cked up by the formation of an army called the Ulster Volunteers who numbered approximately 100,000 and had their own cavalry and guns etc. If Home Rule came into effect they were ready to take over the railways, post office, harbour networks etc. In reply to the creation of this Ulster based force the Irish Nationalists created their own army known as the Irish Volunteers who numbered in excess of 160,00 with about 40,000 of these hailing from Ulster.In early March 1914 it was made known that the Home Rule Bill was almost about to put in place. It had also become increasingly evident that when this occurred the Ulster Volunteers would use force to stop the law taking effect in Ulster. The British Government ordered its troops to protect arms depots in Northern Ireland form being attacked by Ulster Volunteers. However the commanding officer in Ireland General Paget said his soldiers would not fight the Ulster Unionists, with many agreeing with their fight, or even worse being form Ulster themselves. The government told Paget to carry on but the next day 59 officers stated that they would rather be dismissed from the army than fight the Unionists. So the British government basically withdrew from the whole crisis, being present but unwilling to take any action against the Ulstermen. The battle was postponed when it became clear that Britain was involved in a World War against Germany....
