The Irish on the Somme: Being a Second Series of 'The Irish at the Front'MacDonagh, Michael
History
The Irish on the Somme: Being a Second Series of 'The Irish at the Front'
MacDonagh, Michael
Great Britain. Army; Somme, 1st Battle of the, France, 1916; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories
"During the landing from the ss. _River Clyde_ at V Beach, in
the Gallipoli Peninsula, on April 25, 1915, Sub-Lieutenant
Tisdall, hearing wounded men on the beach calling for
assistance, jumped into the water, and, pushing a boat in front
of him, went to their rescue. He was, however, obliged to obtain
help, and took with him on two trips Leading Seaman Malin, and
on other trips Chief Petty Officer Perring and Leading Seamen
Curtiss and Parkinson. In all Sub-Lieutenant Tisdall made four
or five trips between the ship and the shore, and was thus
responsible for rescuing many wounded men under heavy and
accurate fire. Owing to the fact that Sub-Lieutenant Tisdall and
the platoon under his orders were on detached service at the
time, and that this officer was killed in action on May 6, it
has now only been possible to obtain complete information as to
the individuals who took part in this gallant act."
Sub-Lieutenant Tisdall came of a well-known Irish family, the Tisdalls
of Charlesfort, who have been established in co. Meath since the year
1668. The late head of the family, Major Tisdall of the Irish Guards,
fell guarding the retreat of the British Army in France in September
1914. The volume of _Memoirs and Poems of A.W. St. C. Tisdall, V.C._,
by Mrs. M.L. Tisdall, states that among his ancestors and relatives on
both sides were "Crusaders, Royalists, who lost everything--even their
family name--for King Charles I; Scotch Covenanters and French
Huguenots, who had been driven from their own countries for their
faith's sake; Irish patriots who fought at the Battle of the Boyne, a
Danish Diplomatist who had danced with Queen Marie-Antoinette; an
ancestress who is said to have fired the first cannon at the siege of
Gibraltar; a famous Attorney-General for Ireland; a brilliant and
versatile Cathedral Chancellor, a Bishop, three missionaries, and many
university, military and naval men." He was born at Bombay on July 21,
1890, his father--the Rev. Dr. St. Clair Tisdall (now of St. George's
Vicarage, Deal)--being then in charge of the Mohammedan mission of the
Church Missionary Society. He was educated at Bedford School from 1900
to 1909, when he left as Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge, where
he had a distinguished career, culminating in the winning of the
Chancellor's Gold Medal in the university in 1913, after which he
entered the Home Civil Service. On the outbreak of war he was called
to the Colours as an A.B. of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, of
which he had been a member for some time previously. He served in the
ranks in the Antwerp expedition, and was afterwards given a
commission. By this time, the memoirs tell us, "he had acquired great
self-control, and had practically conquered two of his Irish
handicaps--viz. a hot temper and a certain carelessness, or
casualness, in business. Latterly, the 'Tisdall temper,' as it is
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account