Description
The Irish Volunteers had to face insurmountable odds as they took over strategic positions around Dublin city during 1916. A startling and unforeseen military situation had arisen for the British Garrison in Dublin. Gratten Bridge was a stumbling block for the British forces, which were pinned back by opposing fire from the Irish Volunteers.
Drastic cases called for drastic measures. The British seeing the stalemate at Gratten Bridge, took upon themselves to commandeer a Daimler flatbed Guinness truck, which they converted into one of the first armoured personal carriers ever! This was done at the Inchicore railway workshops of the Great Southern and Western Railway a few miles down the Liffey quays. Amazingly this work was done in 24hrs in response to the threat that the Irish Volunteers posed. Steel plates from Locomotives where fixed on the converted smokebox as armour plating and gun holes were added for fire positions within this haphazard APC construction. Worthy of note, some black spots were painted as camouflage to hide the firing holes from the oncoming gunfire of the Irish volunteers, as seen in the picture above.
Dimensions: 16” X 10” approx.