LONDONDERRY’S WAR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2167, 24 August 1920, Page 4

LONDONDERRY’S WAR.

BATTLER JN THE STREETS

UNIONISTS y. SINN REINERS.

MANY RESIDENTS SHOT,

A slate of civil war has reigned in Londonderry for almost a whole week, writes a correspondent tram Dublin under date June 271 h, Rival Unionist and Sinn Rein factions appear to be well armed with rifles and revolvers, and the wellnigh continuous exchange of lire, in which troops have occasionally been compelled to Join, has had disastrous results on the trade of the. city, besides having caused numerous casualties. At least nineteen persons have- been killed, and many more dangerously wounded. One estimate puls the total easualties at not less than 100. Business is entirely suspended, banks, offices, schools, all shops, and the harbour being closed. The streets have been barricaded by the rival parties. Women and children have lied from the city in large numbers. Ulster Unionist M’s.P. at the House of Commons have received a telegram from a leading citizen in Londonderry, which indicates the desperate nature of the situation which exists there. He says; — “Situation Derry City desperate. Murders daily lake place. Ail works slopped. No ships discharging. Food will shortly he exhausted.

“Meeting of ministers of all creeds lias asked that city be placed under martial law. Please urge Government to carry out (his request.

“Two hundred and fifty troops promised wholly inadequate to control situation. Would suggest move adjournment.” Tim leaders of the Ulster party communicated this mew-age to Mr Bonar Law, urging that there should he further military reinforcements. Mr Bonar Law promised that the Government would do everything; in their power to meet the situation.

Sir Ncvil Macready. who has crossed from Dublin, dined with Mr Llovd George at the House ol Commons, ami discussed Ihe situation. ARMED SINN FEIN BANDS. The street battles were an unfortunate development of disturbances which arose a week ago, when throughout Friday night rival parlies fought each other almost coat inn - ouslv with revolvers and rilles.

Bishops Gate, a locality which separated Upper Foiinlaiu Street and Long Tower Street, two of Iho most partisan thoroughfares in Derry, was the scene of the first 01. the pitched battles which occurred on Saturday night. Military and police cordons were placed on the spot, and the riotmg ceased, hut recommenced with even greater fury in the “Diamond," one of the most central and respectable localities in the city. Bands of Sinn Feiners —everywhere armed with revolvers —emerged from Butcher Street, which runs into the “Diamond." and began firing indiscriminately. Here Mr Edwin Price, of the Diamond Hotel, an ex-soldier and brother of a prominent merchant in the city, was fatailv shot.

No ambulance was available to convev the dying man to the infirmary, as ir was Jhen engaged in removing other easualties, of which there was a large number. Soon 1 Unionists procured a stretcher, and took him to the lire station. Here he died in a little over an hoar. A large parts’ ol L nionisls newt moved towards the Diamond to beat back the Sinn Fein crowd. DESPERATE FIGHTING.

After a desperate battle I hey drove the Sinn Feiners down Batcher Street with successive volleys of revolver and rille fire. Passers-hy on one occasion were caught between the two fires, and had to crawl on their stomachs across the bullet-swept area for safety.

An aged man named McVeigh was shot dead at Long Tower Street. Ho was entering a butcher’s shop when a bullet caught him in the throat, lie lay for 10 minutes, no one daring, owing to the terrific fire, to approach him. At last a man named Canning heroically went to his assistance, and though bullets were whizzing; succeeded in dragging the injured man to Bishops Gate.

He was carried to the infirmary on a stretcher, but died on the way. Thomas Farren, who went to his door when the firing began, was instantly a target for two bullets, one of which hit him in the stomach, causing a mortal wound. At a later hour, during the operations in the Diamond, a man named McLoughlin was fatally wounded during an exghang’e of volle\s, and -another named Doherty was shot by a sniper. FIRE ENGINE SEIZED. A deliberate attempt was made to set lire to a grocer’s shop belonging to a Unionist named Moore. The lire brigade, which went to put out the fire; were chased by Sinn Reiners, who seized the fire engine and bore it off, and the place was burned . to the ground. j Ollier attempts were made, with ,-Jess success, to fire shops and houses.

Sunday was devoted to spasmodic firing, and some looting, but on Monday the fighting was renewed in deadly earnest, ami for several hours something like civil war prevailed in the city.

•Unionists, carrying rifles with fixed bayonets, had possession 61: Carlisle Square, from which they covered egress and ingress to the city. They also had control of Carlisle Road, from one point in which they,

lying on the ground, kept up a rapid rifle lire into Bridge Street. The Nationalists, with revolvers, occupied strategic points from which they kept up a brisk response.

The Unionists showed amazing daring, marching up ami down the slrcei with rifles and hayonels. They maintained a heavy lire on the Nationalists also from John Street. The Nationalists now appealed armed with service rilles. From Butcher Street they discharged several volleys into the Unionist area. An armoured ear was then rushed into the Diamond. While dashing through the side streels the rioters were able to elude the troops, GAGGED, BOUND AND SHOT.

The Loyalist population has been particularly roused by the terrible murder of Howard McKay, twentylive, eldest smi of Mr Marshall McKay, Governor of (he Apprentice Boys at Derry. He served in the war as trooper in the North Irish Horse, and had Just arrived in the city from a holiday in Port Stewart. He was on his way home* when lie was held up near the NorthWest Agricultural show grounds a! Brandwell Road by* a hand of armed Sinn Feiners, and shot dead. Before the crime was committed, young McKay was gagged and hound, and the body was found riddled with bullets. It lay mi the -road for several hours, while the criminals remained close by gloating over their dastardly deed, and they would not permit the remains to he removed. At length a hearse coming toward the city was commandeered. The body was bundled into it, and (lie driver ordered to turn hack and take it to the house of the deceased’s father.It is slated that the young man was asked to disclose the whereabouts of certain rifles, but, steadfastly refusing, he was shot. ARMOURED CARR TO THE RESCUE. Scenes of a terrible description look place on Tuesday night, and on Wednesday. Many of the s(reels wen 1 swept by lire continuously for twelve hours. Sniping was also indulged in on a large scale, and there was indiscriminate firing of revolvers ami rides at all parts of the city. The principal conflict occurred at Bishop Street, when a large body of Sinn Reiners gathered near St. Columb’s College and Nazareth Home. Sandbags for barricades' wenthrown up in the streets, from behind which lire was directed at the Unionists in Barrack Street. The lire was returned vigorously, and a tierce battle look place, in which many casualties were indicted on both sides. The house of Mr William Cooke, a Unionist builder, and Mr McGaivey was subjected to an intense bombardment. Mr Cooke for a long lime made vain appeals for assistance, hut eventually an armoured car rushed to ihe scene, ami the living ee.ased. Lalei'. after the car was withdrawn, the attack on the house was renewed, and continued for a considerable lime. POLICE HELPLESS. Trouble had broken out in the meantime mi a large scale in (he region of Long Tower Street and Bishops Chile. Intense tiring went mi for a considerable period. Military and police were on duty, hui reinforcements not having then arrived, were nimble to intervene effectually. The police in,Bishop Si reel barrack, which is within the battle zone, were practically besieged. A confectioner named McKenna was killed at the corner of Henrietta Street, within a few yards of his own door. One of the most hitter conflicts of the night took place at Ahercurn Road and Bishop Street. There were snipers on the roofs of a couple of houses in the first-named thoroughfare, who directed their lire at the military in Carlisle Square. A party of Irish volunteers were in Bishop Sired during the lighting in Ihe St. Columh's College neighbourhood, and a band of I nionisls at templed to cut them oil. The streets now present the appearance of a battlefield, with sleepy | soldiers standing to in a stale of j practical exhaustion after their vigil. Wholesale looting and wreckage have taken place in a number of shops. The magistrates have issued a warning to citizens to keep oil the streets, adding that disorderly mobs will lie dispersed by force if necessary.