ROINN COSANTA. BUREAU OF MILITARY HISTORY, 1913-21 ...

14.not explode. A number of the small tin can bombs were thenthrown and the garrison was called on to surrender. Theyrefused, so we then poured some petrol through the hole in theroof of the barrack and set it on fire. We continued to feedsmall quantities of petrol to the fire until daylightinter-vened and we were forced to abandon our attempt to capture thepost. I should have mentioned that the covering parties atthe front and rere had opened fire on the building at an agreedsignal 3 shots from me when we dropped in the first mine.All sections withdrew to their home areas at daylight. Thisenemy post was vacated next day.When instructions were received from G.H.Q. at Easter1929to destroy all evacuated enemy posts, the following postswere destroyed: Kilcrohane (witness i/c.); Durrus (Tom Ward i/cKealkil (local Coy. 0/C.). These posts were all set on fireby the members of the local units.After these operations, enemy activities were intentifiedAs a result of constant enemy raids, a number of men were forcedto go on the run. There were about a dozen men on the run inBantry area and I decided to divide them into2 sectionsone to operate north of Bantry and the other in the south.As a large force of British military were landed at Bantry andaccommodated in the Workhouse about this time, the men of thesesections were mainly engaged in evading arrest, raiding mailsand, occasionally, sniping R.I.C. and military posts. Allmails seized were censored, endorsed accordingly and returnedthrough the local post office. No information of any militaryvalue was obtained in these raids. In addition to theseactivities, ambush positions were taken up on several occasions,but the expected enemy patrols did not turn up.