Millstreet Train Ambush

1921 Feb 11. Fourteen Royal Fusiliers were coming back after dark by the evening train from Mallow. They were mostly Courts-Martial witnesses returning from Buttevant. In a cutting between Rathcool and Millstreet the train was stopped by the rebels by prearranged signal to the engine. Fire was poured into the leading coach where the troops were. 2 of the soldiers died and 6 were wounded

The inquiry shows that

• The IRA mounted a well planned operation which had to wait till they got the right train ion the right day
• The Royal Fusiliers had and officer and 4 armed soldiers on the train. These included L/Sgt Maxfield,
• There was a further 10 armed soldiers from Cork, who joined the train at Mallow
• The train driver was Daniel Lynch of Railway Terrace, Tralee. The fireman Maurice Hogan of 14 Dispensery Lane, Bohere,Tralee
• 2 IRA men took over control of the engine in Mallow
• They stopped the train a mile and a half east of Millstreet Station, where the ambush group was waiting
• They comprised 8 rifemen to fire at the carriage with the troops, and 2 rifes and 2 shotguns to cover the guards van
• The Royal Fusiliers at some point decided that further resistence was useless and surrendered. This is stated by Sgt Maxfield in the inquiry, but is not mentioned otherwise!
• The IRA carried off all the soldiers rifles and equipment
• The R Fusilier officer (Clarke) does not make a statement at the inquiry
• The IRA say that the soldier who was taken to the top of the embankment was an unarmed Munster Fusilier in uiform, who was not with the Royal Fusiliers. He went to to offer to join the IRA, but they were suspicious and put him back on the train. They say he later joined the IRA in Kerry

• Private Holyome died of wound
• Sgt F Boxold died at the scene of the ambush

Wounded

• Lieut C H W Clarke MBE - Clarke got his MBE for his actions at the Headford Ambush on the 21 Mar 1920
• 6446360 Sgt S Sutton BEM - he had got the BEM for his actions at The Grange 8.11.20
• 6446469 L-Sgt J Maxfield
• 6446562 Cpl G King
• 6446432 Pte A Hodge
• 6446263 Pte E Lloyd

In the group, unwounded, included

• Cpl J Stark RASC (attached to 1 Royal Fusiliers)
• L/Cpl A Buzzell

British Soldiers killed in Ireland