Lyr Req: Arborfield Barracks

Subject: Lyr.reqd: Arborfield Barracks
From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts
Date: 07 Apr 05 - 04:10 PM

On 13/08/55 the IRA raided the barracks of the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers at Arborfield, near Reading, tied up the guards and got away with a truck full of weapons. Not for long, though -- they were caught soon after.
About 10 years later I heard an elderly Irishman singing a ballad about the event to the 'Villikins and Dinah' tune. Unfortunately he only had one verse:

On the thirteenth of August in the year 55,
A few of our lads with success did contrive
To raid Arborfield barracks by the moon's yellow light,
And tied up the guard under cover of night.

I have subsequently been told that it was originally a poem published in a Republican newspaper and perhaps written by a fellow called Eamon McShonigle.
Anyone out there got the rest of the words?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Arborfield Barracks
From: GUEST,#
Date: 13 Mar 21 - 03:58 PM

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1955/oct/25/arms-theft-arborfield

Just general info, but not about the song.