Mutiny by Irish Soldiers at Dagshai (India)

The story of mutiny goes like this. An independence struggle was unfolding in Ireland in 1920 as people wanted freedom from Britishers. This induced a large scale mutiny by Irish soldiers in British service to support freedom struggle. On 27^th June, 1920, Irish soldiers of 1^st Battalion of Connaught Rangers at British military barracks of Jalandhar (Punjab, India) started mutiny by refusing to return to military duty till British forces left Ireland, which was under martial law. Irish soldiers of a part of regiment based at Solan (around 260 km from Jalandhar) also joined the mutiny. 22 years old Private James Daly of Tyrrelpass County Westmeath acted as the spokesperson of the mutineers.



‘Martyrs for Ireland’ display boards at Dagshai Museum highlighting Irish Heroism

A display board at Dagshai Museum informs that Daly led a company of men who paraded outside the officer's mess, stating that "if you want to know who the leader is I am". The mutineers tried to capture armoury on 30^th June, 1920, however, their attempt was unsuccessful. The mutineers were fired upon and two Irish soldiers namely Private Peter Sears and Private Patrick Smyth, were killed in the encounter. Also, 75 of the mutineers were held and kept at Dagshai Prison.  The harsh conditions at then prison led to the death of Private John Miranda of Liverpool. The mutineers were later tried by court martial in September 1920. The court martial sentenced 14 of them to death and the balance were sentenced to life imprisonment. However, 13 of the death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment, whereas Daly, the leader of the Irish mutiny, was not spared from death. He was later executed by a firing squad in the courtyard of the prison on 2^nd November, 1920. Thus he became a martyr for Ireland.

Courtyard of Dagshai prison where Daly was executed

 

The Dagshai Museum states that in his last letter to his mother, Daly wrote "It is all for Ireland. I am not afraid to die". Daly made history by becoming the last member of the British Armed Forces to be executed for a military offence. He was later buried at the Dagshai graveyard. In year 1970, remains of Daly, Sears and Smyth were repatriated to Ireland and given a funeral with full military honours.

Wikipedia states that Private Sears and Private Smyth were buried at Solan, while Private Daly and Private John Miranda were buried at the Dagshai graveyard.  In 1970, the remains of Sears, Smyth and Daly were repatriated to Ireland by The National Graves Association and given a military funeral with full honours. A special monument in their honour has been erected at Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.