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32 <strong>Essential</strong> <strong>Histories</strong> • <strong>The</strong> <strong>Anglo</strong>-<strong>Irish</strong> <strong>War</strong><br />
British diplomat turned <strong>Irish</strong> rebel, Sir Roger Casement<br />
was executed for his part in the events of 1916.<br />
(Courtesy of National Library of Ireland.<br />
Photographic Archive)<br />
<strong>The</strong> Easter Rising<br />
It is probably a testimony to both the<br />
incompetence of the Castle and their<br />
perceived irrelevance of Pearse that the<br />
rebellion came as a surprise to both<br />
Government and the majority of <strong>Irish</strong>men.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Royal Navy had cracked Germany's<br />
diplomatic codes early in 1915 and was well<br />
aware of Casement's movements in both the<br />
USA and Germany. One British official,<br />
Colonel Edgeworth-Johnstone, warned the<br />
Government that Sinn Féin was getting<br />
better organized and on 12 April 1916,<br />
the same day that a U-Boat left Germany<br />
carrying Casement, the Royal <strong>Irish</strong><br />
Constabulary (RIC) was asked to examine<br />
the feasibility of arresting its leaders.<br />
Disturbingly, the RIC never replied to the<br />
Castle's request.<br />
On 18 April, the news of Casement's<br />
departure had reached the British along with<br />
the news that the Germans were in the act of<br />
dispatching 20,000 rifles, ten machine guns<br />
and 5,000,000 rounds of ammunition to<br />
Ireland. <strong>The</strong> Royal Navy intercepted these<br />
arms on 22 April and Casement was arrested<br />
within hours of landing. Both events were<br />
kept quiet by the Castle although rumours of
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