the troubles 18

ISSUE 18 November/December 1972

TROUBLESTheTheTROUBLES

THE TROUBLES

It can often be a contentious issue of debate of when and how Northern Ireland’s ‘Troubles’ began, who and what isto blame, and even which event in case led us to where we are now. You can go back 30 years, or even 300 years andbeyond 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 given to the mostrecent conflict, we must mark a defining point of start, which we have taken as partition itself and from which webegan in Issue 1. In turn again, we feel it is equally important to give you the reader some understanding whyevents 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 historical recording of eventscompiled by people from different parts of Belfast who lived through them. Our objective as local historians is tocompile what we hope will be as near as possible a definitive reference to events as they unfolded through the lastthree decades.In terms of research we have used as much material as possible and from diverse perspectives. We areconfident that we have covered events as they were reported at the time. If however you feel that we have eitherleft something out or indeed got something wrong we are more than happy to hear from you. As mentioned abovethis series of publications is the historical recording of the Troubles and all corrections are more than welcome.

GLENRAVEL PUBLICATIONSASHTON CENTRELEPPER STREET

BELFAST BT15 2DNTel: (028) 9020 2100 • Fax: (028) 9020 2227

E-Mail: [email protected]

This series of publications is designed to create a better historical understanding of what has become known as‘The Troubles.’ Therefore for educational purposes you are more than welcome to use any material from them.All that we ask is that the source is acknowledged and a copy of the material sent to us after publication. We usematerial that has been placed in the public domain. We try to acknowledge all the copyright holders but sometimesthis is not possible. If you claim credit for something that has appeared in this publication then we will be happyto know about it so that we can make the appropriate acknowledgements.

THE TROUBLESA CHRONOLOGY OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND CONFLICT

NEWSPAPERS

BELFAST NEWSLETTERVarious issues for period covered

BELFAST TELEGRAPHVarious issues for period covered

IRISH NEWSVarious issues for period covered

IRISH PRESSVarious issues for period covered

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

THE TROUBLES

NOVEMBER 1972

BELOW - Funerals of Paula Strong and Clare Hughes fromSt Joseph’s Church in the Sailortown area. Both little girlswere killed in a no warning car bomb attack

Wednesday 1st NovemberChildren killed in Halloween bomb attackTwo children have died in a no warning pub bombing inBelfast. The children, six year-old Paula Strong, of Ma-rine Street and four-year-old Clara Teresa Hughes of ShipStreet, were dressed in fancy dress and playing Halloweengames in the Earl Street when they were approached by awhite haired man carrying a suitcase. The man asked di-rections to Benny’s bar and gave one of the children 2p.He then walked along Garmoyle Street towards the pub.Five minutes later a car containing a 100lb bomb exploded.It is thought that three men drove the bomb to the bar andplanted the bomb at the side wall in Ship Street. The ex-plosion demolished part of the bar and twelve customerswere buried in the rubble.

Wednesday 1st NovemberYouth KilledA seventeen-year old youth from the Twinbrook area ofBelfast has been shot dead at a petrol station on the LisburnRoad. The youth, named as James Kerr, of Jasmine End,was shot four times. As the shots rang out a plain clothesmember of the RUC pursued the gunman. He called out a

warning to the gunman and fired two shots. The man wasshot in the leg and the RUC man stood guard over the gun-man until his colleague arrived.

Wednesday 1st NovemberBomb experts injuredTwo members of an Army bomb disposal team have beeninjured when a charge, which they had intended to use toblow up a suspect car, exploded beside them. The soldierswere hurt as they used their Goliath robot to place a chargebeneath the abandoned Mini in Trinity Street. The explo-sion shattered some windows in the area. It is not known ifthe car contained a bomb.

Wednesday 1st NovemberSoldier shot on FallsA soldier has been shot and seriously wounded when a gun-man opened fire on an Army patrol in the lower Falls areaof Belfast. The soldier was hit in the chest and abdomenand is said to be seriously ill. The Army have said that thesoldier, a member of the Royal Anglican Regiment, was

THE TROUBLES

LEFT - A car burns on Clifton Street after an armycontrolled explosion

shot by a sniper who was operating from a position nearthe junction of Ross Street and Milton Street. Other mem-bers of his patrol returned fire but no hits were claimed.

Wednesday 1st NovemberMan shot in garageA garage employee has been shot during a raid by a lonegunman on a garage at Edenderry. The raider forced theman to open a safe and during a struggle, a shot was dis-charged. The wounded man was taken to hospital but hiscondition is not described as serious.

Wednesday 1st NovemberGirl wounded outside taxi depotA fourteen-year-old girl has been taken to hospital suffer-ing from gunshot wounds after she was shot at outside anAntrim Road taxi firm. She is said to be recovering inhospital. Her condition is not serious.

Wednesday 1st NovemberSoldier killed in the New LodgeJust one day after troops carried out a massive search in theNew Lodge area of Belfast a soldier has been shot dead.The soldier had been part of a foot patrol which had beenmaking its way along the Antrim Road when a single shotrang out. He had been at the junction with the New lodgeRoad and was struck in the abdomen by the bullet.

Wednesday 1st NovemberLigoniel bomb attackAn attempt to blow up the Terminus Bar at Ligoniel Roadhas failed after the driver of a coal lorry drove away hisvehicle with the bomb onboard. The man is said to havedriven the lorry to some nearby waste ground, where hethrew the 100lb, bomb which had wires attached, into theriver. Later when the Army went to the scene, they cameunder fire. There were no casualties and fire was not re-turned. An explosives expert blew up the device with acontrolled explosion. The RUC have said that 60 houseswere damaged by the blast.

Wednesday 1st NovemberLand mine explodes in ArmaghA land mine, which has been placed in a culvert under theold Armagh-Dungannon road, has exploded. A woman trav-elling along the road in her car drove into the crater createdby the explosion. She was not seriously injured.

Wednesday 1st NovemberBomb at NewtownhamiltonA bomb has caused extensive damage to a petrol station atDundalk Street, Newtownhamilton. A spokesman for theRUC has said that the bomb was planted by two men whodrove up in a car and ordered the owner out of the building.Adjoining property was damaged in the blast.

Wednesday 1st NovemberSoldiers open fire in BelfastSoldiers in Belfast have opened fire on a man who threw ablast bomb at Broadway military post. An army spokes-man said that no damage was caused by the blast and thatno hits were being claimed.

THE TROUBLES

BELOW - Bomb attack on the Youth Employment buildingin Durham Street

Wednesday 1st NovemberCustoms caravan blown upA customs caravan at Killea, Derry, has been blown up byfour men, who after planting the bomb made off across theborder. They took with them two customs uniforms andtwo identification cards.

Wednesday 1st NovemberShot soldier namedThe soldier who was shot dead by a sniper in Belfast lastnight has been named as Private Richard James Sinclair.He was aged eighteen and was a member of the 1st Battal-ion, Queen’s Regiment. Private Sinclair, who was shot deadon the Antrim Road near the junction with the New Lodge Roaddied after being struck by a single shot. He had only arrived inthe North two weeks ago after joining the Army in April.

Wednesday 1st NovemberWeapons find near DerrySoldiers carrying out a routine patrol near Derry have founda quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives. The findwas made, near the banks of the River Foyle. The haulincluded a .303 rifle, magazines, 57 rounds of ammuni-tion, safety fuse, detonators and 200lbs of sodium chlorate.

Thursday 2nd NovemberAmmunition find in BelfastMen of the Royal Green Jackets have discovered 1,000rounds of ammunition during a house search in BingnianDrive, Andersonstown.

THE TROUBLES

BELOW - A crushed Mini car in which a man died after anarmy Saracen crashed into it at the junction of North QueenStreet and Brougham Street

Thursday 2nd NovemberShots fired at helicopterShots have been fired at an Army helicopter from acrossthe border immediately south of Forkhill. Three men wereseen escaping from the area using undergrowth for cover.No one was injured in the attack.

Thursday 2nd NovemberIRA leaders held in Belfast swoopsFifteen people, several of who are said by the Army to havebeen IRA leaders have been arrested in swoops in Belfast.Ten men, including an IRA battalion commander, trainingofficer and two other officers and two wanted men wereamong those arrested in a club in the Unity Club in Ardoyne.The ten held were among at least 25 people taken from theclub. They were taken to the nearby Army post at FlaxStreet for questioning. In Andersonstown, five otherpeople were taken from a house in Commedagh Drive. TheRUC have said that a man and a girl were seen acting

suspiciously and when troops were called in to investigatean M1 carbine and revolver were thrown from an upstairswindow.

Thursday 2nd NovemberUDA admits Donegal attackThe UDA have released a statement saying that one of theiractive service units from Derry has crossed the border intoCounty Donegal and bombed the Hole in the Wall publichouse in St. Johnston. According to the UDA, theyordered everyone out of the bar and blew it up with a handgrenade.

Thursday 2nd NovemberUDR brothers in border siegeTwo brothers, who are both members of the Ulster defenceRegiment, came under attack from the IRA at their borderfarm near Newtownbutler. The siege is said to have lastedfour hours and ended after the brothers began to run out ofammunition and one of them decided to go toNewtownbutler for help. No one was injured in the attackbut the brothers have decided to sell their remote farm andmove to a safer area.

THE TROUBLES

BELOW - Car bomb attack at Derriaghy

Friday 3rd NovemberIRA leader held in DerryAn Army spokesman has said that troops have arrested anIRA leader in Derry. The man, who was arrested duringthe night, is said to be the commander of the ProvisionalIRA in the Bogside.

Friday 3rd NovemberShop set on fire in BelfastThree armed men have ordered the staff out of a chemistshop in Belfast’s Ardoyne area before pouring petrol onthe floor and setting fire to the place. Firemen containedconfined the blaze to the ground floor of the premises andneighbouring shops were unaffected.

Friday 3rd NovemberBomb defused in DerryArmy experts have defused a 20lb bomb which had beenleft in a garage in Abercorn Street, Derry. It had beenplanted by two men who gave a 30-minute warning.

Friday 3rd NovemberBridge bombedIn Dungiven, a 3lb explosive device which had been placedunder a bridge has exploded. No damage was caused tothe bridge.

Friday 3rd NovemberSoldiers come under attackA patrol of soldiers from the Royal Green Jackets have comeunder fire near the Donegal Road in Belfast. Shots werereturned but no hits were claimed.

Saturday 4th NovemberGusty Spence recapturedOne of the North’s most wanted men, 40-year-old GustySpence, has been recaptured in Belfast. He has been freesince July, when he failed to return to Belfast prison afterbeing allowed parole to attend his daughter’s wedding.Spence had been serving a life sentence, passed in 1966,for the murder of a Catholic barman. In a television

THE TROUBLES

LEFT - Erecting security gates across Belfast’s North Streetto prevent car bombs.FACING PAGE - The wrecked farmhouse at Cullyhanna inwhich two soldiers were killed in an IRA booby-trap.

interview, Spence claimed he had been “kidnapped” by theUlster Volunteer Force and says he had not known aboutthe plan. The UVF at the time of his alleged abductionsaid he was being held against his will but it has been sincereported that Spence holds a senior position in the organi-sation. Spence was arrested by members of the parachuteregiment after they stopped a suspect vehicle in theWoodvale area of Belfast.

Saturday 4th NovemberSenior IRA man held in BelfastIt has been reported by the Army that they have arrestedanother two high-ranking members of the Provisional IRA.The men were detained in the Clonard area of Belfast.

Saturday 4th NovemberExplosives store foundAround 350lbs of explosives, which were being stored intwo plastic dustbins, have been found by the Army in amanhole. The explosives were discovered by members ofthe Royal Green Jackets after they lifted a manhole coverin Brighton Street, Belfast.

Monday 6th NovemberMotorist woundedA man has been shot and wounded as he drove along Alli-ance Avenue in Belfast. The man is not believed to havebeen the target, rather he was caught up in crossfire be-tween the IRA and the Army. His condition is not serious.

Monday 6th NovemberFactory attackedA bomb, which was placed at a water pipeline which feedsthe British Enkalon factory at Antrim, has exploded. Pro-duction at the factory was unaffected by the attack.

Monday 6th NovemberPortadown bombA bomb has exploded without warning near the centre ofPortadown. The blast caused extensive damage to a bet-ting shop in West Street. No one was injured in the attack.

Monday 6th NovemberNew security measures for BelfastSoldiers have erected new, permanent steel gates across anumber of streets in the centre of Belfast. Access for pe-destrians and vehicles have been restricted in an effort tothwart bomb attacks. The new eight-foot high security gateshave replaced the temporary barricades made from coils ofbarbed wire.

Monday 6th NovemberMalicious fire in DerryThe RUC have said that they are treating as malicious afire which has damaged two classrooms in the ChristianBrothers school in the Bogside area of Derry.

Tuesday 7th NovemberGoliath bombedAn investigation has been launched into how the IRA man-aged to slip through the North’s toughest security net toattack the world’s largest crane. Harland and Wolff haveyet to release a statement about the attack on the £1millioncrane which has become known as “Goliath.” The 300lbbomb exploded inside the shipyard after most of its 10,000

THE TROUBLES

workers had gone home. Only a small motor was damagedby the blast.

Wednesday 8th NovemberBombers renew attacksBombers have struck at a supermarket at Derriaghy and attwo garages at Lisburn. The Derriaghy bomb attack was atStewart’s supermarket. A 50lb bomb was driven to thepremises and caused extensive damage to the front of thebuilding. A nearby garden centre and the Stage Coach Innescaped with little damage in the attack. At Lisburn a carbomb exploded between two garages and caused extensivedamage to both of them. The two garages damaged in theattack were Dornan’s and Lindsay’s. Windows in the sur-rounding area were broken in the attack.

Wednesday 8th NovemberAmmunition found in UDA clubParatroopers who raided an Ulster Defence association clubhave seized more than a half a ton of chemicals and 300rounds of ammunition. The raids were carried out after astolen UDR Land Rover was found abandoned at the junc-tion of Mayo Street and march Street, off the Shankill Road.

During the search of the premises at Ohio Street 100 roundsof 7.62, a type used by the Army, assorted ammunition anda radio were found. The soldiers then went to a derelicthouse next door and found 12 cwt of nitrate fertiliser whichcan be used as a chemical explosive.

Wednesday 8th NovemberMan attacked by hi-jackersA motorist is seriously ill in hospital after being beaten upby four men who hi-jacked his car at Tullydonnell on thesouthern side of the border. A short time later, the vehiclewas returned to him and he was allowed to drive to a Brit-ish customs post.

Wednesday 8th NovemberArms raid on RUC barracksA member of the RUC was locked in a cell during an armsraid on an isolated County Antrim RUC barracks. Shortlybefore 10.00am, the small limited opening barracks atAghalee was approached by five men who used a ruse togain entry. The men, who were armed with hand guns anda sub-machinegun, took the lone RUC man’s Walther pis-tol, tunic and cap.

THE TROUBLES

LEFT - Police search for clues outside the home of UDRman Samuel Porter who was killed in an IRA ambush.FACING PAGE - Bomb attack on a harware shop inTullyhommon.

Wednesday 8th NovemberDerry’s last hotel is bombedA 20lb bomb has caused extensive damage to the Broomhillhotel on Limavady Road, Derry. An anonymous caller gavea ten-minute warning and the area was evacuated. No onewas injured in the attack.

Wednesday 8th NovemberArms find in BogsideTroops have captured an Armalite rifle, 47 rounds of as-sorted ammunition, two magazines, a quantity of geligniteand fuses in the Dove Gardens area of Derry. Army ex-perts removed the explosives which they say were in a verypoor condition and blew them up.

Wednesday 8th NovemberBomb explodes in ArmaghA large bomb has wrecked an animal feed mill at CathedralRoad, Armagh. The bomb, which was planted in the machin-ery room at the mill which is owned by J&R Gillespie, explodedcausing extensive damage but no one was injured in the attack.

Wednesday 8th NovemberUDR men attacked at ToomeFive UDR men have been taken to hospital after their pa-trol came under fire at Toome. The men’s vehicle left theroad, injuring the soldiers. Fire was returned and the UDRmen are claiming two hits.

Wednesday 8th NovemberBombs found behind Falls Road barTroops called to the Beehive Bar on the Falls Road havefound a 15lb bomb and two booby-trapped devices at therear of the public house. An Army spokesman has said thatsoldiers went to the bar as the result of a telephone call andfound the bomb. A coat lying nearby was booby-trappedand another four pound booby-trap device was found un-der a manhole cover.

Wednesday 8th NovemberBlast bomb thrown in BelfastA blast bomb has been thrown at an Army patrol in StJames’s Park. No one was hurt in the attack.

Wednesday 8th NovemberExplosives findA search of Culmore Gardens off the Glen Road has un-covered 60lb of explosives, 20 ft of fuse and four ouncesof commercial gelignite, as well as welding equipment andtest tubes.

Wednesday 8th NovemberBelfast school attackedFive petrol bombs have been thrown at the Stella Marisschool in Newtownabbey. Extensive damage was causedto ground floor classrooms and other parts of the building.

Wednesday 8th NovemberElectricity transformer bombedParts of Lisnaskea were blacked out for a time after an over-night explosion at an electrical transformer at Lisonell.Power has since been restored and no one was injured inthe attack.

Wednesday 8th NovemberBorder ambush after hoax bombA hoax bomb warning has been used to lure Army and RUCpersonnel into an ambush at a customs post at Aughnacloy.As the security forces arrived on the scene, they came un-der fire from across the border. Fire was returned but noone was hit.

Wednesday 8th NovemberWoman dies as home is searchedA mother of ten has collapsed and died as soldiers searchedher home in the Turf Lodge estate. Mrs MargaretCunningham collapsed as soldiers searched her home inNorglen Road after a soldier was shot and wounded in thearea. The soldiers found three shotguns, which relativesclaimed were legally held, during the search of the house.Mrs Cunningham was out of her home when the troops

THE TROUBLES

entered but returned while the search was in progress. AnArmy spokesman said she was asked to account for theweapons but collapsed before she could reply.

Wednesday 8th NovemberJoint membership of UDA-UDRBrigadier Denis Ormerod, commanding officer of the Ul-ster Defence Regiment has said that joint membership ofthe UDR and the Ulster Defence Association is not wel-comed. He stated that the current policy for a soldier wasthat membership of the UDA was not necessarily a bar tomembership of the UDR. But he said that they would notexpect an officer in the UDR to remain with the regiment ifhe was also a member of the UDA.

Wednesday 8th NovemberLoyalist seize UDR men’s riflesThe security forces believe Protestant extremists were re-sponsible for the overnight commando style raid at a Bel-fast pumping station when 13 UDR men were forced tohand over their guns. It is believed that eight men carriedout the raid at Oldpark Terrace. Thirteen SLR rifles and250 rounds of ammunition were taken.

Wednesday 8th NovemberUVF bomb claim dismissed by GardaA claim by an anonymous telephone caller that the UVFwas responsible for a bomb which exploded in the townhall in Claremorris, County Mayo, is being discounted bythe Garda. Both wings of the IRA have denied involve-ment in the attack.

Thursday 9th NovemberUDR man shot deadA UDR Lieutenant has been shot dead by the IRA in Lurganduring the night. The dead man, 29-year-old Irwin Long,lived at Regent’s Park, Lurgan. He had been driving pastKilwilkie estate on his way to his mother-in-law’s homewhen his car was hit with a burst of gunfire.

One of the bullets hit Mr Long in the head and he died twohours later. The UDR man, a Protestant married to a Catho-lic, was stopped by an armed IRA patrol in July while hewas in uniform and told that he should get out of the coun-try immediately.

THE TROUBLES

Thursday 9th NovemberCar bomb rocks BelfastExtensive damage has been caused by a massive car bombto an office block in the centre of Belfast. The bomb, esti-mated to contain between 100-150lb of explosives, blewup in a car park under Progressive House at College SquareEast. The daylight raid was carried out by the bombersdespite the recent introduction of strengthened securitymeasures designed to defeat city centre bomb attacks. Theside entrance to the building had been blocked by a newlyerected steel gate across College Street but the bombersdrove the car containing the bomb into the car park throughthe front entrance which is guarded by a security man. Thesecurity man was told that there was a bomb in the boot ofthe car and that it would explode in one hour. It explodedtwo hours later just as the Army were attempting to defusethe device.

The headquarters of the Northern Ireland HousingExecutive, the Ministry of Health and Social Services, theProgressive building Society and the Scandia Restaurantbore the brunt of the blast.

TOP - William Craig, leader of Vanguard, speaking at a pressconfrence alongside Jim Anderson, chairman of the UDAand Billy Hull, chairman of LAW.BELOW - Car in which Dr. Gormly was attacked driving hischildren to school. One of his sons was killed.

Thursday 9th NovemberTroops claim hitSoldiers are claiming that they shot a man after they wereambushed following a hoax call about a shooting in a FallsRoad bar. Two soldiers were slightly injured when gun-men, armed with a Thompson sub-machinegun and anArmalite rifle, fired around 70 shots at men from the RoyalGreen Jackets who had gone to the bar at the corner ofCupar Street. One soldier was shot in the hand and theother in the lower back. Neither is seriously injured. Firewas returned and one man is said to have been hit. TheSaracen which took the men away from the scene damagedsome parked cars on the Falls Road.Shortly afterwards in nearby Leeson Street a patrol fromthe Royal Anglican Regiment came under attack from threeor four gunmen who were operating from the Clonard area.Around 60 shots were fired at the patrol, who returned fire.No hits were claimed.At 12.30 two shots were fired at an Army patrol in the UnityFlats complex. No injuries were reported.

Thursday 9th NovemberArmy attacked in Creggan estateIn Derry, two shots have been fired at an Army foot patrolin Greenwalk in the Creggan estate. No one was injuredand fire was not returned.

Thursday 9th NovemberHouse petrol bombed in CarrickA house in Blackthorn Park, Carrickfergus has been dam-aged early today when a petrol bomb was thrown througha front window. It is not known how many people wereinvolved in the incident but no one was injured in the at-tack.

Thursday 9th NovemberUDR man is held upA 22-year-old UDR private on his way to report for dutyhas been held up by two men armed with pistols. The mentook his SLR rifle and some ammunition and tied him upbefore making off.

THE TROUBLES

RIGHT - Harland & Wolff’s Goliath crane which wasdamaged in an explosion

Thursday 9th NovemberRUC man shot in StrabaneAn RUC man who was travelling in through TownsendStreet, Strabane in a Land Rover was shot when a singleshot was aimed at the vehicle. The RUC man was struck inthe back and is said to be in a very serious condition.

Thursday 9th NovemberSoldiers in explosives findSoldiers have found 34 sticks of gelignite and 24 detona-tors in a dustbin during a search in the Andersonstown areaof Belfast. The find was made by a patrol of the 19th FieldRegiment, Royal Artillery.

Thursday 9th NovemberArmy shoots woman bystanderThe Army have stated that a woman who was shot by oneof their patrols during an incident in Belfast was “an inno-cent bystander.” The woman, who is described as beingvery seriously ill, was shot by paratroopers at around 10.00am. The Army say that as a patrol from the First ParachuteRegiment was passing waste ground on the Whiterock Roadthey saw a youth, aged about 15, produce a pistol and pre-pare to fire at them. The patrol opened fire and shot theboy in the knee. The Army say that a woman was seen topick up the gun and run away. They called on her to stopand when she did not they opened fire. The patrol said thatthey thought they had shot the woman who is said to havepicked up the gun but that further inquiries showed thatthis was not the woman. A youth has been taken to hospi-tal with gunshot wounds.

Thursday 9th NovemberArmy attacked in BelfastSix shots have been fired at an Army patrol near the junc-tion of North Queen Street and Clifton Street. Soldiersreturned fire and claim to have hit one gunman. The carhad been stolen in Agnes Street and was later found innearby Denmark Street.

Thursday 9th NovemberBelfast bomb attacksThere were three bombings in Belfast during the night. Theblasts were at Oranmore Drive and Malinmore Park in the

Suffolk area and at Edlingham Street in the New Lodgearea. No injuries were reported in any of the explosionsbut some damage was caused to houses in Suffolk.

Thursday 9th NovemberRubber bullets fired in DerrySoldiers have used rubber bullets against youths in theDunree Gardens-Central Drive area of Derry. The youthsare said to have thrown stones at the soldiers.

Thursday 9th NovemberCustoms caravan destroyed by bombA customs caravan at Molenan on the Derry-Donegal bor-der has been destroyed in a bomb attack. The bomb,estimated to have contained between 10-20lb of explosives

THE TROUBLES

LEFT - A young girl is helped away from a bomb blast atStewarts Supermarket.FACING PAGE - Bomb attack on the Co-Op’s premises inDonegall Street.

was driven across the border by two men dressed in stolenBritish customs uniforms.

Thursday 9th NovemberBomb discovered at schoolA 10lb bomb has been found in the grounds of a specialcare school at Belmont. The bomb which had failed to gooff is believed to have been placed at the same time as thebomb which badly damaged the technical college sportspavilion a few nights ago.

Thursday 9th NovemberGirl’s hair is croppedA 13-year-old Protestant girl is said to have been held over-night in the New Lodge area, beaten up and had her haircropped off. She was found near Carlisle Circus. It is notknown where she was held or why but she is being de-tained in hospital for observation and detectives have al-ready questioned her.

Thursday 9th NovemberBomb found at borderThe Army have discovered a 700lb bomb near the Ferman-agh Border at Rosslea.

Friday 10th NovemberArmy’s secret agentsThe Army’s Military Reaction force, who operate under-cover patrols throughout the North have stepped up theirrecruitment and are carrying out operations on a daily

basis against the IRA. According to Army sources most ofthe arrests carried out in the last few days have been doneso on information supplied by MRF agents. An Army of-ficer has said today “Plain clothes patrols are becoming theeyes and ears of the regular battalions operating on theground, particularly in the Belfast area.” The normalstrength of the MRF is around 200 but this is thought tohave been exceeded by quite a large number. It is alsobelieved that patrols, equipped with radios, are living outin country areas and are sending back information on move-ments and general details of people in the areas in whichthey are operating. The MRF are under the direct controlof the GOC. They operate in plain clothes and are all is-sued with the standard 9mm Browning pistol.

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Friday 10th NovemberWhitehall hands over maps of IRA operationsThe British Government has handed over to their Irish coun-terparts Maps showing the training areas and active serv-ice units of the IRA. It is claimed that from January toOctober of this year there have been 261 border incidentswhich originated from the South and it is hoped that themaps will go some way towards stopping these.

Friday 10th NovemberSniper kills soldier in BelfastA soldier who was a member of the 2nd Light Infantry hasbeen shot dead by an IRA sniper on the Oldpark Road,Belfast. The soldier who died was checking traffic on theOldpark Road when a sniper, operating from the corner ofBallycastle Street fired a single shot. He was the fifth mem-ber of the 2nd Light Infantry to be killed on duty in the North.

Friday 10th NovemberArmy capture IRA officerThe Army have said that they have captured another IRAofficer in the Ardoyne area of Belfast. The detained man issaid to be the IRA’s Ardoyne company’s intelligence of-ficer and is rumoured to be the last of the IRA officers who

were in the area at the time of Operation Motorman. Ac-cording to an Army spokesman 163 members of the IRAhave been detained since Motorman, 100 of these have beenofficers.

Friday 10th NovemberUDR man attackedFive shots have been fired at a member of the UDR as hedrove his car along River Road in the Derriaghy area. Thesoldier, who was not hit, returned fire.

THE TROUBLES

LEFT - Bomb attack on a car showroom in Lisburn.FACING PAGE - IRA bomb attack on Government build-ings in College Square North.

Friday 10th NovemberUDA club searchedA considerable quantity of military equipment has beenuncovered by the Army during a search of a UDA club atMersey Street in the east of the city. An Army spokesmansaid the haul included four steel riot shields, two plasticriot shields, six steel helmets and nine batons.Friday 10th NovemberHand made pistol foundThe army has seized a hand made pistol, weapon trainingmanuals and other types of military equipment at a housein Armitage Street.

Friday 10th NovemberBomb explodes in DungannonA bomb, which is estimated to have contained 5-10 of ex-plosives, has exploded at a television shop in Scotch Street,Dungannon. A telephone warning was given and no onewas injured in the attack. Two armed youths also planted abomb at a fish and chip shop in Irish Street but the devicewas defused by the Army.

Friday 10th NovemberBomb explodes at Caledon CastleA bomb, estimated to have contained between 30-40lb ofexplosives, has exploded at the home of Lord and LadyCaledon. Lord Caledon, who is a UDR officer and his wifewere at home when the bomb went off at the Castle butneither were injured. Considerable damage was caused toCaledon Castle by the blast.

Friday 10th NovemberHouse bombed in East BelfastA small bomb has exploded on the windowsill of a houseat Carolhill Park in East Belfast. Some damage was causedbut no one was injured.

Friday 10th NovemberShots fired in BelfastFour shots have been fired at an Army patrol in Ardoyne.There were no casualties and fire was not returned.

Friday 10th NovemberFermanagh bombsAn Army patrol which was on its way to check a stolenbread van near Rosslea near the Fermanagh border havediscovered the biggest bomb used in the North. The 700lbsof explosives were packed into plastic bags in a culvertunder the road. The bags were joined together and wires,which had been dug into the road, were found leading acrossthe border. The device was dealt with by the Army.On the Newtownbutler-Lisnaskea road soldiers have alsofound 120lbs of explosives which were packed into plasticbags and placed under a culvert. This device was also defused.

Friday 10th NovemberBus burned in DerryA single-decker Ulsterbus has been burned at Lismacarrolbetween Derry and Dungiven. The RUC have said that thebus went on fire a short time after the driver parked it out-side his home and that they are investigating the blaze.

Friday 10th NovemberUDA claim IRA attacked homesThe Ulster Defence Association have claimed that none oftheir members were responsible for the petrol bombing of

THE TROUBLES

Catholic homes in the Lenadoon estate on Monday night.They say that their investigations have revealed that theattacks were carried out by IRA men dressed up in combatgear. The UDA have also alleged that the IRA is using theincident to launch a major recruiting campaign in the area.

Saturday 11th NovemberUDR man ambushedA private in the Ulster Defence Regiment has been slightlywounded when a gunman opened fire on him from a pass-ing car near his home. The man had been walking alongStation Road, Greenisland when he was shot in the hand.The man is a member of ‘A’ Company of the UDR based atCarrickfergus.

Saturday 11th NovemberRUC men attacked at public houseA crowd of around 30 people attacked members of the RUCwho entered Moses Hunters public house on Belfast’s Don-egal Road in order to arrest a number of men. The RUCmen were then forced to stay inside the bar until the Armyarrived. Troops fired rubber bullets at the crowd. Damagewas caused to the interior of the bar and windows in sur-rounding premises were broken. The RUC men eventuallyleft the premises with four men. Four men later appeared

in court charged with armed robbery following the raid.The court was told that the RUC raided Moses Hunter’spublic house after a tip-off and arrested four men who werein possession of two revolvers and £415.

Saturday 11th NovemberBomb explodes in East BelfastA small explosive device has detonated on the windowsillof a house in Victor Street in the Woodstock area ofBelfast. The front window was shattered but no one wasinjured in the attack.

Saturday 11th NovemberHome petrol bombed in DundonaldTwo petrol bombs have been thrown into the home of aCatholic family at Bristow Drive, Dundonald. The bombsdid not ignite and no one was injured in the attack.

Saturday 11th NovemberStrabane bomb attackA bomb containing around 15lb of explosives has beenplanted at Felix O’Neill’s pub. A warning was given. Oneof the customers in the Abercorn Square pub then kickedthe device into the street causing the detonator to explode.No one was injured.

THE TROUBLES

LEFT - Bomb attack on the Customs Clearing Station inDerry.

Saturday 11th NovemberIncendiary devices explodeTwo incendiary devices have caused slight damage atHerdman’s Mill. However it is thought that productionwill not be affected.

Saturday 11th NovemberGarage bombed in DerryA 5-10lb bomb which exploded at the rear of Nixon’s ga-rage in Spencer Road has caused only superficial damageto the building. No one was injured in the attack.

Saturday 11th NovemberSoldiers open fire on gunmenSoldiers in Derry have opened fire on three gunmen whothey saw aiming rifles at a checkpoint on the main Derry-Buncrana Road. No hits were recorded and the gunmenmade their way across the nearby Derry-Donegal border.

Saturday 11th NovemberSecret court orders men’s releaseFollowing a review of their cases, two men have been re-leased from Long Kesh. The men were released on theauthority of the new Government appointed Commission-ers who are carrying out an inquiry into the cases of 285people being held under interim custody orders. Yesterdaysaw the start of this process and although two were releasedsix others were ordered to be detained.

Saturday 11th NovemberCurragh escapee found in ArmaghOne of the escapers from the Curragh detention camp isbeing held by soldiers after a routine house search in theDrumarg estate in Armagh. He had been detained in theSouth on arms charges. None of the other six men whotunnelled their way out of the camp a fortnight ago havebeen found. The man who has not yet been named is being

held at the RUC headquarters in the city pending arrange-ments being made to hand him over to the Southern au-thorities.

Monday 13th NovemberMan shot during bank raidAn armed man who was holding a bank manager hostageduring a bank raid has been shot by the Army. The robberyat the Northern Bank on Cregagh Road took place just asthe bank was closing for lunch. Four men, at least two ofwhom were armed entered the bank and took staff hostage.Responding to a phone call that the raid was taking placethe Army and RUC went to the scene. Some of the menattempted to escape from the bank but were captured. Oneman was wounded in the arm but his condition is not thoughtto be serious.

Monday 13th NovemberSinn Fein vice president appears in CourtBelfast Republican Maire Drumm has been returned fortrial to the Special Criminal Court charged with being amember of the IRA. She has been on remand since Mon-day on a charge of inciting persons to possess arms. MrsDrumm told the court “As vice president of Sinn Féin, Iwill not insult the memory of the gallant boys and girls ofBelfast who have given their lives in the past three years indefence of our people and for the enthronement of the IrishRepublic, proclaimed in arms by Pearse and Connolly in1916, by pleading in a court set up by Quislings of a parti-tioned assembly, who have already stated that they intendto harass the Sinn Féin movement and its members, par-ticularly the members of Ard Comhairle.”

Monday 13th NovemberMan shot dead by ArmySoldiers have shot dead the driver of a car after they claimedthat they were fired on from the vehicle. It is believed thatthe vehicle had been hi-jacked earlier in the day in theDonegal Road area. Shots were fired from the vehicle inthe Iveagh Drive area and the Army returned fire. The driverwas shot and the car crashed to a halt at La Salle Drive. Apassenger ran off. The dead man is understood to be aged34 and from the nearby Beechmount area. He was shot inthe back. The mans identity is known but his name is notbeing released until relatives have been informed.

THE TROUBLES

Monday 13th NovemberExplosives find in East BelfastSoldiers have seized 14 cwt of explosives and 200 roundsof ammunition at an unoccupied house in Dee Street. Aspokesman for the Army described it as a large and signifi-cant haul. It consisted of 12 cwt of nitro fertiliser, which isnot illegal in itself but requires a licence and 2 cwt of nitram.Batteries were also found.

Monday 13th NovemberCatholics may organise private armyThe Catholic ex-Servicemen’s Association (CESA) hastaken the first steps to adopt a paramilitary role at a meet-ing in the Blessed Oliver Plunkett School in Andersonstown.Around 200 men were told that a special company was beingorganised in the Lenadoon area of Suffolk following petrolbomb attacks on the homes of Catholics. Members plan tobegin wearing uniforms – blue in Belfast and other coloursoutside the city – when they take to the streets in their de-fensive role. Several thousand uniforms, each costing £4,have been ordered. CESA has said that their men will notbe armed however the body has admitted that it has the co-operation and protection of both wings of the IRA.

Monday 13th NovemberSoldier dies in rail accidentA soldier has died after being struck by a train while heguarded colleagues manning a checkpoint near Newry. Theaccident happened at Cloghogue Bridge which is about amile from Newry and the soldier, 18-year-old Private DavidHarper, was guarding a checkpoint on the road below andit is thought that because of the high winds and rain, he didnot hear the train approaching. He was a member of the 1st

Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

Monday 13th NovemberMan shot in NewtownabbeyA 28-year-old Catholic man has been shot and seriouslywounded as he returned home from work. The man, whosename has not been released, was given a lift home by threefriends and was walking the last few yards to his home,when a gunman, who was lying in wait, struck. A car droveup to him a burst of shots were fired and he was struck inthe head. The man is described as being very seriously ill.

Monday 13th NovemberNewsagent shot dead in BelfastGunmen in Belfast on Saturday shot and killed a 58-year-old Catholic newsagent. The man who died was Mr GerardKelly, was shot as he worked behind the counter of his smallshop on the Crumlin Road. Two men entered the shop andopened fire on Mr Kelly. Their getaway car was found inthe Shankill Road area.

Monday 13th NovemberUDR man attacked in LarneShots have been fired at a part time member of the UDR at

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Magheramourne, Larne. The man is understood to havetold the RUC that three high velocity shots were fired athim as he rode his motorcycle.

Monday 13th NovemberArson attack on schoolFire has slightly damaged a mobile classroom in the groundsof St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School in Larne duringthe early hours of the morning.

Monday 13th NovemberBread server wounded during raidA young bread server from Glynn, Larne, has been shotduring an attempted robbery near his home. Two men, onewearing a hood and the other a face mask attempted to robthe man of his day’s takings. In the struggle a shot wasfired and the men made off. The bread server was taken toLarne Hospital but it is understood that he is not seriously ill.

Monday 13th NovemberMaghera RUC Barracks attackGunmen using an M1 carbine and a Thompson sub-machinegun fired a number of shots at the rear of MagheraRUC barracks. There were no casualties in the attack

Monday 13th NovemberSoldiers attacked at DungivenA Royal Green Jacket mobile patrol have come under firenear Dungiven and although one of the bullets penetrated aLand Rover no one was injured in the attack.

Monday 13th NovemberMan attacked in Shankill areaThe RUC have said that a man was taken from his home inthe Shankill area of Belfast and was beaten by a number ofmen. Initial reports had suggested that the man had beenshot at Diamond Street. The 33-year-old man is now re-covering in hospital. There is no apparent reason for the attack.

Monday 13th NovemberExplosives finds30lbs of explosives have been found in a derelict house atLisbon Street in East Belfast and in Andersonstown a pa-trol of soldiers belonging to the Green Howard Regimenthave found 45lb of explosives on waste ground in theGlenveigh area.

Monday 13th NovemberMagherafelt ramps may goSome ramps in residential areas of Magherafelt may beremoved following representations by the Chamber of Com-merce and traders. Ramps At estates in Cookstown wereremoved last week after the Ministry of Home Affairs toldthe council that there is no legal authority for laying rampsother than for security reasons.

Monday 13th NovemberArmy patrol fired on in BelfastFour shots have been fired at an Army mobile patrol in theLigoniel area of Belfast. No casualties are reported.

Tuesday 14th NovemberWoman accused of spyingThe RUC are expected to talk to a 39-year-old housewifewho has been attacked by masked women in the Ardoyne

THE TROUBLES

TOP - Clearing up after a bomb attack on the Bee Hive Baron the Falls Road.RIGHT - Explosives discovered in the vacant house in DeeStreet by soldiers.

of Belfast. The woman, from Eskdale Gardens was beatenthree days after she was taken from her home, had her haircut off and tar poured over her. She has been told to leavethe country or be shot. The woman has been accused ofspying for the Army.

Tuesday 14th NovemberRailways open againMain line rail services between Belfast and Dublin haveresumed after workers repaired a stretch of track near Newrywhich was damaged in an overnight bomb attack. Serv-ices were suspended after the bomb, estimated to have con-tained 100-150lbs of explosives exploded on the railwayline at Moore’s Bridge, Jonesborough.

Tuesday 14th NovemberAmmunition found in BelfastSoldiers have found 483 rounds of assorted ammunition, asawn-off shotgun and weapon training pamphlets during asearch in the Oldpark area of Belfast. The materials werefound in Druse Street.

Tuesday 14th NovemberOffices bombed in DerryThe offices of the Londonderry Development Commissionhave been badly damaged in a bomb attack. The RUC havesaid that a bomb, which contained between 10 and 20lbs of

commercial explosives was left in the doorway of the build-ing in Strand Road. A warning was given and the bombdetonated 20 minutes later. No one was injured in the at-tack.

Tuesday 14th NovemberArms findSoldiers have found a shotgun during a search of an emptyhouse in Lincoln Street in Belfast. No arrests were made.

Tuesday 14th NovemberSoldier killed in BelfastA soldier has died in hospital six hours after being hit by asniper’s bullet in the Unity Flats area of Belfast. The deadman, 19-year-old Private Stanley Evans had been talkingto an officer in a house at Stanhope Street when a sniperopened fire hitting him in the head.

THE TROUBLES

Tuesday 14th NovemberBomb explodes at Belfast barAt around 6.00am a bomb exploded without warning out-side the Beehive Bar on Belfast’s Falls Road. The car whichcontained the bomb had been stolen from Dhu Varren Cres-cent in the Woodvale area. The blast has caused extensivedamage to the front of the bar.

Tuesday 14th NovemberTartans go on rampageThe RUC has reported that Tartan gangs in theNewtownards Road area of East Belfast roamed the areafor around two and a half hours stoning vehicles. RUCLand Rovers were also stoned at Long’s Corner-ChadollyStreet and Dee Street.

Tuesday 14th NovemberBelfast gun attacksTwo gunmen are reported to have fired nine shots at troopsat Glassmullan Camp in Andersonstown. Fire was returnedbut no one was injured in the attack.An Army patrol has come under attack on theAndersonstown Road, Belfast. Ten shots were fired at thesoldiers but there were no casualties.In Selby Street, off Roden Street an Army patrol came un-der attack from gunmen. Fire was returned but no hits wereclaimed.Four or five shots were also fired at a sandbag emplace-ment at Oldpark RUC barracks from the direction of thenearby Park Cinema. Two shots were returned but no hitswere claimed.

Tuesday 14th NovemberBomb explodes in GreencastleA three-pound bomb which was thrown from a passing carhas exploded outside a house in Greencastle. A number ofwindows in the area were shattered by the blast and onewoman was treated in hospital for shock. A second bombwhich was also heard in the Greencastle area at aroundmidnight has not been located but there are no reports ofinjury or damage.

Tuesday 14th NovemberWoman attacked in New LodgeAn Army patrol has reported that a woman was attackedand beaten up in the New Lodge area of Belfast. The rea-son for the attack is not yet known.

Tuesday 14th NovemberAmmunition found in Belfast schoolSoldiers have found 50 rounds of ammunition in St Rose’sschool on the Falls Road.

Tuesday 14th NovemberDead man namedThe man, who was shot dead by soldiers on the Falls Road,as they intercepted a hi-jacked car near the Broadway Cin-ema, has been named as Stanislaus Carberry, aged 34, ofBingnian Drive. Mr Carberry died from gunshot woundsto the back.

Tuesday 14th NovemberMan dies of gunshot woundsThe 28-year-old man who was shot and wounded at ArthurRoad in Newtownabbey has died in hospital. He has beennamed as Joseph McCrystal of Longlands Park.

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TOP - Clearing up in Belfast’s city centre after the IRAbreached the ring of sceurity and planted bombs in Ann Streetand Castle Street.RIGHT - A new armoured car which has been approved foruse in Northern Ireland.

Tuesday 14th NovemberCar bomb explodes in DerryA car bomb has exploded in Derry causing slight damageto the car electrical service depot of Joseph Lucas. Thevehicle had been hi-jacked in the Creggan estate and thedriver held captive until the bomb was planted.

Tuesday 14th NovemberShirt factory bombedA bomb containing five pounds of explosive mixture haspartly exploded near Lyttle’s shirt factory, at Distillery Brae,in the Waterside district. No warning was given and theunexploded chemicals were hosed away.

Tuesday 14th NovemberRUC patrol attacked in EnniskillenSixty-five shots have been fired at an Army patrol onSwanlibar Road, Enniskillen. Fire was returned but no onewas injured.

Tuesday 14th NovemberObservation post comes under fireA shot fired at an observation post at the rear of DungivenRUC barracks has struck the barrack’s married quarters.Fire was returned but no hits were claimed.

Tuesday 14th NovemberMurdered man was in IRAJoseph McCrystal, the 28-year-old man who was shot deadin Newtownabbey, has been described in death noticesas being a volunteer in ‘K’ C ompany 3rd Battalion(Auxiliaries), Provisional IRA.

Wednesday 15th NovemberMass escape foiledA mass escape from Belfast prison has been foiled by prisonstaff and the RUC. It is understood that cells were searchedin the early hours of the morning and that wooden replicapistols and rifles, blankets made into ropes, fretsaws, hack-saw blades and catapults were found.

Wednesday 15th NovemberSoldier wounded in BelfastA soldier has been shot and wounded in Belfast. The shoot-ing happened as soldiers were responding to a bomb attackon the Youth Employment offices in College Square North.The bomb was carried from a Coca Cola minivan and aten-minute warning was given. As soldiers moved up Dur-ham Street a low velocity shot rang out and one soldierwas wounded in the leg.

Wednesday 15th NovemberDeath notice was hoaxThe Provisional IRA and relatives of Joseph McCrystal,who was shot dead in Newtownabbey, have denied that hewas a member of the organisation. The IRA has said thatthe death notice which purported to come from an IRACompany was a hoax. Mr McCrystal, whose brother wasone of three men killed in an explosion at Newtownabbeyin April, will be buried on Thursday.

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Wednesday 15th NovemberWoman was spy says IRAThe 3rd Battalion of the Belfast Brigade of the IRA issued astatement in which they have said that the Ardoyne womanwho was accused of spying on the IRA had been seenentering and leaving British Army posts over a number ofmonths and that she had been passing on information tothe enemy.

Wednesday 15th NovemberBomb chemicals discovered in DerryThe Army, during a planned search have uncovered 23 onecwt bags of illegal fertiliser. The fertiliser had a largenitrate content. Similar material has been used in themanufacture of bombs.

Wednesday 15th NovemberRUC man attackedA single shot has been fired at an off-duty RUC man in theArdamoyle Park area of Shantallow. The RUC man wasnot injured in the attack.

Wednesday 15th NovemberTroops fire rubber bullets in DerryRubber bullets and CS gas have been fired by soldiers at acrowd of around 200 people in the Leenan Gardens area ofCreggan.

Wednesday 15th NovemberCommercial explosives seized in Turf LodgeSoldiers have seized four and a half pounds of commercialgelignite, two feet of safety fuse and a detonator in the TurfLodge area of Belfast. In a separate find three nail bombsand three detonators were found in a house in ArdmonaghGardens in the same area.

Wednesday 15th NovemberArms find at Catholic schoolThe Army has reported that they have discovered a pistolwith six rounds in the chamber and 150 rounds of assortedammunition in a Catholic primary school in CavendishStreet in the Falls area of Belfast.

Wednesday 15th NovemberProtestant youths stone ArmyThe RUC have said that a military police vehicle has beenstoned by Protestant youths at the Castlereagh Road-Beersbridge Road junction.

Wednesday 15th NovemberShots fired in Markets areaFive or six shots have been heard in the Markets area ofBelfast but the Army have been unable to locate their source.

THE TROUBLES

FACING PAGE - IRA bomb attack on government offices inBelfast city centre.RIGHT - Funeral of RUC member Joe Calvin in Enniskillen.He was killed in an IRA booby-trap attack.

Wednesday 15th NovemberShot fired in StrabaneA single shot has been fired at members of the Securityforces who were investigating a bomb scare in Upper MainStreet. No one was injured in the attack.

Thursday 16th NovemberMan killed in own homeThe RUC have named the 32-year-old man who was shotdead in his East Belfast home after he refused to open thedoor to a gunman. The dead man, Mr George Doherty, awho lived in the Newtownards Road area became suspi-cious when two youths knocked at his front door late atnight. When he refused to open the door one youth shoutedthat there was a bomb at the door. Seconds later they firedthree shots through the door shooting Mr Doherty in thechest. He was dead on arrival in hospital. The RUC havestated that the only motive for the shooting was that theDoherty family were Catholics.

Thursday 16th NovemberTen prisoners releasedA total of ten prisoners have now been freed from LongKesh by the Commissioners. Five other cases have beenheard and five detention orders were made out. The numberof men detained by the Commissioners is now 21.

Thursday 16th NovemberExtradition bids failThe Minister for State, David Howell, has told MP’s thatmoves to extradite people from the South to face chargesin the North “has been sought in 16 cases since January1972.” He went on to state that not one case had beensuccessful.

Thursday 16th NovemberGun and bomb attackOne soldier has been shot in the abdomen as soldiers wentto investigate a car crash on Belfast’s Antrim Road. Thecrashed car was believed to have been used in an earliershooting and as soldiers approached the vehicle he cameunder fire from a position behind the polar bear cage in

Belfast zoo. The soldier’s condition is not believed to beserious.

Thursday 16th NovemberBlast bombsThe Army has reported that several blast bombs have beenthrown in several parts of the city. Bombs have explodedat Milltown Cemetery, Andersonstown and in Twinbrook.

Thursday 16th NovemberShots fired in BelfastEight shots have been fired at a foot patrol in EdlinghamStreet in the New Lodge Road area of Belfast. Fire wasreturned but no hits were claimed. Soldiers also openedfire on a gunman who was seen near St Mary’s trainingSchool at Broadway. No hits were claimed.

Thursday 16th NovemberArms findThe RUC have said that two rifles, two air pistols, fourboxes of air gun pellets, 34 shotgun cartridges, 150 roundsof assorted ammunition, a two-way radio, a training maga-zine, ammunition clips and a magazine for a Self loadingRifle have been found at a house in Tynedale Crescent, offBallysillan Road in Belfast.

Thursday 16th NovemberBomb defused in PortadownAn Army bomb expert has defused a 20lb which was foundoutside Shillington’s general store in Castle Street. He tookit to a nearby car park where it was detonated.

Thursday 16th NovemberFertiliser seized on farmsThe RUC has said that approximately five tons of nitrate fer-tiliser has been discovered at Ballyneil outside Magherafeltand at nearby Ballymaguigan, 22 cwt was also found.

THE TROUBLES

Thursday 16th NovemberFire at Lurgan cinemaThe Lyric, the only cinema in Lurgan, has been gutted byfire. The RUC are said to be investigating the blaze toestablish if it was malicious.

Thursday 16th NovemberPetrol bomb thrown in StrabaneA petrol bomb as been thrown into the rear of an RUC bar-racks in Strabane but damage was confined to a car whichwas parked in the yard.

Thursday 16th NovemberTelephone exchange bombedThree thousand subscribers have been left without tel-ephones in Armagh after the local telephone exchange wasbombed for the second time in 15 months. The bomb, con-tained in a suitcase, was planted at the Dawson Street ex-change. A ten minute warning was given and no one wasinjured.

Thursday 16th NovemberSquattersA Parliamentary Secretary, in a written reply to a questionposed by Unionist MP, James Kilfeddar, North Down, hassaid that in mid October 2,065 families were squatting inpublic authority homes – the vast majority of them in thegreater Belfast area.

Thursday 16th NovemberFears about electoral detailsThe National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL) has ex-pressed concern that information contained on electoralforms could fall into the hands of the UDA or UVF and beused to identify people as being Catholic. General Secre-tary of the NCCL, Mr Tony Smythe, has said, “All Catho-lics firmly believe, and with good reason, that many offi-cials, including those operating the register of electors,obtain their position through the patronage of the UnionistParty. Furthermore, it was always through rate collectorsthat the Unionist Party manipulated the electoral lists. ..Wefeel that information of this kind will certainly be accessi-ble to the supporters of the Unionist Party and thereafterwill fall into the hands of organisations like the UDA, UVFetc.”

Saturday 18th NovemberSuspicious carArmy experts have blown open the boot of a suspicious carwhich had been parked in the grounds of St Agnes’s Chapelin Andersonstown. The car did not contain any explosives.

Saturday 18th NovemberNICRA inquiryA Shankill councillor, independent Unionist, Hugh Smyth,has attended a hearing organised by the Northern IrelandCivil Rights Association. Councillor Smyth called for thesetting up of an impartial inquiry centre in Belfast when heput the Protestant case against British Army brutality to theinternational inquiry.

Saturday 18th NovemberProtestant youth shot deadAn Army patrol found 17-year-old Protestant youth inEuston Street in East Belfast suffering from gunshotwounds. The teenager had been shot in the abdomen as hewalked along the street. He was rushed to hospital wherehis injuries are described as being serious.

Saturday 18th NovemberMobile patrol attackedFour shots have been fired at an Army mobile patrol inMill Avenue in Ligoniel. There were no casualties and firewas not returned.

Saturday 18th NovemberArmy posts come under fireSix shots have been fired at soldiers in Ligoniel Mill. Therewere no casualties and fire was not returned.A sentry at Flax Street Army post has also engaged a gun-man who was seen near the Butler Street junction. No hitswere claimed.

Saturday 18th NovemberBelfast gun attacksSix shots have been fired at an Army patrol in the CarrigartAvenue area of Andersonstown. Fire was returned but therewere no casualties.In the Divis Flats complex soldiers fired at a man who theysay was carrying a gun. The man managed to get away andwas not injured.An Army patrol came under fire from a car at North Queen

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Street-Sussex Street. There were no injuries.Shots have also been fired at an Army post in the Lenadoonarea. The gunman had taken up position in nearby flats butno one was injured in the attack.

Saturday 18th NovemberRUC headquarters bombed in DerryFor the second time in two months, a double bomb attackhas been mounted by the IRA, on Derry’s new RUC head-quarters in Strand Road. The new RUC base is still underconstruction. The bombs have caused severe structuraldamage.

Saturday 18th NovemberBomb attack at Newry canalThree soldiers have been slightly injured when bombs ex-ploded at lock-gates on Newry canal. The bombs whichhad been planted by two men exploded at the Lockmastershouse. The occupants of the sea-going Victoria locks weretaken hostage and were later released unharmed near theborder.

Saturday 18th NovemberCatholics attackedThree Catholics have been found beaten up in the town ofNewtownstewart. An RUC spokesman has said they areinvestigating the circumstances of the attack.

Saturday 18th NovemberSoldiers attacked at TandrageeSecurity forces who were guarding a power station atTandragee have come under attack after hearing shots be-ing fired in he area. There were no Army casualties and anArmy spokesman has said that fire was not returned.

Saturday 18th NovemberFire at hayshedA hayshed near the Halfway House Bar at Letterbreen hasbeen damaged in an arson attack.

Saturday 18th NovemberShots fired on borderTwelve shots have been fired at an Army patrol near theFermanagh Cavan border. There were no casualties andfire was not returned.

Saturday 18th NovemberFire in DungannonThe RUC are investigating the cause of a fire which hasextensively damaged auction rooms at William Street.

Monday 20th NovemberSoldiers die in bomb attackTwo soldiers, an officer and a staff sergeant in the Argylland Sutherland Highlanders have died when a booby trapbomb exploded in a farm house. Information had been re-ceived that men had been seen acting suspiciously on thedisused farm at Culllyhanna, three miles north ofCrossmaglen and on investigation a rifle butt and six roundsof ammunition were found near the building. At around8.00 am the two soldiers, who are said to have been veryexperienced and had served in Aden and Borneo, enteredthe building. The 20lb bomb exploded killing both menand all but demolishing the farmhouse. An Army spokes-man has said it is a mystery why the two soldiers enteredthe building. They said that soldiers were watching thefarmhouse all night and were waiting for army explosiveexperts to arrive.

Monday 20th NovemberSean MacStiofain arrestedSean MacStiofan, who is said to be the IRA’s Chief of Staff,has been arrested by Gardai and Special Branch officers atMalahide on the outskirts of Dublin. In MacStiofan’s com-pany was Belfast IRA leader Joe Cahill. Cahill was notdetained.

Monday 20th NovemberMan dies in hospitalA 45-year-old Belfast taxi driver who was shot in his cab atthe entrance to the Glencairn estate more than three weeksago has died in the Royal Victoria Hospital. The man whodied was Mr William Clarke, of Deramore Drive. MrClarke, a Protestant, was shot as he dropped off two youthsat the junction of Forth River crescent on 24th October.

Monday 20th NovemberRUC man wounded in PortadownAn RUC man has been shot and seriously wounded inPortadown when a Land Rover in which he was travellingcame under fire at Cocrain Road. Six shots were directedat the RUC vehicle from Obin Street. The RUC man waswounded in the stomach, arm and leg.

THE TROUBLES

LEFT - Bomb attack on the Celtic Club in LurganBELOW - UDA bomb attack on a garage in Bridgend, Co.Donegall

Monday 20th NovemberMan shot at Derry checkpointA man has been shot in the throat at an Army checkpoint atWestway in the Creggan area of Derry. According to asoldier a car approached the checkpoint at high speed andstopped suddenly, crashing into the back of a vehicle whichwas parked there. A man jumped out of the car and strug-gled with a soldier. It was during this struggle that he wasshot in the throat. Altnagelvin Hospital have said that theman’s condition is “quite satisfactory.”

Monday 20th NovemberDerry riotsRioting begun in Derry as news of Sean MacStiofan’s ar-rest in Dublin broke. Soldiers fired rubber bullets and CSgas at the rioters in Derry’s Creggan estate.

Monday 20th NovemberArmy attacked in AndersonstownAn Army patrol has come under fire in the Slievegallionarea of Andersonstown. Fire was returned but there wereno casualties.

Monday 20th NovemberArdoyne gun attack

Soldiers attached to the Light Infantry Regiment haveopened fire on a gunman in the Ardoyne area of Belfast.No hits were claimed.

Monday 20th NovemberBlast bomb thrownA blast bomb which was thrown at soldiers in the marketsarea of Belfast failed to ignite and was later dealt with byan Army expert.

Monday 20th NovemberExplosives seizedSoldiers have seized 110lbs of explosives during a searchin the Stewartstown Road area of Belfast. No other detailsare known yet.

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Monday 20th NovemberRUC attacked in BelfastAn RUC vehicle has been attacked in the Whitewell areaof Belfast. Around 40-50 youths attacked the vehicle whichwas investigating a stone throwing incident on theWhitewell Road. There were no casualties.

Monday 20th NovemberMalicious fires at BallymoneyTwo fires, thought to have been started maliciously havedestroyed large quantities of hay and machinery on Protes-tant owned farms at Ballymoney. At one farm 6,000 balesof hay and a combine harvester and tractor were destroyed.The second outbreak, at a neighbouring farm, over 1,000bales of hay were destroyed.

Monday 20th NovemberBomb at WaterfootThe RUC have said that no one was injured when a bombexploded at McNaughton’s public house at Waterfoot’s mainStreet.

Monday 20th NovemberCustoms post bombedA bomb has damaged a vacant public house near Beleek’scustoms post. No one was injured in the blast.

Monday 20th NovemberFire at timber yardA fire has slightly damaged a timber yard at Main Street,Randalstown. The RUC believe that the fire was malicious.

Monday 20th NovemberBomb at Lurgan community centreA bomb has exploded at a community centre which is ownedby Craigavon Development Commission. The extent ofthe damage to the centre at Tannaghmore is not yet knownbut there were no casualties in the attack.

Monday 20th NovemberMalicious fire at MoyA fire, which is believed to have been started maliciously,has caused slight damage to the premises of the Moy Sandand Gravel Company at Charemont Street, Moy.

Monday 20th NovemberBomb defused at NewryAn Army bomb disposal expert has defused a bomb whichwas left outside a shop in the Mall, Newry. Security forceswere alerted to the device by an anonymous telephonewarning.

Monday 20th NovemberUDA claim bomb blastThe County Derry command of the UDA have claimed re-sponsibility for an explosion which has badly damaged acar showroom at Bridgend, County Donegal. A UDAspokesman has said that a four man commando unit plantedthe bomb at McLaughlin’s garage in retaliation for the IRA’sbombing campaign in the North. The UDA have also dis-missed a claim by the IRA that they raided premises inCounty Donegal and seized 100lbs of gelignite and deto-nators. The premises, which have not been identified, aresaid to be used by a London based company.

Monday 20th NovemberPost Office van hi-jackedThe driver of a Post Office van has been ordered from hisvehicle by masked gunmen about one mile from Armagh,on the Killylea Road. The gunmen left the vehicle where it

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was but scattered its contents over the road. An Armyspokesman said that they were viewing the hi-jacking asan attempt to lure the security forces into the area.

Monday 20th NovemberSoldier wounded in FermanaghAn Army sapper has been slightly wounded when a mineexploded on a border road in Fermanagh. A spokesman forthe Army has said that the mine was detonated from theSouthern side of the border.

Monday 20th NovemberLoyalist protest endsIt has been learned that the hunger strike by loyalist pris-oners at Belfast Prison has ended. The prisoners went onstrike ten days ago in protest against conditions in the jail.Republican prisoners who are also on hunger strike are stillrefusing food.

Tuesday 21st NovemberRUC men held captiveTwo members of the RUC who were kidnapped and heldcaptive in a Shankill Road public house have been released.The men, who were in uniform and on foot patrol in the

Shankill Road area of Belfast, were approached from be-hind by two men who pushed guns into their backs andtold them to walk. They were taken to a nearby publichouse where their uniforms, flack jackets and Walther pis-tols were taken A shot was fired between one of the men’sfingers in an attempt to frighten him. Both RUC men werereleased unharmed after two hours.

Tuesday 21st NovemberIRA leader goes on hunger and thirst strikeProvisional IRA Chief of Staff, Sean MacStiofain, hasclaimed in the Special Criminal Court in Dublin that he ison hunger and thirst strike and that he has only 12 days tolive. MacStiofain, who is held on charges of IRA member-ship, has said that he is aware of the consequences but isabsolutely determined to refuse food and drink while he isin custody.

Tuesday 21st NovemberBomb in suitcaseA suitcase bomb, in a stolen car, has been blown up by theArmy in Andersonstown. The case, containing 10-20lb ofexplosives was in a car near garages at Rossnareen Av-enue. The bomb was wired up and ready for use.

THE TROUBLES

FACING PAGE - IRA bomb attack in Derry.RIGHT - IRA rocket attack at Belleek RUC Station with killeda policeman.

Tuesday 21st NovemberSentry comes under fireA shot has been fired at a sentry at Glassmullin Army campin Andersonstown. The shooting happened shortly before1.00pm but the soldier was not injured.

Tuesday 21st NovemberLoyalists to appeal for Russian aidMembers of the DUP on Belfast City Council have attackedLoyalist Association of Workers leader Billy Hull’s sug-gestion that Ulster would seek help from Russia in a UDIsituation. The DUP man said, “Russia would help us theway they helped Czechoslovakia. We are not communists;we are British and none of us want Ulster to become an-other slave satellite of a communist dictatorship.”

Tuesday 21st NovemberSniper wounded in BelfastA soldier has been shot and seriously wounded when asniper opened fire on an Army Land Rover at the junctionof Woodvale Road and Crumlin Road. Other soldiers inthe area returned fire at the gunman who was operatingfrom the Butler Street area. In a follow up operation, sol-diers found bloodstains on the pavement but the gunmanhad escaped.

Tuesday 21st NovemberShots fired in East BelfastA burst of 10-12 shots have been fired at an Army patrol atChurch Street East, Newtownards Road. No one was in-jured in the attack.

Tuesday 21st NovemberCatholic homes petrol bombedPetrol bombs have been thrown into two houses at SouthParade in the Ormeau Road area of Belfast. The houses,which were occupied by Catholic families, were onlyslightly damaged and the families escaped unhurt.

Tuesday 21st NovemberBridge damaged by explosionA bridge on the Benturbet Road, Aghalane, Derrylinn, hasbeen badly damaged by an explosion in the early hours ofthe morning.

Tuesday 21st NovemberArson attack at AOH hallThere has been an attempt to set fire to an AOH hall. Thearson attempt at Upperlands was discovered and the blazewas put out.

Tuesday 21st NovemberCars stolen in WarrenpointTwo cars which were stolen in Warrenpoint have been dis-covered by the Army burned out in Patrick Street, Newry.

Tuesday 21st NovemberDead soldiers namedThe Army has named the two soldiers who were killed in abooby trapped farm house at Cullyhanna. The dead menwere Captain William David Watson, aged 28, from Edin-burgh and 31-year-old sergeant James Strothers, fromKirknewton.

Wednesday 22nd NovemberUDR man shot deadA member of the UDR has been found shot dead outsidehis County Derry home. The dead man, Mr Samuel Porter,

THE TROUBLES

TOP - IRA rocket attack on an army look out post in AlbertStreet, West Belfast.LEFT - The remains of a house in the Bogside area of Derryafter a premature explosion in which two members of theIRA were killed.

aged 30, was shot dead as he reversed his car into the drive-way of his home at Ballinahone, Maghera. The gunmenhad first poisoned Mr Porter’s Alsatian dog in its kennelbefore waiting for him to arrive. Mr Porter was found ly-ing beside his car but a rifle he was carrying at the timewas not taken.

Wednesday 22nd NovemberRTE chiefs face dismissalTwelve members of the RTE Authority have met underthreat of Government dismissal, to consider a Governmentultimatum arising out of an interview with IRA Chief ofStaff Sean MacStiofain. Just over a year ago, the Govern-ment banned interviews with members of illegal organisa-tions being broadcast on RTE. Last week Sunday lunch-time news programme gave a comprehensive interview withMacStiofain. The IRA leader was arrested after the inter-view was broadcast and that it is understood that the pros-ecution’s case will be based on the tape.

Wednesday 22nd NovemberBomb at motor firmA motor components firm, Simms Motor Units, which isbased on Belfast’s Grosvenor Road, has been destroyed inan afternoon bomb attack. The bomb, which was plantedby four armed men, sent a huge pall of smoke rising overthe city. No one was injured in the attack

Wednesday 22nd NovemberCatholic shot dead in East BelfastA Catholic man, Mr Joseph McIlroy, aged 30, has beenshot dead at his Sandhill Drive home in the Orangefieldarea of East Belfast. Mr McIlroy was shot dead by twogunmen who fired simultaneously into the kitchen of hisEast Belfast home. An RUC spokesman has said that thegunmen fired through frosted glass and curtains and couldnot have seen who they were shooting.

Wednesday 22nd NovemberMan wounded in RasharkinA badly wounded man has been found by a motorist lyingin the roadway about 500 yards from a petrol station atLisheegan, Rasharkin. The RUC have said that the man isa 43-year-old Catholic and that he has gunshot wounds tothe stomach, arm and leg. His name is not being released.

Wednesday 22nd NovemberShots fired at Army postGunmen have fired four shots at the Army post at Case-ment Park. Fire was returned but there were no casualties.

Wednesday 22nd NovemberRUC barracks comes under fireThe RUC have said that two gunmen opened fire atAndersonstown RUC barracks but no one was injured inthe attack.

Wednesday 22nd NovemberCheckpoint attackedShots have been fired at troops manning a checkpoint atKennedy Way in Andersonstown but there were nocasualties.

THE TROUBLES

Wednesday 22nd NovemberAmmunition find68 rounds of 9mm ammunition has been found in a plasticbag at Ligoniel. The ammunition was discovered by sol-diers from the 1st Light Infantry.

Wednesday 22nd NovemberLisburn RUC barracks attackedA single shot has been fired at Lisburn RUC barracks by agunman in a passing car. There were no injuries

Wednesday 22nd NovemberLong Kesh escape attack foiledAn attempt has been made by two prisoners to escape fromLong Kesh. The men, one dressed as a warder and theother as a prisoner. The escape was detected when prisonstaff noticed the warder’s roughly made tunic. The tunichad been fashioned from prison blankets and other mate-rial.

Wednesday 22nd NovemberSweet bottle bombArmy bomb experts have blown up a 10lb bomb planted ina sweet bottle in the information centre at Oxford IslandPark on the shores of Lough Neagh, near Craigavon. Thebomb was removed from the building and detonated in thepark.

Thursday 23rd NovemberMan killed in CastledawsonA man has been shot dead outside his home inCastledawson. The dead man is 48-year-old Mr William

Chivers who is a Catholic. Mr Chivers was killed as hewalked his dog in the front garden of his home shortly be-fore 11.00 pm. The dead man was killed 24 hours after aUDR soldier who lived six miles from him.

Thursday 23rd NovemberSoldier steps on mineA soldier is in a serious condition in hospital after he wasinjured in an explosion in the Andersonstown area of Bel-fast. He was a member of a foot patrol in the RiverdalePark South area when he stood on what is thought to havebeen a mine. In August this year an Army officer was killedin the same area when a claymore mine exploded as a pa-trol was wading across a small river near Casement Park.

Thursday 23rd NovemberBomb in LurganA bomb has exploded at a Catholic social club in Lurgancausing extensive damage to the building. A woman wasinjured by flying glass. It has been reported that two menwere seen running away from a white Cortina car whichthey had parked outside the Celtic Club. No warning wasgiven but a club member noticed the suspicious car parkedoutside the building. A woman was injured by flying glass.A short time later two blast bombs were thrown into a nearbyProtestant area but no one was injured.

Thursday 23rd NovemberExplosion at derelict houseA bomb has exploded at a vacant house close to thepeaceline. The house, at the junction of Crumlin Road, isthought to have been bombed because it is often used bysoldiers.

Thursday 23rd NovemberArmy opens fire on gunmenShortly before midnight soldiers spotted two men, one ofwhom was carrying a gun, at the junction of the Whiterockand Springfield roads. Four shots were fired at the menbut no hits were claimed.

Thursday 23rd NovemberShotguns found in BelfastTwo shotguns have been found by soldiers during a searchof a vacant house in Belgravia Street, off the Shankill Road.

THE TROUBLES

Thursday 23rd NovemberCatholic home attacked in BangorShortly before midnight an explosive device was throwninto the home of a Catholic family at Carrawdore Gardensin Bangor. The device failed to explode and it was laterremoved by Army experts.

Thursday 23rd NovemberArson attack in NewryA caravan belonging to a Catholic family in Newry hasbeen set on fire by two youths. The owner was alerted tothe attack when a stone was also thrown through his frontwindow. He was able to extinguish the blaze.

Thursday 23rd NovemberBridge damaged by bombThe Aghalane bridge which is on the Fermanagh-Cavanborder and was badly damaged on Tuesday has been fur-ther damaged when the Army detonated another bombwhich had been placed beneath it.

Thursday 23rd NovemberSoldiers open fire in DerryIn Derry soldiers have opened fire on a gunman in the Lit-tle Diamond. No hits were claimed.

Thursday 23rd NovemberMalicious fire in WatersideThe RUC believe that a fire which was started in a wood-work room at Clondermott Intermediate School in the Wa-terside was started maliciously.

Thursday 23rd NovemberArmy detonates bomb in DungannonThe Army have detonated a 3lb bomb which had earlierbeen planted in the Post Office building in Market Square,Dungannon. Only slight damage was caused to thepremises.

Thursday 23rd NovemberIRA threatens UDAThe Provisional IRA in Derry have threatened to deal theUDA “a crushing blow” if they in turn carry out their threatto the people of Buncrana. This counter threat came afterthe UDA issued an ultimatum to the town of Buncrana say-ing that if they did not get rid of the IRA and their explo-sives then they would “have to blow them up.”

Friday 24th NovemberArmy women go undercoverThe Army’s women undercover agents – members of theMRF (Military Reaction Force) are to be deployed againstbombers in the run up to Christmas, The women, who aremostly English but joined by some local women, are trainedto recognise small incendiary type devices. The womenare not armed and are instructed to stay in the backgroundas much as possible. It is thought that some of the teamshave been issued with a type of pocket radio to summonsassistance from soldiers who are permanently posted a shortdistance away.

Friday 24th NovemberCar bomb at Belfast harbourArmy bomb disposal experts have defused a car bombwhich had been slipped through the tight ring of securityand parked outside buildings in Garmoyle Street. Whenthe car was discovered Army experts blew off the boot ofthe car with a small explosive charge and defused the bomb.

Friday 24th NovemberHunger and thirst strikeA solicitor for Sean MacStiofain has visited his client inMountjoy prison and has said that Mr MacStiofain, who ison hunger and thirst strike had a very bad night and hashad severe kidney pains. There has been a dramatic dete-rioration in his condition in the last 24 hours.

Friday 24th NovemberArms raidFive men, two of them with Northern accents have raided agunsmiths in the County Louth village of Drumiskin. Twomen walked into the public house in the village and heldup the owners who are gun merchants. The men threat-ened to blow up the pub if the weapons were not handedover. The forty weapons, mainly shotguns and .22 rifleswere then placed in a car and driven off. One of the gun-smiths said after the raid: “We have been expecting this forsome time and we are glad that the guns are now away.

Friday 24th NovemberGarage bombed in DerryA man and a woman accompanied by three children aresaid to have planted a 20lb pram bomb outside Eakin’sGarage on Foyle Road. Warnings were telephoned to alocal newspaper. The area was cleared and the bomb ex-ploded 20 minutes later. No one was injured in the attack.

THE TROUBLES

Friday 24th NovemberWallpaper shop bombedTwo armed raiders have planted a 65lb bomb in a wallpa-per shop in York Street Belfast. The bomb at the shop,owned by McNeil and Co, was later defused.

Friday 24th NovemberArmy open fires on gunmenSoldiers have opened fire on two gunmen seen near theHoly Cross Church but did not claim any hits.

Friday 24th NovemberCatholic man attackedThe RUC have said that the driver of a fish and chip van,who was himself a Catholic and was stopped in a Catholicestate in Sion Mills was beaten up and shot. He was notseriously injured. The man’s van was set alight during theincident.

Friday 24th NovemberShots fired in LurganTwo shots have been fired at soldiers in the Shankill estatein Lurgan. No one was injured in the attack.

Friday 24th NovemberWeapons seized in PortadownSoldiers who searched a scrap yard in the Obins Street areaof Portadown have seized a quantity of weapons and bombmaking materiels. They found a Garand rifle, four .22 ri-fles, two .303 rifles, five shoguns and a .32 pistol. Alsoincluded, in the haul were 1,750 rounds of assorted ammu-nition, bomb making equipment, cortex, clocks, watches,switches, test tubes and gaslight burner.

Friday 24th NovemberSingle shot fired in StrabaneA single shot has been fired at an Army vehicle in BridgeStreet, Strabane. The shot missed its target and went throughthe door of a nearby house but there were no casualties.

Friday 24th NovemberArson attack on farmSeven hundred bales of hay have been destroyed by fire ina hayshed near the border. Fire units from Lisnaskea andEnniskillen dealt with the blaze.

Friday 24th NovemberSoldier has foot amputatedA soldier, who was wounded in a booby trap bomb attackin Andersonstown yesterday, is fighting for his life in aBelfast hospital. An Army spokesman has said that thePrivate was very seriously ill and had had a foot ampu-tated.

Saturday 25th NovemberJournalist jailedRTE journalist Kevin O’Kelly has been sentenced to threemonths imprisonment at the Special criminal Court in Dub-lin for refusing to identify Mr Sean MacStiofain as the manhe interviewed last Sunday morning. In refusing to iden-tify Mr McStiofain he was deemed to be in contempt ofcourt.

Saturday 25th NovemberExplosives found in BelfastSoldiers have found 4lbs of explosives, a detonator and 21shotgun cartridges in a house in Kane Street off theKashmire Road in Belfast.

Saturday 25th NovemberShot man buriedMr Liam Shivers, who was shot dead at Broagh,Castledawson has been buried following Requiem mass inSt Mary’s Church Lavery. Mr Shivers was killed as hetook his dog for a walk on Wednesday night.

Saturday 25th NovemberRepublican hunger strikeA Government spokesman has denied that 20 Republicanprisoners who have been on hunger strike for the past 12days are giving cause for serious concern. He confirmedthat the men have been refusing food for a period of timebut that they were accepting water.

Saturday 25th NovemberSuspect bomb in DublinThe centre of Dublin was rocked during the night whenArmy experts blew up a suspicious car outside the FourCourts. The northern registered car came under suspicionafter it was parked there all day. The car was found not tocontain a bomb

THE TROUBLES

LEFT - The home of a member of the UDR in Co.Fermanagh which was destroyed by fire.

.Saturday 25th NovemberExplosion at Garda’s homeA bomb has exploded at rear of a house being built by amember of the Garda at Glen Road in Monaghan town andthe explosion was heard over a wide area. There is somemystery surrounding the blast and a Garda spokesman hassaid that “It has not been IRA policy up until now to attackproperty in the Republic but this could be a change inpolicy.”

Saturday 25th NovemberArmy reduce numbersThe Army has reported that it will be reducing its numbersin the North. A spokesman has said that a further 1,000troops will be withdrawn. The soldiers are said to be ScotsGuards who are stationed in Derry and the 1st parachuteRegiment who are based in Belfast. This latest reductionleaves 17,000 soldiers still on duty in the Six Counties.

Saturday 25th NovemberLetters cut into woman’s armA 30-year-old married woman has been attacked in herAndersonstown home. According to the RUC three youthsentered the woman’s home in the early hours of Wednes-day morning and using a milk bottle cut the letters UDAinto her arm. The men also threatened to disfigure her ifshe did not tell them where her son was.

Saturday 25th NovemberArmagh bombA bomb has been planted in the Central Bar at EnglishStreet, Armagh by two men. The attack happened just af-ter 6.00 pm when two raiders left two boxes in the bar andthen gave a 55-minute warning before making their geta-

way. Army experts rushed to the scene but the bomb, con-taining 50-100lb of explosives blew up as soldiers draggedit out of the building on the end of a rope.

Saturday 25th NovemberHotel bombed in StrabaneA suitcase bomb has demolished the commercial Hotel inthe centre of Strabane. The bomb was left in the hotel justafter 10.00 pm by a masked gunman who told the manag-er’s wife to evacuate the building. The bomb went off ahalf hour later and demolished the three storey building.

Saturday 25th NovemberBomb at Lurgan garageA parcel bomb which was planted at the front door of Wil-son’s garage on the Portadown Road, Lurgan has causedextensive damage. According to the RUC, the 50lb bombcaused damage to 12 new cars and four nearby houses suf-fered blast damage. There were no casualties in the attack.

Saturday 25th NovemberBomb on Springfield RoadFour women have been treated for shock after a bomb ex-ploded at the rear of a house on the Springfield Road. Thehouse, which had been used as club, was extensively dam-aged in the attack.

Saturday 25th NovemberArmy opens fire on petrol bomberA soldier in the Ardoyne area of Belfast has opened fire ona petrol bomber. The man was spotted in the BromptonPark area but a hit was not claimed.

Saturday 25th NovemberSoldier woundedA soldier was slightly wounded when an Army patrol cameunder fire in the Stewartstown Road area of Belfast. Firewas returned but no hits were recorded.

Saturday 25th NovemberCatholic home attackedA shotgun has been fired into a Catholic occupied home inthe Belmont Road area of Belfast. The shot broke a numberof windows in the house. No one was injured in the attack.

THE TROUBLES

Saturday 25th NovemberArmoured personnel carrier attackedA civilian has been slightly injured when an armoured per-sonnel carrier came under attack on the Strand Road inDerry. A single shot was fired at the vehicle as it passedPhilip Street. The bullet smashed through the windscreenbut missed the soldier inside. The civilian, who was insidethe vehicle at the time, was being taken to a nearby RUCbarracks for processing. He grazed his wrist as he threwhimself to the floor.

Saturday 25th NovemberArms find in DerrySoldiers have discovered a .45 revolver, a homemade bolt-action shotgun and a quantity of ammunition for both weap-ons were discovered. They also uncovered some safetyfuse and a number of detonators.

Saturday 25th NovemberBlast bomb thrownA blast bomb has been thrown at an Army Land Rover onthe Limavady Road in Derry but the vehicle was undam-aged and there were no casualties.

Saturday 25th NovemberBomb at DromaraA bomb has exploded at the rear of the Plough Bar inDromara. The blast did not damage the building but a smallfire which started afterwards was dealt with by RUC per-sonnel who arrived at the scene.

Monday 27th NovemberBoy shot dead in BelfastA 14-year-old Catholic schoolboy has been shot dead andhis father, a surgeon in the Mater Hospital and his brotherseriously injured when their car was riddled by gunfire inthe Shankill area of Belfast. It is not certain how the attackhappened but it is thought that as the surgeon, Mr PeterGormley, drove through the Shankill area, two men jumpedfrom behind a parked car and opened fire. Mr Gormley’s14-year-old son, Rory was shot dead.

Monday 27th NovemberBomb defused in TwinbrookAn attempt has been made to blow up a boiler house whichsupplies the central heating to 50 houses in Twinbrook. Thebomb, which is made up of 75lbs of home made explosiveswhich were fitted with an anti-handling device. The bombwas defused by Army experts.

Monday 27th NovemberMajor gun battle in ArdoyneExtra troops were rushed to the Ardoyne area of Belfastovernight at the height of a six hour gun-battle. Accordingto the Army, around 350 shots were fired at troops as theywere caught between Protestant and Catholic gunmen.Although the main shooting was confined to Ardoyne sev-

THE TROUBLES

eral people were admitted to hospital suffering from gun-shot wounds in different parts of the city. At the height ofthe gun battle the Army claimed ten hits.

Monday 27th NovemberProtestant barman woundedA 24-year-old Protestant barman has been shot and seri-ously wounded during a shooting incident at a bridge inMersey Street in East Belfast. An RUC spokesman hassaid that the man, whose name has not been released, wasprobably beaten up and then shot as he tried to escape hiscaptors.

Monday 27th NovemberProtestant home attackedA shotgun has been fired into a house at Parkgate Crescent.The house, occupied by a Protestant family was attackedin the early hours of the morning. In a search following theshooting two twelve bore shotgun cartridges and a malletwere discovered.

Monday 27th NovemberTwo shot in GreenislandA 15-year-old boy and a 45-year-old man, both Protestantshave been wounded when a number of shots were firedfrom a house in North Thomas Street in the North QueenStreet area. In a follow up search the RUC seized a .303rifle and a quantity of ammunition.

Monday 27th NovemberShots fired at Crumlin Road prisonA number of shots have been fired at sentries at BelfastPrison. It is thought that the shots came from the directionof Landscape Terrace. Fire was returned and soldiers areclaiming one hit.

Monday 27th DecemberBomb at PortadownA 50lb bomb which was found by soldiers in a vacant houseat Derrytrasna has blown up as troops tried to move it. Thehouse was demolished but no one was injured in the attack.

Monday 27th DecemberMalicious fire at Maghera SchoolA fire has partially destroyed St Mary’s girl’s secondaryschool at Maghera. An entire block, comprising the as-sembly hall, kitchen and boiler house was destroyed in theblaze but the classrooms were undamaged.

Monday 27th DecemberShots fired in FermanaghGunmen in a maroon coloured Ford Anglia have fired at amotorist near the Donagh crossroads on the NewtownbutlerRoad but the man was not injured.

Monday 27th DecemberArson attack on farmAn early morning fire has destroyed several thousand balesof hay at a farm outside Randalstown. Five pigs died in theblaze which is believed to have been started maliciously.

Monday 27th DecemberBomb explodes at WhiteabbeyA 50lb bomb has exploded without warning outside a Catho-lic owned public house in Whiteabbey but there were nocasualties in the attack. A Free Presbyterian church acrossthe road from the public house was also damaged in theattack.

Monday 27th DecemberArmy to blow up carsThe Army have issued a warning about car which are leftin restricted parking areas. An Army spokesman has saidthat if the vehicle’s owner cannot be traced then the vehi-cle will be blown up.

Monday 27th DecemberIRA attempt to free MacStiofainA Special Branch officer and two civilians have beenwounded when approximately eight IRA men dressed aspriests and doctors made an unsuccessful attempt to freeIRA Chief of Staff, Sean MacStiofain, from the intensivecare unit at Dublin’s Mater Hospital. It is understood thatthe IRA men were approaching MacStiofain’s ward whenthey were recognised by a member of Special Branch.Minutes after the escape attempt, a number of men werearrested in the grounds of the hospital.

Monday 27th DecemberBomb at Dublin cinemaFive people have been treated in Dublin’s mater Hospitalafter an early morning explosion at a cinema besideO’Connell Bridge. Both wings of the IRA denied respon-sibility for the bombs which exploded without warning in-juring 40 people. Both the Provisional and Official IRAhave blamed the blast on agent provocateurs.

THE TROUBLES

Monday 27th DecemberVanguard rally in ColeraineMore than 500 members of the UDA have attended a Van-guard rally in Coleraine. The rally, which was addressedby Mr William Craig, was told that if the Westminster Gov-ernment attempted to impose “a so-called solution to theNorthern Ireland situation without the approval of the loy-alist majority would result in all hell breaking loose in theprovince.”

Tuesday 28th NovemberIRA rocket attacksThe IRA, using rockets have killed one RUC man, injuredone soldier and damaged five security posts in an unprec-edented wave of attacks on the Army and RUC. Rocketattacks have been on RUC bases at Belleek, Crossmaglen,Strabane, Derry and BelfastThe RUC man who died was 56-year-old, Robert Keyesfrom Kesh, Fermanagh. He was killed in the first attackwhich was launched on Belleek RUC barracks in Ferman-agh. The attack was launched from across the border. Theother attacks were at an Army post at Finiston PrimarySchool in the Oldpark area of Belfast; on an Army check-point on the Buncrana Road, Derry; and Strabane andCrossmaglen RUC barracks.

Tuesday 28th NovemberTwo die in Derry explosionTwo youths have been killed by an explosion in the Bogsidearea of Derry just before noon. The explosion, demolishedthe home in Meenan Drive of ex-internee CharlesMcSheffrey, who is at present on remand in Long Kesh onarms charges. Mr McSheffrey’s wife and two of their fivechildren were in the house at the time of the explosion butnone of them were injured. Soldiers, firemen and gas offi-cials examined the scene to determine the cause of the ex-plosion but it is not thought to be gas related. As the ex-amination of the scene continued, the bodies of two youthswere found among the rubble.

Tuesday 28th NovemberCustoms post bombedA bomb, which was concealed deep in a large furniturelorry and covered in mattresses and carpets, was driven tothe customs clearing station at Strand Road. The blast de-molished a 20-foot high wall at the side of the building aswell as breaking windows over a large area.

Tuesday 28th NovemberIRA punishmentsA 17-year-old Strabane girl who has had her hair shorn anda 35-year-old man was found shot in the New Lodge areaof Belfast. The girl was found with a placard around herneck with the words “Soldier Lover” on it. The man wasaccused of a crime.

Tuesday 28th NovemberShots fired at Casement ParkSix shots have been fired at soldiers on duty at the maingate of Casement Park in Andersonstown. There were nocasualties and fire was not returned.

Tuesday 28th NovemberHotel bombedTwo men wearing paramilitary dress have planted a bombwhich has extensively damaged the Dreg Valley Hotel atCastlederg. The explosion caused extensive damage to thepremises but no one was injured in the attack.

Tuesday 28th NovemberRUC men injured in LurganTwo members of the RUC have been slightly injured whena bomb exploded at the Automart on the Portadown Roadshortly after midnight.

Tuesday 28th NovemberShots fired in DerryFive shots have been heard by soldiers on duty at Bligh’sLane Army post. There have been no reports of damage orcasualties and the source of the gunfire remains a mystery.

Wednesday 29th NovemberRocket attack in BelfastThe IRA has launched another rocket attack in Belfast butthe missile only caused minor damage to an Army post.Nobody was injured in the rocket attack on Flax Street Millwhich is occupied by the 3rd Battalion Light Infantry. Themissile, which was launched from the direction of CrumlinStreet, appears to have been aimed at an observation poston the roof of the mill. The rocket however missed itstarget.

Wednesday 29th NovemberMacStiofain ends hunger strikeIt is being reported that IRA leader Sean MacStiofain hasended his hunger strike and is now being administered a

THE TROUBLES

delicate balance of mineral salts and fluids. His actualmedical condition is unclear but Mrs MacStiofain has saidthat her husband suffered a heart attack.

Wednesday 29th NovemberAttack on Lisnaskea barracksThe IRA launched a fresh attack on Lisnaskea RUC bar-racks at around 8.00 pm with bursts of machinegun fire,followed by a rocket attack. The rocket itself tore throughthe wall of the station and travelled into a waiting roomwhere it exploded. An RUC spokesman and three consta-bles were blown off their feet by the attack but no one wasseriously injured in the attack. The raiders made off towardsthe border. An examination of the scene later revealed that asecond rocket had been launched but had failed to explode.

Wednesday 29th NovemberPomeroy RUC barracks attackedA UDR guard at Pomeroy RUC barracks had a narrow es-cape when a rocket was fired at the barracks. The blastcompletely demolished an observation post on the roof butthere were no casualties.

Wednesday 29th NovemberArmy attacked in BelfastA rocket was launched at an Army post in Albert Street.An Army spokesman has said that the rocket was fired fromthe direction of Lady Street-Cullingtree Road. It blew ahole in the roof of the military post and narrowly missed anobservation post.

Wednesday 29th NovemberLandmine attack in RiverdaleThree soldiers were injured when a mine exploded in theRiverdale area of Andersonstown. None of the solders wereseriously injured in the attack.

Wednesday 29th NovemberBlast bombs thrown in East BelfastTwo blast bombs and three shots have been fired at an Armypost in Beechfield Street in East Belfast. Troops returnedfire but there were no casualties. In the same area, around20 shots were fired at a military vehicle which was trans-porting soldiers who were off duty from the docks. AnArmy spokesman has said that as the soldiers travelled alongthe Newtownards Road, gunmen opened fire from four dif-ferent positions. Two soldiers were injured in the ambushbut none were serious.

Wednesday 29th NovemberShots fired in Short StrandSeven shots have been fired at soldiers at My Lady’s Roadfrom the direction of the Beersbridge Road junction. Therewere no casualties and fire was not returned.

Wednesday 29th NovemberAssassination attemptsA 44-year-old Catholic man and his teenage son have beenshot in one of two assassination attempts at Ravenhill Av-enue in East Belfast. Neither were seriously injured. Asecond bid to kill a man in the same street at almost thesame time also failed.

Wednesday 29th NovemberExplosion in NewcastleAn explosion which was heard in the area of Newcastlehas been traced to a battery hen house in the Castlewellanarea. The RUC have said that a number of hens were killedin the blast at the premises which are owned by a Protes-tant.

Wednesday 29th NovemberClaymore mine explodes at KinawleyAn explosion has blown a crater in the road from Enniskillento Shanra. The Army believe the blast was caused by aclaymore mine which went off prematurely.

Wednesday 29th NovemberBombs found in BelfastSoldiers have discovered two blast bombs and 30lb of gel-ignite while searching a house in Ramoan Gardens,Andersonstown.

Wednesday 29th NovemberSoldier killed in DerryThe soldier killed in Derry yesterday when a bomb explodedat a supermarket was preparing to take a photograph of anArmy bomb disposal expert defusing a bomb. The deadman, Gunner Paul Jackson, was a regimental photographer.He died instantly in the blast

Wednesday 29th NovemberDead man was IRA officerOne of the two men who died in the explosion in a house inDerry’s Bogside has been described in death notices as alieutenant in the Provisional IRA’s 2nd Derry Battalion. Hewas 21-year-old John Brady of Malin Gardens, Creggan.

THE TROUBLES

The second man to die in the explosion was 19-year-oldJames Peter Carr of Abbey Park.

Thursday 30th NovemberIRA truce offer rejectedOn two separate occasions within the last few weeks, indi-rect approaches have been made by the Provisional IRA tothe British Government in Belfast for a truce. The termswhich are being offered by the Provisional IRA are said todiffer from earlier demands. They still want a British dec-laration in favour of Irish unity, an all Ireland conferencewithout British participation, an end to internment and spe-cial courts and an amnesty for wanted IRA men. But theyhave also asked for the withdrawal of the Army from theStreets and not as they have demanded earlier, total with-drawal of the British presence from the North in the nexttwo years.It is thought that the British Government are not interestedin talks at this time, given the success that they are havingin capturing leading Provisionals.

Thursday 30th NovemberThree new rocket attacksThe IRA has launched three new rocket attacks on the se-curity forces. The most determined attack was at Newrywhere three rockets were fired at an UDR post. The otherattacks were at Flax Street Army post in Belfast and an-other at a group of soldiers in Ardoyne. No one was inuredin the attacks.

Thursday 30th NovemberMacStiofain makes an appealSean MacStiofain has made an appeal for the people ofIreland to come on to the streets and to support his hungerstrike. He has now entered the twelfth day of his hungerstrike and since he has begun to take liquids, he is said tohave grown a little stronger

Thursday 30th NovemberBarman shot dead in BelfastBelfast barmen, fearful of attempts on their lives late atnight are threatening to go on strike unless their demandfor earlier closing in the winter is met by the city’s licensedtrade. They want city pubs to close at 9.00 pm so that barstaff can get home by public transport. A spokesman forthe barmen’s branch of the Transport and General WorkersUnion has estimated that over the past two years, either tenbarmen have been killed or had attempts made on their lives.Thursday 30th NovemberCatholic Barman shot deadA young Catholic barman, 22-year-old, Gerry Gearon, wholived in Belfast’s Ardoyne district, has been shot dead ashe travelled home in a taxi. It is understood that Mr Gearonwent into Arkle Taxis office in Clifton Street and when ataxi arrived, he got into it. Two other men then got into thetaxi, saying that they were going the same way. When theyreached the Mater Hospital one of the men said that theywere going to be sick and asked the driver to pull in. Bothyouths got out and fired at Mr long fatally wounding him.They then fired at the driver whose condition is describedas being not serious.

Thursday 30th NovemberMan wounded in CarrickfergusA man, believed to be a Protestant, has been shot and seri-ously wounded in Carrickfergus. The incident happenedin the car park of the Pheasant Inn at Woodburn. The manmanaged to drive himself to the City hospital. His condi-tion is described as being serious.

THE TROUBLES

Thursday 30th NovemberShots fired in DownpatrickA volley of pistol shots have been fired at DownpatrickRUC barracks from a passing car. No one was injured andfire was not returned. The car was later reported stolen.

Thursday 30th NovemberExplosion in AndersonstownA blast bomb has exploded at the back of a house in GroghanGardens, in Andersonstown. No one was injured. Tenminutes before the explosion two youths called at a neigh-bouring house and asked for a torch. It is thought that thiswas used to plant the bomb.

Thursday 30th NovemberArms find in StrabaneSoldiers have discovered a quantity of arms and ammuni-tion in a search of fields near Drumrallagh housing estatein Strabane. They found two rifles, a telescopic sight and120 rounds of assorted ammunition.

Thursday 30th NovemberExplosives found in ArmaghSoldiers from the 1st battalion Staffordshire Regiment havefound 2-3lbs of explosive substance hidden under a coat ina hedge at Drumarg Park in ArmaghThursday 30th NovemberWeapons found in Belfast A loaded pistol and a number of detonators have been dis-covered in the garden of a house in Carrigart Avenue,Andersonstown.

Thursday 30th NovemberArmy comes under fire in DerryTwo shots have been fired at a Saracen patrolling the Race-course Road area of Derry. No one was injured and firewas not returned.

Thursday 30th NovemberSoldier’s condition is seriousThe condition of the Warrant Officer who was injured inthe Strand Road supermarket blast on Tuesday is describedby a hospital spokesman as being still ill.

THE TROUBLES

DECEMBER 1972

TOP - Loyalist car bomb in Dublin’s O’Connell Street. Twopeople were killed and dozens injured in these no warningattacks.BELOW - Clearing up in Dublin’s Sackville Place afterLoyalist bomb attacks

Friday 1st DecemberBarmen threaten to strikeBarmen, fearful of attempts on their lives by assassinationsquads late at night, are threatening to strike unless theirdemand for earlier closing during the winter is met by thelicensed trade. They want all city centre pubs to close at9.30 instead of 11.30 so that bar staff can get home by pub-lic transport. It is estimated that over the past two years tenbarmen have been murdered or had attempts made on theirlives. The latest to die was Mr Gerry Gearon, of CranbrookGardens, Ardoyne. He was killed in a taxi on the CrumlinRoad in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Friday 1st DecemberMan shot in Lower FallsA man has been taken to hospital with gunshot wounds tothe leg following an incident with soldiers in the LowerFalls area of Belfast. An Army spokesman has said that

troops spotted a man whom they wanted to interview, inLeeson Street. He ran off into a house in Theodore Street,was pursued by soldiers and captured. Local people cameto his aid when he ran off. As the man ran down the streetsoldiers opened fire hitting him a number of times.

Friday 1st DecemberMacStiofain on glucoseAlthough there has been no official confirmation, Armysources at the Curragh military camp have claimed that IRAleader, Sean MacStiofain, is now taking glucose in his drink.

THE TROUBLES

The source has also said that Mac Stiofain, who is now onthe 13th day of his hunger strike, is definitely not eatingsolid foods. His condition is said to be unchanged and heis in no immediate danger of dying.

Friday 1st DecemberExplosions heard in BelfastArmy headquarters have revealed that a series of explo-sions which were heard over a wide area of Belfast oc-curred in a Hightown quarry where bomb disposal expertswere detonating old explosives.

Friday 1st DecemberMan shot in StrabaneA man has been taken from a house in Clady close to theborder and shot in both legs. The man, who comes fromBallyshannon, is aged 20. He was taken to Altnagelvinhospital, where his condition is said to be “not serious.”

Friday 1st DecemberSoldier wounded in DerryA soldier from the Grenadier Guards has been shot in thefoot during an incident at Killea. No other details aboutthe incident are known.

Friday 1st DecemberSniper opens fire in BogsideOne shot has been fired at an Army patrol in the Bogsidearea of Derry. No casualties were reported but it was laterdiscovered that a flack jacket belonging to one of the sol-diers in the patrol had been torn. It is thought that a bulletfired by an IRA sniper ripped open the jacket.

Friday 1st DecemberCar bomb explodes in BelfastA car-bomb has exploded overnight in Belfast city centre.The explosion, outside the Ministry of health and SocialServices training centre in Ormeau Avenue, caused exten-sive damage to the building and surrounding area. Twopeople were slightly injured in the attack.

Friday 1st DecemberRifle stolen in AndersonstownThe RUC have revealed that during the night, two youthsforced their way into a house in Andersonstown and stole alegally held .22 Mossberg rifle.

Friday 1st DecemberShots fired into shopAt around 3.00 am in the morning a number of shots werefired into a vacant shop at Forth River Road in the Woodvalearea of Belfast. No one was injured in the attack and a carsped off after the shooting.

Friday 1st DecemberOvernight bomb attack in LurganExtensive damage has been caused to a community centrein Lurgan during an overnight bomb attack. The device,which had been planted at the community centre inTannaghmore Gardens, exploded inside the building.

Friday 1st DecemberArmy attacked at DerrylinnShots have been fired at a mobile Army patrol at Derrylinn.Fire was returned but no one was injured in the attack.

Friday 1st DecemberUDR opens fire on carThe RUC have said that UDR soldiers have opened fire ona car which is said to have driven through a checkpoint onthe Ballyclare Road in Glengormley. According to the RUCstatement, the car then stopped and the driver was allowedto continue after giving an explanation for his action. AnRUC spokesman said “People should keep their eyes openfor these spot road-checks, particularly at night.”

Friday 1st DecemberIRA statementThe IRA in Derry has issued a statement apologising for anerror they gave when giving a warning about a bomb theyhad planted. The bomb had been left at a customs clearingstation but the warning was given as Custom House Street.A number of people were injured in the attack. The IRA inits statement said: “We sincerely regret the accidental inju-ries caused due to a genuine mistake on our part.” In thesame statement the IRA claimed responsibility for an at-tack at a supermarket on Culmore Road in which one sol-dier was killed and two others seriously injured.

Saturday 2nd DecemberTwo die in Dublin bombsTwo men have died and 100 people injured when bombsexploded in Dublin for the second time in a week. The

THE TROUBLES

first bomb exploded at Liberty Hall, home of the Irish Con-gress of Trade Unions and the venue for a recent Provi-sional Sinn Fein conference and a second exploded atCleary’s department store in Sackville Place, off O’ConnellStreet.

Saturday 2nd DecemberBombs save Dublin GovernmentThe Fianna Fail government of Mr Jack Lynch has beensaved from defeat on its anti-IRA Bill in the Dail by thetwo overnight bombs in Dublin city. As the marathon threeday debate, which threatened to topple the Government,neared its end news reached the Leinster House of the Dub-lin bombs. The news of the blasts shattered the united frontof the opposition, Fine Gael, Labour and four independ-ents, all former Fianna Fail deputies, to bring down theGovernment. Fine Gael, withdrawing its opposition to thesecond reading of the ‘Offences Against the State Bill,1972’, removed the threat to the Government. It is ex-pected the Bill, which will give the Garda greater powersto crack down on the IRA, will become when signed by thePresident later tonight. Referring to the timing of the ex-plosions, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, JamesTully, said during the debate when he suggested that theonly people who could benefit from the bombs were theFianna Fail Government.

Saturday 2nd DecemberBranded body found in East BelfastThe body of a young man has been found in East Belfastby a man on his way to work. The dead man, who hadbeen shot in the head and his body dumped in an alleywayat Crossley Street in the Templemore Avenue area, is bebelieved to have been between 26 and 30 years of age.Initial reports have said that the as yet unidentified manhad been striped naked, tortured and then killed. Therewere burn marks on the man’s hands and feet and the let-ters ‘IRA’, the number ‘4’ and a large cross had been brandedinto his back.

Saturday 2nd DecemberMan dies in hospitalIt has been revealed that the 43-year-old farmer, who wasshot by a gunman ten days ago at his home near Rasharkin,has died in a Belfast hospital. He has been named as Mr.Joseph McAuley, of Slevanagh, Finvoy.

Saturday 2nd DecemberCar bomb explodes in BelfastA bomb has exploded without warning in Belfast. The de-vice, estimated to have contained 100 lb of explosives, ex-ploded at Church Lane off Ann Street, inside the tight se-curity zone. It is not yet known if the bomb exploded inthe Nite Bite café in Ann Street or in the RAF recruitingoffice beside it. It is thought that 16 people have been in-jured in the attack, four of them seriously.

Saturday 2nd DecemberYouths learn how to make nail bombsSoldiers carrying out a search of a disused flat in the TurfLodge area of Belfast have claimed they found four youngboys being taught by another boy how to make and use nailbombs. A dummy nail bomb was seized in the flat. Theyouths were handed over to the RUC and were later re-leased into their parent’s custody.

Saturday 2nd DecemberMan shot in Shankill areaA 22-year-old Protestant man has been admitted to the RoyalVictoria Hospital with serious injuries after a mystery shoot-ing in the Shankill area. The man, who comes from theShankill, was shot in the stomach near the local YMCA.He was later brought to hospital by car.

Saturday 2nd DecemberShots fired in WhitewellA number of shots have been fired at an Army mobile pa-trol in the Whitewell area of Belfast but no one was injuredin the attack.

Saturday 2nd DecemberExplosives find in BelfastSoldiers have discovered three pounds of commercial ex-plosives at a house in Rossnareen Avenue in theAndersonstown area of Belfast.

Saturday 2nd DecemberSoldiers open fire in DerrySoldiers have opened fire on gunmen operating in Derryon two separate occasions during the night. In the firstincident troops opened fire on a gunman seen near a der-elict cottage at Killea near the border but the man escaped.Later several gunmen were seen in the area betweenCreggan and the border. The soldiers opened fire beforethe gunmen took up firing positions.

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THE TROUBLES

Saturday 2nd DecemberUDR man attacked in DunmurryShots have been fired through the glass front door at a UDRman as he went to answer the doorbell of his house atSeymour Hill.

Monday 4th DecemberGelignite findNine sticks of gelignite, which are said to be in a poor con-dition, have been found by workmen in the roof space ofan empty house in Roden Street Belfast.

Monday 4th DecemberDead man namedThe latest East Belfast assassination victim has been iden-tified. The man, who was found by children who wereplaying in Comber Street, has been named as Samuel JamesHamilton of Frome Street. Mr Hamilton, a Protestant, livedwith his elderly mother and worked as a coppersmith.

Monday 4th DecemberTortured man identifiedThe man who’s badly tortured body was found in an alley-way off Crossley Street has been identified as Mr PatrickBansted, of Kilmood Street. Mr Bansted had been badlybeaten, branded and burned before being shot.

Monday 4th DecemberWoman shot dead in own homeShots have been fired through the side window of a housein Flora Street killing one woman. The woman who diedwas Mrs Sandra Meli, a Protestant who was married to aCatholic. According to the RUC the gunman fired throughfrosted glass and could not have identified his victim.

Monday 4th DecemberBomb at CrossmaglenAn Army spokesman has said that a booby trap bomb, whichexploded in the Crossmaglen area, may have been deto-nated by a rabbit. The blast blew a crater in a field 25-50yards from an abandoned lorry that soldiers had been keep-ing under surveillance for ten days. The crater has beeninspected by helicopter.

Monday 4th DecemberGirl seriously ill after petrol bomb attackA four-year-old Catholic girl is very seriously ill in hospi-tal after a petrol bomb attack on her Carrickfergus home.

The girl, who was in the Coronation Road home with hermother and sixteen-year-old aunt, is said to have receivedsevere burns to legs, hands, face, abdomen and chest. Theground floor of the house was completely gutted.

Monday 4th DecemberSoldier injured in rocket attackA soldier has been seriously injured when a rocket was firedat the vehicle in which he was travelling. An Army spokes-man has said that the soldier, whose name and regimentare not being revealed, was travelling in an armoured carin the Lower falls area of Belfast when he was struck byfragments in the attack at the corner of Raglan Street andAlbert Street. The attack took place as members of theCatholic Ex-Servicemen’s Association were marching to achurch parade and the wounded man was one of the extratroops brought in to the area in case trouble flared duringthe parade.

Monday 4th DecemberBomb defused in East BelfastAn Army expert has defused a 60 lb bomb which was leftbeside a brick wall on the east bank of the Albert Bridge.Traffic was diverted for several hours while Army expertsworked to defuse the device.

Monday 4th DecemberMan admitted to hospital with gunshot woundsA 26-year-old Catholic man has been admitted to hospitalafter a mystery shooting in the Lower Falls area of Belfast.The RUC have said that the man was driving along RaglanStreet when shots were fired at his car. Two children whowere in the vehicle escaped unhurt.

Monday 4th DecemberRUC men ambushedTwo RUC men who went to investigate an incident in RodenStreet had a narrow escape when gunmen opened fire onthem. The RUC men were unhurt and returned fire.

Monday 4th DecemberMan shot in legA man has been found at Woodvale Road, near TwadellAvenue, with gunshot wounds to the leg. The man, who isbeing treated in the Royal Victoria Hospital, is said to be ina satisfactory condition.

THE TROUBLES

Monday 4th DecemberShots fired in GlengormleyA number of shots have been fired into a house inGlengormley. One bullet smashed through the front win-dow but no one was injured.

Monday 4th DecemberTartan attacksThe RUC and Army have come under renewed attacks fromTartan gangs in East Belfast. According to an Army Spokes-man, petrol bombs were thrown at armoured vehicles andthat rubber bullets were fired to disperse rioters.

Monday 4th DecemberShops petrol bombedA petrol bomb has been thrown into a television rental shopat the Woodstock-Beersbridge Road junction. Only slightdamage was caused to the premises.

Monday 4th DecemberShots fired at RUC barracksSeveral shots have been fired at the front of WillowfieldRUC barracks. No casualties were reported.

Monday 4th DecemberRocket fired at RUC baseA rocket has been fired at Glengormley RUC barracks. Themissile struck sandbags at the front of the barracks andimmediately after the rocket a number of shots were alsofired. No one was injured in the attack. A short time latera stolen car was stopped on the Shore Road. Its occupantsran off into the nearby Bawnmore estate.

Monday 4th DecemberRUC man wounded in CastledawsonAn off duty detective sergeant in the RUC has been shot inCastledawson. The man, who was driving his own vehicleat the time, is said to be in a satisfactory condition.

Monday 4th DecemberGolf club bombedA bomb which exploded overnight at Craigavon has causedextensive damage to a local golf club. The Clubhouse,which was almost completed, was badly damaged.

Monday 4th DecemberBomb at TandrageeThe RUC have stated that a bomb has caused severe dam-

age to the Protestant owned Manchester Arms, at MainStreet, Tandragee. A fire followed the blast caused by abomb which had been planted inside the building. No onewas injured in the attack

Monday 4th DecemberArmy open fire on gunmenSoldiers on Derry’s city walls have opened fire on threegunmen but no hits have been claimed.

Monday 4th DecemberBlast bombs thrownTwo blast bombs have been thrown over the wall of theBrooke Park Army post in Derry at around 8.30 pm. Twosmall craters were made but no one was injured in theattack.

Monday 4th DecemberPetrol bomb attack on stock yardA ten-year-old boy, on seeing two youths throw somethinginto a hayshed at Derry’s stockyards, ran to a nearby Armypost and told the soldiers what he saw. As fire-fightersattempted to put out the blaze, soldiers drove out the 150cattle which were being held in the yard. No one was in-jured in the attack.

Monday 4th DecemberArmy patrol attacked by youthsRubber bullets have been fired at youths as they pursued apatrol at Central Drive, Derry. Rubber bullets and CS gaswere also used against youths who stoned an Army post atBligh’s lane.

Monday 4th DecemberIncendiary attacks in DonegalThree incendiary bombs have been found at businesspremises in the Donegal border town of Buncrana. Localfiremen were called in and the devices were dealt with.The Provisional IRA have denied any involvement withthe attack.

Monday 4th DecemberDublin dead namedThe two men who died when bombs exploded in Dublinhave been named. They are 30-year-old George Bradshawof Offington Avenue, Sutton and 24-year-old Tom Duffyof Gracefield Avenue, Artane.

THE TROUBLES

THE TROUBLES

TOP - Troops searching for clues after a bomb attack ongovernment buildings in Alfred Street.LEFT - Funeral of RUC member Robert Keys who was killedin a rocket attack on Belleek RUC Barracks

Tuesday 5th DecemberSoldiers kill man in ArdoyneA workman has been shot dead by the Army and a secondman injured when soldiers mistook the pair for IRA snip-ers. The incident happened shortly after an Army post cameunder attack at around 11.00 am. One of the men was work-ing on the roof and the other was at an upper window whenthe soldiers returned fire after six shots were fired at thepost. An Army statement dealing with the first reports ofthe shooting said that the men had been spotted on the roofof a house in Berwick Road and two shots had been fired atthem. Later a body and a wounded man were found by apatrol. In a second statement the Army admitted that amistake had been made and the men, both plumbers, hadbeen holding tools and piping. The house at which themen were shot is at the corner of Glenbryn Park, on theProtestant side of the Alliance Avenue peace line. The deadman is the 651st person to die since the troubles began.

Tuesday 5th DecemberArmy trap Post Office raidersFour youths who attempted to carry out a robbery havebeen surprised by an Army unit who lay in wait in thebackroom of a post office on Belfast’s Springfield Road.The post office has been robbed on a number of occasionsand anticipating that it would be robbed as it was due toissue the £10 Christmas bonus to pensioners, four soldiershid in a backroom and waited for the robbery to happen.Two days later, as four youths entered the premises andbegan the robbery, the soldiers opened fire on the raiders.Four shots rang out but no one was injured. As the youthsran off they dropped an imitation firearm. No one wasarrested nor was anyone injured during the incident.

Tuesday 5th DecemberIRA men capturedSoldiers have claimed to have captured four members ofthe IRA, including three officers, during searches of theFalls and Andersonstown areas of Belfast.

Tuesday 5th DecemberBelfast rocket attackAn IRA rocket has been fired into a new RUC barrackswhich is under construction in the North Queen Street areaof North Belfast. The missile struck the first floor of thehalf completed barracks but damage was minor. A numberof soldiers were on guard duty at the time but no one wasinjured in the blast.

Tuesday 5th DecemberYouth shot dead in BelfastSoldiers have claimed two hits in the Ardoyne area of Bel-fast last night after a Saracen of soldiers from the LightInfantry came under attack at the junction of the Woodvaleand Crumlin roads. Three gunmen, said to have been oper-ating from the direction of Brompton Park fired a numberof shots at the vehicle. Fire was returned. Some time laterthe RUC reported that the body of a youth was brought tothe mater Hospital by ambulance from the Brompton Parkarea. A loaded magazine is said to have been found in hispocket.

THE TROUBLES

RIGHT - Funeral of UDA member Ernest Elliott on RoyalAvenue.BELOW - UDA gunmen shoot over the coffin of ErnestElliott. He had been killed in an internal dispute

Tuesday 5th DecemberBombs explode in CookstownSeveral thousand pounds worth of damage has been causedto shops in the centre of Cookstown by four bombs. Thefirst explosion was caused by a bomb in a duffle bag whichhad been left in the doorway of the Electricity Board of-fices. It wrecked the showroom and damaged an adjoininghotel. The second bomb, also believed to have been in aduffle bag exploded in an entry between Lipton’s super-market and the offices of the Mid Ulster mail newspaper.Both buildings were damaged in the attack. A third bombexploded in a car at a cash and carry warehouse on SweepRoad. A nearby office block was also damaged. The fourthand biggest bomb exploded at Blackley’s café and badly damaged anadjoining house. All four bombs exploded in the space of an hour.

Tuesday 5th DecemberMan wounded in LigonielA 25-year-old Catholic man has been shot and seriouslywounded at a shooting incident in Ligoniel. The man, whocomes from the area, was in a workman’s hut near the Horse-shoe Bend when he heard someone call him to come out.Sensing that something was wrong he stayed where he wasand two shotgun blasts were fired at him. He was woundedin the groin.

Tuesday 5th DecemberUDR man ambushedA UDR man has been shot at and wounded as he left workat the Michelin tyre plant at Mallusk. It is thought that theshots were fired from a passing car. The man was shot inthe arm but his condition is not serious.

Tuesday 5th DecemberArmy checkpoint attackedAn Army Saracen on checkpoint duty near the border atGortmullin, Kinawley has come under rocket and gun at-tack. An Army spokesman has said that the rocket missedthe vehicle and exploded in a field. Around ten shots werealso directed at the soldiers who returned fire. It is thoughtthat the gunmen were operating from a point to the north ofthe border. No one was injured in the attack.

THE TROUBLES

Tuesday 5th DecemberArms find in Derry’s WatersideThe RUC have seized a hand grenade, a .45 revolver andfive rounds of ammunition in the waterside area of Derry.It is not known if any arrests were made.

Tuesday 5th DecemberArmy attacked in LurganEight shots have been fired at an Army foot patrol in theKilmaine area of Lurgan. Fire was returned but there wereno casualties on either side.

Tuesday 5th DecemberShots fired in CladySix shots have been fired at an Army foot patrol near thevillage of Clady. None of the soldiers were injured andfire was not returned.

Tuesday 5th DecemberYouths attacked in BelfastAn RUC patrol has discovered two youths tied to a lamppost in the Oldpark area of Belfast. The youths, who werefound at Century Street, had been assaulted and one of themen had a broken jaw.

Tuesday 5th DecemberArms finds in BelfastSoldiers in Belfast have discovered a nail bomb in theRamoan gardens area of Andersonstown. And in theFarringdon Gardens area of Ardoyne soldiers also discov-ered a .22 rifle. It is not known if any arrests were made.

Tuesday 5th DecemberExplosions in DerryA mystery double explosion which was heard in the Bogsidearea of Derry has been solved. The Army have revealedthat the two explosions, each caused by around 5 lb of ex-plosives were planted behind the wall of Brandywell foot-ball ground. Initial speculation that the explosions werecaused by rockets have now been ruled out and it is thoughtthat the blasts were part of an ambush on an Army patrolwhich had just passed the scene.

Wednesday 6th DecemberBomb attack on Catholic clubThe Army has defused two bombs in the Andersonstownarea of Belfast. The devices, one containing 5 lb of explo-

sives was concealed in a car and the second, weighing 15lb was left near by. Both bombs are seen by the army as anattempt to bomb the catholic Ex-Servicemen’s Associationclub.

Wednesday 6th DecemberWidow bears no grudgeThe widow of the man shot dead by the Army in Ardoyneas he worked on a roof has said that she bore no grudgeagainst the Army. The man who died was 30-year-oldSamuel Bell, a Protestant of Forester Street.

Wednesday 6th DecemberLatest victim namedThe name of the man whose body was found in an alley-way in East Belfast today has been named as 32-year-oldSamuel White, a central heating engineer of Carrybeg Av-enue, Newtownards. Mr White was a Protestant and wasmarried with one child. His body was found in LisbonStreet in the Short Strand area of Belfast.

Wednesday 6th DecemberBomb expert killedAn Army bomb disposal expert has died after the IRAlaunched seven separate rocket and mortar attacks on theArmy during the night. The soldier who died, a member ofthe Royal Ordnance Corps was killed as he examined amortar shell which failed to explode during an attack onthe Kitchen Hill camp in Lurgan. The soldier who died,28-year-old Sgt Roy Hillis, was killed as he attempted toremove a mortar shell from its launcher.

Wednesday 6th DecemberAttack on ArmyThere has been a concentrated attack on an Army post in adisused factory on the Loughgall Road, Armagh. Four rock-ets were fired at the post as was a burst of automatic fire.Small arms fire was also directed at the front of the factory.One of the rockets exploded on the roof of the building andanother in a garden. There were no military casualties buta woman who was in a ward of the nearby St Luke’s Hos-pital was wounded by shrapnel.

Wednesday 6th DecemberRockets fired in CoalislandThree rockets and some gunfire have been aimed at sol-diers who went to answer a bomb alert at an egg packingfactory in Coalisland. An RUC spokesman said that two

THE TROUBLES

TOP - Funeral of Constable Nixon passing the Chester ParkHotel on the Antrim Road where he was shot dead.RIGHT - A badly shocked woman is taken to an ambulanceafter a Belfast bomb attack.

men had earlier planted what was thought to be a bomb atthe egg factory. The factory is located beside an Armypost.

Wednesday 6th DecemberMortar bombs explode at Army postSeven home made mortars and a number of shots havebeen fired at an Army post at Kilrea. Extensive damagewas caused to the post but no one was injured in the attack.One of the bombs only partially exploded and it was dealtwith by the Army. In a follow up search a sterlingsubmachine-gun 30 empty cartridges and eight armourpiercing rounds were found.

Wednesday 6th DecemberMortars found in DerrySoldiers have found a home made mortar and eight bombsin a laneway in the Creggan Estate, Derry. The find cameafter three mortars were launched at the Bligh’s lane Armypost. No one was injured in the attack. According to theArmy one of the mortars missed the post and buried itselfin the hillside.

Wednesday 6th DecemberRocket fired in CoaghA rocket which was fired at the RUC barracks in Coagh issaid to have hit a gable wall but did not penetrate it. Dam-age was caused to some security fencing but no one wasinjured in the attack.

Wednesday 6th DecemberBelfast Rocket attackA rocket has once again been fired at the new RUC basewhich is under construction in Belfast. The Barracks, atNorth Queen Street, was struck by one rocket. Damage tothe base was slight and no one was injured in the attack.

Wednesday 6th DecemberUDR man killedA member of the UDR has been shot dead while on a shop-ping trip in Killeter village, near the Donegal border. The

dead man, Private William Bogle, aged 27, was attached tothe 6th Battalion, UDR and is the 29th member of the regi-ment to have been killed since it was formed.

Wednesday 6th DecemberMan shot in kneesA man, believed to be a Protestant, has been admitted tothe Ulster Hospital at Dundonald with gunshot wounds tothe knees. It is believed that he was shot in Clara Streetarea and was brought to hospital by car.

THE TROUBLES

LEFT - The first turnstiles to be installed at the Belfastsecurity gates at Wellington Street.

Wednesday 6th DecemberExplosives found in carSeventy to eighty pounds of explosive mixture have beenfound in the rear panels of a car that had earlier been hi-jacked in the Clonard area of Belfast. The owner was thentold to collect it on the Falls Road. The man brought it tothe RUC and when the car was examined the explosiveswere found.

Wednesday 6th DecemberShots fired in NewryA number of shots have been fired at the Army in theDerrybeg estate, Newry. Earlier there had been some stonethrowing, hi-jacking and riots in the area.

Wednesday 6th DecemberSoldier attacked in LisburnShots have been fired at an off duty soldier as he walked inthe grounds of Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn. He was notinjured in the attack.

Wednesday 6th DecemberShot youth was member of FiannaA death notice in today’s Irish News has revealed that theyouth, Bernard Fox of Etna Drive, who was shot dead bythe Army in Ardoyne on Monday night was a member ofFianna Eireann. He is described as being O/C of ‘A’ Coy,3rd Battalion, Na Fianna Eireann.

Thursday 7th DecemberBomb wrecks garageA Belfast garage and showroom has been wrecked in alunchtime bomb attack. Chambers and Johnston garage inAgincourt Avenue in the Ormeau Road area was devas-tated by the 50 lb device. Many windows in the surround-ing area were broken but no one was injured in the attack.

Thursday 7th DecemberBarmen to strikeBelfast barmen, fearful of attempts on their lives as theyreturn home late at night are to strike on Saturday in sup-port of their demands for earlier closing during wintermonths. 1,100 bar staff are expected to take strike actionbut it is thought that family run businesses will open inspite of the stoppage.

Thursday 7th DecemberSoldier loses armA 21-year-old soldier, Private Michael George, fromBurnley, has lost his arm in an IRA rocket attack on thearmoured vehicle in which he was travelling in Varna Street,Belfast.

Thursday 7th DecemberBomb hoax halts trainTrain services between Lurgan and Portadown were haltedfor more than two hours because of a hoax bomb call. Therailways authority, having received a mysterious phone callsaying that it would not be advisable to run the last trainbetween Lurgan and Portadown.. The service was sus-pended but later resumed when a search of the track didnot uncover anything.

Thursday 7th DecemberRUC man’s wife attackedFor security reasons the RUC are refusing to release de-

THE TROUBLES

TOP - Bomb attack on the Nite-Bite resturant at the cornerof Ann Street and Victoria Street.RIGHT - A British soldier tests a captured IRA mortar inDerry.

tails of an attack on the wife of an RUC reservist. Thewoman, aged 25 and lives in the Ballygomartin area ofBelfast, was assaulted by a number of men who enteredher home looking for a gun. She has received 28 stitches.A small quantity of ammunition was taken.

Thursday 7th DecemberSoldier is seriously illA soldier in the 1st Queen’s Lancashire Regiment has losthis arm and ten other members of the crew of a Saracenarmoured vehicle have been treated for cuts and shock af-ter a rocket attack in Varna Street, off the Grosvenor Road.The missile was fired from behind the Saracen as it movedup the street. The warhead exploded, piercing the rear doorsof the vehicle and the driver, although concussed managedto drive the vehicle away from the scene. .A 21-year-oldsoldier is seriously ill.

Thursday 7th DecemberWounded soldier is criticalA soldier who was seriously wounded when shots were firedthrough the rear doors of a Saracen on the Whiterock Roadhas been named as 18-year-old Rifleman John Joesbury, ofthe 3rd Royal green jackets. He is described as being veryseriously ill. Two other members of the vehicles crew wereslightly injured in the attack. Fire was not returned.

Thursday 7th DecemberSpringfield Road barracks attackedA small bomb which was thrown from a passing car out-side Springfield Road barracks has exploded. The devicestruck a sandbagged Sanger. No one was injured and sol-diers inside the Sanger fired at the car. It is not known ifanyone was hit.

Thursday 7th DecemberBlast bomb thrown in AndersonstownA small explosion which was heard in the Andersonstownarea of Belfast is thought to have been thrown to draw troopsinto the area. An Army bomb disposal expert later blewthe boot of a suspect car in the area and discovered 5 lb ofexplosives which may have been booby-trapped.

Thursday 7th DecemberShots fired at Army postShots have been fired into a Falls Road Army post. No onewas injured and fire was not returned.

Thursday 7th DecemberCatholic family attackedA pipe bomb has exploded at the side of a house in LevenDrive in the Tullycarnet estate, Dundonald. Two smallwindows were broken. The occupants, a Catholic family,were not injured in the attack.

THE TROUBLES

Thursday 7th DecemberElectricity transformer bombedPart of the village of Sion Mills was blacked out after anexplosion damaged an electricity transformer. A cricketpavilion in the area was also damaged by a later explosion.

Thursday 7th DecemberNail bombs found in DerryTwo nail bombs, which were found by Development Com-mission workmen in a storm drain inn the Creggan estate,Derry, have been dealt with by the Army. Soldiers whowere called to the scene came under attack from stonethrowers. Rubber bullets were fired.

Friday 8th DecemberUDA leader shot deadThe RUC are said to be keeping an open mind on the iden-tity of the persons responsible for killing a high rankingmember of the Ulster Defence Association. The dead man,28-year-old Ernest Duke Elliot, was found hooded in theback of a car. He had been shot dead and paper, cardboardand wires had been placed around the body to give the im-pression that it had been booby trapped.

Mr Elliott, had been travelling with a companion, whoseidentity is being kept secret, from the Shankill Road toSandy Row. They were travelling in an official UDA carwhen they were intercepted at the traffic lights at Millfield-Divis Street. Both men were hooded and beaten. MrElliott’s companion was later released. The dead man issaid to have been a member of the Woodvale Defence As-sociation, which is an affiliated body of the UDA. He issaid to have held the rank of Lt.-Colonel.

Friday 8th DecemberCity centre bombsTwo bombs have exploded within yards of each other. Bothbombs, one of which went off inside a blue car at the nar-row King Street Mews, exploded within ten minutes of eachother. The second bomb had been earlier placed in thepremises of J. A. Irvine & Co. The blast damaged nearbybuildings and broke windows in Progressive House andthe College of Technology. The Army have said that thebombs were an elaborate attempt to lure the Army into thearea.

Friday 8th DecemberArmagh tyre plant bombedA bomb blast has caused extensive damage to HighwayRemoulds, a tyre plant in Armagh. The bomb, which con-tained around 50-100 lbs of explosives exploded in thecompany’s premises, a converted railway station. Severalhouses in Alexander Park, which is 150 yards away, hadtheir windows blown in.

Friday 8th DecemberFactory bombed in PortadownA fire has destroyed a large storage area at the WindsorFoods Factory in castle Avenue, Portadown. The outbreakwas discovered at around 1.15 am and forensic experts areattempting to discover the cause of the blaze.

Friday 8th DecemberRUC men ambushedAround a dozen shots have been fired at an RUC LandRover on the Melmont Road in Strabane. None of the RUCmen were injured in the ambush.

Friday 8th DecemberIncendiary device fails to explodeAn incendiary device which had been planted by armedmen in a confectionary shop at Trevor Hill has failed to gooff. and has been removed by the Army. After planting thedevice the raiders then took the owner and two girls hos-tage. They were released a short time later at Bessbrook.

Friday 8th DecemberArmy opens fire on man in DerryThe Army have admitted opening fire on a man at Molenan,Derry. Soldiers claim that they observed the man carryinga weapon and entering a derelict house. A challenge wasissued and shots fired. The soldiers did not claim a hit andthe man escaped. No weapons were found.

Friday 8th DecemberPipe bomb explodesA pipe bomb has exploded on a boat which was outside ahouse in Cloyne Crescent, Monkstown.

Friday 8th DecemberHayshed destroyedTwo thousand bales of hay and a hayshed have been de-stroyed in an arson attack on a farm at Garvagh. No onewas injured in the blaze.

THE TROUBLES

Friday 8th DecemberCatholic Church wreckedA bomb has exploded at a Catholic Chapel at Glenravel,near Ballymena. A woman, who was on her way to mass,discovered the doors of the chapel had been forced openand a bomb in a milk churn placed in the aisle. The Armywas called in but the bomb exploded before it could bedefused.

Saturday 9th December44 UDR men sackedIt has been revealed by the Parliamentary Under Secretaryfor the Army, Peter Blaker, that 44 members of the UlsterDefence Regiment have been sacked this year for “unsatis-factory conduct” and there is now speculation that the men’sdismissals are connected to their political links, such asmembership of the Ulster Defence Association

Saturday 9th DecemberRocket attack on RUC baseFor the second time in less than a fortnight the IRA havelaunched a gun and rocket attack on the joint Army-RUCbase at Crossmaglen in South Armagh. Two rockets andseveral shots were fired at the barracks. One of the rocketspenetrated a wall. Soldiers and RUC personnel returnedfire but no hits were claimed.

Saturday 9th DecemberMan shot dead on busA 47-year-old father of five from Monagh Parade in theTurf Lodge area of Belfast, has been shot dead on a bus ashe returned from work. The dead man was Mr Joseph Kelly,who worked as a welder for an east Belfast tool company.

Saturday 9th DecemberSix men arrested in BallynahinchSix men have been arrested by the security forces after theywere seen acting suspiciously in a field near Ballynahinch.The men, who are all understood to have addresses in theBelfast area are being questioned by the RUC. A .22 rifleand a small quantity of ammunition was seized in the area.

Saturday 9th DecemberSoldier dies in Belfast hospitalRifleman John Josebury, of the 3rd Royal green jackets hasdied in hospital from injuries he received when he was hit

by a single bullet to the head. He had been travelling in therear of a Saracen along Westrock Drive in the Ballymurphyarea when gunmen fired twice into the vehicle.

Saturday 9th DecemberFive soldiers shot in St James’s areaFive soldiers have been shot, one of them seriously in theSt James’s area of Belfast. The seriously ill soldier wasshot in the buttocks while the remaining four receivedwounds to the legs. It is believed that the two gunmenopened fire from concealed positions.

Saturday 9th DecemberRPG7 rocket launcher found in BelfastA Russian made RPG7 rocket launcher, similar to the onediscovered recently in Derry has been found during a searchin the New Lodge Road area of Belfast. The rocketlauncher, the first of its kind to be found in the city, is be-lieved to be one of a number which has been used againsttroops. Several propellant charges were also found withthe weapon. A Garand rifle, an SLR, a .303 rifle and 500rounds of assorted ammunition were also found.In a separate search in the same area, a Japanese madeArmalite rifle, a fully loaded magazine and part of an Armyissue SLR rifle was also found.

Saturday 9th DecemberCatholic family attackedA Catholic family escaped injury in the Ligoniel area ofBelfast when 14 shots from an automatic weapon were firedinto their Legmore Street home. The bullets smashed up-stairs and downstairs windows.

Saturday 9th DecemberRUC base comes under fireA burst of shots have been fired at Glengormley RUC bar-racks from the direction of Church Road. No one was in-jured in the attack.

Saturday 9th DecemberArmy blows up explosivesSoldiers have detonated two explosive devices which werefound in the Brenda Park area of Andersonstown. The ex-plosives were found in the garden of a house. No one wasinjured and damage was confined to a small area.

THE TROUBLES

Saturday 9th DecemberSoldiers attacked in DerryThree shots have been fired at soldiers in the Upper Nas-sau Street-Osborne Street area of Derry. No one was in-jured in the attack. Two cars were seen speeding awayfrom the area after the attack but no arrests were made.

Saturday 9th DecemberSniper opens fire on soldiersA single shot has been fired at an Army patrol near StColumb’s College. The shot was fired from the directionof Kildrum Gardens in the Creggan estate.

Saturday 9th DecemberBomb explodes in DerrySlight damage has been caused by a bomb which explodedat a junction box in Derry. The explosion took place atLonemoor Road. No one was hurt in the attack.

Saturday 9th DecemberExplosives destroyed by ArmyA loud explosion which was heard in East Belfast has beencaused by an Army expert blowing up a suspicious milkchurn which was found in Lavinia Street in the OrmeauRoad area. The churn, thought to contain fertiliser and die-sel oil was found lying in the street. It is thought that itmay have fallen from a lorry. The churn contained be-tween 3-5 lbs of explosives.

Saturday 9th DecemberBorder pollA number of the North’s Under Sheriffs have had meetingswith officials from the Secretary of State’s department todiscuss arrangements for the border poll, which is due tobe held next year. The Sheriffs will have the responsibilityfor conducting the poll and their recommendations will bereported to Mr Whitelaw.

Monday 11th DecemberOfficial Sinn Fein conferenceA resolution from the Wicklow branch of Official Sinn Feinhas proposed at the part’s annual conference that “all re-publicans come together in the fight against the commonenemy.” It goes on to say: “In order to achieve this, allbickering must cease between both factions of Sinn Fein.These petty arguments not only waste valuable time butthey play into the hands of our enemies as well.” Another

resolution called on the Gardiner Place leaders to use theirpropaganda “more intelligently to seek to win the ordinaryrank and file Provo to the policy of our movement.”

Monday 11th DecemberBomb factory foundSoldiers have discovered a large quantity of bomb makingmaterials and a number of blast bombs at a derelict housein East Belfast. Soldiers from 35 Engineer Regiment dis-covered two hundredweight of a bomb making chemical,four blast bombs, two rounds of ammunition, two emptybeer kegs a mixing bucket and half a thunderflash, at thehouse in Dee Street.

Monday 11th DecemberNew Orange leaderThe Rev Martin Smyth, a leading figure in the UnionistParty and Vanguard organisation is expected to take overthis week as head of the Orange Order in Ireland. It isunderstood that Mr. Smyth, a Presbyterian minister in Bel-fast has been consulted by members of the order’s centralcommittee and has expressed his willingness to allow hisname to go forward

Monday 11th DecemberSoldiers shoot man deadSoldiers have shot a man dead in North Queen Street, Bel-fast. The man, a civilian in his 50’s, was shot once in theback by a soldier who was on sentry duty. The shootinghappened at around 2.00 am and the Army have released astatement saying that the soldier’s weapon had been firedaccidentally. The man’s name has not yet been released.

Monday 11th DecemberAmmunition findAn Army spokesman has said that soldiers have found 40rounds of ammunition at the rear of a house on Belfast’sfalls Road. No arrests have been made.

Monday 11th DecemberFinancial boot for businessesIn an attempt to boost businesses in Belfast, Derry andNewry which are facing severe economic difficulties dueto the troubles, the Minister for State, David Howell, hasannounced a £1 million grant fund. The money, in the formof employment grants - £250 for each male and £125 foreach female is to help businesses which are approved un-der the rates rebate scheme.

THE TROUBLES

Monday 11th DecemberPrison switchAround 100 special category “political” prisoners, bothcatholic and Protestant, have been moved from CrumlinRoad Prison to Long Kesh. 70 short term prisoners weretransferred to Crumlin Road. All prisoners will continueto receive the same privileges as before.

Monday 11th DecemberProtest at EtonAbout 100 demonstrators have invaded the playing fieldsat Eton College to protest about the Army’s occupation ofplaying fields in the North. The group arrived in a coachwith a sign “People’s League for Democracy in NorthernIreland”. Police and college officials kept watch on thedemonstrators but there were no incidents.

Monday 11th DecemberRocket kills soldierAn Army sergeant has been killed and two others injured,one seriously, when a rocket which had been found by sol-diers exploded inside a Belfast military post. The soldierwho died, Colour Sergeant Stewart Middlemass, aged 33,was killed when the rocket exploded inside the Fort MonaghArmy base in the Turf Lodge area. The obsolete British-made rocket had been earlier found during a routine searchin the area and was brought into the base by soldiers. Asthe rocket’s tail-fin was being examined it exploded killingthe soldier and wounding his colleagues. It was initiallythought that the rocket had been booby-trapped but it isnow believed that the explosive charge was in a bad stateof deterioration and had become unstable and it was thisthat caused the explosion.

Monday 11th DecemberUDR man comes under attackSeveral shots have been fired at a UDR man at the entranceto the UDR depot at Ladas Drive in South-East Belfast..The depot is only a short distance from the city’s heavilyguarded RUC headquarters. The part-time soldier returnedfire but no one was injured in the attack.

Monday 11th DecemberShots fired in BallysillanFour shots have been fired into a house in the Ballysillanarea of Belfast during the night but there are no reports ofany injuries.

Monday 11th DecemberAndersonstown gun battleSeventeen shots have been fired at soldiers in the KoranRing area of Andersonstown. The soldiers fired back andclaim to have shot one gunman.

Monday 11th DecemberFormer B Special attackedShots have been fired at a former member of the UlsterSpecial Constabulary as he drove along the BallymacranRoad in Ballynahinch. The gunmen, believed to have beentravelling in a light green car, are believed to have followedthe former USC man for some distance before launchingthe attack. No one was injured in the attack.

Monday 11th DecemberSoldier caught in booby-trapA soldier who was on foot patrol near the junction of MalinGardens and Broadway had a narrow escape when he wasblown off his feet by a small booby-trap device. The bombis believed to have been detonated electronically. A searchof the area revealed 80 yards of fuse wire leading from thescene. The soldier was not hurt in the attack.

Monday 11th DecemberShots heard in BogsideThree shots have been heard in the Bogside area of Derryin the early hours of the morning but the Army and RUCsay they were not involved in the shooting and there are noreports of damage or injuries.

Monday 11th DecemberSoldiers attacked in DerrySoldiers have returned fire after a sniper opened fire onthem in Glenview Street and Osborne Street area ofRosemount. No hits were claimed.

Monday 11th DecemberBomb explodes at Newry clubA bomb, which is estimated to have contained between 5and 10 lb of explosives has damaged the front of the IrishNational Forester’ Club in William Street, Newry. No onewas injured in the attack and a spokesman said that theclub would be opening as usual. Around 50 panes of glassin an adjoining hall which is owned by a non-subscribingPresbyterian Church were broken in the same attack.

THE TROUBLES

LEFT - A Russian made rocket launcher which wasdiscovered in a search of the New Lodge area in NorthBelfast.

Monday 11th DecemberArson attack on Catholic hallThe RUC have said that a fire at a Catholic parochial hallat Mulavilly, half-way between Portadown and Tandragee,has been started maliciously

Tuesday 12th DecemberUDA man buriedVolleys of shots have been fired by six men over the coffinof UDA member Ernest Duke Elliott as his funeral passedthrough the Woodvale area of Belfast. It is estimated thataround 4,000 people attended the UDA man’s funeral, in-cluding around 1,000 members of the UDA. Mr Elliottwas found shot dead in a car close to Windsor park. Thedead man’s coffin was draped by an Orange Lodge bannerand his UDA uniform was placed on top. In attendance atthe funeral were LAW leader, Billy Hull; UDA ChairmanJim Anderson and Vice-chairman Tommy Herron. Also inthe cortege were Orangemen in full regalia and membersof the Orange Volunteer Force.

Tuesday 12th DecemberGarda seize stage “props”The Garda have seized a number of weapons belonging toan Italian film company when they were flown into Dub-lin. The weapons, which belong to Oceania Production,were mainly wooden and plastic models of machinegunsand revolvers were to be used in a film about the mafiawhich is being filmed in Dublin. However, the Garda havesaid that a number of the guns seized were real weaponswhich had been doctored to make them unusable. A Gardaspokesman said that this process could easily be reversed.

Tuesday 12th DecemberDerry to get Bloody Sunday memorialThe Northern Ireland Civil Rights association plans to erectan 8 foot high plinth to the victims of Bloody Sunday shoot-ings in Derry last January when 13 people were shot deadduring a Civil Rights march. A spokesman for Derry CRAhas said that the memorial will be erected in the area of StJoseph’s Place in the Bogside. It will be unveiled on thefirst anniversary of the shooting on Sunday 28th January.The anniversary ceremony will start with an all night vigilat Free Derry Corner at midnight on the 27th.

Tuesday 12th DecemberSolder shot in New LodgeSnipers have shot and wounded a soldier in the New Lodgearea of Belfast. The soldier, who is seriously ill, was partof a foot patrol which came under fire at Edlingham Street.

Tuesday 12th DecemberRocket attack foiledThe Army believe that they have foiled a rocket attack onthe Flax Street military post in Ardoyne. Soldiers at thepost fired at a man in Havana Street whom they claim wasaiming a rocket launcher at the post. They claim the manwas hit and was helped away by two other men. Neitherthe man or launcher were found.

Tuesday 12th DecemberBomb explodes in BelfastA bomb has exploded at the Northern Ireland Carrier depoton Belfast’s Grosvenor Road. The blast caused severe dam-

THE TROUBLES

RIGHT - Bomb attack on Chambers and Johnston, auto-mobile engineers, in Agincourt Avenue.

age to a parcel shed and a number of vehicles. No one wasinjured in the attack.

Tuesday 12th DecemberMan shoots himselfA 21-year-old part-time member of the security forces hasbeen treated in hospital after accidentally shooting himselfin the hand with a legally held firearm. The incident hap-pened in the Woodvale area of Belfast and he has been sincereleased from hospital.

Tuesday 12th DecemberMan shot in CarrickDetectives are attempting to establish a motive for the ab-duction and shooting of a 34-year-old Protestant man. Theman was taken from his home by three armed and hoodedmen and was driven to Snowey Glen. There a shot wasfired at him and the bullet struck him in both knees. He isnow recovering in Carrick Hospital.

Tuesday 12th DecemberUDR man attackedSix shots have been fired into a UDR man’s home at Lurgan.The bullets went through a window but no one in the housewas injured.

Tuesday 12th DecemberRUC ambushed in DerryTwo bursts of automatic gunfire were fired at an RUC LandRover in the Shantallow area of Derry. The vehicle wasnot hit and fire was returned. No hits were claimed.

Tuesday 12th DecemberCRA run low on fundsThe Civil Rights Association has said that its finances areat an all time low and that it will be unable to give moneyto innocent dependants this Christmas. In a circular issuedby the association it has been claimed that over £12,000have spent on prisoner’s relief this year. The circular alsostates that the association’s newssheet will cost 5p fromJanuary and will be issued on a fortnightly basis.

Wednesday 13th DecemberSDLP calls for joint police forceThe SDLP have revealed that during a two hour meetingwith the Secretary of State, Mr Whitelaw, they asked that anew police force be recruited under the joint authority ofDublin and London.

Wednesday 13th DecemberRUC man shot deadThe RUC have still not released the name of the 47-year-old RUC man who was shot dead outside the ChichesterPark Hotel on Belfast’s Antrim Road It is believed thatthe gunmen, armed with Thompson and Sterling sub ma-

THE TROUBLES

chine guns fired 24 shots from behind a hedge. He was hitin the chest and head and died a short time later.

Wednesday 13th DecemberMen attacked outside barThree men who were standing outside Hannigan’s bar atthe junction of North Queen Street and Henry Street havebeen wounded as was one customer in the bar when gun-men fired between 15 and 20 shots from a passing car. Allfour men have been detained in hospital and a spokesmanfor the hospital has said that one of the wounded is in aserious condition. The car drove off in the direction ofYork Road.

Wednesday 13th DecemberWoman wounded in North BelfastA woman has been shot and seriously wounded when gun-men opened fire on an Army unit which had been called into deal with a bomb which had been planted in a local build-ing. The bomb in the building occupied by the Expanditecompany, contained around 30 sticks of gelignite. It waslater defused.

Wednesday 13th DecemberSoldiers come under attack in AndersonstownSoldiers in an observation post at Glassmullen Gardens inthe Andersonstown area have escaped injury after around

30 shots were fired at them from a passing car and from anearby Shell garage.

Wednesday 13th DecemberArmy detonate bombs in RiverdaleIn Riverdale Gardens, Belfast Army bomb disposal expertsdestroyed two bombs which were found in petrol cans.Window damage to surrounding property is reported to beslight.

Wednesday 13th DecemberSpent cartridges foundThe Army have revealed that they have found around 50spent cartridges at Norfolk Parade in the Turf Lodge area.

Wednesday 13th DecemberRUC men ambushed in LurganTwo members of the RUC who were on patrol in a FordEscort car in Lurgan have come under attack. The RUCmen were driving through the Rathmore estate when a gun-man sprayed their vehicle with 14 shots from an automaticweapon. One of the RUC men was shot in the thigh but hewas not seriously hurt. He has since been released fromhospital. Fire was returned at the gunmen but no hits wereclaimed.

THE TROUBLES

FACING PAGE - Wreckage after the bomb blast which killedtwo teenagers at Belturbet, Co. Cavan.RIGHT - Bomb attack on Frank Dolan’s Bar in Killeter inwhich his daughter, Kathleen, was killed.

Wednesday 13th DecemberUDR men attacked in ArmaghThree bullets have struck a UDR scout car on the Moy Road,outside Armagh. The scout car, part of a two vehicle pa-trol, was attacked by gunmen who were using trees in StPatrick’s cemetery for cover. None of the patrol were in-jured and fire was not returned.

Wednesday 13th DecemberBomb defused in KeadyA bomb in a duffle bag has been placed in Bertie Cheever’sbar in Keady, County Armagh. Customers were told thatthe device had been fitted with an anti-handling device. Itwas defused around five hours later by a controlled explo-sion.

Thursday 14th DecemberHelicopter attacked in South ArmaghAn Army helicopter has come under attack as it flew be-tween Bessbrook and Crossmaglen on the South Armaghborder. Bullets struck the helicopter, wounding one solderin the thigh and damaging a rotor blade. The pilot wasable to land near Crossmaglen barracks. A short time laterGarda arrested four men and seized four M1 rifles and 161rounds of ammunition. Three of the men are fromCrossmaglen and the fourth is from Courtbane which isabout a mile away on the southern side of the border. Nei-ther the Garda or British Army would say if there was aconnection between the two incidents.

Thursday 14th DecemberDate of border poll setMr William Whitelaw, Secretary of State, has said in theCommons that the date for a border poll, based on the avail-ability of a new up to date register, would be the 8th March.

Thursday 14th DecemberBomb explodes in BelfastA Belfast garage has been badly damaged in a lunchtimebomb attack when an employee, believed to be a foreman,was hi-jacked and forced to drive his car, which had beenloaded with a 50 lb bomb back into his work place. Theman was told where to leave the car and warned that he

was being watched from the M1 and if he disobeyed themhe would be shot. It now seems that this was not an idlethreat for when some time later firemen arrived on the sceneand tried to move in two shots were directed at them fromRodney Parade. The bomb, which exploded at 1.50 pm,badly damaged Clarence Engineering works.

Thursday 14th DecemberPortadown bomb attackA bomb in a stolen car in Woodhouse Street in Portadownhas exploded outside Murray’s public house shortly aftermidnight. No one was injured in the attack.

Thursday 14th DecemberDetonators found in BelfastShortly before tea-time soldiers found 185 electric detona-tors during a search at a house in Glenshane gardens inAndersonstown.

Thursday 14th DecemberMortar making kit foundA mortar making kit has been found in a duffle bag in thegarden of a house at Leenane Gardens in the Creggan es-tate, Derry. The find consisted of three empty mortars, 12_ lbs of dynamite, 12 propellant charges, some chemicalsand 60 rounds of assorted ammunition. The Army havesaid that the find consisted of the ingredients for makingmortar bombs. Two men have been arrested.

Thursday 14th DecemberBorder gun battleSoldiers have fought a short but intense battle with the IRAon the Derry-Donegal border. Three rockets and 70 rounds

THE TROUBLES

of ammunition were fired at the soldiers who suffered nocasualties but who did claim one hit in return fire.

Thursday 14th DecemberBank robbed in DungannonIn Dungannon, four men, one of whom was armed with asub-machinegun, and the others with revolvers, have robbedthe Allied Irish Bank in Irish Street. The raiders got awaywith an undisclosed sum of money.

Thursday 14th DecemberSoldiers destroy bombsShortly before midnight soldiers in the Riverdale area ofBelfast set fire to a car which contained a quantity of ex-plosives. The bomb exploded. In the same area a shortdistance way, and at around the same time the soldiers alsodetonated a claymore type mine. No one was injured inthe blasts.

Thursday 14th DecemberFamily has narrow escapeA family in the La Salle area of Belfast had a narrow es-cape after the Army evacuated their street when a neigh-bour reported that a bomb had been left in his car. Thebomb exploded as the soldiers tried to defuse it. Extensiveblast damage was caused to the surrounding area. The fam-ily, who were overlooked, had been wrapping their Christ-mas presents at the time of the explosion. They were treatedin hospital for shock and minor injuries.

Thursday 14th DecemberUDA chief meets prison governorUDA Chairman, Jim Anderson, has met with the Governorof Crumlin Road Prison to ask for the removal of 14 loyal-ist remand prisoners to Maze Prison. The talks betweenthe UDA Chief and the Governor Major Albert Mullin fol-lowed allegations that IRA prisoners attacked loyalist cellson Monday.

Thursday 14th DecemberSoldiers on drugs chargesThree soldiers have been court-martialled at Colchester andsentenced to various periods of imprisonment up to oneyear for the possessing and supplying of drugs. The Chargesinvolve amphetamines, LSD and cannabis. Some of theoffences are said to have occurred while they were on dutyin Derry, also Gibraltar and at the Colchester garrison.

Friday 15th DecemberRUC man is shot dead in LurganAn RUC man has been killed and two others injured, onecritically, in Lurgan’s Kilwilkie estate. The RUC men hadbeen delivering a present to a young girl who had been inan accident with an RUC vehicle. They were about to leavethe estate in two Land Rovers when they noticed a suspi-cious car. Suspecting that it might contain a bomb theybegan to evacuate some houses. It was at this point that thefour RUC men came under attack from six gunmen whoopened fire from two different positions. Three of the fourRUC men fell under a hail of bullets.

Friday 15th DecemberTeenager shot dead in GreencastleA 16-year-old youth from Greencastle has been shot deadby a gunman on a motorcycle as he stood on a corner nearhis home. The youth, James Joseph Reynolds, from MountStreet was standing at the corner of Dandy Street, not farfrom his home just before 7.00 pm when he was shot fromthe passing motorcycle.

Friday 15th DecemberGirl dies in car bomb attackA 19-year-old girl from Killeter, County Tyrone, KathleenDolan has been killed when a car bomb exploded outsideher father’s pub in the village. The dead girl was to bemarried in January and had just posted her wedding invita-tions when the bomb exploded. Her father and two sisterswere among the injured but their conditions are not thoughtto be serious. The 50 lb bomb wrecked the bar and causedextensive damage to nearby buildings including a post of-fice and three private houses.

Friday 15th DecemberRUC and civilian come under fireThe RUC and a civilian have come under attack at MayoStreet, Belfast. An RUC spokesman has said that a numberof shots were fired at a Protestant man as he went into hisfather’s home. The bullets went wide and the man wasunhurt. A short time later, a gunman opened fire from theroof of a factory in Mayo Street, at an RUC patrol. Therewere no casualties.

Friday 15th DecemberRifle found in West BelfastAn Armalite rifle has been found by soldiers in a house dur-ing a search operation in the Albert Street area of Belfast.

THE TROUBLES

Friday 15th DecemberSoldier wounded in DerryA soldier was wounded in the shoulder when two gunmenopened fire on his patrol in the Shantallow area of Derry.An Army spokesman said that gunmen fired about 15 shotsfrom behind a parked car hitting the soldier in the shoulderbut not seriously wounding him. Other members of hispatrol opened fire but did not claim any hits. Water pipesin several houses in the estate were damaged by bulletsduring the brief gun battle.

Friday 15th DecemberShots fired in ShantallowA number of shots have been fired in the Shantallow areaof Derry. The target was an Army mobile patrol. No hitswere recorded and fire was not returned.

Friday 15th DecemberSoldiers open fire on IRA menSoldiers have opened fire on two IRA men in open countrynear Kilmore after one of the men went over a trip-wireand set off a flare. No hits were claimed.

Friday 15th DecemberTelephone exchange bombedA bomb in a duffle bag has damaged an automated telephoneexchange in the village of Sion Mills. Considerable dam-age was caused to the building which is on the fringe of alarge housing estate and only yards from the Omagh-Strabane road. A second bomb found at the exchange wasthought to be booby-trapped but an Army expert detonatedit after the area had been cleared and there were no casual-ties. Earlier in the evening several shots were fired at anArmy patrol in the Townsend Street area.

Friday 15th DecemberArmy deny pull out from GAA groundArmy headquarters in Lisburn have denied a report in theIrish Independent newspaper that troops would be pulledout of Casement Park GAA ground, probably next month.Soldiers have occupied casement since OperationMotorman and it is used as the local headquarters for unitsoperating in Andersonstown. An Army spokesman said“We don’t want to stay in the ground any longer than wehave to. But we will not be able to leave it until the secu-rity situation allows it.

Friday 15th DecemberCost of Army operationsThe Minister of State, David Howell, has said that the esti-mated extra cost of Army operations in the North sinceAugust 1969 to the end of March 1973 is £51 million.

Saturday 16th DecemberPensioner’s homes hit by gunfireThe RUC are investigating a shooting incident at the ManorPark estate in Lurgan when a gunman fired at five protes-tant owned houses with a shotgun. Manor Park housesboth Protestant and Catholic pensioners. No one was in-jured in the attack.

Saturday 16th DecemberArmy blows up explosivesArmy experts have blown up a drum containing 60 lbs ofexplosives at Mullaghbane, near Forkhill. The drum wasfound early today by soldiers. Wires were found leadingfrom it to a battery.

Saturday 16th DecemberMan’s body found in Butchers shopThe body of a young man has been found in the fridge of asmall butchers shop in the village of Derrylin, County Fer-managh. The man’s name has not been released officiallybut he is believed to be a 26-year-old catholic from theLisnaskea area. Local people have said that the man hadbeen shot several times in the head at the small shop in theMain Street. The RUC have not confirmed that the deadman was the owner of the shop.

Saturday 16th DecemberBombs explode at OmaghThree bombs have exploded at Omagh during the night.Two of the bombs were at public houses and the third at agarage. The first of the bombs exploded in an MG 1100car outside James Eakin’s tractor depot on Market Road.The blast wrecked the building and caused considerabledamage to a number of cars.A second blast at the other end of the town occurred a fewminutes later, when a suitcase exploded in a lavatory atBroderick’s bar in George Street. Extensive damage wascaused to the rear of the building. A third bomb was left ina suitcase at the entrance to a temporary licensed premisesin Campsie on the outskirts of the town. The blast left acrater outside but caused only superficial damage. A fourthexplosion in the town was caused by Army experts who

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blew up a suspicious box, which was found to be harmless.The three bombs were all placed outside the towns securitybarriers and the warning calls traced to the Carrickmorearea.

Saturday 16th DecemberCar bomb explodes at LisnaskeaA car bomb has exploded at Lisnaskea during the night andcaused damage to a number of premises in the town. Thecar had been hi-jacked earlier in Newtownbutler. The blastwas heard over a wide area but no one was injured in theattack.

Saturday 16th DecemberBomb at bank explodesA bomb has exploded causing slight damage to the North-ern Bank at Kilrea. A warning had been given and the areacleared when the explosion occurred.

Saturday 16th DecemberUDR man killed in ArmaghA 40-year-old member of the UDR has been shot dead ashe was leaving the factory at which he worked. The deadman, who has been named as Fredrick Greeves, of theGrange , Moy, was married with two children.

Saturday 16th DecemberRUC man namedThe RUC man who was shot dead in Lurgan has been namedas 44-year-old George Chambers. He was a father of sixand had only recently been stationed in Lurgan.

Saturday 16th DecemberSoldier shot in ArmaghA soldier has been shot in the hip during an ambush on hismobile patrol in Irish Street, Armagh. His Land Rover wasfired upon as it went under a flyover. Five shots were re-

turned and the patrol believe that four of them struck thegunman’s vehicle..Saturday 16th DecemberGunmen open fire on Protestant youthAt around 9.30 pm gunmen opened fire from a moving carat a Protestant youth who was standing outside a chip shopat Navarra place on the Whitewell Road. The youth wasshot in the face but his condition is said to be satisfactory.

Saturday 16th DecemberMen shot outside social clubThree men have been shot, one seriously, outside MackiesSocial Club on the West Circular Road, Belfast. The con-dition of two of the men is described as fair, the third manwas shot in the abdomen.

Saturday 16th DecemberSoldiers claim to have shot gunmanSoldiers have claimed that they have shot a gunman whowas seen on the roof of a house in Sanderson Street. Oneshot was fired at the man who was seen to fall.

Saturday 16th DecemberCatholic youths attacked in North BelfastThree Catholic men have been shot from a passing car whilestanding at the junction of the Cliftonville Road and OrientGardens. One of the men is said to be seriously ill and hiscompanions are described as fair.

Saturday 16th DecemberBlast bomb thrown into pubCustomers in the Earl Inn bar near Belfast’s New LodgeRoad had a narrow escape when a blast bomb was throwninto the bar from a passing car. Damage was caused to thebuilding but no one was injured in the attack.

Saturday 16th DecemberGirl hit by rubber bulletA 14-year-old girl from the New Lodge area has been ad-mitted to hospital after she was hit by a rubber bullet. Hercondition is described as satisfactory.

LEFT - Bomb attack on St Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church,Derryvolgie Avenue.

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Saturday 16th DecemberFire destroys football pavilionFire has destroyed a football pavilion at Ormeau Park. Thefire started after midnight and the RUC are said to be treat-ing the blaze as malicious.

Saturday 16th DecemberMalicious fire at schoolA fire has destroyed a wing of Ashfield Boys School whichcontained several classrooms. The fire was malicious andwater and smoke have caused serious damage to anotherwing.

Saturday 16th DecemberHelicopter attackedAn Army Sioux Helicopter has come under attack fromgunmen operating in the Drumarg estate in Armagh. Sixshots were fired at the aircraft which was not hit.

Saturday 16th DecemberShots fired at UDR manSeven shots have been fired at an off duty UDR man as heworked as a bread server. At Steelstown in Derry. One ofthe shots went through the windscreen of his vehicle but hewas not injured.

Monday 18th DecemberUnionist MP resignsStratton Mills, the unionist MP who last week led the un-successful move to split the Unionist Party from the Van-guard Movement , has resigned from the Unionist Partybut will continue at Westminster as an Independent Union-ist. His decision to leave the party comes as no surpriseafter he failed to convince a standing committee that mem-bership of the Unionist Party and vanguard were incom-patible. His resolution, which was almost tantamount tocalling for the expulsion of vanguard members, drew littlesupport and was not even voted upon.. Mr Mills repre-sents the North Belfast constituency, which he has held for13 years.

Monday 18th DecemberBarmen call off strikesBelfast barmen are to suspend their Saturday token strike,which has been going on for the past two weeks the deci-

sion, say the bar staff, is in appreciation of the support theyhave had from the general public in their dispute and inorder to allow everyone to “enjoy the Christmas festivi-ties.”

Monday 18th DecemberUDR man had gun while drunkA 41-year-old UDR man from the Braniel area of Belfasthas appeared in court charged with being drunk while inpossession of his personal issue 9 mm Browning pistol and37 rounds of ammunition. He was released on Bail.

Monday 18th DecemberShots fired at ArmyTwelve shots have been fired at an Army patrol near Cladyfrom across the border. There were no casualties.

Monday 18th DecemberMan shot dead in off-licenceRaiders have shot dead a man in a Belfast off licence. Thedead man, Mr Joseph Blaney, a married man in this thir-

RIGHT - Bomb attack on a pait store in King Street

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ties, is believed to have struggled with the men during ahold up at his York Street off licence. He was shot threetimes. According to the RUC customers in the off licencehad been locked in a small cupboard.

Monday 18th DecemberIRA man detained by troopsThe Army are claiming that a man who was detained bytroops in the Suffolk area of Belfast is a member of theprovisional IRA’s Belfast Brigade Staff.

Monday 18th DecemberBomb explodes at Catholic ChurchA 25 lb bomb has exploded at the front of St Brigid’s Catho-lic Church at Derryvogie Avenue, Belfast. No warning wasgiven and damage to the building was severe. It is the sec-ond time the church has been bombed. There were no casu-alties in the attack.

Monday 18th DecemberFermanagh victim namedThe 26-year-old butcher found dead in his shop in Derrylin,County Fermanagh has been named as Mr Louis Leonard.

Monday 18th DecemberCatholic housewife attackedA 19-year-old Catholic housewife has been attacked in herhome in the village of Sion Mills. The woman, who liveswith her mother and seven month old daughter, was con-fronted by three men who broke glass and cut her both armsand her forehead.

Monday 18th DecemberMan shot from passing carA 20-year-old catholic man has been shot and woundedfrom a passing car as he walked along Rock Road on theoutskirts of Armagh city. He was taken to hospital by hisbrother and his condition is not serious.

Monday 18th DecemberArmy patrols come under fireArmy patrols have come under attack twice in Derry butthere were no casualties. In the first attack, one shot wasfired at a patrol in the Old Strabane Road area of the water-side. The second attack, later in the day was in theRosemount area where another mobile patrol came underfire.

Monday 18th DecemberSoldiers fire on IRA menSoldiers have opened fire on two men, believed to be mem-bers of the IRA, who were spotted in open country betweenKillea and Creggan reservoirs. According to the Army oneof them was seen to be armed.

Monday 18th DecemberSoldier woundedAn Army spokesman has said that a soldier who was shotin the shoulder in Derry on Saturday afternoon is comfort-able in hospital.

TOP - Bomb attack on the Beechlawn Hotel, DunmurryBOTTOM - Bomb attack on the Skandia Resturant, CollegeSquare North

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Monday 18th DecemberIncendiary devices explodeIncendiary devices which were left in three Dungannonshops have caused extensive damage. The devices explodedin the drapery section of a Scotch Street store. The groundfloor was badly damaged and firemen had a difficult taskstopping the fire from spreading. A second drapery shop atmarket Square was also targeted but damage was slight. Athird incendiary device was thrown at the home of a Catholicfamily in the town but it bounced off the window and causedlittle damage.

Monday 18th DecemberGAA club bombedAn explosion near Seaview House Gaelic Club onHightown Road, Glengormley has caused slight damage.There were reports of shooting in the area after the blastbut the Army were unable to confirm this.

Monday 18th DecemberArson attack at Catholic ChurchA fire at Castlehill Catholic Church at Gillford is believedto have been started maliciously. The blaze was broughtunder control before serious damage could be caused.

Monday 18th DecemberBomb explodes at BessbrookA 20 lb bomb which was planted at a grocery store inBessbrook has been defused by the Army.

Tuesday 19th DecemberMember of Police Authority shot deadUnionist Councillor, Police authority member and localbusinessman, William Johnston has been shot dead in Ar-magh. The 48-year-old councillor was abducted from Ar-magh’s Drumarg estate where he had gone to conduct somebusiness. It is believed that Mr Johnston was abductedalong with another man, he was taken across the border,interrogated and then shot. The second man was released.

Tuesday 19th DecemberArmy post attackedA gunman has fired four shots at an Army post on top ofSpringfield Road Barracks in Belfast shortly before mid-day. The shots missed their target and the RUC returnedfire but do not believe anyone was hit.

Tuesday 19th DecemberEx-MP quits Unionist PartyMrs Patricia Fisher, a former Unionist MP for North Downhas resigned from the Unionist Party. She made the an-nouncement in London and it follows the news of MrStratton Mills’s resignation.

Tuesday 19th DecemberRUC man shot in legAn RUC man was hit in the leg when a gunman fired sixshots at a Land Rover as it turned out of the LimestoneRoad and on to the Antrim Road. The gunman opened firefrom a position near the bottom of the Cavehill Road. TheRUC returned fire but the attackers escaped.

Tuesday 19th DecemberGirl wounded during hi-jack attemptA six-year-old girl was shot and wounded in Belfast whenfour men attempted to stop and hi-jack the car in which shewas a passenger. The driver accelerated when he saw themen and sped into nearby Lincoln Street where the girllived. As he turned up the narrow street shots rang out andthe girl was injured.. She was taken to hospital but herinjuries were not serious.

Tuesday 19th DecemberSoldiers open fire on armed menSoldiers have opened fire on two men, one of whom is saidto have been carrying a rifle. No hits were claimed and themen escaped across the Derry-Donegal border.

Tuesday 19th DecemberArmy vehicle stonedAn Army vehicle which was being driven through theBogside has come under attack from stone throwers. Thevehicle, a Saracen, was being driven by a soldier when astone shattered its windscreen and glass splinters went intothe soldier’s eye.

Tuesday 19th DecemberShots fired in StrabaneEight shots have been fired at an Army vehicle in theCavanlee area of Strabane. One shot struck the vehicle butthere were no casualties and fire was not returned.

Tuesday 19th DecemberIncendiary device found in OmaghAn incendiary device which had been left in a solicitor’s

THE TROUBLES

office in Omagh has failed to go off. It is believed that thedevice has been there since the weekend. An army experthas dealt with it.

Wednesday 20th DecemberUDR man is shot dead by sniperA 28-year-old Private in the Ulster Defence Regiment hasbeen shot dead by a sniper in a field as he worked on abuilding site. The man Ellis Hamilton, of Kildoag, Claudywas married with one child. The dead man had been work-ing with other men at a reservoir at Croppy Hill, nearSteeltown. He was rushed to hospital but he died a shorttime later.

Wednesday 20th DecemberCatholic gunned down on his way to workA 37-year-old father of four, David McAleese has been shotdead as he crossed a road in East Belfast on his way towork. Mr McAleese, a Catholic, was shot dead by a riflefrom a distance as he waited for a lift near his Vulcan Streethome.

Wednesday 20th DecemberSecurity guard carries bomb from shopA bomb, was concealed in a basket and left in Paul Fash-ions at the junction of Strand Road and Great James Street,in Derry As the bombers left they gave a warning to a 70-year-old security guard. The guard then decided to riskcarrying the bomb out of the shop and left it in the street.The bomb later exploded causing extensive damage to alocal hardware store.

Wednesday 20th DecemberTax office bombedA bomb has exploded at the Motor Tax Office in Belfast’sOrmeau Avenue, the interior of the taxation building suf-fered extensive damage and will be closed until 27th De-cember

Wednesday 20th DecemberHotel bombedA bomb has been planted at a Dunmurry hotel by four menand a girl. The bomb, which was planted on a porch,wrecked the cabaret lounge and dining room. More than100 diners were evacuated from the hotel before the bombexploded.

Wednesday 20th DecemberNewry woman appeals for news of husbandA Newry woman, Mrs Teresa Hughes, has appealed forinformation from the authorities about her husband whoshe believes died in an Explosion at a Customs clearancestation on the Dublin Road. Eight bodies were recoveredbut at the time of the explosion in August, there was specu-lation that there was a ninth body. Mrs Hughes, who isexpecting a baby in March, said that she was unaware thather husband was a member of the Provisional IRA at thetime but has since been told by members of that organisa-tion that he was at the scene of the bomb. She also saidthat the RUC showed her small parts of a body and clothesand asked he to identify them. Mrs Hughes told them thatthey were her husbands but they only put down in the state-ment that they were similar. She has said that she acceptsthat her husband was killed in the blast and wants the au-thorities to confirm this.

Wednesday 20th DecemberScrap jury trials says DiplockThe Diplock Commission, which was set up in Octoberhas recommended to the Government that juries should bescrapped and that judges should sit alone. In relation tofirearms and explosives, it is to be recommended that thelaw be changed to put the onus of proof on the person ac-cused to show he/she did not know about them.

Wednesday 20th DecemberBelfast paint store bombedFour or five youths have left a drum at the MRCB paintstore in King Street, Belfast and told staff that there mightbe a bomb in it. The device exploded forty minutes later,causing extensive damage to the store and surrounding area.

Wednesday 20th DecemberBomb defused in BelfastA major security alert was in force in Belfast City centrelast night after a telephone caller warned of a bomb inArnott’s store in Bridge Street. An Army bomb disposalteam eventually moved in and dealt with the device.

Wednesday 20th DecemberUDA pickets RUC barracksUDA members have picketed RUC barracks in Willowfield,Castlereagh and Strandtown to complain about the delayin the Army making a public report on the circumstancessurrounding the deaths of two Protestants during rioting in

THE TROUBLES

RIGHT - A British soldier at the entrance of a tunneldiscovered at Landscape Terrace close to Crumlin Road jail

East Belfast in September. An RUC spokesman said thatthe report could not be released until after the inquests onthe two people had taken place.

Wednesday 20th DecemberShots fired at Army postFour shots have been fired at Army post in Alliance Av-enue from the direction of Berwick Road. There were nocasualties and fire was not returned.

Wednesday 20th DecemberShots fired in ArdoyneSix shots have heard in the Jamaica Street area of Ardoynebut the security forces were not involved and there are noreports of damage or injury.

Wednesday 20th DecemberArmy patrol attacked in BelfastA gunman, believed to have been armed with an Armaliterifle has fired a single shot at soldiers in MacCrory Park.Troops returned fire at the gunman who was operating fromthe direction of the City Cemetery.

Wednesday 20th DecemberBomb demolishes cafeA bomb has demolished a café in Obin Street, Portadown.The device, contained in a suitcase was planted by twomasked men. Extensive damage was caused to surround-ing premises.

Wednesday 20th DecemberArmy carries out controlled explosionArmy experts have carried out a controlled explosion on abomb which is estimated to have contained between 50 and

100 lbs of explosives. The device was discovered in Wil-son’s lane between Scotch Street and Irish Street inDungannon.

Wednesday 20th DecemberGelignite seized in DerrySoldiers have seized seven pounds of commercial gelig-nite and 184 rounds of .303 ammunition during a search ofthe Bogside area of Derry.

Wednesday 20th DecemberDrapery shop destroyed by incendiaryMore than £15,000 worth of damage has been caused byan incendiary device which exploded in a drapery shop atFintona. The shop is owned by an Omagh Rural Council-lor.

Thursday 21st DecemberFive killed in Derry pub bombingFive men have died and another four have been seriouslyinjured when gunmen sprayed a Derry bar with gunfire.The attack was on the small Catholic owned bar ‘Top of

THE TROUBLES

the Hill’ inn at Strabane Old Road, in Derry’s Watersidearea. The dead, four of whom are Catholics and one a Prot-estant, have been named as Michael John McGinley, aged40, of Anderson Crescent; Charles McCafferty, aged 30, ofAnderson Crescent; Bernard Kelly, age 26, of MinosaCourt; Charles Boyd More, age 30, of Spencer Road andFrank McCarron, aged 58, of Strabane Old Road. The gunattack was carried out by two men who then walked to awaiting Ford Zephyr car. The car was later found burnt outa mile away at Trench Road in the Waterside

Thursday 21st DecemberMan shot dead in TyroneA 19-year-old man, Alphonsus McGeown, of Clintclay,Dungannon has been shot dead at Clonmore, CountyTyrone. The dead man had just dismounted from a bus inthe company of a friend and were walking along a countrylane when a car passed them and then returned. As it passedthe second time five shots were fired at the two men. MrMcGeown died almost immediately and his friend receivedfacial and body injuries.

Thursday 21st DecemberTwo men shot in East BelfastTwo Protestant men, aged 34 and 67 have been rushed tohospital with gunshot wounds. The attack happened justafter noon on the Newtownards Road at the junction withthe Short Stand. The two men were among a group of fourwho were walking towards the city centre when a gunmanfired five or six shots. The actual location of the gunmanhas not yet been established but the Army have found anumber of spent cartridges in an alleyway at the back ofSaul Street. This latest shooting happened only 20 yardsaway from where 37-year-old David McAleese was shotdead on his way to work on Wednesday. The condition ofone of the men is described as “ill” and the other “satisfac-tory.”

Thursday 21st DecemberCar bomb in BelfastA car bomb has exploded in Belfast’s Lower Donegal Street.The vehicle which contained the bomb, a green FordCortina, had been parked outside Eason’s warehouse andstationary store and exploded around a half hour after itwas planted. Considerable damage was caused to the build-ing and the blast was followed by a fire. Firemen whorushed to the scene also had to deal with a gas leak.

Thursday 21st DecemberMan shot in Shankill areaA 38-year-old Protestant man has been found shot at WiltonStreet in the Shankill Road. It is thought that he was shotfrom a passing car. His condition has been described ascritical.

Thursday 21st DecemberSisters shot on Belfast’s Springfield RoadTwo teenage sisters who were walking on the SpringfieldRoad in a citywards direction escaped serious injury whena gunman opened fire on them from a passing car. Thegirls were treated in hospital for gunshot wounds to thelegs and arm. Their condition is said to be satisfactory.

Thursday 21st DecemberRestaurant bombed in BelfastA bomb, estimated to have contained between 10 and 20 lbof explosives has been planted by two young men in Bel-fast’s Skandia restaurant. In College Square East. Thebomb exploded 15 minutes later causing extensive dam-age to the kitchen area. There were no casualties in theattack.

Thursday 21st DecemberBomb defused outside clubArmy explosives experts have made safe a 20 lb bomb in aplastic bag which had been planted outside a working men’sclub at Sanda Road in the Shore Road area of Belfast.

THE TROUBLES

Thursday 21st DecemberSoviet made rocket fired in BelfastThe IRA has fired a Soviet made RPG7 rocket launcher ata Saracen armoured vehicle in the Beechmount Grove area.The rocket missed its target and went through the roof of ahouse and lodged itself in an attic. Army bomb expertsdetonated the bomb causing slight damage to the dwelling.

Thursday 21st DecemberPetrol bombs found at GAA clubTwo milk crates full of petrol bombs have been found bythe RUC during a search of St Enda’s Gaelic Football Clubat Glengormley.

Friday 22nd DecemberSoldier drags bomb from barNo disciplinary action is to be taken against a soldier andRUC man who dragged a bomb from a small public housein the Tyrone village of Beragh. An Army spokesman de-scribed the actions as “foolhardy but brave”. The bombwas dragged into the street where the soldier then proceededto fire shots into it in order to detonate it. The Armyspokesman said that it was “against Army regulations foranyone other than a qualified bomb expert to interfere withexplosives. If this bomb had gone off as it was supposedto, both these men could have been killed and lives wouldhave been lost quite unnecessarily. What I want to get acrossto everyone is that while a damaged building can be re-paired, a life cannot be brought back.”

Friday 22nd DecemberIRA truceAlthough there have been no official approaches, it seemslikely that the announcement of a truce over the Christmasperiod by the Provisional IRA was imminent. There isstrong speculation among informed sources that the periodwould last for at least 48 hours

Friday 22nd DecemberTwo men questioned over bar killingsTwo of the five men detained after the pub killings in Derry’swaterside are still being held by the RUC. Three othermen have been released after questioning.

Friday 22nd DecemberCatholic man killed in BangorA 25-year-old Catholic man has been shot dead in Bangoras he waited on the Clandeboy Road for his usual lift towork at a Donaghadee factory. The dead man, Mr. JamesMullan, of Tutor Park, Bangor was shot when a car drewup along side him. Five shots were fired and Mr Mullanwas hit twice. He was taken to Newtownards hospital wherehe died a short time later

Friday 22nd DecemberTwo men escape from custodyTwo prisoners have escaped from custody in County Ar-magh yesterday, one from a hospital and the other from acourthouse. One of the escapees, a 15-year-old boy es-caped through a window at Armagh City Hospital wherehe was being treated for gunshot wounds to the knee. Aman who was serving a six months sentence at Magilliganfor riotous behaviour escaped from Lurgan Court Houseon a motoring charge. On the courthouse steps his hand-cuffs were removed and the man bolted. The !8-year-oldLurgan man is due to be released in February.

Friday 22nd DecemberHelicopter used to arrest manThe Army made a dramatic arrest in the Waterside area ofDerry today when a helicopter landed on ground betweenRossdowney Park and Dungiven Road. According to eyewitnesses soldiers jumped out of the helicopter and tookthe driver of the car into custody. An Army spokesman hassaid that the helicopter had been following the car for sometime.

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Friday 22nd DecemberShots fired in Ballysillan area of BelfastSeveral shots have been fired into a house in the Ballysillanarea of Belfast during the night. But the only occupant, a16-year-old girl escaped injury. The RUC say that the shotscame from a passing car and were directed at the house inBallysillan Avenue.

Friday 22nd DecemberSuspicious car is blown upSoldiers have blown up a suspicious car at the junction ofRiverdale Park South and Finaghy Road North. The carwas found to contain 150 lb of explosives.

Friday 22nd DecemberShots fired in PortadownThe RUC have said that three shots have been fired intothe home of a Catholic family at Festival Road,Killycomaine, Portadown. One bullet struck the front doorof the house but no one was injured.

Friday 22nd DecemberWeapons found in DerryA Sten gun and magazine and 93 rounds of ammunitionhave been found in the Shantallow area of Derry

Friday 22nd DecemberShots fired in StrabaneSeveral shots have been fired at an Army mobile patrol inthe Melmont Road area of Strabane. There were no casu-alties and soldiers did not return fire.

Saturday 23rd DecemberUDA marchThe Ulster Defence Association plan to turn out in force onSunday for a commemoration service for Ulster Protestantswho have died in the troubles. Contingents, in full dressuniform, will parade from Boundary Street along theShankill to Woodvale Presbyterian Church.

Saturday 23rd DecemberPrison ProtestsOver the Christmas period People’s Democracy plan to havea number of demonstrations at prisons in the North andSouth. Protest marches will take palace at the Currraghcamp and at Mountjoy. On Christmas day marchers willleave Beechmount on the Falls Road at 1.00 pm for a dem-onstration at Long Kesh.

Saturday 23rd DecemberShooting at UDR HQTwelve high velocity shots have been fired at a UDR com-pany HQ at Lislea Drive, off the Lisburn Road. An Armyspokesman has said that fire was returned but no hits wereclaimed

Saturday 23rd DecemberSingle shot fired in BelfastA single shot has been heard in the Rosetta Park area ofBelfast but soldiers were not involved in the incident andthere are no reports of casualties.

Saturday 23rd DecemberCatholic family attackedThe last remaining Catholic family in Alliance Road havecome under attack in their home. At around 4.00 am in themorning as the family lay asleep at least one man kickedopen the front door of the house and ran up the stairs. Twoshots were fired through one of the closed bedroom doors.One of the bullets narrowly missing a six-year-old girl andembedded itself in her headboard. The family had emi-grated to America two years ago and had returned home tovisit family. A flare was lit by the gunman as he left thehouse.

THE TROUBLES

Saturday 23rd DecemberBombs explode at Masonic HallTwo explosions at Brookvale Masonic hall on the AntrimRoad are believed to have been caused by blast bombs.The explosions, which occurred at one minute past mid-night broke several windows and damaged two parked carsbut no one was injured in the attack.

Saturday 23rd DecemberSniper fires on soldierA single high velocity shot has been fired at a soldier onduty at the Springfield Road-Kashmir Road junction. Hewas not hit and did not return fire.

Saturday 23rd DecemberUlsterbus workshops bombedA bomb has caused extensive damage to the Ulsterbusworkshops at Duncrue Street, Belfast. A warning was givenand the area was evacuated before the bomb exploded.

Saturday 23rd DecemberPublic house bombedA suitcase bomb, which exploded at the rear of a publichouse at Main Street in Killyclogher has caused extensivedamage. The RUC have said that the GPO received a warn-ing ten minutes before the bomb exploded. The bar wasevacuated and no one was injured.

Saturday 23rd DecemberFire destroys HayA man is reported to have been seen leaving a farm atLoughanreagh, Coleraine, shortly before fire destroyed ashed with 600 bales of hay. It is believed that the blaze wasstarted maliciously.

Saturday 23rd DecemberAmmunition find in DerryTen shotgun cartridges have been found when soldierssearched a field at Vorrody in the Waterside area of Derry.

Saturday 23rd DecemberWoman attacked in own homeThe RUC have confirmed that a woman was attacked inher home in the Donegal Road area of Belfast on Thursdaymorning. Youths burst into the woman’s home and burnedthe letters IRA on her arm with cigarettes.

Wednesday 27th DecemberTwenty held in Armagh raidsTwenty men have been arrested by troops carrying out awide scale search operation in two Armagh housing estateson Tuesday. The operations in the Dalton and Drumargestates were said to be for “general questioning”

Wednesday 27th DecemberTwo men wounded in Belfast shootingTwo men have been gunned down in Brompton Park in theArdoyne area of Belfast. The men aged 24 and 26, werestanding talking to friends when ten shots were fired at them.Both were taken to hospital but their conditions are notserious.

Wednesday 27th DecemberMan shot in Belfast barA man has been shot in the chest and seriously woundedwhen a gunman fired through the door at Stanley’s Bar atWillow Street in the Grosvenor Road. A young boy hasalso been shot in the arm and leg on the Springfield Road.Both victims are said to be Catholics.

Wednesday 27th DecemberGrenade attack on pubFour civilians have been taken to hospital after a grenade,possibly a home made one, was thrown into theCherrymount Inn on the Crumlin Road. The casualties, allthought to have been caused by shrapnel were taken to thenearby Mater Hospital. Two of the men were detained.

Wednesday 27th DecemberMan shot in footA man is reported to have been shot in the foot in the YorkStreet area of Belfast. The circumstances in which he wasshot are not yet known but the man is not seriously hurt.

Wednesday 27th DecemberShots fired at mobile patrolFive shots have been fired at an Army mobile patrol in theFalls Road area on Tuesday night. Soldiers returned fireafter being attacked near the Donegal Road and claim tohave hit one gunman.

Wednesday 27th DecemberSniper opens fire on sentryTwo shots have been fired by a sniper at a sentry on duty inCasement Park. The soldier was not hit and fire was returned.

THE TROUBLES

Wednesday 27th DecemberVigilantes attackedEarly on Christmas day two shots were fired at vigilantesnear the M2 at Greencastle. No one was hurt.

Wednesday 27th DecemberArmy opens fire on manOn Christmas night soldiers opened fire on a man who theysay had a gun. No hits were reported.

Wednesday 27th DecemberBombs explode in NewryTwo bombs have exploded in Newry overnight and causedextensive damage. The first bomb exploded shortly after9.00 pm at a council yard in Francis Street. The secondbomb, at Hogg’s furniture shop in Merchants Quay ex-ploded some forty minutes later. Both bombs are estimatedto have contained around 30lbs of explosives but there wereno casualties in either blast.

Wednesday 27th DecemberWoman attacked at StewartstownA 35-year-old woman, from Stewartstown, has been at-tacked by three men and had her hair shorn and paint pouredover her. Her attackers are reported to have told her thatshe was being punished for keeping company with a sol-dier. She was treated in hospital after the incident.

Wednesday 27th DecemberSion Mills shootingA shot has been fired at the wife of a UDR man as she wasbringing in washing at her home on Christmas day. Shewas not hit.

Wednesday 27th DecemberShots fired in PortadownShots have been fired at three people standing outside apublic house at Obins Street in Portadown on Christmasnight. The shots came from a passing car and one bulletricocheted off a wall and struck one man in the elbow. Hisinjury did not require hospital treatment.

Wednesday 27th DecemberMan shot in NewtownstewartA county Antrim man is seriously ill in hospital after hewas shot in Newtownstewart, County Tyrone. The man,who received gunshot wounds to the abdomen is under-stood to have been visiting friends in the Mourne Park

housing estate. The circumstances surrounding the shoot-ing are vague and there is no clear explanation as to whathappened.

Thursday 28th DecemberTyrone pub is bombedStaff and customers in a Dungannon pub have escaped in-jury after a bomb, concealed in a transistor radio, explodedwithout warning. A barman at Devlin’s bar in scotch Street,noticed the transistor-type radio which had been left by aman on the floor of the pub. He quickly alerted customersand evacuated the premises. The 10 lb bomb exploded ashort time later. The bar man is said to have become suspi-cious when the man made a phone call and then quicklyleft the bar. No one was injured in the attack.

Thursday 28th DecemberCar bomb at PortadownA car bomb, containing around 70 lb of explosives has beendetonated by army experts in Portadown. The explosion,twelve hours after the bomb had been planted, caused slightdamage to Shillington’s hardware store in Castle Street.In a separate explosion in Portadown a bomb has explodedat the Cookery Nook bakery in Woodhouse Street. Thebomb exploded but no one was injured.

Thursday 28th DecemberUDR man found deadThe body of a UDR man has been found in the cab of anoverturned digger in the townland of Corlave near Pettigo.The man has been named locally as 21-year-old PrivateThomas Irvine Boyd. The RUC say that there are injurymarks on the back of his head which they think may bestab wounds.

Thursday 28th DecemberSoldiers shoot dead man in StrabaneOne man has been shot dead and another seriously injuredafter soldiers fired at two men who they said were carryingrifles. A foot patrol of Royal Welsh fusiliers are said tohave challenged the men. The warnings were ignored andthe soldiers opened fire killing one man and wounding theother. Soldiers seized two weapons at the scene, a .303Lee Enfield rifle with armour piercing bullets and a .30Garand rifle and ammunition. Some dum-dum bullets arealso said to have been found. The dead man has been namedas 22-year-old Eugene Martin Devlin, of Innisfree GardensStrabane.

THE TROUBLES

Thursday 28th DecemberRUC man attacked in BellaghyAn RUC reserve constable had a narrow escape when gun-men called at his house at around 9.00 pm. They pushedpassed the man’s wife and opened fire at the reservist. Theman had been leaving the bathroom when the attack hap-pened but none of the four or five shots hit him. The gun-men escaped by car.

Thursday 28th DecemberGunman opens fire on girlA young girl slammed a door in the face of a gunman whocalled at her home on the Springfield Road. On answeringthe door the girl saw the man who was armed with a .22weapon, she stepped back and quickly closed the door. Theman fired through the door but missed the girl.

Thursday 28th DecemberShots fired on Ormeau RoadTwo blasts from a shotgun have been fired from a car nearRutland Street on the Ormeau Road. The pellets hit thewindows of two shops but two youths who were standingnearby were uninjured.

Friday 29th DecemberUDR man died accidentallyThe UDR Private, Irvine Boyd, who was found dead inFermanagh yesterday is reported to have died as a result ofan accident. The man is believe to have been killed afterbeing hit by a moving part of the digger.

Friday 29th DecemberMan shot dead on borderSoldiers have shot dead a man on the Derry-Donegal bor-der this afternoon at Ballyarnettt, which is a few miles northof Derry. According to the Army three men were spottedand that shots were fired. One man was hit and the othertwo men made off across the border. There were no mili-tary casualties.

Friday 29th DecemberCar bomb kills twoTwo teenagers have been killed and 20 other people in-jured in three explosions in a border town. The two whodied were 14-year-old Geraldine O’Reilly and a 16-year-old lorry helper, Patrick Stanley. They were both killed bya bomb which went off in a car which was parked outside

the post office in the centre of Belturbet, County Cavan.The young girl had just left a fish and chip shop and was onher way to meet her brother when the bomb exploded. Thesecond victim, Patrick Stanley, was found in a telephonebox. He had just booked into a guest house and was phon-ing his mother to let her know where he was.The second car bomb went off in Clones, County Mona-ghan. It blasted the town’s principal shopping Centre, Fer-managh Street at around 10.00 pm. Only slight injurieswere caused to passers-by.A third explosion went off just 100 yards inside the bordernear the Donegal village of Pettigo. The target was thevillage pub but no one was injured as there were no cus-tomers on the premises.

Friday 29th DecemberMajor bomb and weapon findsThree quarters of a ton of explosives and an assortment ofweapons, including five Army rifles have been discoveredin two lock up garages in Protestant areas of Belfast’sCrumlin Road. A search of the lock-up garage in Rosemountstreet uncovered eight cwt of ammonium nitrate, and so-dium chlorate, 500 detonators, almost 5,000 rounds ofammunition and 20 lbs of commercial gelignite. Also inthe garage was a practice rocket of the type formerly usedby the British Army, 1,000 feet of detonating cord, 100 feetof safety fuse and 10 Pye radios. Some of the explosiveswere too dangerous to move and were detonated in a con-trolled explosion. At a second lock up at Blayney Street,off Agnes Street RUC and Army personnel discovered fiveself loading rifles, similar to those on issue to soldiers andUDR men, 15 magazines, a German-made machine pistol,an air rifle, a revolver and a quantity of ammunition.At Ballynahone, near Armagh, 30 lbs of primed sodiumchlorate, nitro benzene a bullet and other bomb makingequipment were also found. And at Aghacommon area inLurgan soldiers from the Staffordshire Regiment have dis-covered 435 lbs of explosives and 17 M1 carbine rounds.

Friday 29th DecemberFermanagh men injured in Monaghan bombingTwo Fermanagh men who were injured in a bomb attack inClones, County Monaghan are in hospital fighting for theirlives. The two men from Newtownbutler were having ameal in a café when the bomb exploded. The RUC havesaid that the cars which were used in the Clones andBelturbet explosions were stolen in Enniskillen. There isstrong speculation that the blasts are the work of Protestant

THE TROUBLES

extremists but the Ulster Defence Association have deniedthat they were involved in the attack. A Garda spokesmanin Dublin has denied reports that the explosions at Clonesand Belturbet had been linked to any known Protestantgroups.

Friday 29th DecemberMagherafelt bomb attackThe RUC are appealing for information about the over-night bomb attack on Magherafelt labour exchange.

Friday 29th DecemberBullet grazes youth’s handA 13-year-old Protestant youth has received a gunshotwound to the hand as he was walking along Roden Street.It is believed that the shots were fired at him from the di-rection of the Grosvenor Road.

Friday 29th DecemberBomb attack at Dundrum pubA 40 lb bomb has exploded at the vaults public house inthe village of Dundrum. The bomb had been left in a hall-way and a warning was given. The bomb exploded justafter 11.00 pm and caused extensive damage but no onewas injured in the attack.

Friday 29th DecemberCrossmaglen bombA bomb has exploded at the Ulster Bar on the DundalkRoad, Crossmaglen. The bar has been empty for some timeand was extensively damaged. No one was injured in theattack. Electricity supplies were disrupted in the area forsome time after the 60 lb bomb exploded.

Friday 29th DecemberDangers of CS GasFour scientists have made a call through the ‘Nature’ maga-zine for tests to be carried out to see if CS gas can causecancer. The scientists from the Huntingdon Research Cen-tre, which specialises on testing chemicals for their bio-logical effects, claim that in their experiments CS gas pro-duced the same sort of changes in the skin of mice as knowncancer causing substances, including tobacco.

Saturday 30th DecemberMan shot dead in east BelfastA 55-year-old father of five Mr Hugh Martin , of EskdaleGardens in the Ardoyne area of Belfast has been shot dead.

His body was found by a passing Army patrol at LichfieldAvenue in the predominantly Protestant Bloomfield estate.His body was found slumped over the wheel of his car andhe had two bullet wounds in his arms. Mr Martin, whospent three years in a German prisoner of war camp duringthe second world war, was shot dead minutes after finish-ing his shift at the Tip-Top bakery. He had worked at thefirm for more than 20 years.

Saturday 30th DecemberHand grenade foundSoldiers have discovered a home made hand grenade in thegarden of a house at Riverdale Park Drive, inAndersonstown. The grenade, which was described as be-ing in a dangerous condition, was made safe.

Saturday 30th DecemberGelignite findSoldiers have discovered a half a dozen sticks of gelignitewhen they searched a car at Lifford Road, Strabane. Thedriver of the car, believed to be from Strabane was drivingtowards the border. He has been arrested and is being ques-tioned by the RUC.

Saturday 30th DecemberArmy shot unarmed manThe Provisional IRA in Derry have issued a statement say-ing that the man who was shot dead by the Army had beenunarmed. The dead man, named as James McDaid, aged30, of Drumleck Drive in the Shantallow area of the city,was hit by a single shot fired by soldiers from the 25th LightRegiment, Royal artillery. The Army have said that he wasone of three men seen crossing the border from Donegal.The Army have claimed that one of the men was seen car-rying a light rifle, possibly an Armalite or Carbine. Butalthough the man’s body was recovered no weapon couldbe found.

Saturday 30th December15 people arrested in Belfast swoopTwelve men and three women have been held during a jointRUC-Army swoop on the Riverdale area of Belfast. Anumber of weapons including two M1 carbines, a .45 pis-tol, a .303 rifle, an Armalite a .65 Mauser pistol, 11 detona-tors, two timing devices and ten foot of detonating cordwere found.

THE TROUBLES

Saturday 30th DecemberArms find in Monastery455 rounds of assorted ammunition and a magazine for aThompson sub-machinegun have been found during asearch in the Lower Falls. The find was made by the Armyin the grounds of Clonard Monastery.

Saturday 30th DecemberGun attack in North BelfastA man and a woman walking along North Queen Streethad a narrow escape when a gunman opened fire on themfrom a passing car near the junction of Great George’sStreet. The attack happened just after midnight.

Saturday 30th DecemberShot fired at barracksJust after 1.00 am a single shot was fired at the partiallyconstructed RUC barracks in North Queen Street. No onewas injured in the incident.

Saturday 30th DecemberBelfast shootingsThere have been a number of sporadic shooting incidentsthroughout Belfast. Four shots were fired at the militaryobservation post in Chief Street. One of the shots was fired

from Herbert Street but no one was injured. Two high ve-locity shots were fired towards Ardoyne from the directionof the Holy Cross School and later three shots were firedfrom the same area at an unknown target. No one wasinjured. At Elmfield Street five shots were heard but thesecurity forces say they were not involved. At CorporationStreet two reserve RUC men came under attack. Neitherman was hit and their attacker fled. Shots were also fired atan Army Land Rover at Paxton Street in the Mountpottingerarea but no hits were recorded.

Saturday 30th DecemberBomb at Strabane supermarketA 50 lb bomb has caused extensive damage to a Strabanesupermarket and children’s clothes shop at the junction ofmain Street and Castle Street. The bomb was left on thestairway leading to Leitch’s children’s shop which is onthe first floor above the VG shop.

Saturday 30th DecemberHay destroyed in malicious fireEight hundred bales of hay and straw have been destroyedin what is believed to have been a malicious fire at a Prot-estant owned farm at Greystone.

THE TROUBLES

Saturday 30th DecemberShotguns seizedThe Army, claiming that they were acting on informationreceived, have seized two shotguns from a house in theWarrenpoint area.Saturday 30th DecemberInternee escapes from HospitalA massive RUC and Army alert has been put into placeafter seven armed raiders entered the Lagan Valley Hospi-tal in Lisburn and snatched an IRA suspect who had beenbrought there from Long Kesh for treatment. Two RUCmen were disarmed and 27-year-old James Brown fromAndersonstown, whisked away.

Saturday 30th DecemberCrumlin Road escape bidAn Army patrol, being suspicious of an aerial on the roofof a house at Landscape Terrace, discovered a mass jailbreak in progress. Inside the house soldiers from theQueen’s Regiment discovered two rooms full of earth. Ashaft leading to a 40 yard tunnel was discovered under thestairs. The tunnellers had used a trolley to bring the earthalong the tunnel and had used high powered torches to seewhere they were going. The tunnel had been properlyshored and it is estimated that it could have taken up to twomonths to dig. Army experts have estimated that it wasnear completion. Based on the direction of the tunnel it isbelieved that the destination was for a wing of the prisonwhich contains a large number of political prisoners.

Saturday 30th DecemberIRA fire salute at funeralIRA men have fired a gun salute at the funeral in Strabaneof 22-year-old Eugene Martin Devlin who was shot deadby soldiers on Wednesday. The salute was fired as his tri-colour draped coffin, flanked by uniformed members ofthe Provisional IRA, approached the cemetery.

Saturday 30th DecemberSoldier wounded in FallsA soldier has been wounded in a shooting attack atMulhouse Street in the falls area by a bullet which rico-cheted off a wall. The Army believe that the shot camefrom the direction of Leeson Street- Merrion Street. Firewas not returned and the soldiers condition is not serious.

Saturday 30th DecemberWoman and child killed in crashA 64-year-old Tyrone woman and her two year old grand-daughter have been killed in a crash involving an ArmyFerret Scout car. The dead woman, Mrs Margaret Daleyand her granddaughter, Orla Martina Daley of Minaduff,Gortin were travelling along with other family memberson the Mountjoy Road, Omagh when they were in a colli-sion with an Army vehicle. The Army scout car, one ofthree which were going out on patrol, was first in a slightcollision with another car before colliding with Mrs Daly’sFord Anglia.

THE TROUBLES

THE TROUBLES

THOSE WHO DIEDMARGARET CUNNINGHAMAGED UNLISTED7th November 1972Mrs Cunningham died as troopssearched her home in the TurfLodge area of West Belfast. Thesoldiers found three shotguns inher home and when they askedMrs Cunningham about theweapons she collasped and died.The guns had been legally held.

IRWIN LONGAGED 298th November 1972A member of the UDR, Mr Longwas shot dead in an IRA ambushin Lurgan's Lake Street.

JOSEPH KELLYAGED 478th November 1972Mr Kelly was returning homefrom work on a bus when in wasflagged down in CastlereaghStreet in the east of the city. Twogunmen were involved and oneof them ran on to the bus and shotMr Kelly dead.

RONALD KITCHENAGED 2010th November 1972A soldier in the Royal Corps ofTransport, he was shot dead byan IRA sniper in the Oldpark areaof North Belfast.

JOHN KELLYAGED 5011th November 1972Mr Kelly was shot dead byLoyalist gunmen in his shop onthe Upper Crumlin Road. Thekilling was witnessed by thevictims young daughter.

JOSEPH McCRYSTALAGED 2813th November 1972Me McCrystal was shot dead byUDA gunmen as he returned tohis home in the Longlands areaof Newtownabbey. A deathnotice appeared in the Irish Newsnewspaper describing his as amember of the IRA but this wasdenied by the family and by theIRA and was later discovered tohave been a hoax.

STANISLAUS CARBERRYAGED 3413th November 1972A member of the IRA he was shotdead by British Troops in dis-puted circumstances in the FallsRoad area of West Belfast.

STANLEY EVANSAGED 1913th November 1972A soldier in the Queen's Regi-ment, he was shot dead by an IRAsniper as he searched a house inthe Unity Flats complex in WestBelfast.

GEORGE DOHERTYAGED 3215th November 1972He was shot dead by members ofthe UDA at his home inSintonville Avenue in the UpperNewtownards Road.

JOSEPH CALVINAGED 4217th November 1972A member of the RUC, he waskilled in an IRA booby-trap bombattack as he came off duty atEnniskillen Barracks.

WILLIAM WATSONAGED 2820th November 1972A soldier in the Argylle and Suth-erland Highlanders, he was killedalongside Sergeant JamesStrothers, in an IRA booby-trapat a derlict farmhouse near thevillage of Cullyhanna. They hadbeen searching the area withsniffer dogs when they triggeredthe device.

JAMES STROTHERSAGED 3120th November 1972A sergeant in the Argylle andSutherland Highlanders, he waskilled alongside William Watsonin an IRA booby-trap.

WILLIAM CLARKEAGED 4520th November 1972He died in the Royal VictoriaHospital almost a month after hewas shot by the UDA in theForthriver Estate in West Belfast.A taxi driver, he had driven twoyouths to the estate when a lonegunman approaced the car andshot the driver. A Protestant hewas mistaken for being a Catho-lic.

JOSEPH McILROYAGED 3221st November 1972He was shot dead by UVF gun-men who fired through thewindow of his house in SandhillDrive in East Belfast.

SAMUEL PORTERAGED 3022nd November 1972A member of the UDR he waskilled in an IRA ambush as hereturned to his home nearMaghera. He had been drivinghis car up the driveway whenwaiting gunmen opened fire onhim.

WILLIAM CHIVERSAGED 4822nd November 1972He was shot dead by UDA gun-men near his home inCastledawson as he took his dogfor a walk.

RORY GORMLEYAGED 1427th November 1972He was shot dead by mambers ofthe UVF who opened fire on his

Irwin Long

Joseph Kelly Stanislaus Carberry

Joseph Calvin

THE TROUBLES

fathers car as he drove him toschool. His father, a surgeon inthe Mater Hospital, had beendriving through the Shankill areaof West Belfast when he stoppedat the junction of Downing Streetand Ariel Street. It was there thatthe gunmen struck. His fatherwas hit on the shoulder and hisbrother was struck on the arm andleg.

ROBERT KEYSAGED 5528th November 1972A member of the RUC Reserve,he was killed in an IRA rocketattack on Belleek RUC Barracks.He had been about to go off dutywhen the rocket pierced a steelshutter and struck Mr Keys on thechest.

JOHN BRADYAGED 2128th November 1972A member of the IRA, he waskilled alongside James Carr asthey were praparing a bomb in ahouse in the Bogside when itexploded prematurely.

JAMES CARRAGED 2128th November 1972A member of the IRA he waskilled alongside John Brady in apremature explosion in Derry(See above)

GERARD GEARONAGED 2229th November 1972He was shot dead by two youthswho he had been sharing a taxiwith. They had been travellingup the Crumlin Road when oneof the youths said he felt sick. Hegot out of the car, produced a gunand opened fire of Mr Gearon.He had been a barman in

McGlade's and, because of homesickness, had only returned toBelfast from Dublin where hewent to get away from the con-flict. Members of the UDA werebehind the attack.

JOSEPH McAULEYAGED 431st December 1972He was shot and injured a weekprevious as he walked from hishome in Ballymoney by mem-bers of the UDA.

GEORGE BRADSHAWAGED 301st December 1972He was killed alongside ThomasDuffy when the UVF detonateda huge bomb in Dublin city cen-tre. It was the second such de-vice to go off, the first being atLiberty Hall. 127 people wereinjured.

THOMAS DUFFYAGED 241st December 1972See above.

PATRICK BENSTEADAGED 322nd December 1972His naked body was found inCrossley Street where it had beendumped by members of the

UDA. He had been abducted,totured and shot through thehead. Decsribed at the time asbeing 'retarded' he had a cross cutinto his back along with thewords IRA beside it. The citycoroner described it as the mosthorrifying case he had ever comeacross.

SANDRA MELIAGED 262nd December 1972She was shot dead after membersof the UDA opened fire on herthrough the kitchen window ofher house in East Belfast.

SAMUEL HAMILTONAGED 503rd December 1972He was found shot through thehead in the Newtownards Roadarea. It is beleived that the IRAwas responsible.

Rory Gormley

Robert Keys

John Brady

James Carr

Gerard Gearon

Sandra Meli

Samuel Hamilton

THE TROUBLES

BERNARD FOXAGED 164th December 1972A member of the junior wing ofthe IRA he was killed during anexchange of gunfire with Britishtroops in the Ardoyne area ofNorth Belfast.

WILLIAM BELLAGED 305th December 1972He was shot dead by Britishtroops who mistook him for agunman as he worked on the roofof a house in Ardoyne.

ROY HILLSAGED 285th December 1972A soldier in the Royal ArmyOrdnance Corps he was killedafter an IRA mortar he wasdisfusing exploded. The incidentoccured in the Kitchen Hill areaof Armagh.

WILLIAM BOGLEAGED 285th December 1972A member of the UDR, he waskilled in an IRA ambush as he satin a car with his children outsidea post office in Killeter in CountyTyrone.

SAMUEL WHITEAGED 326th December 1972His body was discovered in analleyway in the Short Strand areawith bullet and stab wounds. Hehad been badly beaten beforebeing killed and it's beleivedrepublicians were responsible.

ERNEST ELLIOTTAGED 287th December 1972A member of the UDA, his bodyhad been found in the boot of acar in the Lisburn Road. He hadbeen shot in the face by fellowmembers of the UDA in a disputeover weapons.

JEAN McCONVILLEAGED 377th December 1972Mrs McConville was abductedfrom her home in the Divis areaof West Belfast and killed by theIRA. The mother of ten wasdragged from her bedroom atgunpoint and that was the last shewas ever seen. It was suggestedthat the reason was because shehad comforted a British soldierwho was seriously injured out-side her front door.

Bernard Fox

William Bell

Mrs McConville was one of thevictims of what later becameknown as 'the dissappeared' anddecades later extensive searcheswere carried out looking for herremains.

JOHN JOESBURYAGED 188th December 1972A soldier in the Royal GreenJackets, he was on patrol in theBallymurphy area when he wasshot by an IRA sniper. He wasrushed to hospital but died twodays later.

HENRY MIDDLEMASSAGED 3310th December 1972A colour sergeant in the King'sOwn Scottish Borderers, he waskilled in an IRA explosion at anarmy base in West Belfast. Heand two of his collegues wereexamining a rocket which hadbeen found the pervious nightand when he picked it up by thetail fin it exploded.

JAMES WARDAGED 5811th December 1972He was shot dead outside NorthQueen Street RUC Barracks bya soldier who was on sentry duty.The army expressed regret at the

Ernest Elliott

incident and described it as 'acomplete and utter accident.'

JAMES NIXONAGED 4913th December 1972A member of the RUC, Mr Nixonwas killed in an IRA ambush atthe Chester Park Hotel on Bel-fast’s Antrim Road. He had beenalmost ready to retire after 30years service to the force.

KATHLEEN DOLANAGED 1914th December 1972She was killed when a loyalist carbomb exploded outsider her fa-ther’s public house in the villageof Killeter as she was on her wayto post wedding invitations.

JAMES REYNOLDSAGED 1615th December 1972He was shot dead by loyalists ona motorcycle as he stood withfriends at the junction of DandyStreet and the Shore Road inNorth Belfast.

GEORGE CHAMBERSAGED 4415th December 1972A member of the RUC he waskilled in a gun attack launced bymembers of the Official IRA inthe Kilwilkee Estate in Lurgan.He had been delivering Christ-mas presents to an 8 year old girlwho was injured by a policevehicle.

Kathleen Dolan George Chambers

THE TROUBLES

FREDERICK GREEVESAGED 4015th December 1972A member of the UDR, he wasshot dead by the Official IRA ashe left work at Moy Street inArmagh.

LOUIS LEONARDAGED 2616th December 1972A member of the IRA, MrLeonard was shot dead by loyal-ists at his shop in the village ofDerrylin.

JOSEPH BLANEYAGED 4116th December 1972He was shot dead during a rob-bery by loyalists at his off licenceon the York Road.

WILLIAM JOHNSTONAGED 4818th December 1972A member of the Ulster UnionistParty, his body was found atWard’s Cross in Armagh where

Louis Leonard

he had been killed by the IRA.He and an employee wereabducted in the Drumarg Estateand taken across the borderwhere they were questioned.Taken back into NorthernIreland, Mr Johnston was shotdead and his employee releasedunharmed.

DAVID McALEESEAGED 3720th December 1972He was killed in a drive by shoot-ing by the UDA as he waited fora lift to work on theNewtownards Road.

GEORGE HAMILTONAGED 2820th December 1972A member of the UDR, he wasshot dead by an IRA sniper at theCroppy Hill Reservoir in Derry.

ALPHONSUS McGEOWNAGED 1920th December 1972He was shot dead by members ofthe UVF in a drive by shootingnear Loughgall.

CHARLES MOOREAGED 3120th December 1972Mr Moore was one of fivepeople killed in a UDA gunattack on a bar in the Watersidearea of Derry. At around10.30pm two men burst into theTop of the Hill Bar and openedfire with a Stirling Sub-MachineGun and a pistol.

CHARLES McCAFFERTYAGED 3020th December 1972From Anderson Crescent, he washaving a drink with his bother inWilliam Johnston

law when loyalist gunmenopened fire inside the bar. (Seeabove).

BERNARD KELLYAGED 2620th December 1972From the Gobnascale Estate hewas also killed in the gun attackat the Top of the Hill Bar. (Seeabove).

FRANCIS McCARRONAGED 5820th December 1872From the Strabane Old Road inDerry, he was shot dead in a UDAgun attack on the Top of the HillBar in Derry. (See above).

MICHAEL McGINLEYAGED 3720th December 1972From Andrson Crescent he wasalso killed in the Top of the HillBar gun attack. (See above).

Charles Moore

Michael McGinley

Francis McCarronCharles McCafferty

Bernard Kelly

JAMES MULLANAGED 2521st December 1972He was shot dead in a loy-alist drive by shooting atTudor Park in Bangor.

COLIN HARKERAGED 2324th December 1972A soldier in the Royal andMechanical Engineers, hewas shot by an IRA sniperwhile on guard duty at

THE TROUBLES

Derry’s gas works fifteenweeks previously.

EUGENE DEVLINAGED 2227th December 1972A member of the IRA, hewas shot by undercoverBritish troops in theTownsend Street area ofStrabane while about tolaunch an attack on anearby barracks.

G E R A L D I N EO’REILLYAGED 1428th December 1972She was killed in a nowarning UVF bomb at-tack in Belturbet inEugene Devlin

County Cavan. She waswalking towards herbrothers car when the ex-plosion occured and shewas struck by a piece ofmetal from the explodingcar. She died instantly.

PATRICK STANLYAGED 1628th December 1972He was also killed in theUVF bomb attack atBelturbet. He had beentelephoning his family tolet them know he wouldbe staying here when theexplosion occured.

JAMES McDAIDAGED 3029th December 1972A member of the IRA, he wasshot dead by British soldiersafter three men were seencrossing the border fromDonegall. Although the IRAstate that he was killed inaction, he was unarmed at thetime.

HUGH MARTINAGED 5530th December 1972He was shot dead by theUVF as he left work at theTip Top Bakery in EastBelfast.

In March 1922 one of the most horrific deeds ever carried out inIrish history occurred when armed men burst into the home of

the McMahon family in North Belfast. The men of the house werelined up and gun down in cold blood.

The murders horrified the world but what later emerged was thatit had been carried out by a special unit of the local police which

was led by high ranking officers.

Read the facts behind the outrage in The McMahon Family Murderswhich can be obtained by sending a cheque/postal order for £3.50 to

Glenravel, 5 Churchill Street, Belfast BT15 2BP

THE TROUBLES

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