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The Ulster Volunteer Force Gun Running at Larne, April 1914

ByJ.W.T. Watters

 

John William Thomas Watters was born on 29th August, 1876 and died 29th December, 1939. He starred his professional career as a law clerk. One day, along with a young colleague, he asked for a rise; their employer was unsympathetic so the pair of them decided to become solicitors and until they finished their training they travelled down to Dublin for all their lectures. This must say something about the nature of the man.

He was one of those instrumental in setting up Belvoir Park Golf Club in 1926-7; he was Club captain in the 1930's. In 1932-3 he was president of the Belfast Rotary Club. From the 1920's until his death he was a Belfast City Councillor, representing Ballynafeigh district as a Unionist. It was said that a visit he made to Spain to study road surfaces explains why we have, or had, concrete roads in Belfast. But the highlight of his life must surely have been in 1914 when he participated in the gun-running operation at Lame which he descibes in the article which follows. He was a bodyguard to Edward Carson in 1921.

This article came to light in the 1950's and was given to the Society by his daughter-in-law. Mrs. Joan Watters, along with derails of his life. Mrs. Joan Watters is a member of the Society.

I had been acting as adjutant to the Ulster Signalling and Dispatch Riding Corps (USDR Corps) and as was my custom I called in to the Old Town Hall at dinner time to answer any letters and to report myself to the officer commanding. When I got there the typist informed me that I was wanted by the OC and that I was to wait until he came down from the office of the General. When he came he said that he wanted to speak to me privately and the typist retired. He asked would I give him my word of honour that anything that he told me would be treated as strictly confidential, I said yes, he then asked me would I be prepared to do something for the Ulster Volunteer Force. I asked if he would tell me the nature of the worle required, he said he could not tell me anything more unless he had my promise to do the job that was necessary but he would go so far as to say there was a certain amount of risk involved, and that was all he could tell me. I knew then there was something momentous going to happen and I was determined to be in it and damn the consequences! so I said "right, I'll do it", then after a renewed promise to keep everything he said absolutely secret he informed me that the G.O.C. had told him that an attempt was to be made to land arms. All of us knew of the mystery ship and of the attempt by Winston Churchill who beat such an undignified retreat down what is locally known as Churchill's Drive, to overcome Ulster by a display of naval force but none of us, except for the headman, knew when or where the attempt was to be made to land arms.

I was asked if I would be prepared to go to Larne on the night of 24th/25th of April 1914 on the boat train to take charge of the signal communications between Larne and Belfast, of course I knew then what was happening and I agreed. The code for the night was handed to me with a request to study it in the meantime and to be careful of it and to destroy it in the event of any trouble. I was told that if any troubletook place Larne would be in it up to the neck andthat we would have to be very guarded in our reply to any questions.

The system of sending messages and the signaling stations to be used and the personnel of men to be employed was then explained and considered. It was decided to warn the officers and men that an all night signalling scheme was to be held on that fateful night.

As I left the offtce of the O.T.H. that evening I felt that I possessed a secret that any of my confreres in the corps and in the U.V.F. would give anything to share and in the following few days I found myself tempted to impart it to some of them, men who were as keen as myself.

The U.V.F. was busy that week, and an air of something going to happen pervaded Belfast. Rumours about the mystery ship were revived and the general order of the week served to make the members of the U.V.F. wonder if anything special was afoot.

On the Friday I told those at home that I might not be back until the morning as we had an all night signalling scheme on. I called at the O.T.H. and got final instructions. During that day I did my work in a perfunctionary way owing to a feeling of suppressed eagerness to get on with the job allotted to me.

When I took my seat on the boat train for Larne I saw several prominent members of the Force also board the train. I overheard a young lady remark to her friend that there were more people travelling than was usual.

We reached Larne in due course and as I was early I got out and walked to the harbour. As I passed a large yard to the back of some houses I saw a Company of men 'falling in' for their night' s work. I reported to Gen Wm Adair at the harbour as instructed and obtained from him a white armlet which would gain me admittance to the quay. The quay was surrounded by Companies of men and no admittance was granted unless vouched. I spent a short time looking over the lie of the ground and deciding where it would be best to dispatch riders so as to give them a clear run to and from the quay, picking a spot where they would have their motorcycles convenient and yet be able to get away at once. There was the sound of several motorcycles' engines and Gen. Sir Wm Adair asked me to get them to stop as we did not want to attract too much attention to our operations. I did as he asked and told them where to place their machines. We had now time to look around us and although the quay and its vicinity was crowded with men there was practically no noise.

 

Kilde:

http://www.orangenet.org/gunrunning.htm

 

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