A rare group to the Tormey family including medals to Commandant James Tormey and his brother Joseph, both of whom were killed during the Anglo-Irish War in 1921

Irish General Service ‘Black & Tan’ Medal 1917-21, with Comrac bar and top suspension bar, reverse named ‘James Tormey No. 1002’

Irish General Service ‘Black & Tan’ Medal 1917-21, with Comrac bar and top suspension bar, reverse named ‘Joseph Tormey No. 1003’

Defence Forces Service Medal, with additional service bar, reverse named ‘71673 F. Tormey’; Emergency Service Medal 1939-46, Defence Forces, with two bars, unnamed as issued, good very fine or better (4) £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the collection of the late Mike Leahy.

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Commandant James Tormey commanded the Active Service Unit, 1st Battalion, Athlone Brigade. He had previously served in the 5th Bn. Connaught Rangers in Gallipoli. He was killed while leading an ambush at Cornafulla on 2 February 1921. Joseph Tormey was shot dead by a sentry at Ballykinlar Camp on 14 January 1921. His death caused James to become reckless for revenge, “Ten of them”, he swore, “would be shot for him.” On this day, in February 1921, he was having his dinner in this house only a field in from the road when a cycle patrol of police passed by. He was seated with the Brigade O.C. McNamara. ‘Come on lads,’ said Tormey, ‘they will be back in half an hour and we could have a go at them then.’ McNamara for some reason did not consider it opportune, ‘Sit down there,’ he said, ‘and finish your dinner.’ But Tormey could not be dissuaded and went out and across a field with a rifle. They were coming back. Jumping up on a ditch, he opened fire. They thought there were more there than had appeared, so they hopped off and dropped behind a wall. Tormey kept them pinned down. Unknown to him, however, there were two police who had dropped behind. Hearing the firing, they approached it in a roundabout way, coming up behind Tormey. They could see him standing there alone, on a bank of bracken. Hearing them then, he turned quickly, but in so doing, fell through the rotten whitethorn. Without waiting one of the police raised his rifle and shot him through the nape of the neck. He died instantly. He never bled. They left him there, clearing off at once.’

‘McNamara, George Adamson and some more, alerted by the shooting, came over and found him. He was a big man, so they had to drag him out. They conveyed him to Connors of the bog, on the Leinster side of the Shannon. He was dressed in full uniform, coffined, and a plate put upon the coffin: James Tormey, I.R.A. Killed in action on 2nd Feb. 1921. He was laid to rest then secretly in Clonmacnoise, but that was not the end of it. The Auxies in Athlone found out, went down and dug up the coffin again a week or so afterwards.’

The above narrative is based on the personal recollections of Walter Mitchell. The group is accompanied by a copy of the Proceedings of the Court of Inquiry into his death.