BATTLE OF MACROOM

Gisborne Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6020, 28 February 1921, Page 5

BATTLE OF MACROOM

400 SINN FEINERS ATTACK , PROOFS.

CROWN FORCES WITHDRAW, LEAVING TEN WOUNDED.

REBEL LOSSES BELIEVED TO BE HEAVY,

BIGGEST FIGHT IN IRELAND TO DATE.

rUnited Press Association— Copyright.) LONDON, Feb. 25. Seventy members ot the Grown forces, travelling in lorries, with the object of conducting a round-up, _wero ambushed by four hundred Sum P enters entrenched in the hills near Macroom At the first onslaught one auxiliary was killed and six wounded. A fierce pitched battle ensued. Major Grant, the commanding officer 1 , was killed. The Crown, forces were hopelessly outnumbered and- withdrew, leaving about ten wounded, now presumed to be dead. When, the auxiliaries were nearing the base the M>acroom rebels returned to the mountains. Macroom is fortified with machine guns trained on the roads leading to the town. The police' and military, aided by aeroplanes, are scouring the district. The Sinn rein casualties are believed to have been heavy.—A. and N.Z. C.A. The ambush at Macroom which is one of the worst centres of the revolutionary movement, is described as the biggest battle which has yet occurred in Ireland. It commenced early in the morning, and continued until 2 o’clock in the_afternoon, and covered five miles of country. the auxiliaries were caught in a wild,, craggy country. They at first aavanced, followed by cars, until three explosions in rapid succession were a signal that the auxiliaries were m a regular death-trap. The road had been mined. The first two cars w r ere already disabled. The lulled included Sinn Fein hostages in the first car. Intense rifle and revolver lire irom behind boulders followed. lhe auxiliaries attacked, hut failed to dislodge- the rebels. One car, however, escaped, reached Macroom, and called up reinforcements. —A. and i\.Z. Cable Assn.

REBELS FLEE TO THE HILLS

MACROOM IN STATE OF ALARM (Received Feb. 27, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 26.

An official Dublin communique states that, following upon the ambush of auxiliaries at Macroom, -the Royal Fusiliers carried out a running fio-ht lasting two hours against the rebels, but were forced to relinquish the pursuit owing to the fact that the rebels occupied, the high ground behind the military. Two civilians were taken prisoner. The military suffered no casualties. Constable Keane, who was wounded at Macroom, has died.—A. and N.Z. Cable Assn.

(Received Feb. 27, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 25. In the meantime the auxiliaries were retreating, the rebels continu* ing a hot running fire as they drove the police back towards Macroom. The auxiliaries here out-manoeuvred the Sinn Feiners and prevented the latter surrounding them, though the rebels were continually getting, nearer and nearer. Macroom is now in a state or great alarm. Business is suspended and the inhabitants have been ordered indoors. . A wireless call to Cork resulted in large reinforcements oi troops with Hotchkiss guns, rifles and aeroplanes. The Republicans, however, immediately relinquished the attack and lied to the hills.—A. and N.Z. C.A.