Ireland 1882 - 1888

Like most new recruits John Dickson enlisted into the army in a recruiting office, in this case the recruiting office was staffed by Colour Sergeant Ryan of the 5th Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers. As such when taking the oath of allegiance, known as the attestation, John Dickson originally joined the Militia Battalion of the 101st Regiment of Foot, known as the 5th Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers. After that the commanding officer of the 101st Regiment of Foot transferred John Dickson to the Leinster Regiment on the 13th June 1885.

It is interesting to speculate why John Dickson did not join the regular army battalions of the 101st, (the first or the 2nd Battalion), instead of the Leinster Regiment. It was probably because at the time in question (1885) the regular units of the Royal Munster Fusiliers were actually on overseas duty, therefore to join as a regular soldier John had to choose the Leinster Regiment. In addition the 2nd Battalion of the Leinsters had commenced a recruiting campaign (being over 100 soldiers under strength) when they first arrived at Birr.

In 1885, Birr was the Regimental Headquarters of the Leinster Regiment, and, in addition, the headquarters of the senior Militia Battalion, The Kings County Militia, known as the 3rd Battalion of the Leinster Regiment. The 2nd Battalion of the Leinster Regiment had moved into Birr on the 17 November 1882, so had been in residence a little under three years at the time that John Dickson arrived as a recruit in June 1885. When John arrived at the Depot a recruit was quartered in one wing of the double barracks, and did his recruit drill at the corresponding end of the Barrack Square. On completing his recruit instruction he would collect his belongings and move to the other end of the barracks to complete his "young soldiers instruction".

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In the autumn of 1885 the Battalion left Birr for Fermoy on the 19th of September. Fermoy had two Regiments in Garrison, in the older barracks was in the newly arrived 2nd Battalion of the Leinster Regiment, and in the new barracks was a Regiment known as the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

In November 1885 two companies of the 2nd Battalion, each made up all 100 non-commissioned officers and men, were sent on detachment to Limerick. The remainder of the Regimental stay in Fermoy was short-lived, with the remainder of the 2nd Battalion moving to Limerick in May 1886.

It is interesting to understand the background why the Regiment was sent to Limerick. It is recorded that the people of Limerick had made things unpleasant for the previous military Battalion quartered, the 60th Rifles, and as a consequence the army had been withdrawn. However the impact of the withdrawal of the army upon the local economy (estimated at the time to be worth £60,000 a year) led to a petition to the authorities to send another Battalion to Limerick. So it was decided, this time, to send an Irish Battalion to see if contact between the military and the local community could be improved. Regimental records show that the people of Limerick were never very friendly to the Battalion, but except for a few small disturbances nothing noteworthy occurred. In Limerick there were two barracks, one at the East End of the city and the Castle in the slums of the West End. The Battalion occupied one of the barracks, and had a Company at the castle. The Officers from the Castle went to dine at the barracks, and sometimes had things thrown at them by the local population, thus making travel between the castle and the barracks not without its challenge!

Again taken from Regimental documents, other companies of the Regiment had to attend evictions in support of the local constable, so that in those days, the soldier's life was not altogether a pleasant one in Limerick. It must have been difficult for the new soldier John Dickson having arrived from Limerick to be stationed back in his hometown undertaking policing duty amongst former friends and neighbours. (It may also explain why he did not return after he left the army!) Although classed by the Regiment as "somewhat inhospitable", Limerick was however useful in that the strength of the Battalion steadily increased, and by July 1886 the total of all ranks was exactly 800 people, (though this had fallen a year later to 688).

The Battalion stayed in Limerick until the 18th January 1888 when they departed for England by embarking upon board HMS Assistance for conveyance to Shorncliffe, Dover.

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