Mitchelstown Ambush - 17 Dec 1920

• The convoy was a Lancia lorry and a car
• The IRA had a machine gun and about 60 men. Ambush by East Limerick Brigade Column - led by Donnacha O'Hannigan - with help from Castletownroche Battalion Column (Cork No. 2) and Mitchelstown Company (Cork No.2 Brigade).
• A tree was felled across the road a few miles from Mitchelstown
• The lorry stopped and was fired at from both sides of the road.
• The machine gun was operated by an ex-Casement Brigade man Maurice Meade. Meade had a maxim gun that had been captured at Major O'Grady's house, and was sent with a section of 5 men to a height overlooking the road, so that he had a clear view of the road. His instructions were not to open fire with the machine gun, unless he enemy tried to retreat, and he could then use the gun to stop their retreat. They waited in position from 5am to about 10am. 2 lorries and a car came along the road and Meade opened fire once they passed his position, in spite of his orders not to do so. Anyway the machine gun fire made the troops surrender
• The soldiers then surrendered and were disarmed
• Killed in action at Mitchelstown, County Cork, on 17 December 1920.
• Sgt Leonard Ellis , 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
• Private Joseph Minchin. 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
• 3 other soldiers were wounded
• The IRA removed rifles, ammunition and a case of bombs. The lorry was burnt
• Letters and a medal, awarded to Lieutenant L B Sheppard Faulkner, for 'gallant conduct in Ireland on 17 September' were confiscated. These were Lincolnshire egimental medals - one sold recently for £2500

British Soldiers killed in Ireland