HARRY BIGGS | THE NAYNA CASUALTIES

D.I. HARRY BIGGS

District Inspector Harry Biggs

Baptism Registration at St Michael Archangel, Aldershot

Census Return form 1901 places the family at 4 Lawrence Road, East Ham

By the 1911 Census the family have moved to Belmont, Halimote road, Aldershot

Badge of the Surrey Yeomanry

Auxie Headquarters - Woodstock House, Kilkenny

Harry Biggs - (District Inspector) Born - 20/06/1894 - Ash Road, Aldershot, Hants Died - 14/05/1921 - Coolboreen Bridge, Newport

Shot in a targeted ambush by members of 6th Battalion of the IRA

Picture the scene….Mass in the Catholic Church in the Silvermines is over and the congregation Bless themselves and make their way outside to return home for dinner. Outside they are confronted by a group of Black and Tans, armed with rifles and Lewis Gun, and led by a young 26 year old District Inspector. The ‘Tans fired over the Mass goers heads, terrifying them and eagerly hoping one of the group would make a run for it so they could be legitimately shot whle trying to escape. The D.I. next forced them to sing “God Save the King” with random volleys encouraging those who were less than enthusiastic.

The leader of the patrol was the same man who held hostage Matt Ryan, the father of Paddy Ryan “Lacken”and drove with him in a lead lorry as a deterrent to any mining of the roads or would be ambush’s while the 'Tans were on patrrol. Matt was held hostage for two to three months and frequently used as a hostage in this manner. Daily he was abused of what lay in store for his son Paddy, should the District Inspector ever catch up with him.

This was the bright idea of a man who seemed to be determind to alienate the entire local population and make himself one of the most hated Black and Tan officers in the East Limerick/Tipperary area. This was District Inspector Harry Biggs

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Inspector Harry Biggs with his father Sergeant Harry Biggs

Harry Biggs was born to Delivery Carman Harry Biggs and his wife Alice Maud Woodrow in Aldershot, Hampshire in 1894. Young Harry Biggs was the eldest of eight children. Harry was to join the Surrey Yeomanry during World War One putting him in France initially but in November 1915 he was transferred to the Mediterrnean Theatre. Whilst there he served with the XVI Cavalry Corps although some reports say he was with the 13th Hussars. Biggs would see out the war in Salonica and Mesopotamia.

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On May 10 1918 Biggs was made 2nd Lieutenant from the reserve Regiment of Cavalry and was posted to the Curragh. In August of that year he fractured his skull at the Curragh. Did he fall off his horse, was he fighting. etc. ? Unfortunately I’ve not found any intel to offer for cause or how it may have affected his future actions. How and ever in August 2, 1919, Biggs surrendered his commission. The following August he joind the Auxilleries with a service number of 133. Here he became an Intelligence Officer attached to A Coy stationed at Woodstock House, Kilkenny. By all accounts he was quite diligent and effective in this role. However Biggs did make a reputation for himself - of the worst kind , and was hated and reviled around the Tipperary /East Limerick area. He was appointed D.I. of the Newport District on 01/12/1920.

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There is an account of Biggs chasing after witness's to the fiasco at the Shannon View Hotel in Castleconnell during which there were three fatalities. On 17/04/1921 there were three R.I.C. men drinking at the bar when an Adric patrol rolled up and entered the bar producing pistols. On seeing the pistols the RIC men produced their own weapons. In the fire fight that resulted, one R.I.C. man was killed, one Auxillery Cadet and one civilian. Biggs intention was to prevent any evidence being given to Westminster and causing embarrassment to 'G' Division based in Killaloe. He searched the hotel with pistol in hand looking for Surgeon Harrison Cripps who had witnessed the incident. There was also a question mark over why Dum-dum bullets were picked up from the floor in the aftermath. He failed as the Cripps, a relative of Lord Paramoor escaped in disguise and gave evidence at the House of Lords.

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D.I. Harry Biggs at work at Gowran - 09/09/1920

D.I. Harry Biggs at work at Gowran - 12/09/1920

Site of the ambush

Previous attempt to ambush D.I. Biggs

Participants in the Coolboreen Ambush

Sean Gaynor's involvement with the Coolboreen Ambush

Letter from IRA No 1 Brigade Headquarters acknowledging responsibility for Biggs assassination

Following the actions and losses at Shraharla and Lackelly in Limerick some of the North Tipperary IRA returned to their home territory to regroup. Among those was Paddy Ryan 'Lacken' who had been active with the Mid Limerick Flying Column.

On Saturday the 14/05/1921, the group were resting at McGraths house, midway between Killoscully and Newport when word was received that a car bearing D.I. Biggs and companions had been spotted on its way to Ciamaltha House, outside of Killoscully. It was Bigg's own car. Significantly all the occupants were in civilian clothes.

Sean Gaynor was also in the area so a plan was formulated to cover both potential return routes for the car and to ambush the occupants. Biggs was the prize and would be the fulfillment of the promise that he would never leave Ireland alive.

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The ambush party, armed with rifles and shotguns, took up two positions at either side of the road at a point on the Killoscully/Newport road known as Coolboreen where the road crossed a bridge on a bend. The second group of ambushers covered the Rossaguile Road in case the car returned that way.

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Having spent the afternoon fishing the Mulcair around Killoscully and tea ay Ciamaltha House, the car and occupants returned to Newport. At 19:30 the car approached Coolboreen Bridge. The waiting ambushers opened fire on the car hitting the driver who was D.I. Biggs. The car crashed into a ditch as Biggs was hit in the throat and the car rolled to a halt. Biggs fell from the car and was seen to have run about 10 yards from the car before falling to the ground. His front seat passenger who was dressed in riding gear, having earlier left their mount at Newport in order to go on this impromptu visit. This is significant as it meant the ambushers mistook them all for military. In actual fact it was Winifred Barrington, only daughter of Sir Charles Barrington of Glenstal. Winnie fell into the ditch having been shot through the lung and also had her leg shattered by a dum-dum. She was unconscious when she was taken to some nearby houses where whatever aid could be given was administered to her. She died soon after.

Of the three passengers in the back of the car, one was a Miss Coverdale and a Major Gabbett. They had spent the afternoon at the Kingscote's residence at Ciamaltha House outside Killoscully. A third passenger, Lieutenant Trengrouse, managed to escape by forcing his way through a hedge when the firing started and ran off towards Newport. He emptied his revolver at the ambushers. This in itself was miraculous and he would have had to get out of the rear of the car, get past four IRA men in front who were firing and after passing them run all the way to Newport......all this without a scratch. Reading between the lines I would hazard that this action did not please his superiors and they thought he should perhaps have stood his ground instead of abandoning his companions.

Miss Coverdale had been accompanying Winnie Barrington on her bicycle when they had met Biggs in Newport. She was slightly wounded in the foot and Gabbett was unharmed. Major Gabbett was retired and had earlier that year been prosecuted for having unregistered arms and ammunition at his home but Sir Charles Barrington testified as a character witness as to his loyalty. Gabbett called to the ambushers telling them about the women and asking for a cease fire.

Miss Coverdale made her presence known by swearing at the ambushers over what they had done to Winnie Barrington. Paddy Ryan shut her up by exclaiming...

"....only for the bitch being in bad company she would not have been shot!"

The official report credits Ryan with other words. The ambushers circled the car and some of them went to where Biggs was lying and fired into his inert body. He had been hit with both regular and dum-dums any one of which would have killed him. By the time Trengrouse returned with a rescue party, the ambushers had dispersed. Biggs body was brought to Newport Barracks and Winnie's was returned to Glenstal.

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The ambush was a success despite the clash of personalities between Paddy Ryan Lacken and Sean Gaynor. Biggs was one of 27 casualties* inflicted on the Crown that weekend throughout Ireland. The killing of Winnie Barrington was unfortunate and this was reflected by the massive turnout by the local population to her funeral, such was her popularity. Meanwhile on the mainland, the increase on British losses coincided with a new campaign by the IRA in London and Liverpool where homes related to RIC officers serving in Ireland were targeted, shot at and fire-bombed. The ambush was not without its consequences and as part of the reprisals some residences in and around Coolboreen were officially destroyed.

*(Clonmel Chronicle 18/05/1921)