Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry
When I looked out I saw two Tans pushing their bikes about 200 yards behind the main cycle patrol. At the same time I observed the machine gun mounted on the lorry directly above me... My reason for not opening fire was that I anticipated that the full patrol, once they reached the schoolhouse, would have to return again when we would be able to ambush them in a more compact body. [The cyclist patrol] proceeded to the schoolhouse which they raided, as well as the house and forge of an I.R.A. man named Sean Brosnan. Having done so, they proceeded to Castlegregory, about eight miles from the schoolhouse, where they went to the railway station with the object of procuring a train back to Dingle. As it happened, the train which they meant to catch had already left. After their visit to the station they spent five or six hours around Castlegregory. In the meantime, our scouts were active and kept us informed of the position. As the patrol was raiding the schoolhouse, the lorry, with machine gun, reversed and returned to Dingle.
At last our scouts informed us that the patrol were about to leave Castlegregory and were about to return to Dingle the same way as they had come. It was now very dark as the patrol appeared, coming towards the ambush position pushing their bikes. As they approached all I could see was the glow of cigarettes which they were smoking. This being my only target, I, as instructed, gave the order 'open fire'. I and the men with me opened fire to which the Tans replied. Immediately firing became general. After about a quarter of an hour the Tans broke off the engagement.’
Further Witness Statements state: ‘The R.I.C. jumped the low fence on the side of the road and made down the mountain leaving nine bicycles behind. They made their way down the mountain side and crossed a river to Mullagh Bheal. The manner of their escape cannot be understood locally, because even people born and reared in the district would hardly risk travelling down the mountain side in daylight... How they were not killed I cannot understand because the road across the Pass is cut into the side of a steep hill.’
Not all of the R.I.C. men made the perilous descent down the cliff. Having found some reasonable cover just below the road, the three wounded men and several of their colleagues stayed in place, awaiting assistance, while District Inspector Captain Hamilton led the party who descended the cliffs to locate either a telephone or a vehicle to get a message to Dingle R.I.C. barracks requesting urgent help. The I.R.A. contented themselves with collecting the equipment left on the road and then standing down, rather than conducting a night-time pursuit over challenging terrain.
The recommendation for the award of the eleven Constabulary Medals authorised on 15 October has not yet been traced, but it may have included many of the men who were involved in several incidents that occurred near Dingle in February- March 1921. These included the action at Lispole on March 22, where an ambush laid by the I.R.A. was itself ambushed by two Crossley tenders of R.I.C. men from Dingle; three I.R.A. gunmen were mortally wounded.
Martin served in Kerry until the R.I.C. was disbanded in 1922. He died in Torquay in 1963. Sold with copied research.
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