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I

THIS DOCUMENT IS TEE PROPERTY OJ? HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY1 S GOVERNMENTSS E C R E T .

C A B I N E TREPORT BY THE GENERAL OF!1 ICER OOJ IANDING-in-CHIEF ON THESITUATION III IRELAND ? 0 R mW ENDING 26th MARCH, 1921.

(Circulated by the Secretary of State for War).

GENERAL MILITARY SITUATION.There has been no marked change in the situation duringthe past week.

In the oountry three se ri ou s c o l l i s i o n s have occurred"between Crown foroe s and r e b e l s , th e de t a i l s of whioh w i l l befound in Appendix I . of t h i s r e po r t . Ambushes such as th atat Headfort Junotion are d i f f i o u l t to compete wi th , as thecircums tances make t t im pos sib le to take the pr ot ec ti vemeasures which are normally taken for troops on the road. I tmakes l i t t l e difference whether the troops are oonoentratedin one or two car ria ges or di st ri bu te d; for the re b el s, beingind i f fe rent to the cas ua l t i e s in f l i c te d on c i v i l i an s , f i re in discr imina te l y along the t r a i n* As no warning of at tack i sp o s s i b l e , the f i r s t vo ll ey i s bound to oause many oa s ua lt i es .In t h e present ca se the prep ar at io n of the ambush must havet aken con side ra ble ti me , for banks and a fcuilding were preparedas a co ver , ye t no word of t h i s reached the ne ar es t p o l i c e orm i l i t a r y post.- The few men of th e Hoyal F u s i l i e r s who remainedunwoundea aft er the f i r s t v o l l e y , foug ht extremely we ll withoutan o f f i c e r or non-ooramissioned o f f i c e r and no arms orammunition were l o s t

*The ambushing of the party of the 9th Lancers nearStrokastown, in the Athlone Area, resulted in the death of twoo f f i c e r s and one man, and the wounding of sever a l o th e r s .The third serious occurrence in the country during the weektook pl ac e at L ls p ol e, 5 mil es from Di ng le , Co. Kerry, where a

D i s t r i o t Ins pe cto r R . I . C . , one Sergft. and 9 co ns ta bl es wereattacked by a large number of rebels estimated at over 100-.After a long f ig ht , the ^eb els were driven off with c as ua lt ie sof about 8 k i l l e d and 20 wounded.In Dub lin the re have been a few ins ta nc es of bomb at tac ks

on troops in l o r r i e s without ser iou s r e s u l t s . The chi efin ci de nt in the c i t y i t s e l f has been the discov ery of a largenumber of arms ,ammun ition and e x p l o s i v e s in two d i f f e r e n tho us es . These se iz ur es rep rese nt the la rg es t capture of armsand e x p l os i ve s ye t made in one p la ce , and i t i s thought t ha tt h e i r oo l le ot io n to get her probably hud in view th ei r use i nsome big contemplated outrage, p o s s i b l y in connection withMountjoy Pr i son . The propaganda department of the re be ls hasbeen discovered in Dublin and raided by the Auxil iary DivisionR . 1 . 0 . A very la rg e amount of c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , ' fi les, andl i terature was se ized .

The de st ru ct io n of roa ds co nt in ue s, in, s pi t e of the f ac tthat c i v i l i a ns on the spot are 3-r.ptoyed to f i l l i n the t r enc hest r u s dug. I t i s not ce r t a in whether those, de st ru c t i on s arecarried out in ord er to l i mi t the ro ad s which or di na ry u a t r o i s

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j?,ia nd o e n v o y s oan t a k e , an d t h u s f a c i l i t a t e a m b us he s, o r w h e th e ri t i s a ; c o m p r e h e n s i v e s oh em e t o i s o l a t e a e ta o h ra e n ts o f t r o o p s .Many o f the roads ob s t ru c t ed are by -ro ad s whi ch are u ra o t i o ab l eo n l y f o r fa rm c a r t s . The w ork o f r e p a i r i n g t h o m a d s i s f o rthe most part Deing o o n f i n o d t o k e e p i n g o p en e s s e n t i a l ioonimuni oa t i o n s . No fu r t h er i n fo rm at i o n has ye t been re ce i v eda s t o r e b e l c o n c e n t r a t i o n s i n K e r ry , b u t t h e s i t u a t i o n i s bomigo a r e f u l l y w a tc h e d , and i n o r d e r t o r e i n f o r c e t h e 6 t hD i v i s i o n I h av e o r d er e d t h e t r a n s f e r o f o ne b a t t a l i o n , t h e1st Cduee^s Royal Re g t . f r o m L o n d on d e rr y t o K i l w o r t h .

O u t r a g es w h i o h h a v e o c c u r r e d on r a i l w a y s , a r e c h i e f l yo o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e b o y c o t t o f g o o d s fr om B e l f a s t . T h i sb o y o o t t i s b ec o m in g more i n t e n s e , and B e l f a s t t r a d e r s a r eb e g i n n i n g t o Buffer c o n s i d e r a b l e l o s s .The E a s t e r h o l i d a y s have p a s s e d q u i e t l y t h r o u g h a u t t h e : . .. o o u n t r y .T h e f o l l o w i n g Ap.pen.dJpea,are a tt a c h e d ... . .

Appondi a' I . O pe ra t i o ns and ' O utra ges .!A p pe nd ix I I . R a ilw a y s i t u a t i o n . : . ". 'A p p e n d i x I I I C i v i l i a n s tr ied /by Courts Mart I a lAppendix IV. S i t u a t i o n r e g a r & i r i g I n t e r n e e s .

' '''' " ,"' GENERAL, Co i a a a n d l n g - in-Chief, IKELiNiD

G .H .Q . IKEL,Utt).2 9 / 3 / 2 1 .

http://ap.pen.dj/http://ap.pen.dj/

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O P r" P ^ T I O ^ ^ q i T T R A G E S .DUBLIN, A t 01 .00 h r s . T ro o ps co r d o n ed a b l o c k , o f bu i . ld l r . fpVo n .th e "For th r i d e o f " 'r ec l. e ri ck Lane^ No a r r e s t s were ma d e . 1g r e n a d e w r s f o u n d .F e w t o w n b a r r y , C o . o x f o r d . 2 l a b o u r e r s w e re s h o t d e a d b yu nk no w n" m en a t " 2 " a V m V " a lt e r b e i n g t a k e n f ro m t h e i r b e d s .D u n s h a u ^ h l l n . C o* M e a t h . A b o x F o r d m i l i t a r y C a r was f i r e d ona V 1 1 7 0 0 " h r s . " w i t h ou t c a u s i n g a c a s u a l t y .H e a d f o r t J u n c t i o n . C o , K e r r y . An O f f i c e r a n d 2 1 O .K . w h i l ep ro T e ec li ng " 'B y " tr ai n" " fr o m "T C e n m a rc t o K i l l a r n e y , w e r e a t t a c k e da t l b . 0 0 h r s . b y r e b e l s e s t i m a t e d a t 100 s t r o n g on t h e a r r i v a lo f t h e t r a i n a t H e a d f o r t J u n c t i o n . H ea vy f i r e was o p e ne d b yt h e r e b e l s f r om t h e c o v e r of a h i g h b a n k a nd f ro m b u i l d i n g s 0C o n s i d e r a b l e c a s u a l t i e s w ore i m m e d i a t e l y c a u s e d to t h e t r o o p s .i n c l u d i n g t h e o f f i c e r a nd s e r g e a n t s The s u r v i v o r s fo u g h ts t u b b o r n l y f o r 50 m i n u t e s , l a r g e l y a s s i s t e d b y t he a c t i o n oft h e V i c k e r s m a c h i n e g u n n e r o f t h e p a r t y who s u c c e s s f u l l y b r o u g h th i s g un i n t o a c t i o n , - H e l p t h e n a r r i v e d i n t h e s h a p e o f o neO f f i c e r 14 O R . o f t h e R o y a l F u s i l i e r s r e t u r n i n g o f f e s c o r ti n a t r a i n fro m M a l lo w - T h i s O f f i c e r s t o o p e d t h e t r a i n b e f o r er e a c h i n g t h e s t a t i o n o n h e a r i n g f i r i n g and a t t a c k e d w i t h h i smen t h e r e b e l p o s i t i o n a n d d r o v e t h e r e b e l s i n t o t h e o p e n .A f t e r s u f f e r i n g c a s u a l t i e s t h e y t oo k t o f l i g h t s On r e c e i p t ofnew s o f t h e f i g h t i n g a t r a i n was c om m a nd ee re d a t K i l l a r n e y a n da s t r o n g f o r c e fr om t h e sam e b a t t a l i o n was s e n t t o H e a d f o r tJ u n c t i o n , b u t f i g h t i n g h a d t h e n c e a se d o C a s u a l t i e s t o R o y a lF u s i l i e r s w e r e

K i l l e d 1 o f f i c e r . 6 0 . R ,ound ed 12 0 . R , (o f whom 2 hav e s i n c e d i e d )R e b e l c a s u a l t i e s w er e f o u r know n t o h a v e b e e n k i l l e d . Thenumber of wounded is unknown*Wo a rms o r am mu n i t io n were l o s t o n d some were c a p t u r e d .Two b om b s w e r e t h r o w n a t a R . I . C . F o r d C ar p a s s i n g t h r o u g hT r a l e e . No p o l i c e w ere i n j u r e d o One c i v i l i a n was m o r t a l l yw o un de d a n d "two s l i g h t l y eA r t h u r M u l c a hy , who was a r r e s t e d d u r i n g o p e r a t i o n s a t M o d e l l i g s ,S o u t h o f F e r m o y , w a s s h o t d e a d w h i l e t r y i n g t o e s c a p e f r o m h i se s c o r t a f t e r be in rr w a r n e d .D u r i n g o p e r a t i o n s i n N e w a s to n a nd n e a r B a n do n , t h r e e r e b e l swere wo u n d ed , o n e o f whom h a s s i n c e d i e d .P o l i c e e n g a g e d - a p a r t y o f s i x r e b e l s a t K e r r y p i k e , C o r k . R e b e l sf i r e d a t p o l i c e f ro m a h o u s e a n d a f i g h t e n s u e d i n w h i c h a l l t h es i x r e b e l s w ere k i l l e d . T he re w ere no c a s u a l t i e s t o p o l i c e -N e ar S t r o k e s t o w n , A t h l o n e B d e . A r e a , p a r t y o f 9 t h l a n c e r s a n dp o l i c e n um b e r in g 9 i n a l l t r a v e l l i n g i n C r o s s l e y t e n d e r a m bu sh edb y a b o u t 40 s u ^ e d r e b e l s who o p e n e d h e a v y f i r e a t p o i n t b l a n kr a n g e , k i l l i n g 1 o f f i c e r a nd R . A . S . C . d r i v e r , a n d w o u n di n g o neo f f i c e r ( s i n c e d e a d ) , 5 o t h e r r a n k s a n d 5 R . I . C tw o Of whomt h e r e b e l s c a r r i e d aw ay * The Car- was b u r n t and t h e arm s c a p t u r e d b y t h e r e b e l s . Two a r r e s t s of a rm e d r e b e l s w e res u b s e q u e n t l y m a d e .

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Poli co pa t r o l of 1 Serrrt . and 3 c o n s t a b l e ambushed a t Carrowkennedy 6 mi le s South of e s t p o r t . The $cpge,&$t was k i l l e dand th e co ns ta bl es were s e r i o u s l y mounded. Their arms andammunition were taken.Timoleague Pos t Off ice r a i d e d by 5 armed r e b e l s who removedt ho t el e ph o ne i n s t a l l a t i o n .At Li sn ol e, 5 mil es from Di ng le j Co. Ker ry , a po li ce p a t r o lcon s i s t in g of Di s t r i c t Ins pec tor , one e rg t . 9 con s ta b l e s , wasambushed by l a r g e p ar ty of r e b e l s . Af te r fi ; pht of threehours re be ls were rou ted , inc ur r in g ca su al t i es es t imated a t8 k i l l e d and 20 Founded . ' Poli ce cap tur ed 6 r i f l e s , 5 shotguns3 re vo lv er s and bombs and ammunition. Pol ice c a s u a l t i e s4 wounded.Dur in r a se ar ch in Dubli n the fo ll ow in g were se iz ed in theouthouse of the bu il di ng 13 r e v o l v e r s , 2 r i f l e s , 2 shot guns,1200 rounds various ammunition, some equipment and 2 MilitaryMotor b icyc le s .Pol ice Barracks at ta ck ed at Ballypor een by about 50 r e b e l s .Mi l i t a r y , pa r ty s e n t out ambushed by 4 r e be l s . Wo c a s u a l t i e s .Troops operating in Glenbrohame Area, Kilmallock Area, cameupon 12 men marching in f i l e On beinm ch al len ged a l l ranaway and were f i r e d on and one wounded. Seven vere a r r e s t e d BNo o rms found.Robel a r r e s t e d a t Oranmore boardina; Dubli n t r a i n . Aft era r r e s t made bol d at te mp t t o escape and was sh ot dea d.Police ambushed at CloughJordan, Templemore Area by about 50r e b e l s . l\To c a s u a l t i e s .A sea rch of a house in Great Cha rle s S t r e e t , Dublin c a r r i e dout by Aux il i ary Div isi on R. I . C. re s u l t ed In capt ure of lar geamount of arms and ammunition in cl ud in g 35 r e v o l v e r s , 6 r i f l e s ,6 sh ot gu ns , 400 bombs, 1500 rounds S . A The sea rc h' wa scontinu ed in the d i s t r i c t and a d d i t i o n a l arms, ammunit ion andex pl os iv es were fo un d. in a house in Mountjoy Sq ua re . Twelvearrests were made.Du r inr se ar ch of a house .ip Dubl in fo ur men who had t r i e d toemi gra te t o U.S.A. were di sc ov er ed under a r e b e l guard of3 men* A l l seven were a r r e s t e d - One r ev o lv er and 30 roundsof ammunition were foundsTwo so ld ie rs a t t ac ke d by 3 armed c i v i l i a n s in a s t r e e t inDu bl in , /-,. s t r u g g l e ensued in which the r ev o lv e r hel d by oneof th e c i v i l i a n s went off wounding hi mse lf i The s o l d i er sreceived no wounds.Tho mail from Loughrea to 1 oo dfor d was' he ld up by armed andmasked men a t Day ies tow n and th e mai ls t a k e n , some of whichwere af te rw ar ds fou nd. ' ; .' VMi l i t a r y Pa tr ol se ar ch in g South Cl er ra gh , Worth Lough Key,Boyle Area, fi r e d on a c i v i l i a n who ref use d to ho. I t "whenc a l l e d uoo n. A boy, aged 15 , was a c c i d e n t a l l y wounded andhas s inco died,A p a r t y of 10 armed men (masked) t r a v e l l i n g by motor ca rv i s i t e d v "e st po rt nnd bu rn t a ho us e, al so th?. con te nt s ofs e v e r a l s h o p s i

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A P E ^ D I X I I .

RAIL' 7 Y SITUATION,T e l e g r a p h a n d . T o l a p hone w i r e s c u t one m i l e . N o r th o f D un da lk .Goods Yard a t Cork r a i d e d b y n rm e d a nd m a s ke d m en who s t o l es o m e M i l i t a r y s t o r e s -A t 1 n n l s m o r e l e v e l c r o s s i n g , C o . K e r r y , flo od s t r a i n h e l d upb y a rm e d m e n who s e a r c h e d w a g on s b u t r em o v e d n o t h i n g ./ i t C h a r l e s t o w n Co, Kayo , t h e s t a t i o n was r a i d e d b y a rm e d an dm a s k e d m en who d o t t r o y o d f o o d s t u f f s fro m L o n d o n d e r r y ,E x t e n s i v e i n c e n d i a r i s m o c c u r r e d a t . R a i l w a y s t a t i o n s i n C o. 'A n t r i m , ,

D u n l a y ' 8 t . " t i o n ' - S i g n a l C a b in b u r n t .F i l l w ean - S i g n a l C a b in b u r n t .G l e n a v v f o r d T e l e p r o oh & t e l e p h o n e i n s t r u m e n tr e m o v e d .R e t r e a t - Goods s t o r e b u r n t ,' P us km o re ? t n . - . b u r n t . 'Ca r ya n " - b u: h t ,C r o s s R o ad s S t n . - b u r n t . ,

A l l t e l e g r a p h an d t e l e p h o n e w i r e s we re c u t a t Few ry S t a t i o n . . 'The S k i b b e r e e n - B a l t i m o r e l i n e , C o . C o r k , h a s b e e n c l o s e d .

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A?F3KL'i;i I I I .

CIVILIANS faiSI) BY COURTS I jA R TI AL31 c i v i l i a n s have been t r i e d by Co ur t- Ma rt ia l , of whom SOwere convicted and sentenced as under( a ) . Murder.1 to su ff er de at h commuted to P . 3 . fo r l i f e ,( b ) . At ta ck s on Grown f o rc e s

N i l .( c ) . For be in g i n po ss es si on of arms ammunition or e x p l o s i v e s .1 to 6 y r s . F., . . .1 to 2 y r s . Imp. H.L.2 to 18 months Imp. H.L.1 t o 3 months Imp. H.L.1 t o 1 month La p, H.L.1 t o 24 h r s . Imp, H.L.1 fi ne d 10 or 2 months Imp.1 f in ed 2. H.L.1 f i ne d 1 .ij-1;^J.J?.$^&.J-.5 PQ ss essi on of sed 1 t i m m l i t e r a t u r e .1 t o 18. months Imp. H.L.1 t o 1 yea r Imp. H.L.1 t o i month Imp. H.L. ( r e mi t t e d )( e ) . For Misce l laneo us of fe nc es .1 t o 5 ye ar s P . ,1 t o 3 ye ar s P.- ;.2 t o 2 y r s . Imp. H.L.1 t o 6 months Imp, H.L.1 fined 10 or 7 clays Imp. ILL.

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A P P S K P I X I V .

S i t u a t i o n r e ^ a r j l i n ^ I n t e r n e e s ^T he f o l l o w i n g n um b e r of m e m be rs o f t h e I . a . A . h a v eb e e n rocom m ende d. f o r i n t e r n m e n t up to 2 9 th M a r c h , 1921

1 5 t h , I n f a n t r y b r i g a d e 2 3 3L o n d o n d e r r y B r i g a d e 69l o t h . I n f a n t r y B ri ga d e Uth lone ) 2741 4 t h . I n f a n t r y B r i g a d e ( C u r r a g h ) 1 98G a lw a y B r ig a d e 225D u b li n D i s t r i c t 9 241 6 t h . I n f a n t r y B r i g a d e ( F e r m o y )1 7 t h . I n f a n t r y B r i g a d e ( C o r k )1 8 t h . I n f a n t r y B r i g a d e ( L i m e r i c k )K e r r y B r i g a d e

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1 s t . D i v i s i o n 3025 t h . D i v i s i o n 69 76 t h . D i v i s i o n 798D u b l i n D i s t r i c t 9242 7 2 1

MEMBERS OF I . R . A . RECOMMENDED FOR INT&HNL42NTBY RANKS

B ri ga de C ommandant s 17B r i g a d e S t a f f - 42B a t t a l i o n C o m m a n d a n t s 69B a t t a l i o n S t a f f 160C o m p a n y o f f i c e r s 11Ou1331t h e r r a n k s k Ranks unknown2 7 2 1