irishrepublicanarmy

It's all about mobility. Up and including the first years of WW2, most European armies had troops that used bicycles for speed and mobility. It's quicker than walking which is how most soldiers got from A to B 😀

Who stole his saddle?

Flickr is sometimes amazing! Via Indread Coal who says before 1903

beachcomber australia Looks as if there was a proper clip type yokey to keep the gun in place. It's the local innovation, the proposed boot mechanism, that I fell in love with when I saw this letter.

Tintin et Milou As long as the roads are somewhat paved.

at first glance it could be mistaken for an alpine hunting party. they seem not to be dressed to rough it as a flying column, so it would have been a prepared photocall?

May be a red herring, but a Capt. McGrath was appointed Quartermaster to the 55th Infantry Battalion in a list issued in March 1923 (Freeman's Journal). Would he have been based at the Prison Garrison in Waterford? Bit of a stretch?

Foxglove Was just reading recently that the shirt, collar, and tie (though not everyone here has one on) were to denote respectability. Also learned the Irish for Flying Column is Colún Reatha (running column) which I think is lovely.

Foxglove yes that was my thought.

Wonder was Mr.Poole blindfolded on his way to take it ? Lots of "photoshopping" on the background...... I have a similar posed photograph from Castlecomer.

Here he is - www.theauxiliaries.com/police-advisor-office/haldane/hald...

From thepeerage dot com: Lt.-Col. Maldwyn Makgill Haldane was born on 11 January 1877. He was the son of Robert Camperdown Haldane and Emily Anderson. He married, firstly, Mabel Constance Seymour, daughter of Robert George Seymour, on 8 November 1902. He married, secondly, Katherine Baylay, daughter of Reverend Atwell Mervyn Yates Baylay, in October 1934. He died on 29 June 1940 at age 63. He was educated at St. Paul's School, London, England. He was educated at Loretto School, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. He fought in the First World War. He gained the rank of Major and Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Scots. He was Assistant Director of Special Intelligence Services.

At The Peerage - www.thepeerage.com/p31101.htm#i311005

From the beachcombers link, I think the reason he was of interest to Beaslai and Collins was: 1914 Major, War Office (Declaration of War) Major, Head of H Branch MI5 throughout the war (under Lt. Colonel Kell) 1919 Jan 1 Lt. Colonel, 1920 Lt. Colonel, 1920, A Branch (Director of Administration) Ireland, Dublin Castle. In Police Advisor's Office in Dublin 1922 Lt. Colonel, 1922, Director Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Belfast

Wikispooks [!!] on MI5 history - wikispooks.com/wiki/MI5