EIRE: Everyone Who Can Walk

Eire stubbornly stuck to its pitifully few guns last week, resolutely maintained its determination to defend itself from British protection as well as Nazi invasion. Irish politicos had reached the point of admitting fear of assault from the Continent. Declared Minister for Supplies Sean Lemass: “We must prepare for the worst and prepare quickly. In case of attack the Government might be put out of action.” But Eire continued to fear the British Tommies as much as the German airmen, independently went ahead on its own. Meantime, across the border in Northern Ireland, Tommies massed anyway, ready to jump on Nazi invaders or uprising nationalists.

The Government prepared to appoint regional commissioners with power to administer their respective areas if the central administration was disorganized. Adjutant General Colonel Liam Hayes issued a call for 10,000 volunteers within a week. Full-page newspaper advertisements blared out the need for 400,000 volunteers to supplement the regular Army’s 70,000 and 120,000 volunteers already under arms. “Everyone who can walk should join the Army,” urged Dail members.