In January 1919 the elected representatives formed their own parliament, Dail Eireann, the First Dail, in defiance of the British Government. On 21st January, the same day, four members of the Irish Volunteers – soon to be restyled the Irish Republican Army (IRA), Dan Breen, Sean Treacy, Sean Hogan and led by Seamus Robinson attacked, while intending to procure gelignite, a consignment of the explosives guarded by the Royal Irish Constabulary at Soloheadbeg Co. Tipperary killing two RIC men. These are the shots credited with starting the Irish War of Independence.
From this point on the IRA grew in stature and certainly effectiveness, carrying out various guerrilla warfare tactics across the country against the British occupying forces and their police force, the RIC. The IRA developed quickly into one of the most effective and clinical guerrilla armies Western Europe had/has ever seen.
One leading IRA man, Michael Collins, originally from Cork, based in Dublin set up an intelligence unit called “The Squad” which had tentacles everywhere from Dublin Castle, the seat of British administration in Ireland to the Civil Service and outlying barracks. Collins had working for him, as a squad member, Lily Mernin – Irelands Matta Hari as termed by Tim Pat Coogan – who ostensibly worked as a Secretary in Parkgate Street Barracks, and was an IRA Intelligence Officer working undercover for Michael Collins. Other valuable “squad” members, to name only two were David Neligan, a Sergeant in the RIC and Edward – Ned – Broy who was based in Dublin Castle working in numerous attached barracks. This is to name but three of Collins spy network but the calibre of his agents can be gleaned.
On 21st November 1920 Collins squad, acting on reliable information went into action, not for the first time: their mission to assassinate a group of undercover British Agents, known as the Cairo Gang. This was the name afforded them because they met in the Cairo Café in Grafton Street, Dublin. Another theory as to how they got this name was because they all served British Intelligence in Cairo, Egypt – though this theory was/is not considered as reliable as the former. IRA volunteers of “The Squad” acting on the information received passed on to them by such people as Lily Mernin visited a number of addresses across Dublin killing or fatally wounding fifteen men. Most of these were British Army Intelligence Officers along with one RIC Sergeant and an Auxiliary. The Auxiliaries were a brutal force of former British Army officers who, along with another force of ex-servicemen, the Black and Tans, who were of equal brutality were to take the war to the IRA. None of these men would be doing so again after 21st November 1920. These assassinations sparked panic among the British authorities, many of whom fled to Dublin Castle for safety.
One week after the assassination of the British officers in Dublin the IRA in Cork launched an attack on the Auxiliaries. On 28th November 1920 the Kilmichael Ambush took place near the village of Kilmichael in County Cork. The operation was commanded by Tom Barry when two lorries of Auxiliaries were ambushed killing seventeen of their number, the IRA lost just three volunteers. As dusk fell between 4.05 and 4.20 the vehicles carrying the former British officers, who constituted the Auxiliaries, came into view when the IRA struck, after Barry wearing an IRA tunic, looking not dissimilar to the Auxiliaries, halted both lorries. With the republican forces in position Barry gave the order to open fire. The Auxiliary Division were taken completely by surprise by this well thought out attack which resulted in an emphatic IRA victory.
On 21st November 1920 Collins squad, acting on reliable information went into action, not for the first time: their mission to assassinate a group of undercover British Agents, known as the Cairo Gang. This was the name afforded them because they met in the Cairo Café in Grafton Street, Dublin. Another theory as to how they got this name was because they all served British Intelligence in Cairo, Egypt – though this theory was/is not considered as reliable as the former. IRA volunteers of “The Squad” acting on the information received passed on to them by such people as Lily Mernin visited a number of addresses across Dublin killing or fatally wounding fifteen men. Most of these were British Army Intelligence Officers along with one RIC Sergeant and an Auxiliary. The Auxiliaries were a brutal force of former British Army officers who, along with another force of ex-servicemen, the Black and Tans, who were of equal brutality were to take the war to the IRA. None of these men would be doing so again after 21st November 1920. These assassinations sparked panic among the British authorities, many of whom fled to Dublin Castle for safety.
One week after the assassination of the British officers in Dublin the IRA in Cork launched an attack on the Auxiliaries. On 28th November 1920 the Kilmichael Ambush took place near the village of Kilmichael in County Cork. The operation was commanded by Tom Barry when two lorries of Auxiliaries were ambushed killing seventeen of their number, the IRA lost just three volunteers. As dusk fell between 4.05 and 4.20 the vehicles carrying the former British officers, who constituted the Auxiliaries, came into view when the IRA struck, after Barry wearing an IRA tunic, looking not dissimilar to the Auxiliaries, halted both lorries. With the republican forces in position Barry gave the order to open fire. The Auxiliary Division were taken completely by surprise by this well thought out attack which resulted in an emphatic IRA victory.
The success of the Kilmichael Ambush was both a political and military victory of major significance. It elevated the IRA to a commanding position over superior numbers who were better equipped and was a needed response to the introduction in Ireland of the Auxiliaries and Black and Tans, both ruthless in their actions. The republican forces had to meet brutality with an equal level of force.
On 19th March, 1921, the Battle of Crossbarry took place. Here the IRA, again commanded by Tom Barry this time with Charlie Hurley, near the small village of Crossbarry outwitted and outfought 1,200 British troops and 120 Auxiliaries. Around 104 volunteers were surrounded by the British yet they managed to outflank them, killing 10 and wounding 5 while the IRA suffered 3-6 dead and 3 wounded. Ironically the British commander was a certain Arthur Percival, the man later responsible for surrendering the British prize possession of Singapore to the Japanese during World War Two. The British tried to encircle the IRA but were outwitted resulting in them suffering higher casualties and the republicans escaping to fight again.
The three incidents very briefly described above were three of many battles where the guerrilla fighters of the IRA successfully engaged and defeated far larger and better equipped numbers in the field, actions which were eventually to force the British Empire to the negotiating table. The guerrilla tactics of the IRA during this period did not go unnoticed by the higher echelons of the British military and civilian establishments and were later to be used as a role model by the British Special Operations Executive during the Second World War.
On 1st September 1939 Nazi Germany invaded Poland which was the start of the war in Europe. Britain and France declared war on Germany as a result of this invasion [or this is the official reason] on 3rd September. By the end of June, 1940, France capitulated and the British Expeditionary Force along with some French and Belgium troops had retreated to the port of Dunkirk. The Royal Navy assisted greatly by small shallow hulled civilian craft managed to evacuate around 340,000 troops to fight another day. This was largely made possible by the bulk of what remained of the French Army fighting a rear-guard action to hold the Germans back sufficiently for the evacuation to take place.
In July 1940, London, the Special Operations Executive was formed under utmost secrecy. The role of the SOE was to carry out reconnaissance, sabotage and espionage behind enemy lines across German occupied Europe, aiding various resistance groups in the occupied territories. Responsibility for the SOE was given to the Minister of Economic Warfare, Hugh Dalton who had studied closely the tactics and strategies of the IRA during the Irish War of Independence, briefly outlined above. The SOE along with various resistance fighters ambushed German troops, in much the same way as the IRA had done at Kilmichael, they blew up bridges which generally frustrated the forces of Hitler ability to operate. The SOE also had responsibility coordinating intelligence on German troop and goods movements, their spy network and intelligence personnel again emulating the IRA squad in Dublin on 21st November 1920.
Dalton and other ranking British officers, politicians and Intelligence had been studying the IRA's methods since Hitler annexed Austria (The Anschluss) in 1938. After the fall of France and the launching of the SOE it was decided these tactics, once described as “murder” by the same British establishment, were to be adopted by themselves and the resistance fighters against the Nazis. A clear case of poacher turned gamekeeper, or, in this case, the other way round?
On 19th March, 1921, the Battle of Crossbarry took place. Here the IRA, again commanded by Tom Barry this time with Charlie Hurley, near the small village of Crossbarry outwitted and outfought 1,200 British troops and 120 Auxiliaries. Around 104 volunteers were surrounded by the British yet they managed to outflank them, killing 10 and wounding 5 while the IRA suffered 3-6 dead and 3 wounded. Ironically the British commander was a certain Arthur Percival, the man later responsible for surrendering the British prize possession of Singapore to the Japanese during World War Two. The British tried to encircle the IRA but were outwitted resulting in them suffering higher casualties and the republicans escaping to fight again.
The three incidents very briefly described above were three of many battles where the guerrilla fighters of the IRA successfully engaged and defeated far larger and better equipped numbers in the field, actions which were eventually to force the British Empire to the negotiating table. The guerrilla tactics of the IRA during this period did not go unnoticed by the higher echelons of the British military and civilian establishments and were later to be used as a role model by the British Special Operations Executive during the Second World War.
On 1st September 1939 Nazi Germany invaded Poland which was the start of the war in Europe. Britain and France declared war on Germany as a result of this invasion [or this is the official reason] on 3rd September. By the end of June, 1940, France capitulated and the British Expeditionary Force along with some French and Belgium troops had retreated to the port of Dunkirk. The Royal Navy assisted greatly by small shallow hulled civilian craft managed to evacuate around 340,000 troops to fight another day. This was largely made possible by the bulk of what remained of the French Army fighting a rear-guard action to hold the Germans back sufficiently for the evacuation to take place.
In July 1940, London, the Special Operations Executive was formed under utmost secrecy. The role of the SOE was to carry out reconnaissance, sabotage and espionage behind enemy lines across German occupied Europe, aiding various resistance groups in the occupied territories. Responsibility for the SOE was given to the Minister of Economic Warfare, Hugh Dalton who had studied closely the tactics and strategies of the IRA during the Irish War of Independence, briefly outlined above. The SOE along with various resistance fighters ambushed German troops, in much the same way as the IRA had done at Kilmichael, they blew up bridges which generally frustrated the forces of Hitler ability to operate. The SOE also had responsibility coordinating intelligence on German troop and goods movements, their spy network and intelligence personnel again emulating the IRA squad in Dublin on 21st November 1920.
Dalton and other ranking British officers, politicians and Intelligence had been studying the IRA's methods since Hitler annexed Austria (The Anschluss) in 1938. After the fall of France and the launching of the SOE it was decided these tactics, once described as “murder” by the same British establishment, were to be adopted by themselves and the resistance fighters against the Nazis. A clear case of poacher turned gamekeeper, or, in this case, the other way round?
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Caoimhin O’Muraile is a Dublin based Marxist and author. |
Some interesting history there Caoimhin. Old British double standards at play per usual. Don't do as we do but do as we say.
ReplyDeleteA question which could be asked Anthony is this, without the IRA as a blueprint woukd the SOEs operations in occupied Europe have been as affective? Hypothetical I know, but I would imagine it would have taken much longer to reach that level of efficiency had they not had a comparitively recent actions of another organisation to use as a training manual.
ReplyDeleteCaoimhin