National Army (Ireland)

This article is about the Irish National Army of the Irish Free State. For the paramilitary group founded in 1971, see Irish National Liberation Army. For the current army of the Republic of Ireland, see Irish Army.

Irish National Army
Irish National Army Cap Badge
Leaders	Michael Collins Richard Mulcahy
Dates of operation	31 January 1922-1st October 1924
Active regions	Irish Free State
Opponents	Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army (IRA)

The Irish National Army or National Army (sometimes called the "Free State Army") was the army of the Irish Free State (initially of the interim Southern Ireland) from January 1922-1 October 1924. Michael Collins, its Chief of Staff from June 1921 until his death in August 1922, was the last Chief of Staff of the IRA that had fought the Irish War of Independence. This war concluded with the Anglo-Irish Treaty which led to the foundation of the state.

The National Army made its first public appearance on the 31 January 1922 when they took over Beggars Bush Barracks from the British. Its first troops were Irish Republican Army (IRA) Volunteers who supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the "Provisional Government of Ireland" (Irish: Rialtas Sealadach na hÉireann). On the 28 June 1922 the National Army commenced an artillery bombardment of the anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army forces occupying the Four Courts in Dublin, beginning the Irish Civil War.

History

Main articles: IRA and the Anglo-Irish Treaty, Irish Civil War, Timeline of the Irish Civil War, and Irish Army

File:Free state soldiers.jpg

A press photo of soldiers of the newly formed Irish National Army at Beggar's Bush barracks, Dublin, February 1922

The Irish National Army was constituted from the revolutionary Irish Republican Army (IRA) which emerged from a successful guerrilla campaign (Irish War of Independence) with the British. On 31 January 1922, the first unit of the new Irish National Army, a former IRA unit the Dublin Guard took over Beggars Bush Barracks, the first British barracks to be handed to the new State. Michael Collins envisaged the new Army being built around the IRA but over half of this organisation rejected the compromise of the Treaty in favour of upholding the revolutionary Irish Republic of 1919-1921. In February 1922, the new provisional Government of Ireland began to recruit volunteers into the National Army. A force of 4,000 troops was envisaged, but because of the Civil War, on the 5th July 1922 the Provisional Government issued a national call to arms rising to 55,000 troops.

The Civil War

In March 1922 there was a major stand-off between up to 700 National Army and anti-treaty IRA in Limerick over who would occupy the military barracks being vacated by departing British troops. The situation was temporarily resolved in April when the two sides agreed to occupy two barracks each. In April 1922, General Adamson, a National Army was shot dead by the IRA in Athlone. In early May 1922 there was an even more serious clash in Kilkenny when the IRA occupied the centre of the town and 200 National Army troops were sent from Dublin to disperse them. 18 people were killed in the fighting in Kilkenny. In a bid to avoid an all-out civil war, both sides agreed to a truce on 3 May 1922.

On 14 April 1922, 200 Anti-Treaty IRA Volunteers led by Rory O'Connor occupied the Four Courts and several other buildings in central Dublin, resulting in a tense stand-off. On 27 June 1922, the Four Courts IRA garrison kidnapped JJ "Ginger" O'Connell a General in the National Army. After giving the Four Courts garrison a final ultimatum to leave the building, the Provisional Government decided to end the stand-off by shelling the Four Courts garrison into surrender. At 4.29am on 28 June 1922 18-pounder guns opened fire on the Four Courts. The Provisional Government appointed Michael Collins as Commander-in-Chief of the National Army. This was the point of no return and the Civil War officially began. The IRA in the Four Courts who had only small arms surrendered after two days of shelling and the buildings were stormed by National Army troops. Fighting continued in Dublin until 5 July 1922 as IRA units from the Dublin Brigade led by Oscar Traynor occupied O'Connell Street provoking a week's more street fighting. This fighting cost both sides 65 killed and 280 wounded.

The British supplied artillery, aircraft, armoured cars, machine guns, small arms and ammunition to the National Army.

Michael Collins, Richard Mulcahy and Eoin O'Duffy planned a nationwide National Army offensive sending columns overland to take Limerick and Waterford and seaborne forces to Counties Cork Kerry and Mayo. The only real conventional battle during the offensive was the Battle of Killmallock.

Commander-in-Chief Michael Collins was killed in an ambush by the IRA at Béal na mBláth in County Cork on the 22 August 1922. General Richard Mulcahy then took command.

National Army troops particularly in County Kerry began the summary execution of captured IRA Volunteers. The most notorious example of this occurred at Ballyseedy where nine Republican prisoners were tied to a landmine which was then detonated killing eight and only leaving one Stephen Fuller, who was blown clear by the blast to escape.

Frank Aiken, IRA Chief of Staff ordered IRA volunteers to dump arms on 24 May 1923 ending the fighting.

Establishment of Defence Forces

In the Autumn of 1923 the government started to reduce the size of the National Army to peacetime levels. This entailed a reduction of 30,000 personnel (including 2,200 officers) by March 1924. A small group of officers, led mainly by former members of The Squad attempted to resist the efforts to demobilise. This situation evolved into what became called the Army Mutiny, but was resolved peaceably with recognition of the authority of the Oireachtas.

On the 3rd August 1923 the Irish Free State passed the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, raising "an armed force to be called Óglaigh na hÉireann (hereinafter referred to as the Forces) consisting of such number of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men as may from time to time be provided by the Oireachtas." "The Forces shall be established as from a date to be fixed by Proclamation of the Executive Council in the Iris Oifigiúil" The establishment of the Forces was on the 1st October 1924.

This date marks the ending of the initial phase of the Irish National Army and the legal establishment of the Irish Defence Forces as the Irish Free States military force. However, it was not a new force, the legislation was explicit that the Defence Forces would have the same legality, organisation, personnel, orders and regulations as the 1922-24 force.

Organisation

The Irish National Army's initial organisation was based on the IRA Divisions and Brigades. In January 1923 a new organisation was established. The State was divided into nine Commands.

The Nine Commands were:

• Dublin Command
• Athlone Command
• Donegal Command
• Claremorris Command
• Limerick Command
• Kerry Command
• Waterford Command
• Cork Command
• Curragh Command

The Army Corps were:

• Armoured Car Corps
• Artillery Corps
• Army Corps of Engineers
• Works Corps
• Railway Protection, Repair and Maintenance Corps
• Salvage Corps
• Army Signal Corps
• Army Medical Corps
• Transport Corps
• Corps of Military Police
• Air Service

Uniforms

The Irish National Army Officer's uniform was made of dark green serge and worn with Sam Browne belt. The ordinary volunteer's uniform was a similar pattern, worn with British 1908 pattern webbing. A greatcoat was issued for bad weather. All ranks wore brown boots and leggings. The Irish Volunteers cap badge and buttons were worn in recognition of the National Army's origins.

Rank Markings

Rank markings were coloured cloth cuff bands and coloured diamond shaped cloth cap badge backing.

Rank	Cuff Bands	Cap Diamonds
Volunteer	N/A	N/A
Corporal	1 Green	Green
Sergeant	2 Green	Green
Sergeant Major	3 Green	Green
2nd Lieutenant	1 Blue	Blue
Lieutenant	2 Blue	Blue
Captain	3 Blue	Blue
Vice Commandant (Battalion)	2 Purple	Purple
Lieutenant Commandant (Brigade)	2 Brown	Brown
Lieutenant Commandant (Division)	2 Red	Red
Commandant (Battalion)	3 Purple	Purple
Commandant (Brigade)	3 Brown	Brown
Commandant (Division)	3 Red	Red
Briadier	2 Brown with narrow Gold band between	Brown
Colonel Commandant	2 Red with narrow Gold band between	Red

General Officers' markings were cloth bands on shoulder strap, collar gorget and cap diamonds.

Rank	Shoulder Bands	Collar Gorget	Cap Diamonds
Division Commandant General	1 Gold between 2 Red	Red and Gold	Yellow
GHQ Commandant General	1 Gold	Yellow	Yellow
GHQ Major General	2 Gold one wide, one narrow	Gold and Yellow	Yellow
GHQ Lieutenant General	2 Gold	Gold and Yellow	Yellow
GHQ General	3 Gold	Gold and Yellow	Yellow

Rank markings were re-arranged on 31 January 1923:

Rank	Bars	Worn
Private	N/A	N/A
Corporal	1 Green	Left Arm
Sergeant	2 Green	Left Arm
Sergeant Major	3 Green	Left Arm
2nd Lieutenant	1 Blue	Shoulder Strap
Lieutenant	2 Blue	Shoulder Strap
Captain	3 Blue	Shoulder Strap
Commandant	2 Red	Shoulder Strap
Colonel	3 Red	Shoulder Strap and Collar
Major General	2 Red with 1 Gold between	Shoulder Strap and Collar
Lieutenant General	2 Gold	Shoulder Strap and Collar
General	3 Gold	Shoulder Strap and Collar

Armoured Fighting Vehicles, Aircraft and Weapons

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

• 13 x Rolls-Royce Armoured Car
• 7 x Peerless Armoured Car
• 64 x Lancia Armoured Car

Aircraft

• 1 x Martinsyde Type A Mk2
• 6 x Avro 504K
• 1 x S.E.5a
• 8 x Bristol F.2B
• 4 x Martinsyde F4
• 8 x de Havilland DH.9

Weapons

• Lee-Enfield rifle
• Lewis machine gun
• Thompson submachine gun
• 9 x 18 pounder guns (4 Mk Is and 5 Mk IIs)