Irish Local Defence Corps

[billy]

Hi not mine but was asked what it was and of any value, has Hallmarks on it to the rear and was made in Cork, could this have been an Irish Republican item from 1916?

I know absolutely nothing about these things and not my area but know some of you have shown an interest in this area previously, IF! Anyone should want this? I will ask if it is going to be moved on and Forum gets first shout! Hope that’s fair?

All the best Billy

[mike_vee]

Found a buttonhole version :

This badge was worn by members of the local defence force when they were not in uniform. The outer sunburst design is similar to the Irish Army cap badge and the L.D.F. initials in the centre are similar to the Gaelic script used on the medal.

[John Mulcahy]

Billy, the LDF was formed in 1940 as a local defence force in case of invasion. It was replaced by a new second line reserve force after WW2.

John

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by billy

Hi not mine but was asked what it was and of any value, has Hallmarks on it to the rear and was made in Cork, could this have been an Irish Republican item from 1916?

Hallmark appears to be letter D , which would indicate 1945.

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[billy]

Wow! What an amount of information! Cheers lads, so Ireland being Neutral still planned for Defence in case Germany attempted to Invade, a much easier prospect I suspect than invading England!

Glad they didn’t, but we might have had a problem if they had U-boat pens on the Atlantic and from Scotland to Wales and Cornwall a big Defend!

Will wait before contacting him with this as more could be forthcoming?

Cheers Billy

[John Mulcahy]

Billy,

A great deal has been written on Ireland during WW2. Ireland planned to defend against two main possibilities, a German invasion in the South East (in which case co-operation with the British was envisioned) and a British invasion from the North (especially after Churchill came to power) to seize ports and bases. There was also a plan to counter an internal IRA rising with the IRA receiving "aid from a foreign power". In practice the armed forces were extremely weak due to decades of underfunding and their ability to defend an invasion by formed forces was limited and air defense was essentially non-existent until mid 1944 when enough Hurricanes were received to begin to form a fighter squadron.

Generally speaking there was a good level of cooperation between Irish Army G2 (Military Intelligence) and MI5 and after a cautious start relations became good and communications very frequent. After the risk of a British invasion has passed collaboration became very close on counter espionage problems including the breaking of Abwehr hand ciphers.

Getting back to the LDF, in cities and large towns they were organized into Infantry, Engineers, Intelligence/Observation, Communications, Transport, Supply and Medical (First Aid) groups. In rural areas they were formed as self contained units and assigned districts for local defence based on the police districts. The force eventually reached an average strength of 100,000

A good source of info for the Irish Army in 1939-1045 can be had in "The Irish Sword vol XIX no 75 & 76 which were jointly published and are entirely devoted to the subject.

[billy]

Thanks John know nothing on this subject? No idea why I haven’t looked at this?

[mike_vee]

A bit of info :

https://www.historyireland.com/the-i...the-emergency/

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