Another instalment of records from the Military Service (1916-1923) Pensions Collection released online

The Military Archives has today released some 4,600 files from the Military Service (1916-1923) Pensions Collection (MSPC).

Just as with the seven earlier instalments from the MSPC, this release contains new and unique information on the War of Independence and the Civil War.

In this new batch of files, the second release in 2019, are claims lodged by 1,540 individuals or their dependents. They include:

• 313 service pension applications lodged by women, most of them were members of Cumann na mBan. The files provide new information on the role played by women in the War of Independence and Civil War (intelligence, arms, violence).
• Files relating to the Saltmills explosion in Wexford (12/10/1920).
• Files relating to IRA activity in Derry and Belfast (1920-1922) and sectarian fighting in both cities.
• Files relating to three Belfast Protestant IRA members including a former member of the Orange Order.
• Files relating to the wounding of Church of Ireland Rev. Thomas Wilkinson (13/5/1920) by IRA members
• Attempted rescue of Frank Carty from prison van in Glasgow in May 1921 (files of 18 individuals involved in the attempt)
• Files relating to 45 members giving excellent overview of the structure and activity of the IRA and Cumann na mBan in Manchester.
• Files relating to 9 new 1916 Rising veterans.

In total, the MSPC Project Team has processed more than 97,500 files; some 28,700 are online (these cover 9,555 individuals) while the rest are available at the Military Archives in Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines, Dublin 8.

The Collection is of such interest, the Archivists even publish a dedicated blog: MSPC – Stories from the Collection.