No 7 Officer Training Battalion

In February 1916 Officer Training Battalions (aka Officer Cadet Battalions) were introduced to improve the training of new officers going to the frontline.

Cadets entering the battalions were either from the ranks with experience or from the various Officer Training Corps units around the UK.

Cadet George MacKay had been with the Inns of Court OTC before joining with No 7 Officer Training Battalion based at Moore Park, Fermoy, Co Cork (though MacKay looks to have been at the Curragh for his training).


Problems appear to have arisen early on with Fermoy being declared out of bounds for a while, with a question being raised at Westminster.


Some links re soldiers identified as No 7 OTB and the unit in general collected so far :

Lt Michael O'Donnell

Lt R A Whittle

2nd Lt Charles Cooney

Frank Laird

2nd Lt James Kennedy

2nd Lt H M Hughes

2nd Lt James Furniss

2nd Lt A K Chesterton (Journalist, later worked with Oswald Mosley and British Union of Fascists)

2nd Lt Philip Ward

2nd Lt Walter Newton

2nd Lt Cecil King

Easter Rising and the Arrest o the Kent Family
Cadets from the unit appear to have been involved in the arrest of Thomas Kent and the shooting of his brothers after the Easter Rising (Witness Statement of RIC Constable Frank King who took part in the arrest) : 

Arrest of Kent Family, Co Cork


A magazine called The White Band or The Whitest Band (a reference to the band generally on the Cadets hat) appears to have been produced by the unit and is referenced on the IWM site but lacking detail.

Who Do You Think You Are (WDYTYA)

The WDYTYA episode re Judi Dench's father Reginald Dench missed the document that showed he was in Fermoy during the Rising and most likely a member of this unit. The programme didn't touch on the address of Reginald Dench's wife at the time of their marriage in 1924 - 29 Northumberland Road, Dublin - and the proximity to the battle that took place around number 25.