Memorandum by Joseph P. Walshe on the dropping of bombs on Irish territory by German aircraft
(Secret)

I saw the German Minister at 12.45 today by appointment. I told him that the series of bombings which had occurred during the last two days was causing the greatest perturbation to the Government and amongst our people. No doubt, the bombings were due to carelessness on the part of the German aviators, but, if they continued, both the Government and the people would be obliged to conclude that they were due to a deliberate policy on the part of the German Government. He would realise how detrimental these incidents would be to our relations with Germany. Apart from the natural indignation of the people, the German Government could not fail to recognise the propaganda value of such incidents to their enemies.

The German Minister suggested that they might have been British planes.

I replied that we had fragments of bombs with German markings from some of the places bombed, and we felt sure that the whole series of bombings was carried out by German planes. He must remember that there were a great many Irishmen in the British Air Force, whether born in this country or of Irish parents, and it would be quite impossible for the British authorities to give an order for the bombing of any part of Ireland without it coming to the knowledge of some Irishman in the British Forces. He could realise what a serious effect that would produce on morale and discipline. I urged the German Minister to tell his Government in the most serious fashion that all flights over Ireland should be strictly forbidden. We had already given instructions to our Chargé d'Affaires in Berlin,¹ but we relied on him, on account of his special knowledge of conditions here and of our relations with Great Britain and the United States, to convince his Government of the gravity from every point of view of these incidents.

The Minister said he would wire immediately.