The exceptional and extremely rare Irish War of Independence Dublin Gallantry during Grafton Street Attack on Crown Forces 12 May 1921 Life Saving Medal of the Order of Saint John in Bronze pair awarded to Divisional Superintendent F.J. Horne, City of Dublin Division, St John Ambulance Brigade. Horne from John’s Bridge, Kilkenny, moved to Dublin to work as a commercial traveller in the timber trade, and joined the City of Dublin Division following the outbreak of the First World War, having secured nursing training through the British Red Cross Society and the Department of Agriculture. Initially a Private he rose to be an Ambulance Officer in 1917 and the following year was promoted to Divisional Superintendent. As a volunteer he served in various capacities during this time, including on hospital ships, canteen duty, cross channel escort duty, with repatriated prisoners of war, during the sinking of the SS Leinster, and as Orderly Officer to the exiled King Manuel II of Portugal, who was working for the British Red Cross Society. As the troubles in Ireland came to a head, he would also have done duty at the time of the Easter Rising, Dublin being the centre of this, and then with the onset of the Irish War of Independence he had charge of first aid posts in the thick of the fighting in Dublin during both 1921 and 1922. On 12 May 1921 an attack was made on motors containing Crown Forces passing down Grafton Street, bombs being thrown and exploding, injuring civilians in the street. At this time Privates P Byrne and J Martin were on public duty in uniform in the Grafton Picture House and Supt F Horne had just arrived on a visit of inspection. Upon hearing the noise of the first bomb exploding, they ran down the street, other bombs being thrown meanwhile, and found a number of wounded persons, men and women, boys and girls, lying around. They at once proceeded to render first aid, attending to the most serious injuries first, controlling haemorrhage, then conveying 10 of the injured to the shelter of the Grafton Picture House, afterwards proceeding in the City Ambulances to Mercer’s Hospital with the worst cases. During the time they were assisting the wounded, revolver shots were being fired in the street and there was considerable panic, but despite this these members of the brigade carried on their work and undoubtedly were the means of saving several lives at least. The Order’s Council recommended the award of the Life Saving Medal of the Order of Saint John in Bronze to Horne, Albert Taylor, Peter Byrne, Joseph Martin and Patrick Cassidy on 11 November 1921. Horne founded the Cadet Division of the City of Dublin Ambulance Division in 1923 and at the beginning of 1924 became the first Public Duty Officer in the Brigade. He received the Service Medal of the Order of Saint John during 1930, this named to him as a Divisional Superintendent with the Irish Free State District Staff, with the medal being presented to him by Sir John Lumsden at a parade in Lord Iveagh’s Gardens, Harcourt Street, Dublin on Saturday 13 June 1931. He died later that same year as a result of pneumonia and heart failure despite appearing to have been previously in good health.
Pair: Life Saving Medal of the Order of Saint John in Bronze, 2nd type, correct engraved naming; (PRESENTED TO DIVL. SUPT. FRANK J. HORNE S.J.A.B. 1921); Service Medal of the Order of Saint John, silver with straight bar suspension; (8626. D/SUPT. F.J. HORNE. I.F.S. DIST. STAFF, S.J.A.B. 1930.), the second housed in its fitted presentation case.
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine.
Frank John Horne was born on 11 August 1879 in the family home at John’s Bridge, Kilkenny, the only son (and second child) of veterinary surgeon Alexander Horne (1840-1882) and his wife Charlotte Elizabeth (née Traynor: c.1850-1918). [Margaret (aka Blanche) born 1877, married clerk Robert John Reid on 27 April 1903, she then living in Leinster Square]. His father died from an ‘abscess of the brain’ on 18 August 1882 when Frank was not yet two years old and the family seem to have been thrown on hard times.
By April 1901 the family had moved to Dublin, where they lodged in Mountpleasant Square. Horne was working by this time as a clerk, before moving on over the next four years to work as a commercial traveller in the timber trade. Horne married Bertha McCamley (1876-1958), daughter of mechanic Samuel McCamley (1840-1920) and his wife Amelia Sophia (née Cheshire: 1841-aft.1911), in St Kevin’s Church of Ireland Parish Church in Dublin on 24 April 1905, at which time he had been living at 25 Curzon Close. By 1911 the Hornes had moved to live at 16 Lullymore Terrace, South Circular Road, Dolphin’s Barn, along with Bertha’s parents and brother Ambrose. Frank’s mother was at this time working as a lady’s maid to Lady Marianne Heygate in Londonderry, though she would later come to live with Frank’s family in Lullymore Terrace. Horne continued working as a commercial traveller.
On 10 June 1915, following the outbreak of the First World War, he joined the City of Dublin Division of St John Ambulance Brigade (VAD no. 487) as a Private and secured some nursing training (gaining qualifications from the BRCS and the Department of Agriculture). He rose to be an Ambulance Officer in 1917 and the following year was promoted to Divisional Superintendent. As a volunteer he served in various capacities during this time, including on hospital ships, canteen duty, cross channel escort duty, with repatriated prisoners of war, during the sinking of the SS Leinster, and as Orderly Officer to the exiled King Manuel II of Portugal, who was working for the British Red Cross Society. Horne’s mother died in the Royal City of Dublin Hospital on 13 March 1918 as a result of heart failure and cancer.
During the Irish War of Independence, Horne was in charge of one of the first aid posts in the thick of the fighting in Dublin. The award of his extremely rare Life Saving Medal of the Order of Saint John was made in this period.
The citation reads: ‘During attacks on Crown Forces in Dublin in May and June 1921, [Superintendent Horne and others] rendered efficient first aid to a number of wounded men, women and children, who were lying in the streets, conveyed them to shelter and afterwards removed the worst cases to hospital. During the time they were assisting the wounded, bombing was going on in the streets and they were also exposed to rifle and revolver fire.’
A further report gives more specific details of one particular day: ‘At 9.30 pm on 12 May 1921 an attack was made on motors containing Crown Forces passing down Grafton Street, bombs being thrown and exploding, injuring civilians in the street. At this time Privates P Byrne and J Martin were on public duty in uniform in the Grafton Picture House and Supt F Horne had just arrived on a visit of inspection. Upon hearing the noise of the first bomb exploding, they ran down the street, other bombs being thrown meanwhile, and found a number of wounded persons, men and women, boys and girls, lying around. They at once proceeded to render first aid, attending to the most serious injuries first, controlling haemorrhage, then conveying 10 of the injured to the shelter of the Grafton Picture House, afterwards proceeding in the City Ambulances to Mercer’s Hospital with the worst cases. During the time they were assisting the wounded, revolver shots were being fired in the street and there was considerable panic, but despite this these members of the brigade carried on their work and undoubtedly were the means of saving several lives at least’.
The Order’s Council recommended the award of the Life Saving Medal of the Order of Saint John in Bronze to Horne, Albert Taylor, Peter Byrne, Joseph Martin and Patrick Cassidy on 11 November 1921 (OStJ Minute no. 8619a), page 94) and these were confirmed by the Chapter-General on 17 November 1922 (OStJ Minute Book, p. 103).
As the war continued, Horne was in charge of one of the first aid posts in the thick of the fighting in Dublin between 28 June to 8 July 1922, being among those commended in the Freeman’s Journal of 7 July 1922.
Horne founded the Cadet Division of the City of Dublin Ambulance Division in 1923 and at the beginning of 1924 became the first Public Duty Officer in the Brigade. He received the Service Medal of the Order of Saint John during 1930, this being presented to him by Sir John Lumsden at a parade in Lord Iveagh’s Gardens, Harcourt Street, Dublin on Saturday 13 June 1931. Horne was a good tennis player and golfer in his spare time, playing golf at the Foxrock and other clubs. Frank Horne died on 3 September 1931 in the Adelaide Hospital as a result of pneumonia and heart failure.
