ulster special constabulary service records

[2] It performed this role most notably in the early 1920s during the Irish War of Independence and the 1956-1962 IRA Border Campaign. "The Public Record Office staff are doing amazing work but I think it's fair to suggest that they need additional resources to be able to complete this.". } font-weight: bold; This database contains images of Church of England baptism records in registers from parishes in the West Yorkshire area of England. With each result, you will find an image of the original document held at The National Archives in England and a transcript of the vital details. This Friday, local historian David Keys will launch his latest book, 'Duty Bound', which collates information on the Special Constabulary/Ulster Special Constabulary (UFC), commonly called 'the B-Specials'. Encyclopedia.com. Royal Ulster Constabulary | Line of Duty Wiki | Fandom The lists recorded the individuals number, rank, name, religion, date of appointment, marital status, and station location. The Ulster Special Constabulary (USC; commonly called the "B-Specials" or "B Men") was a quasi-military reserve special constable police force in Northern They recorded the members name, number, county, rank, and age, as well as the number of years in service in the force. border: 1px solid #CCC; Ulster Special Constabulary [81], He found some evidence of cross-membership of the USC and loyalist paramilitary organisations. Ulster Special Constabulary, Coleraine This page summarises records created by this Organisation The summary includes a brief description of the collection (s) Ireland, Royal Irish Constabulary Service Records 1816-1922 They also noted the constables pensionable pay and the recommended pension. The Royal Irish Constabulary Roll - A roll of all members In addition they were to prevent border incursion, smuggling of arms and escape of fugitives. "The activities of the USC are contested, shall we say, and people today might have concerns that they wouldn't want their ancestors' file open to the public, but there should be no concern about that. Unlike the Special Constabulary, the UDR was placed under military control. September 2004, Can anyone tell me where the records are held for the Ulster Special Constabulary a part time unit of the Royal Ulster Constabulary founded 1920 and disbanded 1970. Between 1956 and 1962, the Special Constabulary was again mobilised to combat a guerilla campaign launched by the IRA. During that same time period members of the Dromore UVF were said to have supervised the expulsion of Catholic families from Dromore and many UVF units joined the new Constabulary with their commanders appointed to senior positions. However, the date of retrieval is often important. ." [44], Uniforms were not available at the outset so the men of the B Specials went on duty in their civilian clothes wearing an armband to signify they were Specials. 12481277), https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/ulster-special-constabulary, Royal Ulster Constabulary (including Specials), Paramilitary Forces and Internal Security. Ulster Special Constabulary Special Constabulary Long Service Medal - Wikipedia WebQuick Reference. Special Operations Forces OverviewArmy Special ForcesNavy SEALsMarine Special UnitsAir Force Special Forces This database contains images of Church of England marriage records and banns in registers from parishes in the West Yorkshire area of England. Uniforms did not become available until 1922. "[37][39] John Anderson, the Under Secretary for Ireland (head of the British Administration in Dublin) shared his fears, "you cannot, in the middle of a faction fight, recognise one of the contending parties and expect it to deal with disorder in the spirit of impartiality and fairness essential in those who have to carry out the order of the Government. These mostly consist of nominal rolls, which recorded the members service number, rank, dispersed date, and company name. Ulster County, N.Y. probate WebWilliam McDermott, Service Number 1007187, was serving with 19 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Deployment of the USC during the Anglo-Irish War provided the Northern Ireland government with its own territorial militia to fight the IRA. [82] He also remarked that although "recruitment is open to both Protestant and Roman Catholic: in practice we are in no doubt that it is almost if not wholly impossible for a Roman Catholic recruit to be accepted. WebThe fax number for Records is (801) 377-7315. [15], The idea of a volunteer police force in the north appealed to British Prime Minister David Lloyd George for several practical reasons; it freed up the RIC and military for use elsewhere in Ireland, it was cheap, and it did not need new legislation. Forty-nine Special Constables were killed during the period of the "Border War", out of a total of eighty-one British forces killed in Northern Ireland. By 1922 recruiting had swelled the numbers to: 5,500 A Specials, 19,000 B Specials and 7,500 C1 Specials. "The Irish government has put considerable money into funding the release of archives relating to pensions that were given to 1916 veterans and people like that.". It carried out several revenge killings and reprisals against Catholic civilians in the 192022 conflict. In Dungannon, they killed one and wounded two. The use of Specials to reinforce the RIC also allowed for the re-opening of over 20 barracks in rural areas which had previously been abandoned because of IRA attacks. Newtownbutler Special Constabulary Feb 21, 2022 #83 From Ballymena Weekly Telegraph, 8th April 1922: 1. [35], From the outset, the formation of the USC came in for widespread criticism, mostly from Irish nationalists and the Dublin government but also from some elements of the British military and administrative establishment in Ireland[clarification needed] and in the British press, which saw the USC as a potentially divisive and sectarian force. This Ulster Special Constabulary continued part-time until its replacement in 1970 by the present RUC Reserve. The Ulster Special Constabulary (USC; commonly called the "B-Specials" or "B Men") was a quasi-military[1] reserve special constable police force in what would later become Northern Ireland. Special Constabulary WebThe Ulster Special Constabulary (USC) is a fundamental institution in Northern Irelands history. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. WebUlster Special Constabulary: award of Long Service Medal to those narrowly failing to qualify on disbandment. The IRA called off their campaign in February 1962. The lists recorded the staff members birth date, age at appointment, rank (such as junior or senior clerk), and department. However, once it became apparent that the British government was committed to implementing Dominion Status for all of Ireland outside Ulster in response to Sinn Fein's demands, which were far more radical than those of the defunct Irish Parliamentary Party, Unionists in most of the province of Ulster directed their energies into the partition of Ireland by the creation of Northern Ireland as an autonomous region in the United Kingdom. Formed as an auxiliary armed police force by the new Northern Irish government, the Ulster Specials in 1922 consisted of A full-time, B ballymenaguardian.co.uk Special Constable, Royal Ulster Constabulary. A Message From The SheriffIt is the mission of the Ulster County Sheriff's Office to serve the public by enhancing our partnership with the community, and in so You will also find division journals. "Ulster Special Constabulary Fermanagh historian to launch B-Specials book in Enniskillen "[80], When Jack Lynch, the Taoiseach of Ireland, moved Irish Army troops up to the border in response to the rioting, platoons of Specials were deployed to guard border police stations.[72]. There had been serious rioting between Catholics and Protestants in Derry in May and June and in Belfast in July, which had left up to 40 people dead. During the Irish War of Independence, RIC barracks were the targets of frequent attacks from the Irish Republican Army. The Special Constables were armed with Webley .38 revolvers and also LeeEnfield rifles and bayonets. Online Medals | Identify, Value & Sell Your Medals Online The request includes documents relating to the so-called B Specials, an auxiliary police force known officially as the Ulster Special Constabulary. These register books recorded the constables service history. In 1970 the security of Northern Ireland became the responsibility of the RUC, the British army, and the Ulster Defence Did your Irish ancestor serve in the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)? As a reserve police force, they were used in times of emergency such as the [17][18][19], The composition of the USC was overwhelmingly Protestant and Unionist, for a number of reasons. [9], Two main factors were behind the formation of the Ulster Special Constabulary. The Oxford Companion to British History. Listen to the latest Year '21 podcast on BBC Sounds or catch-up on previous episodes. The B Specials were tasked to relieve the RUC from normal duties, to allow them and the British Army to deal with the disturbances. WebThis collection includes a wide variety of registers that recorded appointments of regular and special constables, promotions, disciplinary actions, transfers, lists of applicants, injuries [17][28] Catholic members were more easily targeted by the IRA for intimidation and assassination. [citation needed], The IRA issued a statement which said that any Catholics who joined the specials would be treated as traitors by them and would be dealt with accordingly.[26]. The remarks column explains if the recruit resigned or was dismissed, as well as where they were stationed. [52], The renewed IRA campaign involved attacking barracks, burning commercial buildings and making a large-scale incursion into Northern Ireland, occupying Belleek and Pettigo in MayJune, which was repulsed after heavy fighting, including British use of artillery on 8 June. During its existence, 95 USC members were killed in the line of duty. "[84], Cameron recommended that the purposes of the USC as a reserve civilian police force, as well as a counter-insurgency reserve, be properly made known in recruitment and training so that it would be more attractive to Catholics. A second reason was that violence in the north was increasing after the summer of 1920. Ulster Special Constabulary The other three counties (Donegal, Monaghan, and Cavan) had disproportionately Catholic and nationalist majorities and would become part of the Irish Free State. In early 1922, he sent IRA units to the border areas and arms to northern units. Some Constables were used to restrain a Protestant crowd in Derry, but others in this area joined in an exchange of petrol bombs and missiles with a Catholic crowd while another group led an attack on the Rossville Street area of the Catholic Bogside on 12 August. The summary includes a brief description of the collection(s) (usually including the covering dates of the collection),