As a matter of interest has anyone ever established the exact location of the blessing of 2nd Munsters in the Rue De Bois, prior to their attack on Aubers Ridge, as immortalized in the painting by Fortunino Mantana?

Click to view attachment

Hi Mark,

I also have been trying to locate the exact location of this painting. I havebeen unsuccessul sadly. This painting is quite close to my heart as i am from Ennis, County Clare in Munster. Copy attached.

Regards

Ross.

Where is the original now ? Was the painter there or is he depicting an event he was told about. I presume the latter. A very moving and powerful image.

I presume the Rue de Bois may still be extant in the Aubers Ridge area . Would the 1915 Official History be able to help with where the battalion attacked from and therefore an indication of what place a bit to the rear that the painting is set in.

Is the mounted figure next to the priest supposed to represent Colonel Rickard, who died in the battle? Rue Du Bois certainly exists but it's not clear exactly where the event took place. If it was in the vicinity of their attack on 9th May they would have been rather close to the German front line, as at that point Rue Du Bois actually runs between the British front and support line trenches! Mantana is a wonderful artist, originally born in Naples, who died in 1963 I believe.

Here's another view of the painting, for general interest.

Ian

Thank you, Ian, that gives us a view of the wayside shrine where the service was held. Incidentally has anyone ever seen the German painting by the war artist Weinberg depicting the Munsters' attack? It is called 'The II/55 in the Battle of May 1915 near La Bassee'. It is referred to in several of the books on the battle but I have never seen a copy.

My understanding is that the Original is held by the IWM in Lambeth. But it is not on display. My Grandfather knew the priest quite well after the war. He is Father Gleeson from Castlelough in County Tipperary (at least that is where he is buried) this is about 2 miles across Lough Derg on the river shannon from my Fathers home. The officer in the back ground is indeed Colonel Victor Rickard. Fatehr Gleesons story is a sad one. He was much loved by the men of the munsters for his bravery in administering the sacrements to fallen on the field. Upon his return to Ireland after the war the Bishop of Cork, who was a fanatical narrow minded republican treated him vary harsly for his assosication with the british army and would send him to the most difficult and republican parishes in Cork and Kerry. It is well known that the bishop blackend his name not only with his superiors but also with his congregations.

This story makes me feel very ill when I think of what he saw in his time with the munsters who were mainly catholic, not that mattered to a dying man. This fat bigot of a bishop made his life a misery. ( I am catholic so I am not slagging them off) It pains me greatly to think of how our Irish fallen and those that returned were treated.

Sorry for banging on.

Ross.

Hello All,
I have done a bit of checking with a very helpful lady from Schull Books in County Cork, who sell prints of this picture.

She reckons that Matania did in fact witness the scene himself. The painting was commissioned by the Sphere magazine for a Christmas edition. The original was hung in a church in England, but was destroyed by bombing during the Second World War.

I have more details on it in The Cross on the Sword, but the book is at home, so I'll check it out tonight and post the rest of the details tomorrow.

Regards,

Liam.

Matania's painting of the Green Howards at the crossroads close to Ypres also sparked the Hitler/Tandey story.

Bob.

I had never seen the painting before today, and find it deeply moving, so, thank you to all. I find it sad that the original was destroyed. I am not an RC, rather, a highish C of E Communicant, but I identify strongly with the moment portrayed, especially poignant on the eve of battle.

Fascinating and it stopped me in my tracks.

Thank you all for the further information. I was very interested to learn of the sad later story of Father Gleeson. I hope to take my pupils to the area of the Munsters' attack near Aubers Ridge and shall incorporate this addiitonal info into my talk. I would like to get hold of a print of the painting.

This picture is now my desktop background.

Makes you think.

I don't know this story, Bob. Do you have the time to tell it?
Marina

Marina,

Didn't want to sidetrack this thread so put some info in Soldiers under Henry Tandey.

Bob.

Thanks, Bob - on my way!
Marina

Hello All,
Just to add a few bits of info:

From Orange, Green and Khaki -

"On the evenng of 8th May, under command of Lt-Col. V.G.H. Rickard, 2nd Munsters once again marched towards the Front. At a French wayside shrine, Rickard halted the the Battalion and formed a hollow square before it. On three sides were the rifle companies, and facing them on horseback were Col. Rickard, his adjutant, Capt. Filgate and the Chaplain, Father Gleeson. Gun flashes added to the semi-light of a spring evening; gunfire and shell explosions reminded all of the ordeal to come. All bared their heads and the light breeze ruffled hair and caused to flutter the green company standards. Father Gleeson's stole made a splash of soft colour. The chaplain raised his right hand and intoned general absolution and all sang the Te Deum. Then, to the barked command of RSM Ring, the march resumed towards the sound of the guns."

A footnote says:The scene was well captured on canvas by Fortunino Matania from a description obtained by Mrs. Rickard. The original painting was presented to the Royal Army Chaplains Department(RC) by Major Henry Harris, author of The Irish Regiments in the First World War

This means that Matania was not in fact present and it is based on the recollections of eyewitnesses.

From The Cross on The Sword

"In early May 1915 on the eve of the attack on Aubers Ridge, Father Gleeson watched the battalion at rest before going into the line for an assault the following morning.

I gazed out over the scene, there were hundreds of giant men sitting in the fresh grass under the shade of the thickly-blossomed fruit trees, praying, meditating, reading their prayer books, saying their rosaries - silent, absorbed, reverential to a degree.

A chaplain who served long with a predominantly Catholic infantry battalion could become emotionally involved with its welfare. When that battalion sustained repeated heavy casualties, the mental anguish of a chaplain was very great. He was, after all, closer to the dying and the dead than any other person in the unit, the medical officer being spared the burial. After the battle of Loos, where the 2nd Munsters were again annihilated, Fr. Gleeson wrote to the senior chaplain (RC) asking to be relieved:

I am sorry to be leaving the dear old Munster lads, but I really can't stand it any longer. I do not like the life.......though I love the poor men ever so much.....will you please send me the papers regarding my discharge.

Mgr. Keatinge relieved Father Gleeson with another chaplain, Fr. O' Flynn, until Fr. Gleeson overcame his grief and was able to 'soldier on' with the battalion, as he did until 1918."

In reply to the original question, none of my sources identify the spot where the Absolution took place, other than to say that it was a wayside shrine.

If you look closely at the picture, you will notice a line above Father Gleeson's head that continues below the horses belly. The lady I spoke to from Schull books told me that the prints now available are prints of a print taken from the original Sphere magazine, and I suspect the line is where the original fold was in the print.

Whether it was painted from eyewitness accounts or is a print of a print doesn't take from the power of the picture - I think it's a particularly poignant scene. The Munsters lost 19 officers and 374 men that day on Aubers Ridge - many of them to their own artillery.

Regards,

Liam.

I have been following this thread without comment and have found it fascinating ! The picture itself is so evocative and gives so much to think about. How sad that after all the service of the Chaplain, his love for the men, and his exhaustion, he should have been treated so badly by his Bishop. Does anyone know what eventually happened to Father Gleeson ie death, funeral etc. I would imagine it would have been well attended by the munsters?

Patrick

The picture is beautiful indeed. It is galling to think that a brave and compassionate man like Gleeson should have been caught up in the mean spirit of the Bishop. There is one comfort - Gleeson's name is remembered. The Bishop 's isn't.
Marina

You make a telling point , Marina. I suspect Father Gleeson should have a better billet in the great here after than the mean-spirited bishop.

Let's hope so, Ian. But we can be sure he was well billeted in the memory of the Munsters and in the minds of anyone who read his story.
Marina

Still be good to hear what happened to him though

Patrick

First, thanks to Mark for starting this interesting thread. Indeed a moving picture and, as with much in our pursuits on these pages, the more you look the more you see!

In the meantime, I suspect Father Gleeson would have a big enough heart to forgive his Bishop's excesses.

Ian

Hello All,
Sorry Patrick, but I can't find any information on what happened to him after the War. Ross may well know what the story was. There is one other mention of him in The Cross on the Sword;

" Jovial Father Gleeson of the Munsters, when all the officers were killed or wounded at the first battle of Ypres, had stripped off his black badges and, taking command of the survivors, held the line."

In many ways the treatment of Father Gleeson by his bishop after the war illustrates the difficulties faced by many returning Irish ex-servicemen. Ireland in 1919 had a radically different political landscape to the one they had left.

Regards,

Liam.

Thanks for all the contributions. Going back to the original question, I suppose if the location of the wayside shrine could be established, we might identify the scene of the painting. Sad to think that it might be tarmaced over by a new motorway in a few years time.

I find that amazing, that he took command. I assumed that all Chaplains/Padres were non-combatants. I wonder what actions he took in "holding the line", did he hold a rifle? Did he order men to shoot? Fascinating.

The radically different political landscape in Ireland was very much due to the executions of the leaders of the Easter Uprising in 1916. This was IMHO a great mistake by the British government since it drastically altered attitudes in Ireland. Upto the Rising there was very little support in Ireland for rebellion against the British among the general population. Indeed the percentage of volunteers from catholic ireland was high. The executions changed much of this.

Patrick

Thanks for this interesting thread.

The painting is so moving and powerfull that it doesn't mind to which religion you belong (I'm an atheist) to see the emotion in it. I am very impressed.

I hope the place will be found. Please keep us informed.

Erwin

I also find the painting very moving and powerful, it almost has a medieval feel to it (I know, I need to take the pills)

Andy

Hi Pals,

I am trying to find out further information on Father Gleeson after the war. I think my original location may be inaccurate. I know believ that his resting place is in the small village of Toomevarra in County Tipperary. I spoke to my dad but he is a way at the moment but he does have an original copy of Father Gleesons obituary which I will post once I get a chance to go and visit home.

I will post further information as I recieve it.

Ross.

Hi Ross,

Would certainl;y be interested in anything you find. Keep me/us posted please

Patrick

I'll second that,
Marina

hi all, "la rue du bois" is in the village of RICHEBOURG (pas-de-calais) few kilometers from AUBERS and it seems to me that I saw in one of the conference rooms of the town hall of this village this painting or perhaps a copy.

I go there as soon as possible interested

friendly

Michel KNOCKAERT

There is a windmill in the middle right hand edge - does this aid identification of the site? Or may be it is an artistic whim.

Cheer up about the bishop..... think of the torment he is undergoing right now!

Edwin

I just thought I would add to the conversation as I saw this thread a few days ago and then happened to read a few lines about in Tommy - The British Soldier on the Western Front by Richard Holmes.

In it the chapter on Man and God he mentions a few religious men that actually took the fight to the enermy. Some without arms but commanding men and other how actually renounced their vows and enlisted. He mentions special praise for the catholic priests as they were most often seen at the front lines becasue of there need ot give final absolution to fallen men, whereas other were told to stay in the background and not risk their lives, which many soldiers viewed as cowardice especially as they were advocating taking the fight to the germans (though some anglican priests were found in the front lines). I digres:

Holmes states that Father Francis Gleeson, mounted with a stole over his service dress, gave absolution to 2/Royal Munster Fusiliers at a wayside shrine as the battalion moved up to attack Aubers Ridge in May 1915: the men, heads, bared, within the sound of gunfire, then sang Te Deum.

The Munster lost 19 Officers and 374 men with only eight being taken prisoner.

The incident formed the basis for Fortunino Matania's 'Last Absolution of the Munsters'.

CANON FRANCIS GLEESON May 1884 - June 1959.
Chaplain to the 2nd battalion Munster Fusiliers.

Francis Gleeson was born on 28th May, 1884, in Templemore, Co. Tipperary. He was one of thirteen children. He was educated for the priesthood at Holy Cross College, Clonliffe, Dublin, and St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where he was ordained in 1910.

Father Gleeson was appointed Chaplain to St. Mary’s Home for the Blind on 27th March 1912. On, or shortly after, the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, he volunteered to serve as a military chaplain. In November of that year, Gleeson was appointed by the War Office to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers, then already in action in France. His contract with the War Office was for one year and when it expired in November 1915 he returned to Ireland.

After a period of convalescence, he served, from 16th December 1915, as a curate in the newly opened Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Gloucester Street, Dublin. He re-joined the 2nd Munsters in France in May 1917 but was posted away from the ‘Dirty Shirts’ in February 1918. He completed his second two-year stint as a military chaplain with the British Army in May 1919.

He returned to Dublin serving for a year in Gloucester Street before being appointed as a Curate in St. Michael’s Parish, Dun Laoghaire on 13th July, 1920. On account of his previous experience in the First World War, Father Gleeson was appointed as a Command Chaplain with the Dublin Army Command of the National Army of the Irish Free State on 12th February, 1923. He was appointed as a Curate in Bray Parish on 18th May, 1924, Parish Priest of Aughrim Parish on 20th January, 1941. Finally, he was appointed Parish Priest of St. Catherine’s, Meath Street, Dublin, on 30th August, 1944. He was elected to be a member of the Metropolitan Chapter with the title of Canon on 7th May, 1956 and he died on the 26th June, 1959.

Information source:- RC Diocese Dublin.

Sullivan

The Last General Absolution of the Munster Fusiliers, Saturday 8th May 1915.

I read with interest the above subject matter which appeared back in August 2005. I have been researching this event for some time, hoping I could find the location of the Shrine in the Matania painting. The clues so far to date, the history of the Munster Fusiliers by Capt. S. McCance, page 127 vol 2, states as follows-

'..On the 8th the Battalion marched through Rue du Bois and halted on the side of the road about 500 yards away from the trenches..'

I have a photocopy of Chaplain Father Francis Gleeson's diary, covering the dates Friday 7th May to Wednesday 12th May another clue is contained in the diary as follows:-

Diary heading, 8 Saturday.
We march out from xxx billet (Locon) about 900 strong, our Commanding Officer being Major Rickard and the Adjutant, Captain Filgate - two of the kindliest men I have come across. We leave about 7.00. The scenes of enthusiasm are outstanding. I ride my horse. Give Absolution to Batt. during rest on road. Opposite La Contin Church between the shrine of 'N.D. de la Bonne Mort' and another shrine we xxx. The men all sing hymns 'Hail Great St. Patrick'. I go further up - near the trenches and bid good bye to all. So Sad !!.

I suspect they may have been close to a village by name of Richebourg L' Avout.

Some of the writing is difficult to decipher and I am following this up with the Archivist of the RC Diocese Dublin.

I carried research on the location of the original painting, I was advised by the Documentation Officer Department of Art, Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London, as follows:-

According to our records, the painting was destroyed by fire during the Second World War. It was one of a number of Matania First World War works that were in the hands of the Illustrated London News and other publications. Matania was an artist who produced work for use in such publications and as a result much of his original work was purchased by, or belonged to, these publications. It was whilst with them that they appear to have been destroyed during the Second World War. Our Matania collection consists of two original works, one poster, several lithographs and four reproduced prints. We have an old newspaper cutting relating to his painting of the Munsters, but this contains only a small black and white, poor quality image of the work.

Fortunately prints from the mentioned publications survived to remind us of that poignant moment, I am fortunate as I have had a copy of one of those prints of the 'The Last General Absolution' for some years now. At the moment I am revising my web page about this event and hope to have it posted to my web site shortly.

The original Shrine I believe was destroyed during the ebb and flow of battles around Neuve Capelle. It was rebuilt in 1935 and paid for by a local landowner. Unfortunately modern progress saw it removed for road widening, some reports say it was destroyed in the process. All that remained was a plaque that was attached to the base.

I am interest in photos of the Rue du Bois area to aid my research, any submitted to me by interested persons will be appreciated.

A fine statuette of Father Gleeson was commissioned by the Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain to the Army. It is available in three
standard finishes: golden bronze, hand-painted or silver-plate. The overall height of the mounted figurine is 11 ½ " from the hooves of the horse to the top of Father Gleeson's head.
Produced by Ballantynes of Blackburn.
See web site:-
http://www.ballantynes-walkerburn.com/acat...Department.html


Sullivan.

Sorry about the double post, I did try to add an image of the plaque that was on the shrine and rescued by a local when the shrine was removed for road widening. I have no idea what happened to my post as the image is not there. I must read the help section again.

Sullivan.

Sullivan,

Thanks for your information, which adds more to our knowledge of the subject in Matania's painting.

The Last Absolution is a very moving depiction, and it is fascinating to know more about the Chaplain's history.

Thank you.

Ian Turner

Neat painting! Thanks for posting it!

What was the size of the original painting?

I'd rarely think this, but I wish somebody made a print of this painting. I really like it.

Hello Pat,
Prints of this picture are available; at least they were up to a few months ago. Schull Books in County Cork have them - I bought one about six months ago. The print measures 30cm x 40 cm or thereabouts (that's 12inches by 16 for the heathen imperialists).

If you put Schull Books into Google it should throw up the contact details.

I should add that I have no commercial interest in the company!

Regards,

Liam.

Liam, thanks.

I ran a few searches on Schull Books but the URL I pulled up had expired. If anyone knows of one, I'd appreciate receiving it.

try http://www.schullbooks.net/Prints.htm

http://www.schullbooks.net/Prints.htm

That's close!
neck & neck

Thanks!

Great discussion though I don't know much about the subject.

HOWEVER, as I was just looking up something completely different, I came across this

http://www.bl.uk/collections/warfare1.html

which seems relevant !!!
Julian

And also neatly confirms Liam (curranl)'s surmise about the line from above the priest's head to the underneath of the horse!

I was order in the impression from the cover notes on the 'Cross on the Sword' by Tom Johnstone and James Hagerty that the copywright to this image now belongs to the Principal RC chaplain in the Army. May be I am wrong??

Book: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/The-Cross-on-the-Swo...VQQcmdZViewItem

Being from Munster stock myself I found the painting truly wonderful and so poignant.

On the larger image there is a windmill in the top right corner, perhaps this can be used to identify a location but if the artist was not there himself who knows?.

Regards

Pabbay

Short History written by Mrs Rickard; widow of 2/Munsters C.O. Victor Rickard : http://www.naval-military-press.co.uk/cata...-books/6562.htm

Does anyone have a copy of the entry of the 2/Munsters War Diary for the 8th - 9th May 1915? If so are they able to share it with us?