Comment on Crozier Resignation
Comment on Crozier Resignation
Introduction from Chronology
A party of Auxiliaries loot and burn Richard Chanler's
public house in Robinstown (or Balbradagh),
near Trim, Co. Meath. The Commander of the Auxiliaries, General Crozier
went to Trim and summarily tried 26 Auxiliaries of N Company - dismissing 21 of
them and placing 5 under arrest pending court-martial.
Tudor subsequently re-instated the 21 dismissed men saying that
they cannot be dismissed until a full inquiry was made.
This leads to the resignation of
Crozier on February 19th – see Feb-19-21/3. He alleges that the RIC authorities
had surrendered to the threats of the dismissed men to reveal the misdeeds of
the RIC in Ireland.
Comment
Townshend
comments that Crozier had acted precipitately and that most of the Auxiliaries
dismissed by Crozier were not found guilty at the subsequent court-martial and
that of the eight Auxiliaries found guilty at the later court-martial, four had
not being suspected by Crozier. Townshend goes on to comment that, as the
court-martials did not take place until July, they therefore lacked deterrent
effect, "Tudor could … have employed some of Crozier's
dispatch."
According
to Leeson, the Chanlers were Protestant and
Unionists.