Good evening Corisande, my grandfather was not at upper mount street dirctly but was involved in organising the new team, please change your records.W.S.1409, QUOTE
On Saturday night,20th November 1920, I was detailed by my brother, Lieutenant M.Duffy,to be at Westland Row at 8.30 a,m on the following morning,Sunday 21st November 1920.Armed with a revolver and 12 rounds of .45 ammunition, I joined a party of about eight Volunteers- members of E.Company,2nd Battalion, Dublin Brigade.We were instructed to proceed to a house at Upper Mount Street and, on arriving, Commandant T. Ennis directed us to enter. One man, Volunteer Michael Lawless, took up duty on the steps outside the front door. Three men were detaled to remain in the hall, three other men wet to the front room.
Commandant Ennis told me to follow him.We proceeded to a return room at the back of the houser, which we entered,and I was ordered to cover with my revolver a young man who was in bed. Commandant T. Ennis questioned the man and asked him who he was.He replied-I am a Brtish Officer. When asked if he was armed he said NO. Commandant Ennis then put his hand under the pillow on the bed and took out a.445 Colt Automatic fully loaded and a pouch containing about 50 rounds of ammunition.He put the pistol in his pocket and gave the pouch ot ammunition to me.Two Volunteers then brought the other British Intelligence officer to the return room and the two I.O,s were placed standing upon the bed and executed.
The Volunteer who was on duty outside the house captured a British soldier in uniform, with a motor cycle,and brought him the soldier into the house where he was questioned and locked into a room.This soldier later swore at the trial of Volunteer Moran, that Moran was the the man who made him a prisoner.Volunteer P.Moran was not in Upper Mount Street that morning.
As all our section lived on the north side of the city we made directly to the south quays and commandered a rowing boat normally used for running ropes from ships to the quay wall. The boat was equipped with oars and rowlocks.We rowed the boat across the river to the ferry steps at Commans Street, where an old friend-Mr.J Scally of no.10 Commons Street, and the Silloth and Isle of Man Shipping Company, helped us by rowing the boat back to its normal mooring at the South Quay, and we walked back home via Butt Bridge.
I was later informed that Commandant T.Ennis should not have been in Mount Street on 21st November 1920. Officially, Commandant V.Byrne was in charge of this operation, -unquote.
