The Washington herald., 1921-03-20
SINN FEIN ARMY
LAUNCHES new
ERIN OFFENSIVE
Six Attacks on Troops
And Police Marked by
Fierce Struggles.
BOTH SIDES SUFFER
MANY CASUALTIES
English Commander Cap
tured at Dungarvan.
Escapes Later.


DUBLIN, March ls.-The Sim
Fein army today launched an Of
fensive.
In six attacks on British troops
and police. all of which were
marked by herce hghting. many
casualties were suffered on both
sides
The attacks were made at inter
walls in various parts of County Cork
and near Dublin. They were con-
Quoted accordingly to a veIl-pre-
pared plan of campaign which kept
the British rushing from town to
another and prevented any large
force being concentrated TO sur
round the Sim Feiners.
Expect Mere Attacks
More attacks are expected to-
night. as the Sim Fein assault is
believed to be Just getting under
way
The offensive opened before dawn
Eight military motor lorries
packed with troops were proceed
ing along a road at Crossbarry.
near Brandon. County Cork. sud
denly a concentrated frc Was
poured in upon the lorTies from all
sides. The troops ducked behind
the steel sides Of the cars and re-
turned the fire. Two Of them were
wounded. The Irish suffered cas-
uaities when the soldiers sailed
from the lorries and charged. u
was impossible to press the pur-
suit and the Sim Fcin wounded
were carried away by the retreat
ing forces.
Battle Lasts Over Pour Hours-
Near DungarVan. at 200 a m.
two military lorrics were attacked
with bombs while proceeding slowly
through the hills on narrow
winding road. The fact that an
Irish prisoner was held as hostage
in one of the lorries did not deter
the asssulting party. which was es-
timated at more than 100 strong.
Both Iorrics were wrecked by grcn-
ades Several volleys wcr" nred
into the machines. soldiers and PO-
lice deployed under cover and
spiritcd battle cusued. which lasted
until a. m. one policeman was
killed. another is missing. and the
! body of one Of the attacking iorce
Z was found. IL was believed a num-
her of Sinn Feiners were killed and
their bodies removed.
The Irish gradually Withdrew and
: when they finally escaped the night
. ing had extended over a large area.
, Reinforcement wer. brought up.
and the last reports received here
Z indicated a general roundup was
( being conducted in the Waterford
7 area. . house to house search being
made for wounded.
Commander Escapes.
The commander Of the British
military force was captured. but
later ESCAPED. one Of the attacking
party was killed by a grenade. his
I face being blown OF
Fires broke out on several farms
during the battle. reddeninc the
sky for miles.
Three Sim Feiners wels killed
near Trslee in an attempt TO ambush
u part Of military in an arm"red car,
The Irish dug bitches across the
highway. The British threw teu-
rorary bridges acress. when a de-
tachment Of Irish attempted To r.
move one Of these bridges as the
srmored a. was approaching. an
explosion occurred in their midst
The troops foun three dead The
wounded escaped. Entrenchments
were found ia the fields nearby. am
all the roads in the vicinity were
found to have had ditches dU :
Through them to wreck military
cars
! A six-hour hattie occurred At TIP
ton where Sim Feiners equipped
with rifles and plenty of ammuni-
tion attacked a marching detaCh-
ment of soldiers. Both si,.es took
cover and the firing continued with
cut intermission. Eight soldiers and
seven civilians were Killed. several
OF the Sim FeiEers were captured.
and great quantities of arms aud
documents seized. Three military
lcrries were burned and their
drivers killed.
Two ConstabIes Wounded.
At Castleton Roche, Sim Feiners
ambushed a police patrol. There
was heavy firing from both sidca
Two constables and several civilians
were wounded.
At Fsrmoy, a party OF soldiers. OF
lGuty. was Ettacked. Two felt wound
Cd A girl, running from the scene,
was seriously wounded