Bloody Sunday, a Reappraisal
Brevet Lieut-Colonel Hugh Ferguson Montgomery, Order of St. Michael and St. George, companion (C.M.G.) and the Distinguished Service Order, mentioned in dispatched six times & Legion of Honour (France) of Royal Marine Light Infantry. Died aged 40 on 10/12/1920 at Bray from wounds received on Bloody Sunday at 28 Upper Pembroke Street , Dublin. He was a staff officer, and probably was shot because he was in the wrong place (28 Pembroke St) and came out of his room when he heard Dowling and Price being shot. The IRA unit appear to have gone to the house to kill Dowling and Price.
However Montgomery's staff position was GSO2 under Brind in Intelligence in Ireland. He could have been targeted for this reason. The evidence seems to point thoufgh to him not being on the death list that morning
He was a cousin of, the later, Field Marshal B L Montgomery. He played first-class cricket for Somerset (1901–1909) and then the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
1880 May 6 born at Umbala, Bengal, India. Baptised. at St. Paul's, Umballa, 6 June 1880.
Son of Rev Ferguson John Montgomery (born 17 July, bapt. at Lahore, India, 14 August 1852 ; of Trinity College, Cambridge, B.A. 1875, M.A. 1879, Chaplain at Hazara and Campbellpore, India, since 1895) and Edith Elmina Raiker (youngest dau. of Henry Thomas Raikes, B.C.S. ; born at Calcutta 17 April 1850, and bapt. there) His parents married at St. Jude's, South Kensington, London, 26 June 1879. They later lived at Halse Rectory, Taunton.
1891 census Living with his mother, Edith E Montgomery, aged 40, and two younger siblings at his uncle's house (retired Major General, Indian Army, Charles L Raiker) at Norbury House, Downview Rd, Worthing, W Sussex.
Educated at Marlborough College.
Right-hand batsman. He played, not very sucessfully, in 17 first class matches over 8 years, in total at a batting average of 13.8 and took 5 wickets at an average of 53.4
1900 April Army List Lieutenant Montgomery H F 1 July 99 :Plymouth
1901 census shows him as a Lt serving at Royal Naval barracks, Devonport. Single aged 20.
1906 Jan. Army List. Lieutenant Montgomery, H. F., On strength of the Walmer Depot Adjt July 99
1906 married Apr/Jun at Kensingtron, London vol 1a, p 248 to Ethel Nina Cramer.
1911 July. Army List. Captain Montgomery, H. F., p.s.c. 22 Apr.07 :Chatham
1911 census Hugh Ferguson Montgomery and his wife, Ethel Nina, living at 16 Ashburton Road, Southsea. He is a Captain in Royal Marines LI. His wife is Ethel Nina, they have been married 5 years and have no children
1912 Nov 15 Passed Staff College
1913 Promoted to Naval War Staff operations branch at the Admiralty, where he received the thanks of the First Sea Lord for a novel military operation at Scapa Flow. And was appointed secretary of the Cromarty Defence Works Committee.
1914 Aug. Army List Royal Marines. Captain, Montgomery H. F. p.s.c. Opnn. Div, Admiralty. 22.Apr.07 bt. maj. 15.Nov.12 psc:.Staff College Graduate. :Chatham
1915 Brigade Major 90th Infantry Brigade, 21/6/15-10/5/16 on RM Medal Rol. Medals were issued by War Office, RM Roll shows "seconded to army" with no medal issue, so must be in Army MICs.
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1915 Nov 6 arrived in France
1915.Jun 21. Attached to HQ Units. Brevet Major Hugh F. Montgomery, Royal Marine Light Infantry, vice Major C. L. R. Petrie, Reserve of Officers. Gazette
1916 May 11. GSO 2nd grade. Bt. Maj.. H. F. Montgomery, R.Marine L.I., vice Maj. P. B. O'Connor, R.E. Gazette
1916 May 27 Capt. B. V. Rameden, York. R., and to remain second., vice Bt. Maj. H. F. Montgomery, R. Mar. L.I. Gazette
1916 Jun 15 Montgomery H F Capt & Bt Major RMLI , Staff , MID LG 15.6.16
1916 Sept.1 Capt. and Bt. Maj. Hugh Ferguson Montgomery, seed, list, to be Maj., and to remain seed., vice Kitcat, promoted. Gazette
1916 GSO2 34th Division & XIII Corps 11/5/16-26/10/17.
1916 Jul 22. Passed Staff College
1917 Jan 1 Awarded DSO Gazette Montgomery H F Major Royal Marine Lt Infantry, Staff, MID LG 4.1.17 Page 199
1917 GSO1 19th Division 27/10/17-25/5/19
1917 Oct 28 Bt. Lt.-Col. H. F. Montgomery, C.M.G., D.S.O., Royal Marines L.I., from 28th Oct. 1917 to 25th Mar. 1919, and from 7th May 1919. Gazette
1917 Oct 28 to GSO 1st Grade. Maj. H. F. Montgomery, D.S.O., R.M.L.I., and to be temp. Lt.-Col. whilst so empld., vice Maj. (temp. Lt.-Col.) E. Hewlett, D.S.O., Devon. R. Gazette from 28th Oct. 1917 to 25th Mar. 1919, and from 7th May 1919.
1917 Dec 11 Montgomery Major H F DSO. R. Marines, Staff MID LG 11.12.17
1918 Dec 20 Montgomery H F Major & Bt Lt-Col, DSO, RMLI, Commands & Staff, MID Lon. Gaz. 20.12.18
1919 Mar 11 Awarded French Legion of Honour, Croix d'Officier Gazette
1919 GSO2 IV Corps Army of the Rhine 26/3/19-6/5/19.
1919 May 7 to 1st Grade GSO. Bt. Lt.-Col. H. F. Montgomery, D.S.O., R.M.L.I., from the 2nd Grade. And to be temp Lt-Col while doing so Gazette
1919 Nov 2nd Grade. — Bt. Lt.-Col. H. F. Montgomery, C.M.G., D..S.O., R, M.L.I., from the 1st Grade, from 1st to 14tih Nov. 1919, and to relinquish the temp., rank of Lt.-Col. Gazette
1919 GSO1 London Division to 31/10/19.
1919 Dec 17. R.M.L.I. Maj. & Bt.. Lt.-Col. Hugh Ferguson Montgomery, C.M.G., D.S.O., returns to Corps duty from the Second. List, and will be borne supernumerary to the Establishment. until absorbed. Gazette
1920 Feb 12 he was seconded to the British Army serving in Dublin during the Anglo-Irish War. Army List Dec 1920: Royal Marine Light Infantry: Major Montgmery H F, CMG DSO: psc 22 Jul 16: 15 Nov 12, bt Lt-Col 3Jun18 Gazette
1920 Nov 21. He was murdered at 28 Pembroke St, Dublin on 21 Nov 1920
An IRA report said:- The operation began at 9:00 am, when members of the Squad entered 28 Pembroke Street. The first British agents to die were Major Dowling and Captain Leonard Price. Andy Cooney of the Dublin Brigade removed documents from their rooms, before three more members of the Gang were shot in the same house: Captain Keenlyside, Colonel Woodcock, and Colonel Montgomery. Woodcock was not connected with intelligence and had blundered into a confrontation on the first floor of the Pembroke Street house as he was preparing to leave to command a regimental parade at army headquarters. He was dressed in his military uniform, and, when he shouted to warn the other five British officers living in the house, he was shot in the shoulder and back. Woodcock survived. The IRA shot him indiscriminately and in error. As Keenlyside was about to be shot, a struggle ensued between his wife and Mick O'Hanlon. The leader of the unit, Mick Flanagan, arrived, pushed Mrs. Keenlyside out of the way and shot her husband.Colonel Montgomery who was coming out of his room and was shot and was wounded in the body.
Hansard reports. 28, Upper Pembroke-street. Two officers murdered and four wounded. The residence of Mrs. Gray was raided at 9 o'clock this morning by about twenty men, some of whom came on bicycles. The house consists of several flats. The raiders, who were armed and undisguised, held up a maid on the stairs, and Mrs. Gray, the proprietress, who was leaving her room, was simultaneously detained. The house appeared to be familiar to them, as they broke up into parties, and went with evident knowledge to various parts of the house. From ten to twelve shots were heard, and, following these, the assassins decamped. Mrs. Gray and her maid visited the rooms immediately and found that Major Dowling, of the Grenadier Guards, had been shot dead at his bedroom door. Captain Price, of the Royal Engineers, was found dead the next room door. Captain Kenlyside, of the Lancashire Fusiliers, whose wife most gallantly struggled with the murderers and thereby frustrated their purpose, was wounded in the arm. Colonel Woodcock was fired at as he came downstairs. He appeared to have taken unawares the raiders who were in the hall. Be called out to Colonel Montgomery who was coming out of his room and was wounded in the body. Turning towards his room to secure a weapon Colonel Woodcock was also wounded. Colonel Woodcock and Colonel Montgomery both belong to the Lancashire Fusiliers. A sixth officer, Mr. Murray, of the Royal Scots, was also wounded as he descended the stairs. A lady resident in the house went from room to room seeking help and in every room found only dead, dying, or wounded men.
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He was laid to rest in Brompton Cemetery in a CWGC grave. His funeral was with full military honours. 200 rank and fille, a band and pall bearers from the Royal Marines
