The article explains the continuities between the revolutionary Ulster Volunteer Force and the Ulster Special Constabulary with an overview of the constabulary's establishment in 1920. "[83] The Cameron Report described the B-Specials as "a partisan and paramilitary force recruited exclusively from Protestants. WebThe Royal Ulster Constabulary GC was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. There are special reports on the major figures of the time and the events that shaped modern Ireland available at bbc.co.uk/ni100. Newtownbutler Special Constabulary Feb 21, 2022 #83 From Ballymena Weekly Telegraph, 8th April 1922: 1. 1, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Gormanston no. WebRUC ROYAL ULSTER SPECIAL CONSTABULARY n NORTHERN IRELAND IRISH POLICE. Uniforms took the same pattern as RIC/RUC dress with high collared tunics. Ruc Royal Ulster Constabulary Boxed Service Medal N Ireland Irish Police. WebThe RIC Roll has been developed as an online resource and research tool, to facilitate the study of the War of Independence. Sir John Cameron was requested to submit a report on the disturbances in Northern Ireland. Other scores were :- Drumbeg 294, Dunmurry 297, Brookmount 260, Glenavy 254, Knocknadona 226 and Aghalee 214. King George V and Queen Mary arrive for the opening of the parliament of Northern Ireland in June 1921, The Ulster Special Constabulary was set up in 1920 and dissolved in 1970, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. WebThe Police Museum holds microfilm copies of the Royal Irish Constabulary service records 1822-1922, the originals of which are held at the Public Record Office at Kew in London. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. 2, Constabulary force funds, widows' and orphans' gratuities, Constabulary force funds, correspondence register, Constabulary force funds, subscribers: annual record of deaths and withdrawals, Constabulary lists, MS list of chief officers, resident magistrates etc, Constabulary lists, vol 22: issues 128-133, Constabulary lists, vol 23: issues 134-139, Constabulary lists, vol 24: issues 140-145, Constabulary lists, vol 25: issues 146-151, Standing orders (precursor to constabulary code). (A small portion of East Donegal was ultimately included in the new Northern Ireland state.) Did your Irish ancestor serve in the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)? WebEnglish: The badge of the Ulster Special Constabulary; a former quasi-military reserve police force in Northern Ireland. Historians cannot overstate its influence within Ulster unionist politics, society and culture during the early years of partition. WebAbstract. WebCatalogue description Ulster Special Constabulary: general correspondence Ordering and viewing options This record has not been digitised and cannot be downloaded. Death: The Ulster Protestant Association in Belfast Date 19 August 2014, 00:57:50 Source Own work Author MrPenguin20 Permission (Reusing this file) This vector imageincludes elements that have been taken or adapted from this file: His investigation uncovers a rarely exposed facet of the Irish revolution. [59], In addition to action against the IRA, the USC may have been involved in a number of attacks on Catholic civilians in reprisal for IRA actions,[60] for example, in Belfast, the McMahon Murders of March 1922, in which six Catholics were killed,[60][61] and the Arnon Street killings a week later which killed another six. Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth. His recommendations included:[7], The Ulster Special Constabulary was disbanded in May 1970. During the Irish War of Independence, RIC barracks were the targets of frequent attacks from the Irish Republican Army. [12] Craig proposed to the British cabinet a new "volunteer constabulary" which "must be raised from the loyal population" and organised, "on military lines" and "armed for duty within the six county area only". Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. The index provides names of new recruits, their dates of appointment and arrival, and their company. 246 pages. "[48] The government suggested the recruitment of more Catholics to form "Catholic only" patrols to cover Catholic areas, but this was not acted upon.[26]. border: 1px solid #CCC; Their conduct towards the Catholic population was criticised on a number of occasions. To access the records held here you will either need to visit us, pay for research ( charges apply) or, where you can identify a specific record reference, order a copy ( charges apply ). Constabulary Service Records The Ulster Special Constabulary - The History of Ireland Michael Collins planned a clandestine guerilla campaign against Northern Ireland using the IRA. List of Memorials Together, the records will help to provide an overview of your ancestors career in the force. A second reason was that violence in the north was increasing after the summer of 1920. In late 1921, a Belfast police officer came across a secretive loyalist paramilitary organization known as the Ulster Protestant Association or UPA, operating in the city. WebThe British Government has accepted the recommendations of the Hunt committee on policing in Northern Ireland which include the abolition of the Ulster Special Constabulary, know as the 'B Specials'. Instead of paving stones and sticks they are to be given rifles. [56], During the Second World War, the USC was mobilised to serve in Britain's Home Guard, which unusually, was put under the command of the police rather than the British Army.[68]. [82] He also remarked that although "recruitment is open to both Protestant and Roman Catholic: in practice we are in no doubt that it is almost if not wholly impossible for a Roman Catholic recruit to be accepted. Badges of rank were displayed on the right forearm of the jacket.[45]. There are two types of books related to the Constabulary Force Fund. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Police This did free up regular policemen who were generally more acceptable to most Ulster Catholics. Schutzstaffel, abbreviated as SS, literally means "protective guard." Platoon of Newtownbutler "A" Special Constabulary, under the command of Major Parkinson-Cummine and Captain Dunne (seated in centre). The other three counties (Donegal, Monaghan, and Cavan) had disproportionately Catholic and nationalist majorities and would become part of the Irish Free State. Ireland, Royal Irish Constabulary Service Records 1816-1922 The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (Proni) is governed by the Department for Communities. We place some essential cookies on your device to make this website work. On 23 July 1920 Craig informed the British cabinet that the "Specials" would "prevent mob law and the Protestants from running amok. In 1922, B Specials received two weeks training and A Specials were initially given six weeks training. . WebQuick Reference. Many of the surviving records have already been deposited in local Each record for your Royal Irish Constabulary ancestor recorded his service number. They also noted the constables pensionable pay and the recommended pension. The Anglo-Irish treaty ended the war on 6 December 1921 and the Irish Free State was established in January 1922. In most cases these weapons were retained at home by the constables along with a quantity of ammunition. "[37][39] John Anderson, the Under Secretary for Ireland (head of the British Administration in Dublin) shared his fears, "you cannot, in the middle of a faction fight, recognise one of the contending parties and expect it to deal with disorder in the spirit of impartiality and fairness essential in those who have to carry out the order of the Government. The lists show the chief constables name, county, and station. WebWilliam McDermott, Service Number 1007187, was serving with 19 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. The Royal Irish Constabulary Forum These mostly consist of nominal rolls, which recorded the members service number, rank, dispersed date, and company name. Other types of records you will find in this collection include, Chief of police department: staff and administration, correspondence, Conferring of the title `Royal Irish Constabulary': programme of ceremony (incomplete), Dublin Metropolitan Police-D division. Search background-color: #104E8B; WebUlster Special Constabulary 1:49 Milltown Accordion Band @ Mid Antrim Ulster Special Constabulary Sunday Service 2017 (1) 0:58 Milltown Accordion Band @ Mid Antrim Ulster Special Constabulary Sunday Service 2017 (5) 2:00 Milltown Accordion Band @ Mid Antrim Ulster Special Constabulary Sunday Service 2017 (3) 1:40 privacy policy, Government (local) > Police authorities and forces, GB/NNAF/C80506 (Former ISAAR ref: GB/NNAF/O43623 ). It carried out several revenge killings and reprisals against Catholic civilians in the 192022 conflict. [23] There was an immediate and illicit supply of arms available; especially from the Ulster Volunteers. Fees: The fees associated with the release of records are It wasn't until the County and Borough Police Act of 1856 that it became compulsory for municipalities to establish a police force. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. [2] It performed this role most notably in the early 1920s during the Irish War of Independence and the 1956-1962 IRA Border Campaign. 100: Centenary historians request access to For centuries, law enforcement in English towns and parishes was left to local constables and watchmen. }. The Special Constabulary was, as well as an auxiliary to the police, effectively an army under the control of the Northern Ireland administration. As a reserve police force, they were used in times of emergency such as the One of his other major concerns was the use of the police force for carrying out military style operations. Damage to property during this period was 1 million and the overall cost of the campaign was 10 million to the UK exchequer. WebLisburn won the Ulster Special Constabulary (South Antrim District) Cup for rifle shooting at Langford Lodge, Crumlin, on Saturday, scoring 297 points. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Ulster Special Constabulary You will also find division journals. 3 Police-Community Relations. Royal Irish Constabulary Several informal "constabulary" groups had already been created, for example, in Belfast, Fermanagh and Antrim. Deployment of the USC during the Anglo-Irish War provided the Northern Ireland government with its own territorial militia to fight the IRA. It has been argued that their failure to deal with the 1969 disturbances was due to a failure on behalf of the Northern Ireland government to modernise their equipment, weaponry, training and approach to the job. Special Constabulary Acts had been enacted in 1832 and 1914, meaning that the administration in Dublin Castle only had to use existing laws to create it. Included in this collection are 181 pieces from TNA series HO 184: table.tableizer-table { Unionists in Ireland's northeast were vehemently against this campaign and against Irish independence. B Specials part-time, usually on duty for one evening per week and serving under their own command structure, and unpaid, although they had a generous system of allowances (which were reduced following the reorganisation of the USC a few years later), served wherever the RIC served and manned Mobile Groups of platoon size; C Specials unpaid, non-uniformed reservists, usually rather elderly and used for static guard duties near their homes (originally 7,500 members), C1 Specials non-active C class specials who could be called out in emergencies. The Special Constabulary Long Service Medal is a long service medal awarded in the United Kingdom to members of the Special Constabulary who have completed a specified period of service (9 years unpaid service, with more than 50 duties per annum). These usually relate to men who served with the Peace Preservation Force, an early peace-keeping force in Ireland. WebThe Ulster Special Constabulary (USC) is a fundamental institution in Northern Irelands history. [9], Two main factors were behind the formation of the Ulster Special Constabulary. Royal Ulster Constabulary Any views expressed in message boards and members notes represent the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions of Findmypast Limited. "[36], Sir Nevil Macready, General Officer Commanding-in-chief of the British Army in Ireland, along with his supporters in the Irish administration, refused to approve the new force but were overridden; Lloyd George approved of it from the beginning. Its functions and membership were largely taken over by the Ulster Defence Regiment and the Royal Ulster Constabulary.[8]. After the Truce between the IRA and the British on 11 July 1921, the USC was demobilised by the British and the IRA was given official recognition while peace talks were ongoing. The service number will help narrow your results and you may discover records you could not find before. Wilfrid Spender, head of the Ulster Volunteer Force, encouraged his members to join. [27], Unsuccessful efforts were made to attract more Catholics into the force but these largely failed. WebThe Cambridgeshire Constabulary is also exceptional in the number of documents which it has retained from the 1830's and 1840's, since police records do not generally pre-date the compulsory establishment of the new police following the 1856 Police Act. WebA force of special constabulary was used in support of the RUC during the grave unrest which accompanied the establishment of Northern Ireland over the objections of the Roman Catholic minority in those counties. Birth, Marriage & Death, including Parish, Operated by Ancestry Ireland Unlimited Company. 'A Special' platoons were fully mobile using a Ford car for the officer in charge, two armoured cars and four Crossley Tenders (one for each of the sections). Measuring recruits at the RIC Depot in Phoenix Park, Dublin, 1903. The BBC News NI website has a dedicated section marking the 100th anniversary of the creation of Northern Ireland and partition of the island. By 1922 recruiting had swelled the numbers to: 5,500 A Specials, 19,000 B Specials and 7,500 C1 Specials. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? David Charles Arthur Police Constable, Metropolitan Police, 26 The Royal Irish Constabulary Forum Please add any photos or descriptions of graves to your police relatives. In spring 1999, a major crisis erupted over Kosovo, the southernmost province of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, with the f, Ulster Defense Association/Ulster Freedom Fighters, Ulster County Community College: Tabular Data, Ulster County Community College: Narrative Description, Ulrich, Kim Johnston 1955(? This record is held by Bedfordshire Archives. 1969: Ulster's B Specials [37] Macready and Henry Hughes Wilson argued that the concept of a special constabulary was a dangerous one. The Royal Irish Constabulary Forum-Ulster Special Constabulary The second set of records show the names of constables whose widows or children received monetary awards from the fund.