Sydney George James Larkin

Died

2 November 1920

Age

Rank

Constable

Force

Royal Irish Constabulary

Cause

Homicide - Shot

Duty Status

On Duty

Roll of Honour Citation

Shot dead while on mobile patrol when ambushed at Auburn, Glassan, Co Westmeath.

Roll of Honour Citation

Shot dead while on mobile patrol when ambushed at Auburn, Glassan, Co Westmeath.

Circumstances

Killed when the motor lorry he was driving whilst on patrol was ambushed.

Constable Larkin was driving a motor lorry which was one of two lorries travelling from Longford towards Athlone, Co Westmeath. About 9.30am the convoy was ambushed outside Athlone at Auburn, Glasson at a point the road passed a steep hill with a boundary wall which provided cover for the 25 attackers.

The first volley of gunfire targetted the drivers and Constable Larkin was killed. A number of improvised grenades were thrown but failed to explode and when fire was returned the attackers made off. Sergeant Meany and Constable Costello were wounded in the incident.

Constable Larkin was born in 1898 in London and before the Royal Irish Constabulary served as a soldier of the 3rd Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry, and later the Devonshire Regiment.