FROM THE ARCHIVES:Kevin Barry, the first IRA member executed during the War of Independence, was captured during an attack on a group of British soldiers who were collecting bread from a bakery in 1920. This is the contemporary report of the inquest into the three soldiers killed in the attack.
– JOE JOYCE
THE THIRD soldier wounded in the attack by civilians on the military ration party in North King street, Dublin, on Monday morning, died in King George V. Hospital late on Tuesday night. He was Private Thomas Humphries, the two previous victims being Private Harold Washington and Private Marshall Whitehead.
The Coroner , in opening the inquest, said that they had the death of three privates to deal with. The police report stated that, at about 11.30 a.m. on the 20th inst., a military motor lorry was stationary near the corner of North King street and Church street. It contained five soldiers, in charge of a sergeant. They were suddenly surrounded by about twenty young men, who shouted “Hands up,” and fired immediately.
Three of the soldiers were brought to hospital after the shooting, two of them being practically dead, and the third died soon afterwards.
Private Noble, 2nd Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, who was wheeled into the court on an invalid’s chair, gave evidence of identification. He stated that on Monday last he came from Collinstown to convey bread from the bakery of Mr. Monks, in North King street, to the camp. The lorry arrived at entrance to the bakery at about 11.30. Witness was in the back of the lorry with Private Smith. Privates Washington, Humphries and Whitehead were also in the lorry.
When the lorry stopped at the entrance to the bakery, witness dismounted, and Private Smith and Sergeant Banks dismounted with him. Witness went into the bakery yard to bring out the bread. The lorry was two or three yards from the entrance to the bakery yard, and when witness dismounted he stood on the pavement, Smith being a little in front of him. At that moment three young men came up about three yards behind the witness, and challenged the escort, shouting “Hands up!” Witness looked around, and heard several shots fired. Several men came out of the bakery yard and appeared on both sides of the lorry.
The firing continued for about three minutes, the men in the lorry firing back. As soon as the military party started firing the attacking party dispersed. After the firing Private Washington was lying dead in the lorry, while Privates Whitehead and Humphries, who died since, were wounded. Witness was himself wounded in the ankle. Witness, Washington, and Private Smith were taken to the Richmond Hospital, from which they were later transferred to the King George V. Hospital. Private Humphries died at the hospital on Tuesday night. Neither Private Smith nor witness had arms when the attack took place.
http://url.ie/7i15