Upton Train Ambush
Encyclopedia
The Upton Train Ambush took place on 15 February 1921, during the Irish War of Independence
. The Irish Republican Army
(IRA) mounted an attack on a train carrying British soldiers at Upton
, County Cork
. The action was a disaster for the IRA; three of its volunteers were killed and two wounded. Six British soldiers were wounded, three seriously. Six civilian passengers were killed and ten wounded in the crossfire.
Up until the end of 1920, the British had been unable to move troops by train, due to a nationwide boycott by railway workers of trains carrying the British military. However, this strike was lifted in December 1920. While this helped the British military's mobility, it also gave the IRA a new target: trains carrying soldiers. A week before the Upton ambush, the local IRA had made a successful attack on a train travelling from Killarney
to Millstreet
near Drishanbeg, killing one sergeant and wounding five more soldiers.
. The ambushers, led by Charlie Hurley, were 13 strong but had only 7 rifles, the remainder being equipped only with revolver
s or automatic pistol
s. They took up position at the station ten minutes before the train pulled in, imprisoning the station master, clearing the station and taking cover behind sacks of grain and flour taken from a store.
The train was carrying around 50 British soldiers of the Essex Regiment
, who were mingled with civilian passengers throughout the train's carriages. The IRA party was therefore quite heavily outnumbered and out-gunned. However they were not warned of this, as two IRA scouts, who were supposed to have been on the train and signalled to them of British numbers, never turned up. They also wrongly believed that the British troops were all in the central carriage. As a result, when the IRA opened fire on the train, there were heavy civilian casualties. The New York Times reported that "a shower of bullets was rained on the train, practically every compartment being swept".
The firefight lasted for only ten minutes, but in that time six civilian passengers were killed and ten wounded in the firing between the British and IRA. Six British soldiers were also injured, three of them seriously. Two IRA volunteers were killed outright, another was fatally wounded and two more were badly wounded but survived. Charlie Hurley, who had led the ambush, was among the wounded, being struck in the face by a bullet. IRA leader Tom Barry
later wrote, "Through some miracle, the nine unwounded and two wounded got away across country, in small parties, with the British following close behind". Three civilian passengers, one unwounded and two wounded were detained by the British on suspicion of belonging to the ambush party.
or Auxiliaries
, three died at Upton on the 15th and four were killed on the 16th when they were arrested by the Essex Regiment in Kilbrittain
while digging a trench and shot dead. Of the eleven dead, only those at Upton were killed in combat.
The Upton attack also highlighted the dangers, and particularly the risk to civilians, of attacking trains carrying troops. Only a month later at the Headford Ambush
in neighbouring County Kerry
, an IRA column successfully attacked a train-load of troops, but again, there were heavy civilian casualties alongside the IRA and British Army losses. One of the three men captured by the British at Upton is reported to have given information leading to the Third Cork Brigade's main column of over 100 fighters almost being encircled at the Crossbarry Ambush
. Hurley himself was killed in this action.
The Upton ambush was later made famous in a popular 1960s Irish ballad titled "The Lonely Woods of Upton".
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
. The Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
(IRA) mounted an attack on a train carrying British soldiers at Upton
Upton, County Cork
Upton is a village in County Cork, Ireland. It was on the Cork to Bandon section of the Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway.-History:During the Irish War of Independence the local branch of the Irish Republican Army was active...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. The action was a disaster for the IRA; three of its volunteers were killed and two wounded. Six British soldiers were wounded, three seriously. Six civilian passengers were killed and ten wounded in the crossfire.
Background
According to a study of the region, Cork was "by far the most violent county in Ireland" during the War of Independence and had several active guerrilla brigades. Of these, the Third (west Cork) was one of the most effective and it was a unit from this Brigade that carried out the Upton ambush.Up until the end of 1920, the British had been unable to move troops by train, due to a nationwide boycott by railway workers of trains carrying the British military. However, this strike was lifted in December 1920. While this helped the British military's mobility, it also gave the IRA a new target: trains carrying soldiers. A week before the Upton ambush, the local IRA had made a successful attack on a train travelling from Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
to Millstreet
Millstreet
Millstreet is a town in north County Cork, Ireland with a population of approximately 1,500. It is located at the foot of Clara Mountain. The town's Catholic church is dedicated to St. Patrick. Since October 1985, the town has been twinned with Pommerit-le-Vicomte in Brittany, France...
near Drishanbeg, killing one sergeant and wounding five more soldiers.
Ambush
Five days after the Drishanbeg ambush, plans were made for an attack at Upton station on a train travelling between Cork city and BandonBandon
Bandon is the name of several places*Bandon, County Cork, Ireland*the River Bandon in Ireland*Bandon , former constituency in Ireland*Bandon, the old name of Surat Thani in Thailand**the Bandon Bay near Surat Thani...
. The ambushers, led by Charlie Hurley, were 13 strong but had only 7 rifles, the remainder being equipped only with revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
s or automatic pistol
Automatic pistol
Automatic pistol may refer to:* Machine pistol, a handgun-style, magazine-fed and self-loading firearm, capable of fully automatic or burst fire, and chambered for pistol cartridges...
s. They took up position at the station ten minutes before the train pulled in, imprisoning the station master, clearing the station and taking cover behind sacks of grain and flour taken from a store.
The train was carrying around 50 British soldiers of the Essex Regiment
Essex Regiment
The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army that saw active service from 1881 to 1958. Members of the regiment were recruited from across Essex county. Its lineage is continued by the Royal Anglian Regiment.-Origins:...
, who were mingled with civilian passengers throughout the train's carriages. The IRA party was therefore quite heavily outnumbered and out-gunned. However they were not warned of this, as two IRA scouts, who were supposed to have been on the train and signalled to them of British numbers, never turned up. They also wrongly believed that the British troops were all in the central carriage. As a result, when the IRA opened fire on the train, there were heavy civilian casualties. The New York Times reported that "a shower of bullets was rained on the train, practically every compartment being swept".
The firefight lasted for only ten minutes, but in that time six civilian passengers were killed and ten wounded in the firing between the British and IRA. Six British soldiers were also injured, three of them seriously. Two IRA volunteers were killed outright, another was fatally wounded and two more were badly wounded but survived. Charlie Hurley, who had led the ambush, was among the wounded, being struck in the face by a bullet. IRA leader Tom Barry
Tom Barry
Thomas Barry was one of the most prominent guerrilla leaders in the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence.-Early life:...
later wrote, "Through some miracle, the nine unwounded and two wounded got away across country, in small parties, with the British following close behind". Three civilian passengers, one unwounded and two wounded were detained by the British on suspicion of belonging to the ambush party.
Aftermath
The Upton ambush was part of what Tom Barry described as "twelve dark days" for the 3rd Cork Brigade of the IRA. Between 4 February and 16 February, eleven members of the Brigade were killed. One was shot dead by British troops when they raided a safehouse on the 4th, another died in an accidental shooting on the 7th, two more (the Coffey brothers) were assassinated in their beds on the 14th by Black and TansBlack and Tans
The Black and Tans was one of two newly recruited bodies, composed largely of British World War I veterans, employed by the Royal Irish Constabulary as Temporary Constables from 1920 to 1921 to suppress revolution in Ireland...
or Auxiliaries
Auxiliary Division
The Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary , generally known as the Auxiliaries or Auxies, was a paramilitary organization within the Royal Irish Constabulary during the Irish War of Independence....
, three died at Upton on the 15th and four were killed on the 16th when they were arrested by the Essex Regiment in Kilbrittain
Kilbrittain
Kilbrittain or Killbrittain is the name of a village, townland and parish in County Cork, Ireland. The village lies about southwest of Bandon, and near Clonakilty and Kinsale. The coastal route around the edge of the parish is the R600...
while digging a trench and shot dead. Of the eleven dead, only those at Upton were killed in combat.
The Upton attack also highlighted the dangers, and particularly the risk to civilians, of attacking trains carrying troops. Only a month later at the Headford Ambush
Headford Ambush
The Headford Ambush took place on 21 March 1921, during the Irish War of Independence.The Second Kerry Brigade of the Irish Republican Army ambushed a train carrying British troops at Headford Junction railway station...
in neighbouring County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, an IRA column successfully attacked a train-load of troops, but again, there were heavy civilian casualties alongside the IRA and British Army losses. One of the three men captured by the British at Upton is reported to have given information leading to the Third Cork Brigade's main column of over 100 fighters almost being encircled at the Crossbarry Ambush
Crossbarry Ambush
The Crossbarry Ambush occurred on 19 March 1921 and was one of the largest engagements of the Irish War of Independence. It took place at the rural crossroads of Crossbarry, County Cork, around 20 km south west of Cork city. About a hundred Irish Republican Army volunteers escaped an attempt...
. Hurley himself was killed in this action.
The Upton ambush was later made famous in a popular 1960s Irish ballad titled "The Lonely Woods of Upton".