Court Martial of Erskine Childers Begins

Robert Erskine Childers DSC (25 June 1870 – 24 November 1922), usually known as Erskine Childers, was an English-born Irish nationalist who established himself as a writer with accounts of the Second Boer War, a novel The Riddle of the Sands about German preparations for a sea-borne invasion of England, and proposals for achieving Irish independence. He took part in the Irish Civil War and was executed by the authorities of the Irish Free State.

Erskine Childers, the Irish nationalist and author, was court-martialed during the Irish Civil War. The court-martial of Erskine Childers took place in November 1922. Childers, who had initially supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty, later switched sides and became an opponent of the Free State government formed as a result of the treaty.

1. Arrest: Erskine Childers was arrested by Free State forces in early November 1922.

2. Charges: Childers was charged with possession of a firearm, specifically a small German-made semi-automatic pistol. He claimed that the pistol had been given to him as a souvenir by Michael Collins during the War of Independence and was a family heirloom.

3. Court-Martial: The court-martial proceedings began on November 18, 1922.

4. Trial: Childers defended himself during the trial, arguing that the pistol was a memento from the War of Independence and that he had not used it during the Irish Civil War.

5. Verdict: Despite his defense, Childers was found guilty of possessing the firearm.

6. Execution: Erskine Childers was executed by firing squad on November 24, 1922, at the Beggars Bush Barracks in Dublin.

The execution of Erskine Childers remains a controversial episode in Irish history, reflecting the deep divisions and tensions of the Irish Civil War. Childers’ transition from an initial supporter of the Anglo-Irish Treaty to an opponent and his subsequent fate highlight the complex and tragic nature of the conflict.