ne ▁gun - running ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁gun ▁sm ugg ling ▁operation ▁organ ised ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁in ▁Ireland ▁by ▁Major ▁Frederick ▁H . ▁C raw ford ▁and ▁Captain ▁Wil fr id ▁Sp ender ▁for ▁the ▁Ul ster ▁Union ist ▁Council ▁to ▁equip ▁the ▁Ul ster ▁Vol unte er ▁Force . ▁The ▁operation ▁involved ▁the ▁sm ugg ling ▁of ▁almost ▁ 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁rif les ▁and ▁between ▁ 3 ▁and ▁ 5 ▁million ▁r ounds ▁of ▁am mun ition ▁from ▁the ▁German ▁Empire , ▁with ▁the ▁ship ments ▁landing ▁in ▁Lar ne , ▁Don agh ade e , ▁and ▁Bang or ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁hours ▁between ▁Friday ▁ 2 4 ▁and ▁Saturday ▁ 2 5 ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁The ▁Lar ne ▁gun - running ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁history ▁that ▁motor - ve h icles ▁were ▁used ▁" on ▁a ▁large ▁scale ▁for ▁a ▁military - pur pose , ▁and ▁with ▁striking ▁success ". ▁ ▁Background ▁to ▁the ▁gun - running ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁the ▁Ul ster ▁Union ist ▁Council ▁formed ▁a ▁secret ▁committee ▁to ▁over see ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁a ▁force ▁in ▁Ul ster ▁to ▁fight ▁against ▁the ▁im position ▁of ▁Home ▁Rule , ▁which ▁was ▁proposed ▁to ▁give ▁Ireland ▁self - g overn ment ▁within ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Great ▁Britain ▁and ▁Ireland . ▁The ▁Council ▁approached ▁Major ▁Frederick ▁H . ▁C raw ford ▁to ▁act ▁as ▁its ▁agent ▁to ▁purchase