1920 Dec 1. Raid on Edward O'Connor's house at 17 Murtagh Road by a group from F Coy and a Secret Service Officer. The raiding party found secreted under beams or in the W.C. various "incriminating " articles including a Rifle Grenade and detonator.
Among the raiding party were
As a result Edward O'Connor was arrested. His mother Mrs. Mary O'Connor later made a complaint about the way the raid was conducted. It appears to have been about the theft of a ring, and an inappropriate body search by Major Carew. But was widened later to include the breakage of an Epergne ( a table centrepiece common at the time)
As a result of her complaint she attended at an identification parade of " F " Coy men and identified a number of the men who had taken part. In particular she said that Frecker was under the influence of drink and she thought that he was going to steal a silver backed mirror before she stopped him. She also claimed that Section Leader Wood was under the influence of drink and demanded whisky from her during the raid
She had an official reply and the report from the officer who visited the O'Connor house to investigate, 2.DI G H Luxton, reported that the Epergne had little value, and had not been in the original complaint, that there was doubt that the ring had ever existed, and that The personal search complained of was done by Major Carew who states that he asked for, and obtained permission to feel the outside of her pockets to see if she had any concealed arms, Major Carew admits making the remark - " You don,t mind me, I am an old man " and she laughingly admits that her clothes were in no way disarranged, or her person interfered with.
Mrs Connors identified 7 members of F Coy to have been in her house on the night in question. In four out of the seven identifications she was correct in her statements. She identified T/Cadet Frecker as being the man who picked up the hand Mirror ( being absolutely emphatic on this point ) and whom she alleges was under the influence of drink. In his report Luxton stated that he personally had never seen Frecker drink, and Section Leader A Longfield, who had been in charge of the canteen, stated that he had never served Frecker a drink. The report also says that Wood never entered the house (although he was on the raid, he states he stayed on the tender) The Silver Epergne and the ring were the only two articles alleged to have been stolen. They are of such small intrinsic value that I cannot credit Mrs. O'Connors statement and in my opinion her allegations are more or less negatived by subsequent events.... I am further of the opinion that allegations of misbehaviour of members of the Auxiliary Division is part of the Sinn Fein propaganda scheme. There is ample evidence to prove that Mrs. O,Connors son is a member of the I.R.A.
Raid on 6 Upper Mount. ADRIC included T/C A Salter
