The UVF H.Q. Staff (Part 1)

A feature of the Irish Unionist Movement of the early 20th Century was its organisational efficiency. The anti Home Rule Movement that evolved into the Ulster Volunteer Force was not done on a whim- every aspect was evaluated. The Volunteers were just one part of a much larger picture. At its head was the Ulster Provisional Government (UPG), formed in case Home Rule would become law. It was composed of 77 members: each from the pinnacle of the business, legal, political, military or gentry’ worlds.

The U.P.G. was subdivided into several committees to address different aspects of governance and related to the current crisis. These included the 39 member Ulster Volunteer Committee and the Military Council. The Ulster Volunteer Committee was further subdivided into boards to look after transport, supplies, railway, personnel and medical issues. The Military Council’s sole role was to decide military policy, and had just three members- Carson, Richardson and Hackett Pain.

The Ulster Volunteer Force was directly overseen by a Headquarters Staff, many of which were engaged full time in their roles, based in the Old Town Hall Belfast. Each member of the HQ Staff was issued with the familiar U.V.F. Lapel Badge. The HQ letter of designation for these badgeswas Z. There were 25 of these badges issued from 1913 to 1915, with two being duplicates. Carson was issued an un-numbered badge, while Sir George Richardson was Z1 and Colonel George William Hackett Pain Z2.

Some other members of Headquarters Staff were: Z6 Lieutenant Henry Ansley Davis of Greencastle; Z8 Andrew Newtown Anderson 28 year old Solicitor of Knockbreda; Z9 Claude Richard Burgess Architect of Wellington Park; Z19 Director of Intelligence Lloyd Campbell, Merchant of Fortwilliam; Z12 John McFarland Hamill Solicitor of Lombard Street; Z16 Francis Elliott Holywood, footman to Richardson and Hackett Pain; Z18 Secretary to the Medical Board Robert Davis Adelaide Park; Z20 Reginald Walter Henry Blackwood of Castlenaven; Z21 Hugh Richard Wood of Bushmills; Z22 James Herbert Richardson Intelligence Staff and editor of London Journal ‘Our Flag’; and Z24 Colonel C. Gordon appointed to HQ in 1915.

In part 2- Carson, Richarson, Hackett Pain and McCammon…