Members of the Second Battalion Hampshire Regiment Band pictured a few months before seven of their number perished in a bomb and gun attack at Youghal. On May 31 1921 , ‘X’ Company of the Second Hampshire Regiment, under Captain C.H. Fowler, M.C., set off for Lewis gun practice at their firing range at Youghal in east Cork. They were accompanied by the regimental band. The usual security precautions were taken by the British. The party was preceded by a strong advanced guard with flankers thrown back on either side and followed by a strong rearguard with flankers thrown forward. About half a mile from the range the road passed through a glen. On the left, the ground rose immediately above the road for about fifty feet, while on the right hand side the road was bounded by a low stone and mortar wall. Behind the wall a small stream flowed through boggy ground and beyond this again the ground rose steeply to about the same height as on the left side of the road. Along this bank a wire connecting a battery to a landmine was laid by members of the First Battalion of the IRA. The mine apparently was a large calibre shell filled with high explosive and was placed against the masonry wall and covered with loose stones. After placing the mine, the volunteers lay hidden in the undergrowth waiting for the arrival of the soldiers. The soldiers guarding the right flank passed quite close to the battery, which was some sixty yards from the road, but did not notice the connecting wire. Almost immediately afterwards the column, led by the band, arrived opposite the mine. As they passed the mine was detonated and simultaneously rapid rifle fire was directed at them. Even though the masonry wall had to some extent diverted the force of the blast backwards the results were devastating. The band members bore the full brunt of the explosion with three being killed instantantly. Although the ambushers were seen by the British flankers on the left, who returned fire, they escaped without suffering any casualties. Within an hour the casualties had been moved to the workhouse hospital in Youghal. They were later transferred by train to the military hospital in Cork city, but by that time four others had died of their wounds. A military funeral was held in Cork on the afternoon of the June 3rd, when the bodies of the seven were escorted to a boat for England by W Company Hampshire Regiment, together with a Company of the RIC and a band from the 2nd. Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment.