Forward The Rifles - War Diary of an Irish Soldier

[tommy mcclimonds]

Folks

This book was published earlier in the year by Nonsuch Publishing, Dublin and I picked up a copy (£9.99) prior to Christmas in the Queens Bookshop as none of the other local booksellers carried copies. I have only just finished reading it today over the past two days.

It is written in a very easy readable style and is basically the content of a diary kept by Capt David Campbell MC of his time in the army between 1914 and 1918. At 158 pages it can be read at one sitting and is a useful contribution to the history of this often neglected battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles. His time on Gallipoli was limited as he was wounded just shortly after arrival in the first attack but he tells the story of his rescuer a gurkha soldier who carried him for nearly two hours down to the beach from which he was eventually evacuated. His recovery in England and Ireland as well as his time in Salonica is covered in a bit more detail including the action for which he was awarded the MC. He makes an interesteing comment about Michael O'Leary VC who was apparently posted to the battalion after undertaking some recruiting campaigns in Ireland.

He was eventually medically discharged from the army in June 1918. After the war he returned to Trinity College and after finishing his degree worked in Calcutta on the construction of the King George's Dock. On his retrun to Ireland he was appointed Resident Architect for the construction of the Irish War Memorial in Dublin.

From my point of view he does make mention of two of my local soldiers, George B J Smith, who needs no introduction to some members of this forum, gazetted on the same day as Campbell, and also Rev J W Crozier a previous curate in Seapatrick Parish who was MID for his actions at Gallipoli.

All in all a pretty reasonable quick read for an officers "war diary" but if I have one criticism it would be that it could have been improved with the addition of some sort of an index.

Regards and enjoy, Tommy.

[swizz]

Hi Tommy

Having bought this, you might not be too happy to hear that it is now available online at the RUR Museum website :

http://435728.com/index.php?p=1_2_Host

Swizz

[tommy mcclimonds]

Swizz

Interesting to see it on the site so quickly! Being a true bibliophile it has to be the book I'm afraid. I just can't read long books on screen and it will take a lot of convincing before I ever toy with the new range of "e-readers", which just doesn't have the same feel or smell of a book. Walking into the long library at Trinity College still has a certain ambience and generates an excitement that a line of computers or a shelf full of e-readers could never do!

Regards, Tommy.

[swizz]

Hi Tommy

No, I agree - I prefer having the book too. It's just unfortunate that we can't buy all the books we might like to own!

Swizz