WAR The Irish Perspective on Guerrilla Logistics

[ExCop]

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The Irish Perspective on Guerrilla Logistics

Posted by NC Scout | Aug 12, 2020 | History, NC Scout | 0 |

In the Guerrilla Logistics post from yesterday, one of the comments was absolutely superb in highlighting the challenges and resulting limitations the Irish experienced during the Black and Tan War.

The West Cork IRA Flying Column had a terrible logistic problem in the 1919-1921 Black and Tan War with England. The Units commander Tom Barry, described the initial class V situation as grim and the tactics had to be tailored to the specific mission of engaging the enemy specifically to resupply by pickup from enemy casualties. Obviously, with almost nothing on hand initially, the early targets were chosen because they were lightly defended by small details who were not primarily front line combat soldiers. An early raid to destroy a coastal lighthouse is a good example. The beacon was of little military value, but the disarmed coasties provided a few more rifles, handguns, and ammunition. By carefully selecting weaker targets that could be overwhelmed with low risk to the insurgent force, Barry was able to build up a stockpile of about 300 Lee Enfields and a Lewis Gun. The West Cork IRA Flying Column therefore had an operational strength of 300 men. There were relief IRA gunmen available who had no arms, so the replacements took the weapons from the men they were relieving at designated times and places and the operational force was always fresh for new assignments. There was a well developed underground organisation to look after security, medivac, and such classes of supply that the impoverished Irish countryside could provide, but the only way to obtain arms at the local and regional level was to take them from the British police and military. The roadside ambushes conducted by Barry’s men featured special task details who had no job other than to sweep the kill zone for enemy arms and equipment after the action. Barry’s men knew that they had better make the most of their shots because the typical combat load was just 5 rounds. They became experts at the efficient ambush out of this necessity and were the same men who ambushed and killed Michael Collins and his Free State troops in the 1922 Irish Civil War.

The training, development of tactics, operational history of this force is described in detail in Tom Barry’s book “Guerilla Days in Ireland”.The national level leadership of the IRA operating clandestinely in Dublin was eventually able to obtain some Thompson Submachine guns from America by way of smuggling networks, but these were few, and late, and obviously added to the ammo supply problem by way of rate of fire and unique .45 ammunition. The lessons for the impoverished, isolated insurgent are many , but chief among them is that battlefield pickup is an emergency expedient. If that is your only option you had better pick your fights carefully and make sure you win them quickly.

Learn from the past, gents. Get what you can for the Troubles that lay ahead.

 

[jward]

Just the usual "thank you!" For always posting such useful information. I am sure I'm not the only one who book marks your posts and spends time pouring through the resources.

 

[20Gauge]

Funny thing. The issue of resupply was of concern for us also. So we chose calibers that the military use for our "battle" guns. 556 and 9 mm.

It didn't make sense based upon resupply issues of picking a different caliber that we may not be able to pick up from the "side of the road".

 

[Millwright]

I read that Germany was really sucking wind at the end of WWII.

If they needed to assault a MG position, instead of a 25rd MG burst they would send 5 guys with 5 rounds each.

The situation was described as, "When lives are cheap and ammo is expensive".

Dunno how true this is, but it makes you rethink tactics.


Marksmanship is vital.

 

[Troke]

What's to learn? They had an easily identifiable enemy. What do we have? Until you get that, all is vapor.

 

[GammaRat]

They didn't have GPS trackers back then.

Be VERY WARY of enemy supplies and munitions. Never bring them back to your base of operations. Keep them in remote locations that can be accessed when needed.

 

[homecanner1]

What the Flying Columns had was a fully engaged populace that supported their objectives and helped quarter and livery them in between missions. No need for forts or a chow line to bivouac alongside troops. They were summoned, they struck and melted back into the countryside. Yer man Jack there sleeping in the hayloft this summer? He's fixing our tractor. He's shearing the sheep. If he's cutting hedge to make sudden road blocks on his time off, we don't know, ya see?

This past Sunday was a lesson in how well a secret can be kept. We had precious little advance warning a raid (to celebrate the 6th anniversary of Ferguson riot) was about to commence in Chicago. Like locusts they assembled at 1 am and stripped the field bare, then scattered at dawn, like vampires fleeing sunrise. Even renting uhauls and organizing carloads as the designated sacrifice vehicles to breach the windowpanes for organized mobs, driving from shopping strip to strip with detailed hitlists. I note they did not burn the infrastructure this time as they did in Mpls for Floyd. Ravaged but still intact.
They may have gotten some leadership and discipline along the way

There was wild west shooting in Toledo last night, amped up rowdiness, giddy and brazen, so something similar in a 'back to school' cleanout may be planned for Detroit area. Or Cleveland. Watch for warning signs of crowd behavior as that is all you will get. We are slowly but surely breaking down as cogs slip here and there. Any suburb can be stripped out with a few cars, a few 24 ft trucks and crew of pillagers. You want shampoo, soap or toothpaste in Lincoln Park in Chicago? Sorry its gone, they cleaned out every CVS or Walgreens in the vicinity.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1292759884765761536

View: https://twitter.com/i/status/1292759884765761536

 

[Squib]

They didn't have GPS trackers back then.

Be VERY WARY of enemy supplies and munitions. Never bring them back to your base of operations. Keep them in remote locations that can be accessed when needed.

Not only that, but as was mentioned a month or so ago, in Viet Nam, the US intentionally left overloaded ammo around for the VC.

The idea, of course is that the VC would take the US ammo to use against us, and then the resulting detonation and destruction of their weapon would cause further damage.

Also, that prevented them from using any legitimate US ammo they may have found...they simply didn’t know if it was safe.

 

[mecoastie]

Not only that, but as was mentioned a month or so ago, in Viet Nam, the US intentionally left overloaded ammo around for the VC.

The idea, of course is that the VC would take the US ammo to use against us, and then the resulting detonation and destruction of their weapon would cause further damage.

Also, that prevented them from using any legitimate US ammo they may have found...they simply didn’t know if it was safe.

My understanding is we didn't leave ammo lying around but that SF snuck ammo into enemy supply depots in Vietnam and Laos that was designed to detonate rather than fire. The powder was changed to HE. Small arms ammo and mortar rounds IIRC.

 

[desertvet2]

Petn in the primers.....hoo boy! That would make the enemy second guess any ammo they find.

 

[Cardinal]

Petn in the primers.....hoo boy! That would make the enemy second guess any ammo they find.

I believe the point in the OP was to take the arms and ammo off of dead soldiers.
They won't be using any boobie trapped stuff.