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In this final podcast of the series Mark, Roger and John cover what happened to John after the War, following the history of the newly-formed Northern Ireland.
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In this penultimate podcast of the series we look at demobilisation of the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers.
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The end of the war at 11 am on 11.11.18.
And a move from Dublin to Belfast for John
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This month we hear about a telegram that arrived at Lisadian…
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The main event in July was the Shoddy Farm raid in the early hours of 22 July 1918.
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John finally managed to make it home on leave in June 1918, so we have few letters from this time.
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Brutal fighting continued as the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers moved to Mount Kemmel SW of Ypres, and the Germans start Operation Georgette.
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This episode looks at the brutal events surrounding the German Spring Offensive (Operation Michael). The 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers were at the centre of the attack, and John was on his way home on leave…
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In this episode we still see that John is concerned for his mother’s health.
In the history section we look at the logistics of how 12 million letters reached WW1 soldiers every week. We are really grateful to former postman and former MP Alan Johnson for permission to use this material.
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John was back with his Battalion in January 1918. His one letter shows that he was very concerned about his mother’s health.
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This month we look at history of the North Irish Horse, which amalgamated with the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers in 1917, and saw fighting at Cambrai.
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No letters this month, just field postcards. This is unsurprising given the context: the beginning of the Battle of Passchendaele (Third Ypres) on 31 July, and John’s involvement in the Battle of Langemarck around 16 August. Sobering history.
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July was a busy month of training near Ypres. And a letter with some gaps.
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A look at the Battle of Messines in June 1917, where the 36th Ulster and 16th Irish Divisions fought side by side. John Adams and the 9th Irish Fusiliers were in Reserves.
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John returns to the Western Front in May 1917.
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No letters from John this month, so just a short history section on the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers.
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John is still in Ireland, but is about to go back to France.
We also discuss some new evidence about the aftermath of the Somme in Ireland, following a comment by one of our listeners.
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Only one letter this month – complaining about the wet in Newtownards.
We also have Part 2 of our interview with Blacker’s Boys author, Nick Metcalfe.
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John finally gets to leave Tipperary for somewhere closer to home – Newtownards.
We also have Part 1 of an interview with Blacker’s Boys author, Nick Metcalfe.
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John getting ready for a long Christmas in Tipperary
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Letters from John, still recovering from his hand wound at Tipperary, and from Jeannie.
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No letters from John Adams this month, but three postcards from his older sister Jeannie who was a domestic servant in Holywood, Co. Down.
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The effects of the 1st day of the Somme as felt at home. And John Adams back in Ireland, closer to home, but still suffering from his injury.
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This podcast looks at the momentous events of the 1st July 1916, back at Hamel. Then shifts to the contrast of John Adams walking round Rouken Glen park in suburban Glasgow. That is the contrast of war.
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John Adams was accidentally wounded in the left hand on the evening of 1 May 1916. This podcast looks at treatment of injured men, and follows John’s letters as he tells his mother what happened.
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The Easter Rising took place 100 years ago at the end of April 1916. In this podcast, Mark talks with Susan Schreibman and Neale Rooney of the Letters 1916 project. We also have a letter from John Adams’ sister Jeannie referencing the Rising from her home in Holywood, Co. Down.
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Rumours of an air raid over Belfast, a joke between brothers, and the usual concerns for his mother.
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John Adams spent a large part of February 1916 on home leave back in Ireland. This shorter podcast covers that unusual event.
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This podcast covers a number of letters from John Adams as he is about to go back into the trenches. We conclude the discussion between Mark, Roger and John by looking at their visit to the Somme.
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This podcast covers John Adams’ first Christmas in the trenches and a further discussion between Mark, Roger and John.
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This episode features a conversation between Mark, Roger and John remembering our trip to the Western Front in 2014. It also covers the discharge of John Adams’ cousin Thomas Davidson, and a frank letter from John Adams to his mother.
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This podcast looks at October 1915, when the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers first deployed to France.
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This podcast looks at September 1915, the last month of training for the men of the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers before leaving England for France.
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This podcast looks at August 1915.
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This podcast looks at how the Orange Order helped the men of the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers keep contact with their home and culture while training in Sussex.
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This podcast looks at the structure of the British Army and the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers’ move to Sussex for further training.
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The podcast for May 1915 features the second part of our interview Heather Montgomery from the School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, Queen’s University Belfast. Heather is researching the practice trench systems that were built all across Ireland as the three Irish divisions (10th, 16th, 36th) trained for trench warfare.
Heather mentioned the Defence Heritage Project that she is involved in. They are looking for the public to contribute information and knowledge about WW1 structures in their area, so please have a look.
A big thanks to Heather for contributing to our understanding of our family history.
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The podcast for April 1915 features Heather Montgomery from the School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, Queen’s University Belfast. Heather is researching the practice trench systems that were built all across Ireland as the three Irish divisions (10th, 16th, 36th) trained for trench warfare.
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The podcast for March 1915 covers a recruitment march in Co. Cavan and Co. Monaghan, John Adams looking forward to Easter, and being a country man, observing the seasons in the country around him.
The podcast also gives a glossary of the key people in John Adams’ life, particularly his sister Jeannie.
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This podcast looks at further training in February 1915, including a recruiting route march through Co. Armagh.
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This podcast episode looks at January 1915, when John Adams was still in training in North Down.
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December’s podcast looks back to Christmas 1914, and also contains a tribute to John Adams’ love of brass bands.
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This month’s podcast is an interview with Jonathan McGrath of the Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum in Armagh, looking at the history of the Royal Irish Fusiliers from their formation right up to the start of WW1.
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This podcast is a short radio interview that Mark did with North Antrim’s Q97.2 FM. In it he shares some of the stories from Letters from the Front.
Thanks to Q97.2 FM for permission to reproduce on the podcast.
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This podcast covers John Adams joining up in September 1914.