Norwich bulletin., 1916-06-06
Stories of the War
4eadquarters of the Iriah Division.

Headquarters of the Irish Division. l
 There is a town at the British front l which is the center of an Irish world I It is the Headquarters town of the i 18th or Irish division. Irish voices are heard from the doorways of the houses. Flower pots of shamrock are on the mess tables of officers who gather for their meals in the modest sitting room of the local grocer or butcher where they are 'fbilleted.n
 In his office a general who is IrisIl to the finger tips talks about his troops who were fighting hard against the Germans during the Dublin riots If he is asked if there are any Sim FeineTs among them he will refer the inquirer to the men, themselves They enlisted in the Irish new army battai- ions in face of the influence which produced Sim Feinism This gave them a distinction of character to start with their officers say.
 Sturdy middle-aged men with strips of color won in campaigns in India and South Africa while serving with regular Irish regiments, some still SeTgeants. some promoted to commits sions have been the drill masters of vigorous youth from Mayo or Kilken- ny or Clare or Cork. But most of the officers in common with most of the men had never been in uniform when the war began.
 A major Ntlo is over six feet and broad in proportion standing still as a ramrod in salute. who looks as if he had been soldering all his life, was a farmer in Waterford. He recruited a company from the surrounding countryside and was given comand. Promotion followed as it has for oth- CT beginners. Those captains who are members of parliament will get theirs now unless they are among the casu- alties which make room for others to | TiSe ThnV that f1aoyy fknI <yS1f could do better work for Home Rule at the front than in the Commons. 1 A'eWe wanted to draft the Irishmen l who were in English and Scotch bat the Irish at the front under one com mands" said the General 'but we could not make the arrangement Tue other commanders would not part with their Irishmen. British battalions like
 to have sprinkling of Irish among
 their numbers. My men have had ev- Iery test of trench fighting, gas and
 shells and sniping-and they've dis proved any idea that the Irish were not as good at sticking as in a charge They've stuck like veterans. Native Irish gocd humor relieves the grim monotony of the trenches
 As for iscipline-there's the rec
 ord of courtsmartiaP'-the general in-
 dicated some blank spaces opposite
 the names of battalions on the wall
 everybody prophecied that we would
 have heavy drinking on St. Patrick
 day because a lot of people have ths
 idea that the Irish have e weakness } for drink. appealed to the men ts
 be on their good behavior witIl tn,
 result that we did not have a singl, case of intoxication."
 Up in the trenches held by the Trfsl
 stories abound. When big high ex plosive German shell tore a. hole in tn,
 parapet a soldier who was set t, , shoveling away the earth that G1aS filled the trench had only fairly go started when another she'll struck jus behind him tearing another section 0 . trench and half burying him. Hay ing craWled out and looked around h
 saluted his captain and said:
 sSir I have to report that at iBl present rate I caN't finish this jol without help. They're gaining ol me"