George Edwards was a British soldier sent to Ireland during the Easter Rising. He describes the raiding and searching of houses in Dublin. Soon after the Rising was quelled he and his comrades were sent to fight at the Somme.
George Edwards recalls what it was like to be involved in urban warfare in Dublin during Easter Week 1916. The British soldiers made their way across roof tops under fire and down drain pipes to get into individual houses. On the streets there were home made barricades but George Edwards says even behind a barricade you could not be sure from which direct you would be fired at.
The houses had to be searched but it was difficult to know who the enemy was. The commanding officer told his men,
Give 'em a chance. Give 'em a chance to get out and show their selves. If they won't do put a stick there whip the bed up he says all the lot bedsteads. They was a rough old shambles it didn't matter.
When the Rebellion was over George Edwards recalls that there was still a tension in Dublin but he didn't have much time before he was sent off to the front and to fight at the Somme.
The big difference between fighting in France and Dublin,
I mean we've got 'em all in front of us there but Dublin they was all around you everywhere see.
George Edwards was interviewed during the production of Ireland A Television History 27 June 1979
| Title: | Ireland A Television History George Edwards |
| Clip Duration: | 00:06:31 |
| Material Type: | Video |
| Clip Title: | "Anybody Could Be Walking Down See You And Let You Have One" |
| Series Title: | Ireland A Television History Interviews |
| Information: | Ireland A Television History was a 13 part series written and presented by Robert Kee looking at the complexities of Irish history. The series chronicles Ireland's development from pre-Christian times to the 1980s, with a specific emphasis on the creation of the modern independent Republic and the roots of the Troubles. 'Ireland a Television History', a BBC production was broadcast on RTÉ and BBC at the same time. In an article for the RTÉ Guide, Kee was asked is the series aimed at a British audience? He replied, "No it's aimed at those (mainly in Britain) who are less familiar with the subject than they ought to be; and at those (in Ireland, North and South) who think they know but don't". |
| Local Keywords: | 1916, Easter Rising, Easter 1916, Rising, British Army, British Soldiers |
| Coverage: | Ireland |
| Genre: | Factual |
| Topic: | Wars and Conflict |
| Provider: | RTÉ |
| Contributor(s): | Robert Kee (Interviewer) |
| Publisher: | RTÉ |
| Production Year: | 1979 |
| Country of Production: | England |
| Original Identifier: | DF220 |
| IPR Restrictions: | Rights Reserved - Free Access |
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| Item Type: | part/extract |
| Colour: | Colour |
| Sound: | Mono |
| Aspect Ratio: | 4:3 |
| Language: | English (eng) |
