HC Deb 27 October 1920 vol 133 cc1735-6
64. Mr. SWAN

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the majority of the police casualties in Ireland are due to the open attack of the Sinn Fein detachments on strongly fortified blockhouses?

Sir H. GREENWOOD

Only a very small proportion of the casualties sustained by the police in Ireland have been due to open attacks on police barracks, to which I presume the hon. Member refers. As a rule the police barracks is an ordinary house situated in a row of houses. The majority of the casualties to policemen have resulted either from cold-blooded assassination of unsuspecting and sometimes unarmed policemen, or from ambushes of small police patrols in which the attackers have had all the cruel advantages of concealment, surprise, overwhelming numbers, and in many cases expanding bullets. The exact figures are as follows:—

Murdered by persons in ambush, 77.

Murdered in attacks on barracks, 10.

Assassinations, 38.

Wounded by persons in ambush, 117.

Wounded in attacks on barracks, 31.

Wounded in attempted assassination, 47.

Mr. DEVLIN

Will the right hon. Gentleman give the House the number of assassinations of innocent civilians?

Sir H. GREENWOOD

I am not aware of any assassinations of innocent civilians, except by those who assassinate innocent policemen.

Mr. G. TERRELL and Mr. DEVLIN

rose. [Hon. MEMBERS: "Order, order!"]

Lieut. Colonel CROFT

On a point of Order—

Sir J. NORTON-GRIFFITHS

May I—

Mr. SPEAKER

Mr. Hogge.