fbpx
Wikipedia

Reginald Walter Stenning

Reginald Walter Stenning (aliases Reginald Stephen Hathaway, Walter Stephens and Richard Stenning) (26 February 1903 - 25 April 1923) was a British Army deserter who joined the Irish Republican Army (IRA), fighting on the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War. After being captured by Free State forces he was beaten and executed.

Biography edit

He was born at 96 Oldfield Road, Willesden, to Edith Annie (née Holton) and Walter Stevens Stenning, a librarian's assistant. In his early years he also lived at 52 Sherrard Road, Forest Gate.[1][2]

Career edit

It is unclear why he joined the IRA and exactly when - as he had no known connexion with Ireland - or which British Army regiment he was originally with, although contemporary newspaper reports state he'd been with the East Lancashire Regiment. Michael P. Sullivan, who signed off for and collected his body after his execution, told the authorities that Stenning deserted his unit in Tralee in 1922 [the RIC was disbanded in early 1922],[3] stayed at Sullivan's house and "worked around for a while" using the surname "Hathaway" to avoid recognition, joining the IRA during the Civil War. IRA captain James Houlihan reported to the Bureau of Military History in 1955 that Stenning arrived as a deserter in Ballyheigue and that British soldiers arrived the next day looking for him. He said this was around the time that Ballyheigue castle was burned in May 1921. Stenning's IRA colleagues called him "Rudge". He was involved with the robbery of Ballyduff post office. When captured, he gave the name Walter Stephens. He spent four-and-a-half months in Tralee gaol. Like other IRA prisoners, he gave an undertaking not to take up arms against the Free State. He claimed - along with two others - that he was ordered to fight with 'Aeroplane' Lyons's column under penalty of death with the accusation that he was a traitor to their cause. A week after his release (according to Sullivan) he rejoined Lyons's column in North Kerry. After taking part in an ambush on a Free-State raiding party at Meenoghane, the column was trapped at the Clashmealcon caves by the National Army's 1st Western Division. Stenning - who'd been recognised by Free-State officers - and two others, James McEnery and Edmond Greaney, were captured, beaten and taken to Ballymullen Barracks where the three were charged with the post office robbery, burning a Civic Guard station at Ballyheigue and stripping the guards,[4] attacking National Army troops at Clashmealcon and taking up arms against the Government. Stenning gained particular attention because a weekly report written on 17 April stated he had a note of safe passage on him signed by the OC of Kerry at the time, Paddy Daly, and that he had been a deserter not just from the British but from the National Army before joining the anti-Treaty IRA. The siege at the cliffs ended on 18 April: two of Lyons's column had already drowned after falling from the cliff at night; Lyons fell onto rocks and was riddled with bullets from the cliff-top.[5][6][7][2][8][9][10]

Execution edit

Stenning - documented as 23-year-old Reginald Stephen Hathaway in Irish records - was tried, found guilty and sentenced to death by Paddy Daly, who promptly asked for the sentence to be confirmed by Dublin. Stenning was executed at Ballymullen Barracks, Tralee, on 25 April 1923, along with McEnery and Greaney; the entry of death, dated 5 May 1923, gives the cause as "shock and haemorrhage following gunshot wounds".[11] Some military correspondence after his death (also for his colleagues) refers to the execution date as 23 April. The charge recorded on military pension documentation was "the offence of taking part in an attack on National Forces on the 18th April, 1923, at Clash, Ballyduff, on which attack two members of the National Army were killed." He was buried in the republican plot at Rahela Graveyard, Ballyduff, after his body and those of his executed colleagues were released in 1924.[12] Documents released by the Military Service Pensions Collection in 2013 show that in 1933, his parents applied to the Irish Ministry of Pensions for a gratuity because of his IRA service. They involved intermediaries, including Sullivan, Mary A. O'Donnell and Eamon Kissane, a Teachta Dála for Kerry. Stenning's father wrote that his son had gone to Ireland with "the Lancashire Regiment" and had then fought against the "infamous Black and Tans" before fighting with the IRA in the Civil War under Thomas Driscoll and Aero Lyons. His service in the IRA was acknowledged by the pensions board, at least between September 1922 and his execution date, but a gratuity was not granted as it was determined his parents were not dependent on him; his father hadn't seen him since 1920 and officials related that Irish people knew far more about his final years. The correspondence ended in 1938 with Defence Minister Frank Aiken confirming the final decision to Kissane by letter. Stenning is listed amongst "the seventy-seven" [with the name 'Hathaway'], a term made popular by Republican propagandist Dorothy Macardle to celebrate anti-treaty fighters executed by the National Army.[13][6][8][7][14]

References edit

  1. ^ {1903 entry:No.250, sub-district:Willesden, registration district:Hendon, county:Middlesex}
  2. ^ a b "Reginald Walter Stenning". www.cairogang.com. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  3. ^ Ryder, Chris. The RUC 1922-1997. London: Mandarin Publishing. pp. 44–45.
  4. ^ "Guard Barrack Burned". New Ross Standard. New Ross. 14 April 1923.
  5. ^ Murphy, Breen Timothy. THE GOVERNMENT’S EXECUTIONS POLICY DURING THE IRISH CIVIL WAR 1922 – 1923 (PhD). NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, MAYNOOTH.
  6. ^ a b Irish Military Archives: Military Service Pensions Collection: DP7023 Reginald Walter Stenning
  7. ^ a b "Special Report: Complexities of revolutionary past can be better understood by opening of files". www.irishexaminer.com. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Taking Names From The Darkness". www.rte.ie. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Statement by Witness: Document No. WS1118". www.militaryarchives.ie. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  10. ^ Harrington, Niall. C. (1992). Kerry Landing: An Episode Of The Civil War, August 1922. Dublin: Anvil Books. p. 151.
  11. ^ Register of Deaths: 1923: Superintendent Registrar's District: Tralee; Registrar's District: Tralee no.1; Deaths Registered in the District of Tralee no.1, Union of Tralee, County Kerry; entry no. 286
  12. ^ Reported in Kerry News, 29 October 1924.
  13. ^ . www.militaryarchives.ie. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  14. ^ Dorney, John. "Executions during the Irish Civil War". www.theirishstory.com. Retrieved 12 December 2022.

reginald, walter, stenning, aliases, reginald, stephen, hathaway, walter, stephens, richard, stenning, february, 1903, april, 1923, british, army, deserter, joined, irish, republican, army, fighting, anti, treaty, side, civil, after, being, captured, free, sta. Reginald Walter Stenning aliases Reginald Stephen Hathaway Walter Stephens and Richard Stenning 26 February 1903 25 April 1923 was a British Army deserter who joined the Irish Republican Army IRA fighting on the anti Treaty side in the Civil War After being captured by Free State forces he was beaten and executed Contents 1 Biography 2 Career 3 Execution 4 ReferencesBiography editHe was born at 96 Oldfield Road Willesden to Edith Annie nee Holton and Walter Stevens Stenning a librarian s assistant In his early years he also lived at 52 Sherrard Road Forest Gate 1 2 Career editIt is unclear why he joined the IRA and exactly when as he had no known connexion with Ireland or which British Army regiment he was originally with although contemporary newspaper reports state he d been with the East Lancashire Regiment Michael P Sullivan who signed off for and collected his body after his execution told the authorities that Stenning deserted his unit in Tralee in 1922 the RIC was disbanded in early 1922 3 stayed at Sullivan s house and worked around for a while using the surname Hathaway to avoid recognition joining the IRA during the Civil War IRA captain James Houlihan reported to the Bureau of Military History in 1955 that Stenning arrived as a deserter in Ballyheigue and that British soldiers arrived the next day looking for him He said this was around the time that Ballyheigue castle was burned in May 1921 Stenning s IRA colleagues called him Rudge He was involved with the robbery of Ballyduff post office When captured he gave the name Walter Stephens He spent four and a half months in Tralee gaol Like other IRA prisoners he gave an undertaking not to take up arms against the Free State He claimed along with two others that he was ordered to fight with Aeroplane Lyons s column under penalty of death with the accusation that he was a traitor to their cause A week after his release according to Sullivan he rejoined Lyons s column in North Kerry After taking part in an ambush on a Free State raiding party at Meenoghane the column was trapped at the Clashmealcon caves by the National Army s 1st Western Division Stenning who d been recognised by Free State officers and two others James McEnery and Edmond Greaney were captured beaten and taken to Ballymullen Barracks where the three were charged with the post office robbery burning a Civic Guard station at Ballyheigue and stripping the guards 4 attacking National Army troops at Clashmealcon and taking up arms against the Government Stenning gained particular attention because a weekly report written on 17 April stated he had a note of safe passage on him signed by the OC of Kerry at the time Paddy Daly and that he had been a deserter not just from the British but from the National Army before joining the anti Treaty IRA The siege at the cliffs ended on 18 April two of Lyons s column had already drowned after falling from the cliff at night Lyons fell onto rocks and was riddled with bullets from the cliff top 5 6 7 2 8 9 10 Execution editStenning documented as 23 year old Reginald Stephen Hathaway in Irish records was tried found guilty and sentenced to death by Paddy Daly who promptly asked for the sentence to be confirmed by Dublin Stenning was executed at Ballymullen Barracks Tralee on 25 April 1923 along with McEnery and Greaney the entry of death dated 5 May 1923 gives the cause as shock and haemorrhage following gunshot wounds 11 Some military correspondence after his death also for his colleagues refers to the execution date as 23 April The charge recorded on military pension documentation was the offence of taking part in an attack on National Forces on the 18th April 1923 at Clash Ballyduff on which attack two members of the National Army were killed He was buried in the republican plot at Rahela Graveyard Ballyduff after his body and those of his executed colleagues were released in 1924 12 Documents released by the Military Service Pensions Collection in 2013 show that in 1933 his parents applied to the Irish Ministry of Pensions for a gratuity because of his IRA service They involved intermediaries including Sullivan Mary A O Donnell and Eamon Kissane a Teachta Dala for Kerry Stenning s father wrote that his son had gone to Ireland with the Lancashire Regiment and had then fought against the infamous Black and Tans before fighting with the IRA in the Civil War under Thomas Driscoll and Aero Lyons His service in the IRA was acknowledged by the pensions board at least between September 1922 and his execution date but a gratuity was not granted as it was determined his parents were not dependent on him his father hadn t seen him since 1920 and officials related that Irish people knew far more about his final years The correspondence ended in 1938 with Defence Minister Frank Aiken confirming the final decision to Kissane by letter Stenning is listed amongst the seventy seven with the name Hathaway a term made popular by Republican propagandist Dorothy Macardle to celebrate anti treaty fighters executed by the National Army 13 6 8 7 14 Portals nbsp Biography nbsp United Kingdom nbsp IrelandReferences edit 1903 entry No 250 sub district Willesden registration district Hendon county Middlesex a b Reginald Walter Stenning www cairogang com Retrieved 26 November 2022 Ryder Chris The RUC 1922 1997 London Mandarin Publishing pp 44 45 Guard Barrack Burned New Ross Standard New Ross 14 April 1923 Murphy Breen Timothy THE GOVERNMENT S EXECUTIONS POLICY DURING THE IRISH CIVIL WAR 1922 1923 PhD NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND MAYNOOTH a b Irish Military Archives Military Service Pensions Collection DP7023 Reginald Walter Stenning a b Special Report Complexities of revolutionary past can be better understood by opening of files www irishexaminer com Retrieved 26 November 2022 a b Taking Names From The Darkness www rte ie Retrieved 25 November 2022 Statement by Witness Document No WS1118 www militaryarchives ie Retrieved 13 December 2022 Harrington Niall C 1992 Kerry Landing An Episode Of The Civil War August 1922 Dublin Anvil Books p 151 Register of Deaths 1923 Superintendent Registrar s District Tralee Registrar s District Tralee no 1 Deaths Registered in the District of Tralee no 1 Union of Tralee County Kerry entry no 286 Reported in Kerry News 29 October 1924 About Military Archives www militaryarchives ie Archived from the original on 2 March 2013 Retrieved 11 December 2022 Dorney John Executions during the Irish Civil War www theirishstory com Retrieved 12 December 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Reginald Walter Stenning amp oldid 1207216143, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.