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File contains correspondence, memoranda and general material concerning the imprisonment, release of Connaught Rangers and the handling of their (or their relatives') claims following the mutiny of CR 1st Battalion against the martial law in Ireland in Solon and Jullundur, India in 1920. From 1922 and increasingly, the most pressing matter was to include their cases into legislation in order to deal with the Connaught Rangers' dependants. This is reflected in the file as the bulk of the material is focusing on dealing with the possibility of enlisting the ex-Connaught Rangers in the National Army, the provision of employment, and compensation.
Correspondence from ex-Connaught Rangers include: letters addressed to General R. Mulcahy from relatives (28 December 1922 to 11 January 1923) , requesting an early release of the men and focusing on individual cases: Charles Kerrigan (Maidstone Prison) and Patrick Hynes (both released on 4 January 192(3)), John Flannery; letters from F Kearney and Private Shallow, W.Cowan, S.Connell, W.J.Coothe, J.Flannery, Patrick Ryan, T.J.Murray, requesting assistance (securing employment or financial aid); applications to join the National Army (from S.Lally, for instance) to whom a reply is issued on 23 January 1923 by Gearóid O’ Sullivan pointing out that the Adjutant General was not in favour of encouraging those men to enter the Army'.
File also includes: typed copy of Pensions Appeal Tribunal (England) and typed copy of the Proceedings of a Court of Enquiry dated 18 July 1920 which 'assembled at Solon on 18 July 1920 by order of Major W.N.S. Alexander, D.S.O., for the purpose of investigating and reporting the death of No10079 Private Patrick Smythe, and No32781 Private Patrick Sears, 1st Battalion, Connaugh Rangers'. The Court declared that the soldiers died from Gun Shot wounds 'inflicted by the defenders of the Magazine on the 1st July 1920, about 22-00 hours. The Court further declare that the shooting of the above mentioned soldiers was justifiable on account of their mutinous behaviour in attacking the Magazine with naked bayonets and in refusing to halt when challenged'. Furthermore, the Court rejected the deceased's father's claim since his son's death was caused by his own serious neglect and misconduct'.
File also includes a typed list, presented in a table, of 'Application received from Connaught Rangers who mutinied in India in June 1920' (6 names are included: S. Lally, M.F.Kearney, R,Browne, W.F.Shallow, Wm. Cowan, Simaon Connell. The documetn also indicates the date of application (all between January 1923 and January 1924), the nature of the application (appointment in Free State Army, compensation, financial aid and/or employment), length of service in National Forces, nature of the punishment for mutiny and remarks. Letters were issued from the Office of Adjutant General indicating that their enlistment in the National Army would be accepted provided they passed a medical examination.
File includes material relating to the activities of the Committee of the ex-Connaught Rangers; letter dated 5 July 1924 from James Joseph Devers to the President, to convey a resolution, on behalf of the Committee: to recognise the actions and period of imprisonment as service rendered by the Connaught Rangers; transcribed Dail questions (1925-1926) concerning the qualification for military pensions; in a letter dated 17 October 1927 from John Flannery, on behalf of the ex -Connaught Rangers Committee, expresses the claim according to which ex-mutineers were entitled to the same recognition as the resigned ex-RIC , or IRA men who were in receipt of pensions under the terms of the 1924 Army Pensions Act (letter addressed to Dr Fitzgerald, TD); list of ex-Connaught Rangers still traceable in 1931 (along with last know civilian address and Defence Forces army number); documentation relating to the case of McGrath (employment); letter from P.J.Davey (Chartered Accountant, Ireland and England; dated 30 August 1932) to the Department of Defence, in which he expresses the view that the ex-Connaught Rangers 'are emphatically of opinion that promises were made by Fianna Fail Candidates during the last and previous Elections that if returned to power they would include the Mutineers in a scheme of pensions'; documentation concerning the return to Ireland of the remains of James Daly; list (names, addresses and account number) of surviving Connaught Rangers (dated 26 March 1965).
Newspaper cuttings: The Case of the Connaught Rangers (Telegraph, 17 June 1924), signed by John Flannery, William Burland, John Monaghan, Peter Canavan, John Hayes, John Hewston, Larry Evans; 'The Connaught Rangers' Mutiny' by 'One who knows' (Sunday Independent dated 1 March 1925).
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