HC Deb 24 March 1892 vol 2 cc1673-6
COLONEL NOLAN (Galway, N.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he will state the name and grade of the officer who it has been alleged ordered Private Thomas O'Grady to remove a shamrock from his cap on St. Patrick's Day, and whether this officer has been since reprimanded; and whether he is aware that it has frequently been customary for officers of high rank to wear large bunches of shamrock in their uniform on certain occasions, especially in trooping the colours on St. Patrick's Day in Dublin?

MR. HAYDEN

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that on the 17th instant an officer of the 2nd Welsh Regiment sentenced Private Thomas O'Grady to 48 hours' punishment for refusing to take a shamrock from his undress cap when ordered to do so, although O'Grady was not on duty at the time; and can he state under what regulation this officer acted?

MR. CONDON (Tipperary, E.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that an officer of the 2nd Welsh Regiment, stationed at Aldershot, sentenced Private Thomas O'Grady to 48 hours' punishment for refusing to remove a shamrock from his cap, O'Grady not being on regimental or any other military duty at the time; and whe- ther this conduct of the officer was authorised by any of the Queen's Regulations?

MR. E. STANHOPE

In reply to the various questions on this subject, I do not think I can do better than read to the House the Report furnished by the officer commanding the battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in which Private O'Grady is serving— From the Officer Commanding 2nd Welsh Regiment to the Brigade Major, 2nd Brigade. Aldershot, 21st March, 1892. 10.15 p.m. Sir,—With reference to your Minute of this date, on Minute of Adjutant General, Aldershot, forwarding a copy of a telegram from Adjutant General, Horse Guards, calling for a Report on the subject of the accompanying paragraph extracted from the Daily News of Saturday last, I have the honour to report as follows:—On the morning of the 17th instant, a musketry fatigue party (markers) of 36 non-commissioned officers and men, of which number 2,980 Private Thomas Grady formed one, paraded at 6.55 on the barrack square, under Captain Tindal, for the purpose of proceeding to the Rifle Range at Ash. Captain Tindal states that while inspecting his party he observed a man with a bunch of green stuck in his glengarry cap, and not being aware that it was St. Patrick's Day, and that it was shamrock, gave an order to the senior non-commissioned officer to direct Private Grady to remove it. On being ordered to do so, Private Grady replied in a most insubordinate manner, "I won't do it," and on a second order from another non-commissioned officer in rear, again replied, "I won't do it." Captain Tindal thereupon ordered him to be made a prisoner for refusing to comply with the order. On being brought before me on this charge, I awarded him 48 hours' imprisonment, his lieutenant explaining to him that the punishment was not on account of wearing shamrock, but on account of his insubordinate refusal to comply with the order given. I attach a copy of Private Grady's Defaulter Sheet. I regret that I was out of barracks at the time your Minute arrived, and the Second in Command was not sufficiently acquainted with the details of the case to report fully upon it.—I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant (Signed) Barnet N. Anley, Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding 2nd Battalion Welsh Regiment. I think the House will agree that the punishment of this soldier was amply justified under the circumstances. I may add, in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for North Galway, that officers of high rank may, on certain occasions, have worn shamrock on their uniforms, but His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief is not cognisant of the fact.

MR. A. O'CONNOR

I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman how many men belonging to this regiment are Irishmen, and whether the right hon. Gentleman proposes to recruit this regiment in Ireland?

MR. E. STANHOPE

I cannot say, but it is a Welsh regiment.

MR. A. O'CONNOR

It consists mostly of Irishmen.

MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)

Are we to understand, apart from this particular case, that Irish soldiers are to be at liberty in the future to wear shamrock?

MR. E. STANHOPE

A soldier may wear whatever badge he chooses when off duty.

COLONEL NOLAN

But may he wear the shamrock when on duty?

MR. E. STANHOPE

Consider how ridiculous it would be if soldiers of every nationality in the British Army chose to wear separate emblems.

MR. SEXTON

Are not Irish soldiers in Welsh regiments compelled to wear the leek on St. David's Day?

MR. E. STANHOPE

They may wear any badge that is sanctioned by the Orders.

MR. CONDON

I would ask the right hon. Gentleman, considering the peculiar circumstances of the case in reference to Private O'Grady, that his punishment will not stand in the way of his future promotion.

MR. E. STANHOPE

I can give no assurance on that point. O'Grady was sent to prison for gross disobedience to orders.

MR. P. OBRIEN

I would ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will communicate with the School Board regarding the wearing of the shamrock, and prohibit school children from doing so.

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!

SIR T. ESMONDE (Dublin, Co., S.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that at the morning parade on St. Patrick's Day a number of the men of the Carlow Militia who were the shamrock in their caps were ordered by the sergeant major to "throw away those tufts of grass," and that several who replaced the shamrocks in their tunics were ordered to the guard room; and will he state by what authority the sergeant major acted in this way?

MR. E. STANHOPE

The officer commanding the troops at Carlow reports that on St. Patrick's Day he ordered some men who appeared on parade with shamrock in their caps to remove it while on parade. The only men ordered to the guard room that day were three, two for being drunk on parade, and one for being drunk in the town.

SIR T. ESMONDE

I would ask the right hon. Gentleman if there is any truth in the statement that the sergeant major ordered these men to "throw away these tufts of grass?"

MR. E. STANHOPE

There is nothing of that kind in the report I have received.

MR. P. O'BRIEN

I would like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether there is any Army Regulation against the wearing of the shamrock; and, if not, whether he will bring in a Bill to make the wearing of the shamrock illegal in the Army?

MR. E. STANHOPE

I am afraid I cannot say anything on that subject.

MR. P. O'BRIEN

Does the Regulation against the wearing of the shamrock apply to the emblems of other nationalities, such as the rose and the thistle?

MR. E. STANHOPE

The Regulation against the wearing of the shamrock applies to everything of that kind.