The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-04-01
DEFEAT MEANS DEATH;
i. NO GLORY in IRISH WAR
BY Chas. McCann,

Omitted Press Stan Correspondent
. Dublin.--(By MaiD-When an at
tack on police barracks or an ambush
of police or soldiers is heard of, the
official report usually mentions a
round number of 100, $50 or 200
men engaged on the rebel side.
1t is probable there never was an
ambush with SO ora barracks attack
with more than 80 or 80 men on the
republican side. In cases where the
report mentions that barracks attack
ers withdrew after three-quarters Of
an hour of firing, it is probable the
attackers" were the average assign
ment of two bombers and three shot
gun men told off to flake" an attacl,
and cut telephone wires in hope that
the besieged garrison would send up
rockets for help-and that the res
cuers would meet the real ambush en-
route. -5- ~" $500,
Ambushes and attacks are planned
in great detail. Usually the brigade
commander will plan them with his
staff. When there is an important at
tack on big, strong barracks the
permission Of the general staff is
sought; on any major operation, in
fact, when in the case Of a barracks
80. men may be used. If there are
technical difficulties, engineers or
other experts are sent from Dublin
or elsewhere by the general staff.
Otherwise the brigade commander or
his subordinates will carry out the at
tacks themselves.
A recent ambush shows the usual
number of men engaged. In this, the
report to the general staff gave the
composition of the attacking party
as: 9 riflemen, Is shotgunners, 6
bombers, 6 engineers Ito dig trench
es and fell trees in roads to block
approaching lorries) and 16 scouts
and outposts.
The scouts and outposts are per-
haps the, most important single ele-
ment Of an ambush. They are placed
at strategic points. Their principal
duty is to signal the approach of the
enemy; perhaps from a commanding
hill or an embankment; perhaps from
a tree or telegraph pole. But in an
attack they must use their own ini-
tiative.
The ambushing party may meet at
a designated place, where the VOL
unteers are instructed in their duties.
They take their places along the road
side, where they take advantage Of
natural cover behind hedges or in
bitches, make simple earthworks, and
await the arrival of lorries, perhaps
eating a field ration of timed beef
during a wait of several hours. I'm
der their protection across the road at
a designated point where lorry will
be stopped in the center of the at
lacking force, the outposts and
scouts take their posts and give warm
ing of the enemy.
Sometimes the volunteers are sue
cessful in an ambush, when, after a
half hours firing, with mutual casual
ties and probably mutual deaths,
they will capture and disarm the mill
tary or police patrol. 81 ~,
Sometimes the volunteers retire at
ter an attacl, in which they both in
flict and suffer casualties. In this
case the withdrawal is usually because
of the approach Of reinforcements.
In several recent cases, ambushing
parties have been surprised by mill
tary whom some citizens had warned
of the ambush. Then there are al
ways republican casualties; the toll OF
deaths was 16 in a recent case. The
volunteers often are roughly armed,
and they are fighting well-armed men.
Their big advantage is that of sur
prise, but this may be discounted by
the fact that the ambushed party is
expecting attack and is prepared for
it. The republican arnny's principal
difficulty is in training men. They
must drill secretly, and they are poor
ly armed. Also they are youths. They
have the danger and none of the
glory of war; capture means probable
hanging and victory means return
to the pillow in the morning.