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Correspondence between the Air Ministry and Chaplains Branch,R.A.F. H.Q., Northern Ireland, mainly from Monsignor H. Beauchamp, (Principal Chaplain (R.C.) R.A.F.) and the Irish Fr Provincial (Laurence J. Kieran SJ, then from 8 September 1941, John MacMahon SJ) concerning the R.A.F.’s request for Catholic chaplains; Fr Tony MacSeumais’ acceptance of a post with the R.A.F. in July 1943 and Fr Joseph McSweeney’s acceptance in 1945. Includes;

• Letter from Mgr. Beauchamp to Fr MacMahon: ‘You are probably aware that I am very short of chaplains in the Royal Air Force. At many Stations there are as many as 300 young airmen who…have no chaplain to prepare them for their great ordeals…You probably know as well as I do the temptations that young Priests in the Services, particularly in the Royal Air Force come up against, hence you will know the special type of man that is wanted’ (12 March 1942, 1p.)
• Letter from G.J. Corboy, Senior Chaplain (R.C.), R.A.F. H.Q., Northern Ireland to Fr MacMahon: ‘I met Father Sweeney (sic) last week, when I was down, and I am very grateful to you for the offer of his services, as a R.A.F. Chaplain’ (30 April 1945, 1p.).

File containing MacSeumais’ admission papers and correspondence with his Irish Fr Provincials from post-war Germany, Pakistan, England and the United States. Photograph included.

Letters to the Irish Fr Provincial from Fr Anthony MacSeumais SJ written while serving as chaplain in the R.A.F. at R.A.F. Stations in Cosford, Wolverhampton, Staffs. and Leuchars, Fife, Scotland; with the 5023 Airfield Construction Squadron in Holland and Germany and 124 Wing in Lübeck. Includes his first letter to the Irish Fr Provincial written from Belfast (March 1944, 2pp) and letter in which he lists all the places he has served since arriving in Belgium (1 June 1945, 4pp). This letter also contains Fr MacSeumais’s only reference to Belsen Concentration Camp. Also includes Fr MacSeumais’s memorial card (with photograph) (Fr MacSeumais died on 13 January 1989).