John Watt

See Sligo, Michael Farry

Executed around Jun 1921. East Yorks Regt stationed in Drumdoe at this time

Around this time the IRA in the Conway's Cross/Geevagh area were contacted by a British soldier who also claimed that he had deserted. The IRA were sceptical and the man was court martialled in Gleann Hall. Among the officers involved in the court martial were Alec McCabe, Tom Duignan, Tom O'Donnell and M. J. Marren. The soldier, a lieutenant from the forces at Drumdoe near Ballinafad whose name is given as John Watt, was found guilty of being a spy and was executed. He was buried in a bog and his body was accidentally uncovered by turf cutters in May 1962. It was re-interred in Carrick an Teampall graveyard, Conway's Cross

 

WS 1312 In June, 1921, it was reported to me that some soldiers had deserted from the British Army unit stationed at Boyle and were knocking about in our area. One of them was arrested by Volunteers from the 5th Battalionnear Riverstown. I was summoned to act as a member of the courtmartial. Sufficient evidence was available to convict him as a spy and he was sentenced to death. The sentence was duly carried out. He admitted that he was a member of the British forces; he stated he was a private soldier; he was, in fact, a commissioned officer in the British Army with the rank of lieutenant. His name was Watt. A Question was later asked In the British House of Commons as to his. fate. This gave us the facts as to his identity and confirmed our earlier decision.

 

 

Missing Soldiers