<p>They were sent over here to break the people and they were a far more dangerous force than the Black and Tans. - Commandant Tom BarryIn 1919, Ireland was plunged into a brutal guerrilla war. Although unconventional warfare made the British government uncomfortable, senior politicians realised a specialist unit was needed to fight the insurgency. In July 1920, a paramilitary corps of former soldiers was deployed in a supportive role to the poli...