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
_The Times._--"'It is heroic deeds entering into their
traditions that give life to nations,' writes Mr. John Redmond
in his preface to Mr. Michael MacDonagh's _The Irish at the
Front_. The phrase sums up the aim and temper of the book, which
is designed to bring home to English, and especially to Irish,
readers the magnificent service of Irish soldiers in the war and
the sanctity of the cause for which they fight. It is an appeal
to Irishmen not to let the national effort flag, for the sake of
the highest interests both of humanity and of Ireland. In a
vivid and earnest popular style Mr. MacDonagh puts flesh and
blood on the dry bones of the official dispatches by drawing on
regimental records and the narratives of officers and men. The
letters of Irish soldiers give a lively impression of battle
scenes, and add greatly to the spirit of the volume; but many of
the most striking testimonies to the achievements of the Irish
regiments come from comrades who are not Irish. It is
indisputable that the traditional military valour of the Irish
race has been brilliantly sustained in this war, not only by the
old Regular battalions, but by the Irishmen of the New Army."
_Irish Times._--"Page after page uncovers the story of a heroism
such as few of us had dreamt of--a story told with the
understanding of one who is an Irishman of Nationalist
sympathies, intensely proud of his country, and of the form of
faith which is predominant in Ireland. We do not regard
ourselves as easily giving visible expression to our feelings,
but we must confess that we found the tears coming to our eyes
again and again as we read the magnificent, yet sad, story.
Whether it was the valour of the Munsters in their retreat from
Mons, or the headlong impetuosity of the Irish Guards at the
Battle of the Rivers, or the football charge of the London Irish
at Loos, or the glorious but ghastly tale of the 29th Division
at Beach V, or the hardly less awful landing of the 10th
Division at Suvla Bay, it was the same. We were overcome, yet
filled with pride, at the glory and the sorrow of it all. The
old spirit is still in the soldiers of Ireland. The shifting
scenes of the narrative tell us that the imperturbability and
daring which belonged to the Irish of past battles are seen as
strongly marked as ever in the hurriedly trained units of the
New Armies."
_Freeman's Journal._--"A vivid human narrative of the war, at
once a fine contribution to the history of the great deeds of
our day and a tribute to the heroism and sacrifices of the
Irish."
HODDER & STOUGHTON: London, New York and Toronto.
SOME RECENT WAR BOOKS
WITH A PREFACE BY RUDYARD KIPLING
BRITAIN AND THE WAR. By ANDRE CHEVRILLON. With a Preface by
RUDYARD KIPLING. Cloth, 5/-net.
J.P. BANG
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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