#OnThisDay 1921 Royal Scots Private George Duff Chalmers was captured, executed & secretly buried by the IRA in Moy bog in west Clare. The 2nd Royal Scots had been coming back from serving a court summons near Moughna, Lahinch and 19 year old Chalmers got off the truck at Lavoureen to go see a 15 year old girl, Louisa Curtin, that he was courting.
Volunteer Anthony Malone gave this account in his witness statement to the Bureau:
A short time after leaving the lorry Chalmers was captured by two members of the I.R.A. During his interrogation Chalmers refused to give his name. He was subsequently court-martialled by the I.R.A. and sentenced to death. According to the I.R.A. report of the incident Chalmers was executed on the suspicion of being on a mission to gather military intelligence. “A Private of the Royal Scots who dropped off one of four lorries passing through C. Coy area was captured by two riflemen after a chase. The Bn. Staff being satisfied that his object in leaving the lorry was to seek information had him executed on the same date, after getting all the information they could from him. He did not give information of importance.”
Commandant Seamus Hennessy (pic) oversaw the execution and burial.
Chalmers’ body stayed there in Moy Bog for 97 years until he was reburied in Grangegorman in 2018.
