An article in ‘The Irish Times’ call for first World War volunteers

1916/2016: a miscellany

Sir John French’ s new style and title appear in the ‘London Gazette’: “He is to be the Viscount French of Ypres and High Lake, in the County of Roscommon”
Sir John French’ s new style and title appear in the ‘London Gazette’: “He is to be the Viscount French of Ypres and High Lake, in the County of Roscommon”

The Irish Times concludes series by its correspondent from the front lines in France with appeal to volunteer: "Our Irish regiments in France are now, as ever, an honour to Ireland. They have distinguished themselves in every engagement in which they have taken part . . .

“Even now, the foundations of a new and better Ireland are being laid on the battlefields of France. It is unthinkable, as the Archbishop of Dublin has said, that men who have established a fellowship so lofty, so intimate, and so unselfish in the face of the great enemy of civilisation will ever tolerate an internecine strife in their own land . . .

“The latest message from young Ireland in France to young Ireland at home ought to put an end to all recruiting controversies. What we need now is a great national effort to fulfil a universally acknowledged debt of honour.”

Ypres: “Our Irish regiments in France are now, as ever, an honour to Ireland”
Ypres: “Our Irish regiments in France are now, as ever, an honour to Ireland”

He went on to berate the feeble efforts of Connacht in this regard: "Even the bravery of the Connaught Rangers will not relieve the province from a brand of undying shame: its records of recruits continues to be less than five percent of its total population of men of military age. Connaught is the worse and Ulster is the best, but no Irish province has yet done anything like its full duty . . . "

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War news: “The greatest air raid in military history was carried out by French aeroplanes from Salonika on Sunday when 300 bombs were dropped.”

Sir John French' s new style and title appear in the London Gazette: "He is to be the Viscount French of Ypres and High Lake, in the County of Roscommon." Former chief of the imperial general staff, French resigned during the Curragh Mutiny after promising the army would not be used to coerce Ulster Protestants into home rule. He became commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force for the first 18 months of the first World War and was one of those who insisted cavalry still be trained to charge with cold steel, rather than just fighting dismounted with firearms. He was forced out after the Battle of Loos and then appointed commander-in-chief.

The Irish Times: "Owing to the success of Mr Percy French's original revue How Dublin Does It which was given last week to a crowded house at the little theatre 40 Upper Sackville Street, this revue will be repeated with additional numbers next week ."