The Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary

The Auxiliary Division of the Royal IrishConstabulary

Abstract

The stereotype of the average Auxiliary as a drunken lout, released from a British gaol, in order to run riot in Ireland appears to have been little researched. Stories which were put out as "spin" by both sides at the time, have not been properly checked, and have been "cut and pasted" ever since on the basis that "everyone knows that....". I would go along with the pronouncement by J C Reynolds , a T/Cadet who was an IRA spy and later joined the Irish Army, in notes that are included in Collins Papers, that among the the Auxiliaries "some were very good and about 10% were bad eggs" . Most of the Auxiliaries were in the middle, and were men who had only become officers because of the need the British had in WW1 for more officers. They were the sons of shopkeepers and tradesmen, and they needed a job post war. They were attracted by the money that the ADRIC offered

This analysis sets out to answer the question "Who were the Auxiliaries ? ". Most of the records of the Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary (ADRIC) were destroyed when the British left Ireland. What remains boils down to two registers, one alphabetic and one numeric , which disagree on men's ADRIC service number in many cases, and even on essentials like initials or regiment. The handwriting is bad, and they are difficult to transcribe. These registers are available in the British National Archives (HO184) and they contain few other scraps of information on the ADRIC, but basically it comes down to the two registers. As the ADRIC's time in Ireland went on, the registers became scrappier and even less information was given on recruits. By the time the last 10% of recruits arrived in Ireland, it was virtually impossible to pinpoint who they were because of the paucity of information on them in the registers. So it is not surprising that it has been difficult to get acomplete list of recruits to the ADRIC

To produce a decent list, one has to cross check both registers to getagreement on his name and initials. Then one has to try to get the man's full name from the initials, and any other information on him inthe ADRIC registers, using a combination of the RIC registers, the list of British Army officers in WO338, the Medal Index Cards, any surviving service records (Ancestry has a number and all RAF officers are now online), the London Gazette (also online), and the ubiquitous Google searches. There are also a limited number of diaries - I found

3 of T/Cadets. And I have found David Leeson's book "The Black and Tans" and Ernest McCall's book "Tudor's Toughs" extremely useful.

Once one gets the identity of the man, one can then try to get his background using the censuses and other genealogical records. Plus anynewspaper reports (British or Irish) and any National Archive information on him. IRA Witness Statements (online) can also fill in some information

The result is a separate page for each recruit and an attempt to analyse the make up of the ADRIC. Past researchers have just used a sample of recruits (for example using men who joined in a given month,or within a range of service numbers: an approach that has various statistical weaknesses)

I would not claim that I have found the correct answer to every recruit's identity, but this analysis does give a reasonable basis formore research into the ADRIC. The web format and hyperlinks makes it easier to follow the cross indexing of men and events.

Although 2214 service numbers were used, with double issuing my estimate is that 2131 men actually joined the ADRIC. There was constant "churn" with about one third of the men who joined, leaving before the British withdrawal. So the maximum size of the ADRIC was just under 1500 men in the field at any one time.

This paper explores who the recruits were: - their family backgrounds,their age, their medals (most claimed medals were in fact correct, buta small number did claim medals that they never were awarded), their rank on leaving the army, their date of birth, their age at death, what happened to then after leaving the ADRIC, and that vexed questionof criminal records.

There is a reasonably full analysis of the Burning of Cork by K Coy and the Trim Looting by N Coy. And there is a list and description of all the actions that the ADRIC were involved in.

It also examines the "officer corps", the men who made it to DI1, DI2 or DI3.

Who joined the ADRIC? My analysis shows that the typical recruit was

Demographically drawn from the range of parts of the UK that statistics dictates. In other words no part of the UK was over-represented or under-represented in recruits

The medals they earned were what one would have expected from anyrandom selection of 2000 officers in the British Army. In other

words they were no more or no less brave than any other group of officers

Their regiment - it is very difficult to analyse their regiment, as most served in more than one, and many in more than one Service. For this reason, I have not offered such an analysis.

The majority have been commissioned in 1917 or later (61% of recruits) having served about 2 years in the ranks before commissioning

Very few had not been commissioned - 20 were Merchant Marine Mates or Masters taken on for Q Coy for maritime work. Another 16had not been commissioned for a variety of reason.

112 men had received "commission on discharge". In other words they had never actually served as an officer, and got the commission the day of their demob. The real number is higher as commissions on discharge are difficult to find

The average recruit was born around 1892. And 81% were born between 1885 and 1899.

The average recruit had been a Lt in the British Army (59% were Lts) and only 17% had held the rank of Captain or higher.

The average ADRIC recruit was more likely to have come from a family where his father had been a shopkeeper or a tradesman, than from one where his father was well off. Only 31% came from aprofessional or higher managerial family

The average age of death was 63. However 48 men were to die before the age of 30, mainly through violence. Many lived into their 90s and one man reached 101

Very few had criminal records when they joined the ADRIC, it is amyth that they did - I only found 4 men with criminal records or being cashiered before joining the ADRIC. An analysis shows that a number did pick up convictions, usually for fraud, after leaving the ADRIC. I could confirm 86 men who had received a criminal sentence. Again the real figure will be higher than thisas it is more difficult to see if a "R Smith" had a later criminal conviction, than say an "RW Waage-Mott". It has been impossible to determine whether this is "average" for any group of WW1 officers. I was unable to find any defrocked clergymen.

Their suicide rate was roughly twice the male UK suicide rate in the years 1920 to 1939. At least 24 of them committed suicide. Again there are no comparative figures for WW1 officers' suicide rates.

59 T/Cadets died during their deployment in Ireland, of these 44 were killed by the IRA

Many were wounded ( a list of 117 instances of wounding - not all"in action") and received compensation for their injuries (£170,000 and £200,000 appears to have been paid to ADRIC men as a result of injuries)

They took part in a great many incidents - where I have attemptedto record all incidents and those involved

And for readers wanting just the colourful characters 165 Interesting ADRIC men A personal selection of interesting lives among the men who joined the ADRIC

They were divided into Companies stationed mainly in Southern Ireland, and there is an analysis of each company, its movements,its men, its actions, its commanders.

Apart from the regular ADRIC companies there was "The Police Advisor's Office", of which I was not satisfied that I have solved the question as to what they did and how Z Coy of ADRIC fitted with the PA's Office

In 1922 I found 158 men who transferred to British Gendarmerie inPalestine and a number went to Ulster Constabulary (my list of 22individuals is, I suspect, only a small portion of those that transferred - Ulster research is "difficult".

Serving the needs of the ADRIC were the Vets and Drivers Division. I have not attempted to analyse these men

You could conclude that the average recruit was an Lieutenant in the British Army, aged about 30. Not drawn preferentially from any part ofthe UK. And that his father was a shopkeeper or tradesman. He was probably not what the British Government thought they were recruiting as "ex-officers" with a vision of upper class Sandhurst men. They got instead mainly men who had been born into upper/working class or lowermiddle class homes, and who had spent a considerable time in the ranksbefore being commissioned. 

The Auxiliary Division of the RIC

Perhaps in theory a solution to the policing problems in Ireland but an interview with Croziersoon after his resignation from ADRIC, pinpoints the problem of bad discipline and bad

company commanders as hindering their work

The Auxiliary Division of the Royal Ulster Constabulary was a para-military police unit, which with very few exceptions, accepted only ex-officers from the British Army (or one of the Empire armies). They

served as separate units from the RIC and the RIC had little control over them. The ADRIC Company Commanders reported to the Commandant of the ADRIC. And he reported to Gen HH Tudor, the Chief of Police in Ireland.. The ADRIC should not be confused with the "Black & Tans", which was made up of ex-British Other Ranks and served as part of the RIC, being used to bolster normal RIC numbers.

Little has been written about the men who served in the ADRIC. The only way I could see to open Pandora's Box on the ADRIC and research them properly was to examine the backgrounds of all the men who signedup for the ADRIC and arrive at a proper alphabetic index of them all. Where possible I have taken their lives from birth, through the censuses, their war records, commissioning, and medals. I have not published a book, as I believe that to be accurate and up to date, thepresentation of the information needs the flexibility of a web site. Iam happy to accept corrections or other changes. I believe that the details I have presented on individual recruits to the ADRIC are the "best fit" to the clues on name, rank, regiment, age found in the ADRIC registers; but my solutions will need to be amended over time.

2214 (mainly) ex-officers signed up for the Auxiliary Division of the RIC, in as much as the service numbers of the ADRIC go up to 2214. However some men attested, but never arrived in Ireland; some have twonumbers (like the Trim Looting men) from leaving the ADRIC and then re-entering. I estimate that 2131 men joined ADRIC (arrived at by taking 2214 numbers issued , then taking into account men with 2 service numbers (50) , men with no service number (3) , men who had a service number but never became operational (36)) .

With men leaving and new men arriving, nothing like that number were serving at the same time. I have found 769 men who left early for one reason or another - resigned, dismissed, medically unfit either from war service or from RIC service, killed in action, murdered, died. So

out of every 3 men who signed up for the ADRIC, 1 will have left before demobilisation in January 1922. The maximum size of the ADRIC at any one time was just under 1500 men . There were at a maximum 17 "normal" ADRIC companies in the field with about 81 men each. Therefore there were 1377 Temp Cadets in the field, plus around 100 ina combination of Depot Coy, HQ Coy, Z Coy and S Coy

A "normal" company was made up of 81 men per company in 9 sections of 8 men including Section Leader, which is 72 men plus Company Commander, Second in Command, 3 Platoon Commanders, 1 Intelligence Officer, 1 Transport Officer, 1 Quartermaster, 1 Assistant QM. Originally there were 4 Platoons per Company, but by Nov 1920 this wasrationalised down to 3 Platoons per Company, and it then remained at 3per company until the withdrawal in Jan 1922

Looking at the make up of the ADRIC by researchable factors

Birthplace. It turns out that the make up of the men themselves was a reasonable cross section of the British Army at that time. Their origins were much what one would have expected if one analyses their country of birth. The detailed analysis on those workings shows for the 90% of men whom I have a place of birth, their origins were roughly what one would have expected, if one removes the internationalbirths and reworks the percentages. Apart from the high number, 8.5%, of entrants with non-UK births (International Births) which is due to factors like the fact ADRIC accepted ex-officers from Allied countriesarmies, plus the fact that men from overseas were more likely to tarryin Europe after the war. Of the 168 born outside the UK, 50 were in India, 26 in Africa, 21 in Europe, 15 in USA, 13 in Australia, 12 in Canada, 11 in West Indies, 7 in New Zealand and the remaining 12 from a variety of countries

Ireland

Scotland Wales London & Home

CountiesRest of England

International

% in ADRIC 9.6% 8.7% 3.9% 33.6% 44.0% 8.5% of total

% expected from 1911census 9.7% 10.5% 5.3% (England) 74.5%

If we look at the men born in Ireland who joined the ADRIC, they are weighted towards Ulster and Leinster born, and perhaps not surprisingly towards Protestants. The conclusions of a fuller analysisof Irish born recruits shows that of 177 (probably) Irish born membersof the ADRIC

69 born in Ulster - that is 42% of the ADRIC Irish recruits, and Ulster had 36% of the population of Ireland

30 born in Munster - that is 18% of the ADRIC Irish recruits, andMunster had 24 % of the population of Ireland

60 born in Leinster - that is 36% of the ADRIC Irish recruits, and Leinster had 26% of the population of Ireland

6 born in Connaught - that is 4% of the ADRIC Irish recruits, andConnaught had 14% of the population of Ireland

12 county of birth not known

Religions. Where known, the mix of religions among the Irish born ADRIC men was (there is no way of getting the religion of non-Irish born men as that was not a English census question). The 1911 census shows in the whole of Ireland 74% of population were Catholic, 13% C of I, 10% Presbyterian and 3% other Protestant), while the ADRIC Irishborn recruits were. Given that ADRIC recruits came from ex-officers, it is perhaps not surprising that they were weighted towards Protestants

58% Protestant (66 men C of I., 29 men Presbyterian, 8 men other Protestant) for ADRIC recruits born in Ireland

42% Catholic (48 men)

Social Class. If one takes the job of their father in the census just after their birth, one can get an idea of their economic/educational background. I have for nearly 1800 men. The full analysis is here . Only 31% came from what one would consider the traditional backgroundsof the officer class in the British Army - that is the professions (law, medicine, etc), higher managerial, landed gentry. The average ADRIC recruit was more likely to have come from a family where his father had been a shopkeeper or a tradesman.

Unskilled

Tradesman, foreman

Army/Police OR

Shopkeeper Farmer Salesman Clerk Professional,

Officer, Manager

100% 7% 30% 6% 11% 3% 5% 7% 31%

 Medals. If one looks at their military prowess. Of those that joined the ADRIC 217 had MCs. There is a full analysis of medals that men hadwon before they entered ADRIC. One would expect that ex-officers joining the ADRIC would include many with decorations. There are 439 men in the ADRIC with medals in the table below. The figures are

roughly what you would expect for a group who had mainly fought part of the war as Officers and part as Enlisted Men. The only notable exception is the relatively low number of DSO, where one would have expected to see about 50 to 70 DSOs, but only 19 ADRIC men held DSOs -the ADRIC was not attracting ex-senior officers in proportion. Note also that 81 men had fought in the Boer War . I have not accepted whatmen stated their medals to be, but have tried to substantiate what medals they won.

427 recipients of medals - that is about 1 in 5 had some gallantry medal as well as the "normal" war medals

VC - 3 men DSO - 16 men DSO and bar - 2 men DSO and 3 bars - 1 man MC - 208 men MC and bar - 17 men MC and 2 bars - 3 men DCM - 55 men (of whom 3 had 1 bar) MM - 71 men (of whom 3 had 1 bar) 31 C de G (various) QSA - 81 men plus one who fought on the Boer side

Commissions It is commonly believed, that with few exceptions, that they were all officers. To a certain extent it depends on what you mean by an officer. Of the 2131 men that joined the ADRIC, we can makea number of observations

I have the commission dates for over 1900 of the men who joined ADRIC from these one can get the spread of commission dates

Date of commission pre 1914 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919+% of commissions found 4% 6% 17% 12% 30% 24% 7%

So about 61% of the men who served in ADRIC were commissioned 1917 or later., and only 4% had been commissioned before the outbreak of WW!

At least 112 men who joined ADRIC received "commissions on discharge". In other words they benefited from a scheme, under which they never served as offers, but became officers in the reserve on the day of their demobilisation. Before that they had

been Other Ranks, and got the upgrade on demobilisation thanks toAO 42 . Army Order 42 of 1919 states as follows: Whereas We deem it expedient to regulate further the future grant of commissions to officer cadets during the period of the present war, Our Will and Pleasure is that such cadets as, on or after January 1, 1919, have completed a satisfactory course of training, may be granted Special Reserve, Territorial Force, or temporary commissions, but that they shall not be entitled to any outfit allowance, gratuity, pay or any other emoluments as officers in respect of the grant of such commissions.  On leaving the Army, or on being demobilised,they shall receive such gratuities as they would be eligible for as warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men had they not been granted a commission. My figure is an under-estimate, as commissions on discharge are harder to find in the London Gazette, than "normal" commission

20 Merchant Marine men who joined the ADRIC. They held MMR sailing qualifications and were not commissioned RNR officers

16 various other non-commissioned men. Some were RAF flight cadets who were not commissioned (though others did apply for commissions on discharge with much the same qualifications, and received a commission)

The earliest commission was for E L Lowdell in 1878 . There is a list of all pre WW1 commissions on this page.

The latest commissions were 128 post war commissions (including the 118 commissions on discharge)

Age. There is a wide range of ages in the ADRIC . A working sheet of ADRIC ages

68% of the men were born after 1890. And 94% born after 1880 The oldest men were CB Fitzhardy b1857 and EL Lowdell born 1858 And the youngest was Toller LIM b1905, who joined ADRIC when he

was 16, and could never have held a commission.

Birth year1850-1859 1860-1869 1870-

1879 1880-1889 1890-1899 1900+

1880-1884 1885-1889

1890-1894

1895-1899

Total=2030 2 16 114 211 323 602 704 58

100% 0% 1% 6% 10% 16% 30% 35% 3%

Ranks held in the Armed Forces. A working sheet on ADRIC Ranks

Lt was the rank that had been held by the majority of ADRIC men. Promotion from 2nd.Lt to Lt was automatic in the British Army after 18months as a 2nd.Lt

Only 17% of ADRIC recruits had held the rank of Captain or higher Crozier and Wood are the 2 Brigadiers

no Commission 2nd.Lt Lt Capt Major Lt.Col Brig'ierTotal = 2011 33 446 1188 277 53 12 2

100% 2% 22% 59% 14% 3% 0% 0%

How long did they live for?

Analysis of 1430 death dates gives an average age of ADRIC men at63 years old. The group is atypical of WW1 survivors in that 51 of them died before the age of 30, the majority violent deaths. But on the other hand many lived to a ripe old age, 50 were over 90 when they died, and one man was 101

Were they criminals? Very few had either any criminal record or had been cashiered before they joined the ADRIC, I could only find 4. An initial analysis shows 86 men who served in the ADRIC were convicted of criminal offences after WW1, including those convicted while in ADRIC. As I have not been able to get details of men with very common names, this figure would be higher if that was factored in.

4 murders 8 Trim looters 1 man got 10 years for espionage 1 man got 7 years and a flogging for armed robbery The majority were for fraud (or similar offences) and received

under 12 months goal

So how did it all start?

Nothing in researching the ADRIC is straight forward. Most of their records were destroyed when they left Ireland, and records that remainare difficult to read, incomplete, and generally not "professionally" kept. There was no complete, searchable record of the men who served. I had to construct that in order to slot the random collection of facts (often rambling, but usually with a semblance of truth) that emerges from Irish newspapers, English newspapers, IRA "Witness Statements", National Archive material, genealogical material, contemporary books. Once I had that list in place, which I do now, then it became easier to place the right information in the right places.

It all began with a Cabinet meeting on 11 May 1920, the Secretary of State for War, Winston Churchill, suggested the formation of a "Special Emergency Gendarmerie, which would become a branch of the Royal Irish Constabulary." Churchill's proposal was referred to a committee chaired by General Sir Neville Macready, Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in Ireland. Macready's committee rejected Churchill's proposal, but it was revived two months later, in July, byMajor-General H H Tudor, the Police Adviser to the Dublin Castle administration in Ireland . In a memo dated 6 July 1920, Tudor justified the scheme on the grounds that it would take too long to reinforce the Royal Irish Constabulary with ordinary recruits. Tudor'snew "Auxiliary Force" would be temporary: its members would enlist fora year: their pay would be £7 per week (twice what a constable was paid), plus a sergeant's allowances, and would be known as "Temporary Cadets". A 2nd Lt in the Army would have got 16/- a day in comparison.The pay in the ADRIC went up to 21/- a day in late 1920. On top of thepay they got allowances, one months leave a year on full pay, and a return rail warrant. Allowances included rent allowance (11/6d per week for married man), boot allowance 1/6d per week, separation allowance (married men got 2/- per day if separated from their wife), 5/- per week plain clothes allowance - the effect was that a married man got an additional £83-6-0 per year on top of his salary of £546 per year.

Recruiting for the ADRIC began in July 1920 Applicants had their military records and police references checked. This appears to have been conscientiously done, in as much as one finds letters on officersfiles in The National Archives showing that it had been carried out. There extremely few examples of underage men, or bogus medals. Once a Cadet was then interviewed and approved, recruits were sent twice a week in groups to the depot in Ireland. The majority were recruited inScotland Yard Headquarters, London by Major Cyril Francis Fleming, County Inspector, RIC and Captain Francis Jackson, District Inspector,RIC.

Command and control of ADRIC companies was somewhat lax. Since companycommanders (District Inspector 1st class) were equal in rank to seniorRIC district inspectors, they took orders only from county inspectors,divisional commissioners, and their own commandant

The term "officer" applies to men who held the rank of District Inspector (class 1 or 2 or 3). Company Commanders were referred to as "Major" even though their Army rank may have been lower, and the Second in Command of a Company similarly was referred to as "Captain" even if he had only been a Lieutenant.

Company Commanders were DI1 grade. There were 56 DI1s in the lifeof the ADRIC. Particularly the early Company Commanders were not very successful and left or were pushed out. 4 of these men were born in Ireland. 3 committed suicide and 2 were KIA in Ireland and another murdered in Palestine in 1923.

Company 2nd in Command were DI2. There were 66 DI2s in the life of the ADRIC.5 of these men were born in Ireland.

Intelligence Officers were DI3. There were 48 IO in the life of the ADRIC. 7 of these men were born in Ireland. 2 were murdered in Ireland, and 1 committed suicide

Platoon Commanders were DI3. 153 men who held the rank of PlatoonCommander. Of these only 8 were of Irish birth.

After a nominal six-week course on policing at the RIC’s Curragh training centre, the first ADRIC Companies became operational in September 1920. As far as I can ascertain, this six weeks was cut as the ADRIC became established and men went straight to their allotted

Company after 4 or 5 days in Dublin. . By September 1920 five companies were operational, each originally with a strength of about 100 to 110 and by Dec 1920, the division was 1,145 strong. The rolls of the ADRIC show a total of 2214 men joined over the period of their existence, though for various reasons the total is lower than this, and with men leaving, the maximum strength never got above about 1500 men. . The Auxiliaries were nominally part of the RIC, but actually operated more or less independently in rural areas. Divided into companies (eventually 21 of them), each heavily armed and highly mobile, they operated in ten counties, mostly in the south and west, where Irish Republican Army activity was greatest. They wore either RIC uniforms or their old army uniforms with appropriate police badges, along with distinctive Tam-o-shanter caps. They were commandedby Brigadier-General F P Crozier - in fact Crozier was in command for a surprising short part of the ADRIC's existence at only 20 weeks (he was in command 27 weeks, but away from duty wounded for 7 weeks following a car smash during this period). Crozier resigned in Feb 1921, and Brigadier-General E A Wood took over command and ran the Auxiliaries until they were disbanded - Wood was in command therefore 55 weeks - 48 weeks plus the 7 weeks of Crozier's car injury absence.

Originally a Company was about 110 men and had 4 Platoons. In early November (according to Crozier) the number of Platoons per company wasreduced to 3, to enable more companies to be put into the field quickly. This is substantiated by the records. One can see this changeover from a surviving fragment of strength information , and it takes place from 18 Nov 1921.

The monthly ebb and flow of recruits can be followed

Total arrivals in month

Total departures in month

Strength at end ofmonth

no date 12 menJul 1920 64 0 men 64

Aug 1920 401 13 men 376

Sep 1920 181 19 men 538

Oct 1920 274 32 men 780

Nov 1920 226 67 men 939

Dec 1920 250 47 men 1142

Jan 1921 222 58 men 1306

Feb 1921 151 86 men 1371

Mar 1921 108 63 men 1416

Apr 1921 46 61 men 1401

May 1921 79 44 men 1436

Jun 1921 84 65 men 1455

Jul 1921 23 29 men 1449

Aug 1921 0 46 men 1403

Sep 1921 1 45 men 1359

Oct 1921 35 26 men 1368

Nov 1921 52 29 men 1391

Dec 1921 11 24 men 1378

Jan 1922 0 3 men 1375

Feb 1922 1 man 1374

The Timeline

1920 Jul 27. The first recruits started arriving in Dublin. There was no command structure

1920 Aug 10. Crozier wrote that initially the ADRIC organisation was chaotic. They were barracked at The Curragh and recruits had to arrange their own messing and canteens, and there was nobody in command. About 10th August the cadets were formed into 2 companies A

and B. Crozier commanded A Coy and Kirkwood commanded B (Kirkwood resigned from ADRIC on 28 Sep 1920)

The first six Companies were A Coy, B Coy, C Coy, D Coy E Coy and F Coy plus a Depot Company

1920 Sep 1. By now Crozier had been confirmed as commander of the ADRIC, and the depot was moved from the Curragh to Beggars Bush Barracks in Dublin

1920 Oct 13 to 20. G Coy was formed with the first intake of 93

1920 Oct 20. Brig-Gen E A Wood joined and soon after that became 2nd in command. When he was promoted to ADRIC commander in Feb 1921 following Crozier's resignation, Lt-Col F H W Guard became 2nd in command from Company commander of D Coy in Galway

1920 Oct 28 to Nov 8. H Coy formed with first intake of 60

1920 Nov 6. 20 ADRIC and 20 RIC men inspected in London by Lloyd George. ADRIC contingent were under the command of T Mitchel

1920 Nov 8 to 17. I Coy formed with first intake of 88

1920 Nov 19. J Coy formed with first intake of 26, rising ten days later on 29th Nov 1920 to 73.

Companies were supplied with Crossley tenders to enhance their mobility and their tasks included mounting raids and searches for arms, seditious literature and suspect individuals on their own initiative, or in association with other RIC or military units.

Initially two companies of auxiliaries were stationed in Dublin : F Company in Dublin Castle; and the Division's Depot Company was at Beggars Bush Barracks.

Auxiliary Division Company Commanders also held the rank of 1st Class R.I.C. District Inspectors

Company Second in Commands (usually the Adjutant) also held the R.I.C. rank of 2nd Class District Inspectors

Platoon Commanders also held the R.I.C. rank of 3rd Class District Inspectors

The Intelligence Officer, who was ranked as a 3rd Class District Inspector.

Section Leaders also held the R.I.C. rank of Head Constable. The Quartermaster, often a Section Leader on appointment, rising

to DI3 or "Hon DI3" over time The Transport Officer who was ranked as a Section Leader. Each

company had its own transport - 7 Crossley tenders and 2 Ford touring cars.

When the Auxiliary Division was formed during August 1920 there were four platoons to each Company. In November 1920 the number of platoons was reduced to three, supposedly in order to put moreCompanies into the field. There were then 3 Sections per Platoon.And 3 Platoons per Company

47 Cadets Promoted to 3rd class District Inspectors on the 1st Oct 1920. This was a major move in sorting out the command and control of companies

Each man had a rifle, bayonet, revolver. Each company had 16 Winchester rifles and 4 Lewis guns

T/Cadet Reynolds who was in the pay of the IRA and later joined the Irish Army, says in this notes that are included in Collins Papers, claims of the Auxiliaries "some were very good and about 10% were bad eggs" . I believe that Reynolds was not far from the truth there

1920 Nov 23. Crozier had a serious car accident on his way to Dublin from investigating the problem in Galway with D Coy and then inspecting G Coy in Killaloe, and was in Curragh Hospital for a month.He then moved to a Rest Home in Dublin, and finally returned to duty with the ADRIC towards the end of January 1921. Wood was in charge of the ADRIC during Crozier's absence.

1920 Nov 28 Kilmichael Ambush. 19 ADRIC men killed

1920 Dec 9. In its Supplementary Routine Orders divisional headquarters published the names and numbers of sixty-three temporary cadets and eighteen temporary constables who had been fined over the

past couple of months. The most common offence among both temporary cadets and temporary constables was absence without leave.

1920 Dec 11. Dillons Cross Ambush and the Burning of Cork

1920 Dec 11. Tudor writes to the Times

1920 Dec 15. Canon Magner murder by T/C Hart

1921 Jan 22. Sir Harmer Greenwood addresses ADRIC at Beggars Bush Barracks. Crozier was back on duty by now

1921 Feb 9. During a raid in Dublin, F Coy ADRIC arrested two Irishmen, James Murphy and Patrick Kennedy. Their bodies were found ina field in Drumcondra. The two IRA prisoners (both men may have been on the execution squads on Bloody Sunday) in the custody of 'F' company of the Auxiliaries were shot dead with buckets on their heads and their bodies found at Clonturk Park, Drumcondra, Dublin. The two prisoners had been taken from the ADRIC guard room at Dublin Castle. The dying James Murphy testified that King had taken them and stated that they were Just going for a drive. Captain King, and two of his men, one Irish, were arrested and put on trial for the Drumcondra Murders. Theywere acquitted by a court-martial on the 15th April as testimony from a dying man was inadmissible. O'Malley met King in the prison exerciseyard, who bemoaned his fate that he was a political scapegoat, taking the blame for the government. King was transferred to Galway city as Coy Commander of D Coy.

1921 Feb 9. Trim Looting incident which led to Crozier resigning

1921 Feb 19. Crozier was "permitted to Resign" over the reinstatement of the Trim Looters, that he had authorised, and Tudor had rescinded.-note that the original entry was 27 Feb, but has been altered to 19 Feb. EAA Wood took over as Commandant from this date..

1921 Feb 25. Lloyd George’s private opinion on their conduct. In a letter ((House of Lords Record Office, Lloyd George papers, F/19/3/4)

to Hamar Greenwood, the Irish chief Secretary, the Prime Minister’s hard line in private contrasted with his public assurances and also linked indiscipline in Ireland with public opinion. I am not at all satisfied of the state of discipline in the Royal Irish Constabulary and its auxiliary force. Accounts reach me from too many and too authoritative quarters to leave any doubt in my mind that the charges of drunkenness, looting and other acts of indiscipline are in too many cases substantially true ... [ This is] causing grave uneasiness in the public mind .. . It is vital that the violence and indiscipline which undoubtedly characterises certain units in the Royal Irish Constabulary should be terminated in the most prompt and drastic manner. It is weakening seriously the hands of the executive.... Public opinion, which is already unhappy, will swing round and withdraw its support from the policy which is now being pursued by the Governmentin Ireland. There is no doubt that indiscipline, looting and drunkenness in the Royal Irish Constabulary is alienating great numbers of well disposed people in Ireland and throwing theminto the arms of Sinn Fein

1920 Apr 30. Viscount French, the departing Viceroy, inspected the RICat Phoenix Park - 6 Officers and 212 Other Ranks of RIC plus 7 Officers and 125 Cadets of ADRIC . It was his final parade as Viceroy

1921 Jul 10. All recruiting for ADRIC suspended and did not resume until Oct 1921

1921 Jul 11 . The "Truce" came into effect between the British and theIRA. Hostilities (mainly) ceased

1921 Oct 10 Inspection by Lord FitzAlan

1921 Oct 25 Recruiting for ADRIC re-commenced, but only 100 men were added before the withdrawal in Jan 1922

1922 Jan 11. FHW Guard posted "to Holyhead", to oversee the demobilisation of ADRIC there. As well as FHW Guard, S Fenner , FJ Richards and AT Barker were posted to Holyhead to control the demobilisation

1922 Jan 16. Withdrawal starts. Companies came first to Dublin, then by boat to Holyhead, where they were paid off, handed in their weapons, and dispersed to their homes in mufti. Dispersal was not without a frisson of discontent. First in Dublin there was haggling over the terms of cessation of their contracts

Then in Holyhead

And at the end an agreement signed at Dublin Castle, by the Assistant Under Secretary, Cope, representing the Imperial Government, and six members of the Representative Body of the Auxiliary Division, duly accredited for that purpose which gave the Dispersal Terms.

Unexpired Contracts. - One pound ( £1 ) per day (or one guinea per day where such is thecontracted payment ) to be paid in respect of the unexpired portion. Lump-sum

settlements to be made as soon as possible and in case not later than the 31st March, 1922.

In the event of any Cadet accepting further employment under the Crown before before the expiration of his contract period, an appropriate adjustment to be made in the emoluments due in respect of the unexpired portion of his contract.

Expired Contracts. - Payment to be made at the rate of one pound ( £1 ) per a day ( or one guinea per day as the case may be ) in respect of the period up to 31st March,1922. This also to apply to contracts terminating before the 31st March, 1922.

These arrangements to be regarded as a final settlement covering all emoluments payable both in respect of expired and unexpired contracts and are framed with a view to meeting any possible hardship arising from the promulgation without Government authority of re-engagement of particular Cadets to 31st July, 1922, which was subsequently corrected.

An advance of £30 to be made to each Cadet on dispersal, the balance payable under thearrangement for expired contracts to be paid as early as possible, ( not later than the 14th February, 1922). Income tax to be charged according to law.

We, the undersigned, on behalf of the members of the Auxiliary Division ( being duly accredited for the purpose ) hereby signify our acceptance of the terms set out above.( Signed ) Wallis Muirhead . B R Durlacher. E.M. Nicol, E Fleming, J W Hescroff, R A Maloney

On behalf of the Imperial Government, I agree to the terms as setout above. Dated this 18th day of January, 1922. (Signed) A.W. COPE, Assistant Under-Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant. Chief Secretary's Office. Dublin Castle.

1922 Jan 24 . There were various press reports of the details of ADRICcompanies dates of demobilisation. None of them agree, as good as anything, the movements were something like

1921 Jan 13 - H Coy from Tralee 1921 Jan 13 - C Coy from Macroom 1921 Jan 14 - Q Coy from 1921 Jan 14 - N Coy from 1921 Jan 15 - 1921 Jan 15 - 1921 Jan 16 - R Coy from Dunmanway 1921 Jan 16 - O Coy from Mountjoy Jail 1921 Jan 17 - Auxiliaries stationed at William St, Limerick left 1921 Jan 17 - 1921 Jan 18 - E Coy from Westport 1921 Jan 18 - A Coy from Kilkenny 1921 Jan 19 - G Coy from Corofin 1921 Jan 19 - M Coy from Longford - 12 companies had now left 1921 Jan 20 - C Coy from Cobh 1921 Jan 20 - D Coy from Donegal 1921 Jan 21 - J Coy from Macroom 1921 Jan 24 - P coy from Tobercurry - 75 men, and were last ADRIC

coy to leave Ireland

1922 Mar 28.

1922 Apr 12. ADRIC had finished in Ireland, next stop for many of themwas Palestine and the Palestine Gendarmerie, with their old boss from Ireland H H Tudor now in charge in Palestine. 750 recruits for Palestine embarked on the Steamer ‘City of Oxford’ at Devonport Dockyard., arriving in Palestine on 29 April 1922. 159 of them were ex-ADRIC Cadets - the link gives their names and Service numbers. Thisrepresents about 1 in every 9 Cadets in ADRIC at demobilisation , moving to Palestine

1922 Mar 6. Hansard. Lieut.-Colonel ARCHER-SHEE asked the Chief Secretary how many members of the Auxiliary Division, Royal Irish Constabulary, sentenced to terms of imprisonment, are still in prison;and whether these men are to be detained, though Sinn Fein prisoners imprisoned for similar offences have been released? § Sir H. GREENWOODThere is only one late member of the Auxiliary Division in prison.

This man was convicted after the Truce for having falsified accounts with intent to defraud and for having obtained money by false pretences. He is now undergoing sentence for those offences. He has submitted a memorial which is at the present time under consideration.(This appears to be Joslyn CS gaoled for false accounting in Dec 1921)

At the end of the day one can now pull out various facts

Auxiliary Companies Their history and where they were stationed Auxiliaries listed by Service Number Auxiliaries Alphabetically indexed Strength by month About 2131 men joined ADRIC (after allowing for

book keeping corrections). And 769 men left before the demobilisation of ADRIC in Jan 1922.

Resignations, deaths and dismissals The maximum strength of the ADRIC was about 1500. Of the men who joined roughly 1 in 3 left before the demobilisation of the ADRIC

Country of Birth I can get a birthplace for about 90% of the men who enlisted as T/Cadets. 168 men were born outside the UK, and the rest come from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales in much the proportion that one would expect from population.

Criminal convictions. An analysis of their lives post WW1 shows 86 men who served in the ADRIC were convicted of criminal offences, including 3 murders. The majority were for fraud (or similar offences). The actual number will be higher.

Suicide . At least 24 of the ADRIC men committed suicide , maybe more. Mental health was a problem as the average for UK men in the same period 1919 to 1939 , shows that only 10 would have beenexpected to have taken their own lives)

DI1 . 56 men held the rank of DI1 , most being Company Commanders.The early (less successful) appointments were made heavily on age, medals, and army rank

DI2 . 66 men held the rank of DI2 , most being as second in commandof companies

Intelligence Officer 48 men served as Intelligence Officers in the existence of ADRIC. 2 were murdered in Ireland, and 1 committed suicide (in 1939)

Platoon Commander 153 men who held the rank of Platoon Commander. Compensation claims that resulted from the ADRIC men wounded in

Ireland. Between £170,000 and £200,000 appears to have been paid to ADRIC men as a result of injuries. An historic money value calculation puts that about £8 million in modern values

Auxiliaries wounded in Ireland I have recorded 117 reports of wounding

Auxiliaries died between joining and Jan 1922 demobilisation 59 T/Cadets died during this time, of these 44 were killed by the IRA

Awards and Medals Very few bravery awards - 7 Constabulary Medalsand 1 Kings Police medal awarded to ADRIC Cadets

165 Interesting ADRIC men A personal selection of interesting lives among the men who joined the ADRIC

2 men had won Olympic Gold Medals, McArthur MJ for Rugby for Australia in 1908 and Lyle H for Lacrosse for Canada in 1904

439 men in the ADRIC had medals in addition to the normal war medals. The figures are roughly what you would expect for a groupwho had mainly fought part of the war as Officers and part as Enlisted Men. The only notable exception is the relatively low number of DSO, where one would have expected to see about 50 to 70 DSOs - the ADRIC was not attracting ex-senior officers in proportion.

By Social Class Only 31% came from what one would consider the tradition backgrounds of the old officer class in the British Army - that is the professions (law, medicine, etc), higher managerial, landed gentry. The average ADRIC recruit was more likely to have come from a family where his father had been a shopkeeper or a tradesman.

By Age 68% of the men were born after 1890. And 94% born after 1880

So that is the Auxiliary Division of the RIC. I hope that it can provea basis for more research into ADRIC, and that the information contained here can be refined and improved