The Black and Tans And the Auxilaries

In case our overseas members have not heard of this brave British force here is a short account of them.

The British government, hired former World War I soldiers residing in Britain to 'police' Ireland. This new force arrived in 1920. Because of the shortage of uniforms, the new police were given a mix of army khaki and RIC dark green, and so they became known to the public as the 'Black and Tans'.

Later, ex-army officers were recruited into another force known as the Auxilaries. The new forces were exceptionally ruthless in their methods. The Black and Tans reacted to any IRA attack by terrorising ordinary people, usually women and children.

A strict curfew was enforced and if they suspected someone of being an IRA member they were often executed on capture.

Houses, shops and creameries were burned and ordinary people were taken hostage or beaten. These 'policemen' often used local people, priests and young girls, as human shields as they patrolled the countryside in convoys of trucks. This terror, intended to undermine support for the IRA, had the opposite effect.