THE COURT MARTIAL OF JOHN BRENNAN, IRISH VOLUNTEERS, LORD LIEUTENANT'S LETTER OF APPOINTMENT TO THE PANEL OF JUDGES. A scarce letter of appointment, nominating Major J.C. Milton, M.B.E., East...

THE COURT MARTIAL OF JOHN BRENNAN, IRISH VOLUNTEERS, LORD LIEUTENANT'S LETTER OF APPOINTMENT TO THE PANEL OF JUDGES. A scarce letter of appointment, nominating Major J.C. Milton, M.B.E., East Lancashire Regiment, to form part of the panel appointed to try John Brennan by court martial for ''a crime punishable with death'', typed on official Dublin Castle embossed notepaper, signed at top centre by the then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, ''French'', and dated Dublin Castle, 7th March 1921. Biographical details of John Brennan not traced, however a ''J. Brennan'' is recorded in histories of the period as having been one of Michael Collins's ''Twelve Apostles'', the lot therefore worthy of further research in this regard. There is no John Brennan listed as a casualty during the War of Independence, so he obviously escaped execution, being perhaps saved by the signing of the truce on 9th July 1921, four months after arrangements were first made for his court martial. John Denton Pinkstone French, Lord French (1852-1925), who signed this warrant, rose to become Chief of Staff of the British Army in 1911, was Chief of the Imperial General Staff 1912 - 13 and was appointed field marshal in 1913. Given command of the British Expeditionary Force in 1914, he was replaced in December 1915 by Douglas Haig, and returned to England where he was appointed Commander of the British Home Forces. When the 1916 Rising broke out he dispatched two brigades of infantry to Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire). He was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 1918-21, during which period a number of ambushes were set for him, including the famous Ashtown attack of 19th December 1919. French, who proclaimed martial law throughout large parts of Ireland, 10th December 1920, was one of a number of prominent people named by a Coroners Jury as being guilty of the murder of Thomas MacCurtain. Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) James Clymo Milton, O.B.E., was born 19th May 1869. During the First World War he raised a Company of men for service with Kitchener's New Army at Chorley, Lancashire, September 1914. He then served on the army Staff in the U.K., Middle East and France, prior to being invalided home on 7th June 1916. Milton was subsequently posted for service on the General Headquarters Staff in Ireland as Provost Marshal, responsible for military discipline and the prosecution of captured rebels. He was evacuated from Ireland following the British handover, 16th January 1922, and subsequently saw service in the U.K., relinquishing his commission on 17th February 1923. Milton was awarded the M.B.E. for his services during the First World War (lot accompanied by photograph of Major Milton leaving Buckingham Palace after receiving his M.B.E., Milton standing 2nd from left, and two official tickets to the investiture ceremony, which took place on 26th November 1919). Lieutenant Colonel Milton was appointed O.B.E. in the New Year's Honours List of 1st January 1923, a reward for services in Ireland as Provost Marshal.

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