Irish Brigade (World War I) facts for kids
The Irish Brigade was a special group of Irish soldiers during World War I. It was an idea by Sir Roger Casement. He wanted to gather Irishmen who were prisoners of war in Germany. These men had served in the British Army. The goal was to create a well-trained Irish unit. This unit would then go to Ireland to fight against Britain. Their main aim was to help Ireland become an independent country. This plan would also indirectly help Germany, as Britain was their enemy in the war. The Irish soldiers would not fight directly for the German Army.
Contents
Forming the Irish Brigade
Roger Casement was once a British diplomat. But he later became very dedicated to Ireland's freedom. He was inspired by another Irish group, the Irish Transvaal Brigade, formed during the Second Boer War. Casement traveled to Germany from the United States soon after World War I began. He had help from Irish nationalist groups like the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Clan na Gael.
Signing the Agreement
On December 27, 1914, Casement signed an agreement in Berlin. This agreement allowed the brigade to be formed. He signed it with German Secretary of State Arthur Zimmermann. Only 56 Irishmen volunteered for this new group. They were brought together at a prisoner of war camp in Limburg an der Lahn.
Brigade Members and Training
At its largest, the Irish Brigade had:
- 1 lieutenant sergeant (named Robert Monteith)
- 1 colour sergeant
- 1 quartermaster sergeant
- 3 sergeants
- 3 corporals
- 3 lance corporals
- 43 privates
The brigade members were trained to use machine guns. They also had German officers helping them. They were part of a German army unit called the 203rd Brandenburg regiment. The brigade was split into two companies, each with ten machine-gun teams. They even received their own special Irish Brigade uniform. It was a standard German army uniform, but it had Irish symbols like the shamrock and the harp.
A typical military brigade usually has over 3,000 members. This shows how hopeful Casement was, and how small the actual brigade turned out to be.
Germany's Bigger Plan
The idea for the Irish Brigade was part of a much larger German plan. This plan aimed to weaken the British Empire. Germany tried to work with independence activists from India, German Americans, and Irish nationalists. They hoped these groups would cause trouble for Britain.
Casement's Disappointment and the Brigade's End
Over time, Casement became unhappy with the German government. He started to believe that Germany only saw the brigade as a way to distract Britain. He felt they did not truly care about Ireland's independence.
Return to Ireland and Arrest
Casement found out that Germany was not sending as much help as expected for the planned Easter Rising in 1916. Because of this, he left the brigade. He returned to Ireland by German submarine. He wanted to convince the Irish Volunteers to cancel the rising. However, soon after he arrived in County Kerry, Casement was arrested. He was later charged with working against the United Kingdom. He was executed for this.
A former sergeant in the Brigade, Daniel Bailey, was also arrested. He later gave evidence against Casement. He told authorities about Casement's efforts to recruit soldiers in Germany. By the time the 1916 Easter Rising happened, the Irish Brigade no longer existed.
Historical Accounts
A detailed story of Casement's Irish Brigade was written by Michael Keogh. He was a recruiting officer and sergeant major in the brigade. He was also Casement's assistant. His book was released on July 15, 2010.
In 2014, the UK National Archives released statements from prisoners. These statements suggested that most of the 56 volunteers were convinced to join by John Nicolson, an Irish-American priest. They were not mainly persuaded by Casement himself.
See also
- Friesack Camp – a similar attempt to form a group of volunteers during World War II
