In Belfast, the Specials were trained in much the same way as the regular police whereas in rural areas the USC was focused on counter-guerilla operations. In the final handover to the Ulster Defence Regiment, the B Specials had to surrender their weapons and uniforms. USC Memorial dedicated in Ballymena. 3 Police-Community Relations. The police force of Northern Ireland, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), came into existence on 1 June 1922 upon the disbandment of the Royal Irish WebThe Ulster Special Constabulary Pensions (Lump Sum Payments to Widows) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1973 (NISRO 1973-483).pdf 872 1,395, 2 pages; 88 KB Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, Ulster reverse.png 494 526; 345 KB 92 Topics 346 Posts Last post Irish Police Funerals by b.griffin 10:46 AM - 3 B Specials part-time, usually on duty for one evening per week and serving under their own command structure, and unpaid, although they had a generous system of allowances (which were reduced following the reorganisation of the USC a few years later), served wherever the RIC served and manned Mobile Groups of platoon size; C Specials unpaid, non-uniformed reservists, usually rather elderly and used for static guard duties near their homes (originally 7,500 members), C1 Specials non-active C class specials who could be called out in emergencies. He praised the Specials where he felt it was due. You can also find records of Royal Irish Constabulary clerical staff. [24] Charles Wickham, Chief of Police for the north of Ireland, favoured incorporation of the Ulster Volunteers into "regular military units" instead of having to "face them down". Arising out the disturbances, the British Prime Minister Harold Wilson announced that the B Specials would be "phased out of their current role". Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. It had been hoped that UK constabularies would take many on but, apart from the Northern Irelands new Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) which had enrolled 1,347 ex-RIC by October 1922 (including over 250 Black and Tans and Auxiliaries), they displayed a marked disinclination to recruit former members of a by then internationally notorious Their conduct towards the Catholic population was criticised on a number of occasions. Member Since: Speaking to The Impartial Reporter ahead of the book launch, David explained that he was inspired to write 'Duty Bound' A full database of all tributes is available in our Remembrance Centre. A member of the advisory panel, Dr Marie Coleman from Queen's University, said gaining access to all of the files from the 1920s would help to tell the story of Northern Ireland in greater detail. "I can see why there would be concerns, even 100 years on. .tableizer-table th { "[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. In early 1922, he sent IRA units to the border areas and arms to northern units. [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. He reported that in Major Ronald Bunting's Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV), there was definite evidence of dual membership by Special Constables, of which he said "we consider highly undesirable and not in the public interest". The USC were mobilised when the regular RUC were overstretched by riots in Derry (known as the Battle of the Bogside). WebThe Police Museum holds microfilm copies of the Royal Irish Constabulary service records 1822-1922, the originals of which are held at the Public Record Office at Kew in London. The formation of the Ulster Special Constabulary was therefore announced on 22 October 1920. Encyclopedia.com. [72] The unsuitability of the use of the B Specials in such situations was clear: "The 'Specials', untrained for such a job, contained no Catholic members, were inevitably regarded as sectarian, and their presence tended to heighten rather than lower tension in Catholic areas. The Special Constables were armed with Webley .38 revolvers and also LeeEnfield rifles and bayonets. [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. Several informal "constabulary" groups had already been created, for example, in Belfast, Fermanagh and Antrim. "[85], Scarman went on to criticise the Command and Control of the RUC for deploying armed Special Constables in areas where their very presence would "heighten tension", as he was in no doubt that they were "Totally distrusted by the Catholics, who saw them as the strong arm of the Protestant ascendancy".[85]. The Ulster Unionist Labour Association had established an "unofficial special constabulary," with members drawn chiefly from the shipyards, tasked with policing Protestant areas. Excellent condition with only minor signs of external wear. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Numbered Memorials A B An inquest advised that the Special Constabulary "should not be allowed into any locality occupied by people of an opposite denomination. Their duties would include combatting the urban guerrilla operations of the IRA, and the suppression of the local IRA in rural areas. 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. The Oxford Companion to British History. "Ulster Special Constabulary All site material is owned by Findmypast Limited and should not be used without prior permission. The IRA called off their campaign in February 1962. after the creation of the Free Irish State. Clerical staff: record of service and salaries. [47] The cost of maintaining the USC in 192122 was 1,500,000. 2023 . 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. In most cases these weapons were retained at home by the constables along with a quantity of ammunition. [17][18][19], The composition of the USC was overwhelmingly Protestant and Unionist, for a number of reasons. Formed in 1920 the Ulster Special Constabulary was also known as the B-Specials. This was despite the Craig-Collins Agreement which was signed by the leaders of Northern Ireland and the Free State on 30 March, and envisaged the end of IRA activity and a reduced role for the USC. Read about our approach to external linking. "To be perfectly honest, I think a lot of this is a resourcing issue. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps. I am trying to find records for my friends Father and his Uncle. background-color: #104E8B; [75][76], In Belfast, the USC were successful in restoring order in the predominantly Protestant Shankill area, where they performed their patrol duties unarmed. 2023 BBC. Those marked with a cross means the constable was a member of the Peace Preservation Force, a peace keeping force which existed before the Royal Irish Constabulary. WebThe Special Constabulary Long Service Medal was established by King George V by Royal Warrant on August 30, 1919. The USC were deployed in 1969 to support the RUC in the 1969 Northern Ireland riots. 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. Special Constabulary Acts had been enacted in 1832 and 1914, meaning that the administration in Dublin Castle only had to use existing laws to create it. Damage to property during this period was 1 million and the overall cost of the campaign was 10 million to the UK exchequer. The British Government commissioned three reports into the policing response to the 1969 riots. The USC continued to do duties for a month after the formation of the UDR and RUC Reserve to give both of the new forces time to consolidate. The Genes Reunited community is made up of millions of people with similar interests. [1] It initially began as a series of unrelated small groups of These "Special Constables" will be nothing more and nothing less than the dregs of the Orange lodges, armed and equipped to overawe Nationalists and Catholics, and with a special object and special facilities and special inclination to invent 'crimes' against Nationalists and Catholics they are the very classes whom an upright Government would try to keep powerless Vice Admiral Sir Arthur Hezlet in the official History of the Ulster Special Constabulary,[42] contended that "Sinn Fein regarded the Specials as an excuse for arming the Orangemen and an act even more atrocious than the creation of the 'Black and Tans'! However, the date of retrieval is often important. WebRoyal Irish Constabulary Service Records 1816-1922 also contains a variety of additional documents that record details of the Forces daily operations. WebQuick Reference. "[48] The government suggested the recruitment of more Catholics to form "Catholic only" patrols to cover Catholic areas, but this was not acted upon.[26]. 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. The summary includes a brief description of the collection(s) (usually including the covering dates of the collection), WebSpecial police constable ww2 records?? They also successfully protected Catholic owned public houses in the area, many of which were looted after they were withdrawn. WebUlster Special Constabulary, 192070. A spokesperson said: "Proni will scope the cataloguing and sensitivity review of the administrative records of the USC for the 1920s. [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. [62] On 2 May 1922, in revenge for the IRA killing of six policemen in counties Londonderry and Tyrone, Special Constables killed nine Catholic civilians in the area. "[43], The standard of training was varied. She told BBC News NI: "I don't think there would be anything terribly embarrassing, that would be any different to much of what's released already. It wasn't until the County and Borough Police Act of 1856 that it became compulsory for municipalities to establish a police force. WebThe British Government has accepted the recommendations of the Hunt committee on policing in Northern Ireland which include the abolition of the Ulster Special Constabulary, know as the 'B Specials'. 2, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Kerry, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Kildare, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Kilkenny, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Kings County, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Leitrim, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Limerick, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Londonderry, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Longford, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Louth, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Mayo, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Meath, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Monaghan, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Queens County, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Roscommon, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Sligo, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Tipperary (Northern Region), Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Tipperary (Southern Region), Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Tyrone, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Waterford, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Westmeath, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Wexford, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, Wickford, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, British recruits, miscellaneous, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, Irish recruits, Antrim, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, Irish recruits, Armagh, Disbandment register (1922) treasury sheets, Irish recruits, Belfast no. For centuries, law enforcement in English towns and parishes was left to local constables and watchmen. The Royal Irish Constabulary service records are held at The National Archives in Kew as part of their HO 184 series, Irish Constabulary records. Listen to the latest Year '21 podcast on BBC Sounds or catch-up on previous episodes. Their fury was natural as they saw that the Specials might well mean that they would be unable to intimidate and subdue the North by Force. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. WebThe Royal Ulster Constabulary GC was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. These records list the names of the clerical staff who worked for the name of the archive where they are held, and reference information to help you find the collection. } Another 8 died during the Second World War, in air raids or IRA attacks. You will also discover the persons salary. The Oxford Companion to British History. The Police Roll of Honour records suggest that most Special Constabulary fatalities occurred on duty. [37] Macready and Henry Hughes Wilson argued that the concept of a special constabulary was a dangerous one. Platoons had two officers, a Head Constable, four sergeants and sixty special constables. Did your Irish ancestor serve in the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)? Included in this collection are 181 pieces from TNA series HO 184: table.tableizer-table { In spring 1999, a major crisis erupted over Kosovo, the southernmost province of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, with the f, Ulster Defense Association/Ulster Freedom Fighters, Ulster County Community College: Tabular Data, Ulster County Community College: Narrative Description, Ulrich, Kim Johnston 1955(? Constabulary Force Funds [79], The USC shot and wounded a number of people in Dungiven and Coalisland. The C1 category was formed in late 1921, incorporating the various local unionist militias such as the, This page was last edited on 28 April 2023, at 09:23. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. The lists show the chief constables name, county, and station. color: #FFF; Uniforms took the same pattern as RIC/RUC dress with high collared tunics. This database contains images of Church of England baptism records in registers from parishes in the West Yorkshire area of England. "[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. It was founded on 1 June 1922 as a successor to the Royal "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. In late 1921, a Belfast police officer came across a secretive loyalist paramilitary organization known as the Ulster Protestant Association or UPA, operating in the city. "[83] The Cameron Report described the B-Specials as "a partisan and paramilitary force recruited exclusively from Protestants. And it's not all serious business. This list of chief constables was created during the first year of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The new region would consist of two thirds of Ulster, the six counties that Unionists could control. These records list the names of the clerical staff who worked for the Royal Irish Constabulary. WebUlster Special Constabulary memorial. WebService in the Ulster Special Constabulary which was not counted for the award of the medal or bar, may be counted with service as a member of the RUC Reserve. It will list every known member of the RIC who served, The IRA began extending attacks to the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), RIC barracks, and revenue offices in Northern Ireland. The lists recorded the staff members birth date, age at appointment, rank (such as junior or senior clerk), and department. WebThe Special Constabulary Long Service Medal is a long service medal awarded in the United Kingdom to members of the Special Constabulary who have completed a specified period of service. These register books recorded the constables service history. Ulster County, N.Y. probate [63], The conflict never formally ended but petered out in June 1922, with the outbreak of the Irish Civil War in the Free State and the wholesale arrest and internment of IRA activists in the North. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), the Belfast Borough Police Force and the Derry Borough Police Force (known colloquially as the "Derry City Force" - a name which stayed for many years). ." [14][16], On 1 November 1920, the scheme was officially announced by the British government. King George V and Queen Mary arrive for the opening of the parliament of Northern Ireland in June 1921, The Ulster Special Constabulary was set up in 1920 and dissolved in 1970, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Its functions and membership were largely taken over by the Ulster Defence Regiment and the Royal Ulster Constabulary.[8]. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. During the Irish War of Independence, RIC barracks were the targets of frequent attacks from the Irish Republican Army. The regular Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) took over normal policing duties. Born 31 January 1902 at Quintin near Portaferry County Down to John and Margaret Chermside nee McCormick at 10 Newcastle, Quintin County Down.. Irish 1911 census with his parents and siblings at 5 Newcastle, Quintin County Down. Please also include a legible copy of your identification with the form. Ulster Special Constabulary, Coleraine This page summarises records created by this Organisation The summary includes a brief description of the collection (s) [23] There was an immediate and illicit supply of arms available; especially from the Ulster Volunteers. In 1970 the security of Northern Ireland became the responsibility of the RUC, the British army, and the Ulster Defence The 191921 Irish War of Independence, saw the Irish Republican Army (IRA) launch a guerrilla campaign in pursuit of Irish independence. WebThe Ulster Special Constabulary (USC) is a fundamental institution in Northern Irelands history. The B Specials were tasked to relieve the RUC from normal duties, to allow them and the British Army to deal with the disturbances. This information will help us make improvements to the website. It was preceded by local paramilitary defense forces that were officially recognized in June 1920 as the Ulster Special Constabulary (USC) and divided into "A" (full-time), "B" (part-time), and "C" (reserve) sections. [87], After implementation of the Hunt report, the last night of duties for most B Men was 31 March 1970. [4][5] Unionists generally supported the USC as contributing to the defence of Northern Ireland from subversion and outside aggression. We can search for individuals and supply their service record at a charge of 25 per search. [20], In April 1920, Captain Sir Basil Brooke (future Prime Minister of Northern Ireland), had set up "Fermanagh Vigilance", a vigilante group to provide defence against incursions by the IRA.

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ulster special constabulary service records