The Illustrated London News of 27 November 1920 used the photograph on its front page with the following description: "The above photograph is typical of the state of things in the country. It was taken during the "Battle of Tralee" where a convoy of R.I.C. Cadets was ambushed by Republicans. Three Sinn Feiners were killed and one cadet was wounded. The cadet and two of the Sinn Feiners are seen lying in the road".
A fake battle was staged for the British Press at Vimo Rd, Dalkey, Dublin. The men in the photos come from the platoon commanded by CE Vickers , which was used for a number of propaganda shots. The photos were probably taken by JW Brooke who was in the ADRIC at that time, and a well known WW1 official photographer
1920 Nov 26/27. The photo was published in a number of other newspapers before the actual location was identified as Vico Road in Dalkey. The action on which the photos were supposed to portray was ambush at Ballymacelligott, described here by the British as the Battle of Tralee. Pathé Gazette showed a supposed film of the engagement, but it was doctored with faked scenes staged on Vico Road on the outskirts of Dublin. The film was quickly exposed as a fake because of a distinctive lamppost in the background.
The fake battle had been staged by Pollard and Garro-Jones, a colleague of Major Cecil Street. In 2 December 1920 in the House of Commons, the British government denied any knowledge of these pictures or the circumstances in which they were produced.[6]
