Robert Flood

In memoriam

Company Serjeant Major Robert Flood. The Royal Berkshire Regiment. 7th Battalion. Aged 33. Husband of Frances Daisy née Bleach Flood, of "Newville," Barham, Canterbury, Kent. They were married in Dover, Kent, in Summer 1909. In the 1911 Census, the Floods were living at Naas Military Barracks, Co. Kildare. The Royal Dublin Fusiliers were stationed there. the 3rd Battalion comprised 130 officers and men. Robert Flood was a Sergeant in the 3rd battalion, aged 26, born in England. He gave his occupation prior to enlisting as "Musician". Frances Daisy Flood was aged 27, and had been born in England. They had been married 1 year. CSM Flood was stationed in Dublin, during the Easter Rising in April 1916. He was then a member of the 5th Battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. He had joined the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 1st Battalion, on 11 January 1899, at Aldershot Barracks, as a Boy Soldier. Promoted through the ranks between December 1902 and December 1914, he had reached the rank of CQMS, and had been transferred via the 3rd to the 5th battalion. The 5th battalion mounted a picket on the Guinness Brewery. It is an indication of how jumpy they were, when one reads how CQMS Flood of the 5th Battalion executed men he found in the building, who were in fact Canadian soldiers. The Dublin Fusiliers were headquartered at St. Catherine's Church, and held a line along Thomas street as part of the cordon around various insurgent posts. A picket of Dublin Fusiliers under Captain McNamara was placed in the Robert Street grain store as part of the force surrounding the South Dublin Union. The grain store was accessible by an iron bridge across the canal. Mr McMullen of the brewery informed Captain McNamara and his sergeant, Quartermaster Robert Flood, that the nightwatchman on duty would have access to the store via the bridge. However, confusion occurred on the night of 29 April 1916 when Captain McNamara became ill and was replaced by Lieutenant Algernon Lucas of King Edward’s Horse. The night clerk, a Mr Rice, went to Robert Street with Lucas. Robert Flood, the nervous sergeant in charge of the picket was unable to recognise the officer and the watchman, held them prisoner and then had them shot. When Mr. Rice failed to return to his lodgings at 101 James’s Street, his colleague and housemate, Mr. Dockery became concerned. Mr. Dockery then went with Lieutenant Basil Henry Worsley-Worswick to the Robert Street grain store and again Sergeant Flood had both men shot dead. The sergeant was eventually disarmed by a Captain Mariott and Mr Williams. He was later court-martialled for murder but found not guilty. Lieutenants Lucas and Worsley-Worswick of King Edward’s Horse were buried in Dublin Castle and exhumed in the 1960s. Lieutenant Lucas was reburied at the Blackhorse Avenue military cemetery. Following a Court-Martial, Flood was acquitted of the murders. On 28th July 1916, he was transferred to the Royal Berkshire Regiment, 3rd battalion, keeping his rank of CQMS. He was transferred two months later to the 7th battalion. On 23rd March 1917, he was promoted to Company Serjeant Major, and was killed in action in Central Greece on 9th May 1917. Executed by Robert Flood on that night, were Cecil Eustace Dockeray William John Rice Lieutenant Basil Henry Worsley-Worswick Lieutenant Algernon Lucas

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