War Diaries Talk

Major G. W. Nightingale, 1st Bn. Royal Munster Fusiliers

  • cyngast by cyngast moderator

    While I was doing a bit of searching to verify the spelling of Major Nightingale's name, I came across these:

    Photos of him as a captain with the regiment in Gallipoli: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/listing/object-205001348

    A sketch made by him of Gallipoli: http://www.royalmunsterfusiliers.org/b4night2.htm and another one here: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=232285

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  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    Thanks, Cynthia - fantastic to be able to put a face to the name, and to have access to his sketches. We don't see much mention of the other fronts at OWD, but the V Beach landings and subsequent actions at Gallipoli were horrific, for both sides.

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  • cyngast by cyngast moderator

    I also found a reference to him here: https://books.google.com/books?id=sDHYCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT144&lpg=PT144&dq=general+c.p.a.hull+16th+irish+division&source=bl&ots=rSq4d4TwKv&sig=frPoDSoNYPKnd6JYgqnyWEyVpiM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjMls3zlJnNAhUUzmMKHT2gBXIQ6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=general c.p.a.hull 16th irish division&f=false that reports that in June, 1918, he asked his mother to send hockey sticks and shorts for the men under his command, apparently to keep up morale.

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  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    This reminds me a little of Major Tom Bridges, the cavalry officer who rallied the two battalions at St. Quentin by forming a band using instruments from a local toy shop.

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  • cyngast by cyngast moderator

    Yes. I see what you mean. Some people have a knack for rallying and leading groups and for seeing what needs to be done, as Major Bridges did. During the 1st Munsters retreat in March, 1918, Major Nightingale seems to have played a much larger role than the C.O., Lt. Col. R. R. Kane, at least according to the unit diary.

    The link I posted above is for excerpts from a book on the morale and discipline in the Irish regiments. The link leads to the part of it dealing with 1918. There are descriptions of the 1st Munsters and another unit's reactions to the news of the Armistice, which was essentially that the men were a bit disappointed as they felt so strongly they were a part of something important they wanted it to continue!

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  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    Factoring out the awfulness of the war, I think the army provided some men with things they just hadn't had back in civvy street (including enough food, in some cases). I'm sure not many people wanted the fighting to continue, but I can imagine a lot of men would also regret the disbandment of their unit and the sense of belonging and purpose it gave them.

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