time testified in contrast that the MP had left both gates open and, when the gun was pointed in his face, had run in the other direction crying for help. At that point, another man appeared from inside the fort and disarmed him. The two hostages were then forced to act as human shields for the two intruders to the guardroom where the remaining soldiers were caught by surprise and surrendered without a fight. Whilst this was happening a second IRA team overcame and disarmed the fire picket troops. At this point, all the troops attached to the fort and the gatekeeper were held prisoner until around 2220 hrs that evening and made no attempt to resist their captors. During this time, the captives heard 'many' heavy lorries coming and going from the depot. At 2220 hrs the IRA locked the prisoners in the 'C' Magazine area, which the raiders had completely emptied of weaponry. They were warned not to give away details to the authorities that could identify them. By this time, an alarm had been raised at Islandbridge Barracks after a lorry failed to stop when driving through the gate. It was 2250 by the time a party of soldiers was dispatched from Portobello Barracks to investigate what was happening at the fort. They managed to capture two of the raiders, who were seen hiding near the fort's entrance. In the meantime, the duty officer at Portobello had raised the general alarm. Around midnight, a new guard was ordered posted at the Magazine Fort and orders were issued for the arrest of the old guard. A total of 1,084,000 rounds of ammunition had been taken and removed in thirteen lorries with no casualties or hindrance. Recapture of the ammunition Over the next three to four days a massive nationwide hunt was launched to find the stolen items. On 1 January 1940 it was reported that almost three-quarters of the ammunition had been recovered, a total of 850,000 rounds. two and a half tons were seized in Dundalk, County Louth, eight tons in Swords, County Dublin, sixty-six cases of Thompsons and ammunition in South Armagh (2 and a half tons captured by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)), one hundred crates containing 120,000 rounds in Straffan, County Kildare. In addition, some IRA volunteers were caught storing the ammunition, and were arrested. Aftermath of raid The raid had turned into another