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Young Citizen Volunteers (1912)

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Emblem used by the YCV.
YCV uniform jacket, c. 1912-14

TheYoung Citizen Volunteers of Ireland,orYoung Citizen Volunteers (YCV)for short, was anIrishcivic organisation founded in Belfast in 1912. It was established to bridge the gap for 18 to 25 year olds between membership of youth organisations—such as theBoys' BrigadeandBoy Scouts—and the period of responsible adulthood.[1]Another impetus for its creation was the failure of the British government to extend the legislation for theTerritorial Force—introduced in 1908—to Ireland.[1]It was hoped that theWar Officewould absorb the YCV into the Territorial Force, however such offers were dismissed.[1]Not until the outbreak ofWorld War Idid the YCV—by then a battalion of theUVF—become part of theBritish Armyas the 14th Battalion of theRoyal Irish Rifles.[1]

The YCV was launched inBelfast City Hallon 10 September 1912 at a meeting chaired by the Lord Mayor,Robert James McMordie,who became its first president.[1]The ideals of the YCV at its onset was stated as being "non-sectarian" and "non-political", and despite its leadership and membership being largely drawn from unionist families it included prominent Belfast nationalistFrancis Joseph Biggaras part of its committee.[1]The creation of the YCV had nothing to do with theHome Rule Crisisor Ulster Day on 28 September 1912, which saw the signing of the anti-Home RuleUlster Covenant.[1]However, by May 1914 the YCV—despite some controversy—merged with the anti-Home RuleUlster Volunteer Force.[1]

Despite its name implying that it covered the whole of Ireland it never extended outside of Belfast, however there were plans to set up battalions in places such as countiesLondonderryandFermanagh.[1]

The YCV's name would later be resurrected by theYCVyouth movement attached to the 1966Ulster Volunteer Force(also UVF). Although there is no direct continuity between the two groups, they share the same emblem of ashamrocksurmounted by aRed Hand of Ulster.[2]

Establishment[edit]

The YCV had its origins in the Belfast Citizens Association, a conservative ratepayers group.[3]The YCV had its first meeting just prior to the signing of theSolemn League and Covenant (Ulster),opposingHome Rule,inBelfast City Hallon 10 September 1912.[4]The group was inaugurated byRobert James McMordiein his role asLord Mayor of Belfastand was led by Frederick Crawford.[5]Other leading figures in the group's foundation included Councillor Frank Workman andfoundryowner James Mackie.[3]The group initially struggled to attract a Commanding Officer before eventually appointing Colonel R Spencer Chichester, a strongly right-wing Unionist who favoured purchasing guns for the YCV.[6]Although officially called the YCV of Ireland it had no members beyond Belfast.[7]

Each member was to pay 2s.6d (12.5 p) on joining the YCV and a further 6d (2.5p) each month as well as instalments on a £1.10s fee for purchase of their grey uniform.[8]he was to attend weekly drills to learn "modified military andpolicedrill, single stick,rifleand baton exercises, signalling, knot-tying and other such exercises ".[citation needed]If possible, he was also to gain some knowledge of "life-saving andambulancework ".[citation needed]

The constitution of the YCV insisted that members should not take part in any political meeting or demonstration, or wear their YCV uniforms at such events.[1]They were stated as being "non-sectarianand non-political "[4]and their objectives were considered to be:

"..... to develop the spirit of responsible citizenship and municipal patriotism by means of lectures and discussions on civic matters.... to cultivate, by means of modified military and police drill, a manly physique, with habits of self control, self-respect and chivalry....to assist as an organization, when called upon, the civil power in the maintenance of peace".[5]

Membership was open to anyone aged between eighteen and thirty-five who was over five feet in height and could present "credentials of good character".[1]SomeRoman Catholicsdid join the YCV, though it was overwhelminglyProtestantin numbers.[9]Made up mainly of middle class members, the YCV was patterned after theScout movement,albeit for young men who were too old for that group,[4]as well as theBoys' BrigadeandChurch Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade.[10]The group was formed in part because theTerritorial Forcehad not been extended to Ireland and members wanted a substitute.[11]

The foundation of the YCV was hailed by theNorthern Whig,a Unionist daily paper, although theIrish News,anationalistpaper, was less enthusiastic, speculating that the YCV had been set up as an organisedstrike-breakingforce, with memories of the1907 Belfast Dock strikestill fresh.[12]

Merger with the Ulster Volunteers[edit]

The anti-Home RuleUlster Volunteer Forcewas created in January 1913 and there is evidence of co-operation between them and the YCV including theLarne gun-running.[1]As the Home Rule crisis escalated, pressure grew for the YCV to become part of the UVF, and such a proposal was made in March 1914.[1]This caused a degree of controversy and division amongst its membership, even with those who were members of both organisations who sought for the YCV to remain non-political.[1]The 1st Battalion YCV went ahead and merged with the UVF, leading to a resolution being proposed and seconded at a YCV council meeting declaring regret that they were not consulted beforehand and that the 1st Battalion had no authority to proceed.[1]Some members of the YCV resigned because of the merger, however the majority didn't and on 17 May 1914 it ceased to be an independent organisation becoming a battalion of the UVF.[1]At the time of the merger the YCV had around 400 Catholic members who drifted from the movement rather than switch to the Protestant UVF.[13]

Financial problems[edit]

From soon after its inception the YCV faced financial problems as it tried and failed to solicit donations from major local businesses.[8]By early 1914 the situation had become so dire that Frank Workman, a wealthy industrialist who was a partner inWorkman and Clarkship builders, was paying for the upkeep of the group out of his own pocket.[6]Despite Chichester's attempts to fully militarise the group, theBritish governmentrefused to offer financial assistance to the YCV, in return for placing themselves at the government's disposal.[4]

First World War[edit]

Cap badge, 14th Battalion (YCV) Royal Irish Rifles, 1914

The Ulster Volunteers were most closely associated with the36th (Ulster) Divisionduring theFirst World Warand the YCV as a unit formed the 14th Battalion of theRoyal Irish Rifles,which was part of the 36th.[14]The Battalion was commanded by Lieutenant ColonelRobert Chichester,who addressed the soldiers as "young citizens", and wore the grey uniform of the YCV, although the group's 750 members were augmented by troops from mainland Britain (who made up 25% of the 14th) and the rest of Ireland (17%).[15]A large group of English conscripts in the Battalion were nicknamed the "Gawd Blimey Brigade" by the original Belfast members, many of whom came from middle and upper-class families and looked down on the more rough and ready English soldiers.[16]The more well off origins of the YCV members saw the Battalion itself acquire the nickname "Young Chocolate Soldiers".[17]

The group mutinied twice in 1915, first in June when soldiers drilling atShane's CastlenearRandalstownrefused to march back to barracks, insisting that a train be sent to carry them instead. Chichester acceded to this demand.[18]This was followed in September when the group mutinied over the cancellation of leave as part of a wider mutiny within the 36th. The mutiny in the 14th was defused however by a "Major B" who convinced the soldiers to abandon their plans.[19]Soon after this they were attached to the 12th Brigade following a reorganisation of the Ulster forces.[20]

By 1917, the 14th was generally seen as one of the poorer combat units of the Ulster Division.[21]A letter by Major GeneralOliver Nugentto theAdjutant Generalin December 1917 described them as "totally wanting in any military spirit" and stated that "the Brigadier says he cannot trust them and I know that he is right [as] they are poor stuff either as workers or fighters and have been a constant source of anxiety during the past three weeks".[22]The group was disbanded in early 1918 as part of a wider reduction in size for the 36th (Ulster) Division.[23]

Post-war[edit]

Plans were made in 1919 to revive the YCV under the patronage ofJames Johnston,the serving Mayor of Belfast.Edward Carsonhowever had little enthusiasm and suggested they contact the British authorities atDublin Castlefor their opinion. When this line of contact was ignored the plan was abandoned and the YCV did not return.[24]The name was revived in 1972 for a separate group with no direct connection to the original.

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdefghijklmnopqYoung Citizen Volunteers 10th September 1912.Ulster-Scots Community Network. 2012.
  2. ^Adrian Forty, Susanne Küchle,The Art of Forgetting,Berg 2001, p. 181
  3. ^abTimothy Bowman,Carson's Army: The Ulster Volunteer Force, 1910-22,Manchester University Press, 2007, p. 25
  4. ^abcdThomas Bartlett & Keith Jeffery,A Military History of Ireland,Cambridge University Press, 1997, p. 383
  5. ^abJim Cusack & Henry McDonald,UVF,Poolbeg, 1997, p. 49
  6. ^abBowman,Carson's Army,p. 29
  7. ^Bowman,Carson's Army,p. 24
  8. ^abBowman,Carson's Army,p. 28
  9. ^Bowman,Carson's Army,p. 65
  10. ^Bowman,Carson's Army,p. 26
  11. ^Andrew Totten,The Tenth: A Century of Scouting at the 10th Belfast,10th Belfast Scout Group, 2009, p. 13
  12. ^Bowman,Carson's Army,pp. 26-27
  13. ^Bowman,Carson's Army,p. 31
  14. ^Totten,The Tenth,p. 16
  15. ^Timothy Bowman,Irish Regiments in the Great War: Discipline And Morale,Manchester University Press, 2006, p. 65
  16. ^Bowman,Irish Regiments,p. 143
  17. ^Andrew Totten,Straight & ready: a history of the 10th Belfast Scout Group 1908-1988,10th Belfast Scout Group, 1989, p. 14
  18. ^Bowman,Irish Regiments,p. 85
  19. ^Bowman,Irish Regiments,pp. 85-86
  20. ^Bowman,Irish Regiments,p. 114
  21. ^Bowman,Irish Regiments,p. 204
  22. ^Bowman,Irish Regiments,p. 146
  23. ^Bowman,Irish Regiments,p. 145
  24. ^Bowman,Carson's Army,p. 183