RESEARCH, T.MOLONEY.
LETTER FROM THE FRONT (LIMERICK LEADER WEDNESDAY EVENING MAY 19TH 1915). THIS MORNING’S POST BROUGHT US THE FOLLOWING LETTER. WRITTEN IN HOSPITAL AND DATED MAY 15TH. FROM PRIVATE J DANAHER. A LIMERICK MAN IN THE 2ND R.M.FUSILIERS. NOW WITH THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCES IN FRANCE:-
TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIMERICK LEADER
DEAR SIR-WOULD YOU BE S0 KIND AS TO HAVE THIS LITTLE SLIP OF DIARY PUBLISHED IN A VACANT SPACE IN YOUR PAPER ON BEHALF OF THE MEN WHOSE NAMES ARE SIGNED BELOW. ON THE 8th MAY WE WERE FORMED UP IN A RING OUTSIDE OUR BILLETS, IN COMPANY WITH FATHER GLEESON, SINGING HYMNS. WHEN THE ORDER CAME TO MOVE TO THE FIRING LINE. ON SATURDAY NIGHT, 8th MAY, WE MARCHED OFF, HEADED BY FATHER GLEESON, WITH SOME NATIONAL FLAGS. WE GOT THERE ABOUT 12 O’CLOCK THAT NIGHT JUST IN TIME FOR THE BIG BOMBARDMENT. IN WHICH WE LOST HEAVILY. ON SUNDAY 9th OF MAY, IT WAS TERRIBLE. HOUSES, CHAPELS, TREES,AND BODIES FLYING IN THE AIR. STILL FATHER GLEESON STUCK TO HIS POST, ATTENDING TO THE WOUNDED AND DYING MUNSTERS, AND SHELLS DROPPING ALL AROUND HIM. INDEED, IF ANY ONE HAS EARNED THE V.C. FATHER GLEESON HAS. HE IS A CREDIT TO THE COUNTRY HE HAILS FROM. OH, THE PLUCKY WORK THIS IRISH PRIEST HAS DONE OUT HERE FOR THE REGIMENT. ONE COULD NEVER STOP PRAISING HIM; HE HAS BROUGHT LUCK TO THE MUNSTERS SINCE HE JOINED THEM. THE MEN WHO ARE WITH HIM, AND ESPECIALLY THE LIMERICK MEN, SPEAK VERY HIGHLY OF HIM. HE SENT BACK TO IRELAND FOR HYMN BOOKS TO HAVE US SINGING EVERY EVENING IN THE OPEN. ON THE FIRST OF MAY HE ERECTED A LITTLE CHAPEL IN THE OPEN, FOR WHICH HE GOT ONE OF THE BOYS TO MAKE A LITTLE WOODEN CROSS, AND GOT THE WORDS ‘ST MARYS’ PRINtED ON IT, IT BEING THE MONTH OF MAY. THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY HE HAD HIS FIRST MASS IN IT, WITH ALL THE BATTALION PRESENT.
SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING LIMERICK MEN:- PRIVATES: J.DANAHER, B.SOUIRES, PTE.BOWMAN, T.LYNCH, J.WHELAN. (PAINTERS AND MAKERS OF ABOVE MENTIONED CROSS) [THIS YEAR MARKS THE EIGHTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RUE-DU-BOIS ATTACK. CARRIED OUT ON THE NINTH OF MAY 1915 BY THE 2ND MUNSTERS.(ED)