Perhaps one of the most daring attacks on the RIC and military occurred near Athlone in county Westmeath and involved a gun battle which was played out on the River Shannon.

  Major Adams DSO was seriously wounded in the attack and was removed to a local hospital and for a time it looked as if he would die. Other injured men were taken to Dublin for treatment. The patrol had gone to some islands on Lough Ree in a search for arms but when they returned to their boat they were fired upon. The steering gear of the boat was broken in the attack, while a machine gun was put out of action. For more than a mile as the military travelled in the boat they were peppered with fire from the IRA which they also returned. The boat was punctured in many places and it was lucky that it did not sink. In total military personal were injured but it was not known if the IRA suffered any casualties. Once more news of the attack caused panic in Athlone as people awaited reprisals. However, an order issued by the military command confined soldiers and their families to the barracks for the night and so it passed off quietly in the town. In the immediate aftermath of the attack however a Sinn Fein and Labour Club at Coosan, near Athlone was burned to the ground in reprisal.  

Source: Evening Echo 1896-current, 19.10.1920, page 4

INA-Article (1)