Waterfall Kidnappings - 15 Nov 1920

The IRA boarded a train at Waterfall station just outside Cork, and removed a number of British officers. They were in mufti, "so that people were less likely to notice them"

• Capt M H W Green - removed and shot
• Capt S Chambers - removed and shot
• Lt W S Watts - removed and shot
• Lt R R Goode left on the train
• Capt Reedy left on the train

Winess Statement 1547 By Michael Murphy. Cork Commandant IRA

Capture of British Intelligence Officers at Waterfall. On 17th November 1920, as a result of information received, a few of our lads armed with revolvers were watching the trains. Four British Intelligence officers were seen to enter a firstclass compartment and the 'boys' got on the train with them. When the train stopped at Waterfall Station, which is the first station on the way to Macroom, our lads ordered the British officers out and shot them there and then.

The British seemed genuinely bewildered as to why these particular men had been kidnapped

The Inquiry ascertained the following

• There were 4 officers in mufti in a 3rd class compartment travelling from Cork (they though it less conspicuous to travel 3rd class). There were 10 people in the compartment. The officers were en route to Bere Island.
• The soldiers were Lt R R Goode (inspector of Army Schools), Capt Reedy R.E., Chambers and Green
• The train stopped at Waterfall, 6 miles from Cork. 3 armed civilians entered their compartment.
• Looking at Chambers one of these armed men said "That is one of them" and looking at Green said "That is the other"
• Chambers and Green were then marched out with their hands up and were last seen at the bridge over the railway
• In The Year of Disappearances the author makes a case for mistaken identity, for the Green the IRA wanted being George Edward Green, and not MHW Green
• Watts had decided to travel First Class and was by himself. Reedy only realised Watts was missing when the train got to Kinsale Junction and he could not find Watts
• Goode added to his statement that he knew that Chambers had been responsible for the arrest of Father O'Donnell (Chaplin to the Australian Forces) in Oct 1919 for seditious language.
• Goode also said that Chambers and Green had the previous week been witnesses to the murder of 2 RIC constables at Ballybrack in the course of a railway journey
• Goode believed that Green was carrying an automatic pistol, but believed that the others were unarmed.

1921 Nov 29. The IRA confirm that the men were executed, but details of their burial place did not emerge.

1926 One of the widows is requesting information from the Dominions Office for information on his death/burial and there was correspondence between the Dominions Office and Dublin as to the whereabouts of several missing Officers.

British soldiers died in Ireland