The Brackaville man who fought at the Somme and Irish Civil War

THE amazing life of a Brackaville man who fought in the Somme, the Irish War of Independence, the Irish Civil War and was an IRA activist, is being recounted in a new series of books.

After three years of painstaking research, Tony Ferguson from Brackaville has released the first volume of the amazing story of his grandfather Andy Symington who fought in the notorious conflicts of the last century.

The three volumes will be collectively dedicated to the memory of Andy and focuses on the years 1916-23, the most remarkable years of his life.

The first titled: ‘Tyrone’s Most Wanted Man: The Somme’ will be followed by volume two on The Irish War of Independence and volume three on The Irish Civil War.

Tony, who now resides in Buckinghamshire, is a regular visitor home to Brackaville. He was 16 when his grandfather passed away in 1970. He explained, “We lived in Derryvale in Brackaville and were very close. He didn’t talk about war a lot but he told me stories here and there. I told my Granda when I was 11 or 12, that I would write a book about him.

“I retired from a career in technology three years ago, and since then have done a huge amount of research. I think I underestimated how much would be involved! It has entailed hours upon hours researching war archives in London and Dublin, visits to museums and I joined an online World War 1 forum.”

Andy Symington volunteered to join the Royal Irish Fusiliers in 1916. Over the next seven years, he participated in the Battle of the Somme, the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War, a trilogy of military service experienced by fewer than 60 men, historians have estimated.

“His fighting career was a convulsion of contradictions,” said Tony. “He was honourably discharged from the British army with a Silver War badge due to wounds and shellshock. He returned to Ireland and fought against the British (Black & Tans and Auxiliaries) for the nascent IRA, becoming the most wanted man in Tyrone in 1921. In 1922 he switched sides again, became a captain in the Free State army and fought against the IRA in the Civil War.

“This first volume covers his time as a British soldier and examines the bloodiest battle in the Great War: the Somme.

“There is a strong human-interest undercurrent, from his early days in a family of ten in Fermanagh to the post war impact of alcoholism and shellshock (today known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD) on a tortured family life”.

The second volume, when released, will examine Andy’s role in the War of Independence against Britain, a period of his life he spent “on the run”. Volume three will cover his career as a captain in the Nationalist army during the Irish Civil War.

Andy Symington has 132 descendants, the most recent being Tony’s grandson Findlay Rafferty Ferguson, born four months ago.

In a divine twist, Andy’s great grandson (Tony’s son Ronan) married the granddaughter of his second lieutenant and fellow trench fighter and survivor Geoffrey Caiger-Watson, a fact uncovered during the research for this book.

Tony explained, “Ronan and Stephanie Caiger-Watson owe their gift of life to the outrageous good fortune and survival of Private Andy Symington and Second Lieutenant Geoffrey Caiger-Watson. A story that began about my grandfather, ends with me becoming a grandfather. I dedicate the endeavour to Findlay Rafferty Ferguson.”

Tony admits he was ‘nervous’ last week when he hit the transmit key but thus far the reaction to the first volume of this epic story, he says “has exceeded expectation and received hugely positive comments”.

‘Tyrone’s Most Wanted Man: Volume 1: The Somme’ is available in Kindle edition at £3.99 and Paperback at £6.99.