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Paddy Mayne, in answer to some of your questions, there is a great reference book - "Bloody Sunday" by James Gleeson, there is a whole chapter, en - titled "The Auxiliary,s Story" which gives an insight to how it really was in 1920, the story is by a Bill Munro, I do not know which division he was in, there are clues in his story and I am sure Peter McRIC can tell us more, it is a very honest and frank account and the following is a few paragraphs of his story.
Bill Munro, as nice and gentle a man as you would ever want to meet, joined them in 1920.This is the story he told me, which I have not altered in any way.
"In the summer of 1920 London was, like every other city in the United Kingdom, cluttered with unemployment debris from the 1914 - 18 war, a goodly number of them being officers. Of those ex - officers, a majority were in their early twenties, so that subtracting their war service they were mere schoolboys with no knowledge of civilian life, and yet too old to take up boys jobs. In other words they were unemployable.
For some months recruiting had been going on for those who became known as the Black and Tans. These were ex - soldiers who joined the RIC as temporary constables and who served with the regular police and had at no time active duty with the Auxiliaries, although some were employed by them as batmen, cooks ans so on. Later some of them drove for us.
To those who are not old enough to remember that year, it will seem incredible, particularly with the full employment after the second war, to learn the means to which some of us had to resort to make a living. There were those who were lucky and could get away to the Colonies but they were few. There were those who addressed envelopes for 5s. a thousand; those who turned hawker to sell matches or boot laces and such things, in other words became beggers...........
"It was to men such as these that the formation of a force of Auxiliaries of the RIC came as a godsend.I do not say that all who were attracted to the service were in the same class, there were also older men who were for various reasons without roots. They welcomed it.
"The Corps was advertised as a Corps d,Elite which, of course, made it more attractive, but I doubt if one in a hundred knew anything about the Irish question, as it was then called, nor had they any feelings against the Irish. This was simply pennies from heaven..........
"The conditions offered were good, particularly for 1920 £1 a day all found, with the rank of Police Sergeant - so it is hardly to be wondered at that the response was brisk, at least at first. We had no idea of what we were to be called upon to undertake. It was a job of work, and although it may appear that we were little more than mercenaries, that was not how it struck us at the time.
"Recruiting offices had been set up in most large towns and thither we went.The main qualifications were service as an officer in any of the three services, physical fitness and the names of references
"We were not required to wait long before being given tickets to the Curragh, which was then the training centre, Hare Park camp, a disused army hutment, was our depot,the rest of the barracks being then full of the army.
"We spent about six weeks messing about - what little we got of instruction had very remote relationship to the work we had to do in the country. Theoretically we were put through a shortened police course, having impressed on us the meaning of a misdemeanour and a felony, our power of arrest, and what we could and could not do.There was a certain amount of arms and bombing practice but all very sketchy, instructers being drawn from our own numbers.
"The company was composed of four sections, each with an officer ranked as District Inspector 3, in charge, and a Head Constable as his second. These were chosen, not for any experience in the work to come, but mostly by virtue of having held senior rank in the services. In command of the company was a Lieutenant Colonel rated as District Inspector1, with a DI2 as second in command. In the choice of CO,at least, someone was inspired because he turned out to be a wise and considerate officer, who got little cerdit for the good work he did.
"Towards the end of the training we were issued such RIC uniform as the stores could provide................... By some miracle there was good supply of RIC caps and we were all issued with one.
"It was not till some months later that we were given the Balmoral-cum beret that became the only distinguishing mark between ourselves and the RIC constables.The uniforms we got were the usual RIC, that is to say dark green jackets and trousers, and at no time was the official uniform breeches and leggings. Really there was no uniform regulations and we could turn out in a mixture of Army,RAF and Naval uniforms, provided we wore the regulation cap.
"Our arms consisted of a .45 service Webley and a .303 rifle.Quite naturally, I suppose, some of us were influenced by Western films and wore our revolvers in holsters low slung on the thigh which looked very dashing but which were the cause of quite a number of shot-off toes - as the enthusiasts attempted to emulate the cowboys of Texas.Our stay at the Curragh had been very pleasant, and had included a few nights as guests of the regimental messes.We also attended one race meeting at which our only ex - Scotland Yard member lost his lot on the three - card trick, an incident he never lived down, until he disappeared three months later whilst out trying for information...........

It continues with his experiences in Macroom, County Cork and Dublin where he finishes his tour of duty, a fascinating story and I hope the above has answered some of Paddy Maynes queries.
CSM

Hello Peter McRIC, I am not sure if this is the right section for my queries.
I am looking for the dates when curfew was first made law in Dublin, the hours of curfew, who policed it and what were the punishments if you were caught on the streets outside the permitted hours.without a good reason.
As the troubles progressed I would have thought that the hours of curfew became even stricter.
I understand that there would have been many essential workers e.g dockers, hotel workers, tradesmen, hospital staff, civilian staff that worked for the RIC and Army , to name but a few that would have worked all hours. Was there some kind of official pass that was issued to these workers and if so, how were they checked. Who signed the pass and how long did they last.
I know there were RIC and Army (Auxiliary ? ) checkpoints at strategic points all over the city.
I am interested if anybody has seen one of the passes and would they have been easy to copy and abused by the IRA, I am led to believe the passes did not contain a photo, unless someone knows different.
In my research I came across an electrician who was one of Michael Collins agents who was able to travel all over Dublin with his work as cover in all the Government buildings because he had a pass, hence my interest and the above questions on the subject.

I look forward to your comments
CSM

Many thanks ballyroughan for that information, it is much appreciated, the Tradesman passes with photographs attached would be difficult to copy, unless one changed the photograph of course but I cannot say if that was possible if there was an official stamp or writing on or across the photograph as I have never seen one, would you know if any have survived ?
The pass issued to the Secret Service Agents seems a different proposition and by the discription could have been open to abuse, very interesting ballyroughan and thanks again
CSM