▁was ▁formed ▁( by ▁the ▁same ▁Wil fr id ▁Sp ender ). ▁ ▁The ▁US C ▁was ▁largely ▁rec ru ited ▁from ▁former ▁Ul ster ▁Vol unte ers . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁the ▁rif les ▁were ▁released ▁to ▁arm ▁the ▁British ▁Home ▁Guard ▁after ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁France . ▁They ▁were ▁first ▁fired ▁in ▁action ▁during ▁the ▁East ▁African ▁Camp aign ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 0 - 4 1 , ▁ar ming ▁the ▁milit ias ▁of ▁Ha ile ▁Sel ass ie ▁I . ▁ ▁The ▁Irish ▁Vol unte ers ▁arranged ▁their ▁own ▁How th ▁gun - running ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁transport ing ▁the ▁guns ▁on ▁a ▁private ▁y acht ▁and ▁un loading ▁in ▁day light ▁at ▁the ▁har bour , ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁a ▁crowd . ▁ ▁The ▁Dublin ▁Metropolitan ▁Police ▁( D MP ), ▁a ided ▁by ▁troops ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁King ' s ▁O wn ▁Scottish ▁Border ers , ▁tried ▁un success fully ▁to ▁conf isc ate ▁the ▁weapons . ▁On ▁their ▁return ▁to ▁their ▁bar ra cks ▁in ▁Dublin , ▁some ▁troops ▁b ait ed ▁by ▁a ▁host ile ▁crowd , ▁killed ▁three ▁people ▁and ▁wounded ▁ 3 8 . ▁ ▁A ▁fourth ▁man ▁died ▁later . ▁Some ▁national ists ▁interpreted ▁the ▁contrast ▁between ▁the ▁in activity ▁of ▁the ▁police ▁and ▁military ▁in ▁Lar ne ▁( which ▁operation ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁night ) ▁and ▁the ▁heavy - hand ed ▁response ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of