15 KILLED INB E L F A S TPUB BLAST

15 KILLED INB E L F A S TPUB BLAST

THETHE

TROUBLESTROUBLESISSUE 8 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 1971

No Warning Loyalist Bomb RipsThrough McGurk’s Bar

IRAINTENSIFYBOMBING CAMPAIGN

FOUR KILLED INSHANKILL BOMBING

Two Of The VictimsYoung Children

Page 2 THE TROUBLES

It can often be a contentious issue of debate of when and how Northern Ireland’s ‘Troubles’ began,who and what is to blame, and even which event in case led us to where we are now. You can goback 30 years, or even 300 years and beyond for in reality Ireland has been engaged in conflict

with England for centuries.Therefore, in order to compile a chronological record of the modern Troubles - the term usually givento the most recent conflict, we must mark a defining point of start, which we have taken as partitionitself and from which we began in Issue 1. In turn again, we feel it is equally important to give you thereader some understanding why events spiralled as they did into a bloody civil war.This is not another view of the Troubles, this has been done and redone. This is the historicalrecording of events compiled by people from different parts of Belfast who lived through them. Ourobjective as local historians is to compile what we hope will be as near as possible a definitivereference to events as they unfolded through the last three decades.In terms of research we have used as much material as possible and from diverse perspectives. Weare confident that we have covered events as they were reported at the time. If however you feelthat we have either left something out or indeed got something wrong we are more than happy to hearfrom you. As mentioned above this series of publications is the historical recording of the Troublesand all corrections are more than welcome.

GLENRAVEL PUBLICATIONSASHTON CENTRELEPPER STREET

BELFAST BT15 2DN

Tel: (028) 9020 2100 • Fax: (028) 9020 2177E-Mail: glenravel@mac.com • Website: www.glenravel.com

This series of publications is designed to create a better historical understanding of what hasbecome known as ‘The Troubles.’ Therefore for educational purposes you are more thanwelcome to use any material from them. All that we ask is that the source is acknowledged and acopy of the material sent to us after publication. We use material that has been placed in thepublic domain. We try to acknowledge all the copyright holders but sometimes this is notpossible. If you claim credit for something that has appeared in this publication then we will behappy to know about it so that we can make the appropriate acknowledgements.

THE TROUBLESA CHRONOLOGY OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND CONFLICT

SOURCE MATERIALPUBLICATIONS

LOST LIVESDavid McKitterick, Seamus Kelters,

Brian Feeney & Chris ThorntonThis publication is used for the list of those

who died at the back of each issue

NEWSPAPERS

BELFAST NEWSLETTERVarious issues for period covered

BELFAST TELEGRAPHVarious issues for period covered

IRISH INDEPENDENTVarious issues for period covered

IRISH NEWSVarious issues for period covered

IRISH PRESSVarious issues for period covered

INTERNET RESOURCES

CAIN WEB SERVICEhttp://cain.ulst.ac.uk

BBC ONLINEwww.bbc.co.uk

RTÉ ONLINEwww.rte.ie

ITN ONLINEwww.itn.co.uk

A STATE APARTBBC Northern Ireland (CD Rom)

THE TROUBLES Page 3

NOVEMBER 1971

TOP - Damage caused to the Post OfficeTower in London after an IRA bomb rippedthrough it.BOTTOM - The Youth EmploymentBuilding in College Square after it wasbombed for the third time in one day

Monday 1st November 1971Four die in weekend attacksTwo soldiers and two civilians died in the North dur-ing another weekend of shootings and bombings,bringing the death total this year to 111. The totalnumber of deaths from violence since 1969 is now143.A soldier died from gunshot wounds on Sunday, threedays after he was injured during an ambush on a mili-tary convoy at Stockman’s Lane near the M1 motor-way. He was 22-year-old Ian Bernard Docherty ofthe Royal Artillery from Portsmouth. He was shot inthe chest and abdomen in the ambush during whichthe gunmen held a family hostage at a house inMooreland Crescent.The other soldier was 22-year-old Guardsman Nor-man Booth. He was killed when the IRA carried outa bomb attack on an Army observation post atSpringfield Road-Cupar Street at lunchtime on Sat-urday.One of the civilians who died was John Copeland, ofStrathroy Park, Ardoyne who received gunshotwounds during a gun battle on Thursday. He is thesecond civilian to die from injuries received duringthe incident.On Sunday afternoon the body of a 19-year-old youthwas found gagged, blindfolded, bound and shotthrough the head and back at a disused farm buildingon a lonely stretch of road at Flo Bog, Hannahstown,near Belfast. He was Thomas Henry Kells, a Protes-tant, of Alliance Avenue, and he had been missingfrom home for two days.A wooden building, which housed Armagh Cricketand Rugby Club, was the target of a bomb attack onSaturday night. About 100 people were attending adance in the wooden pavilion when the 30 lb bombexploded. Of the seven people injured one womanlost a leg and a finger in the attack. The RUC havesaid that both Catholics and Protestants frequentedthe dance. The Provisional wing of the IRA has statedthat none of its members were responsible for theexplosion.Two soldiers were injured when gunmen opened fireon a working party of troops at the Henry Taggartmemorial Hall at New Barnsley in Belfast. The sol-diers, who are members of the Scots Guards, werenot seriously wounded.Two youths were detained in hospital in Belfast onSaturday night when troops opened fire on a car inthe Springfield Road after, the Army claimed, thedriver refused to stop. Police said the incident beganin Castle Street, near the city centre where threeyouths got in the back of a car and ordered the driverto take them to Springfield Road. When the driverreached the Springfield Road he was ordered out.Later troops saw a car approaching without lightsnear the junction with Ainsworth Avenue and a sol-dier who tried to stop it was almost knocked down.Soldiers on foot patrol then opened fire on the carand two youths inside received minor gunshotwounds. A third youth was arrested.

The Hunting Lodge Inn on the Stewartstown Roadwas badly damaged by an early morning explosionon Sunday after Army experts tried for two hours todefuse a bomb left in the building by two gunmen onSaturday night. The men placed the bomb under thestairs leading to a lounge. Many people living nearbywere evacuated as experts tried to find a way to de-fuse the bomb. But when the Army team tried toblow the lid off the box containing the bomb, thewhole charge exploded showering the area withdebris. No one was injured.Fifteen homes were damaged and numerous windowswere shattered when a pipe bomb was thrown intothe garden of a house at Sterling Gardens in Belfast.The house is the former home of a member of theRUC.

A woman was slightly injured when two nail bombswere thrown at the RUC Barracks in Roden Street.Three other nail bombs were thrown in the GrosvenorRoad area and another pipe bomb damaged the inte-rior of Suffolk Cash Stores at Kells Avenue, Suffolk.No one was injured in the attacks.Army bomb experts defused a 15 lb bomb at a hairdressing salon at Shaftsbury Square on Saturday.On Sunday night a Scots Dragoon Guards armouredFerret car was blown on its side when a claymoremine exploded on the Crossmaglen-CullyhannaRoad. Neither of the two soldiers inside were seri-ously injured.

Tuesday 2nd November 1971Office bombed for the third timeAn IRA bomb ripped through a Government officein the centre of Belfast. It was the third time theYouth Employment Agency in College Square Northhad been attacked. Immediately after the attack, astroops and RUC personnel sealed off the area, bombdisposal experts searched the wrecked building for asecond device.The bombers, three men and a woman, gave staff awarning that the bomb, estimated to consist of be-tween 15-20lb of gelignite, was to go off and thebuilding was evacuated before the device explodedon the first floor.

Tuesday 2nd November 1971Bomb at SmithfieldSmithfield bus station was evacuated after a bombwas found in the ladies toilets. Surrounding streetswere sealed off as Army bomb disposal expertsdashed to the scene. The bomb was rendered safeand normal bus services were resumed.

Tuesday 2nd November 1971Ignore rent strike letter says Hume.Mr. John Hume, MP, has said that the LondonderryDevelopment Commission have sent out circulars tomany people in the city who are taking part in thecivil disobedience rent and rates strike, in an effortto break the strike.Mr. Hume called on the people to ignore the circularsand “to reply in the language that Unionists under-stand – no surrender. He added that these circularssuggest some secret ways to make payment, imply-ing that the protest of the people is not a voluntaryone. The simple answer to that is that it shows thatnot only has the strength of the protest against in-ternment remained, but also it has actually hardenedbecause of the treatment of internees that has beenrevealed.

Tuesday 2nd November 1971Bombs buckle railway lineBombs have been placed on both tracks of the mainBelfast-Dublin railway line near Lurgan causing de-lays to early morning train services. The charges wereplaced at Kilmore and the double explosion, whichis believed to have occurred shortly before 1.00am,was not traced for several hours. An Army spokes-man said both charges were between 10-15 poundsof gelignite. One section of the rail has been cut andthe other was badly buckled. Repair gangs werecalled in once the explosion had been traced and be-

Page 4 THE TROUBLES

TOP - Bomb attack on the Hotel Carlton,Belleek.BOTTOM - The Black Mountain Bar,Hannahstown after being destroyed in abomb blast.

gan clearing debris from one track to allow trains torun again. The blast happened at an isolated stretchof the line. There have been two other explosions onthe railway line during the present campaign.Two men were injured when a bomb was lobbed intothe Bridge Bar in East Belfast. The RUC said thedevice, which contained about a half a pound of ex-plosives, landed near the spot where the two menwere drinking. The RUC have said that the bombwas thrown from the direction of the AlbertbridgeRoad.Two other explosions heard in the Falls area of Bel-fast are thought to have been nail bombs. InGlengormley a bomb was placed at a Spar store. Itwas the third blast in the area in recent weeks.

Tuesday 2nd November 1971Bomb attacks in DerryThree explosions within seconds of each other dam-aged business premises in Derry city centre last nightbut no one was injured. The Army said between 10-and 15 pounds of explosives was used in the blast atChristie’s paint and wallpaper shop in WaterlooStreet. A fire which broke out completely destroyedthe ground floor. A similar bomb damagedMcCutcheon’s shoe store at Butcher Street, and asmaller charge caused moderate damage at Sterrit andHenry’s garden supply store in Great James Street.Troops also used CS gas and rubber bullets against a150 strong crowd of youths who threw stones at them.

Tuesday 2nd November 1971Sniper attacks in BelfastTroops returned fire on IRA men who attacked anArmy observation post at a school in the Oldparkarea of Belfast. Fire was again returned when a sniperfired at a foot patrol near Ballycarry Street in the samearea. No one was hit.Troops also opened fire on a car after shots were firedat a mobile patrol of 25th Light Regt., Royal Artil-lery, at Bernagh Drive in the Andersonstown area.No one was reported injured.In Cullyhanna, County Armagh, two gunmen, armedwith revolvers, held up a mobile library and set thevehicle on fire. And in Newtownhamilton, an explo-sion badly damaged the Masonic hall at Newry Road,but no injuries were reported.

Tuesday 2nd November 1971Film about IRA is bannedA programme about the IRA, which should have beenshown On “World in Action”, has been banned bythe ITA as “unsuitable at the present time.” The pro-gramme is reported to have been made in the Southand to have included film of the Provisional IRAconference in Dublin and interviews with RoryO’Brady and Dr. Conor Cruise O’Brien. A spokes-man for Granada Television, who produced the pro-gramme, said that it had been made in the belief thatit would contribute to a better understanding of theIrish problem. He also stated that the Authority hadbanned the programme without ever seeing it. A pro-gramme on Rhodesia was shown instead.

Tuesday 2nd November 1971380 priests call for tribunals on tortureMore that 380 Catholic priests through out the North– 70 pc of the total – have called for the immediateend of “brutality and torture” of men arrested underthe Special Powers Act. The 387 signatories to thestatement also called for a public, impartial, judicialtribunal to expose the full truth of what has been doneto those arrested since 9th August and to ensure thepunishment of those responsible and redress for thevictims. The statement said that the conviction ofthe signatories was based on substantial medical evi-dence, on the testimony of priests who saw the inju-ries and on the statements of men whose truthfulnesswas already known to them through their pastoralwork.

Tuesday 2nd November 197110 arrested by ArmyTen people have been arrested by the Army in secu-rity operations in Belfast during the past 24 hoursand handed over to the RUC. An Army spokesmansaid there were no arrests in Derry or in country ar-eas over the same period.

Tuesday 2nd November 1971Teenager on blast chargeA teenager accused of blowing up a Buffs Club hasrefused to recognise the court. The 18-year-old,charged with causing an explosion at Glenmore Streeton 4th September, refused to recognise the jurisdic-tion of the court.

Tuesday 2nd November 1971Hand grenade thrown in ArdoyneShortly after 9 am four shots were fired and a handgrenade thrown at an armoured vehicle as it droveup Hooker Street in the Ardoyne area of Belfast. TheArmy personnel in the vehicle, manned by memberof the Green Howards, were uninjured by the shots.The grenade did not explode.

Tuesday 2nd November 1971Journalist on arms chargeA 24-year-old journalist accused of possessing a sub-machine gun in the city centre has been remandedon continuing bail. He is accused of possessing a9mm sub-machine gun at Glengall Street without law-ful authority.

Tuesday 2nd November 1971IRA will continue to buy armsThe IRA will continue to build up its strength in ar-maments, organisation and popular support, Mr.David O’Connell, who was involved in an abortiveattempt to import arms from the continent, told apublic meeting in Dublin. He added: “We shall crossany frontier, confront any ideology, negotiate withany people or Government, to acquire the means towin our country’s freedom.”

Wednesday 3rd November 1971Craig InquiryMr. Faulkner has told the Commons that he is mak-ing personal inquiries about how Mr. William Craiggot a copy of Green Paper on Reforms before publi-

THE TROUBLES Page 5

TOP - Bomb attack on the Spar Supermar-ket, Glengormley.BOTTOM - Troops chase rioters in theAndersonstown area of West Belfast.

cation by the Government. Mr. Faulkner has writtento Mr. Craig asking him to account for the circum-stances in which he received them.

Thursday 4th November 1971Troops raid AndersonstownTwenty eight men were detained and a large haul ofweapons were seized by troops in Belfast as the Armyplaced hundreds of homes under a temporary curfewduring one of the biggest operations ever mounted inthe city. Another 17 men were detained for ques-tioning during a similar search by 400 troops in Derry.The Andersonstown area of Belfast was completelysealed off as more than 1,000 troops searched thearea. Hundreds of people were not allowed to leavetheir homes and deliverymen and other services wereprevented from entering Andersonstown during theoperation, which began at dawn. Men of the 25th

Light Regiment, Royal Artillery, Royal Marine Com-mando and the Parachute Regiment combed the areawhere the IRA has carried out frequent attacks ontroops. Many of the soldiers had their faces black-ened and had removed their regimental badges. Sol-diers also took up position outside the hones of peo-ple, who it was thought, might try to raise the alarm.There were no major incidents during the operationbut troops fired rubber bullets to disperse smallgroups of women and children who gathered as theoperation ended.A Thompson sub-machine gun, three rifles, four pis-tols and over 3,000 rounds of ammunition were foundby troops in the Lower Falls area.

Thursday 4th November 1971Man shot dead in Unity FlatsOne man was shot dead and another seriouslywounded during a gun battle between the IRA andBritish troops near the city centre. Two RUC menwere also injured in the sporadic shooting which cen-tred around the predominately Catholic Unity Flatsat Peter’s Hill. The dead man has been named asChristopher Quinn of Unity Place and his death hasbrought the number of people killed this year to 117.The RUC have said he was dead on arrival at theRoyal Victoria hospital. A second man fromAnnadale Street in the New Lodge area was also takento hospital with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.Neither the RUC nor Army could say whether or notthe men had been engaged in the attack.Trouble broke out in the area when troops began car-rying out searches after a gunman attacked an Armypatrol. Shortly before 9.00am an Army Land Roverwas fired on at the junction of Carlisle Circus andClifton Street but fire was not returned. Later shotswere fired at troops at Peter’s Hill, but fire was notreturned. Three bullets struck an Army Land Roverat Townsend Street and one shattered the windscreenbut no one was injured. Then as troops began carry-ing out a search of the area for the gunmen, localpeople banged bin lids. The Army said a crowd ofmore than 20 people attacked troops who fired rub-ber bullets. Men of the 2nd battalion, The Royal Regi-ment of Fusiliers came under pistol fire from gun-men at Stanhope Drive. The Army said troops re-

turned fire and a gunman was thought to have beenhit. Shortly after this, two men were admitted to theRoyal Victoria Hospital. The incident happened be-fore 1.00am and the gunmen then continued sporadicattacks on troops. The Army said the gunmen werefiring from the areas of St. Enoch’s PresbyterianChurch at Carlisle Circus, St. Patrick’s Catholicchurch in Donegal Street and also from Artillery Flats.An Army spokesman stated that both sides had firedmany shots. Troops searched the area around bothchurches but nothing was found. Men of the 1st Para-chute Regiment were sent into the area to reinforceother units.The RUC men were injured when their Land Roverwas struck by machine-gun fire at Peter’s Hill. OneRUC man received a scalp abrasion from a bulletand another was injured by glass splinters when abullet smashed through the windscreen. One bulletpassed through the passenger door and another struckthe bodywork. During the trouble two RUC men onduty at Crumlin Road courthouse were fired on fromthe Old Lodge Road. No one was injured and firewas not returned. Later a nail bomb exploded at theOld Lodge Road. Sporadic shooing continued in thearea until 4.00am in the morning.

Thursday 4th November 1971Claymore bombs in Turf LodgeIn the Turf Lodge area of Belfast the IRA detonateda claymore bomb near an Army patrol and anothertwo similar devices exploded at the Monagh Road.A nail bomb has been thrown at New Barnsley jointRUC/Army post and another was thrown on to theNewtownards Road from Seaford Street but it failedto explode traffic was diverted until an army expertdefused the device. At five o’clock a second attackwas launched at the New Barnsley post. Fourteenshots were fired but no injuries were reported. Ear-lier an Army expert defused a bomb found beside anelectricity transformer at the junction of Ohio Streetand Disraeli Street.

Thursday 4th November 1971Radar Station bombed The IRA has continued its campaign of attacks out-side Belfast wrecking a radar station and causingdamage to a hotel and a bank. Four men planted abomb in the Black Mountain Bar at Hannahstown,near Belfast, after they told customers and staff thatthey had four minutes to get out. Extensive damagewas caused to the bar and to two parked cars.The maritime transmitter station of the Decca Navi-gator Company, at Clanrolla North, near Lurgan, waswrecked by a bomb which had been planted by threegunmen. The raiders ordered the staff out of the build-ing, which housed radar equipment for shipping offthe coast. A wooden structure housing the Provin-cial Bank of Ireland, at Silverwood near Lurgan, wascompletely destroyed by another bomb

Thursday 4th November 1971Fermanagh hotel bombedTroops and police opened fire on gunmen on thesouthern side of the border near Belleek, CountyFermanagh after a bomb was planted in the foyer ofthe Hotel Carlton. The hotel was then evacuated. Amember of the RUC who was directing traffic awayfrom the area was fired on from County Donegal.Soldiers and RUC personnel returned fire at the IRAUnit who were situated in an old fort. One minutelater the bomb exploded in the hotel destroying thesun lounge. A member of the RUC was hurled acrossthe road by the blast. In Derry two bombs blastedthe premises of a local poultry firm at Spencer Road.Many windows in the buildings near the NorthwestPoultry Company in the Waterside were smashed.

Thursday 4th November 1971Cross border incursionsThe Irish Premier Mr. Jack Lynch has told the Dailthat British troops have crossed the border into theSouth on 40 occasions between August 1969 andOctober 1971. He has stated that there have alsobeen 17 known occasions where British Army air-craft have overflew the Republics territory. On oneof these occasions, and which is still under investi-gation, British Army aircraft infringed air traffic con-trol regulations.

Friday 5th November 1971Abolition of Stormont called a ‘lunaticassumption’The Prime Minister, Mr. Faulkner has dismissed as a“lunatic Assumption” the view that the British Gov-ernment may be moving towards the abolition ofStormont and the imposition of direct rule of the

Page 6 THE TROUBLES

TOP - The Decca Radar Station outsideLurgan after being destroyed in a bombattack.MIDDLE - Clearing up begins at the Townand Country Shopping Centre, Carryduff,after a bomb blast.BOTTOM - The New Mecca Resturant inNorth Street after being destroyed in abomb attack.

North from Westminster. And following talks inLondon with Mr. Harold Wilson and Mr. JamesCallaghan, the Premier discounted speculation thatthe Labour leaders are about to switch to support ofthe direct rule proposal. “To the best of my knowl-edge (said Mr. Faulkner) “there is no threat to theConstitutional position”.

Friday 5th November 1971Soldiers attacked in BelfastTwelve shots have been fired at an Army armouredcar off the Falls Road. Gunmen in a passing car firedthree bursts from an automatic weapon at the vehiclewhich was parked at Cavendish Street. An Armyspokesman said that immediately after the shootinga bakery van was pulled across the road and soldierswere only able to fire a couple of rounds at the es-caping car.

Friday 5th November 1971Man jailed for having a bayonetA 25-year-old labourer was sentenced to six monthsimprisonment at Belfast Magistrates Court for hav-ing a bayonet during a riot. The man from LindsayStreet admitted riotous behaviour at Maryville Streeton 2nd October when, as the prosecution told the court,

opposing crowds gathered in Maryville Street and agroup of about 20 ran down the street breaking win-dows.

Friday 5th November 1971Caravan blown upThe IRA has blown up a caravan which is used as atemporary customs office on the border at Roslea,County Fermanagh. Afterwards shots were heardfrom the direction of the border.

Friday 5th November 1971Breadserver dies after attackA Newry breadserver, Mr. Frank McKee has col-lapsed and died after being attacked and robbed onhis round. Seeking help, he arrived at a local man’shome, where he said, “They beat me up at Finnegan’sLane. He then went to the bathroom where he col-lapsed and died. The RUC from Newry visited thehouse and have taken possession of a Bernard Hughesbread van which had one bullet hole in it. The attacktook place a half a mile from Ford’s Cross, near theNewtownhamilton-Dundalk road.

Friday 5th November 1971Hunt for gunman who shot at GardaPolice in Dublin are questioning one man and aresearching for three others after a shot was fired at amember of the Garda.

Saturday 6th November 1971North Street Arcade bombedBombs have extensively damaged shops in NorthStreet Arcade and Thompson Reid’s agriculturalmachinery showroom in Franklin Street. It is thesecond time North Street Arcade, one of Belfast’sbusiest shopping centres has been attacked. The RUCsealed off both ends of the street as shopkeepers be-gan the task of clearing away the rubble. Brokenglass, in some cases a foot deep, was scattered up to50 yards on either side of the arcade. A travel agencyowned by Global at the North Street end of the ar-cade was wrecked. In North Street a dozen shopshad their windows had their windows smashed. TheDeer’s Head pub had its windows broken and shop-pers looked on as carpenters moved in to board upthe shattered shop fronts.In Franklin Street behind the City Hall, two bombswere used to blast Thompson Reid’s showroom. Asmall bomb was placed inside the building on theground floor which blasted a foot deep crater andscattered heavy farm machinery. Outside, anotherbomb placed at the door, smashed the showroom win-dows and windows in nearby offices.

Saturday 6th November 1971Bomb at garageAt Bainesmore Drive in the Springfield Road area ofBelfast, three men, thought to be armed, walked intoa filling station and planted a bomb. They gave thewoman attendant 30 seconds to get out, and almostimmediately, the bomb exploded completely wreck-ing the station. The Army estimate that the bombcontained 20 lb of explosives.

Saturday 6th November 1971Bomb attacks in DublinIn Dublin a bomb has rocked a block of flats ownedby a British insurance company. The luxury flats atDe Vesci Court, in Monkstown, County Dublin wasthe target of a bomb which was thrown from a car.The flats are owned by the Norwich Union insur-ance company and the explosion was caused by ahomemade device.In Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin the Post Officesorting office was damaged in a fire. It is believedthat it may have been caused by an incendiary postedin a parcel. Around 60 parcels were destroyed in theblaze.

Saturday 6th November 1971Woman shot dead in Derry gun battleThe husband of a Derry housewife who was shot deadon the Creggan estate in the early hours of the morn-ing has described how he found his wife lying in thegarden of their home after an Army search party hadpassed down the street. The dead woman was 47-year-old Mrs. Kathleen Thompson is a mother of sixchildren aged between 7 and 19 years. Her husbandPatrick told how he went to the front door of his housebut had to go back in as the Army was using CS gas.He denied a suggestion that his wife had been bang-ing a dustbin in the garden of their home, althoughhe did say that one of his sons had gone out to dothis. He said there were no gunmen operating in thearea around his home at the time. An Army spokes-man said Mrs Thompson was found with gunshotwounds after troops had returned fire on snipers nearher home, but they are at present unable to say howshe was shot.

Saturday 6th November 1971Shots fired in DerryA gunman fired two shots at a group of Army LandRovers near the Ulsterbus depot in Foyle Street butboth shots missed their target. The Army returnedone shot, which a spokesman said, hit the civilianLand Rover in which the gunman was travelling.Earlier in the day a bomb exploded at the Royal Navyrecruiting offices in Howard Street, Belfast and theArmy defused a 10 lb bomb at an automatic telephoneexchange in Derry. At Carrickmore, County Tyronea soldier fired a shot in the air to disperse a crowdwhich had surrounded two Army vehicles.

Saturday 6th November 1971Arms find in TyroneA large quantity of high explosives and fuse wasfound by troops in a barn in the Carrickmore area of

THE TROUBLES Page 7

Searching for survivors after an IRA bombattack at the red Lion Pub

County Tyrone only hours after a shotgun and am-munition were found in the same area. The find wasmade by made by men of the Ulster defence Regi-ment backed up by the 16th/5th Lancers.In the attic of a barn they discovered 75 lbs of highexplosives, a shotgun, between 30 and 40 cartridges,500 feet of cordex fuse, 400 detonators and 1,000feet of safety fuse. In an earlier search of the 650rounds of ammunition were found in a milkchurn neara quarry and a shotgun and ammunition were foundnear a chicken coop.

Saturday 6th November 1971Bomb attack on Customs PostThe British Customs post at Tullydonnell on theNewtownhamilton-Dungannon road has been de-stroyed by raiders. The post, damage the previousweek and almost reconstructed, was wrecked by anexplosion. Customs officers were ordered at gun-point to leave a caravan being used as a temporarypost and it was set on fire and destroyed. The raidersmade off across the border.

Saturday 6th November 1971Army denies Tyrone riotThe Army and RUC have denied that rioting has bro-ken out in Carrickmore, County Tyrone between ci-vilians and British troops. Local residents have statedthat the rioting broke out after soldiers shouted ob-scenities outside the local church and after eveningmass. They have also said that the rioting, in whichstones and bottles were thrown, lasted a half houruntil the troops withdrew.

The Army said that the only report they had regard-ing Carrickmore was that a crowd surrounded twoArmy vehicles, but when a soldier fired a shot in theair the crowd dispersed and there were no more inci-dents.

Saturday 6th November 1971Committee releases 10 interneesMen, at present interned under the Special PowersAct, in Crumlin Road prison and the Long Kesh campare having their cases considered. Eight have alreadybeen released and two others are expected to be re-leased shortly. The advisory committee appointedby the Ministry of Home Affairs considered the casesof 99 people who are at present interned. In 83 ofthe cases the committee recommended that releasesshould not be made. Six of the cases were adjourned.

Monday 8th November 1971Security splitA top level clash on whether or not the Army shouldbe responsible for the protection of RUC barracks –involving the Prime Minister Mr. Brian Faulkner,General Tuzo, Lord Carrington, the Home Secretaryand the Northern Ireland Police Authority has be-come public. Against a background of indecision onthe security of RUC barracks, as well as the protec-tion of RUC personnel and their families, the Au-thority has taken the step of disclosing where the dif-ferences lay when they attempted to get action taken.

It has become clear from their statement that Gen-eral Tuzo, the GOC, and Lord Carrington, the Secre-tary of State for Defence, thought the Army was notresponsible for such protection, an opinion totallyopposed by the Authority. The Authority approachedMr. Faulkner and the implication from their state-ments is that he supports their view. In early Sep-tember the Army withdrew from guard duty at someRUC stations and General Tuzo made it clear that itwas the RUC’s responsibility except where they werejointly occupied by the Army.

The controversial issue has yet to be resolved.

Monday 8th November 1971Off duty soldier killedAn 18-year-old soldier, Signalman Paul SamuelGenge, from Cheshire has been shot dead by a gun-man in Lurgan as he and a companion walked past ahospital on their way back to their barracks. Theyspotted gunmen armed with a sub-machine gun anda pistol and tried to get away but there was no cover.Signalman Genge died instantly while his colleaguereceived wounds to the thigh.In Derry a gunman is believed shot and seriouslywounded by troops when he opened fire on troopswith a Thompson sub-machine gun. Troops said theycame under fire from Barrack Street on the fringe ofthe Bogside as they rushed to the Bishop Street-Abercorn Road junction where a crowd was smash-ing windows. The man is believed to have been hitin the chest and was dragged away by his comrades.Troops again returned fire when 16 shots were di-rected at the Army post in Foyle Road. Another 14rounds shots were fired at an Army helicopter whichwas flying over the Brandywell area of Derry. Noshots struck the craft.Late on Saturday night two shots were fired at anAmy post in Derry, an Army marksman returned fireand has claimed that he shot a gunman. The manwas seen to fall and was carried off along Lone MoorRoad. In Sion Mills a café and a hairdressers in MainStreet were bombed.

Monday 8th November 1971Jeers at funeralRival crowds jeered each other shortly after a funeralhad passed Unity Flats near Belfast’s city centre.Soldiers in the flats shot Christopher Quinn, aged 39,dead on Thursday but the circumstances of his deathare disputed. The Army claim he was a gunman,however his friends maintain that he was unarmedand was carrying out vigilante duties in the area. Mr.Quinn’s funeral was escorted by 12 women carryingblack flags who sang “Faith of our Fathers.” At NorthStreet the Army blocked off the road but Protestantcrowds gathered behind Army vehicles and jeered atmourners as the funeral procession passed by. Thesituation was tense and the Army moved in to dis-perse both crowds. The RUC issued an order underthe Special Powers Act routing the funeral away frompotential flash points. The order also forbids the dis-play of the tricolour on part of the funeral route.

Monday 8th November 1971£2,000 taken in armed raidsArmed men have gotten away with about £2,000 inraids on a bank and two Post Offices and a firm offruit importers. The fruit importers, McCandless ofOxford Street, Belfast was robbed by two gunmenwho got away with £600. A while later, five menwearing balaclava type helmets, held up staff andcustomers at a Post Office in Alliance Avenue, Bel-fast. In Andersonstown, four men carrying aThompson sub-machine gun, a rifle, a pistol and a

Page 8 THE TROUBLES

Lugar took £1,000 from the Ulster bank and atClontoe-Richardson, a few miles from Coagh, CountyTyrone, a man armed with a sub-machine gun took alarge some of money from the local Post Office.

Monday 8th November 1971Army attacked from SouthIRA men have fired nearly 30 rounds at an Armycratering party from across the border but no one washit. Fire was not returned on the first two occasionswhen the gunman fired 20 rounds. On coming underattack for the third time a solder fired one shot but noone was injured. Later another Army cratering partywas fired on across the border about six miles north-west of Belcoo, County Fermanagh. Fire was re-turned but no one was injured. Shortly after this therewas more shooting from the southern side of the bor-der.

Monday 8th November 1971Restaurant bombedIn Belfast a city centre restaurant and offices at ahosiery factory were damaged bys bomb attacks. TheNew Moka Italian restaurant in Lower North Streetcollapsed with the force of the blast, which wascaused by a bomb containing between 40 and 80 lbof gelignite. No one was injured and the bomb shat-tered windows in a 100-yard radius. Two bombswrecked the entrance and an office in the building atthe Ulster Hosiery Company’s factory at Dundonald.The RUC have said one bomb contained about 20 lbof gelignite and the other contained approximately10 lb. A watchman was treated in hospital for shock.In the Turf Lodge area of Belfast 18 nail bombs werehurled at Army mobile and foot patrols. No soldierswere injured in the attacks.

Tuesday 9th November 1971Post Office van burnedA Post Office van has been hi-jacked in Clady, fivemiles from Strabane. The hi-jackers ordered thedriver out at gunpoint and drove the van to the bor-der and set it alight. A few weeks ago a bus was alsohijacked in Clady, it too was set alight.

Tuesday 9th November 1971Sniper attacks army vehicle in DerryA single shot fired from West End park in Derry’sBogside struck an Army personnel carrier but anArmy spokesman said there was no casualties andthe fire was not returned. Later between 30 and 40youths stoned a routine Army mobile patrol atBallymagowan, west of the Creggan estate. Thetroops left the area immediately after the incident.

Tuesday 9th November 1971Girdwood Park Army camp attackedTroops came under fire from gunmen and anotherpublic house was wrecked by a bomb in Belfast. Thesoldiers were first fired on at Girdwood Park Armycamp which lies between the Antrim Road andCliftonpark Avenue. Six shots were fired and thesoldiers returned fire. An Army spokesman said thegunmen were spotted running away by people in

Cliftonpark Avenue.Elsewhere in Belfast, another two gunmen were spot-ted by a mobile patrol of the 1st battalion, the Para-chute Regiment, near the corner of Leeson Street andthe Falls Road. Shots were fired by the soldiers butno one was hit.The blast at the Toddle Inn public house in GreatGeorges Street came after midnight. The RUC saidbetween 20 and 30 lb of gelignite caused extensivedamage to the bar, which was recently attacked by acrowd from the New Lodge Road area. Part of theroof of the pub, one of the few left in the York Streetarea because of redevelopment, collapsed. Threepeople in a taxi office next door suffered minor shockwhen the bomb exploded. Windows in a number ofnearby buildings were shattered. Another bomb badlydamaged Wood Masonic Hall at Ballyronan, nearMagherafelt, County Derry. About 20 lb of gelignitewas used and no one was injured or other buildingsdamaged in the attack. An explosion heard in theCamlough area of South Armagh has been traced toa sewage pumping station and experts are investi-gating the extent of the damage. Two other bombswere defused by an Army expert at the Lurgan firmof Johnston Allen in Victoria Street. Both containedabout five pounds of gelignite and had anti-handlingdevices fitted to them.In Belfast a Corporation bus was hi-jacked and seton fire in the Andersonstown area. The bus was takenat Kennedy Way and driven to Bingnian Drive, whereit was used as a barricade. The bus was destroyed.

Tuesday 9th November 1971Bomb found in golf centreA 10 to 15 lb gelignite bomb planted in the CraigavonGolf Centre at Silverwood near Lurgan has been dis-covered by a caretaker. Army bomb disposal expertswere called in and it was dismantled. A window hadbeen broken in the small clubrooms and the bombset on the floor.

Tuesday 9th November 1971Gelignite stolen in ScotlandOver 100 lbs of gelignite and 700 electrical detona-tors have been stolen in two simultaneous raids inScotland. Five hundred detonators and 55 lbs gelig-nite were taken from a quarry near Dunlop, Ayrshire.About the same time 200 detonators and 50 lbs ofgelignite were taken from a quarry in Sterlingshire

about 40 miles away. The thefts have led to specula-tion that the explosives could be bound for the Northbut a spokesman for Ayr police said they were keep-ing an open mind.

Tuesday 9th November 1971UDR come under attackA gunman has fired on an Ulster Defence Regimentpatrol on the outskirts of Belfast. The patrol was atthe Stockman’s Lane roundabout when the gunmanopened up. Fire was not returned and no one wasinjured.

Wednesday 10th November 1971Woman tarred and feathered in DerryA teenage girl from Drumcliffe Avenue in the Bogsidearea of Derry has been tarred and feathered and tiedto a lamppost. The girl, aged 19, was due to marry aBritish soldier. She was tarred outside the BogsideInn while a crowd of about 80 people looked on, manyof them jeering and shouting “Soldier lover.” Herhead had been shaved. Her fiancé, a private in theAnglican regiment was attacked by three masked menin May as he left her home. He was shot in the handby his attackers who were armed with a machine gun.This is the second time within three days in which agirl from the Bogside has been punished by the IRAfor fraternising with British soldiers. In the first in-cident the girl had her head shaved.A few days ago the women’s intelligence unit of theProvisional IRA issued a warning that action wouldbe taken against girls fraternising with soldiers. Al-though the IRA has used tarring and feathering be-fore as a punishment, this is believed to be the firsttime it has been done to a girl. The words “SoldierDoll” have been painted on the walls of her familyhome.

Wednesday 10th November 197112 men arrested at Lough NeaghTwelve men were detained and some bomb fusematerials were found during a sweeping search ofcountryside on the fringe of Lough Neagh. About200 men of the 45th Medium Regiment, Royal Artil-lery, based at Derry, were taking part in the opera-tion, which covered an area from Toombridge toMagherafelt. Farmhouses and other buildings wereraided by troops, who were supported by armouredvehicles and a helicopter. It is understood the bomb

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FACING PAGE - Troops move into theAndersonstown area to begin an intensesearch of houses.TOP - Bomb attack on the Royal NavyCareers Office, Howard Street.BOTTOM - The Toddle Inn after a bombattack

materials were found at a farmhouse. The troopsraided the homes of suspects, acting on informationprovided by Army intelligence. The twelve men werelater being questioned by the RUC.

Wednesday 10th November 1971Guard robbed by gunmenGunmen held up a Securicor guard at a Pomeroy so-cial security office in Tyrone and robbed him of£1,850. According to RUC headquarters in Belfasttwo men entered the social security office and heldthe staff at gunpoint for 10 or 15 minutes. When thevan arrived one of the guards walked into the office,carrying a bag containing the money. He was heldup by the gunmen, who then ran out of the buildingand, with a third man who had been on watch out-side, drove off in a Morris or Austin car.

Wednesday 10th November 1971Additional securityThick steel shutters are being put up over the entrancegates to Parliament Buildings at Stormont as an ad-ditional protection for RUC members who are on dutyin the grounds.

Wednesday 10th November 1971Hotel destroyed in bomb blastDunmurry’s Woodburn House Hotel has been burnedto the ground after two armed men planted a 35 lbbomb on the premises around 4.00pm on Tuesday.The staff was told by the men that they had plenty oftime to leave and the bomb, which was fitted withboth an anti-handling device and as well as a timingdevice, exploded at 7.40pm.

Wednesday 10th November 1971Soldier shot dead in DerryA 23-year-old soldier has been shot dead by an IRAsniper on his last patrol before going on three weeksleave. He was Lance Corporal Ian Curtis, unmarriedof the 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglican Regiment.He came from Farnham, near Portsmouth and is the36th soldier to die in the North this year. L. Cpl Curtiswas a member of a foot patrol moving along nearbywaste ground when the Army post at Foyle Roadcame under sniper attack. When the patrol was op-posite the junction of Foyle Road and Bishop Street,five shots were fired by a gunman operating fromthe Bogside. Two bursts came and L. Cpl Curtis waskilled by the second burst. The fire was returned butno hits were reported. Later there was an exchangeof shots in the area where L. Cpl Curtis was killedand sometime after this, troops pursuing a man armedwith a rifle came under fire from a gunman on therooftops. None of the soldiers were hit by the 15 to20 rounds fired from a Thompson sun-machine gun.Security forces fired at a man with a weapon whowas running down Lone Moor Road near the junc-tion with the Letterkenny Road. The man was seento fall and is thought to have been hit. About 10minutes later a gelignite bomb was thrown at the junc-tion of Ann Street and Hamilton Street but there wereno casualties. At 6.40, two rounds were fired at anArmy personnel carrier in Lone Moor Road. The

shots hit the vehicle but there were no casualties.About 20 minutes after this a single shot hit anotherArmy vehicle.It was a comparatively quiet night in Belfast, wheretroops again mounted another large-scale search andarrest operation. Two nail bombs exploded harm-lessly on waste ground at the Monagh Road rounda-bout. Shortly after midnight another nail bomb ex-ploded at St. Teresa’s school on the Glen Road. Lit-tle damage was caused.In the Ardoyne area of Belfast 800 troops searchedhomes during a four hour operation. Soldiers dis-covered 198 rounds of assorted ammunition, a print-ing press, three electrical detonators, pistol holsters,photographs and maps.Shortly after midnight a gunman fired several shotsat Strabane gas works from across the border but therewere no casualties and no damage. An explosionheard in the Toombridge are of County Antrim hasstill not been traced and a caravan used as a tempo-rary customs post at Belleek was set on fire by fourraiders from the South. One of the raiders was armedwith a sub-machine gun and afterwards they droveback across the border to Ballyshannon in CountyDonegal.

Thursday 11th November 1971RUC men killed yards from barracksAnother two RUC men have been shot dead by gun-men only a short distance from their barracks in Bel-fast. The men, a sergeant and a constable, died in-stantly as at least one gunman sprayed a hail of bul-lets at them in an off-licence on the Oldpark Road.The RUC men were making their regular daily callto the shop which had been robbed three weeks ago.

Thursday 11th November 1971Belleek RUC barracks attackedGunmen have opened fire on Belleek RUC barracksat lunchtime from positions on the southern side ofthe border. Soldiers in the barracks returned fire butno hits were reported. The crews of two ferret scoutcars also fired at the attackers. Three IRA men arebelieved to have taken part in the attack, firing fromhigh ground and a bridge overlooking the station. AnRUC spokesman said that three cars owned by RUCmen were struck by bullets.

Thursday 11th November 19711,350 families re-housedMr. Roy Bradford, Development Minister, has toldthe Commons at Stormont that a total number of1,350 Belfast families who have lost their homes asa result of the troubles, have been re-housed since 1st

August of this year.

Thursday 11th November 1971Tory MP’s to meet the IRASix Tory MPs are planning to have talks with theIRA and the idea has angered Unionist MPs at West-minster and right-wing conservatives. While in Bel-fast they hope to see Mr. Faulkner, Lieut. Harry Tuzo,the GOC and other government officials. In Dublinon Monday they have arranged to meet Mr. RoryO’Brady, Provisional IRA political wing leader, Mr.Sean McStiofain, his Chief of Staff, and Mr. CathalGoulding, Official Chief of Staff. Mr. Laurence Reed,one of the six politicians has said: “While we areover there we might as well come face to face withthe enemy.” Right-wing Conservative MPs havebranded the six as “Quislings” and will probably callon their Chief Whip, the Home Secretary and Mr.Heath himself to take action to stop the meeting.

Thursday 11th November 1971Sniper attack in DerryNo one was injured when a single shot was fired atan armoured personnel carrier at Westland Park inDerry. Troops did not return fire.

Page 10 THE TROUBLES

Thursday 11th November 197120,000 protest against MP’s visitMore than 20,000 workers in Belfast defied the ad-vice of the Government and trade union leaders tojoin a silent mass protest against the visit of theShadow Home Secretary, Mr. Callaghan and the La-bour Party Chairman Mr. Wedgewood Benn. In someof the factories, the call by the Loyalist WorkersGroup to down tools and walk to the Cenotaph at theCity Hall was answered by 90pc of the workforce.

Thursday 11th November 1971Army patrol ambushed at CoalislandAn Army mobile patrol was ambushed by the IRAnear Coalisland but the soldiers escaped uninjuredwhen a mine exploded. Men of 42 Royal MarineCommando were travelling in two Land Rovers andan armoured personnel carrier in the townland ofDernagh, when the incident occurred. Police saidonly superficial damage was caused.In Belfast, where the security forces had an almosttrouble-free night, one person was slightly injuredby a pipe-bomb blast in East Belfast.Derry also had a relatively quiet night. An Armyspokesman said an explosion at the Essex Interna-tional factory in Bligh’s Lane caused some minorstructural damage. A charge of between 10 to 25 lbof gelignite had been planted in the boiler house buta spokesman said that the boilers had not been dam-aged. A former radio and television shop in WilliamStreet was set on fire and television sets and otherarticles in the shop, which was being used as a store,were burned. Rubber bullets were fired by troops tobreak up a stone throwing crowd at Rosemount RUCbarracks.

Thursday 11th November 1971Teenage girl held in raidAnother 11 people, including a 17-year-old girl havebeen detained after raids on homes in Belfast. An-other three people were detained atNewtownhamilton, near the Armagh-Monaghan bor-der. Troops also seized a rifle, bomb materials andequipment for tapping telephones in the Belfastsearches.The RUC have said that a .303 rifle and ammunitionfor it has been found at a house at Springhill Avenuein the Upper Springfield area. During the search ofanother house at Stockman’s Lane troops found bombmaking materials, priming devices, sodium chlorate,weapon training wall charts and manuals and othermaterials. The telephone tapping equipment, includ-ing a GPO monitoring set, was found by troops dur-ing the search at the Felons Club at Milltown, in theFalls area. One round of ammunition was also dis-covered.

Thursday 11th November 1971IRA court convicts third girlA 17-year-old Derry girl has been tried and convictedby an Provisional IRA kangaroo court for fraternis-ing with British soldiers. The girl from Creggan wasstopped on her way home by a group of men andwomen and taken to a garage in the Bogside where

she was questioned about what soldiers she had beenout with. After being sentenced, a number of maskedwomen shaved off her hair and poured printers in-delible ink over her. The girl was later admitted toAltnagelvin Hospital for treatment. This is the thirdsuch incident in four days. The brother of last night’svictim said that he had been in touch with both wingsof the IRA and they had assured him and the familythat they were not responsible. He went on to statethat he believed the attack was carried out by a wom-en’s revenge group which had been set up in theBogside.

Friday 12th November 1971Soldier deserts to avoid UlsterA soldier who deserted rather than be posted to theNorth has been put on probation for two years foroffences he committed while on the run. The sol-dier, a member of the Coldstream Guards said hedeserted from the Army because he said he did notwant to fight in Northern Ireland, where it is rumouredhis unit is being posted to. The unit is now servingin the North.

Friday 12th November 1971Troops find rockets for bazookaBritish soldiers have found some of the ammunitionfor the IRA’s bazooka during search operations inBelfast. Twenty-four men were also detained. The3.5-inch rockets, which are capable of knocking outan armoured vehicle at 100 yards, were found amonga cache of other arms during raids in the Turf Lodgearea. Men of the Scots Guards, The Royal Scots and45 Royal Marine Commando raided homes atNorglen Crescent and other streets in the estate. Tworockets, a Sten gun, two nail bombs, five telescopicrifle sights, two silencers, a bayonet and some litera-ture were found. Assorted ammunition, includingmagazines for the Sten gun were also found.

Friday 12th November 1971Bomb defused in city centre shopArmy experts have successfully defused a bombwhich was planted in a city centre shop. The bomb,which had been placed in the EAB Discount Store,College Square North, consisted of 15 lb of explo-sives. It had been planted by two youths armed witha revolver, shortly after 10.30am and was defusedafter three hours.

Friday 12th November 1971Both IRA groups deny tarring girlsBoth the Official and Provisional wings of the IRAin Derry have denied any connection with the tarringand hair shaving of three teenage girls in the Bogsidehis week. The Derry command of the ProvisionalIRA said in a statement: “We disapprove strongly ofDerry girls fraternising with the enemy troops, andagree that some form of punishment to act as a deter-rent to such conduct is necessary. At the same time,we deny empathetically all knowledge of the publicshaming and humiliation of young girls which oc-curred recently.” Unconfirmed reports indicate thatmembers of the Provisional IRA intervened to save a

fourth girl from the Creggan from being tarred. It isbelieved that the girl had been put in a car and wasbeing taken to the area around the Bogside Inn, thenow traditional tarring spot, when the IRA men in-tervened.The Derry unit of the Official IRA said in a state-ment: “We express our deepest sympathy with theyoung girls involved in these incidents.” The state-ment added that the Officials had carried out one tar-ring and feathering of a youth from the Bogside, buthe was given every chance to prove himself inno-cent of looting.” It went on to say: “Our warning,which appeared in the local paper, does not condemnevery girl engaged to a British soldier, only thosewho are giving information. Let this be another re-minder to the mothers and daughters who were soquick to condemn the young girls.”

Friday 12th November 1971Soldiers escape landmine attackThe IRA have mounted an attack on army mobilepatrol in Belfast. The attack on the patrol of the 1st

battalion, The Scots Guards was ambushed as itpassed a stretch of waste ground at the rear of St.James Road, off the Falls Road. It is believed thatthe bombers lay in wait in a garden of a nearby housefor the patrol to arrive before they electrically deto-nated a 20 lb claymore type mine. The bomb failedto hit its target and the IRA men escaped. An Armyspokesman said the device contained nuts, bolts andsome cement. The blast damaged windows in thearea.

Earlier an Army bomb expert defused a 10 lb bomb,which had been left by two youths at the offices ofthe Mintex Brake Lining Company in UniversityStreet. The bomb, which was planted by two youths,one of whom was armed with a revolver, was de-fused after two hours.

Eleven .303 rifles and about 1,000 rounds of ammu-nition and four bayonets were discovered by work-men filling in a dam at the Owen O’Cork mills atBeersbridge Road. An RUC spokesman said theweapons were in very poor condition and were about40 years old. In the Divis Flats complex in Belfastfour shots were fired but no one was injured and inCoalisland the RUC are still trying to trace the sourceof an explosion.In Fermanagh, an Army helicopter which came in toland about a half mile from Belleek RUC barrackscame under fired from the southern side of the bor-der. Four shots were fired at the aircraft but no hitswere recorded. Troops returned fire and a man wasseen to limp away helped by two others. The shoot-ing came after gunmen fired more than 50 rounds atthe RUC barracks.

Friday 12th November 1971Gardai cross borderDefence Secretary Lord Carrington is being askedby a Unionist MP at Westminster if he will call for areport from the security forces about the circum-stances in which a car belonging to the Garda “crossed

THE TROUBLES Page 11

into Northern Ireland by means of an unapprovedroad”, cratered on 2nd November. The question isbeing tabled by Unionist MP Mr. Stanley McMaster.

Friday 12th November 1971Sniper attack on borderA gunman, who opened fire on troops from a houseon the Northern side of the border has escaped anArmy cordon and crossed into the South. Men of the16/5th Lancers who were protecting an Army crateringparty on the Clogher-Monaghan Road quickly sur-rounded the house but when they reached it they dis-covered that the gunman had already left. Troopsfired 14 shots at the gunman who opened up on theArmy party as it left the area. No one was injured inthe attack.

Friday 12th November 1971Dublin pub bombedCustomers at a public house at Sentry, Dublin fledlast night when petrol bombs were hurled into themain entrance. The first bomb was thrown at10.00pm but did little damage. Half an hour lateranother bomb crashed into the door and burst intoflames. A barman was slightly injured fighting theflames.

Friday 12th November 1971Planned meeting with IRA abandonedThe planned meeting between Tory back benchersand leaders of the IRA has been cancelled due toopposition from both Labour and Conservative MP’s.Reports are now circulating that members of the Torygroup did not realise they would be meeting IRA men.Amongst the reasons for opposing the meeting, someMP’s felt that the meeting would have upgraded thestatus of the IRA.

Friday 12th November 1971Dublin poppy parade is cancelledThe annual Royal British Legion parade to the Ceno-taph at Island Bridge, Dublin, due to be held ion Sun-day, has been cancelled because it might be consid-ered provocative in view of the situation in NorthernIreland. The usual Poppy Day collection on the streetshas also been dropped and replaced by a door-to-doorcollection. Religious services will be held at theCatholic Pro-Cathedral and at St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Friday 12th November 1971RUC men namedThe two RUC men shot dead in an off-licence inBelfast have been named as 37-year-old ConstableThomas Moore, and 50-year-old Sergeant DermotHurley. Sgt Hurley is a native of Wicklow and wasone of four RUC men who represented the force atthe funeral of Winston Churchill.

Saturday 13th November 1971Belfast print works bombedAn IRA gunman gave a 58-year-old compositor acigarette as he held him at machine-gun point in aBelfast printing works. Minutes later the gunmangave him 30 seconds to get out of the building be-

fore the massive 50 lb bomb went off. The blastwrecked the works of W and G Baird in Union Streetcausing thousands of pounds worth of damage. Thegunmen and bombers, seven in all, made their geta-way in two cars. No one was injured in the attack.

Saturday 13th November 1971Dutch seaman killed in Belfast attackA haircut may have cost the life of a Dutch seamanshot by gunmen as he waited at a dentist surgery inBelfast. One line of inquiry being followed by theRUC is that his close-cropped hair caused him to bemistaken for a soldier. The man, named as 18-year-old Mr. W. E. L. Rena from Waardrecht. If the mis-taken identity theory is true then, then fate has takena cruel twist for the seaman, for until Tuesday hewore fashionably long hair when he decided tochange to a short, back and sides. This style gavethe tall Dutchman a militaristic air. Other theoriesbeing explored by the RUC is that there may be aconnection with the IRA and the Amsterdam gun sei-zure.

Saturday 13th November 1971UDR shoots driverAn unidentified man is in hospital with an arm in-jury after a soldier fired on a car which failed to stopat a UDR road block near Ballymoney. An Armyspokesman said one shot was fired after a soldierthought the vehicle was trying to break through theroad block on the Ballycastle-Coleraine road.

Saturday 13th November 1971Shots fired across the borderAn Army scout car was fired on from the southernside of the border in Tyrone but no casualties werereported. The attack took place four miles west ofCastlederg shortly after 10.30am and troops returnedfire. No hits were reported.

Saturday 13th November 1971Armed man plants bomb in hotelAn armed man has planted a bomb in the WellingtonPark Hotel, in Belfast. He placed the device at re-ception and then hurried from the building and madehis getaway by car. Army bomb disposal officersrushed to the scene and the hotel was evacuated.

Saturday 13th November 1971Anti-tank rifle found in AndersonstownBritish troops have captured an anti-tank rifle duringa search in the Andersonstown area of Belfast andtwo IRA suspects have been detained during a bigsearch in Belfast’s New Lodge Road area.The Anti-tank rifle was found during a search atGransha Rise by members of the Scots Guards. Theweapon, which is of World War Two vintage, is ca-pable of penetrating the walls of buildings. In a searchof the Lower Falls 650 rounds of ammunition and aSten gun was discovered in two scrap yards.In the New Lodge area four public houses were cor-doned off by 200 members of the Royal Regiment ofFusiliers and according to an Army spokesman twopersons were detained. A crowd which gathered out-

side one of the public houses was quickly dispersed.Just before 5.00am two shots were fired at an Armysentry in Hooker Street. The soldier was unhurt anddid not return fire.Shortly after midnight a 15 lb bomb badly damagedthe Colin Park social club, off the Springfield Road.On the Holywood Road a bomb exploded at an off-licence shortly after three men held up staff and took£50. In Derry and electricity transformer was dam-aged in an explosion in the Waterside. Troops whocarried out a search in a Cooks town quarry a havediscovered 150 rounds of assorted ammunition.

Saturday 13th November 1971Sniper attacks ArmyTroops cratering a border road near Clougher, CountyTyrone have been attacked. No one was injured inthe incident, which took place 4-5 miles south-eastof the town. Only one shot was fired.

Saturday 13th November 1971IRA: Why we won’t meet MPsA statement issued by the IRA in Dublin has statedthat the proposed meeting with British MPs was onthe understanding that the meeting would be in con-fidence but this confidence had been broken by oneof the MPs concerned and now there was no ques-tion of a meeting with the IRA.

It was their intention, said the IRA statement, topresent to the MPs the IRA’s five point peace planwhich involved the release of all political prisoners,the abolition of Stormont, a free election for regionalgovernment, the immediate cessation of violence byBritish forces and a guarantee of compensation forall who suffered as a result of direct or indirect Brit-ish violence.Both wings of Sinn Fein and the IRA have deniedcategorically that they would meet or have talks withBritish politicians, -Tory or Labour – until the end-ing of internment and the freeing of the internees.

Saturday 13th November 1971Rent strikeThe Governments counter measure against peoplerefusing to pay rent and rates as part of a civil diso-bedience campaign are not punitive. A statement justreleased by the Ministry of Health and Social Serv-ices denied that excessive amounts of money are be-ing deducted from benefit payments. It says where aperson does not receive an earnings related supple-ment the procedure is to deduct current rent plus acontribution to arrears. This is calculated as follows:householder, 50p; other adult 50p; each child 15p.The maximum deduction is £1.50 a week for arrears.Where someone received an earnings related supple-ment, the procedure involves a maximum arrearsdeduction of £3.50 a week.The statement points out that over 1,000 tenants haveso far withdrawn from the strike and over 2,000 oth-ers have asked that part of their Social Security ben-efit should be diverted to the housing authorities.However, 20,000 other strikers are still withholdingpayment.

Page 12 THE TROUBLES

TOP & BOTTOM - The premises ofW&G Baird, Union Street, which wasdestroyed in a bomb attack.

Saturday 13th November 1971Customs post blown upA customs post on the Derry-Donegal border has beenbadly damaged in an explosion. A bomb weighingbetween two and five pounds of gelignite was plantedjust after midnight at the rear of the post at Culmoreabout five miles from Derry. The post was unoccu-pied at the time. About one and a half hours later a 4lb bomb which had been placed at the front door wasdefused

Monday 15th November 1971Major arms hideout uncoveredTroops and the RUC have seized the biggest everhaul of IRA arms and ammunition and explosives ina raid on a county Antrim farmhouse. Security chiefsbelieve the cache, which includes 54 assorted armsand an anti-tank gun, is one of the IRA’s major armsdumps. RUC headquarters have revealed that thesearch party found: one anti-tank gun, one Thompsonsub-machine gun, one M1 American carbine, 19 ri-fles of assorted make, 28 shotguns and five pistolsand revolvers. The RUC are refusing to speculate ifthe farm at Martinstown is a “clearing house” forweapons which had been smuggled through the portson the County Antrim Coast, or if they were storedthere because of its isolated location.

Monday 15th November 1971Car rammed on Falls RoadTroops have seized a haul of gelignite after a car chasethrough the Falls Road. The chase began after amobile patrol spotted a man passing a long plasticcontainer out of a car to three men near the junctionof Leeson Street and Merrion Street. But the threemen, who were on foot, ran off. The car, pursued bya one ton armoured personnel carried was thenrammed. One man was arrested and 10 lb of gelig-nite on the back seat in two long containers.

Monday 15th November 1971Dutch sailor fined over hoax bombA Dutch seaman who said that the IRA had planted abomb on board his ship has been fined £5 at Belfastmagistrates Court. A member of the RUC told thecourt that he received a call at the RUC Communi-cations Centre saying: “I am in the IRA. I haveplanted a bomb on the Dutch coaster which is due togo off in 20 minutes time”. The call was traced toSinclair Wharf and Harbour police detained the sailorwhile he was still in the kiosk.

Monday 15th November 1971Shots fired during commemorationTwenty-five shots were fired while 2,000 people weretaking part in the second ceremony in a week at theEdentubber Celtic Cross memorial to five men whodied when a landmine exploded in a house on theFOR ALL AVAILABLE

PREVIOUS ISSUESSEE BACK COVER

THE TROUBLES Page 13

RIGHT - Bomb attack on North StreetArcade.

11th November 1957. Just across the border fromNewry the Provisional IRA leader, Mr. Joe Cahill,was addressing the meeting and a British Army heli-copter was flying close to the border during the cer-emony when the shots were fired half a mile away inthe Omeath-Flagstaff area. They are believed to havebeen aimed at the helicopter, which was not hit.

Tuesday 16th November 1971Nine escape from Belfast PrisonNine prisoners on remand on firearms and explosivescharges are on the run after making a daring breakfrom Crumlin Road jail, Belfast. And two hours af-ter the “Great Escape”, the Prime Minister, Mr.Faulkner ordered a full report on the circumstancessurrounding the breakout.The escape came as the prisoners played football onone of the jail’s recreational fields. After a signalseveral men, including some of the players in jer-seys and shorts, scrambled over the wall using tworope ladders. Some of the stragglers were caughtbut nine others men managed to get on to the walland leapt to freedom. Minutes after the break troopsfound some football jerseys in an empty house inClifton Park Avenue. They made their getaway intwo waiting cars. Later the security forces were ex-amining a hole cut in the perimeter fence at the rearof houses in Clifton Park Avenue.

Tuesday 16th November 1971Compton ReportThe Compton Commission, established to investi-gate allegations of brutality and torture of IRA sus-pects arrested on the 9th August has had its findingpublished. In an introduction to the report the HomeSecretary Mr. Reginald Maudling has rejected anysuggestions that the methods of interrogation author-ised for interrogation contained any element ofcruelty or brutality. The report finds that there wasno brutality but that there was some ill-treatment.

Tuesday 16th November 1971Bomb at car showroomTwo gunmen have planted a bomb in the Belfast citycentre car showroom of Isaac Agnew. Two men car-rying what appeared to be a machine gun and planteda bomb on the ground floor staff were given 10 min-utes to clear the Grosvenor Road building howeverthe bomb failed to go off.

Tuesday 16th November 1971Building site intimidationWork has started again at the Glencairn site in Bel-fast but ten Catholic workers who were warned offthe site on Monday have not returned. Site contrac-tors, George Wimpy and sons closed down the 500-house project for Belfast City Council for one daydue to the on-going intimidation. This is the fourthtime in two months that Catholics have been intimi-dated off the site.

Tuesday 16th November 1971Wilson will not meet with IRAMr. Harold Wilson, Leader of the Opposition at West-minster, has firmly rejected any suggestion that dur-ing his visit to Ireland he should meet the IRA. TheLabour leader told reporters: “I cannot for one minuteconsider talks with those who want to destroy anypart of the United Kingdom by violence.”

Wednesday 17th November 1971Boy shot in DerryA 13-year-old boy from Rinmore Drive in theCreggan estate was shot while troops were remov-ing a barricade in the Lone Moor Road area of Derry.The Boy is in Altnagelvin hospital where he is seri-ously ill. An Army spokesman said a gunman armedwith a Thompson sub-machine gun fired 10-15rounds towards the troops and some rounds have hitone or more people in a crowd.

Wednesday 17th November 1971Description of the missing nineThe RUC have issued descriptions of the nine menwho escaped. They were all on remand on arms andexplosives charges and were wearing green footballgear when they got away. The men on the run are:

James Storey (18), fresh complexion, brownhair, brown eyes, 5ft 8ins.Thomas J. Maguire (28), fresh complexion,brown hair, blue eyes, 5ft 4ins.Terence Clarke (24), fresh complexion,ginger hair, blue eyes, 5ft 10ins.Peter Gerard Hennessy (21), freshcomplexion, dark brown hair, blue eyes, 5ft8ins, scar on right wrist.Bernard Elliman (26), fresh complexion,long greying hair, brown eyes, 5ft 3ins, scarbelow bottom lipThomas Gerard Fox (31), fresh complexion,dark brown hair, blue eyes, 5ft 7ins, scar onright forearm.Christopher Keenan (21), fresh complexion,brown hair, green eyes, 5ft 6ins, scar on leftindex finger.

Thomas Kane (23), fresh complexion, darkbrown hair, green-grey eyes, 5ft 7ins,moustache and appendix scarDaniel A. Mullan (17), fresh complexion,brown hair, blue eyes, 5ft 3in, scar on rightelbow.

Wednesday 17th November 1971Two-hour border attackTroops and police on the Fermanagh-Donegal bor-der have come under sporadic fire from gunmen inthe South for two hours. Fifteen shots were fired bytwo gunmen from the southern side of the border attroops near Belleek. The soldiers returned fire but itis believed no one was hit. Another party of troopscame under fire from gunmen operating from thesouth during a road spiking operation at DourderdBridge, near Garrison, about six miles away. Fifteen

Page 14 THE TROUBLES

TOP - Porters Furniture Store in WaringStreet after being destroyed in a bomb at-tack.BOTTOM - Bomb blast at the SpringfieldRoad Filling Station.

shots were also fired at them in the initial attack andthe soldiers fired back. Over the next two hours thesoldiers and RUC personnel who arrived at the scenewere occasionally fired upon by the gunmen. AnArmy spokesman said a mechanical digger engagedin making the road impassable was fired on everytime it began working. The gunmen eventuallystopped firing and the area was reported quiet shortlyafter mid-day.

Wednesday 17th November 1971Bomb expert escapes death by secondsA member of an Army bomb disposal team misseddeath by seconds when a bomb, glued to the counterof a Belfast city centre furniture store exploded atlunchtime. A sergeant in the team had fixed a fuse tothe 20 lb bomb to blow the lid off the plywood con-tainer, seconds before it exploded wrecking Porter’sstore in Waring Street and smashing hundreds of win-dows in nearby shops and offices. The drama startedjust after 2.00pm when two young men walked intothe offices carrying a Lugar pistol and the bomb.They then proceeded to glue the bomb to the coun-ter. As they left the building they said that the bombwould go off in half an hour and warned the staff notto move for five minutes.

Wednesday 17th November 1971Soldiers ambushed on Falls RoadTwo soldiers, who were shot by a lone gunman in anambush in the Falls area of Belfast, are said to besatisfactory in hospital. Both men, an officer and aGuardsman were wounded when gunmen opened fireon an army mobile patrol near the junction of theFalls Road and Hugo Street. The gunman fired aboutsix shots from an M1 American carbine at the LandRover carrying men of the 1st battalion, The ScotsGuards. He is thought to have hidden in the shad-ows near the Whiterock Road-Falls Road junction.

Wednesday 17th November 1971Army alleges IRA tortureA man is under guard at a military hospital after be-ing allegedly tortured by the IRA for giving infor-mation to the security forces. Armed troops havemounted a vigil by the man’s bedside at the MusgravePark hospital where he is being treated for sever burnssaid to have been meted out at an IRA court. Theman’s name has not been released but it is knownthat he is from the Markets area, that he was a mem-ber of the IRA and that the attack occurred a withinthe last few days.

Wednesday 17th November 1971Bomb explodes on lorryA gelignite bomb exploded in a lorry being used as abarricade in Lone Moor Road, Derry. There are noreports of any injuries. The explosion occurred asMr. Harold Wilson, leader of the Opposition was at-tending a meeting at the Guildhall.

Wednesday 17th November 1971Arms find in BogsideIn one of two search and arrest operations in Derrytroops found 54 lbs of gelignite, a Colt .45 pistol andfive rounds of .45 ammunition in a house in theBrandywell area of Derry. In the first operation 100men of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Green Jacketsmet with minor reaction from the local people. Oneman was arrested. Later three shots were fired by agunman as 200 men of the 1st Battalion, theColdstream Guards were searching two houses in theCreggan estate. The soldiers, who also removed somebarricades in the area, used CS gas and rubber bul-lets against youths in the area. An Army spokesmanhas said that he had no report of any find or arrestsduring the operation.A soldier is in Altnagelvin Hospital after being hitby a pistol shot while on patrol on the Lone MoorRoad. The soldier from the Coldstream Guards wasin a vehicle and was hit in the leg by one of threeshots. It is believed that his injuries are not serious.A bomb has been thrown into Brooke Park Army postin Derry but it exploded harmlessly. Two explosionsheard within minutes of each other were caused bygelignite bombs exploding on open ground near theBligh’s Lane Army post. There was no damage andno one was injured.

Thursday 18th November 1971Faulkner praises vigilantesThe Prime Minister Mr. Brian Faulkner has praisedvigilantes for the assistance they were giving to thesecurity forces on the streets but he repeated his ap-peal to all those wished to help the community tovolunteer either for the UDR or police reserve. Hewas asked at Stormont by Ian Paisley, DUP, Bannside,

“at this late stage” to praise the vigilantes who werecarrying out the effective task of keeping bombers incars from areas of Belfast. The Prime Ministerpointed out that in conversations with these peopleon the streets and at Stormont he had always toldthem that they had to be very certain that everythingthey did was in full support of the police and theArmy.

Thursday 18th November 1971Clash in Stormont over money for rallyThere was a clash at Stormont over money providedfor the Rally for Peace and Petition for Sanity organ-ised in the Six Counties. It followed question by Mr.Paisley, DUP, Bannside, who had asked the Com-munity Relations Minister Mr. Basil McIvor, whatmoney was paid to Mr. Brian Walker, of the NewUlster Movement for the Rally for Peace and Peti-tion for Sanity. Mr. McIvor pointed out that no moneyhad been paid by his department to Mr. Walker ineither instance. However the Community RelationsCommission had agreed with the approval of his Min-istry, to spend £400 towards the cost of the petitionand his Ministry had agreed to pay a grant of notexceeding £800 towards the cost of the rally, saidMr. McIvor. The Minister stress that Mr. Walker hadnot been acting as a Member of the New Ulster Move-ment. Neither was the rally nor the petition politicalor quasi-political.Mr. Paisley claimed that Mr. Walker, in an interviewon the BBC’s ‘World at One’ programme had saidthat the petition and rally were, with the aim of stir-ring up moderate political opinion in the province.This did not tally, said Mr. Paisley, with what theMinister had told them and he claimed that the tax-payer was being asked to pay towards the promotionof political aims.

Thursday 18th November 1971Plane is searchedSpecial Branch officers have boarded a DC7 planefrom the continent at Dublin Airport after a tip-offthat a plane carrying a consignment of arms was aboutto land. Nothing was found.

Thursday 18th November 1971Bombs in StrabaneWithin the space of twenty minutes three explosionshave rocked Strabane. The first bomb planted at theCounty Buildings at Barracks Street only 100 yardsfrom the RUC barracks causing extensive damage.The building houses the welfare offices and the re-mains of the library which was badly damaged byfire during rioting on the 9th August.Fifteen minutes later, gunmen struck at the Ulsterbusdepot at Railway Road, where offices, six buses andtwo private cars were destroyed. Four raiders, twoarmed with Thompson sub-machine guns held up a46-year-old bus driver at gunpoint while he openedthe door of the depot. Petrol was sprinkles and abomb planted. Minutes later the bomb exploded rip-ping the roof off the large building. Five single-deckers, one double decker, and two cars were gut-ted in the fire which broke out. Shortly afterwards

THE TROUBLES Page 15

RIGHT - Walls in the Lower Falls areawhich have been painted white by IRAsympathisers to make it easier to pick outpatrolling British soldiers

extensive damage was caused to R. J. Fleming’s fill-ing station at Bridge Street by the third bomb. Noone was hurt.

Thursday 18th November 1971Sniper attacks in BelfastTroops have come under fire from gunmen in Bel-fast on three occasions during the night. Soldiersfired back when three shots were fired at a mobileScots Guards patrol on the Springfield Road. Noone was injured. Two shots were fired at an armouredpersonnel carrier at Commeadagh Drive,Andersonstown but fire was not returned. Troopsdid return fire when one shot was fired at them nearthe junction of Cavendish Street and Falls Road.

Thursday 18th November 1971Troops attempt to flush out sniperIn Derry soldiers in an observation post at Bligh’sLane fired at a gunman but it is not believed he washit. The sniper fired from behind a hedge atBeechwood Avenue overlooking the post. Earliertroops mounted a small operation to flush out a sniperwho fired three shots at the Army post at Foyle Roadbut he escaped. In Dungannon the Castle cinema inMarket Street has been badly damaged by fire. TheRUC are investigating the matter.

Thursday 18th November 1971‘Provo’ teacher refused leaveThe Department of Education in Dublin has beenrefused leave of absence from his teaching post toMr. David O’Connell the Provisional IRA man whowas recently sought by Dutch police in connectionwith an Arms shipment seized at Schipol Airport.Donegal Vocational Education Committee has writ-ten to him asking him to resume his teaching posi-tion. A meeting of the committee has been told thata circular from the Department stated that the onlypolitical activity for which a teacher could be grantedleave of absence was to take part in an election for aParliamentary seat.

Thursday 18th November 197129 people held in a night of raidsAnother 29 men were detained by troops in a seriesof raids in Belfast during the night but 15 have beenreleased. The remaining 14 are being questioned bythe RUC.

Friday 19th November 1971Troops search MonasteryA Monastery at Portglenone, County Antrim, hasbeing search by armed troops and police today fol-lowing the recapture of two of the nine men who es-caped from Crumlin Road jail. The Monastery, thevillage and the surrounding countryside was cordonedoff by the Army before the searchers moved in atfirst light.The two escapers, dressed as priests were caughtwhen their car, which was also carrying a monk anda lay brother, was stopped in the Omagh area by RUCmen acting on information received. It has also beenlearned that two other escapers have been smuggled

over the border about the same time and as part ofthe same operation. All this was happening as theProvisional wing of the IRA said that the other sevenprisoners on the run since the jailbreak were now inhiding in various parts of the South and would beappearing in a press conference.Men of 45 Royal Marine Commando moved fromBelfast into Portglenone and allowed no one to enteror leave Our Lady of Bethlehem Monastery, whichis just outside the village. At first light, with snowfalling they started the search along with RUC men.A heavily wooded area around the monastery wascombed as well. The Cistercians, monks and priestswho occupy the monastery, are a silent order and runwhat is considered to be one of the best mixed farmsin Ulster.There was intense police and Army activity through-out the North following the recapture of the two pris-oners. The two men, disguised as priests, wereChristopher Keenan, aged 21 and 17-year-old Dan-iel Mullan. Immediately after the four in the car werearrested, other swoops took place and two other men,not escapers, were held.

Friday 19th November 1971Firebombs explode in kitchenArmed men entered a kitchen at a Belfast city centrerestaurant at lunchtime, placed an incendiary deviceand told staff to get out. But before the gunmen couldleave the Abercorn Restaurant in Castle Lane, thedevice exploded setting fire to the kitchen and slightlyinjured one of the staff. The gunmen then left throughthe back door and made their escape in a waiting car.Fire appliances rushed to the scene but discoveredwhen they arrived that staff had managed to containthe fire.

Friday 19th November 1971Garda car riddled in gun battleA Garda patrol car was sprayed with bullets during a15-minute gun-battle between British troops and theIRA. Snipers opened fire from the South after a Brit-ish Army scout car patrol spotted a crowd about tofill in a crater on the unapproved Clontibret-Keadyroad. The soldiers returned fire and used the Brown-ing machine-guns mounted on the scout car’s tur-rets, as well as sub-machine guns. Gardai and anIrish Army patrol were quickly on the scene and be-gan searching the area. As a Garda stepped from hiscar it was sprayed by gunfire which shattered thevehicle’s windscreen. No one was injured but peo-ple at the scene said that the bullets which struck thecar came from the North. An Army spokesman inLisburn said that the incident started when four scoutcars were ambushed while on a routine patrol. Hesaid that four to six men opened fire with sub-ma-chine guns, rifles and pistols from the southern sideof the border at the commanders of two of the scout

cars who were dismounted at the time. There wereno Army casualties but the soldiers said they believethey shot one, possible two gunmen.

Friday 19th November 1971Soldier killed in Short StrandThe shooting of a British soldier in Belfast yesterdaybrought the number of troops killed in the presentdisturbances to 37, more than the number killed dur-ing the Aden emergency. The soldier and a comradewho was injured were due to return home in two dayswhen their regiment of the Black Watch completetheir present tour of duty. The soldier who died, L.-Cpl Edwin Charnley, was shot at close range. Hewas aged 22. The wounded man is said to be com-fortable in the Royal Victoria Hospital. Three shotswere fired in quick succession by the gunman whoopened up from Anderson Street beside the ShortStrand bus depot where the two had been on guardduty. One man was hit in the neck and the other thechest. The area was sealed off but a house-to-housesearch failed to reveal the gunman. An Army spokes-man said that the gunman fired from an upstairswindow only 15 feet from where the soldiers werestanding.At the Midland Hotel in Belfast four men left a largebox on the reception counter containing 40 lb of gel-ignite. Bomb disposal experts waited to see if it hadbeen fitted with a timing device that would set it offwithin minutes. After a time they moved in andstarted a three hour battle to defuse the bomb.In Fermanagh a branch library and Lisnaskea dis-trict council offices were destroyed by the fire whichfollowed an explosion. The two-storey building,erected in 1840 also served as a technical school.

Friday 19th November 1971Official IRA deny tortureThe Official IRA has denied a report that it was re-sponsible for the red-hot poker torture of a 17-year-old youth from the Markets area of Belfast. In anunsigned typed statement purporting to come fromthe 1st Battalion of the Belfast Brigade of the IRA, itdescribed the report as a “scandalous lie, a red her-

Page 16 THE TROUBLES

TOP - Shop in Lower Lodge Terrace inthe Oldpark area where two policemenwere shot dead.MIDDLE & BOTTOM - WoodbourneHouse Hotel, Suffolk, after a bomb attack.

ring, designed to cover up the proven torture of theSpecial Branch and the British Army”. The state-ment said that the young man who received “this sa-distic torture” had nothing to fear from the OfficialIRA.

Friday 19th November 1971Arms find in Shorts StrandTroops searching the Short Strand area following thekilling of a Scottish soldier have discovered a clay-more mine, four petrol bombs and two rounds ofammunition. Also uncovered was a walkie-talkieradio set.

Saturday 20th November 1971Man shot during gun battleA Belfast man had a narrow escape when gunmenattacked an Army post at the peace line. One of thebullets fired at the post at Percy Street, which is situ-ated between the Falls and Shankill roads grazed theman on the forehead. None of the men of ‘B’ Com-pany of the 3rd Battalion, the Queens Regiment, whoare based at the post were injured. The attack on thepost began shortly after 3.00am and about seven shotswere fired by the gunmen.

Saturday 20th November 1971Jail break – fifth man chargedA fifth man has appeared in court in relation to therecent escape from Crumlin Road jail. The 28-year-old man from Toombridge is charged with assistingthe recaptured escapers and other persons unknown.He has been released on bail.

Saturday 20th November 19711,000 arrested since start of internmentMore than 1,000 people have been arrested in theNorth since internment was introduced in August. Ofthe 1,103 men who were arrested 538 were released.A further 57 were released after detention orders hadbeen made against them. These figures mean thatabout 500 people are being held under various sec-tions of the Special Powers Act.

Saturday 20th November 1971Army calls off search at abbeyThe search of the Portglenone monastery of theCistercian monks has been called off after a secondsmaller search operation was carried out. Some ra-dio equipment has been found but it is not knownwhether it was legally or illegally held. 45 Cistercianmonks who are sworn to a vow of silence live at themonastery where anyone is guaranteed shelter andhospitality.

Saturday 20th November 1971Arms found in Convent groundsTroops have found a quantity of arms and ammuni-tion in the grounds of a convent at Armagh. TheArms were discovered after soldiers had been called

to examine an abandoned car which was thought tohave been used in a robbery. As the car was beingexamined for booby traps a soldier casually look overthe wall of Sacred Heart Convent, Windmill Hill andnoticed a ground sheet covering a pit. Under the sheethe found a single barrelled shotgun, two .22 rifles, asilencer for a .22, a telescopic sight and 200 roundsof ammunition.

Saturday 20th November 197123 people arrested over nightTroops detained another 23 people in Belfast duringthe night. The arrests were not confined to one par-ticular area but involved raids on homes in variousparts of the city. Those detained were handed overto the RUC for questioning. Some of them are onthe Army’s wanted list.

Saturday 20th November 1971Special Branch keep watch on shipSpecial Branch detectives were keeping a close watchon a Dutch ship which arrived in Dublin with a con-signment of arms. They started their all night vigilafter it became known that the ship had two cases ofrifles in the hold. Shortly after the vessel docked atthe North Wall it was established that the arms werefor a licensed importer.

Saturday 20th November 1971Boy charged with membership of Fianna EireannA 16-year-old boy who was alleged to have told theRUC that he was a member of Fianna Eireann hasbeen remanded in custody until the 26th Novemberon a charge of causing an explosion. He has appearedin a special court in Lisburn where an RUC inspec-tor objected to bail on the grounds that the boy fireda .22 rifle at the military on two occasions at OliverPlunkett School on the Glen Road, Belfast.

Monday 22nd November 1971Gunmen wounded in robberyA 60-year-old man shot and wounded two armed menas they made their getaway after robbing a Ferman-agh post office. The man, the father of the postmas-ter, managed to slip away from the raiders and thentriggered the alarm. As the raider ran from the postoffice he waited at the window of his upstairs roomat Tullyhammon Post Office, armed with a shotgun.As they emerged from the building to a waiting carhe fired both barrels of his shotgun.

Monday 22nd November 1971Still no trace of seven escapeesThe press conference at which the seven remainingescapees were to appear has been cancelled for thesecond time and a spokesman for the Provisional IRAsaid at heir headquarters in Dublin that he didn’t knowwhat side of the border they were on.

THE TROUBLES Page 17

Monday 22nd November 1971Arms find by Dublin policeArmed police in Dublin have found a small quantityof shotguns and pistols in a pre-dawn swoop in a quietnorth city suburb. A 12–man force sealed offClonshaugh about five miles from the centre of thecity. About four houses were surrounded and anumber men were questioned. The captured weap-ons have been sent to Dublin Castle for ballisticchecks.

Monday 22nd November 1971Man freed in errorAs two bombers were jailed for a total of 18 years atBelfast City Commission, it has been learned that athird person charged with them had been releasedfrom prison by mistake. The man, from HenriettaStreet in the Markets area of Belfast was releasedfrom prison after serving a two-month sentence foranother offence.

Monday 22nd November 1971Goulding: “Provos will be defeated”Leaders of the Provisionl IRA are said to be extremelyangry over a statement by the leader of the OfficialIRA Mr. Cathal Goulding, predicting that its cam-paign is doomed to failure. His statement containedin an interview in the Sunday Telegraph is beingclosely studied by the Provisional leadership who willreply later. Mr. Goulding has also said in Dublinthat he was “not a bit worried” about the reactions ofthe Provisionals and he stood over his forecast fortheir defeat. He said “The physical force phase wasdeveloped prematurely by the Provisionals. No revo-lution can succeed if two thirds of the people areagainst it. It is inevitable that both of us will fail –the Provisionals who brought it on prematurely andwe who were forced into it knowing that it was pre-mature.” He predicted that the “physical force phasewill pass without any political gains.” The inevita-ble failure of the physical force campaign was not aquestion of men or arms he said: “If we armed everyNationalist in the North we would only have one thirdof the population and if the Protestants backed Brit-ish Imperialism we could not win.” “All experienceshows that no guerrilla force can survive when two-thirds of the population are actively helping the se-curity forces.”

Monday 22nd November 1971Fires damage Newry storesFires believed to have been caused maliciouslycaused extensive damage in two Newry stores. Thefirst was at Newry Bonding Stores at Canal Quayand damage is estimated to be £5,000 as fire sweptthrough the packing department. Firemen managedto stop the flames reaching large stocks of whiskeyand other spirits in an adjoining building.Shortly before midnight flats close to Creels furni-ture store in Canal Street were evacuated when a firewas started in a shed at the rear. The premises ofFegan Brothers, a hardware firm, behind Creel’s storesuffered considerable water damage.

Monday 22nd November 1971Student beaten and stabbed by ArmyA Queen’s University student from Manchester whohas alleged that he was stabbed and hit with a batonby soldiers on Saturday night is said to be “satisfac-tory” in hospital. The 20-year-old man, whose fam-ily lives at Collyhurst is editor of the University’sstudent newspaper “Gown”.He has alleged that he was attacked by three soldiersfrom a Land Rover patrol in the Mountpottinger areaat 10.30pm on Saturday night. Said the man “I wasstruck on the head from behind with a baton and thewound just at the left ear had to be stitched later. Iwas beaten from behind with a baton by another sol-dier and I was dazed and do not remember muchabout it except I was beaten. I felt a sharp jab in myright side and took it for another blow. A spokesmanat Army headquarters in Lisburn has said that theyunderstood a complaint had been made through theproper channels and that they would not be issuingany statement.

Monday 22nd November 1971Army raids in the Sperrins - 14 heldFourteen men have been detained as troops and po-lice swept through open country near the SperrinMountains in a new search operation. Outlyinghouses in the Kilrea area of County Derry wereraided. During the search more than 50 lb of gelig-nite, 51 detonators and 21 shotgun cartridges andseveral switch mechanisms were found. All four-teen men detained were later handed over to the RUCfor questioning.

Monday 22nd November 1971Body is flown homeThe body of 22-year-old Lance Corporal EdwinCharnley killed by a sniper at the Short Strand busdepot in Belfast on Thursday has been flown home.There will be a full military funeral at his home townof Preston, on Wednesday.

Monday 22nd November 1971Patrol escapes mine attackSoldiers on border patrol have narrowly escapeddeath when a huge mine was detonated between theirvehicles. But only one soldier was slightly injuredas the second vehicle caught the full force of the bombon the Forkhill-Newry road. The leading vehicle hadjust passed the mine when it was detonated from 60yards away. The explosion blew a thirty-foot craterin the middle of the road and caused extensive dam-age to the one-ton armoured personnel carrier whichhad been following the Land Rover. As soldiers –men of the 27th Medium Regiment, Royal Artilleryclimbed out of their vehicles two shots were fired atthem. None of the soldiers were injured.Earlier in the day a 50 lb Claymore type mine wasfound near Forkhill by soldiers before it exploded.It had been planted on the road between Shean andCarrive and the troops found wires leading from it totwo points in the South. At Belleek, 11 sticks of gel-ignite were found on a concrete block on the borderroad. It appears that someone unsuccessfully tried

several times to blow up the obstacles before theyfinally left the scene.In Strabane a petrol station was damaged by a bombattack. The station, owned by A. Graham and Co. atLifford Road was attacked shortly after 10.00pm onSunday night.

Tuesday 23rd November 1971IRA men held in dawn raidsTwenty-four men, including some middle rank IRAsuspects have been detained and arms and ammuni-tion seized when troops swooped on more than 30houses in Belfast. Two brand new American M1carbines, six pistols and a quantity of ammunitionwere found by the troops who raided homes in theBallymurphy and Whiterock areas.Two more guns were found by troops after other in-cidents at Andersonstown and three men are beingquestioned about the discovery of Claymore bombsin a car at Coalisland.

Tuesday 23rd November 1971Soldier shot by sniperA soldier has been shot by a sniper in the Lower Fallsarea of Belfast. The soldier, a member of the ScotsGuards, was hit in the left side and was rushed to theRoyal Victoria Hospital for an emergency operation.He was just entering the command post of the battal-ion at North Howard Street mill when the gunmanfired a single shot from a hidden position. It is be-lieved the gunman lay in wait in a derelict buildingat Colin Street, between the Falls Road and RossStreet. The soldier’s immediate condition is unknownbut it is thought he may have been seriously injured.

Tuesday 23rd November 1971Blast killed bomber - theoryDetectives are still trying to identify a man who wasblown up when a bomb wrecked a Lurgan bar. TheRUC are working on the theory that the dead manwas one of two people who planted the bomb at theCellar Lounge at Church Place. A tattered coat foundamong the debris had a gun, believed to be a Lugarpistol, in one of the pockets. One man still in hospi-tal after the explosion is said to be seriously ill.

Tuesday 23rd November 1971Donegal girl seriously illThe 24-year-old Donegal waitress, Miss Bridget Carr,who was shot in the head during a gun battle on theStrabane-Lifford border on Friday between troops andgunmen operating on the Donegal side of the borderis very seriously ill in Altnagelvin Hospital.

Tuesday 23rd November 1971Sniper fires single shotA single shot has been fired at a foot patrol of theScots Guards opposite Waterford Street in the Falls,but troops did not return fire because of the risk ofhitting passers-by. The gunman is thought to havebeen hit when soldiers fired at a man on a roof atVenice Street in the same area. Later, soldiers firedat another man seen with a revolver at RossnareenAvenue in the Andersonstown area. In Ardoyne

Page 18 THE TROUBLES

TOP - Flames leaping from the MelvilleHotel in Derry.MIDDLE 1 - Bomb attack on the ChesterPark Hotel, Antrim Road.MIDDLE 2 - Burnt out buses in theStrabane Depot after an IRA attack.BOTTOM - Troops remove the reaminsof a bomb which was left at a store inCollege Square North.

troops came under fire at Elmfield Street when agunman attacked a foot patrol. Fire was not returned.

Tuesday 23rd November 1971Woman denies her brother was tortured by theIRAA Belfast woman has denied that her 19-year-oldbrother was tortured by the IRA. She says she can-not understand why he has not been in touch with hisfamily since he left for England, according to the

Army, of his own free will. The man is said to havetold security forces that he had been tortured with ared hot poker

Wednesday 24th November 1971Dead man was IRA memberThe man who died in a pub blast at Lurgan on Mon-day night has been described in death notices in amorning newspaper as a 1st Lieutenant in the IRA,he has been named as Michael Joseph Crossey, a 21-year-old drapers assistant, of Derrymaccash, Lurgan.One death notice describes as a 1st Lieutenant andAdjutant of the Lurgan Company of the IRA.

Wednesday 24th November 1971Man killed in bomb attackA man has been admitted to a hospital in Dundalksuffering from gunshot wounds. There has been noexplanation as to how he came by his injuries, butthe possibility that the patient has some connectionwith a shooting incident in Turf Lodge, and the spot-ting of an ambulance on the border, has not been ruledout. Five shots, not directed at troops were heard inMoyard Park, minutes later an ambulance was seenleaving the area but the Hospitals Authority has saidthat that the ambulance was not one of theirs.

Wednesday 24th November 1971Soldier hit by peace-line sniperA soldier has been shot and seriously wounded whena sniper opened fire from a bedroom window at thepeace-line in Belfast. About an hour later, troopsagain came under fire at the peace-line, only a shortdistance away. The soldier was hit by a bullet whichpassed through his body as he manned a vehiclecheckpoint at Cupar Street. The sniper, hiding in arear bedroom of an unoccupied house at BombayStreet on the Falls side of the peace-line, fired threeshots. Fire was not returned. Then a burst of auto-matic fire, at least five shots, was aimed at troops ata barrier nearby, but no one was hit. The soldier, amember of the 1st Battalion of the Scots Guards wasrushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital where he isdescribed as satisfactoryEarlier a foot patrol from the same battalion cameunder fire from a sniper at the junction of Falls Roadand Iveagh Street but no soldiers were hit in the at-tack.

Wednesday 24th November 1971Saor Eire in recruitment driveEvidence has come to light recently that members ofthe two established factions of the IRA, annoyed with

the pace of events in the North, have gone over to,and joined a new unit. It is believed that plans toform a new “ultra terror unit” have been laid by mem-bers of Saor Eire, a Republican Maoist organisationwhich was outlawed in the thirties, and they are hop-ing to recruit dissidents from the Provisional andOfficial wings of the IRA in order to escalate vio-lence.Over the last few years soar Eire has had at mostonly about 50 members in its entire organisation inIreland. They have been responsible for some PostOffice and bank raids and this is seen as an attemptto spring back into the arena of “gun politics”. The security forces believe that many IRA men areworried about recent statements made by the “topbrass” in both camps. Cathal Goulding, the leaderof the Official IRA, has already admitted that thepresent campaign was “doomed to failure”, and in aspeech by one of the leaders of the Provisionals, Mr.David O’Connell, it was said that a “political solu-tion must come about eventually.” This, say the se-curity forces, is causing confusion within the ranksof both organisations.

Wednesday 24th November 1971English business men assaulted by ArmyTwo English business executives have claimed thatthey were wrongly detained at Palace barracks andthat one of them was punched in the face by a soldierafter shots were fired at their car. Both men are giv-ing their versions to their MP’s to investigate. Aspokesman for the Army said they cannot commenton the incident because to the on-going investiga-tion but a police statement may be issued later.

Wednesday 24th November 197117 held in Belfast raidsSeventeen men have been detained for questioningafter troops raided homes in three areas of Belfast.Thirteen men were held when 400 men of the 2nd

battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers carriedout a three hour “screening” operation in the NewLodge Road area. The Army stressed that it was nota full scale search, but the identities of men over theage of 17 from the Artillery flats were checked.According to an Army spokesman, two IRA suspectswho had been sought for some time were among thosedetained.

Wednesday 24th November 1971Canon meets IRAAt a secret rendezvous a retired church of Irelandrector pleaded with the Official IRA to end its cam-paign of violence. After the meeting Canon HenryLamb (81) of Lisnadill, Armagh said: “Being totallyopposed to violence I besought the IRA to take nosuch action.” Canon Lamb, a pacifist for 35 yearswas collected from his home and taken to a secretmeeting location where he met two “high ranking”officers of the Official IRA and two members of Ar-magh’s Pearse Republican Club. The talks lasted forabout an hour and then the Canon was taken back tohis home.

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TOP - The wall at Crumlin Road Prison,over which nine IRA men escaped.BOTTOM - The yard from which then menescaped.

Wednesday 24th November 1971Death of shot womanMiss Bridget Carr, the 24-year-old Donegal waitresswho was shot by gunmen when they fired on troopsat Strabane on Friday died has died in hospital inDerry. Miss Carr, whose home was at Kindrum,Fanad, worked in the Inter-County Hotel at Liffordand had been going to the shops when she was hit.She was rushed to Altnagelvin Hospital but she neverregained consciousness.

Wednesday 24th November 1971Plea by loyalistsBangor Loyalist Association has written to Mr. Heathstating that if the SDLP are not prepared to acceptthe democratically elected Stormont Government, theBritish Government should deport “Irish foreigners”out of Britain; introduce identity cards and enforcesanctions against the Irish Republic.The association says the way to solve the Ulster situ-ation and avoid the civil war of a Protestant back-lash, is to be firm with Republicans and not appeasethem.

Wednesday 24th November 1971M2 Motorway attackTwo large earth moving machines on the site of theM2 motorway at Artresnahan, near Randalstown havebeen badly damaged by fire after bomb explosions.The machines were owned by the Dromore firm ofJohn Graham. Another bomb believed to be between15 and 20 lb, partially damaged the customs clearingpost at Newtownbutler. A garage and car showroomsin Belfast was damaged in a bomb attack. The ga-rage of Mervyn Stewart Ltd on the Lisburn Road wasdamaged when two gunmen placed a bomb under acar. No one was injured. In Derry, 15 shots werefired by gunmen at a helicopter but no one was in-jured.

Wednesday 24th November 1971Dismantle internment policy say AllianceAn Alliance Party leader has said that the internmentpolicy must be dismantled – not simply by openingthe gates of Long Kesh but by putting on trial intern-ees who have committed any known crime. Mr.Oliver Napier, joint chairman of the party’s politicalcommittee, told North Antrim alliance in Portrush:“I do not believe that it would be impossible to de-vise a proper and fair trial for every man held in in-ternment against whom there was any evidence, ifthe government wished to try them.”

He challenged the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General to establish that any judge or magistrate orany police or military witness would be defected fromhis duty by intimidation. “Juries are convicting al-leged members of the IRA day in and day out.”

Wednesday 24th November 1971Paisleyism is a negative force says PMPaisleyism was attacked by the Prime Minister, Mr.Faulkner, as “a negative force, concerned to pulldown, rather than to build up”. Mr. Faulkner accusedits leaders of being anxious to exploit every situationto their own advantage regardless of the interests ofNorthern Ireland: “Every week brings some new stuntto keep in the news”. He also said that there is agrowing awareness among ordinary party membersthat the “rumbling remnant” is not only an embar-rassment but also a political liability to the party.

Wednesday 24th November 1971Extra security at Belfast PrisonExtra security measures have been introduced atBelfast Prison following the escape of nine prison-ers during a football match. Mr. Faulkner, who said,for security reasons, he could not disclose what thenew security measures were, stressed that the escapewas only made possible due to the amount of outsideassistance received.

Thursday 25th November 1971Gunman thought to have been shotOne of two gunmen who fired on troops at lunch-time in Belfast is believed to have been woundedwhen soldiers returned fire. A foot patrol of the 1st

Battalion, The Scots Guards was moving alongBroadway when two gunmen opened fire. One armedwith a Thompson sub-machine gun fired 10 shots andthe other using an Armalite rifle fired twice. Thesoldiers fired back and one of the gunmen is believedto have been hit but he disappeared.In Ardoyne, five shots in a burst of automatic firewas directed at soldiers in the bus depot, but no onewas injured.

Thursday 25th November 1971Man on bomb chargeA 20-year-old motor mechanic appeared at BelfastMagistrates Court charged with causing an explo-sion at the RAOB Club in Glenmore Street on 4th

September. The man, who refused to recognise thecourt, was remanded in custody until 30th Novem-ber.

Thursday 25th November 1971Arms found by troopsTroops have uncovered more stocks of IRA explo-sives and ammunition. In Farringdon Gardens theydiscovered 12 sticks of gelignite, 15 bomb cases withprimers and detonators and 127 rounds of ammuni-tion. Shortly after this find they discovered 5 sticksof gelignite, some loose gelignite and some bombmaking equipment in a house at Cranbrook Gardensin Ardoyne.

Thursday 25th November 1971Bomb at tobacco warehouseArmy experts have defused a bomb planted in a Bel-fast wholesale tobacco warehouse by four armed men.But a second bomb, which is believed to have beenbrought into the premises of Prestige Sales at

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Alliance Avenue was not found during the search andit is thought to have been taken away by the bomb-ers. Three of the raiders carried pistols and the fourtha Thompson sub-machine gun. All of them woremasks.

Thursday 25th November 1971Escapers give press conferenceSix of the men who escaped from Crumlin RoadPrison on 16th November have appeared in a pressconference at the headquarters of Sinn Fein in KevinStreet. Also present at the conference were Mr. RoryBrady, President of Sinn Fein and Mr DavidO’Connell, the IRA man who is said to have beeninvolved in the abortive attempt to import arms fromthe Continent. Mr O’ Connell said that the press menhad been invited on the condition that photographswould not be taken of five of the escapers. A sixthescaper, Mr. Bernard Elliman, would be prepared tobe photograph and to be interviewed on television.

Thursday 25th November 1971Bomb expert killedAn Army bomb disposal expert was killed and twoother soldiers injured when a bomb exploded in aLurgan car showroom. He died when a wall col-lapsed on him after a 30 lb, planted by two gunmen,exploded in Fisher’s showroom at William Street. Hehas been named as Warrant Officer Colin J. Davies,aged 38 from Glamorgan. He was serving with theRoyal Army Ordnance Corps.

Two youths planted the bomb shortly before 7.00pmand told the staff that they had 10 minutes to get out.Warrant Officer Davies was called to the scene andentered the building. But according to the RUC hecould not locate the bomb and left the building. Hethen went back into the building for the second timewith another soldier but the bomb suddenly explodeburying him in the rubble. The soldier with him wasbadly cut. As other soldier came to the rescue a gascylinder exploded injuring the third man.

In Belfast a bomb badly damaged the motor engi-neering works of David Marshall at Shaftsbury Av-enue. The bomb is thought to have been placed be-tween petrol tanks and the building was extensivelydamaged. Shots have also been fired at troops in theCupar Street area of Belfast by a gunman in a nearbystore, but he escaped after troops opened fire. InCliftonpark Avenue two nail bombs were thrown atan RUC Land Rover but no one was injured.

Thursday 25th November 1971Troops fire shots during dawn searchSoldiers opened fire on a gunman during a dawnsearch operation in the Ballymurphy area of Belfastbut the man is not thought to have been hit. Men ofthe Scots Guards fired at the man as he was goingthrough a cordoned area. Another 23 men were de-tained for questioning in the four-hour operationwhich was carried out by more than 300 soldiers.

Thursday 25th November 1971Irish Soldier arrested by British ArmyThe Irish Army have confirmed that a serving sol-dier from Waterford, who is said to have been de-tained during a swoop in Belfast yesterday, is absentfrom camp. The 22-year-soldier who serves with the1st Tank Squadron at Plunkett Barracks, Curragh. Theman was detained by British troops during a raid ona block of multi-storey flats at the New Lodge Road.His 20-year-old fiancée who lives at Artillery flatshas said he was lifted along with other men duringthe swoop.Both the Army HQ at Lisburn and the RUC haverefused to disclose whether the soldier is still beingheld or his whereabouts. An RUC spokesman saidthat they could not discuss the details of anyone whois being detained for more than 48 hours. However,it is understood the RUC are still questioning thesoldier.

Friday 26th November 1971Arms find in schoolTroops acting on information found a quantity of armsand ammunition in a Catholic school “exactly werewe were told they would be”, said an Army spokes-man. The find at St. Paul’s school in BeechmountParade, consisted of six guns, several rounds of am-munition and a nail bomb. The guns were screwedor bolted to a ceiling above a changing room. Thesearch, by soldiers of the Scots Guards began shortlyafter midnight and lasted for two hours. A Lugarpistol with a loaded magazine, three .45 revolvers,one .38, a .22 rifle, two magazines for the rifle, and abox of .45 ammunition for the Thompson sub-ma-chine gun, as well as bombs and assorted ammuni-tion were uncovered.

The Army in carrying out their search caused between£2,000 and £3,000 worth of damage. Every doorand lock in the school was smashed. The headmas-ter, while accepting that the Army had the right tocarry out the search for arms and ammunition, feltthat the damage to the building was so great, it couldonly be described as legalised vandalism.”

Friday 26th November 1971Bomb at Methodist SocietyA 50 lb bomb has extensively damaged AldersgateHouse, which is occupied by the Methodist Societyat University Road, Belfast. Three people were in-jured by flying glass but the building had been evacu-ated half an hour before when three armed men placedthe bomb. An adjoining restaurant, windows in sur-rounding buildings and a number of cars were dam-aged buy the heavy blast.

Friday 26th November 1971Bacon factory bombedAn explosion has badly damaged part of the ColinGlen bacon plant at Suffolk after gunmen snatched£7,000 of the firm’s wages and planted a bomb inthe factory. At least six masked men took part in thebacon factory raid. Some were armed with sub-ma-chine guns, while the others carried revolvers. A

wooden box containing 20 lb of explosives was lefton the canteen floor and just before 1.00pm the bombexploded wrecking the canteen and shattering doz-ens of windows.

Friday 26th November 1971Monks given hero’s welcomeTwo monks were mobbed by a crowd of supportersoutside Belfast Magistrates Court after they appearedon charges of helping two prisoners and other per-sons unknown escape from Crumlin Road jail. Onemonk was kissed, hugged and cheered by women.The other from the same monastery was also given ahero’s welcome. After about five minutes with thewomen still cheering and clapping the monks weredriven off in a car. The two men were remanded oncontinuing bail but while they were in the dock ofthe custody court, they chatted and shook hands withthe two prisoners who escaped from the jail.

Friday 26th November 1971Wilson’s plan for a United Ireland rejectedIn a firm but unemotional reaction to Mr. HaroldWilson’s plan for a United Ireland, Mr. Faulkner saidthere can be no fundamental change which is unac-ceptable to the majority in the Six Counties. Neitherin Belfast or Dublin was there enthusiasm for thepracticality of Mr. Wilson’s proposals – a constitu-tional conference leading by agreement of all partiesto re-unification after 15 years, with Ireland in theCommonwealth, acknowledging the Queen.

Friday 26th November 1971RTE ban IRA interviewsThe directive from the Republic’s Minister for Postsand Telegraphs to RTE banning publicity for illegalorganisations was issued following a Governmentdecision and would remain in operation as long as itwas judged to be necessary, the Minister, Mr. GerryCollins, told the Dail. A few hours later, the direc-tive was acted on to ban televised interviews withthe IRA leader Mr. David O’Connell and one of theescapers from Crumlin Road Jail, who appeared at apress conference in Dublin.

In a statement last night, the Dublin radio and televi-sion branch of the National Union of Journalists com-plained that Ministerial directives had been invokedto restrict presentation of” legitimate news item.”

Friday 26th November 1971Dragon’s teeth on border roadsDragon’s teeth, massive one and a quarter ton re-inforced concrete blocks are being placed on manycross border roads in an attempt by the Army to sealthem once and for all. Already the blocks have with-stood two attacks. In one a massive gelignite chargewas laid, but failed to blow the block from the road.Made at a pre-cast concrete works somewhere in theNorth, the blocks measure over four feet high andsome three feet across the base. They are concretedinto the road after being reinforced on the spot withsteel rods so that they cannot be towed away by aheavy vehicle.

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Friday 26th November 1971Galway man on IRA chargeA Galway teacher was remained in custody for a weekat Belfast Magistrate’s Court charged with possess-ing illegal documents relating to the IRA. The docu-ment were found in the man’s possession in CountyFermanagh five days ago.

Saturday 27th November 1971Three die in gun attacksThree people, two civilians and a soldier, when IRAgunmen opened fire in separate incidents in Belfastand on the border near Newry. The civilians Mr. IanHankin a Customs Officer and Mr. Jimmy O’Neill,cleaner, both of Newry were shot dead at Killeen Cus-toms post by gunmen from the South. The soldierwas shot when a foot patrol was ambushed in theFalls area of Belfast.

The killing of the two men on the border happenedalmost three hours after gunmen blew up the tempo-rary British customs post. The RUC have said thatfour or five gunmen opened fire on troops at theKilleen post from a deserted house 400 yards insidethe South. The hail of high velocity bullets struckthe customs building, a military vehicle and the twomen. Mr. Hankin, aged 27, was about to step into acaravan when he was hit. He collapsed and fell intothe vehicle. Mr. O’Neill, aged 39, was killed in asmall wooden hut which was being used as an of-fice. He was standing beside an electric cooker whenat least eight bullets struck him.

The soldier who was killed in the Falls ambush wasshot as he walked along the street on foot patrol. FourIRA men are believed to have gone into a house be-hind the men of the 1st Battalion, the Scots Guards,who were carrying out a “cordon and search” opera-tion. At least one of them opened fire with an M1carbine. The Army said that eight shots were aimedat the Scots Guardsmen and one of them hit a sol-dier. His comrades rushed to his aid and other sol-diers were quickly moved into the area to search forthe snipers but they could not be found.

The dead soldier has been named as 18-year-oldGuardsman Paul Nicholls from Caithness in Scot-land. He is the fifth Scots Guardsman to have beenkilled in the North.

Saturday 27th November 1971Massive bombing assaultThe North was reeling under a barrage of explosionsas the major bombing campaign which started inBelfast on Friday. In a 30-minute period starting atnine o’clock, RUC headquarters reported that therehad been nine explosions throughout the North. Andin a 30-hour period which has only just ended therewere over 20 explosions. Several fires were startedmaliciously and incendiary devices were uncoveredand defused.Fears are growing that the bombings were the workof a newly formed group which is under the com-mand of the IRA splinter group Saor Eire.

Saturday 27th November 1971Time table of attacks9.00am Bomb explosion in Belfast’s

Queen’s Quay railway station.Bomb explodes in Adelaide Streetcar showrooms.Mullan customs post, Fermanaghset on fire.

9.05am Bomb placed in Killeen customspost, Fermanagh. Two men killed.Tullydonnell customs post set onfire.

9.11am Bomb explodes at Ready-Mixconcrete plant, Suffolk.Blast at Colinwell Concrete, GlenRoad, Belfast.

9.15am Bomb at Clontivrin customs post,Fermanagh.Gunmen hurl bomb throughwindow at Amasco tarmac plant,Stoneyford.

9.20am Garrison youth hostel blown up.10.00am Fathom customs post set on fire.

Bomb reported found in vacantbuilding, Donegal Street, Belfast.

10.15am Bomb goes off in McClunes Glassdealers, York Street, Belfast.

10.20am Incendiaries at Watson’s furnitureshowroom, Donegal Street.Middletown telephone exchangedamaged by explosion.

11.05am Bomb discovered at old RUCBarracks, Ligoniel.

11.22am Bomb reported at Green Briar golfdriving range, Glen Road, Belfast.

11.27am Customs Officer and Ministryinspector shot dead at Killeen.

11.30am Bomb reported in Ulster Brewery,Glen Road, Belfast.

11.34am Bomb wrecks shop owned by LordMayor at North Queen Street.

11.37am Incendiary causes fire at Hallsbook Shop, Smithfield market.

11.48am Heinz complex at SpringfieldRoad, Belfast, damaged byexplosion.

12.10pm Scots Guardsman shot dead bygunman in Falls area.

12.15pm Slight damage caused to NPO,Ann Street, Belfast by incendiarydevice.

12.35pm Fane Valley Creamery,Newtownhamilton, damaged byexplosion

12.40pm Two shots fired at Army checkpoint in Andersonstown

12.42pm Army patrol comes undermachinegun fire near Castle Gate,Derry.

2.10pm Incendiary devices explode atSupermac shopping centre, Belfast.

2.45pm Balmoral Inn, Lisburn Road,Belfast damaged by bomb blast.

Saturday 27th November 1971Derry attacksIn Derry five explosions rocked the city centre andWaterside. The first two bombs went of within sec-onds of each other at 8.30 pm, a car accessory shopand a paint store were extensively damaged in GreatJames Street. Ten minutes later another bomb wentoff in a drapery store in Butcher Street damagingparked car and smashing windows. After midnightthe bombers switched to the waterside area of thecity where the Development Commission’s rent of-fice in Dungiven Road was extensively damaged. AtAltnagelvin hospital an incendiary device was foundin a lift. The smoking object was spotted by a doctorbefore it went off and was taken away for examina-tion.

Saturday 27th November 1971Irish soldier is freedAn Irish soldier who was arrested by British troopsduring a raid on Artillery House flats has been re-leased. The soldier had been visiting his girlfriendwho he had met while she was a refugee in an Armycamp in the South.

Saturday 27th November 1971Coalisland sealed off by ArmyNearly 1,000 troops cordoned off Coalisland in oneof the most intensive searches ever carried out bythe Army. Apart from what has been described as asubstantial amount of subversive material, nothingwas found during the search. One man was arrestedafter he assaulted a Royal Marine. At Meenagh Parkwhere the man was arrested local people came outon to the streets and as troops started to search housespeople threw wet rags onto their fires to cause smokeso that the soldiers could not see clearly.

Monday 29th November 1971Provisionals behind weekend attacksSecurity force are certain that the Provisional IRAare behind the bombing offensive which was mountedat the weekend and not the new crack unit beingformed by the outlawed Saor Eire. They have beenleft in no doubt either that it was one of the mostcarefully planned series of explosions of the currentcampaign.As senior RUC and Army officers studied reports ofthe weekends upsurge in activity, they were trying todetermine what made the IRA chose this weekend.It is believed that security chiefs knew from intelli-gence reports that a major offensive was to belaunched. But even some of them were taken by sur-prise when the true picture of the intensification ofthe operation began to unfold. It was hardly coinci-dence that the IRA went on the offensive a few daysafter Mr. Wilson’s speech and the decision by theParliamentary Labour Party to end the by-partisanpolicy. It is certain that the operations were plannedover a number of weeks. Having done that it wasonly merely the question of choosing the right psy-chological moment to put it into operation. In viewof the events of the past week, the IRA chose thebest possible time to attack.

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TOP - Sentry post in Cupar Street after asolider was shot dead by an IRA sniper.MIDDLE - The Cellar Lodge in Lurganafter a bomb attack in which a man died.BOTTOM - troops search the grounds ofthe Convent of the Sacred Heart.FACING PAGE - An explosion ripsthrough the showrooms of Isaac Agnew,Grosvenor Road.

Monday 29th November 1971Soldier wounded by sniperAnother soldier was shot and wounded in Belfast afteran Army vehicle collided with a bus. The soldier, amember of the 12th Light Air Defence Regiment,Royal Artillery was hit as he stood near a recoveryvehicle at the scene of the accident. One bullet grazedhis skull and he was rushed to the Royal Victoria

Hospital but his condition is not said to be serious.The accident between the bus and the one-ton ar-moured personnel carrier happened at the junctionof Finaghy Road North and the Stewartstown Road.The Army vehicle went into a ditch but no one isbelieved to have been injured. Troops did not returnfire but later they carried out a search to locate thesniper.

Monday 29th November 1971Long Kesh tensionA warning that a combination of inactivity and ten-sion among the internees at Long Kesh camp could,in the long run constitute “an explosive mixture” isgiven in the new Red Cross report on conditions inthe internment centre. Two Swiss officials of the RedCross visited the internment camp last month at theinvitation of the Northern Ireland Government andthey say they believe that the easing of over-crowd-ing and the provision of recreation facilities wouldcontribute greatly to the reduction of “extreme ten-sion”.

Monday 29th November 1971Forty suspects arrestedIn the past 48 hours, troops, in many cases acting oninformation received, detained nearly 40 suspects andcaptured large quantities of arms and ammunition.At 11.30 yesterday men of the Scots Guards found aM1 carbine and magazine loaded with 12 rounds ofammunition, a loaded Webley revolver and 253rounds of ammunition near a house in Bombay Street.At Keady, a helicopter observed around 20 peoplefilling in a crater on a border road. The Scots Guardswere sent to investigate and the people crossed overinto the South. Four gunmen then opened up on thetroops with three rifles and a machine-gun. Fire wasreturned but there were no casualties.

In the border area near Newtownbutler, troops hadto deal with a similar situation. This time the peoplefilling in the craters were using two mechanical dig-gers. As the troops moved in the workers immobi-lised them. Later as they returned to barracks theydiscovered and defused a claymore bomb which hadbeen placed in a tree which was blocking the road.In Belfast a civilian was injured by a bullet whenthree Scots Guards vehicles were ambushed on theAntrim Road. About 12 shots were directed at themfrom the direction of Brookfield Avenue. The Armyvehicles pulled into Atlantic Avenue but were unableto return fire because of a civilian car between themand the gunmen. The driver of the car was found to

have been shot in the back. He was taken to hospitalbut is not thought to be serious.

On Saturday night a bomb was thrown into the of-fices of occupied by the Department of the Environ-ment at Upper Lisburn Road, causing extensive dam-age but no injuries. Kelly’s off-licence on the Fallsroad was also damaged by an explosion.

Monday 29th November 1971Firemen halted by bomb scareA bomb badly damaged the former Labour Exchangein Derry but as firemen fought to control the blazean anonymous telephone caller warned of a seconddevice. The building houses government offices andthe bomb was planted by three armed en who alsosprinkled petrol around the building. Another ex-plosion damaged an automatic telephone exchangeat Greenhaw Road and the temporary customs postat Killea was burned down at midnight.

Considerable damage was also caused in the after-noon when two 5 lb gelignite bombs exploded atEakin Brothers garage and showroom at Foyle Road.Several cars were destroyed and the roof of the build-ing damaged.

Monday 29th November 1971Shot girl may lose her sightThe parents of a teenage girl who was shot at theweekend have been told that id she lives she maylose her sight. The girl, 17-year-old Vivian Gibneywas shot when gunmen opened fire on members ofthe RUC investigating a road accident at CliftonvilleCircus on Saturday night. Bullets have damaged thatpart of the brain that controls her sight. Her condi-tion overnight has not improved.

Monday 29th November 1971Tip-off leads to swoop on arms dumpsThe Army has carried out one of its most successfuloperations in Belfast – a swoop on six IRA armsdumps in which rifles, machine guns and ammuni-tion were seized and four people taken into custody.Only hours after receiving a tip-off that a large quan-tity of arms hidden at seven locations in theBallymacarrett area of East Belfast, men of the 1st

Battalion, The Queens Highlanders, moved in. Theitems found in a variety of hiding places, includingunder floorboards in a pigeon loft, were a deadly 7.62target rifle, a .32 Winchester repeater, a .303 rifle,three M1 carbines, One Thompson sub-machine gun,one M3 American sub-machine gun, one Sten gun,two .38 pistols, one .455 pistol, 18 magazines and2,814 rounds of assorted ammunition. Also foundwere 11 lb of gelignite and 8 line throwing rockets.In the most spectacular find, troops rushed to thecorner of Seaford Street after being told that armshad been buried on waste ground only yards from anArmy observation post. Probes were used to searchthe ground and after about 20 minutes a piece of tarredwood about a foot underneath the surface. Under-neath was an arms bunker. An assortment of weap-ons including a sub–machinegun, and a pistol were

THE TROUBLES Page 23

wrapped in a polythene bags. Army officers said thatthey had heard from intelligence sources that the IRAhad been unable to get into the arms dump since theArmy observation post had been built opposite. Oneof the first places to be searched was MountpottingerRoad and in a house, only a few yards away fromtheir main headquarters at Mountpottinger, theQueens Own Highlanders found the Winchester rifleunder floorboard.

During the operation the Highlanders swooped onhouses in Thompson Street, Mountpottinger,Anderson Street Seaford Street, a Republican Clubin Kilmood Street, a pigeon loft in Clyde Street andwaste ground on Newtownards Road.

Tuesday 30th November 1971Bombers took bomb awayThe Weights and Measures building in Durham Streethas been declared safe after the Army carried out twosearches for bombs. Late on Monday two gunmenheld up staff and said that they had placed a bomb inthe building. The men were carrying a large box.The building was evacuated and rush hour traffic di-verted from the area. Two searches revealed nothingand staff were told that it was safe to resume work attheir normal time. It is believed that the men discov-ered some defect in the bomb and took it away withthem again.

Tuesday 30th November 1971Visitor to Long Kesh detainedA young man has been detained while he was visit-ing his brother in Long Kesh internment camp. The

18-year-old man, who comes from the New Lodgearea, was visiting the camp with his mother when hewas detained.

Tuesday 30th November 1971Explosion at Belfast plumbing firmTwo people have been slightly injured when a bombexploded at the offices of a plumbing and electricalfirm. The injured were rushed to the Royal VictoriaHospital after the blast at the premises of R. B. Wilsonin Rydalmere Street, off Roden Street. The RUC havesaid that three men entered the building shortly be-fore 3.00pm and left a smoking box on the floor.Minutes later the box exploded causing extensivedamage. Traffic has been diverted away from thearea

Tuesday 30th November 1971Mans body found on borderRUC detectives are still trying to identify the youngman found murdered on a lonely border road. Hewas found in the townland of Teer, near Crossmaglen,County Armagh, by a farmer who was driving paston his tractor. The body, shot through the head, waslying on the roadside about 100 yards from the bor-der and 20 yards from a crater blown in the road bytroops a month ago. A description of the man wasissued as detectives, accompanied by Special Branchmen, made inquiries to try and identify him.

There seems little doubt now that the man was as-sassinated rather than shot during a gun battle withtroops. The RUC have issued a description of thedead man. He is in his mid or late twenties, 5ft 8in

tall, black hair receding at the front, fresh complex-ion, clean shaven, medium build, hazel eyes with alarge nose and slightly protruding teeth.

Tuesday 30th November 1971Arms find on FallsSix people are being detained and are being ques-tioned by the RUC after the discovery of arms andammunition in a house off the Falls Road. Anotherman was also detained after arms and ammunitionwere discovered in a milk churn in a house in theClonard area.

The find in Rockmore Road came after came after apatrol Scots Guards saw a youth dash into a houseand closed the door when he saw the troops. Sol-diers entered the house and inside they found a Stengun with three loaded magazines, three pistols, a millsgrenade, nine nail bombs and 200 rounds of ammu-nition.

The milk churn arsenal was found buried in a backyard in the Clonard area. Troops acting on a tip-offfound an M1 carbine, a Sten gun and more than 2,000rounds of ammunition

In Derry a bomb estimated to between 10 and 15 lbof gelignite exploded at the Spencer Road branch ofthe library. Extensive damage was caused by theblast. Immediately after the blast a suspicious look-ing object was discovered in the doorway of a nearbyshop but after examination Army experts declared itto be an old radio transmitter and believed it had beenleft there to cause confusion.

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TOP - The EAB Building in CollegeSquare destroyed in a bomb attack.BOTTOM - Bomb attack on the ColinGlen Factory, Suffolk.

Tuesday 30th November 1971Shot fired as Post Office van is hi-jackedOne shot was fired when gunmen hi-jacked a PostOffice van about a half a mile from the border. Theraiders forced the driver to stop at Tievenameenta,near Castlederg. The RUC have said that one shotwas fired but the driver was not hurt. The gunmenthen drove off in the van towards the border.

Tuesday 30th November 1971‘Comfort for the troops’ fundThe Lord Mayor of Belfast’s ‘Comfort for Troops’appeal has now risen to £17,000, following a £250boost from a local fund started by the Mayor ofLisburn. The money from the fund will be distrib-

uted to individual units serving here and the unitsthemselves will decide their own priorities for wel-fare projects.

Tuesday 30th November 1971Christmas appeal for RUC widowsLady Brookborough has launched an appeal for thewidows and dependants of dead members of theRUC. Since 1969, 14 have been killed and 1,600injured.

Tuesday 30th November 1971UDR open dayAn open day was staged by the UDR at St. LuciaBarracks, Omagh, to mark the formation of a newbattalion. The new battalion, to be called the 8th

(County Tyrone) Battalion, UDR, is being made bydividing the present 1,300 strong 6th (County Tyrone)Battalion into two. The 6th UDR is the strongest bat-talion in the North and has nearly 200 applicationsin the pipeline. Although both battalions will be un-der strength initially, they are expected to be up tostrength very quickly.

Tuesday 30th November 1971Journalist who had machine gun is finedThe Northern news editor of the Sunday Press, whoadmitted possessing a home-made machine-gun, hasbeen fined £20 at Belfast magistrates Court. He is27-year-old Vincent Brown, of Antrim Road, Bel-fast. Mr. Brown, a journalist, admitted having theweapon without the authority of the Secretary of Stateat Glengall Street on the 13th September. In courtCrown, lawyers told of how on Sunday 12th Septem-ber, Brown had published in the Sunday Press an ar-ticle which related to an allegation by the IRA thatmachine-guns had been manufactured in a large Bel-fast engineering works, for the use by Protestant ex-tremists.

The next day Brown contacted an Army informationofficer in Lisburn and said he had seen one of thesemachine-guns produced to him by the IRA. Appar-ently an arrangement was made between Brown andthe Army information officer that if Brown obtainedpossession of the machine-gun he would immediatelycontact the Army officer about the weapon.

On the 13th September Brown obtained a machinegun from an unknown man on the Falls Road butinstead of informing the Army Brown arranged aPress Conference at Glengall Street. There he pro-duced the weapon and was immediately arrested bythe RUC who seized the weapon. The weapon was afully automatic 9mm home-made sub-machine gunwhich operated efficiently. A photograph of theweapon was produced in court.

In a statement Brown said that he told Mr. ColinWallace of the Army Public Relations Office aboutthe weapon which had been made at a large engi-neering plant. It was arranged that if I produced thisweapon I would not be arrested. I picked up theweapon from a man in the Falls area whom I hadnever seen before. I then agreed to show the gun tosome of my Press colleagues at the Europa Hotel.The court was told that Brown’s guilt was a techni-cal one due to his profession.

Tuesday 30th November 1971Bunting’s son held by troopsMr. Ronald Bunting, the 23-year-old son of MajorRonald Bunting has been detained by security forcesin a pub in the Markets area of Belfast. He was ar-rested with two other people in the Black Bull publichouse. Mr. Bunting is a member of the Civil RightsAssociation and had been trying to form a branch ofthe association in the area. A spokesman for the as-sociation said that it seemed to be policy to detainpeople who were forming new branches. An Armyspokesman said they had no comment to make onthe remarks other than to say: “We are given a list ofpeople by the police and it is simply our job to detainthem”.

THE TROUBLES Page 25

DECEMBER 1971

TOP - Wilson’s Plumbers, Roden Streetafter a bomb attack.BOTTOM - Firemen fight a blaze at theCopper Rooms after a bomb attack.

Wednesday 1st December 1971Man shot during bomb attackShortly after 11.00am three men entered the premisesof the Belfast glass firm Clokey’s in King Street. Oneof the men jumped the counter and planted a smok-ing bomb behind it. It is believed that the raidersthen gave staff five minutes to get out. The bombexploded six minutes late and assistants ran to getclear before the store went off. One employee triedto grab the bomb and was wounded by one of thegunmen.

Wednesday 1st December 1971Dead man identifiedThe RUC have said that the man shot dead in theTeer area of Crossmaglen was a serving British sol-dier. Private Robert Benner who was a member ofthe 3rd Battalion, The Queens Regiment is a native ofDundalk. The 25-year-old soldier was retuning fromthe home of his fiancée who lives in Dundalk whenhe was stopped and killed by gunmen.

Wednesday 1st December 1971Paint company bombedTwo gunmen who set a paint store alight had a nar-row escape themselves when they found themselvestrapped by the blaze. A third man waited for themoutside the premises of the International Paint Com-pany, at Galway Street, off Durham Street.The men walked into the building carrying two can-isters as they set fire to one of the canisters it ex-ploded however the raiders managed to get the dooropen and ran off to the waiting car. An Army patrolis believed to have chased the car into the Lower Fallsarea where the men escaped. The devices causedsevere damage to the building.

Wednesday 1st December 1971Soldiers fire 500 rounds fired in border battleTroops fired 500 rounds from heavy machine gunsduring a cross border gun battle. The 20 minute bat-tle erupted on the border as troops of the 16/5 Lanc-ers stationed at Omagh sent a patrol to retrieve aburned out mail van which had been hijacked earlierand left near the border. As soldiers were preparingto tow it away they came under fire from the South.According to the Army at least three gunmen wereinvolved.About 40 shots from the hidden gunmen pinned downthe Army patrol. But then the soldiers opened upwith the Browning machine-guns mounted on theirferret scout cars. There were no Army casualtiesduring the raid but the Army think they may have hitone of the attackers.In the New Lodge Road area of Belfast a teenageboy was wounded in the arm when a sniper openedfire from Artillery Flats. It is thought that the boymay have been shot by mistake for he wore a greenjacket and may have been taken for a soldier.In Derry five shots were fired at soldiers manning avehicle checkpoint on the Dungiven Road. The shotscame from a moving car. There were no army casu-

alties and fire was not returned. Some time later asingle shot was fired from an empty house at the Armypost in Foyle Road. Soldiers searched the area afterreturning fire but nothing was found. A nail bombwas also thrown into William Street from ColmcilleCourt but there were no injuries.There were two explosions in Strabane area. Thefirst damaged an electricity transformer on UrneyRoad. An hour later another blast damaged a sewerpipeline at Sion Mills.In Belleek there was a small fire at a customs postand at Beragh, County Tyrone, Army experts suc-cessfully defused a 5 lb gelignite charge found on adredger being used on a river drainage scheme. Itwas only when the boat stopped for servicing thatthe bomb, whose fuse had burned out, was found inthe cab.

Wednesday 1st December 1971Provos reject Lynch’s truce ideaThe Provisional IRA have rejected a suggestion thatthey declare a Christmas truce, which was made byMr. Jack Lynch. The IRA spokesman said that twicein the last few months they had laid down their pre-conditions for a truce but they say that these havenot been accepted by the British Authorities. Thepreconditions include the release of all Irish politicalprisoners in Britain and Northern Ireland and theabolition of Stormont.

Wednesday 1st December 1971Army’s electronic noise machines.The Army’s three “electronic noise machines” weremade in a service workshop and the components usedin manufacturing the equipment would have costabout £1 said Lord Baine, Minister of State for De-fence in a Commons written reply. He was answer-ing a question from Mr. George Cunningham, MP,for Islington South-West.

Wednesday 1st December 1971Extradition orders for escapeesExtradition warrants for the seven recent escapeesfrom Crumlin Road Prison have been prepared andwill be forwarded to the Gardai when the wherea-bouts of the men are known, Mr. John Taylor, Minis-ter of State at the Ministry of Home Affairs, has toldthe Commons. Asked what would happen if the war-rants were refused on the grounds that the escapedmen had been involved in “political crimes” the Min-ister said it would then be a matter between the UnitedKingdom and Dublin Governments.

Wednesday 1st December 1971‘Revolutionary’ for trialA booklet containing advice on sniping and bomb

making was found at the home of a self confessed“professional revolutionary” a court was told. Po-lice also found a document entitled “A letter from asoldier of the IRA to the soldiers of the Royal GreenJackets. There were 49 copies of this and 734 copiesof another document, entitled “A Letter from aBallymurphy mother. A duplicator and a typewriterwere found nearby.A 38-year-old man was sent for trial at Kent Quartersessions, charged with two offences under the 1934incitement to disaffection Act. He is accused of hav-ing the letters to the Green Jackets and from the“Ballymurphy mothers” – documents of such a na-ture that the dissemination thereof among Her Maj-esty’s Forces would constitute an offence”,The advice on sniping and bomb making was foundin a booklet called “The mini-manual of an Irishguerrilla. One chapter entitled “How to destroy yourenemy”, made it clear that the enemy was the BritishArmy.

Wednesday 1st December 1971Women launch peace driveMember of the Women Together Group havelaunched a publicity campaign “Peace for Christmas”.The group, which has members in all the troubledareas of Belfast, have also brought out a Newssheet,which will be distributed in the streets and pushedthrough letterboxes. The “Peace for Christmas” cam-paign will cost £2,000, which has been raised throughvoluntary donations.

Page 26 THE TROUBLES

Thursday 2nd December 1971Two bombs – 21 people injuredThe IRA has bombed two buildings in Belfast citycentre within minutes of each other. The first explo-sion at the Copper Room restaurant in Berry Streetoccurred shortly before 2.00pm and within minutesa second explosion at the occurred at the Gestetnoroffice equipment showroom in York Street. Twenty-one people were taken to hospital as a result of theattacks.

Thursday 2nd December 1971Shots fired at patrolAn Army patrol came under fire in the Ardoyne Areatoday but there were no casualties and fire was notreturned. An Army spokesman said the incident inwhich one shot was fired at a Queens LancashireRegiment personnel carrier, took place in ButlerStreet in the area of Holy Cross School at 8.30am.In the last 24 hours the Army has detained 26 men insecurity swoops, 21 of them in Belfast, the others inDerry.

Thursday 2nd December 1971Dockland gunfightThere has been a fight in Belfast’s dockland as armedmen staged a hold up at the docks wages office inDufferin Road. One harbour policeman and a raiderwere wounded in the exchange of fire. The incidenthappened shortly after 2.00pm when three gunmen,alarmed with revolvers, appeared. The alarm wasraised and harbour police rushed to the scene. Theraiders opened fire and one harbour policeman washit in the leg. It is thought the wound is not serious.A gunman was also hit and both were rushed to hos-pital. Both the other raiders were captured and takeninto custody.

Thursday 2nd December 1971Shot girl diesAfter a four-day fight to save her life, a Belfast teen-ager has died from gunshot wounds. Seventeen-year-old Vivien Gibney, of Deerpark Road, was shot inthe head on Saturday evening as she stood in a chem-ists shop at Cliftonville Circus. Gunmen opened upon two RUC men investigating an accident and thechemist shop was sprayed with bullets. After beingrushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital, doctors foughtto save her life but to no avail.

Thursday 2nd December 1971Marine hurt in border gun battleA Royal Marine Commando was slightly injuredwhen troops were fired on from the southern side ofthe border at Middletown, County Armagh. TheMarine, whose name has not been released, was oneof an escort party, accompanying Army engineerswho were placing security ramps to slow down traf-fic on an approved border road.An Army spokesman said that about 20 automaticrounds were fired from across the border shortly be-fore noon. Fire was returned by the troops but nohits were reported.

Thursday 2nd December 1971Bombs in DerryFour explosions have rocked Derry within the spaceof an hour. At around 10.00pm the first two blastswrecked two shops in Gt. James Street, one of thembeing Dickey & Co.’s wallpaper store. Fire causedextensive damage to both buildings. A third explo-sion damaged the Abercorn Motor Works onAbercorn Road. The last, and biggest explosion ofthe night was caused by a 25 lb bomb at a shirt fac-tory in Maureen Avenue.Earlier in the day a soldier with the ColdstreamGuards fired at a car which failed to stop at a road-block. A gun was seen pointing from a window andthe soldiers believe they hit the man holding it. Theroadblock incident happened in Derry at around3.30am when three men in a car approached a check-point at Beechwood Avenue. It stopped short andbegan to reverse as the men ignored commands tohalt. Soldiers fired rubber bullets at the vehicle break-ing the windows. Then, said an Army spokesman agun was seen pointing out of the car. A soldier fireda single shot and the gunman was seen to slump for-ward before the car sped off in the direction of LoneMoor Road.At Coalisland a Marine Commando was injured whenhis two-vehicle patrol was ambushed three miles eastof the town. He was hit in the leg during the ex-change of fire but is not seriously injured. In a fol-low up search of the area the Army found severalexpended .45 cartridges.

Thursday 2nd December 1971Shot soldier satisfactoryA soldier who was admitted to Altnagelvin Hospitalon Wednesday with a neck wound after accidentallydischarging his rifle is said to be in a satisfactorycondition.

Thursday 2nd December 1971Army put raiding boat on displayThe Army has demonstrated one of their latest piecesof equipment used in search operations – the fast raidcraft, a vessel being used to patrol Lough Neagh andCarlingford Lough. The boat, which is armed with aGeneral Purpose Machine-Gun, was shown in an ex-ercise on a river near Antrim. Seven Marines whocrew the raiding craft showed how they would fol-low a suspicious vessel, board it and take charge ofthe menThe exercise was carried out by men of the 2nd raid-ing Squadron of the Royal Marines and a recce troopof 42 Commando Royal Marines. The new Armyvessel have been used by the marines for severalweeks and are now undergoing trials with the Ar-my’s heaviest machine-gun. Already they have beenused on Lough Neagh and Carlingford Lough to stopand search fishing vessels and more patrols are en-visaged. The raiding vessels have already been usedin operations in Pakistan and Norway. A Marinespokesman said they have been used in the North forpatrol work and this would continue. “They operatein pairs, one boat acting as a boarding vessel and theother one giving cover fire.”

Friday 3rd December 1971IRA Jail BreakPeople at a social in Ardoyne were celebrating theescape of three IRA men before the authorities knewthey were missing. It has been confirm that five toseven hours elapsed before the men, including twotop Provisional IRA suspects, were known to havegotten away. But by that time – 9.30pm – the newsthat they had escaped had been announced 30 min-utes earlier at a social and material for celebrationbonfires were being gathered. The Dublin headquar-ters in Dublin have said that the escapers are now inthe South.

As a top level inquiry into the escape was beingmounted, it is believed the escapers used sheets tiedtogether to make their getaway some time between2.30 and 4.00pm. They were taking their exercisewith the other detainees when they shinned the walland leapt to freedom under the noses of troops andprison warders. The escape route was roughly in thesame area as that used by nine prisoners who escapedin November.Two of the three men are Anthony “Dutch” Dohertyand Martin Meehan, both of whom live in theArdoyne area. When they were held by the Army ina club in Ardoyne their capture was hailed as a majortriumph for the security forces. They were only 24days behind bars before the daylight escape. Thethird man is Hugh McCann from Belfast.The questions being asked are:

1. How did the three men getaway withoutbeing spotted, by either warders or patrol-ling soldiers outside?

2. How did their escape remain undetectedfor so long?

3. Where was the weak spot in the recentlytightened security network inside andoutside the jail?

A scheduled count followed the exercise period –about 5.00pm – should have discovered the fact thatthe three men are missing. But it didn’t and securitychiefs want to know why?

Friday 3rd December 1971Dangerous toysA senior Army officer has asked parents not to buytoy guns for their children as they might be mistakenfor gunmen and be shot. “On a dark night or at adistance the toy guns could be mistaken for the realthing – particularly if they are held in a realistic man-ner. Replica Thompson sub-machine guns (used bythe IRA) and Self Loading Rifles (Used by the Brit-ish Army) can be purchased in local toy shops andlook like the real things. Plastic weapons which havetheir own magazines and can cost just over 50 penceand could result in injury or death.

Friday 3rd December 1971Derry bombThree armed men planted a bomb and sprinkled pet-rol in the home of “Her Majesty’s Lieutenant forLondonderry”. Sir Basil McFarlane, a former Mayorof the city was not at home at the time.

THE TROUBLES Page 27

TOP - Bomb attack on Tate’s AvenueFilling Station.MIDDLE - Bomb attack on a shop on theDublin Road.BOTTOM - Shop destroyed in a bombattack on York Street.

Friday 3rd December 1971‘Lollipop’ soldier hot by sniperA soldier on “lollipop” patrol was shot and woundedand a filing station badly damaged by an explosionin Belfast. The soldier was a member of an Armypatrol escorting children in the Oldpark Road areawhen a gunman opened fire.

An Army spokesman said the soldier, a member ofthe 1st Battalion, the Queen’s Lancashire Regimentwas rushed to hospital. He is said to be very seri-ously ill. A second soldier is reported to have beenslightly injured in the incident but this has yet to beconfirmed. The gunman is believed to have firedfrom a position near the junction of the Oldpark Roadand Ardilea Street but troops did not return fire.

Friday 3rd December 1971Retired Colonel killed near NavanPolice investigating the killing of a retired BritishArmy Colonel at his home near Navan, said todaythat there was no evidence that he had been shot. Itis now believed that he had been battered to death.The hooded and bound body of 60-year-old Lieut.Colonel C.R.P. Walker was found by his wife Iriswhen she returned near midnight from visitingfriends. Weapons belonging to Col. Walker have beenstolen. These include a shotgun, a rifle and a re-volver. Police are working on the theory that theColonel was killed by Republican extremists. Theyare considering two possible motives:

1. Theft of firearms2. A revenge killing for the deaths of gun-

men in the North at the hands of the Brit-ish Army.

Both the Official and the Provisional IRA wings havedenied involvement in the killing of Colonel Walker.

Friday 3rd December 1971Booby trap bomb in NewryJust before teatime Newry RUC rushed to investi-gate a bomb scare at a drapery store in Hill Street.While they were searching a shop it was learned thata man had placed a bomb in the nearby Woolworthbuilding. Minutes later it went off blowing out thewhole shop front. Twenty minutes later a secondbomb went off at the Boulavard Hotel. Nineteenpeople, including a detective, were treated in hospi-tal for shock. Later there was another double explo-sion in Derry which damaged a car accessory shopand a furniture and drapery store in John Street.

Derry was also the scene of an intensive search. 400troops from the Royal Green Jackets and theColdstream Guards began a search of the Bogsidearea at 5.30am. Minor rioting broke out and rubberbullets were fired. One shot was aimed at an Armyobservation post in Foyle Road. There were no casu-alties. At 8.00am after the search had ended, the Armyannounced that they had found 29 nail bombs, 10 lbsof gelignite and 200 detonators. Five men were de-tained during the search.In Belfast, which had a relatively quiet night, 37 IRA

suspects were arrested. At 8.30 a small explosivedevice was hurled from a passing car at the BridgeBar at the Short Strand- Madrid Street junction. Anumber of shots were also fired at the bar.

Friday 3rd December 1971A United Ireland would bring peace say priestsA United Ireland will bring “a just and lasting peace”to the country says an Irish priests organisation. In astatement, the central committee of the Associationof Irish Priests expressed support for initiatives whichcould lead to peace. “We are convinced that peacecan be realised in a United Ireland,” they said. “Weare also convinced that a United Ireland will requirea new constitution.” They went on: “Recognisinggenuine Protestant fears of religious domination bya Catholic majority we wish to state that the new con-stitution must embody the principals of religious free-dom for all, as asserted, for example, in the UnitedNations Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 andas stated in official Catholic teaching”. The com-mittee urged the churches as a preparatory step to-wards drawing up this constitution, to study togetherhow best religious liberty might be guaranteed forall. This study, they said, should be undertaken as amatter of urgency.

Friday 3rd December 1971Troops fired on in DerryTroops have come under several attacks in Derry inthe space of one hour. No one was injured in any ofthe incidents and troops did not return fire.One high velocity shot was aimed at a patrolling heli-copter from the junction of Beechwood Avenue andBeechwood Crescent, shortly after the Bligh’s Lanepost came under attack. At Foyle Street and BishopsStreet five nail bombs were thrown shortly after9.00am. Minutes later a gunman opened up openedup in nearby Hamilton Street. Four shots hit a housein Bishops Street but there were no casualties.The Donegal Border, near Castlederg was the loca-tion of a 10-minute gun battle between the IRA andthe British Army. It happened at Corgary, west ofCastlederg when two snipers fired eight single shotsat three ferret cars which were on routine patrol inthe area. The Army replied with 30 rounds but therewere no injuries.

Saturday 4th December 1971South launches hunt for IRA armsSpecial Branch detectives and uniformed police havecarried out the most widespread search for illegalarms in the South since the 1956-62 IRA campaign.In a series of well planned raids, they swooped onhouses and farms in Dublin and Counties, Cavan,Meath, Monaghan and Louth. It has been disclosedthat ammunition finds have been made Gardai in

Monaghan. At Knockacullion, Scotstown, a quan-tity of ammunition, parts of guns and training mate-rial were found in what is thought to be a formerProvisional IRA training camp. The find at Scotstownwas made on a farm belonging to Mr. JamesMcIlwaine, a Sinn Fein member of North MonaghanCounty Council. No arrests were made. Among thehouses raided was that of the IRA Provisional ChiefMr. Sean McStiofain.

Saturday 4th December 1971How ex-Colonel diedThe retired British Army officer found dead in hishome in the South of Ireland died from Asphyxia dueto swallowing vomit, it has been disclosed. A manpurporting to be a member of Saor Eire said thatmembers of his organisation were responsible fortaking weapons from the Colonel’s home atCastletown, County Meath, but were not responsiblefor his death “We just tied him up. “ he said. Thebody of Lt. Colonel C.R.P. Walker, of the RoyalEnniskilling Dragoon Guards was found in his 15-room Georgian farmhouse on Thursday night. A clothwas over his head and his hands were tied behind hisback. Saor Eire, a “Free Ireland” group, claims to bepart of the IRA, but has been disowned by bothsections.

Page 28 THE TROUBLES

Saturday 4th December 1971Fugitives “safe and sound”As the Provisional IRA in Dublin claimed that thethree fugitives from Belfast Prison were “safe andsound”, the hunt for the men throughout the Northcontinued. But a Provisional spokesman would notconfirm that the men were in the south. Certainlysecurity chiefs remain unconvinced by claims thatthe men are already over the border. They will haveto have something more positive, like the presenta-tion of the escaped prisoners at a press conferencebefore they call off the search. So that means thatthe public may well have to endure for a little longerroad checks in and around Belfast. The Provisionalsin Dublin have said that they may wait until next weekbefore the three are produced at a press conference.

Saturday 4th December 1971Cross border Repeater Station bombedA GPO repeater station has been destroyed by anexplosion at Killeen. The station carried undergroundcables linking telecommunications North and South.In Strabane two bombs exploded within ten minutesof each other. The bomb was at Wellworths in theMain Street. The charge was placed at the back ofthe building and ripped a large hole in the back ofthe supermarket. About ten minutes later a bombwent off in Ballantine’s timber yard in Railway Streetstating a large fire.

Saturday 4th December 1971Officials admit blastThe Official IRA have claimed responsibility for theexplosion at Aberfoyle, the home of Sir BasilMcFarlane, Her Majesty’s Lieutenant for the City ofDerry. A statement issued by the local command saidit was retaliatory action for the wrecking of Republi-can and civilian homes by the British Army. Itwarned: “For every home wrecked we will take re-taliatory action against the loyalists. This does notinclude working class Loyalists but affects directlythose who have vested interests in the Stormontregime.”

Saturday 4th December 1971Sixteen schoolboys arrestedPrincipals of Catholic schools in West Belfast are tomeet early next week to discuss what action to takeover the arrests of 16 schoolboys on Friday. The boyswere arrested by troops at about 4.00am and held forquestioning for about ten hours. They were releasedshortly after lunchtime. The boys, believed to be agedbetween 12 and 16 years, although one allegation isthat one boy is aged nine. Eight of those arrested arepupils at St. Thomas’s Secondary School, WhiterockRoad.

Saturday 4th December 1971RUC man’s life saved by dud roundA gunman tried twice to shoot an RUC constable atpoint blank range in Newcastle but the man’s life wassaved when the gun failed to go off. The RUC manwas on foot patrol along the central promenadeshortly before midnight when he was confronted by

a gunman. Twice the man pulled the trigger and twicethe gun didn’t fire. The gunman then fled pursuedby the constable and other members of the RUC butthey lost him in the darkness. Later a man on footfailed to stop when challenged by RUC personnel.He ran off across fields and one shot was fired athim. He is now in hospital being treated for gunshotwounds to his shoulder.

Monday 6th December 1971Bomb at Pub –Fifteen deadFifteen men, women and children were killed onSaturday night, 4th December, when a bomb demol-ished a pub in North Queen Street, near Belfast citycentre. The massive charge of gelignite explodedinside the bar on the ground floor, bringing hundredsof tons of rubble crashing down on customers. Theexplosion, which brought the number of people killedsince 1968 to 183, is the worst in living memory.Troops, RUC men, firemen and hundreds of civil-ians clawed in the rubble in their bare hands to re-lease those trapped. All emergency services in thecity were put on full alert, as the horror of the blast atPaddy McGurk’s pub became known.During the big rescue operation, gunmen opened upwounding an Army officer seriously and slightly in-juring two RUC men and five civilians. Rival crowdsfrom the area and nearby Duncairn Gardens and theRUC and Army drove a wedge between them as ston-ing broke out.After the explosion, which was heard all over thecity, troops and police rushed to the scene, wheresome of the injured were already crawling from thedebris. Immediately along with people who streamedfrom nearby houses, they began digging in the rub-

ble with their bare hands as screams were heard inthe darkness. As they came across bodies stretcherswere called for. Military and civilian ambulanceswere used to ferry the 13 injured to the Mater andRoyal Victoria Hospitals. Within a half an hour 800people had arrived on the scene to help in the rescue.They were organised into human chains by troopswho issued commands through loud hailers. Thedebris was removed virtually brick by brick. Lateran Army mechanical digger was called in to speedup the operation. At one point there was a threat ofanother explosion from a severed gas main. But therescuers worked on as small fires broke out in therubble all around them. Firemen used foam to dousethe flames. Several of the rescuers were violentlysick, as badly mutilated bodies were uncovered. Ateam of surgeons from a Belfast hospital rushed tothe scene and treated the injured on the spot.Initially six people had been found dead and othersinjured. Three hours later the death toll had risen to14. As the search for the injured and dead continuedinto the night until dawn arc lights were set up by theArmy. Local people brought ropes from their homesto drag away some of the heavier debris. An hourafter the blast rival crowds gathered and rioting brokeout. Shortly afterwards gunmen opened up a shortdistance away from the scene and Major Snow ofthe Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was seriouslywounded in the head.Two RUC men, one of them a reserve, were also hitwhen the gunman, using an M1 carbine fired fromthe direction of Hillman Street. Five civilians werealso hit. As the shooting casualties lay wounded therewas a delay in getting military ambulances to theiraid because they were fully committed at the explo-sion. Reinforcements were called in and troops wereagain fired on. A gunman on the roof of a disusedcinema at the top of the New Lodge Road is believedto have been hit when troops returned fire.Eventually the New Lodge was cordoned off by fivecompanies of troops who searched 48 selected housesand screened 100 people. Seven people, some ofthem on the Army’s wanted list, were detained, anda sawn-off shotgun, a .38 pistol, a .45 pistol and am-munition were found.

Monday 6th December 1971Disagreement over bomb’s locationThe mystery surrounding the North Queen Streetexplosion has deepened as the official RUC and Armyversion of where the bomb exploded was challengeby local people. Forensic experts are certain that the50 to 70 lb bomb blew up the bar, killing 15 men,women and children and injuring 13 others but sur-vivors say that this is not true. They are adamantthat there was nothing suspicious in the bar that nightand there were no strangers.Eight-year-old Joseph McClory, who was sellingnewspapers at the time claims that he saw a blackcar pull up outside with four men inside it. He saidone of them got out, planted a grocery box with awire sticking out and then made off. As a specialteam of detectives probe the blast it is believed theother theory is that the bomb was inside the pub when

THE TROUBLES Page 29

ALL RIGHT - The scene of the bombingat McGurk’s Bar, North Queen Street

it exploded. It is thought that it was left unknown tothe owner to be collected later and used in another“job”. But the bomb exploded before it was moved.Detectives are checking the list of dead and injured.The pub owner, Mr. Paddy McGurk, whose wife andteenage daughter were killed in the explosion, is un-der heavy sedation in hospital. Detectives are anx-ious to interview him to see if he noticed anythingbefore the blast. As the claims and counter claimscontinue a group calling itself Empire Loyalists hastelephoned newspapers claiming responsibility for theblast. They said: “We the Empire Loyalists acceptresponsibility for the destruction of McGurk’s pub.We placed 30 lb of new explosives outside the pubbecause we had proved beyond doubt that meetingsof the IRA Provisionals and Officials were heldthere.”

Monday 6th December 1971Son saw the bombersThe boy, who claimed he saw a bomb being plantedat McGurk’s pub in North Queen Street, had beenselling The Ireland’s Saturday Night newspaper atthe time. The mother of Joseph McClory aged 8,and who lives at Ludlow Street in the New Lodgearea witness the attack. He came home, white withfear and was shaking as he related the attack to her.“He told me about the bomb, the car and how he wasthrown by the force of the blast. He would not telllies because he is an honest boy”. She said Josephalso claims that he shouted to a man going towardsthe bar to warn him of the bomb.The man was Henry Davey (48), who lives a fewyards from McGurk’s pub in North Queen Street.Henry Davey, a 48-year-old docker has also spokeof how a warning from the young newspaper sellersaved his life. Mr. Davey told of how he left hishouse shortly before nine o’clock on Saturday nightto go to the pub. He crossed the road and went to thefront door but it was locked so he then went to theside door in Gt. Georges Street. “I was just about toget to the side door when the paper boy shouted awarning to me. He said ‘Mr. don’t go near there, Isaw men planting a bomb there.” Mr. Davey said hehesitated for a moment and then went round to theNorth Queen Street side of the pub. The bomb wentoff in a mater of seconds. “The child ran across theroad towards me but I didn’t see him afterwards andI think he ran away. I have not even seen him yet tothank him for saving my life.”Mr. Davey told of how he immediately got someoneto ring for ambulances and then joined with a bigcrowd in trying to extricate the wounded and dying.

Monday 6th December 1971Survivors StoryThe survivors of Saturday night’s blast at McGurk’sbar have told of the horror of being trapped in amound of smouldering rubble. A 14-year-old boy,Seamus Kane, was upstairs playing table soccer withhis best friends Gerard McGurk and James Cromie.

Gerard and Seamus survived the blast but James (13),a pupil in St Malachy’s college, was killed. “Every-thing went dark,” Seamus said “and I remember be-ing under the rubble. I had no idea it was a bomband I could hear injured people shouting. After about20 minutes a soldier and some civilian rescuers gotme out. My back was scorched by the fire and I hadto have stitches put in my leg. I still don’t feel verywell – I haven’t got over the shock. Jimmy was agood friend of mine: we used to go to McGurk’s prettyoften to play,” he said.Seamus lives only yards way from the pub and hismother, Mrs. Mary Kane went there after the blast.“I knew Seamus must be in there but I couldn’t standwatching them all being brought out so I went back

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PICTURES ON BOTH PAGES - Thescene of the bombing at McGurk’s Bar,North Queen Street

and then a man told me that Seamus was aright,” shesaid.The mother of the dead boy, Mrs. Ann Cromie, saidshe looked at the heap of rubble where her son died:“ Somebody came about one o’clock and told us thatJimmy had been killed in the blast. His father had toidentify him but they wouldn’t allow me into themorgue because they said the sights in there weretoo horrible.”Three men were saved because they decided to moveto a corner of the bar where there was more room 30minutes before the bomb went off. They were sparedthe worst of the blast by a toilet wall but one of theirparty, Mr. Thomas McLoughlin, died while his friendlay on top of him unable to move. He is CharlesReid (46), whose back was burned and who receivedsevere cuts to the leg, head and ears. “I work inBunbeg, County Donegal, “ he said, “and I only came

up for the weekend although it was not my usualweekend off. I always went to McGurk’s - it wasmy local,” said Mr. Reid, who lives in North QueenStreet. “We were standing talking to Mr. McGurkwhen the bomb went off. He fell first. I can remem-ber that as clearly – then we went down and all thedirt seemed to fall around us. I was buried under therubble and I can remember that the four of us weretalking to one another. “ We talked away and toldeach other to keep cool. We were keeping one an-other’s spirits up. My mate was shouting ‘I’m Fin-ished,’ and I was lying on his stomach and I couldn’tget off him. “Then I heard no more word from himand I said to myself ‘he must be gone.’“When the bomb went off there was a terrible flashwhich seemed to burn my back. I thought it camethrough the window although they tell me it wasplanted in the hall. I knew it was a bomb and I heardthe crowd outside and knew help was coming. Theywere shouting: ‘Is anybody there?’ and I shoutedback. We seemed to be buried ages although itcouldn’t have been more than five or ten minutes untila soldier brought me out. I was lucky. Some stoolsfell around me which protected me and I had myhands around my head to make sure I could breath.When a policeman told me it was a 50 lb bomb Icouldn’t believe it. I thought it was a small one.An Uncle of the dead man, Mr. Malachy McLaughlin(62), from Chatham Street, said that when they werepulled from the rubble they were several feet aboveground level. He has a broken and lacerated ankleand cuts to the leg which required several stitches.My leg and the fingers of my left hand were trapped.The weight was coming down on my hand and Ithought I would lose my fingers. But when I got outthere was hardly a scratch on them. Just before itwent off I smelt a funny smell and I said somebodyhas let off a stink bomb in here, then there was theflash and the explosion. It definitely wasn’t in thebar because I was looking right up the bar and couldsee everyone in it. I was pulled out by two soldiers.The rescuers did great work. I’m lucky to be alive.They told me I was in there 20 minutes but it was ahell of a long 20 minutes.”Mr. Matthew McClafferty, from Havana Street re-ceived eye and leg injuries said: “It’s a miracle thatI’m alive. The flash seemed to come from the direc-tion of the bar. I didn’t know whether I had beeninjured or not. There was water running down myneck and I thought it was blood.”

Monday 6th December 1971The deadFourteen of the people killed included the proprietor’swife, Mrs Phyllis McGurk and her 13-year-old daugh-ter Marie. Mr. McGurk and his three sons wereamong the injured. An elderly couple who enjoyed adrink together, Mr. Edward Keenan and his wifeSarah, form Carlisle Parade, also died in the blast.The other dead are:

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James Cromie (13), 129 North Queen Street; JohnColton, Bernagh Drive, Andersonstown; ThomasMcLoughlin, Ardilea Street; David Milligan 2aChurchill House, New Lodge Road. James Smith,Alexander House, New Lodge Road; Francis Bradley,Carlisle Road; Thomas Kane (45), Henry Street; Mrs.Kathleen Irvine, Victoria Parade; Philip Garry (75),Stanhope Drive; Edward Kane (25), 10d TemplarHouse, New Lodge Road.The injured are Mr. Patrick McGurk (50), the ownerof the bar, his sons Patrick (11), John (12) and Gerard(15). Gerard was detained in hospitalTwo women named McAlorum were injured. Onewhose address is unknown was discharged, but theother, who lives in Pinkerton Walk, was detained inhospital. The others injured are – Mr. RoderickMcCurley (23), Unity Walk, who was seriously hurtand is believed to have lost a leg; Mr. John Irvine(53), Victoria Parade, discharged; Mr. MalachyMcLaughlin (62), Chatham Street, discharged; Mr.Matthew McCafferty (47), Havana Street, discharged;Mr. William Griffin (80), who condition is serious;Seamus Kane (14), North Queen Street, discharged;Mr. Charles Reid, discharged.

Monday 6th December 1971Derry gun battlesThree men and a petrol bomber were believed shotwhen a 500-strong Army search party met with fierceopposition in the Creggan and Bogside areas of Derryduring the night. Over 20 gelignite bombs werethrown at the troops who fought running battles withgunmen in several places, with sporadic shootingcontinuing into the morning. Three shots were firedat an Army helicopter by a gunman in the KildrumGardens area of Creggan, and later troops at the Mexgarage returned fire at a gunman who fired a shotfrom a house in the Bishop Street area.

Monday 6th December 1971Carpet store bombedA five storey building in Belfast was blazing fiercelyafter bombs ripped through it shortly after lunchtime.Three armed men burst into Carpets and Linoleumon the Dublin Road and ordered staff out and plantedtwo bombs. Minutes later the bombs exploded, andfiremen moved in as the building was engulfed inflames. As the flames spread, more firemen rushedto the scene and at the height of the blaze ten engineswere fighting the fire. Flames shot 100 feet in the airand soon the fire had spread to the adjoining textilefirm of Brown Brothers. Firemen were forced to fightthe fire from 50 feet away because of the intense heat.While the fire raged there was also a bomb scare inthe nearby Alexander’s Garage.

Monday 6th December 1971Soldiers injured by nail bombsTwo soldiers, injured by nail bombs when confront-ing rioters in the Bogside area of Derry have beenadmitted to Altnagelvin Hospital and are said to be“quite satisfactory”. There had been sporadic riot-ing at various points in the Bogside throughout theafternoon and troops fired CS gas and rubber bullets

to disperse stone throwers in the William Street-Chamberlain Street area and near the Army posts atBligh’s Lane and Foyle Road. Shots were exchangedand in one incident, said the Army, a man carrying ashotgun was fired on. He is reported to have stag-gered back into a block of flats at Rossville Street. Abomb blast at the car showrooms of Thomson andMcGrady in Strand Road damaged the premises butno one was injured.Gunmen firing from the South opened up on an Armypatrol on the Newtownbutler-Clones Road. Theambushers fired about thirty shots and men of the16/5 Lancers shot back but there were no casualties.In Belfast, Army mobile patrols came under auto-matic fire as they moved along York Street. Twomen were seen running down Nelson Street after theshooting. There were no injuries and the Army didnot return fire. Five men were detained in the cityafter two empty cartridges were found in a car stoppedat a roadblock. A pistol and shotgun were discov-ered during a search in the New Lodge area. Secu-rity forces also uncovered a pistol and 50 rounds inanother search. A soldier was slightly injured by aricochet in the Ardoyne area of Belfast. He was hitin the ankle.Two people were treated for burns after a small in-cendiary device ignited in the Bulls Head publichouse in the Markets area on Saturday night. Thepremises were gutted by fire.Tension is high in the New Lodge area following theexplosion at McGurk’s public house in nearby NorthQueen Street. There were sporadic stone throwingincidents and some premises in Duncairn Gardenswere damaged. Two petrol bombs were hurled intoan elderly couple house in Pittsburg Street. Theground floor was extensively damaged but the occu-pants were at a relative’s house when the attack tookplace.A 20 lb bomb placed at the front of Belleek OrangeHall has badly damaged the building. This is thethird attempt to destroy the building. The motor taxa-tion office in Downpatrick has been badly damagedby an explosion. Two other explosions in the townhave caused structural damage to the courthouse.

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The funeral of James Smith and KathleenIrvine two of the victims of the McGurk’sbombing pause at the scene of the blast.

A temporary Customs caravan at Aghalane,Kinawley, has been destroyed by fire and ramps onthe road nearby were removed. About 20 men wereobserved sitting in cars on the southern side of theborder after the incident. In Strabane a small bombdamaged a garage at Ballycolman Avenue. UDR menon duty at Derry Road, Omagh fired two shots in theair after a man was seen acting suspiciously nearby.The man fled and a quick search of the area wasmounted but he was not found. The RUC are inves-tigating a fire at Butler’s grocery store, Shane Street,Randalstown, which has caused extensive damage.

Monday 6th December 1971Army remove border road rampsRoad ramps on approved border crossing betweenStrabane and Lifford have been removed – by theArmy. The Army erected the ramps in mid Novem-ber and during the operation a young Donegal wait-ress was fatally wounded in a gun attack on the sol-diers. “We now believe,” said an Army statement,“that any benefit we might have gained from theseramps has come to an end and rather than leave them– which is only inconveniencing the public – we areremoving them without in any way prejudicing ourright to replace them should we consider it neces-sary.”Rioters have made several attempts to remove theramps and troops have fired CS gas and rubber bul-lets to disperse them.

Monday 6th December 1971Summons server tarredA 50-year-old County Fermanagh summons serverwas taken from his home on Saturday night and tarredand feathered. One theory for the attack on theDerrylin man is that he had been serving summonseson people taking part in the civil disobedience cam-paign.Shortly after 9.00pm four men called at his home.They told the man that their car had broken downand they needed help. They then produced revolversand forced them to go with them. The man was takento a gateway on the Enniskillen-Belturbet road and

after tying him to the gate they poured tar and feath-ers over him and left a placard with the words “trai-tor” on it beside him.

Tuesday 7th December 1971Bombs rip through Belfast storeBombs have exploded in Belfast wrecking a Co-opstore and a petrol station. Four people were taken tohospital with shock when two bombs ripped throughthe store at West Circular Road. And as emergencyservices stood by after the blast at Kennedy Way fill-ing station, Andersonstown, there were fears thatanother unexploded bomb was in the building. TheCo-op store was attacked by three men, one with amachine gun and the other two with bombs. Theexplosions almost demolished the store and fire brokeout almost immediately. It was contained by fire-men from Ardoyne.

Tuesday 7th December 197115-year-old boy arrestedA 15-year-old boy and a man are being questionedby the RUC about Monday’s explosion and subse-quent fire which gutted a Belfast factory block. Theteenager was detained after the search of a house inthe Ballymurphy estate. Shortly afterwards securityforces swooped on a house in the New Lodge Roadarea of the city and took a man away for question-ing. It is believed that a suitcase containing diagramsof the Dublin Road building is in the hands of theRUC. An estimated £1m worth of damage wascaused when two bombs exploded sending flamesracing through the 40 yards long block. At one pointcrews of ten fire engines fought the blaze. Later awoman member of the Salvation Army died and fiveother people were injured after the wall of their Dub-lin Road citadel, next door to the factory, collapsed.It has been confirmed that about 500 people havelost their jobs as a result of the blaze.

Tuesday 7th December 1971Victims of pub bomb buriedSix victims of the explosion at McGurk’s public househave been buried, including one of the two children

killed in the blast. Six schoolboys walked beside thehearse of their 13-year-old classmate James Cromie.Many other pupils from St. Malachy’s Collegewalked in the boy’s funeral procession as it made itsway from his home in the New Lodge to MilltownCemetery. About 600 people walked silently behindthe coffin as it made its way up North Queen Street.The funeral paused briefly as it passed the tangledwreckage of the public house where 15 people diedwhen a bomb exploded on Saturday night. JamesCromie was playing table football in an upstairs roomwith the proprietor’s son and friends when the bombwent off. He died instantly.Earlier requiem mass was celebrated in St Patrick’sChapel, Donegal Street, for 25-year-old Edward Kaneof Ashton Street. Black flags fluttered from manyhouses in North Queen Street and Unity flats. Sev-eral shops in the area closed briefly as the passed.The funerals of Mrs Kathleen Irvine of Victoria Pa-rade and Mr. James Smyth of Alexander House leftthe New Lodge Road together. At the junction ofClifton Street they joined up with the funerals of Mr.and Mrs Keenan.

Tuesday 7th December 1971Four shots at helicopter.A gunman has fired four shots at an Army helicopterin Derry. There were no hits and no casualties werereported.

Tuesday 7th December 1971Release of 18 internees recommendedThe release of 18 internees has been recommendedby the Advisory Committee appointed by the Minis-ter of Home Affairs Mr. Brian Faulkner. To date 14internees have been released, two recommendationsare being considered by Mr. Faulkner and in two othercases both internees refused to give an undertakingrequired by the Advisory Committee and were notreleased. The committee has now considered thecases of 205 internees and has made recommenda-tions in 202 of them. Three cases are to receive fur-ther consideration. In 184 cases the committee rec-ommended that releases should not be made. TheAdvisory Committee pointed out that 142 interneesrefused to go to it, but even so their cases were heard.

Tuesday 7th December 1971Woman dies in attack on shirt factoryA woman was killed and her husband and four othermen were injured when a wall collapsed in the Sal-vation Army Citadel next door to the burned out shirtfactory of Munton Bros, in Dublin Road. The woman,Mrs Mamie Thompson (60) of Blythe Street and themen had gone into the Citadel to salvage furnitureand fittings. Earlier they had been supplying hard-pressed firemen with tea. As they were about to leavea wall collapsed burying them under the rubble.

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A car bomb explodes in Belfast city centre

Page 34 THE TROUBLES

Tuesday 7th December 1971Army’s apology for break-inSoldiers who broke down the front door of a hallduring a search in Derry’s Bogside left behind a £2donation for repairs when they realised the hall wasused by Derry Welfare Committee. Local residentsthink that the troops who entered the Wolfe Tone Hallin the Brandywell area saw posters on the walls whichmade it plain what the hall was being used for. TheBrandywell Tenants Association have said that fol-lowing the raid a note enclosing £2 was found. Itsaid: “To whom it may concern. We apologise forhaving broken your door down. Please accept thisdonation to the cost of repairing the same. From the2nd Battalion, Royal Green Jackets.

Wednesday 8th December 1971Bombs rock BelfastBombers have struck five times in a matter of hoursin and around Belfast. One man has been injuredand the damage will run into hundreds of thousandsof pounds. The elderly man was injured after an ex-plosion at a Belfast Corporation Bus depot near SandyRow. A huge wall collapsed into the backyard of hishouse, burying him under tons of masonry.Other bombs went off at a filling station inNewtownabbey, the Abertay paper sacks factory onthe Ligoniel Road, the Greenan Lodge Hotel, Suf-folk, and in West Street, between Smithfield andMillfield gunmen planted a bomb at the offices ofStephenson and Turner, makers of water heaters. Asbomb disposal experts tried to defuse this bomb oneof the funerals of the North Queen Street explosionpassed nearby. The area was sealed off and surround-ing premises evacuated. Shortly afterwards expertssuccessfully defused a second bomb which had beenplaced on the reception desk in the main hotel lobby.

Wednesday 8th December 1971Soldiers shot by gunmenOne soldier was seriously injured in the chest andanother received a shoulder wound in two separateincidents in Belfast today. The Falls ambush, hap-pened after three armed men took over a house inRockdale Street. Then as Scots Guards, members ofan eight-man foot patrol, reached the top of RockdaleStreet, two men with M1 carbines opened fire throughthe windows of a house. A Lance Corporal was seri-ously injured and he was rushed to the Royal Victo-ria Hospital where he has undergone an emergencyoperation.In the Unity Flats area a soldier in an observationpost on top of a home was shot by a sniper. He issaid to be comfortable in hospital.

Wednesday 8th December 1971Death of UDR manThe shooting of a member of the Ulster DefenceRegiment at his home near Caledon, County Tyrone,on Tuesday, appears now to have been an assassina-tion. Although the three-armed men, who were un-masked, killed 31-year-old Private Denis Wilson inthe bedroom of his farmhouse took his rifle, indica-tions are that the primary reason for the raid, was not

the weapons. The gunmen escaped over the border,which is just 300 yards away. The Self Loading Ri-fle they took with them was minus some essentialworking parts. There is a belief that Private Wilsonwas targeted personally and is supported by the factthat the gunmen ignored Mr. Wilson’s brother-in-law,who is also a member of the UDR, who was in thehouse at the time.

Wednesday 8th December 1971Eight more bomb victims buriedThousands of mourners lined the streets for the fu-neral of the remaining eight victims of the bomb atMcGurk’s bar. Buried today were Mrs PhilomenaMcGurk, her 13-year-old daughter and Mr John

Colton, a cousin of Mrs McGurk, Mr Francis Bradley,Mr. Philip Garry, Mr. David Milligan and Mr. Tho-mas McLaughlin. A death notice for Mr. McLaughlinappeared in a morning newspaper from a Long Keshinternee, a woman in Armagh prison and a man onremand in Crumlin Road Prison.

Wednesday 8th December 1971Night of bombingsShortly after 5.30pm two youths and a girl, enteredErskine Mayne’s premises in Queen’s Arcade, Bel-fast and set down two parcels. They told the staff toget out and then calmly walked out of the Arcadetowards College Street. Minutes later the bomb wentoff and a second failed to detonate. Several people

THE TROUBLES Page 35

RIGHT - A carpet factory on Belfast’sDublin Road destroyed in a bomb attack

have been treated for shock and cuts. One man wasdetained in hospital.In Dungannon the courthouse in William Street wasextensively damaged by a 10 lb bomb placed at theside door. Shortly after 7.00pm McCann’s publichouse in Lurgan was damaged in an explosion. Twomasked men armed with revolvers entered thepremises and placed the 20 lb bomb. Damage to thebar was extensive but no one was injured in the at-tack. In County Tyrone a 10 lb bomb extensivelydamaged a supermarket at Granville near Dungannon.The explosion was followed by a fire.Earlier an explosion and fire caused extensive dam-age to the premises of Rockview Motors,Donaghadee, and a Pettigo, County Fermanagh, asingle decker Ulsterbus was badly damaged in anexplosion, while another in Limavady was burnedby hi-jackers.

Wednesday 8th December 1971Drogheda arms raidA political storm is beginning to break over the raidby ten armed and masked men on the Drogheda FCAdrill hall on Tuesday night. The raiders, believed tobe members of the IRA got away with 15 Lee Enfields.303 rifles, two Gustav machine guns, and about 100rounds of ammunition. The men, armed with sub-machine guns burst into the drill hall on the outskirtsof the town, where an officer and 20 men were train-ing. They ordered the FCA men to stand against awall while they collected arms and ammunition. Asthe IRA men made their getaway, one of the soldiersfired a shot. The IRA returned fire narrowly missingthe soldier.

Wednesday 8th December 1971Markets man assassinatedA man has been found shot dead in the Markets areaof Belfast in what is believed to be an assassinationwithin the IRA movement. The body of 20-year-oldAnthony Nolan, of Staunton Street, was found in ahouse in Crawford Street not far from his home. Hewas shot in the chest and the discovery was made bythe occupant of the house who returned early after ashort absence.

Wednesday 8th December 1971Army denies use of drugs on detaineesDrugs are not being used to obtain information frompeople detained by the security forces. A statementfrom Army headquarters says: “The security forceswish to deny in the strongest possible terms that anyuse is being made of drugs during the questioning ofsuspects at the Palace Barracks holding centre atHolywood or elsewhere. Such allegations may beinterpreted as an attempt by some detainees to ex-plain away the full co-operation we are receiving.

Wednesday 8th December 1971Scabies outbreak at Long KeshThe Ministry of Home Affairs has confirmed that 18internees at Long Kesh camp were being treated forscabies – a contagious disease. However, a spokes-man for the Ministry has stated that the medical prac-titioner attending the centre has said that the outbreakis under control.”

Wednesday 8th December 1971Priest fined over censusAnother priest has been fined for refusing to fill inhis census form and if he does not pay the £7 within14 days he could go to prison for two months. Incourt the 41-year-old priest said that he did not fill inthe census form because of the partial administra-tion of justice.

Thursday 9th December 1971Shoppers caught in Bomb blastA bomb has exploded at the Universal EmploymentAgency in Royal Avenue and then one minute later asecond bomb exploded at the same location. Ambu-lances rushed to the scene to deal with people cut byflying glass. Every window in a 50-yard radius wasshattered. It is understood that armed men placedthe bomb shortly before 11.30 and made their geta-way by car. A twenty-minute warning was given bythe bombers.Later in the day an Ulsterbus private hire and tourbooking office in Glengall Street, Belfast was de-molished by a bomb. Staff were given five minutesto get out and no one injured.

Thursday 9th December 1971UDR warned to Stay on alertThe 6,000 members of the Ulster Defence Regimentare being warned by senior officers to be alert andtake what precautions they can for their own safetyfollowing the second killing of a UDR man within24 hours. The call goes out as security forces wait tosee if the killings signal the start of an assassinationcampaign.The 30-year-old UDR man, Mr. Sean Russell of New

Barnsley was shot dead at his home and his 10-year-old daughter was injured in the same attack. Theman had just returned from work and around 6.00pmthe doorbell rang, Mr. Russell tried to struggle withthe gunman. As they struggled he was shot in thehead and his daughter in the thigh. The gunman ranoff and it is not thought that a car was used.According to the dead man’s widow he had joinedthe UDR at its inception but had not involved him-self with it after his initial attendance for recruitmentand was not an active member.

Wednesday 9th December 1971Gunman may have been shotThe Army has reported that a gunman may have beenhit in Derry after shots were fired at an Army patrol.And in Rosslea, County Fermanagh 290 shots werefired at an Army ferret car on border patrol. Theshots came from across the border but there were noinjuries.

Thursday 9th December 1971Army Major diesAn Army major who was shot during rioting whichfollowed the explosion at McGurk’s bar in NorthQueen Street has died in the Royal Victoria Hospi-tal. He was Major Jeremy Snow (35) of the RoyalRegiment of Fusiliers. His wife, who was flown overwhen her husband was injured, was at his bedside.Two other soldiers, both Fusiliers who were shot onWednesday are still seriously ill in hospital. Onesoldier was shot in the Falls road area and the otherwas wounded in the shoulder near Unity Flats.

Thursday 9th December 1971Sniper hits Army ambulanceAn Army ambulance carrying a soldier fromShackleton barracks in Ballykelly to Derry cameunder fire on the main Derry to Limavady road. Thesniper, firing from high ground, struck the ambulancebut no one was injured. The Army said that one bul-let struck the ambulance which had Red Cross mark-ings. An Army medical orderly gave who gave chasewas not able to return fire.

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Bomb attack on a warehouse on theDublin Road.

Thursday 9th December 1971Shot man was IRA volunteerThe man found shot dead in the Markets area of Bel-fast on Wednesday is described in death notices as aVolunteer in the 3rd Battalion, Belfast Brigade of theIRA. He was Anthony Nolan (20), of Staunton Street,and he was found shot in the chest in a house inCrawford Street. The notices also describe as “theresult of an accident” and a notice from the “staffand volunteers of D Company” says he “was acci-dentally killed while on duty with an Active Serviceunit of the Irish Republican Army”. A total of 14death notices appeared for Mr. Nolan, including 10purporting to come from the IRA and others fromCrumlin Road prison and Long Kesh internmentcamp.

Thursday 9th December 1971Girl carries black flag at funeralA girl carrying a black flag trimmed with whitewalked beside the coffin of the last victim of the ex-plosion at McGurk’s Bar. Mr. Robert Spotswood(38), Kildare Place, was buried from St. Patrick’sChapel after Requiem Mass. About 200 peoplewalked behind the coffin as it went along Upper Li-brary Street. Side streets were sealed off by troopsand black flags hung from homes in Unity Flats. Mr.Spotswood was the last victim of the bombing to beidentified.

Friday 10th December 1971Soldiers and women fight at funeralParatroopers and women fought during the funeralof a 20-year-old IRA man. The funeral of AnthonyNolan had left his home in Staunton Street just a fewminutes earlier, followed by about 150 men walkingbehind the coffin and a large crowd of women on thepavement. When the cortege reached Cromac Square,some soldiers rushed in, apparently trying to cut offsome of the men in the procession. Women went tothe men’s rescue. Scuffles lasted for three or fourminutes before the funeral was able to proceed upMay Street.

Friday 10th December 1971UDR man and friend shot deadThe third UDR member to be killed within as manydays, was gunned down in a double killing on theDonegal-Tyrone border. Sergeant Kenneth Smyth, amember of A Company of the 6th Battalion UDR, wastravelling to work with another man at Lisdoo, Clady,near Strabane, when they were both killed in a ma-chine-gun attack. Sergeant Smyth lived at Castlederg.The name of his companion was not immediatelyreleased, but it is understood he had been a memberof the UDR until July, when he resigned. SergeantSmyth (28) was a former member of the Ulster Spe-cial Constabulary.

According to the RUC he stopped his Land Roveron a back Road between Clady and Strabane about amile from Clady to pick up a second man. As he andthe first man he had collected waited they were firedat from the bushes at the side of the road close totheir vehicle. Sergeant Smyth, it appears, tried toescape by jumping from the Land Rover, but as helay on the ground to shelter from the shots two gun-men appeared and riddled him with bullets.The third man, said police was close to the scene butthrew himself flat and escaped unhurt. SergeantSmyth had been in the habit of collecting him at thesame point.

Friday 10th December 1971Gun battle on borderA twenty strong Army patrol and members of the IRAfought a 75 minute gun battle on the Armagh-Mona-ghan border. There were no reports of any casual-ties. The attack occurred at noon just across theCounty Monaghan border from Clontibret, an areaabout six miles from Keady, County Armagh. Thepatrol came under rifle and machine-gun fire from ahill over-looking an unapproved road which leads toKeady. Troops returned fire and local residents saidthat at least three machine-guns were being fired to-gether. After about three-quarters of an hour the IRAwithdrew. There was a claim that one soldier was hitduring the gun battle but this could not be confirmed.

Friday 10th December 1971Internment rumour denied in DublinOfficial sources in Dublin rejected a new claim bythe Official that the Taoiseach, Mr. Jack Lynch, wasconsidering introducing a form of internment with-out trial in the South.The IRA claimed that the fact that the British Gov-ernment had demanded an investigation into the kill-ing of Lieut. Col Walker at his home in County Meath“gives credence to strong rumours circulating in po-litical circles in Dublin that Section 30 of the Of-fences Against the State Act is about to be invoked.”Under this Act persons can be jailed for six monthsfor filing to account for their movements.

Friday 10th December 1971Gardai finds GeligniteA quantity of gelignite in a dangerous condition wasfound by the Garda in a lane behind the Sinn Feinheadquarters at Gardner Place. The discovery fol-lowed a telephone tip off. A police spokesman saidthe gelignite was weeping and had probably beendumped because it was dangerous to handle.

Friday 10th December 1971Army shoot eight men in Derry gun battlesEight men are thought to have been hit by Armymarksmen during fierce gun battles in the Cregganand Bogside areas of Derry. The Army has said thatthey shot three gunmen in the Creggan estate duringa three-hour gun battle. Four nail bombers are alsobelieved to have been hit.In St Columb’s Well’s, Bogside one man is thoughtto have been hit after troops returned fire on gunmenarmed with M1 carbines and Thompson sub-machineguns. The Army’s casualties were two soldiers in-jured – one with a gunshot wound to the leg and theother with a hand injury, received as a result of a nailbomb attack. A 52-year-old man has been taken tohospital with gun shot wounds to the arm and a 4-year-old girl was injured when bullets came througha window in her home. During the night36 nailbombs were thrown at troops.

Saturday 11th December 1971Four die in Bomb attackFour people – two adults and two children have beenkilled and 19 injured when a bomb exploded at lunch-time demolishing a furniture store on the ShankillRoad. Rescuers dug with their bare hands after amassive bomb tore apart the Balmoral FurnishingCompany, a former cinema. It is believed that oneof the children may be aged between one and two,the other slightly older at around three years of age.The two men who died are believed to be aged 21and 50 years old.A man was severely manhandled by the crowd afterhe was alleged to have made a remark in connectionwith the explosion. It took the RUC and Army a halfhour to rescue him as hundreds of men and womentried to get at him. As the man was kicked and

THE TROUBLES Page 37

TOP - Bomb attack on the Greenan LodgeHotel.BOTTOM - A family flee from their homein Napier Street in the Sandy Row areaafter a bomb attack on a nearby bus depot

punched a cry went up that the man was a Catholicbut those closer to the centre of the struggle kept ap-pealing that he was a Protestant. This did placate thecrowd and the man was finally rushed to hospital inan unconscious state.

Saturday 11th December 1971Gunman KilledThe Army has said they believe they killed a gun-man during a fierce gun battle on the Armagh-Mona-ghan border. They also say no soldiers were injuredalthough an Army vehicle was hit twice during theexchanges in fire. An IRA spokesman in Monaghanhas said that they have not suffered any casualties.They say however that they believe a British soldierwas shot in the gun battle.

Saturday 11th December 1971Man shot dead by Army inside clubThe Army is reported to be investigating a shootingwhich occurred on Friday night inside a dance Hall.One man died and two men and one girl were in-jured during the incident. About 30 shots were firedin the Holyrood Hall in Butler Street after a patrolwent in to look for wanted men. Local people havesaid that the Army panicked and soldiers began toshoot indiscriminately.The dead man is Mr. Joseph Parker (25) of EskdaleGardens. Mr. Parker was wounded in both thighsand died six hours later in the Mater Hospital

Saturday 11th December 1971Fierce gun battle on the borderOne gunman is believed to have been killed and atleast one injured in a fierce gun battle, which lastedover one and a half hours. The gunmen were seendragging away at least one body after the attack.Hostilities came to an end when an Army helicopter,equipped with a machine-gun, arrived in the area.

Saturday 11th December 1971Soldiers rescue man from the FoyleA 35-year-old man is in Altnagelvin Hospital afterbeing rescued from the River Foyle by two men ofthe Royal Anglican Regiment. An Army Corporal,who was part to a three-man patrol on the lower deckof the Craigavon Bridge when he saw the man fallfrom the top deck. He stripped off his flak jacketand webbing and managed to keep the man afloatuntil a second soldier came to his aid.

Saturday 11th December 1971New weapon for ArmyThe Army has revealed a new weapon for use againstthe bombers. An electronic device, using radiowaves, has been developed at a Ministry of Defenceresearch establishment in the South of England andwhich is to be introduced in the North. Army patrolswill be able to set off the electronic detonators ofhidden bombs and anyone carrying or transportingsuch a bomb might well be blown up themselves.A new and highly sensitive metal detector developedfor searching individuals, as well as the rubber bul-let are products of the research establishment.

Saturday 11th December 1971Bomb defused in BelfastArmy bomb disposal experts in Belfast workedthrough the night and eventually defused a bombwhich had been planted at a shop in Lombard Street.One shot has been fired at Belleek RUC barracks andthe Army returned fire but no hits are reported. Alsoin the Belleek area a 30 lb gelignite bomb destroyedmachinery belonging to the Ministry of Agricultureat Castlecauldwell Forrest Park.During a search of the Short Strand area of Belfastthe Army has found two Thompson sub-machineguns, nine magazines, and assorted ammunition.

Saturday 11th December 1971Army disrupts 11-PlusThe Army in Derry has replied to protests by theDerry City branch of the Irish National TeachersOrganisation about Army raids in the Bogside andCreggan areas on a day which children sat for theeleven plus examination.An Army spokesman said that an empty building wasbeing searched and a barricade was being cleared inthe Creggan area. This, they say, would have been avirtually silent operation, of a short duration, exceptthat people in the Creggan attacked the Army withnail bombs and bullets. The Army replied to theseattacks and four gunmen and four nail bombers wereshot. All troops were clear of the area by 5.45am.The Army say that during and immediately prior tothe 11-Plusexam they did their best to minimize dis-turbances in the area and believe they were success-ful in this. The teachers organisation said howeverthat they have received numerous reports from itsmembers saying that children are coming to schoolbleary eyed from the effects of lack of sleep.

Saturday 11th December 1971Prison ship to be used againHMS Maidstone is to be used once again as a float-ing prison for detainees. But the Ministry of HomeAffairs at Stormont said today that men already heldin the overcrowded Belfast jail would not be movedto the ship. The Maidstone is regarded as an idealprison ship, with its isolated position in Belfast har-bour, and the strong security screen which includesradar and underwater electronic detectors. The shipwas originally towed to Belfast to accommodatetroops, and several regiments have been billeted there.It became a prison for detainees in August. Later themen were transferred to Long Kesh and troops oncemore moved into the vessel.In recent days security around the ship has beenstepped up. Special screens topped with barbed wirering and after deck where it is thought the men willexercise. A Ministry of Home Affairs spokesmanhas said: “Men in Crumlin Road under detention willnot be moved to the Maidstone. It will be used for

people picked up by the Army and against whomdetention orders are issued. In fact it will be a hold-ing centre until a decision is taken either to releasethem, charge them or intern them.”

Monday 13th December 1971Official IRA killed SenatorResponsibility for the killing of Senator Barnhill hasbeen admitted by the Official IRA, following a de-nial by the Provisionals that they were implicated.In a statement in Dublin the official wing claimedthey had intended to destroy the house but that theSenator had “attacked the raiding party and was killedin the struggle.” The purpose of the raid was to de-stroy the house in reprisal for the destruction by Brit-ish forces of working class homes throughout the SixCounties.” The IRA statement said: On entering thehouse the officer in charge informed Senator Barnhillthat his house was to be destroyed and he was askedto evacuate it along with his family. He then attacked

Page 38 THE TROUBLES

the raiding party and in the ensuing struggle receivedwounds from which he died. The whole episodelasted less than one minute and the officer in chargeknelt down beside him to see if he needed medicalassistance. At this point Mrs. Barnhill came into thehall and was informed that her husband was dead.Contrary to statements which appeared in the morn-ing newspapers, the Senator’s body was not draggedinto the living room but was left where he fell in thehall. The party then carried out the operation as wasintended. The house in Strabane was selected forthe reprisal raid because Senator Barnhill representeda leading position in the Unionist Party and had beenidentified as a supporter of Faulkner’s policy of re-pression and terror against the working-class peopleof the North.”

Monday 13th December 1971Rocket launcher and poison bullets foundBullets filled with poison, claymore mines and homemade stick grenades were part of one of the biggestarms hauls ever found in Belfast. The poison Bul-lets were among 10,000 rounds of assorted ammuni-tion and arms which included a 3.5 rocket, the typeused against Andersonstown RUC barracks, foundby troops in an unoccupied flat in Cliftonpark Av-enue.

Monday 13th December 1971Shankill ‘defence’The Democratic Unionist MP, Councilor JohnMcQuade has said that the people of the Shankillintend to defend it – “and if we cannot do it by law-ful means I am willing to step outside the law in theinterests of the law-abiding citizens of Shankill Roadand Northern Ireland.”

Tuesday 14th December 1971Woman Senator escapes kidnap bidIn a spate of incidents gunmen were foiled in whatappears to have been at attempt to kidnap a StormontSenator, and bomb the home of a woman J.P. At-tacks have also been carried out on the wife of a

former High Sheriff of Belfast and on the home of aprominent unionist.The husband of Senator Mrs. Edith Taggart was hiton the head and sustained a suspected broken armwhen he grappled with armed men who ordered hiswife to leave their Malone Park home. Two bombshave exploded at homes around Belfast on e inMalone Avenue and another at the home of a J.P. inSpringfield Parade. Still in the Malone Road areathe wife of a former High Sheriff of Belfast Mrs.Celina Christie, was shot and wounded when shegrappled with gunmen who tried to set fire to herUpper Malone Road home. In another incident gun-men tried and failed to enter the home of a promi-nent official in the South Belfast Unionist Associa-tion who lives at Malone Road.

Tuesday 14th December 1971Escapers give press conferenceOne of the three men who escaped from CrumlinRoad Prison claimed in Dublin that the Army hadstopped and searched his car but didn’t recognise him.Martin Meehan was speaking at a press conferenceorganised by the IRA at a city hotel. Also presentwere Tony “Dutch” Doherty and Hugh McCann.

Tuesday 14th December 1971Shankill blast, four are buriedThe four victims of the explosion at the BalmoralFurnishing Company on the Shankill Road have beenburied. The two babies who died during the attackhave both been buried at Carnmoney Cemetery. Theywere two year old Tracey Munn of Alloa Street andseven-month-old Colin Nicholl of Elimgrove Street.Tracy’s mother, 22-year-old Helen Munn is still se-riously ill in hospital. A third victim of the blast was20-year-old Harold King, a Catholic from CliftondeneCrescent; he was buried in Milltown Cemetery. Thefourth person top die was Mr. Hugh Brice (50), ofDuncairn Gardens. He was acting as commission-aire at the furniture store where the blast occurred.

Tuesday 14th December 1971Shots fired at troopsTroops have come under fire in the Andersonstownarea of Belfast but no one was hit. An Army spokes-man said a gunman fired about seven shots at a mo-bile patrol of the 1st Battalion, The Scots Guards, nearthe junction of Andersonstown Road andOwenvarragh Park. Fire was not returned by thetroops

Tuesday 14th December 1971Children ordered off busFourteen children on their way to school were or-dered off a bus at gunpoint by three raiders. Thechildren were travelling to St. Paul’s SecondarySchool at Camlough, when the gunman held up thedriver of the Ulsterbus vehicle at Jonesboro, nearForkhill, County Armagh. The raiders approachedthe bus when it stopped to pick up children. It waslater set on fire and the children were brought toschool by car. No one was injured in the attack.

Tuesday 14th December 1971Hotel bombedBombs have badly damaged a hotel and a customsstation in Enniskillen and gunmen attacked troops inDerry.The bomb at the Imperial Hotel, one of Enniskillen’sbiggest, exploded at the rear of the building. Theblast shattered most of the windows and did consid-erable damage to the kitchen. Several minutes afterthe blast another explosion damaged the customsclearing house At Dublin Road.In Derry one gunman fired from the window of aderelict public house in William Street while anotherfired six shots at an Army post also in William Street.At Bligh’s Lane soldiers saw a man carrying a rifle.In all three cases the soldiers returned fire.At the premises of Joseph Lucas at Pennyburn Pass,two armed men planted a 25 lb bomb in the recep-tion area. Three hours later the Army managed todefuse it.

Tuesday 14th December 1971Army can’t do the job says PaisleyIan Paisley has told a Democratic Unionist Party re-cruiting rally in Carrickfergus that the guerrilla war-fare in Ulster would never be won by Army person-nel. The enemy, he said, operate in areas they knewwell and were brought up in, and where they havebeen helped by friends. In his opinion the Army can’tdo the job. “They aren’t briefed properly,” he said,“”There is only one people who can win this war-fare, and that is the local people armed and until youhave an armed auxiliary force to back them up youwill never win.”

LEFT - Bomb attack on a cash and carrystore in Belfast’s Linenhall Street.FACING PAGE - Home of Major IvanNeill, Speaker of the House of Commons,after it was bombed by the IRA. The housewas on the shores of Carlingford Lough

THE TROUBLES Page 39

Tuesday 14th December 1971Paratroopers on arms chargesTwo more men, one of them a member of the Para-chute Regiment free fall team have been charged atAldershot in a firearms case. Four soldiers and twocivilians are now accused.L/Cpl. Slater has been accused of 7.62 rifle withouta firearm certificate; Cpl Michael McIntyre (27) 3rd

Battalion Parachute Regiment is charged with steal-ing 35 rounds of 9mm ammunition, selling a sub-machine gun, stealing a smoke grenade and selling itand possessing a 7.62 rifle without a permit and hav-ing a thunderflash and several rounds of ammuni-tion without a certificate. L/Cpl. David Evans (22)of 1st battalion Parachute Regiment (serving in North-ern Ireland) is accused of buying a sub-machine gun.Private Howard Tims (22) of 16 Parachute Brigadehas been charged with selling a sub-machine gun.

Tuesday 14th December 1971Troops find more armsTroops have seized more arms and ammunition whenthey raided a house in the Ballymurphy area of Bel-fast. Men of the 1st Battalion, The Scots Guards car-ried out a search at Whitecliff Parade during whichthey discovered an Armalite rifle, an instructionmanual, an M1 Springfield rifle, a .303 rifle with tel-escopic sight, one .35 Smith and Wesson and a .38Colt automatic pistol and 176 rounds of assortedammunition.

Tuesday 14th December 1971New RUC BarracksBelfast Corporation’s town planning committee hasapproved a plan for a new RUC barracks and a hos-tel for 100 policemen at 282 Antrim Road, Belfast

Wednesday 15th December 1971Army kills boyRioting has broken out in Cookstown as factories andshops closed in protest against the shooting of a 16-year-old youth by troops in the town on Tuesdaynight. Black flags hung from windows in Protestagainst the shooting of Martin McShane at MacroryPark, the local GAA ground shortly before midnight.In a statement the Army initially said that they shotthe youth who had a gun. They further said that hewas in an “aim position” when he was shot.

In a later Army statement it was said that men of the42nd Royal Marine Commando were near a housingestate in the town when they saw “a person” climb-ing over a fence. The boy said a spokesman had aweapon with him and he walked into the middle of

the field, which is in fact, Macrory Park. Accordingto the Army the youth was seen to come into an aimposition where upon he was shot. Troops then lightup the area by fairing a flare pistol. And the body ofa person was seen “lying on a weapon”. Then a crowdquickly gathered around the body. The weapon,which the Army referred to, is said by residents tohave been a toy gun. Local people also say it wasthe UDR who shot the boy and who also found thebroken toy gun beside the boy. They also allege thatthe three men, who were in uniform, were seen driv-ing away in a private car. Confusion surroundingthe killing deepened when 14-year-old Pat Hughes,who was playing with the dead boy only secondsbefore he was killed said he did not see him with atoy gun.

Wednesday 15th December 1971Shankill guard proposed by MPShankill MP Mr. Desmond Boal, stated that he is pre-paring to launch, within hours, some form of civilianbody in the Shankill area for the protection of homesand property.

Wednesday 15th December 1971Soldiers woundedTwo soldiers were shot and seriously wounded whena gunman ambushed an Army patrol on the outskirtsof Belfast. The gunmen fired from a position nearthe junction of Ramoan Gardens and the Glen Roadat Andersonstown. It is believed that at least two ofthe seven shots fired by gunmen hit the soldiers whowere travelling in a Land Rover. One soldier wasstruck in the neck by a ricochet; the other soldier wasshot twice in the back. Fire was not returned.Troops later came under fire from gunmen in Derrybut no one was injured in the attack. An Army spokes-man said that two shots were fired at soldiers in theBrandywell area of the city.

RIGHT - The Conway Hotel, Dunmurryafter an IRA bomb attack

Page 40 THE TROUBLES

TOP - Bomb attack on a Shankill Roadfurniture store which left four people, twoof them children, dead.LEFT - Smoke billows out of a buildingin Royal Avenue after a bomb blast

Wednesday 15th December 1971TA sergeant woundedA gunman posing as a book salesman shot and seri-ously wounded a Territorial Army Sergeant at hishome in Belfast. The shooting of the 38-year-oldman in Parkside Gardens, off the Limestone Road, isbeing regarded by the RUC as the latest attempt bythe IRA to assassinate members of the security forces.Two men approached the man’s home posing as sales-men. The man’s wife answered the door and thencalled her husband. When he appeared one man pro-duced a handgun and fired two or three shots at him.He fell at his wife’s feet as the men made their geta-way in a car. The man has undergone major surgeryand his condition is described as fair.Fifteens rounds were also fired at troops in theAndersonstown area, and in Belleek shots were firedat a sentry at the local RUC barracks and four shotswere returned at the gunman who was operating fromacross the border. In Derry two shots were fired at agunman in Bligh’s Lane but it is not known if he washit.

In Lurgan, an arms cache was discovered and twomen are being questioned about the weapons. Thefind included a loaded .38 Smith and Wesson re-volver, a 9mm Lugar pistol, a rifle and a .38 Italiancarbine as well as a quantity of ammunition.

Wednesday 15th December 1971Ballymurphy arms findMen of the Scots Guards seized a significant quan-tity of arms during a search of the Ballymurphy area.The troops found one .303 light machine-gun. With-out a barrel; one Sten gun with two magazines; one9mm machine pistol and 1,258 rounds of ammuni-tion.An army spokesman has said that a total of 17 peo-ple, 15 in Belfast and two in County Armagh havebeen detained in the last 24 hours.

Wednesday 15th December 1971Sinn Fein refuses to give interviewA team from the BBC’s 24 Hours, filming in theRepublic, have been refused permission to visit SinnFein Headquarters in Kevin Street, Dublin. MR. RoryBrady, president of Sinn Fein gave an interview to aBBC reporter, which is due to be broadcast this week.He said: “We will wait and see how they treat thisbefore deciding on any future co-operation with theBBC”.

Thursday 16th December 1971Acceptable Level of ViolenceThe Home Secretary, Mr. Maudling, at a press con-ference at Aldergrove created a major row over hisstatement that IRA activity had been reduced to “an

acceptable level.” Today from his office at White-hall he stepped in and tried to clarify his comments.

Thursday 16th December 1971Ardoyne arms findSoldiers of the 1st Battalion, The Queen’s LancashireRegiment have discovered an arms cache at HighburyGardens in the Ardoyne area of Belfast. The searchparty found one Thompson sub-machine gun withtwo fully loaded drum magazines; one .303 rifle withloaded magazine; one self loading rifle magazine;one M1 carbine magazine; 54 rounds of ammunitionin a bandolier, a length of fuse and explosives equip-ment.The raid, believed to have been mounted after thesecurity forces received recent information began at4.30am. Two men are reported to have been arrested.

Thursday 16th December 1971Arms find at PortadownArms and ammunition have been found by policeduring searches in the Portadown area, The RUC saidthat two American M1 Carbines and 200 rounds of

THE TROUBLES Page 41

TOP - The airport terminal building inGlengal Street after being destroyed in abomb attack.MIDDLE - Troops display arms whichwere discovered in North Belfast’sCliftonpark Avenue.BOTTOM - Arms discovered during asearch in the Springfield Road area.

ammunition were found in a bog at Selshion, outsidethe town. Three shotguns have also been found at acemetery near the town.

Thursday 16th December 1971Machine gun attack on RUCChristmas shoppers dived for cover in Derry citycentre as a gunman armed with a machine gun openedfire on an RUC patrol car. The shots went wide andthe three uniformed RUC men, whose car wasstopped at traffic lights, in Waterloo Place, escapedinjury. Ten shots were fired but no one was injured.

Thursday 16th December 1971Ambulance attackedGunmen have fired on a civilian ambulance in theLower Falls area of Belfast as a shot soldier was be-ing rushed to hospital. Two bullets hit the ambu-lance on its way to the Royal Victoria Hospital aftertroops were ambushed by at least two gunmen. Noneof the ambulance crew were injured but doctors werelater fighting to save the soldier’s life. PrivateAspinwall, who is married with three children, un-derwent an emergency operation and his condition isdescribed as serious. His family has been flown tohis bedside. Troops returned fire during the attackbut it is not known if anyone was hit.Private Aspinwall is the second soldier of the 1st Bat-talion, The Gloucester Regiment to be shot in theLower Falls since Wednesday afternoon. Later acolleague was wounded in the shoulder when an IRAman fired on a foot patrol near Balaclava Street, buthe was not seriously hurt.Men of the Scots Guards came under attack from theIRA in two other attacks at around 3.00am. Fiverounds of automatic fire were sprayed at a mobilepatrol at Linden Street from a gunman at DunvilleStreet. No one was injured and troops returned fire.Three gunmen then launched an attack from a posi-tion at Colin Street. An Army spokesman said that20 rounds of automatic rifle fire was aimed at a sen-try at the North Howard Street mill, where the Armyhave an observation post. The gunmen are thoughtto have used a Thompson sub-machine gun and aM1 carbine.Two soldiers shot in an ambush on the Glen Road onWednesday are said to be very seriously ill in hospi-tal. One of the soldiers has been shot in the neck andthe other in the spine.A loud explosion in the Andersonstown area has beentraced to waste ground near Oliver Plunkett School.Windows in the school were broken but no one wasinjured. And at Creagh industrial estate, nearCastledawson, an electricity transformer and a polewas wrecked by a 5 lb bomb.

Thursday 16th December 1971Meter readers move in under guardTwenty-five meter readers from the Gas Departmentmoved into the short Strand accompanied by heavilyarmed soldiers from the Queen’s Own Highlanders.The meters in this part of East Belfast have not beenread for more than six months because the meter read-ers were dubious about going into troubled areas car-

rying large amounts of money. No opposition wasreally expected from the residents and none was en-countered

Thursday 16th December 1971IRA statementThe Provisional IRA in a statement issued in Dublin,has admitted responsibility for the deaths of threemembers of the UDR and a British Army officer inthe past week. They also claim to have wounded 22soldiers. The statement added that IRA losses overthe same period were one member accidentally killedand two wounded.

Friday 17th December 1971Soldier dies in hospitalA 22-year-old soldier who was shot and seriouslywounded in the stomach when a foot patrol cameunder attack in the Falls Road area has died in hospi-tal. He was Private Anthony Aspinwall, a memberof D Company, the Gloucestershire Regiment. Hisdeath brings the number of people killed since 1969to 198. This year 165 people have been killed, 42regular army personnel, 11 members of the RUC, 5members of the UDR and 107 civilians. Last year20 people were killed and in 1969 the death toll was13.

Friday 17th December 1971Soldier shot in Belfast A soldier has been shot on the Grosvenor Road as agunman opened fire on an Army patrol. It is under-stood that a number of shots were fired at the patrolas it passed Venice Street. The condition of the in-jured man is not yet known but he was rushed to thenearby Royal Victoria Hospital for treatment.

Friday 17th December 1971Three soldiers hurt in ambushThree soldiers were injured when gunmen ambushedan Army mobile patrol in the centre of Armagh and a28-year-old motorist was shot in the legs men whotook him from his car at gunpoint.The Armagh ambush came as Royal Marines werepatrolling the city in two Land Rovers. Gunmenopened fire form the direction of Druid estate andthree members of the patrol were injured. They wererushed to Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast but nonewere seriously injured.Three armed men intercepted a 28-year-old Lurganman’s car as he was driving along the Newry-Dublinroad about two miles from Newry. The man wasordered out of the car while his woman passengerwas held at gunpoint. After being walked to the rearof the car the men said his name and asked the man

to confirm that it was him. He replied it was andthey fired two shots. He was then dumped in theback seat of the car and his woman passenger droveto Daisy Hill hospital. He was treated for gunshotwounds to the legs.In Belfast a small gelignite bomb was thrown at aferret car in Raglan Street but there were no casual-ties and in the Oldpark area a shot was fired at anarmy patrol. At Dermott Hill Road, Belfast a Mar-tini rifle was discovered buried in a garden. Earlier agunman in a car opened up with a Thompson sub-machine gun at an RUC man who was on escort dutyat Hesketh Road. Six shots were fire, one of themgrazing the RUC man in the neck. Over 70 shotswere fired at a Royal Scots Dragoon Guards armouredcar patrol near Forkhill. The firing lasted 90 min-utes and several bullets struck the vehicle but no onewas injured.

Friday 17th December 1971Fire bombs in LurganAn incendiary bomb ignited and two others failed togo off in Lurgan. The device which exploded was ina shop, Mr. Best, in Queen Street. But it burned it-self out without causing much damage. The othertwo bombs were planted in the Customs and Exciseoffice in High Street and Margaret’s drapery and chil-dren’s outfitters in Union Street. Later the RUC

Page 42 THE TROUBLES

toured the town warning people to be on the look outfor devices.

Friday 17th December 1971Red Cross visit interneesMembers of the International Committee of the RedCross have paid visits to Crumlin Road, Prison, LongKesh and the depot ship Maidstone, to investigateconditions for men detained or interned. The twodelegates, both Swiss, visited the centres over threedays. They were free to talk privately to all the menand will give a report on their findings to the North-ern Ireland Government. A further visit has been ar-ranged for April.

Saturday 18th December 1971Castledawson RUC barrack attackedBombers have attacked another RUC station and anelectricity transformer. A small bomb was also de-fused, after a small explosion, in a shop inRandalstown. The blast at Castledawson RUC bar-racks blew a five-foot hole in a gable wall of the build-ing. The RUC say 10 lb of gelignite was used. Andonly moderate damage was caused.

At Claudy, near Portglenone, a bomb exploded at anelectricity transformed but power supplies were notaffected. At Randalstown a 20lb bomb was defusedafter the first explosion in the town.In Derry, Bligh’s Lane came under sniper fire but noone was injured. Troops returned fire at the cornerof Beechwood Avenue but no one was hit.The RUC are also investigating an attempt to burndown a Christmas tree at the Diamond in Ballycastle.A motor-tyre soaked in petrol was found at the baseof the tree and caused extensive damage. A note wasfound at the scene referred to internees at Long Kesh.

Saturday 18th December 1971Farmer’s lucky escapeA County Fermanagh farmer had a narrow escapewhen gunmen opened fire on his Land Rover. Thefarmer, whose name has not been released, was driv-ing away from his brother’s farm, when he noticed aman in the field ahead of him. As he turned from thelane into the Derrylin-Ballyconnell road, he heard ashot. The farmer accelerated and as he did so an-other 20 shots rang out. When he got home he founda bullet hole in the side of his vehicle. The RUCbelieve the gunmen may have mistaken the LandRover for an Army vehicle.

Saturday 18th December 1971Palace Barracks: Guns missing?The Army are carrying out a detailed check after re-ports that a number of guns were missing from Pal-ace Barracks, Holywood.The report says six self-loading rifles and three ster-ling sub-machine guns were unaccounted for at theBarracks. An Army spokesman said that they can-not confirm or deny the reports as the check is stillon going.

Saturday 18th December 1971Christmas protestsPlans to hold Christmas protest vigils against intern-ment are under way in all parts of the North accord-ing to the Civil Rights Association. The CRA addsthat their fund to give cash support to the familiesand dependants of each internee is going well. Re-ferring to Christmas protests which will also includefasts, they say: The important thing is that each andevery area does what it can so that not only every-body in the North but an increasing number of coun-tries and people throughout the world know aboutthe British terror against innocent people.”

Monday 20th December 1971Belfast bombsBombers attacked at least eight targets in the heart ofBelfast and another three on the outskirts of the citybut no one was seriously injured. One bomb explodedon the Antrim Road after a woman carried it out ofthe premises of Stormont Cabinet Minister Mr.William FitzsimmonsThe list of the blasts are as follows:

1. Belfast Co-operative shop at CliftonvilleCircus, Oldpark Road

2. Lavery’s antique shop, May Street.3. Offices of Telefusion Ltd., Linenhall

Street.4. Bomb outside Fitzsimmon’s shop on the

Antrim Road.5. Regent House Furnishers, York Street.6. Scottish Legal Life Assurance Society,

Chichester Street

7. The Gas Light Café, Ormeau Road8. Conway Hotel, Dunmurry.9. Staff canteen of Belart clothing factory,

Longlands Road, Newtownabbey10. Whiteabbey railway station.

Monday 20th December 1971Man shot and capturedTroops today shot a man they alleged fired at them atSuffolk, Dunmurry. The man was taken to hospitalwith a leg wound. He condition is not serious. TheArmy said that a gunman opened fire on a patrol ofthe Light Air Defence Regiment at Carrigart Avenueand they returned fire, capturing a wounded man.

Monday 20th December 1971Lisburn time bombLisburn town centre was evacuated after a bomb wasplanted in a hi-jacked road tanker carrying 3,500gallons of petrol in Bow Street. The tanker hi-jackedby four men and a woman near the Donegal Roadentrance to the motorway. A bomb was attached andthey then drove it to Bow Street Lisburn.

Monday 20th December 1971Boy dies in pub bombingA 16-year-old- boy has been killed in an explosionin Belfast. The boy, James McCallum, from MonaghRoad Belfast, was working at Murtagh’s public houseat the corner of Springfield Road and Mayo Street,when a bomb exploded at a bottling store. Five peo-ple were injured in the blast. Three men thought tobe in their 20’s are said to have walked into the barcarrying a parcel and when they re-appeared they didnot have the parcel. The bar was previously dam-aged in an explosion on 16th October

Monday 20th December 1971Teenage girl dies in crashA teenage girl was killed when the ice-cream van inwhich she was travelling was involved in a collisionwith an Army vehicle at a checkpoint. The 16-year-old who died was one of three passengers in the ve-hicle, which collided with a stationary one-ton Armyarmoured car at the junction of the Glen Road andShaw’s Road. She was named as Anne MarieCaldwell, of Ramoan Drive, Andersonstown. An-other girl was seriously injured.

Monday 20th December 1971IRA men buriedThe three IRA men killed when a bomb exploded intheir car at Magherafelt at the weekend have beenburied in the same grave. The dead men were JamesJoseph Sheridan (20), Martin Lee (19) and JohnBateson (19), all of Ballymaguigan, near Magherafelt.Death notices in a morning newspaper identified themen as all being members of the South Derry battal-ion of the Provisional IRA.Security Chiefs are now fairly certain that they wereon their way to bomb a selected target, possibly alocal power installation, when the bomb went offprematurely.Sheridan is said to have been Adjutant of the South

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Derry Battalion of the Provisional IRA; Lee was astaff officer of the local Ballymaguigan company andBateson, a volunteer.

Monday 20th December 1971Fight will go on say IRAThe Provisional IRA has warned that it will not ac-cept passively internment without trial or any “newstyle repressive measures” against Republicans in theSouth. In a statement replying to Mr. Jack Lynch,who warned that he would not allow the IRA to usurpthe functions of his government, the Provisionals saidthat such action by him, in response to British andright-wing pressure, could only serve the interests ofBritish Imperialists and would be a dastardly betrayalof the Nationalist people of the North. TheProvisionals claimed that their “struggle against Brit-ish Occupation Forces would continue.”

Tuesday 21st December 1971Pub owner diesThe owner of a pub in Belfast was killed today whenhe tried to save his premises from destruction after abomb was planted. Mr. Jack Lavery (60), refused toleave his bar on the Lisburn Road despite pleas byhis manager and barmen. He was standing besidethe bomb contained in a whiskey carton and when itexploded it brought the top floor crashing down. Itis believed Mr. Lavery may have detonated the bombprematurely as he was tried to move it.

Tuesday 21st December 1971Mystery shooting on borderA confused situation occurred on the South Armaghborder when 60 to 70 shots were fired at an undeter-mined target at Carrive, near Forkhill. Security forcesapproached the area and finding the shooting wasnot aimed at any particular target in the North, with-drew to high ground in an effort to ascertain what itwas all about. We don’t know what it’s all about butit may be that some factions of the IRA are having aprivate war among themselves.

Tuesday 21st December 1971Bomb hoax at stationArmy bomb disposal experts blew the top of a suspi-cious parcel found in Great Victoria Street railwaystation but it contained nothing more harmful thanclothing. Traffic was halted in Great Victoria Streetwhile the sappers prepared their charge. The mainpart of the station was evacuated after the parcel wasfound near the entrance.

Tuesday 21st December 1971Girl dies in sniper attackA 20-year-old Belfast girl Miss Margaret McCrory,of Fairfield Street off the Crumlin Road has been shotdead during a gun attack on troops. She was stand-ing at a bus stop when, two masked men, one armedwith a Thompson sub-machine gun and the other aM1 carbine, took over a house on the Crumlin Road.The gunmen then ambushed military vehicles as theytravelled towards the city centre. Miss McCrory wasshot in the head during the attack and was rushed to

hospital but was found to be dead on arrival. Thetwo men made their escape into the Ardoyne area.Gunmen also opened up on troops after a bomb wasthrown from a car at McKenna’s bar at the corner ofArdilea Street on the Oldpark Road. The bar andsurrounding buildings were damaged and threewomen were treated for shock. An Army spokes-man said that at least 25 shots were fired at the sol-diers during subsequent exchanges and troops firedeight rounds in return. Three shots were also fired atOldpark Road RUC barracks but it is not known ifany of the gunmen were injured. Shots were alsofired at Crumlin Road Prison.

Tuesday 21st December 1971Army shoots man with “suspicious package”An Army marksman shot a man carrying a “suspi-cious package” in the markets area of Belfast. The18-year-man from Stanfield Street was shot in theright arm when the army claimed he failed to stopfor a challenge. An Army spokesman said one roundpassed through his arm and he was later dischargedfrom hospital.The incident happened shortly after 6.00am whenmen of the 1st Glouster Regiment spotted a man car-rying “a suspicious object” in Stanfield Street. Troopschallenged him. “I don’t think he heard the first chal-lenge,” said a spokesman for the unit. “He was chal-lenged to stop a second time and he reacted rathersharply, like anyone would do under the circum-stances.”An RUC spokesman said the incident occurred dur-ing a search of the area, and he claimed that the manstarted to run when he was challenged the secondtime. The suspicious object in the parcel was a tur-key.

Tuesday 21st December 1971IRA contacts stay facelessProvisional IRA leader Mr. Sean MacStiofain hasrefused to give any hint of the identities of the “Prot-estants of good standing” from the Six Counties withwhom he claims to be conducting dialogue. He said,“I can’t even say whether they are clergymen or poli-ticians, because the meeting we have had were com-pletely confidential. All I can say is that they areProtestants of good standing – they are very well re-spected in their own communities.” Three meetingswere held, on the initiative of Protestants in the Re-public. It was agreed to have a further meeting at aconvenient time.Mr. MacStiofain claimed that the Protestants werevery interested in the Provisionals plans for localgovernment and accepted the inevitability of someform of a United Ireland. He had assured them that

the IRA was not responsible for some recent bomb-ings, including those at the Four Steps Inn, andMoffetts furniture store. He also told them that itwas not the IRA’s policy to attack or kill Protestants.If Protestants had been killed, it was because theywere members of the UDR or the RUC.

Wednesday 22nd December 1971Pre Christmas blitzGunmen have bombed another Belfast shop, only ashort distance from the city centre, causing hundredsof pounds of damage to electrical goods. But no onewas injured as the area had been evacuated beforethe blast at the radio and television wholesale firmof J. C. Holland at the junction of Bedford Street andOrmeau Avenue. The RUC have said that two menplanted the bomb at the electrical firm shortly after10.00am. One of the men carried in the bomb whichwas disguised as a television set.Later a gunman opened fire near Unity Flats, but thecrew of a passing RUC car was uninjuredAt Dungannon the Army detonated two stick gre-nades, which were found by men of the 42nd Com-mando, Royal Marines, in a derelict building at SloanStreet. The Army decided that they were too danger-

TOP - Bomb attack on shops in Belfast’sKing Street.MIDDLE - Members of the Official IRAburning Housing Trust records in Derry.BOTTOM - Bomb attack on Lavery’s Baron the Lisburn Road in which the owner,John Lavery, was killed.

Page 44 THE TROUBLES

The army recruitment office on Belfast’s York Street after an IRA bomb attack

THE TROUBLES Page 45

TOP- A soldier stands in a crater on a roadoutside Keady which was blown up byBritish troops. In the previous 2 months21 roads have been closed in this way.MIDDLE - An army sniper keeps watchwhile British troops prepare to blow upanother border road.BOTTOM - A burning lorry is pushed overan embankment in Coalisland duringrioting which followed the shooting of alocal youth

ous to defuse and detonated them. Two explosionsin the Strabane area have been traced to an electric-ity sub-station at Bridge Street and an electricity py-lon at Calleheme. The substation was only slightlydamaged and one of the pylon’s legs was severed.

Wednesday 22nd December 1971IRA man shot dead in ArdoyneThe man shot while running away from troops inArdoyne on Tuesday night is described in death no-tices in the Irish News as a “Staff captain” in theIRA. It has also been learned that the dead man,Gerard McDade, of Oakfield, was high on the Secu-rity Forces wanted list. Mr. McDade was among agroup of men asked to line up against a wall by troops.He ran away towards Oakfield Street and after beingwarned to halt several times, a soldier opened fired,wounding him. He was wanted by troops and RUCin connection with IRA activities.Death notices from members of A, B, C, D, E, and FCompanies of the 3rd Battalion, IRA have appearedin the newspapers.

Wednesday 22nd December 1971Rifles found in AntrimThe Army has reported finding two .303 rifles dur-ing a search in High Street, Antrim. A spokesmansaid the guns appeared to be in very good condition.

Wednesday 22nd December 1971Bombs in DerryFive explosions within ten minutes rocked haveDerry. Three of the premises bombed were guttedby fire. The fires were at Eakin’s Garage in FoyleRoad, the Corner Boot Store in Waterloo Place, andMcCullough’s garage Showroom in John Street.These explosions took place between 4.18 and4.26pm. At 4.24pm, Boggs and Smiths electricalsupply shop was bombed. Four minutes later, thescene shifted out of the City centre to Eakin’s build-ers and contractors office at Strand Road. Thesepremises were damaged but a second bomb failed toexplode and was rendered harmless by the Army.Another Garage, that of Alexander Motors in GreatJames Street was undamaged when a 10 lb bomb wasdefused. A sixth bomb at the shirt factory of W. J.Little and Co., at Distillery Brae caused only minorstructural damage.At Magazine Gate a youth of sixteen fired aThompson sub-machine gun at troops. No one wasinjured and fire was not returned. At Dungiven asniper fired a single shot at an Army post but no onewas injured.In Derry two men were tarred and feathered. An IRAspokesman said that the two men had carried outarmed robberies involving the theft of about £300from small shops. He said that they had posed asIRA Volunteers and their actions were bringing themovement into disrepute.

Wednesday 22nd December 1971Two pubs bombedTroops came under fire in Belfast after another nightin which two more public houses were wrecked by

bombs. Seven shots were fired at an Army post inLouisa Street in the Oldpark are but no one was in-jured and fire was not returned. Another two shotswere fired at Hastings Street from the direction ofDivis flats. Another five shots were fired in ArdileaStreet but the target is not known.The Black Swan public house at Kingsway,Dunmurry was gutted in a fire which broke out aftera bomb exploded in the premises shortly before7.00pm. The RUC say the raiders were armed witha Thompson sub-machine gun, a rifle and a pistoland escaped by car. The fire which broke out afterthe 30 lb bomb exploded, gutted the building, and asecond bomb, planted at the same time, was not dis-covered. This is the third attack on the pub.The Hunting Lodge Inn on Belfast’s StewartstownRoad was one again the target of bombers. Twoyouths, one of whom was armed with a revolverplanted the bomb in the prefabricated structure. Thishad been erected to replace the original buildingwhich was destroyed in an earlier attack.During a search of Ardoyne, troops have found 8 lbof gelignite, four feet of fuse and 1,00 feet of cortexand in an earlier search troops of the Scots Guardsuncovered an arms dump near Milltown. Five rifles,two pistols and almost 3,000 rounds of assorted am-munition were discovered. Also, in Belfast a boywas injured by flying splinters at Royal Avenue whena soldier’s gun was accidentally discharged. Armyexperts were examining a suspicious parcel at thetime.

Thursday 23rd December 1971Bombs wreck computersBombers caused thousands of pounds worth of dam-age to two computers in a blast which wrecked aBelfast office. Computer equipment, valued at morethan £30,000 was completely destroyed by the dou-ble blast at the offices of Philips Electronics (Ireland),at Wellington Park. A six-man team planted the bomband an army disposal expert detonated a second bombwhich had been left in a car by two men near the citycentre.

Thursday 23rd December 19712,500 rounds found in FallsTroops have found more than 2,500 rounds of am-munition in the Lower Falls area of Belfast. TheArmy have said that the ammunition was found, to-gether with some boy “scout uniforms” was foundduring a search at Barnet Street.

Thursday 23rd December 1971Hoax bombsAs the pre-Christmas bombing blitz continues inBelfast hoax bombs were placed strategically on threebridges caused traffic chaos. At the height of therush hour, three hoax bombs were planted on the threeprincipal arteries at the Queen’s Bridge, Albert Bridgeand Ormeau Bridge. However, the Queen ElizabethBridge was left free and the Army and RUC wereable to re-route traffic over this thus preventing totalparalysis of the city centre. In an effort to speed upthe task of tackling the hoax bombs, the Army firedshots into the boxes that contained the potentialbombs. These were either left in cars or planted onthe bridges.

Thursday 23rd December 1971Woman killed by Army vehicleA 60-year-old woman died after being struck by anArmy Land Rover in the Oldpark area of Belfast.She was Mrs. Theresa Murray of Parkview Street andthe accident occurred at the junction of her street andthe Oldpark Road. The woman was taken to theMater where she died a short time later.

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TOP - Bombs go off in Belfast’s LinenhallStreet while shoppers continue with theirChristmas shopping.MIDDLE - Bomb attack on a LimestoneRoad factory.BOTTOM - Remains of a car whichcontained a bomb in Durham Street afterbeing dealt with by the army.FACING PAGE - All that remains ofSenator Barnhill’s home after he was killedby the Official IRA who also planted abomb in his house.

Thursday 23rd December 1971Soldiers shoot man in ArdoyneTroops believe that they may have shot a gunmanduring an exchange of fire in Ardoyne but they be-lieve that he may have been carried away by friends.Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, The Queen’s LancashireRegiment said they saw two men firing from the di-rection of some shops towards an observation post atArdoyne bus depot. Shots were returned and the manwas seen to fall back.In Strabane, gunmen opened up on, and wounded amember of the RUC, who was in a car near the junc-tion of Melmount Road and Beechmount Avenue.Five shots struck the windscreen of the vehicle andgrazed the RUC man. Fire was not returned. In Bel-fast, two American style hand grenades were defused.They were found beside Springfield Road RUC bar-racks beside Violet Street.In Derry, two masked men walked into the Diamond

Bar at Butcher Street and left a 10 lb bomb. AtDuncreegan Army camp, a nail bomb was lobbedover the perimeter fence and the Bank of Ireland atGreenshaw Road was wrecked by a bomb. In Newry,Powell’s supermarket was damaged by an incendi-ary and McAleer’s garage, William Street was dam-aged by a small bomb. A bomb planted ay a girl at aGovernment advance factory on the Kilwee indus-trial in Dunmurry caused slight damage.

Thursday 23rd December 1971Cap badges can be snipers targetThe father of a soldier shot in Belfast has claimedthat troops were being made easy targets by theirgleaming chromium plated cap badges. Mr.Aspinwall speaking after his son’s funeral said thathe was speaking on behalf of his son’s friends, whobelieve the regimental badge was making them easytargets. He suggested that if soldiers can blackentheir faces then the same should be done to theirbadges. A spokesman for the regiment said that thewearing of badges at night is up to individual com-pany commanders.

Thursday 23rd December 1971Internment protestA German evangelical group in Gottingen – Even-Geliscag Stuidentengemeinde – has sent a petitionof more than 3,000 signatures to Mr. Heath protest-ing about internment and interrogation methods.

Friday 24th December 1971Tanker drama in DunmurryAn unknown man drove a booby-trapped petroltanker away from the crowded centre of Dunmurryvillage, before Army marksmen managed to shoot abomb from the vehicle. The man who ran off movedthe tanker away from the main shopping area ofKingsway and drove it 100 yards to Barbour Parkrecreation area. The entire village was evacuated andfiremen stood by while Army experts tried to defusethe device 5 lb of gelignite and 2 lb of firelighters.The Army used a .303 rifle fired at the bomb until itfell to the ground.

Friday 24th December 1971Bomb at British LegionMembers of the British Legion discovered a parcelat the Suffolk branch of the British Legion. An onbeing suspicious of the package opened it up to dis-

cover it was a bomb. The club has been bombedtwice in recent months.

Friday 24th December 1971Booby trap bombTwo attempts have been made today to blow up Armybomb disposal experts with booby trap devices con-cealed in stolen cars. The bombs at Smithfield Squareand the Ballygomartin Road exploded but no one wasinjured.

Friday 24th December 1971Gelignite seized in KentAbout 50 lbs of gelignite was seized by Flying Squadofficers who surrounded a car in Orpington Kent. Thedriver escaped, though his identity is known. Thesquad were waiting for the car, having been told thatthe explosives were destined for the IRA.

Friday 24th December 1971Soldiers lured into ambushThe ambush started with a hoax 999 call reportingthat a bomb was planted in O’Kane’s public house atthe junction of Finaghy Road North and LadybrookePark. Troops from the 12th Regiment, Royal Artil-lery went to the scene. Within second of the PatrolCommander entering the premises, a burst of auto-matic gunfire shattered one of the windows. A 38-year-old woman who was on the premises at the timewas slightly injured and was discharged from hospi-tal a short time later. After this incident, the samepatrol was also attacked, this time from the directionof Trench Street. The patrol returned fire and thegunman was thought to have been hit.Shortly after midnight, two shots were fired at anArmy ambulance at the junction of Leeson Street andthe Falls Road. There were no casualties and firewas not returned. Four shots were fired at a footpatrol opposite Springfield Road RUC barracks.Again, there were no casualties. In a follow up search,the RUC found three cartridge cases.

Friday 24th December 1971Carol singing on the BorderThere will be carol singing on the border in SouthArmagh on Christmas day. An Army unit stationedat Forkhill, scene of gun battles and bombs, are go-ing all out to brighten Christmas for the villagers.They are rigging up loudspeakers on top of the RUCbarracks where they are based. The barracks is situ-ated on high ground in the centre of the village sothat the records of well-known carols will be heardin every part of the town, morning and evening.

Tuesday 28th December 1971Christmas attacksOn Christmas Eve, shots were fired at SpringfieldRoad RUC barracks, but no one was hurt.On Christmas Day, while it was comparatively trou-ble-free, troops did have to deal with a booby-trappedcar at Grosvenor Road. Soldiers also opened fire ona man seen carrying a rifle at Finaghy Road North.Shots were also fired at a civilian motorcyclist onthe Oldpark Road, but there were no casualties.

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Tuesday 28th December 1971Army finds bomb kitBomb making accessories have been found in a housein Tullymore Gardens, Andersonstown. The find,which included fuse wire and timing equipment, wasmade by soldiers from the 12th Light Air DefenceRegiment, Royal Artillery, who were carrying out aroutine search in the area. The other “accessories”included three pounds of gelignite, a half a pound ofwhich was detonated on the spot; three clockworkmechanisms; four batteries; one nail bomb; a homemade fuse, and one stick grenade.

Tuesday 28th December 1971Eleven Arrests by ArmyAn Army spokesman has said that eleven people havebeen arrested by the Army in security swoops in Bel-fast in the past 24 hours.

Tuesday 28th December 1971Soldier shotA soldier and two civilians were wounded as gun-men returned to the streets on Monday after a two-day Christmas lull.One of the civilian‘s injured was shot late on Mon-day night, when he and other customers fought withtwo gunmen who tried to rob a public house in Newry.The RUC say that he was hit in the head and legduring the struggle at Madden’s Bar in Mill Streetbut he was not seriously injured.The other civilian was shot outside the Orient Barnear the junction of the Fall’s and Grosvenor Roads.Four or five shots were fired from a passing car butthe RUC have not released the name of the 17-year-old who was not seriously injured. The incident oc-curred only a short distance from the spot where asoldier was wounded in the chest after a televisioncrew interviewed his commanding officer. The in-terview - with the officer of the 1st Battalion, theGloucester Regiment – had just finished when a gun-man, using a high velocity rifle opened fire from thejunction of Grosvenor Road and Mulhouse Street.The soldier, who had been on during the filming atMulhouse Street, was shot in the chest. The RUC

have said that he is not seriously injured.In Ballymurphy, troops gave chase and detained oneof two men who were seen running away after a shotwas fired at patrol of Scots Guards.

At Coagh, in County Tyrone a patrol of soldiers, menof the 42nd Commando, Royal Marine, had a narrowescape when a Claymore mine missed its target. In afollow up search a revolver was recovered.In Newry, a 15 lb bomb exploded at a warehouseused by a local haulage contractor. Hundreds of win-dows along Merchants Quay were broken by the blast,which also caused extensive damage to the building.No one was injured.

Tuesday 28th December 1971Toy guns: A new warningTroops in Belfast have delivered hundreds of leaf-lets to homes warning parents that their children couldbe shot by mistake if they play with toy guns in thestreet. Several children have had narrow escapes overChristmas when troops almost opened fire on them.The leaflet, which is being delivered in the LowerFalls area by the Gloucester Regiment warns parents:“No soldier wishes to shoot a child – that would betragic for all of us. Nevertheless, the chances of thathappening are very real. Therefore, please do notallow your children to play with weapons out ofdoors.”

Wednesday 29th December 1971Sniper kills soldierA soldier has been shot dead in Derry after an IRAsniper opened fire on a military patrol. The deadman, whose name has not yet been released, was onfoot patrol in the Brandywell district. The patrol wasmoving along waste ground between Foyle Road andthe River when the gunman opened up. At least twoshots hit the soldier in the head and chest, and he fellwounded to the ground. He was found to be dead onarrival at Altnagelvin Hospital. The soldier was serv-ing with the 22nd Light Air Defence Regiment, butno other details were released.

The patrol was making its way from the Army postat Brandywell to another position beneath CraigavonBridge. Other soldiers in the patrol opened fire whenthe gunman was spotted on the roof of a nearby build-ing. But according to an Army spokesman it was notknown if he was hit.

In Belfast, three shots were fired at an Army post inPercy Street from the direction of St. Comgall’s Pri-mary school, but there were no casualties.

Wednesday 29th December 1971Army arrest 27 menIn the 24 hours up to 8.00am, troops arrested 27 men– 22 in Belfast and 5 in Derry. An Army spokesmansaid that seven of the men picked up in Belfast wereon the wanted list.

Wednesday 29th December 1971RUC ambushed on borderTwo RUC men were injured by the same bullet whena gunman ambushed an RUC patrol near the border.The RUC men were travelling in a Land Rover alongMelmount Road, Strabane when gunman opened firewith an automatic weapon. About six shots were firedat the vehicle. One bullet penetrated the bodywork,passed through the left forearm of one RUC man andgrazed another RUC man on the shoulder.

In Enniskillen, Army experts detonated a 60 lb bombon waste ground after they dragged it away from theperimeter fence of an electricity transformer. Theblast did not cause any injuries, although some win-dows were broken. Earlier an electricity transformerat the Broad Meadows in the town was damaged bya bomb explosion but no power supplies were af-fected.In Belfast a 17-year-old youth was found covered inreed lead and feathers and tied to a swing in chil-dren’s playground in Anderson Street

Wednesday 29th December 1971Soldier dies in border accidentA soldier was killed on Tuesday when a bulldozer,which he was driving toppled from a low loader andcrushed him. He was named as Sapper Derek Amos(21), of 11 Field Squadron, Royal Engineers. Theaccident happened after a road cratering operation atCarnagh, near Keady.

Thursday 30th December 1971Official IRA in arson attackThe Official wing of the IRA has claimed responsi-bility for the blaze which gutted part of the home ofMajor Ivan Neill, Speaker of the House of Commons.The organisation, in a statement issued through theIrish Republican Press Bureau said the “£20,000home at Rostrevor” was destroyed by an active serv-ice unit.” It added that explosives and incendiarieswere used in the operation. “The raid was carriedout in retaliation for the wrecking of working classhomes in Newry and South Down by British Terror-ist Forces.” The statement said the unit suffered noloss or injury. It was signed by J. J. McGerrity.

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Thursday 30th December 1971Dead soldier namedThe name of the soldier killed by a sniper on Wednes-day afternoon has been released. He was GunnerRichard Thomas James Ham, a 20-year-old singleman from Glamorgan, Wales.In a statement released by the local unit of the Offi-cial IRA, they warned that any further attempts bythe Army to enter the Bogside, Brandywell orCreggan Estate, would be resisted by them, by thepeople and other organisations.

Thursday 30th December 1971Army hit carA man escaped unhurt when his car was riddled bybullets during an exchange of fire in Derry. Later, anArmy spokesman said the security forces’ fire hadstruck the car and shattered the windscreen.

Thursday 30th December 1971Lough shore ammunition findMen of the 42 Royal Marine Commando Group found26 rounds of assorted ammunition during a searchoperation in an area west of Lough Neagh.

Friday 31st December 1971Massive bomb in citySeveral people were injured by flying debris when a“massive” bomb exploded at the rear of a Belfast citycentre hotel. The blast was in Wellington Street atthe rear of the Kensington Hotel. Two youths hadleft a bomb in a stolen car. They then shouted bombinto the building and ran off. RUC, Army and FireBrigade rushed to the scene, but they only sealed offWellington Street and one side of Fisherwick Place.The bomb exploded twenty minutes later causingchaos. Debris was thrown hundreds of feet into theair; Ambulances rushed to the scene but could notget through because of the massive traffic jam causedby the blast. Extensive damage was caused to thehotel and to surrounding buildings.There were also reports of injuries being caused topeople who had not been evacuated from their of-fices. The city had been crowded for most of the daybecause of the winter sales. The RUC, soldiers andfiremen tried to clear the area but had trouble con-trolling the crowds. There were reports of a secondbomb and some people ran screaming from the scene.

Friday 31st December 1971Troops find rifleThe Army has reported finding a .22 rifle during asearch of a house in the Oldpark Road, Belfast. Ear-lier troops found 111 rounds of assorted ammunitionin a plastic bag, which had been dumped on a grassverge at Whitewell Road, Glengormley.

Friday 31st December 1971IRA leader killed in explosionA leading member of the Provisional IRA has beenkilled in an explosion in a small back lane garage atSantry on the northern outskirts of Dublin. The po-

lice believe that the blast was in a secret depot tosupply bomb equipment to Belfast.The dead man, Mr. Jack McCabe (55), a member ofthe GHQ staff of the Provisional IRA. He lived inBallymum, Dublin. The garage in which Mr. McCabewas working has been virtually demolished.

Friday 31st December 1971Hoax bomb in suitcaseA battered suitcase at a former Army recruiting cen-tre in Cecil Street, Newry, caused scores of people tobe evacuated from their homes. The recruiting cen-tre, which is almost 100 yards from the town’s RUCbarracks, was wrecked by an explosion some timeago.

The suitcase believed to contain a bomb, was seenattached to a metal grill underneath a window about2.00am, and the evacuation of all the houses withina 20-yard radius was ordered by an Army bomb dis-posal expert. People living within 100 yards of thebuilding were advised to keep their windows open.But the all clear was given when an Army bomb dis-posal expert blew the top off the case and found it tobe empty.

Friday 31st December 1971Arms search in BelfastThe RUC and Army have come under fire as theycarried out a search in the Andersonstown area ofBelfast. They found two rifles, a number of holstersand more than 2,000 rounds of assorted ammunitionin Slievegallion Drive. When the security forces ar-rived a number of single shots and automatic burstswere fired at them. Shots were also fired at NavanGreen in Andersonstown, and at Albert Street-Dur-ham Street. No injuries have been reported.

Friday 31st December 1971Shot man seriously illThe RUC in Belfast are investigating the shooting ofa 20-year-old ex-serviceman behind the BroadwayCinema, Falls Road. The man from Peel Street isreported to be in a “serious condition” in the RoyalVictoria Hospital, due to the loss of blood from a legwound. An RUC Statement said it appeared the manwas walking past the cinema shortly after 7.30pmwhen a car stopped beside him. Three armed menordered him to the waste ground, where he was shotin the leg. The RUC and Army could not give anyreason for the shooting.

Friday 31st December 1971Soldier dies in car crashA soldier was killed on the Mountnorris Road, nearNewry when the private car in which he was travel-ling with three other soldiers crashed into a ditch.The soldier who was attached to the Army CateringCorp at Gosford Castle, Markethill was dead on ad-mission to Daisy Hill Hospital. No other vehicleswere involved in the accident and the name of thedead soldier has not yet been released.

Friday 31st December 1971IRA say they shot soldierThe Derry Command of the Provisional IRA hasclaimed responsibility for the shooting of GunnerRichard Hamm, who was fatally wounded when onpatrol in the Foyle Road area of Derry on Wednes-day.The Provisionals also claim that an Army helicopterwas hit by gunfire on Thursday morning and was notin action for then rest of the day. An Army spokes-man said: “There is absolutely no truth in thisreport.”

RIGHT - A protest march in Newry

THE TROUBLES Page 49

THOSE WHO DIED

Constable Corry

Constable Russell

STANLEY CORRYAGED 281st November 1971Mr Corry was one of two plain clothesRUC men who were shot dead in theAndersonstown area in an IRA trap.

WILLIAM RUSSELLAGED 311st November 1971As above

JOHN COCHRANAGED 672nd November 1971One of three people killed in a bombblast at the Red Lion public house onthe Ormeau Road. The bombers en-tered the bar, left the bomb and shouted“you have ten seconds to get out.” Itexploded seconds later with the build-ing being totally destroyed.

MOLLY GEMMELLAGED 552nd November 1971As above

WILLIAM JORDANAGED 312nd November 1971As above

STEPHEN McGUIREAGED 194th November 1971A soldier in the Scots Guards, he wasshot and injured by an IRA sniper onthe 14th of September while on guard

at the Henry Taggert army base in WestBelfast.

FRANK McKEEAGED 584th November 1971Mr McKee died after being attackedand robbed in his bread van in SouthArmagh. He had been shot but died ofa heart attack in an attack which wasbelieved to have been carried out byrepublicans.

CHRISTOPHER QUINNAGED 394th November 1971Shot dead by British soldiers as hestood on vigilante duty at Unity Placein the Unity Flats complex.

KATHLEEN THOMPSONAGED 476th November 1971Shot dead by soldiers as she stood inthe garden of her home in RathlinDrive, Derry, during a military raid inthe area.

PAUL GENGEAGED 187th November 1971A soldier in the Royal Corps of Sig-nals, he was shot dead by the IRA whileoff duty and taking a walk in Lurgan.A second soldier was wounded in thesame attack.

IAN CURTISAGED 239th November 1971A soldier in the Royal Anglian Regi-ment, he was shot dead by an IRAsniper on the bank of the River Foylein Derry.

DERMOT HURLEYAGED 5011th November 1971One of two policemen shot dead in anIRA gun attack on the Oldpark Roadin North Belfast.

THOMAS MOOREAGED 3711th November 1971As above

W. RENAAGED 1811th November 1971A Dutch sailor, he went for dental treat-ment while his ship was in Belfast

Colin Davies

Docks. As he sat in the dentist surgeryin the Grosvenor Road a number ofgunmen burst in and shot him dead. Itis believed that the IRA may have mis-taken him for an undercover Britishsoldier.

EDWIN CHARNLEYAGED 2218th November 1971A soldier in the Black Watch, he wasshot dead by an IRA sniper while onguard duty at a bus depot in the ShortStrand area of East Belfast.

MICHAEL CROSSEYAGED 2122nd November 1971A member of the IRA he was killedwhen a bomb he was planting in aLurgan bar exploded prematurely.

BRIGID CARRAGED 2723rd November 1971Shot and injured in an IRA attack inStrabane four days previously. Shedied in hospital.

COLIN DAVIESAGED 3924th November 1971A soldier in the Royal Army OrdnanceCorps he was killed while trying todefuse an IRA bomb planted in a carshowroom in Lurgan.

PAUL NICHOLLSAGED 1827th November 1971A soldier in the Scots Guards, he wasshot dead by an IRA sniper while onpatrol in West Belfast.

JIMMY O’NEILLAGED 4527th November 1971Mr O’Neill, a customs officer, was shotdead at a post in Killeen when the IRAlaunched an attack on troops. The posthad been bombed a few hours previ-ously and the IRA lay in wait for troopsto arrive. Another customs officer diedin the same attack.

IAN HANKINAGED 2627th November 1971As above

ROBERT BENNERAGED 2528th November 1971A soldier in the Queen’s Regiment, hisbody was found at the border nearCrossmaglen after he had used up leaveto visit his girlfriend in Dundalk. hewas shot dead.

VIVIENNE GIBNEYAGED 171st December 1971She was shot and injured four day pre-viously during an IRA gun attack on apolice patrol at Cliftonville Circus inNorth Belfast. She died in hospital.

DENIS WILSONAGED 311st December 1971A member of the UDR, he was shotdead after the IRA burst into the fam-ily farm at Curlough.

PHILOMENA McGURKAGED 464th December 1971Died in a no warning bomb attack onher husbands pub on North QueenStreet. At approximately 8.45pm a carcontaining a number of men pulled upoutside the bar and one of the occu-pants got out. He placed a parcel inthe hallway, lit a fuse, rushed to the carwhich then sped off in the direction ofthe loyalist Tiger’s Bar area. Momentslater the bomb exploded and the build-ing was reduced to a pile of rubble.Fifteen people died.Later that evening the army issued astatement claiming that the bomb hadbeen an IRA own goal, which shockedthe families of those killed and the lo-cal community. Later it was claimedby the League of Empire Loyalistswhich was a neo Nazi group in Britainin the previous decade, however thiswas just a cover being used by the

Page 50 THE TROUBLES

Edward Kane Edward Keenan Sarah Keenan Francis Bradley James Cromie James Smith

Philip GarryMarie McGurk Philomena McGurk Thomas McLaughlin Tom Kane Kathleen Irvine

UVF. It is believed that McGurk’s Barwas not the intended target but a bar atthe corner of the next street which wasused mainly by members of theOfficial IRA.Some years later a member of the UVFwas convicted for the bombing whenhe apparently confessed willingly.

MARIA McGURKAGED 144th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

JAMES CROMIEAGED 134th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

EDWARD KEENANAGED 694th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

SARAH KEENANAGED 584th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

JOHN COLTONAGED 494th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

THOMAS McLOUGHLINAGED 554th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

DAVID MILLIGANAGED 524th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’s Bar.

JAMES SMYTHAGED 554th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

FRANCIS BRADLEYAGED 614th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

THOMAS KANEAGED 454th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

PHILIP GARRYAGED 734th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

KATHLEEN IRVINEAGED 454th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

EDWARD KANEAGED 254th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

ROBERT SPOTSWOODAGED 384th December 1971Died in the bomb attack on McGurk’sBar.

MARY THOMPSONAGED 616th December 1971A member of the Salvation Army, shedied in an IRA bomb attack on theirpremises on Belfast’s Dublin Road.

ANTHONY NOLANAGED 208th December 1971A member of the IRA, he died in anaccidental shooting in a house in theMarkets area of South Belfast.

JEREMY SNOWAGED 368th December 1971A major in the Royal Regiment of Fu-siliers, he was shot and injured duringdisturbances which followed thebombing of McGurk’s Bar in the NewLodge area. He died in the Royal Vic-toria Hospital.

SEAN RUSSELLAGED 308th December 1971A member of the UDR, he was shotdead by the IRA at his home in the re-publican New Barnsley estate in WestBelfast.

Sean Russell

Daniel McCormick

Kenneth Smyth

KENNETH SMYTHAGED 2810th December 1971A member of the UDR, he was one oftwo men shot dead by the IRA in Clady.

DANIEL McCORMICKAGED 2910th December 1971Shot dead alongside Kenneth Smyth,Mr McCormick had recently resignedfrom the UDR.

THE TROUBLES Page 51

Colin Nicholl

Tracy Munn

HAROLD KINGAGED 2011th December 1971He was killed in a no warning bombattack on a furniture shop on theShankill Road in West Belfast. A youthseen a green car pull up at the show-room and one of the occupants place abox on the step of the doorway beforespeeding off in the car. Moments laterthere was a massive explosion. Theshops commissionaire was also killedin the bomb attack as were two youngchildren who had been in a pram out-side. Nineteen people were injured.No one claimed responsibility for theattack but it is believed to have beencarried out by the IRA.

TRACY MUNNAGED 211th December 1971One of two children killed in the nowarning bomb attack on a ShankillRoad furniture store.

COLIN NICHOLLAGED 17 MONTHS11th December 1971As above.

HUGH BRUCEAGED 5011th December 1971Mr Bruce had been the commission-aire at the Shankill Road furniture storeat the time it was bombed.

JOSEPH PARKERAGED 2512th December 1971Shot dead by British soldiers during araid on a community centre in theArdoyne area of North Belfast.

JACK BARNHILLAGED 6512th December 1971Mr Barnhill, a member of the Union-ist Party, was a senator at Stormont.He was shot dead by the Official IRAat his home near Strabane. After theshooting the gunmen left a bomb whichexploded soon afterwards destroyingthe house. This had been the first po-litical assassination since 1922.

MARTIN McSHANEAGED 1614th December 1971Shot dead by British soldiers at a GAAground in Coalisland. He had beenstruck several times when the troopsopened up with a submachine gun.

ANTHONY ASPINWALLAGED 2217th December 1971A soldier in the Gloucester Regiment,he was shot and wounded by an IRAsniper in the Lower Falls area of WestBelfast. He died in hospital.

JAMES McCALLUMAGED 1617th December 1971James was killed in a no warning UVFbomb attack on the Star Bar on theSpringfield Road where he worked.

JOHN BATESONAGED 1818th December 1971A member of the IRA, he was one ofthree men killed when a bomb theywere transporting exploded prema-turely in Magherafelt.

MARTIN LEEAGED 1818th December 1971A member of the IRA he was killedalong with John Bateson.

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JAMES SHERIDANAGED 1918th December 1971A member of the IRA he was killedalong with John Bateson.

MARGARET McCORRYAGED 2020th December 1971Shot dead as she stood at a bus stop onthe Crumlin Road after the IRA hadopened fire on military vehicles.

JOHN LAVERYAGED 6021st December 1971Mr Lavery died when a bomb he wastrying to remove from his LisburnRoad bar exploded,

GERALD McDADEAGED 2321st December 1971A member of the IRA, he was shot deadby British troops after he had ran fromone of their patrols which had detainedhim and a number of other men in theArdoyne area of North Belfast.

RICHARD HAMAGED 2029th December 1971A soldier in the Royal Artillery, he wasshot dead by an IRA sniper in Derry’sFolye Road.

JACK McCABEAGED 5530th December 1971A member of the IRA, he was killedwhen a bomb he was making explodedprematurely in Dublin.

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