Explore how the guerrilla warfare conducted by the IRA during the War of Independence became a series of IRA raids followed by retaliation attacks carried out by British Forces.

The War of Independence in Ireland took the form of a series of attacks and reprisals. The IRA raided and destroyed hundreds of police barrack buildings during 1920 and 1921, with the aim of taking the barracks’ weapons and intimidating Irish RIC police officers into leaving the service.  In return, the British authorities - now reinforced with Auxiliary forces - carried out reprisal attacks on communities across the countryside, burning and looting towns and destroying the homes and livelihoods of the population and attacking, even killing, indiscriminately. Atrocities were carried out by both sides, and both suffered many casualties.