An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 35 John Morgan of Collyhurst, Manchester, England joined the IRA in 1920. He was killed on 2nd April 1921 at 58 Hulme Street, Manchester. At the time of his death Morgan (aged 21) was serving at the rank of Lieutenant with 2 Company, Manchester Battalion, IRA. The file contained in the MSPC relates to the application lodged by his mother Emily Morgan for the awarding of an allowance or gratuity under the Army Pensions Act, 1932. According to information in file the property at Hulme Street was a club, which was used by the IRA to conduct meetings. On this particular date members of the police force raided the meeting. Morgan was shot and killed during the exchange. His death certifi- cate records cause of death as 'bullet wound in his head'. His mother claims that a Constable Bolar shot him. Morgan had previously served in the British army with the Royal Engineers at the rank of Private. In a letter to Mrs Morgan from the British War Office she was informed that Morgan had served be- tween 3rd February 1916 and 18th March 1919. One interesting aspect of Morgan's death lies with the fact that he is one of just four individu- als, uncovered to date, that were killed in action outside of Ireland. The others in question are; Neill Kerr (DP7713) who was accidentally shot in Liver- pool in September 1920; Reginald Dunne (DP1462) and Joseph O'Sullivan (DP6925) who were both executed at Wandsworth Prison, London follow- ing their conviction for the murder of General Sir Henry Wilson in London on 22nd June 1922. The Project is ongoing and the Project team is now focused on the few years' ahead and associ- ated commemorations and will continue to con- tribute to the appreciation of the complexities of Ireland's revolutionary past. The material is available to search and view on- line at www.militaryarchives.ie. Project blog: www.militarypensions.wordpress.com msP Project team includes: Cécile Gordon, Se- nior Archivist and MSP Project Manager, Michael Keane, Project Archivist and Robert McEvoy, Project Archivist. These include files relating to women occupying strategic spaces in the intelligence network in Dublin and in Cork. For instance Josephine O'Donoghue (MSP34REF55794) whose work was crucial to Cork 1 Brigade IRA during the War of Inde- pendence. Confidential Secretary to Captain Webb, Strickland's principal staff Officer, she worked tirelessly for the IRA, collecting and trans- mitting original documents, copies of documents, and information of various kind, relating to British Military Forces, personnel, equip- ment, movements of troops and staff (especially British Intelligence staff attached to 6th Division). Some of her information led to the execution of three British Intelli- gence Officers in November 1920. In a reference letter dated 5 June 1939, Liam Tobin declares that: "I have no hesitation in saying that the IRA Intelligence Services in Cork City were equal to if not surpassing our work in Dublin. This situation existed because of the extremely impor- tant contacts established within the Enemy Organisation. The most reliable and important Operator was the Applicant, Mrs O'Donoghue. I remember Michael Collins expressing his plea- sure on more than one occasion when information which was secured by the applicant was forwarded to him". This release also reflects a pos- sibly surprisingly high level of involvement of ex British service- men in the anti-Treaty IRA. The case of Charles Joseph Edward Chidley from Kent (DP1644) is in- teresting. He served with 6 Bat- talion, the Middlesex Regiment and 2 Battalion, The Royal West Kent Regiment as a Band Boy and later as a Private between 1917 and 1922. He deserted from the British Army in early 1922 while serving in Ireland and joined 1 Offaly Brigade IRA Ac- tive Service Unit. On 9th August 1922 during the Civil War, Chid- ley received multiple gunshot wounds and was captured by the National Army at Brittas Castle, Clonaslee, County Laois. Chidley was hospitalised at Maryborough (Portlaoise) Hos- pital and then interned at Maryborough (Portlaoise) Prison and Tintown No. 2 Internment Camp on the Curragh until his release in December 1923. While in Ireland Chidley appears to have mostly lived in Sligo Town and seems to have been a popular and well-known figure. Charles Chidley's received an allowance under the Army Pensions Acts from 1936 until his death at Fazakerley Hospital, Liverpool, on 5th March 1975.

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