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

31.and formed them into a "Civil Guard". They appointed officersand divided the 'guard' into a number of sections, allocatingperiods of duty to each group. During duty periods thesections were to report to the R.I.C. barracks at fixedintervals.A meeting of Bantry Battalion Council was held at ColomaneWood on the night of 10th February 1921. I was present tohear a report on the efforts being made to carry out thebrigade 0/C's (Charlie Hurley) orders to intensify the campaignagainst the enemy. While the meeting was in progress, thebrigade adjutant (Liam Deasy) and column 0/C. (Tom Barry)arrived. They had been with the brigade column which hadinvested Skibbereen on the previous night. The column was nowbilleted in the neighbourhood. A discussion took place on theprospects of capturing Drimoleague R.I.C. Post and it wasdecided to attack this post on the following night (11thFebruary 1921). Arrangements were made for the column 0/6.(Tom Barry) to drive through Drimoleague next day to inspectthe position. He was driven into the village in a horse andtrap by Miss Bridie Manning, Colomane, a member! of Cumann namBan. Here he held a consultation with Dan O'Driscoll (0/C.Drimoleague) who had been arranging scouts, outposts and road_blocking sections since he had left the Battalion Councilmeeting the previous night.While the column 0/C. (Tom Barry) was engaged on theseduties, the members of the column were preparing for theengagement that night. A large mine was constructed by theengineering section and was mounted on a frame so that it couldbe carried by four men. I believe that this mine weighedbetween and 4cwt. and, as it had to be carried practically onemile, four of the strongest men in the column were s elected forthe job. Three of the men selected were John J. O'Sul1iva