PETTIGO STORMED BY BRITISH TROOPS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume L, Issue 8002, 6 June 1922, Page 2

PETTIGO STORMED BY BRITISH TROOPS

'' TAKEN C pRisONER Nr hi l*.u :r»; h»nd N.Z. (,»bU A|^ri«H R«June 5, 1130 am”’ After heavy preSi^j'♦ 3ntish troops stormed p e ,ti«'" g tne afternoon. The remikr ° m replied with heavy hre, killing one police diiver 1 .ie Britisu took prisoner iL I. R. A. Commandant a n ,| ,I' Fe“c?.o brge nU " lber 01 Sinn

REBELS FLEE PROM PEm GO WOOD U ‘ Rec June 6, 8 55 am London, June c It was only when the reh P u fired on the British from a wood in the Pettigo district that the artillery shelled the wood Tk! shells killed six rebels. Three others were killed in an aitir-L on Pettigo village. * There is considerable naval activity at Chatham. Several ships are under orders for an unknown destination, presumably Ireland. j 1 The first six Pounder shell fired into Pettigo Wood caused the rebels to take to their heeh Only four mote were necessary to complete the debacle. The countryside is swarming with British soldiers, accompanied by whippet tanks. 'the American steamer Seattle Spirit was held up at Tralee. A British Sloop reported that the former vessel had a large quantity of ammunition aboard, which was seized. It is likely that when the Irish conference resumes the chief point of discussion will be on the point as to whether Ire. land, like the other Dominions, will submit all constitutional questions for final decision to the Privy Council, instead of to the Irish Court of Appeal as the draft constitution suggests. Rt*c. Juno 6, 9.15 a.m, London, June 5. Tho Belfast Telegraph’s Enniskillen correspondent states;'“Pottigo was taken at the bayonet point. At least thirty Republican troops were killed. As the British entered the village, the Republicans machine gunned them. The British replied witJi their artillery. After the first shell some of the Republicans fled, but tho machine gunners continued till wiped out. Four shells fell behind the village in the midst of a party of fleeing Republicans, inflicting heavy losses. The British troops secretly lauded on Boa Island, and were transferred to the mainland at night time. They caught the retreating Republicans in the rear like rats in a trap. After 1 more timid of theßepublicans bad fled to the hils only one hundred remained to defend the village from the barricade end of the bridge. Tho British rushed the barricade with their bayonets and captured tho snipers and the artillery then joined in." A military communique issued from Enniskillen stales: “In const quenoe of the so-called Free Stats troops continued aggression in the Pettigo salient it was decided that Imperial troops should occupy same The operations were continued on Saturday and Sunday by land and water and resulted, in the military occupying the salient for about a milafrom the frontier route in.ord* der to secure the high ground. The military lost one killed. The other ■ide is known to have lost seven kill-’ ed and sixteen taken prisoner, In order to dislodge snipers in the hills it. was necessary to fire six rounds of High exploive shells. The actual fighting lasted from eleven o’clock till four on Sunday.” STATEMENT BY COLLINS AND DE VALERA. Rec. June G, 10.50 a.m. London, Juno 5, Messrs Collins and I)e Valent had an hour’s conference at Dublin Mansion House. They then issued a joint statement that the Coalition agreement had been unanimously accepted by the Bail Ardfheis, be* cause it was considered that co-op-■lion was the best means of ensuring peaceable ami orderly Government and securing the nation against dangers which threaten it, from without. They must remember that the country is still in tratni‘ional stale and it is impossible to act as if stable conditions had been reached. ■