or at least not up to Wednesday to take the
'official report' here as true. The other leaders here
who are accounted for are Sheehy Skeffington
taken and shot. O'Farrell J.C. (Ditto), Dickson (S.F.)
ditto. Mrs Skeffington a prisoner and will be shot
if not already. Countess Marckievicz — a prisoner
will be shot. Jas Connolly (Larkinite) wounded
and a prisoner. Some rather alarming personal
experiences were. Mrs D. Smith was showing some
emergency guests their rooms on Tuesday night 11
when the window was fired at and the bullet
came through the window frame sending splinters
flying some through her hair. That was close
enough for a start - another lady living close
by was in her room getting emergency mattresses
when an exactly similar experience befel her. The food question has become acute.
If it weren't so awfully tragic it would be
amusing to see the swells round about
here carrying home bread and vegetables un—
covered or carried in suit cases hand
bags, pillow cases cushion covers etc. etc.
My bag and all belongings lies in Mr Boyd's.
I can't get over to it! On the Tuesday night 12
as I was chatting with Mr Ross - he said he
didn't know how he was to feed the people
he had in - so I handed him out 3 lbs of my
tea - keeping one lb for myself . So far we
have not had any shortage of food and have
a few days of supply yet in hands but this is
the only time I did not bring up a box of
things with me and look how badly we
need it. You need not tell our mother but
today I heard some soldiers lamenting their
want of cigarettes and none were to be had
in Ballsbridge so I cycled over to Donnybrook
and invested 1011/6 in cigs & matches for free
distribution as they wanted them. I must
get absolution from St Peter for this later on
but you would really pity the chaps and they are 13
all so cheery. There have been many casualties.
I hear the 'Daily Mail' put it at 14 killed
and 20 odd wounded — but there are many more
wounded. The hospitals are declining S.F. wounded
I hear but I hardly credit it. Hospitals don't
discriminate that way although it seems hard
to have to take in those who caused all the
sorrow and loss. but humanity is only humanity
after all. Yesterday I spent cycling with
a chum out to the mountains with field
glasses to see if we could distinguish
the damaged area. The City was very hazy
and we could see very little that was of
use to us. It was a glorious day and it
was good to be away from the row 14
and excitement in the city — Sunday night — I got so far yesterday and
now for today and since. When I finished
writing last evg and was reading a bit there started
a regular fusillade of shots up at the end of
the Avenue on the tramline end - some chap
was spotted somewhere and they blazed
away I suppose about 200 shots in as many about 2
minutes — don't know whether they got him
or not. Then last night — or rather this morning — there
was tremendous shooting round about us and
I heard this morning that the military
were searching the gardens round about
here. This afternoon they started 'Shelling'
a house in the avenue. I have marked it symbol on
the map in black — one shell fell short and burst
on the road a splinter weighing 1/2 lb or so flying
through a window of a house further down 15
and actually flying between father & daughter
without hurting either — we can easily tell by
the sound of the fire what sort it is and I
have heard eight rounds (cannon) this
afternoon. It seems a very haphazard
thing to do, this shelling more or less in—
discriminately, but they know best I
suppose and we are under martial law
for a month. Numbers of prisoners are
being taken and many are being tried to—
day God help the poor deluded fools
led away by designing fire hands, they will
pay a heavy price for their folly. Yesterday a lady in Haddington Road missed
two blouses of her clothes line and on pursuing
investigations further discovered a flying 16
S.F. in an outhouse. He pleaded for a suit of
clothes and to be let away (he was in uniform).
She asked advice from a gentleman lodger who
refused to give her any. Then she went to the
lady next door who told the lady next door who
told the lady next door. The lodger thought the
secret was well told so quietly slipped out
and informed the military — as the guard was
passing the group of ladies one of them said
'I don't know what you'll do with him' to which
the soldier replied as he passed 'Don't trouble
yourself madam, I'll show you what should
be done with him' and eventually took
him off.There are very strong rumours
that in the City firing has ceased and that
surrender has taken place, but as I write
they are blazing away up the road and 17
What the night will bring forth no one can
tell. There is no codding the military. You
stop dead when you are told. A foot farther
and you say 'goodbye' but if you are quite
amenable you can get along with them all —
right. They have a dangerous and difficult
job. one that I am sure is repugnant
to them to do and they are working for
us all through. All this while I haven't
said anything about you and how
you must be feeling about me. Asbury
held up and Haddie too to say nothing
of the Lady Susan and Meg. I don't know
a thing about you all but hope and have
done a bit of praying that all continues
to go well with you all. There were no 18
Church services in the City today so
far as I know. I went down to Sandymount
to see if there was any there and found that
if the people came, there would be — a very
goodly number turned out and we had a
quiet time. I never heard the Lord's Prayer
followed so earnestly before. Mr McKeag
was the preacher and his address was
most apropos. I enclose a map on which
I mark all the places that I have heard
of so far in red ink — the red line from
Parkgate St to Serpentine Ave represents
my walk on Wednesday — I hear they
are going to search the houses round
here any time now so we are quite prepared
for all sorts of inquisitions. I wish it was
over and done with so that we might get 19
to normal again, if we ever do. The thing
we are not to do is to photograph but when
it is all over I suppose some of you will want
to come up to see the results. And so ends
Sunday's work up to 9 pm though they are
still firing away at odd moments. I shall
need the enclosed things up as soon as
you can get them through by passenger
train and phone advise me early post when they are sent
so that I may pick them up quickly —
make up in 2 packages for easy handling.
pay carriage at your end to save delay
here and address to 92 Grafton St please. Adieu to all W.F.H. (Still Smiling). 20 blank 21 photo 22 Augt. 24. 1915Victor E. Hannano. 57 A company. 1 st Batt. Irish Rugby Union Volunteers Corps