www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE
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Within the Ports and harbours, the local harbour masters were commissioned and given increased powers under the Emergency Pow-
ers Act. The Maritime Inscription were there to assist them, often in their own boats, and carried out rescue work, assistance in mine
laying and servicing, inshore patrols, investigation of objects at sea, and in the event of attack, the manning and sinking vessels to block
ports and remove aids to navigation.
They are best remembered in their role in inspecting merchant ships prior to entry into harbour. If a ship entered a port without per-
mission they were fired upon which happened on a number of occasions in 1940 at Dublin and Waterford.
Although neutral during the war, the war in 1940 was being fought around Ireland in the air and on the sea. During the year, 71 mines
were washed up on beaches and had to be destroyed by the Ordnance Corp, while the bodies of merchant seaman washed up on
beaches. As the year progressed more German and British planes flew over Ireland and in August 1940 the first bombing occurred at
Campilie County Wexford, when 3 people were killed by bombs from a German plane. On 20th December 1940, bombs were dropped on
Sandycove in Dublin injuring 3 people, beginning a series of bombing incidents over the next 6 months leading up to the bombing of the
North Strand on 31st May 1941 killing 28 people. After the invasion of Russia by Germany such attacks stopped as did the treat of invasion.
For the Irish Defence Forces though 1940 was a year of great change and expansion, something that it had not seen since its inception.
