The Troubles 12

THE

TROUBLES ISSUE 12

April 1972

ELEVEN DIE IN WEEK OF VIOLENCE IRA LEADER GUNNED DOWN IN BELFAST

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THE TROUBLES

THE TROUBLES A CHRONOLOGY OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND CONFLICT

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

Therefore, in order to compile a chronological record of the modern Troubles - the term usually given to the most recent conflict, we must mark a defining point of start, which we have taken as partition itself and from which we began in Issue 1. In turn again, we feel it is equally important to give you the reader some understanding why events spiralled as they did into a bloody civil war.

This is not another view of the Troubles, this has been done and redone. This is the historical recording of events compiled by people from different parts of Belfast who lived through them. Our objective as local historians is to compile what we hope will be as near as possible a definitive reference to events as they unfolded through the last three decades.

In terms of research we have used as much material as possible and from diverse perspectives. We are confident that we have covered events as they were reported at the time. If however you feel that we have either left something out or indeed got something wrong we are more than happy to hear from you. As mentioned above this series of publications is the historical recording of the Troubles and all corrections are more than welcome.

GLENRAVEL PUBLICATIONS ASHTON CENTRE LEPPER STREET BELFAST BT15 2DN Tel: (028) 9020 2100 • Fax: (028) 9020 2227 E-Mail: glenravel@ashtoncentre.com 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 use material that has been placed in the public domain. We try to acknowledge all the copyright holders but sometimes this is not possible. If you claim credit for something that has appeared in this publication then we will be happy to know about it so that we can make the appropriate acknowledgements.

SOURCE MATERIAL PUBLICATIONS

NEWSPAPERS BELFAST NEWSLETTER Various issues for period covered BELFAST TELEGRAPH Various issues for period covered

LOST LIVES David McKitterick, Seamus Kelters, Brian Feeney & Chris Thornton This publication is used for the list of those who died at the back of each issue

IRISH NEWS Various issues for period covered IRISH PRESS Various issues for period covered

THE TROUBLES

APRIL Saturday 1st April 1972 Coffin bomb explodes in Belfast Six people have been treated for shock in Belfast after a massive bomb, hidden inside a hearse, exploded in a city centre street. The bomb, estimated to contain about 150lb of explosives is thought to have been hidden inside a coffin.

The hearse exploded minutes after it had been driven into Church Lane.

Saturday 1st April 1972 New Secretary of State visits troops The Secretary of State, Mr. William Whitelaw, has toured Army units in the Belfast area and had talks with Brigadier Frank Kitson and commanding officers of various units.

The discussions were aimed at giving him an overall assessment of events and reactions said an Army spokesman. The units visited by Mr. Whitelaw were the 1st Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borders; the 1st Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment, the 1st Battalion, The Wales and the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Revolver discovered An old, rusty .38 Colt revolver has been found on the platform of Great Victoria Street station during a search by troops.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Easter marches The Army will be “playing it by ear” during the 21 Republican comRIGHT - Bomb attack in Church Lane

1972 memorations which will be held in throughout the North on Sunday to mark the 1916 Easter Rising. It seems likely that the Government’s ban on marches will be broken at some of the ceremonies, particularly those in Belfast, Derry and Armagh.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Boy loses arm in explosion A 16-year-old boy from Whitecliffe Parade has been admitted to hospital after an explosion in the Whiterock road area of Belfast. The

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youth, who has not been named, was found with severe injuries after the blast and the RUC have said that he lost an arm in the explosion.

It is not known how he was injured.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Man shot in Belfast A man has been shot in the arm during an incident at a house in Cliftonpark Avenue, off the Cliftonville Road. The RUC have said that two youths approached the house, which is occupied by a Catholic family. They demanded to be allowed into the house but were refused admission. Shortly

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THE TROUBLES

after this two shots were fired at the house and a man, who was apparently at a window, was wounded.

The man, who has not been identified, was taken to the Mater Hospital where his condition is described as not serious.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Soldier shot in Belfast A soldier has been shot and wounded when a high velocity rifle was accidentally discharged in an Army post in Belfast. An Army spokesman has not given any more details on the shooting other than to say that the soldier is seriously ill.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Bomb explodes at vacant house Two women have been treated in hospital for shock after a bomb exploded in a vacant house in Belfast.

The house at Crumlin Road was badly damaged in the blast, as were other houses in the vicinity.

Saturday 1st April 1972 UDR patrol attacked Two gunmen have opened fire on an Ulster Defence Regiment after they stopped a stolen car at Finaghy Road North, near the M1 motorway.

At least 10 shots were fired at the patrol from the direction of the Riverdale estate. The shots were heard by a patrol of the 2nd Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery, who went to the aid of the UDR men. Troops returned fire and believe they may have hit one of the gunmen. The car and its occupants were able to make good escape under the cover of the firing.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Petrol bombs thrown at family’s home A car has been slightly damaged when a number of petrol bombs were thrown at a house which is occupied by a Catholic family in Clara Park. No one was injured in the attack.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Army ambushed in Shantallow area of Derry Gunmen have attacked the Brandywell Army post in the early hours of the morning in two separate incidents. No one was injured in the attacks.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Gelignite discovered in Newry Troops have discovered a quantity of gelignite and a length of fuse at Drumalane Road, Newry.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Ballygawley bombed The RUC have said that the bomb which damaged a local telephone

exchange contained 10lb of gelignite and had been planted inside the building.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Schoolboys on arms charge Two boys, aged 14 and 15, have been remanded in custody until the 13th April, when they appeared at a special court in Lisburn on charges of hi-jacking a car at Englishtown, Suffolk. They were charged with stealing a Fiat car, valued at £1,500 and with having a firearm and five rounds of ammunition with intent to endanger life.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Protest priest released from prison A Catholic priest, who was freed four hours after beginning a two month sentence for non completion of a census form, has said that he was annoyed that his £7 fine was paid anonymously. Fr. Malachy Murphy, of St. Anne’s Derriaghy, said that of the original 25 priests who refused to fill in census forms in protest over the way in which the law was operated in the North; only six priests now face imprisonment.

THE TROUBLES st

Saturday 1 April 1972 Arson attack on Community Centre The RUC are treating as malicious a fire which badly damaged a community centre at Greencastle, Newtownabbey. A door at the top of a fire escape had been forced and the blaze caused extensive damage to one floor. The hall, owned by St Joseph’s Catholic Church, is used as a community centre and discotheque frequented mostly by Protestants.

anarchy is not going to make the British Parliament regard the union in an even worse light than they do at the moment.”

Interviewed on UTV the DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, said that Stormont would never return and he felt that any Unionists who told people that they should fight for the return of Stormont were being unrealistic and dishonest. He thought what should take place was the total integration of Northern Ireland into the Westminster Government.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Ignore Vanguard Strike says Union The Amalgamated Corporation Tenants’ Association has advised tenants against supporting a possible call for a rent and rates strike.

The association said that in the past it has warned tenants not to back the civil disobedience campaign, as they would eventually be responsible for all debts.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Maidstone detainees on Hunger Strike The 132 detainees on board the prison ship Maidstone, moored in

Saturday 1st April 1972 DUP man opposes Vanguard strike A spokesman for Bangor Democratic Unionist Party has said that they were against the Vanguard rent and rates strike as it would it would lead to hardships, particularly among the poorer members of the community, “who are not in any financial position to pay back large amounts of arrears.” Loyalists, he said, “should consider if a policy of FACING PAGE - Provisional IRA leader Sean MacStiofain watching a republician parade RIGHT - Removing barricades around Divis Flats.

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Belfast Lough, have gone on hunger strike. They told prison staff that they would not eat again until all detainees and internees held under the Special Powers Act were released. The Maidstone men have, however, been refusing prison food on and off for some time and have been relying on food parcels sent to the ship by friends and relatives.

Food parcels were stopped earlier in the week after a disturbance on the ship during which a detainee broke his arm after falling downstairs. The men had barricaded themselves in and refused to let prison staff make a count after a search had revealed hacksaws, hacksaw blades and other small tools hidden in their quarters.

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THE TROUBLES

Troops were called in to remove barricades and restore order. An Army spokesman said afterwards that food parcels to the ship would be stopped while the clearing up operations went on. In a letter to the Irish Press the detainees said that they are now on the fifth week of rejecting prison food and they allege that it was previously found to contain broken glass and human hair.

Saturday 1st April 1972 Rifles found Three rifles have been found during a search in Andersonstown, Belfast.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Troops under fire in Derry Troops have come under fire in two separate attacks in Derry. Fire was returned on one occasion and the Army believe that a gunman may have been wounded in Rossville Street.

The first incident occurred just before one o’clock when a gunman fired three shots at a patrol in the Creggan Road area. An Army spokesman said that a possible hit was claimed. There were no Army casualties.

Shots were also exchanged between gunmen and a patrol of the Ulster Defence Regiment near the village of Coagh, County Tyrone. The patrol opened fire when two gunmen they observed getting into a car failed to answer their challenge.

RIGHT - IRA bomb attack in Castlereagh Street

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Army post attacked Gunmen have fired two shots at the Army post at the Falls bus depot.

An Army spokesman has said that the shots were fired from the direction of the City Cemetery. Two men were seen running away but troops did not return fire.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Top Official IRA man held The Army has said that another high ranking IRA officer has been detained in Belfast. The man, said to be the quartermaster of the Belfast Brigade Staff of the Official IRA was detained at the weekend. No details have been given about the capture. The man is being questioned by Special Branch detectives.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Youth on grenade charge A juvenile has appeared in a special court in a Portadown RUC barracks charged with having grenades in his possession on Sunday, March 26th. He was one of two boys who had been remanded on this charge

and the other failed to appear. He was remanded to a further court on £100 personal bail and a further £100 entered into by his father and mother.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Scarman report to be published soon The Secretary of State, Mr. Whitelaw is expected to release for publication the report of the Scarman tribunal on the rioting of 1969 within the next week. The tribunal, set up by Prime Minister, Major Chichester Clark, to investigate the riots in Belfast, Derry and elsewhere in the summer of 1969.

The tribunal sat for 170 days and heard 400 witnesses. The report was sent to the Government before direct rule was imposed and it is not up to Mr. Whitelaw to authorize its publication.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Gelignite found on rail line Twelve sticks of explosives have been found on a Scottish railway line which links the Stranraer-Larne ferry service. A railway signalman

THE TROUBLES

found the gelignite type explosives near the Killochan colliery in South Ayreshire.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Bogside Community Association to be formed A Bogside “Corporation” is to be chosen within the next seven days by the 6,000 people over the age of 18, who live in the area. The Creggan estate is excluded from the elections.

The new body, to be known as the Bogside Community Association, is being organized by a group of teachers in conjunction with tenants’ associations and street committees. Its aims are to improve the existing physical environment of the area, to utilize and expand existing recreational facilities and to set up a body of citizens who will discourage anti-social behaviour, vandalism and robbery in the Bogside. The area is to be divided into 12 districts, each selecting one representative. There will be no candidates as such. Instead, the election will be conducted along the lines of the American “write-in” so that people can vote for anyone they wish. The 12 elected representatives may co-opt seven more people in an advisory capacity. The organizers emphasise that the aims of the association are neither political nor military. Elections will take place on April 10th.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Soldiers on standby a Unity Flats Troops and police were on duty at Unity Flats when a Protestant parade went by. A crowd of about 100

youths marched in front of a flute band, which was followed by around 80 marching men. There were no reports of trouble.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Women figure prominently in Easter Parade Women figured prominently at several Republican commemorations.

For the first time women presided at the National Graves Association (now a Provisional organization) commemoration at Milltown Cemetery, Belfast. And in several other ceremonies throughout the North, women figured prominently at a number of centres.

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have called on the IRA Provisionals to stop their campaign.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Soldier is seriously wounded An Army officer is very seriously ill after being shot in Derry. The officer, a 26-year-old man from Devon was rushed to Altnagelvin Hospital, where he is described as being “very seriously ill.” The soldier had gone with his unit to the junction of Abercorn Road and Bishop Street, where a group of youths had attacked the Horsemarket sub post office. The crowd was dispersed but a fire was started in vacant premises in Bishop

Political observers have voiced an opinion that the women’s prominence could be due to their assuming a more active role in the Republican Movement, but that it could also be to counteract the “women for peace” image given by 500 Andersonstown housewives who have called on the IRA Provisionals to stop their campaign.

In Belfast the reason given at the Provisional event was that because of the increasing role which women members of the Republican movement had played in the past two years, they were being given prominence as a mark of respect. Mrs. Maire Drumm, recently released from prison, told the crowd that two women members of the movement had been killed during the past year.

At the Official event, a woman read the main speech.

Political observers have voiced an opinion that the women’s prominence could be due to their assuming a more active role in the Republican Movement, but that it could also be to counteract the “women for peace” image given by 500 Andersonstown housewives who

Street and the fire brigade put out the blaze. A short time later a gunman fired two shots from Barrack Street and the Lieutenant was hit in the shoulder.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 High velocity shots fired in Belfast Eight high velocity shots have been fired at a 2nd Field Regiment RA patrol in Lenadoon Avenue. One shot was fired at the gunman but there were no casualties. Six shots were also fired at an Army checkpoint at the Belfast end of the M1.

A burst of automatic fire was also directed at a patrol in Bingnian Drive. There were no casualties.

Three low velocity shots were also fired at an Army check point at Andersonstown bus depot.

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THE TROUBLES

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Soldier shot on Springfield Road A soldier has been shot in the thigh by a sniper at Springfield Road but an Army spokesman has described the wound as “not serious.”

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Children attack soldier A soldier had a badly cut eye after about thirty children, each aged about seven years old, had stoned troops at Beechmount bungalows.

The trooper was given first aid by local people.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Strabane observation post comes under attack Four low velocity shots have been fired at an observation post in Strabane. The shots were fired from a car on the southern side of the border.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Holy Cross school attacked The Holy Cross School, Chief Street, has been extensively damaged by fire, which is believed to have been started by youths. Three classrooms were completely destroyed and the two remaining are out of use.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Garage bombed William’s Garage in Thomas Street, Dungannon, has suffered superficial damage in an explosion just before midnight. There were no casualties.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 CS gas used in Derry Troops have used CS gas to disperse a crowd of youths in the William Street area who attacked and damaged the gates of an electricity sub station at the junction of William Street and Little James Street.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Shots fired at Derry’s walls Eight shots were fired at an observation post on the city’s walls from Howard Street but there were no casualties. Three shots were also fired at a patrol in Broke Park from the direction of the South Creggan Road. Fire was not returned.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Van bomb explodes in Magherafelt A van bomb has exploded in Rainey Street, Magherafelt. The bomb, which exploded on Sunday night, injured a number of people. They were treated in the Mid Ulster Hospital.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Telephone Exchange bombed An automatic telephone exchange at Tulacross, about eight miles from Cookstown, has been destroyed by an explosion.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Army turns blind eye on Easter Parades Thousands of Republicans defied the parades ban and marched at centres throughout the North in tradi-

tional Easter Rising commemoration ceremonies over the weekend.

Troops adhered to a policy of “softly softly” and there were no confrontations, although in Armagh, local youths threw stones at some of those taking part in the commemorations.

In Derry, IRA Chief of Staff, Sean MacStiofain, addressed thousands of supporters and called on the Catholic women of the North to “support the men who were carrying on the fight.” A second commemoration, held by the Official Republicans, was significantly smaller. There were no incidents at either of the parades.

In Belfast, more than 10,000 people attended marches along the Falls Road to Milltown Cemetery to hear both the Officials and Provisionals call upon their members to “fight on.”

Tuesday 4th April 1972 IRA precautions Many members of the Provisional IRA, including Chief of Staff, Sean MacStiofain have been staying away from their homes to avoid attempts on their lives. Recently Sean MacStiofain and Cathal Goulding, leader of the Official IRA, received bomb parcels in the post.

MacSiofain is said to have moved his wife and young daughter from his Navan home to a different town.

THE TROUBLES

Another Provisional leader Mr. David O’Connell has been alternating between Dublin and his Bundoran home.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Mother of 10 buried An estimated 2,000 people have attended the funeral in Belfast of Mrs. Martha Crawford, the 39-yearold mother of ten killed in a gun battle on Thursday night between the British Army and the IRA. Tuesday 4th April 1972 ‘Women for peace’ meeting A ‘Women for peace’ meeting in Belfast’s Andersonstown estate on Monday, broke up in confusion when 100 women supporters of the IRA entered the hall where it was being held. Supporters of the IRA are said to have sang songs, pelted the women with eggs and torn up leaflets. The group ‘Women for peace’ have denied that they called on women in the area to hand over men to the army.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 “Arm all Protestants” says Minister An American minister of religion, who is raising money to aid Protestants in the North, has said that he would like to see all Protestant householders armed. The Rev. Paul Lindstrom (32), minister of the Church of Christian Liberty (nondenominational) at Prospect Heights, Chicago, is one of the organizers of the Fiends of Northern RIGHT - Troops removing barricades from across Albert Street

Ireland Committee, which was formed in March and has about 500 members in and around Chicago.

He spent part of Monday in Belfast, seeing Protestant church leaders, including Ian Paisley. Mr. Lindstrom has said that he was not concerned that the money he would raise might be spent on arms, but he would stipulate that cash would not go to people who might use the arms for offensive purposes.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 “End the bombings” say Officials A call to end anti-civilian bombings has been made at Easter Commemoration ceremonies organized by the Official wing of the Republican Movement. In a statement read out at different centres the Officials condemned “anti-civilian bombings” which have they said, “totally split the community on sectarian lines”.

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Tuesday 4th April 1972 Fires in Belfast and Newry A Newry laundry was badly damaged by fire and in Belfast firemen were fighting to control a blaze at a tyre depot in the dock area. There were reports of explosions in the building as flames swept through the Central Laundry in Newry and large clouds of smoke could be seen up to six miles away. It is thought that many of the explosions were caused by chemicals expanding due to the intense heat. The Belfast fire was at the Shaw Tyre Company’s depot at Duncrue Street. Fanned by a strong wing the flames could be seen over a mile away.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Dance hall raid Three men carrying machine guns have held up the organizers of a dance in the South Derry village of Desertmartin early on Monday

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THE TROUBLES LEFT - Bomb attack on Smithfield Bus Station

RUC said that three Martini Henry rifles and about 250 rounds of assorted ammunition were discovered during a search in the grounds of Our Lady’s Hospital at Beechmount. An Army spokesman said the arms and ammunition were sealed up and concealed at allotments.

The search was carried out by men of the 1st Battalion, the Kings’ Own Scottish Borderers. It is understood that the hospital authorities had no knowledge of the arms being dumped in the hospital.

morning and stole the takings amounting to almost £1,000. The money included £250 belonging to the band, the Cotton Mill Boys, from Dublin. The dance was held in St. Mary’s Hall, which is attached to the local Catholic Church.

Tuesday 4th April 1972 Internees get parole Two Long Kesh internees, the Derry republican Sean Keenan and his son-in-law, Cyril Caning, were paroled at the weekend to attend the funeral of Mr. Canning’s infant son, Colm, who died suddenly on Sunday.

Another Derry internee at Long Kesh, Michael McNaught, was also released to attend the funeral of his infant son Eamon. Both funerals took place on Monday afternoon.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 60 internees may be released About 60 internees may be released from Long Kesh internment camp on the recommendation of the Secretary of State, Mr. Whitelaw. Although no date for the release has yet been given, it is understood that the cases of a number of internees have already been considered by Mr. Whitelaw. A Ministry of Home Affairs spokesman would not comment on reports that the first of the internees were to be released within the next two to three weeks.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Arms found in hospital grounds Troops carrying out a routine search in the Falls and area of Belfast have found arms and ammunition buried in the grounds of a hospital. The

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Military funeral for bomb expert Army bomb disposal expert Major Bernard Charles Calladene (39), killed by a car bomb in Belfast six days ago, has been buried with full military honours in York. Major Calladene died trying to remove a bomb from a stolen car parked in Wellington Street.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Two hurt by car bomb Extensive damage has been caused and two people slightly injured when a car bomb exploded in Belfast. Dozens of shops in Castlereagh Street were extensively damaged when the 30 lb bomb exploded in a stolen Ford Anglia at around 11.00 am. The RUC had received a telephone warning that a bomb had been left at a club premises in the street.

THE TROUBLES

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tween Girvan and Ayre.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Six RUC men injured on Shankill Six RUC men and a police car have been damaged when a crowd attacked the RUC on the Shankill Road. The trouble started when a crowd of 500 began stoning the police after junior Orangemen returned home from the demonstration in Bangor. None of the RUC men were seriously injured and no arrests were made.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Incendiary bomb explodes in Belfast An incendiary bomb has exploded at the Youth Employment offices at College Square North. The bomb caused a fire which swept through the seven storey building. There were no casualties and the building was evacuated before the blast.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Soldier shot in Derry A soldier manning a vehicle checkpoint in Derry has been shot by a sniper. The soldier, who was on duty at Abercorn Road, was shot once by an IRA sniper. The Army have stated that the gunman was not seen but it is believed that he fired from Barrack Street, hitting the soldier in the arm. Troops did not return fire.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Donegal Street bomb toll now seven An elderly man who lost his right leg in the Donegal Street car bomb blast in March has died in a Belfast hospital. The man, named as Mr. Frank Millar of York Parade, was the most seriously injured of the 146 people who were taken to hospital following the blast. Six men – two RUC men, three Corporation bin men and a motorist died when the bomb exploded without warning in the street.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Gelignite found on railway More gelignite has been discovered on the Stranraer rail line which connects with the Irish boat service.

British rail have said that a further twelve sticks of explosives have been found north of Kilkerran be-

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Belfast attacks Two high velocity shots have been fired at the New Barnsley Army post from the Ballymurphy estate.

Fire was returned but there were no injuries. Later another two shots were fired at the Henry Taggart Army post. Fire was again returned at a gunman in Divismore Park, but no one was injured.

An Army post on the Springfield Road was undamaged when two bombs were thrown into the rear yard of the building from Benares Street. No one was injured. Troops also escaped injury when a bomb was thrown at a one-ton Army personnel carrier near the junction of Crumlin Road and Hooker Street.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Bank bombed An explosion has wrecked the remaining part of the Ulster Bank at Andersonstown, which was bombed some time ago. Windows in surrounding buildings were shattered but no one was injured.

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THE TROUBLES

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Garage destroyed in attack A garage at the rear of a house at Ravenhill Road has been destroyed by fire which the RUC believe was started deliberately. No one was injured in the attack.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Car hi-jacked in Coalisland Two young men armed with revolvers have hi-jacked a car at Anaghmore, Coalisland. The car, a Vauxhall Victor is still reported missing.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Gunman wounded in Derry The Army in Derry say that they may have hit a gunman after he fired a single shot at an Army observation post on the city walls from Long Tower Street. Earlier troops fired back after a gunman fired a single shot at an observation post at Bligh’s Lane. Soldiers have also returned fire at a gunman in the Brandywell area but he was not hit.

Two shots were later fired at a patrol in Rosemount Avenue.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Malicious fire in Lurgan Extensive damage has been caused to the store of the factory Causeway Textiles at Kilmore. The RUC are treating the blaze as malicious.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Ballymena telephone exchange demolished Over 200 subscribers were left without telephones after the local automatic telephone exchange at Glarryford, about eight miles from Ballymena, was damaged by a 1015lb bomb.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 RUC men injured in Strabane An RUC constable and sergeant have been injured by stones which were thrown by youths in the Fountain Street and Bridge Street areas.

Also in Strabane soldiers and police have removed a barricade of telephone poles in the Ballycolman estate.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Man shot in leg in Belfast The police are investigating the shooting of a man from Unity Flats.

The man, who was wounded in the leg, was shot shortly after midnight in North Queen Street. The RUC have said that neither they nor the Army were involved in the shooting. The man’s condition is not said to be serious.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 IRA Chief of Staff living at home The leader of the Provisional IRA, Sean MacStiofain, is reported to be back living in his Navan home, but his wife and daughter are believed to have gone to Cork. MacStiofan was away from his home last week and this had given rise to speculation that the family had moved due to threats. The MacStiofain home telephone number in Navan has been changed, and now the Provisional leader’s number is ex-directory.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Army detonates explosives More than 100lbs of gelignite which was found in two milk churns on a roadway near Camlough Lake in South Armagh were detonated by an Army bomb disposal team. The two loud explosions, 15 minutes apart, were heard over a wide area of South Down and South Armagh.

Wednesday 5th April 1972 Pirate radio on the air again The “Belfast Worker’s Radio”, backed by the Official IRA, has gone on the air again, playing requests for internees. The station, which is thought to be based in the Falls area, was broadcasting on 242 metres on the medium wave. The Official IRA claimed it had the range of about 5 miles. Army signals experts are monitoring the broadcasts.

Thursday 6th April 1972 Hunger strike at MagilliganSome internees at Magilligan camp are thought to have gone on hunger strike in sympathy with 130 detainees who are now in their eighth day of their protest fast on board the prison ship Maidstone. It is believed that although they have refused to take food, their protest is not against conditions in the County Derry camp. According to a statement released by relatives of the Maidstone detainees, four of the men are in a state of collapse and that they are semi-conscious.” The Ministry of Home Affairs have denied this and stated that none of the men needed medical treatment.

THE TROUBLES

Thursday 6th April 1972 Scarman report into riots of 1969 Reporting on its investigation into rioting in the North in the summer of 1969, the Scarman tribunal rejects the theory that it added up to a plot to overthrow the Government or mount an armed insurrection.

The tribunal has also said that neither the IRA nor any Protestant organisation nor anybody else, planed a campaign of riots. They were communal disturbances arising from a complex political, social and economic situation. Justice Scarman’s verdict n the evens of 1969 is published in two volumes of almost 200,000 words. It costs £3 at the Stationary Office.

Thursday 6th April 1972 Shots fired in Derry Two shots have been fired at Bligh’s Lane Army post in Derry shortly before noon. The Army say they returned fire but did not hit anyone.

Thursday 6th April 1972 RUC alleges youth was shot to start trouble A 16-year-old youth is in hospital with a leg injury after being shot from a passing car in what police describe as an attempt by the IRA to stir up trouble in a protestant area.

The youth, from Kitchener Street was walking along Tates Avenue before 8.00pm when one of four men fired a number of shots from a stolen car and he was struck in the leg. A nail bomb was also thrown from the vehicle but caused little damage. The car was later found abandoned in Islandbawn Street in the Falls Road area.

Thursday 6th April 1972 RUC men escape injury Two RUC men and two civilians escaped injury when about 20 shots were fired at them from a car near the Northern Ireland Carriers’ yard in Musgrave Street. The RUC men had stopped to talk to two men when the incident occurred and the car sped from the scene before fire could be returned.

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tigating the blast, which did not damage the bridge but broke windows, had one shot fired at them from the Finaghy Road North area.

Thursday 6th April 1972 Nail bombs thrown in Belfast Three nail bombs were thrown at an Army post at Fallswater Street.

Two exploded causing no damage and the third was defused.

A 16-year-old youth is in hospital with a leg injury after being shot from a passing car in what police describe as an attempt by the IRA to stir up trouble in a protestant area. The youth, from Kitchener Street was walking along Tates Avenue before 8.00pm when one of four men fired a number of shots from a stolen car and he was struck in the leg.

Thursday 6th April 1972 Belfast garage bombed Shortly after 7.00pm four men held up a pump attendant at J. E. Coulter’s garage, Chichester Street and stole £10. Before they left they placed an explosive charge under an inspection cover at a petrol pump, which exploded ten minutes later causing minor damage. The raider’s also stole a car from the garage and when this was found later in Seymour Street, it was suspected that it might also be booby trapped.

The door of the car was blown off by a controlled explosion but nothing was found.

Thursday 6th April 1972 Telescopic sights found during search Two telescopic sights and more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition have been found by an Army patrol in a house in Rockville Street.

Thursday 6th April 1972 Bomb explodes near M1 bridge A small bomb, estimated to be been between 1 and 2 lbs, has exploded in a scrapyard near the M1 bridge at Finaghy. Military police inves-

Also in the Dungiven area, Army explosives experts removed a 5lb bomb which had been placed outside the Feeney telephone exchange, which is situated between Dungiven and Clady.

Thursday 6th April 1972 Garage bombed in Dungiven Dungiven Motors in Station Road has been severely damaged by two bombs estimated at 5-10lbs and 2050lbs. The explosions were followed by a fire. No one was injured in the attack.

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THE TROUBLES LEFT AND FACING PAGE - Clearing up the remains of victims after an explosion at Bawnmore Grove

an unstable condition, was blown up by Army bomb disposal experts at Armagh County Council’s highways maintenance depot. Residents of the nearby, mainly Protestant estate were advised to open their windows to minimize blast damage.

Thursday 6th April 1972 Children go south for a break Catholic and Protestant children from the North, some with their mothers, are spending holidays in the south. The holiday schemes, which has so far provided holidays for 100’s children, are financed by local people in Cork and elsewhere.

Thursday 6th April 1972 Soldiers attacked in Derry Troops in Derry have come under machinegun fire three times at around 8.00am but no one was injured. A burst of shots was fired from a car in Foyle Road at the Brandywell Army post. Later two bursts were fired at troops on the city walls. Fire was not returned.

Also in Derry shots were fired at the Bligh’s Lane Army post. There were no casualties and fire was not

returned. Troops also fired twice at a gunman seen in the Bogside after shots were fired at the city walls. No one was injured and the gunman was not hit. Overnight plastic bullets were fired by soldiers in an effort to disperse youths in the William Street area.

Thursday 6th April 1972 Unstable gelignite detonated A quantity of gelignite, described by an Army spokesman as being in

Thursday 6th April 1972 IRA are using radio mines Radio command mines are being used by the IRA employ “readily obtainable model aircraft radiocontrolled receivers and relays, according to an article in the New Scientist magazine. The article, by a freelance defence correspondent, reveals that the equipment works on a fixed frequency of 27mhz. British Army patrols suspecting crossborder mining operations now transmit 27mhz signals to detonate any radio controlled mines in the area. It is said that if the IRA obtain variable frequency equipment will electronic counter-measures become more difficult.

The correspondent has also aid that he believes that the Army may be using equipment which can trigger off other explosives and blow up

THE TROUBLES

Page 15

Thursday 6th April 1972 Eight in Sinn Fein office fire Two children and six adults have been taken to a hospital in Dublin when a fire damaged the offices of Sinn Fein in Gardiner Street. The cause of the outbreak is unknown and was confined to the basement.

Thursday 6th April 1972 Bomb at clothing firm A bomb has exploded at a clothing warehouse in Upper Dunmurry Lane. The explosion has been followed by a serious fire.

Friday 7th April 1972 Two men die in bomb attack Two men and possibly a third have been killed in a powerful explosion which demolished a block of lock up garages at Whitehouse on the outskirts of Belfast. It is thought that the victims were close to the centre of the blast which demolished five of the eight garages in the block in the Bawnmore estate.

IRA bombers themselves. “The ordinary match-head electric detonator, much used by the IRA, readily becomes unstable in the presence of an appropriate radio frequency field. The explosion on the March 9th in Clonard Gardens, Belfast, in which four Provisional IRA bombers were killed, may have been deliberately triggered by an appropriate Army electromagnetic emissions in the neighbourhood.”

Thursday 6th April 1972 Tory group backs Irish unity A pressure group at St Andrews University will attempt on Saturday

at the Scottish Young Conservative annual conference in Motherwell to have a motion adopted calling on the Government to work towards the re-unification of Ireland.

The motion says: “That this conference considers that the partition of Ireland has failed and urges Her Majesty’s Government to work towards the re-unification of Ireland.”

It is unlikely however to be accepted and appears to have been ignored by both members of the Government and senior officials of the Conservative Party in Scotland.

Friday 7th April 1972 IRA Campaign to continue The Provisional IRA has made it known through their leadership in Dublin and Sinn Fein that despite the calls for peace they are committed to continuing their campaign. In a BBC radio interview Mr. Rory Brady of Sinn Fein stated that: “The mood of the people and the fighting organizations is to finish it off this time for all time and put an end to Northern Ireland politics.”

Friday 7th April 1972 Troops ambushed in Derry Troops have fought an hour-long

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THE TROUBLES

gun battle with several IRA gunmen in open country between the Creggan estate and the border.

There were no Army casualties but a Army spokesman has said that one of the gunmen was seen to fall. The eight-man patrol of the 5th Light Regiment Royal Artillery had been air-lifted into the area by helicopter for a routine operation. They came under fire from two or three gunmen hiding in hedges and an Army spokesman has said that about 70 rounds were directed at them. Fire was returned but no one was hit.

Friday 7th April 1972 Prison ship to close The phasing out of internment began today with the release of 47 internees and 26 detainees on the orders of Secretary of State, Mr. Whitelaw. The internees released were not asked to give an undertaking about their future behaviour.

The Secretary of State has said that he is personally reviewing the cases of the 728 people still interned. Mr. Whitelaw has also told reporters at Stormont Castle that the Maidstone will cease to be a prison ship within the next few days.

Friday 7th April 1972 Bomb explodes in Armagh Two people have been slightly injured when a bomb exploded in an Armagh Street. The bomb, which was concealed in a van, exploded outside a public house in Scotch Street. A telephone warning had been given 30 minutes prior to the explosion and the vehicle carrying the bomb was quickly located.

Friday 7th April 1972 Aldershot bomb – 3 remanded Three men charged after the bomb blast at the Paratroopers mess in Aldershot have been remanded in custody once more.

Friday 7th April 1972 Public House bombed near Antrim An overnight bomb has badly damaged a public house at Dungonnell, near Antrim just ten minutes after a telephone warning was received.

The bomb, containing between five and ten pounds of gelignite, was concealed in a Ford Corsair.

Friday 7th April 1972 RUC man shot in New Barnsley A man has been shot in the ankle during a attack on an RUC post in New Barnsley. Five shots were fired by the gunman but only one struck the RUC man. Troops in the post returned fire and a man was seen to fall.

Friday 7th April 1972 Army post attacked Four shots were fired and a nail bomb thrown at an Army patrol at the junction of the Falls Road and Fallswater Street but there were no casualties. Later two shots were fired at police on duty at the Springmartin estate but there were no injuries.

Three shots were later fired at the Henry Taggart Army post. Soldiers returned fire but the gunman escaped. A nail bomb also exploded in the Ballymurphy area but the Army have said that there were none of their men in the area at the time.

Friday 7th April 1972 Gunfire heard in Ardoyne In Ardoyne a burst of automatic gunfire was directed along Berwick Road but the target was unknown and there were no reported casualties.

THE TROUBLES

Friday 7th April 1972 Off-licence petrol bombed Two youths have thrown a lighted tin of petrol through the glass door of Grove off-licence but the owner managed to put out the flames and damage was slight.

Friday 7th April 1972 Bomb explodes beside Army vehicle It has been reported that during rioting in Derry a boy, described as being very young, planted a bomb beside an Army vehicle. The vehicle had been put out of action by two nail bombs and seconds after the child planted the bomb it exploded. No one was injured.

Friday 7th April 1972 Bank robbed while Army band plays Three gunmen have raided the Munster and Leinster bank in William Street and escaped with £600. Staff were held up at gunpoint and afterwards a stolen car was found close to the town. While the raid was taking lace, the band of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was playing in Market Square just 300 yards away.

Friday 7th April 1972 Booby-trapped house is blown up An Army bomb expert has blown up a house at Clonoe after troops discovered that it had been booby-

A man, woman and their teenage daughter have been rushed to hospital after a bomb ripped through the garage of W. J. McCrum at Clifton Street. All three are suffering from facial cuts.

Friday 7th April 1972 Soldier shot in Derry A soldier shot while travelling in a vehicle along a riverside track from the Brandywell Army post to a post under Craigavon Bridge is said to be comfortable. He was hit in the left elbow.

Friday 7th April 1972 Raiders carry out arms search The RUC in Derry are investigating an incident in which four men, two armed, entered a house in Steelstown to look for arms. The raiders, two of whom were masked and carrying a sub-machine gun and a pistol held up the occupants while they searched the house. They left without finding anything.

trapped. Several bombs were found in the house. One was found in the chimney and others were under the floor.

Friday 7th April 1972 RUC seeks bomb witnesses Police investigating the bomb blast which killed two men outside Limavady RUC base are anxious to interview anyone who saw any of the two vehicles. The vehicles are a dark blue Morris 1100 car, registration number FKW58D and a Ford Transit Television Rentals van, registration number VFR778K. Friday 7th April 1972 Armagh bomb attack After a bomb warning was investi-

Page 17

gated and found to be false, troops were once again called to Market Street, Armagh. A bomb later exploded but no one was injured. It is estimated that the device contained 30 lb of gelignite.

Friday 7th April 1972 Bomb in Garage A man, woman and their teenage daughter have been rushed to hospital after a bomb ripped through the garage of W. J. McCrum at Clifton Street. All three are suffering from facial cuts but they are not thought to be seriously injured. The explosion shattered windows in Clifton Street old peoples home.

Saturday 8th April 1972 Europa Hotel bombed The luxury Europa Hotel in Belfast has once again been rocked by a massive bomb. The bomb, which had been placed in a hi-jacked lorry, shattered windows in the hotel and surrounding buildings. The ten storey Chamber of Commerce building opposite was also damaged.

Troops and RUC personnel managed to evacuate everyone from the area before the bomb, which was parked in Glengall Street near the Unionist Party headquarters, exploded. An Army officer at the scene estimated the bomb to have contained between 20 and 30lb of gelignite.

The officer has said that the size of the bomb didn’t surprise him because the “narrow street and high buildings helped to magnify the effects of the blast.

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THE TROUBLES

Saturday 8th April 1972 Belfast flour mill attacked A Belfast flourmill has been damaged by a bomb attack. The James Neill flourmill at College Place North was badly damaged when one of two bombs exploded there.

The second bomb was discovered several hours later after an anonymous phone call to the RUC.

Saturday 8th April 1972 Bomb thrown at Army post A bomb has been thrown from a car at the RUC Army post at the Vere Foster School in the New Barnsley estate. It exploded harmlessly and three shots were then fired from the car. Soldiers returned fire but did not hit the car. A short time later soldiers fired at a man seen carrying a rifle in Moyard Park, but he escaped.

Saturday 8th April 1972 Dead soldier named The soldier shot dead outside the Henry Taggart Memorial Hall on Friday afternoon has been named as being Lance Corporal Peter Sime (22) of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He was married with a son aged 1 He is originally from Glasgow and he joined the Army six years ago.

Saturday 8th April 1972 USC man wounded The condition of the former Ulster Special Constabulary member who was shot outside his Newry home is described as being fair. The man, who was working at his car at Sec-

ond Avenue, in the Derrybeg estate, is one of the few remaining Protestants living there.

Saturday 8th April 1972 Shots fired in Derry Three shots have been fired at an Army posts in Derry but no one was hurt. The Army returned fire from the Bligh’s Lane post at a gunman but he was not hit.

Saturday 8th April 1972 Filling station bombed A County Tyrone filling station at Lisnahull, on the Ballygawley Road, Dungannon, has been almost completely wrecked by an explosion. The premises were closed at the time and no one was injured.

Saturday 8th April 1972 Release of internees celebrated Bonfires have been light through out the North and bin lids banged to celebrate the release of 73 internees and detainees.

Saturday 8th April 1972 UDR men quit Nineteen men of the Ulster Defence Regiment’s 1st Battalion, E Company, at Larne have resigned because they are dissatisfied with the duties they have to do. The men, almost all from the one platoon, gave notice that they were quitting

in an interview with the companies commanding officer. They complained that they were mainly on guard duty and were not used for road checks and mobile patrols.

The men also are angry that they have not been deployed in their local areas where they feel that their knowledge would be of value. Two or three UDR men at Larne have previously resigned and it is understood that their dissatisfaction has spread to other areas, including Whitehead.

UDR HQ staff are not available for comment.

Saturday 8th April 1972 Bomb victims identified The three young men who were killed in an explosion in a lock-up garage were almost certainly handling the bomb when it went off.

The three were Charles McCrystal (18), of Mount Street, Belfast; Samuel Hughes (17) and John Joe McErlane (17), both of Bawnmore Park, Belfast. All three lived near Bawnmore Grove, off Shore Road, where the explosion took place.

The RUC believe that Charles McCrystal was inside the car and the other men were either setting the bomb or placing it inside the car when it exploded. A loaded .38 revolver was found at the scene. It is estimated that the bomb contained 30lb of gelignite.

THE TROUBLES

Saturday 8th April 1972 Official IRA denies bombing All responsibility for Fridays lunchtime blasts in Armagh has been denied by the local command of the Official IRA. Many shops had their fronts blow out when the 100lb bomb exploded. In their statement the command said “this type of bombing campaign can only serve to drive the two communities in Armagh apart.”

Saturday 8th April 1972 Soldiers accused of assault Two soldiers have appeared in a Belfast Court charged with assaulting a man and causing him grievous bodily harm. The soldiers, both of D Company, 1st Glosters assaulted the man at Mulhouse Street.

They were remanded on bail.

Saturday 8th April 1972 RTE bans escape song RTE has banned from its programmes the playing of a new ballad telling the story of Dutch” Doherty’s escape from Crumlin Road jail. A record, “Over the Wall,” produced by an ex-internee Billy McBurney, and recorded by the Belfast Based Wolf Hounds, was dropped from the RTE top ten programme by the producer as “ofRIGHT - Anti internment protest at the Henry Taggart army base

fensive and unacceptable.” The proceeds of the record are going to the County Tyrone Co-ordinated Relief Committee. The flip side of the record, “The Magnificent Seven”, deals with the escape of seven men from the Maidstone prison ship.

Saturday 8th April 1972 Linfield social club bombed A bomb has exploded at the social club a Linfield football ground. The bomb, which was placed inside a van, exploded outside Windsor Park. Two people were treated for shock and it shattered windows in the surrounding area.

Saturday 8th April 1972 Belfast animals are ‘nervous wrecks’ Domestic pets in Belfast are becoming nervous wrecks because of the

Page 19

continual bombings and shootings in the city. Dog and cats that live through blasts sometimes can turn vicious and unmanageable says the secretary of the USPCA. “A human being can understand these troubles, but you can’t explain an explosion to an animal,” said the spokeswoman.

Monday 10th April 1972 Ballymurphy woman attacked A pregnant Ballymurphy woman has been beaten up and had feathers and paint poured over her has claimed that she has been given 48 hours to get out of the estate The Provisional IRA has accepted responsibility for the attack. The mother of three, Mrs Philomena McGucken, claimed that her attackers accused her of taking drugs but she said that the only drugs she was taking was for her nerves. He husband, she said, was arrested five weeks ago and was in prison.

Monday 10th April 1972 Troops find arms cache An arms cache and bomb making equipment were found early today

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THE TROUBLES LEFT - Car bomb attack in Castlereagh Street

Monday 10th April 1972 Girl charged with attempted murder A teenage girl has appeared in court on a charge of attempted murder at a bookie’s shop on Saturday. The 17-year-old girl from Fort Street was also refused bail.

by troops in two separate swoops in Belfast. In an outhouse in the Falls Road area men of the Kings own Scottish Borders found three .303 rifles, one .22 rifle and 907 rounds of assorted ammunition.

the IRA and soldiers is said to be improving. The woman from Kildrum Gardens in the Creggan was hit in the stomach in the Brandywell area of Derry.

Monday 10th April 1972 Youth shot in Strabane An 18-year-old youth has been shot in Strabane while out walking with his girlfriend. As the couple walked along Townsend Street they were approached by four gunmen and made the girl stand against the wall.

They then shot the man in the right leg.

In the second search at an empty flat at Norglen Parade the flowing bomb making materials were discovered: Acid, an electrical detonator, chemicals and other explosive devices.

In Derry, at Mullabuoy, children found a shotgun, two .22 rifles and a cartridge belt with 25 rounds of ammunition in a derelict house.

Monday 10th April 1972 Shots fired at patrol An Army patrol has come under fire on the outskirts of Derry. There were no casualties and fire was not returned. Later troops fired one shot from the city walls at a gunman in the Bogside. He wasn’t hit.

Monday 10th April 1972 Belfast man shot a his home A 51-year-old Belfast man has undergone emergency surgery after being shot at his home in Orient Gardens. The man, a catholic, was shot in the stomach. He was at his front door with his wife when the gunmen struck.

Monday 10th April 1972 Widow’s pensions granted Government pensions have been granted to 33 soldiers widows since the outbreak of the troubles.

Monday 10th April 1972 Injured woman’s condition improves The Derry woman who was caught in an exchange of gunfire between

THE TROUBLES

Monday 10th April 1972 Co-op attacked A bomb has exploded at a Co-op shop at the juncation of Springfield Road and Ainsworth Avenue. One woman was treated for shock.

Monday 10th April 1972 Shots fired in Belfast 25 shots have been fired into Tates Avenue from Rodney Parade area.

No injuries were reported.

Monday 10th April 1972 Mine explodes in South Armagh Soldiers have escaped injury when a mine exploded under their Land Rover. A man was seen running away and a shot was fired at him but no hit was claimed.

Monday 10th April 1972 Shots fired in Lurgan Five to ten rounds have been fired at the 3rd Brigade headquarters but no one was hurt in the attack.

Monday 10th April 1972 UDR man attacked A UDR man has been fired on by gunmen on the CoalislandPomeroy road as he was going on duty. The part-time soldier was unhurt but his car was riddled by gunfire.

Monday 10th April 1972 Soldiers attacked in Derry Shooting attacks on troops have continued sporadically in Derry.

No one was injured. Troops have also opened fire on two gunmen in RIGHT - Rioters attack the army in the Bogside

Derry but no hits have been claimed.

Monday 10th April 1972 Helicopters move internees More than 100 detainees have been lifted by helicopter from the prison ship Maidstone and the ship will no longer be used as a detention centre. The move has followed a pledge by the Secretary of State, Mr. William Whitelaw, that the ship would be closed. Mr. Whitelaw said he did think it was suitable for the purpose. The men were all taken to Long Kesh internment camp.

Monday 10th April 1972 Bogside votes for new leaders Householders in the Bogside area of Derry have been polling to elect a community association. The organisers, a group of local schoolteachers working in conjunction with tenant associations, have made it clear that their election is in no way connected with the election plans announced by the Provisional IRA for a community government in the Bogside and Creggan. One of the organisers, Rev Denis

Page 21

Bradley of the Long Tower Youth Association said that the association which they planned would operate only in the Bogside and would not include the Creggan Estate. “It will have absolutely no political aims,” he said.

Monday 10th April 1972 IRA pledge The Provisional IRA in Derry are to continue the fight against the security forces. Leaders of the movement announced this when they addressed a public meeting in the Bogside and they gave a press conference in the Creggan Estate at the weekend. They also announced plans to form a community government for what they called the “Free Derry” area and said that the elections would take place in four to six weeks.

Monday 10th April 1972 UVF threat The RUC have denied an allegation by the Provisonals of plans by the UVF to assassinate people in the barricaded areas. The claim was made by the Provisional leaders at a press conference at which they

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THE TROUBLES

produced photographs of about 200 people and a UVF armband which they said was discovered by one of their units in a UVF dump in the Waterside area of Derry.

David O’Connell, a leading IRA tactician, who figured in the Amsterdam arms smuggling bid, spoke at the press conference and said that most of the pictures were of ordinary people in the barricaded areas who had no connection with the Republican movement. He said that one of the reasons that they had decided to strengthen the barricades was that they believed that the UVF planned sorties into the Bogside and Creggan. Mr. O’Connell and Mr. Martin McGuinness, described as the commanding officer of the Derry command of the Provisional IRA both addressed the Bogside meeting. It has been reported that approaches by the Provisional IRA to the Democratic Unionist Party in Derry have been rejected.

Monday 10th April 1972 Internment rallies Two big protest rallies about internment were held in Belfast – one demanding that it be ended and the other condemning the release of internees. In Belfast a crowd of about 50 protesters picketed Crumlin Road Prison for about and hour. They carried placards protesting against the release of internees.

Later about 1,000 people marched to the jail from Tennant Street to make a similar protest. At Beechmount Avenue on the Falls Road, two of the recently released internees where among the speakers at an anti-internment rally.

Monday 10th April 1972 UDR carry or search More than 150 members of the UDR from two battalions have taken part in an intensive search and check operation along the border.

This is the first inter battalion op-

Belfast’s Crumlin Road Prison

eration exercise to be staged by the regiment and represents an important development in UDR operations. A varied programme was completed including cross country foot patrols at night around Castlederg and a co-ordinated saturation of the border area in South Tyrone. Over the 24 hour period the UDR men had no more than two hours rest. Arial support was provided by Army helicopters.

Monday 10th April 1972 Bernadette Devlin in Treason case A move to obtain a summons alleging high treason against Miss Bernadette Devlin, Independent MP for Mid-Ulster, will be made in a Leeds court on Wednesday. The application is being made by Mr. Thomas Doyle (30), secretary of the Yorkshire Association for British Ulster. Mr. Doyle will use a 620year-old treason statute. He is also

THE TROUBLES

Page 23

If the plan is a success it is thought that it might be expanded to include more streets in the centre of Belfast. Portable metal barriers will be used to seal the streets and troops and police will be on duty to explain the plan.

alleging sedition and riotous assembly against Miss Devlin. Mr. Doyle says that he is making his application as an individual says the association will back him if he succeeds.

Monday 10th April 1972 Book raises money for bomb victims Money sent to Mr. Brian Faulkner for the free-of-charge book “The Terror and the Tears” and the proceeds of a charity walk and disco run by the pupils of St. Colmcille’s Secondary School, Crossgar have been sent to the bomb victim’s relief fund. The total amount donated to the fund now stands at £10,050.

Monday 10th April 1972 Paisley man talks about Bogside A Free Presbyterian minister has said that he would love to address a meeting in the Bogside but he was

afraid he might be lynched. The people of the Bogside had souls as well as anyone else said the Rev James McClelland, vice president of the Democratic Unionist Party in Derry.

Tuesday 11th April 1972 Derry IRA in clean-up campaign The Derry command of the Provisional IRA have begun a clean-up operation in the Creggan area of the city. A Provisional spokesman said that all unnecessary barricades in the estate would be cleared away and waste ground levelled and turned into recreational areas. The spokesman also said that the barricades at the perimeter of the area would be strengthened against any possible attempt by the Army to enter the estate in Force. It is believed that the Provisionals intend to replace burned out vehicles with some form of reinforced concrete blocks.

Tuesday 11th April 1972 No-car zone for Belfast A large part of the centre of Belfast is to be barred to cars within the next few days in an effort to beat the car bombers. The streets will be closed to traffic from eleven in the morning until six at night. The clamp down applies from Monday to Saturday and only Army and RUC vehicles will be allowed to enter the area. It is thought that Ann Street, west of Church Lane, Castle Lane, Callender Street, Fountain Street, the east of College Street and Fountain Lane will all be made “pedestrians only.”

Tuesday 11th April 1972 Shots fired in Derry Three bullets have hit the home of the Nationalist Party president Mr. Eddie McAteer at Beechwood Avenue, Derry, during a brief gun battle between the IRA and the Army.

The Army have said that a man armed with a Thompson sub-machine gun opened up on a patrol at the junction of Eastway and Lone Moor Road. The gunman, who fired eight rounds at the patrol, was operating from the Westland Street area. No one was injured in the attack.

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THE TROUBLES LEFT - Bomb attack on the Europa Hotel.

FACING PAGE - IRA bomb attack on a block of shops in East Belfast

Tuesday 11th April 1972 Widgery report Cabinet Ministers will be discussing the report by Lord Widgery, on the “Bloody Sunday” shootings at Derry over the next few days. The report was handed to the Home Secretary Mr. Reginald Maudling on Monday but there are to be top level talks about the findings before they are published.

Tuesday 11th April 1972 Sinn Fein contacts Kennedy Sinn Fein are said to be keeping Senator Edward Kennedy informed about “torture and injustice” in the North said party president Tomas MacGiolla in Dublin. MacGiolla also said that Sinn Fein had also been supplying material to Dr. Kurt Waldheim, the new United Nations Secretary General, who is on a two day visit to Britain.

Tuesday 11th April 1972 IRA campaign will continue The Provisional IRA leaders in Derry have decided to continue with their campaign despite a plea for peace by the Derry Citizens Central Council. Council representatives mostly from the Bogside met with Mr. David O’Connell and Mr. Martin McGuinness. The Provisionals maintained the necessity for continued political and military activity and a proposal for community elections was put forward in principal by the Provisionals representatives.

Tuesday 11th April 1972 Troops fire at gunman Troops have fired at a gunman who was seen at a window in Westland Terrace in the Bogside. No one was hit. Later a shot was fired at the Brandywell Army post from the vicinity of the cemetery. There were no casualties and fire was not returned.

Tuesday 11th April 1972 IRA men escape from court Three men from the North escaped during scuffles between Gardai and civilians at Monaghan when police tried to re-arrest them after a court hearing. Charges of being members of the IRA and illegally possessing .303 ammunition had been brought against Kevin Mallon and Patrick Quinn of Coalisland and Joseph Donaghy of no fixed abode but these were dismissed by the judge.

As Gardai made moves to re-arrest the three men surged towards them, scuffles broken out and the men were driven away from the scene.

Tuesday 11th April 1972 Bogside poll The organisers of the Bogside election for a community association say that polling was “exceptionally high” – in some areas as high as 95%.

Tuesday 11th April 1972 Damages awarded to G.A.A. At Dungannon County Court agreed damages of £25,000 were awarded to the trustees of O’Neill G.A.A. Park, Dungannon, for damage caused to the pavilion on the 17th March 1971.

Tuesday 11th April 1972 Soldiers killed in Derry Two soldiers have been killed in Derry as they tried to move young rioters to safety away from a 40lb bomb. The soldiers, both members of the 5th Light Regiment Royal Artillery, left a safe position to try to get young stone throwers away from the bomb which had been planted inside a bowling club pa-

THE TROUBLES

vilion. They were Lance Bombardier Eric Blackburn and Bombardier Brian Thomasson. Their deaths, for which the Official IRA claimed responsibility, brings the number of people killed in the north since August 1969 to 300.

The soldiers had gone to investigate a report that a bomb had been placed inside the pavilion at Rosemount on the fringe of the Creggan estate. The bomb was located at 7.30 pm and the soldier, members of a foot patrol, proceeded to disperse youths who were throwing stones. It was during this time that the bomb exploded killing the two men. The Official IRA has released a statement about the soldiers deaths in which they stated that the

bombing was “in pursuance of our policy of defence and retaliation for the ‘Bloody Sunday’ killings.”

Tuesday 11th April 1972 Shots fired in Ardoyne The Army have stated that they may have hit a gunman in the Ardoyne area of Belfast last night. The spokesman said that the shooting occurred at around 7.30 pm when a shot was fired, possibly at a group of Protestants at Palmer StreetCrumlin Road from Chatham Street. Soldiers who were in the area returned fire and believe they may have hit the gunman. Around the same time as this incident another gunman fired four shots from Hooker Street at the patrol.

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Tuesday 11th April 1972 Henry Taggart base attacked On two occasions during the night, a total of six shots were fired by snipers at the Henry Taggart Memorial Hall from the area of Divismore Way. Soldiers at the base returned fire twice but no hits were claimed.

Tuesday 11th April 1972 Youth shot in Andersonstown A youth is thought to have been injured during a shooting incident in the Andersonstown area. The incident happened between 4 and 5 pm when three gunmen in a stolen car opened fire on another car at Shaws Road-Andersonstown Road. Five bullets struck the car but none of the occupants were injured. A 19-

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THE TROUBLES LEFT - Car bomb attack at King Street

placed a small charge in order to open the shop door but no one was injured. The shop, at the corner of Henrietta Street and Bishop Street was extensively damaged.

year-old youth was later admitted to hospital. He said that he had been shot from a passing car.

Tuesday 11th April 1972 Man fined over IRA document Barry Doyle, 21-year-old joint proprietor of the United Irishman newspaper was fined £20 at Limerick City Court for possessing an incriminating document containing a threat to assassinate leading Northern Ireland and Eire politicians. The document found in Doyle’s possession appears to aid and abet an organisation by purporting to give certain advice on what tactics the IRA should adopt.

Tuesday 11th April 1972 Communists call for a truce The National Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Ireland

has called for a truce by both the IRA and the Army. A statement says “Aggressive military actions by either source only exacerbate the suffering of the ordinary people, Catholic and Protestant and obscure the need for political solutions to the present crisis. Bombings of civilian premises result in deaths and maiming of innocent people, heighten sectarian divisions among the working class and thereby playing into the hands of right wing unionism.”

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Army detonates bomb An Army expert has detonated a booby trap bomb in Derry more than seven hours after 100 people were evacuated from their homes.

The bomb exploded after the Army

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Treason bid fails An application for a summons alleging high treason against Miss Bernadette Devlin, Westminster M.P. for Mid-Ulster, has failed. The application was based on the 620year-old Statute of Treason but the magistrate ruled that it was outside the jurisdiction of the court “to deal with offences alleged to have occurred in Ulster.” The person bringing the case, Mr. Thomas Doyle, now says he will try to obtain a summons in the North.

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Shot man arms charge A 19-year-old window cleaner has been remanded in custody on an arms charge. The man from Whitehall Row is accused of possessing a rifle and 21 rounds of ammunition. He had been caught by troops and was shot in the leg as he tried to escape.

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Clean out ghettos says Faulkner In his first meeting with Mr. Whitelaw since Direct Rule was imposed, Mr. Faulkner, the leader of the Unionist Party, has told the Secretary of State of his concern that the Army may now be allowing the IRA to operate in the ghettos rather than “seeking them out.”

THE TROUBLES

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TOP RIGHT - Members of the Provisional IRA reinforcing the barricades in the Bogside.

BOTTOM RIGHT - Troops construct a barricade on the Craigavon Bridge

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Ballmurphy woman told leave area The home of the pregnant Ballymurphy woman, Mrs Philomena McGucken’s parents has been attacked and Mrs McGucken ordered to leave the area. Mrs McGucken moved into her mother’s home after she was attacked and covered with paint and feathers but local people have said that they want her out of the area altogether and not just in a different house.

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Booby trap in car There has been an attempt to kill an RUC Reserve near Portglenone by booby trapping his car. The bomb, containing 20 lb of explosives, was wired to the drive shaft of the car, but it was spotted before it could explode. An Army explosives expert was sent to the scene to disarm the bomb but it exploded as he was working with it. No one was injured by the blast.

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Tyrone factory bombed A water pipe burst as a bomb exploded in a County Tyrone factory, starting a fire and then extinguished a blaze. The bomb, planted in a dog food factory in Benburb shortly after 11.00 pm only caused slight damage to the building.

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Shots fired in Brompton Park At least 13 shots were fired from a speeding car in the Brompton Park area of Ardoyne. The security forces were not involved in the incident and it is not known what the shots were aimed at. No one was injured.

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Belfast bombs In Belfast a grocery shop in London Street has been slightly damaged by a nail bomb and 30lbs of explosives have been found in a bag in the flour mill of James Neill in

College Place North. The bomb was defused by an Army explosives expert.

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Bomb thrown into Derry camp A three pound bomb has been thrown into the Army camp at Duncreggan, in Derry. It caused severe damage to a nissen hut and broke windows in the surrounding area.

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Armed raid in Dungiven Three men armed with machine guns and a revolver raided a bingo

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hall in Gulladuff outside Dungiven.

It is believed they got away with about £60.

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Garage robbed in Cookstown Two armed men have held up the proprietor of a Cookstown garage and got away with about £1,000 in cash as well as cheques. Earlier in the day masked and armed men robbed the Munster and Leinster Bank in the village of Pomeroy which is nine miles away. They got away with an undisclosed sum of money.

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Vanguard threat The Vanguard movement has threatened “pretty tough” action over the decision to reprimand civil servants who joined the two day strike against direct rule. It is understood that about 100 civil servants, mainly in the Ministry of Health and Social Services received letters of reprimand and have been told that they will not be paid for the period of unauthorised leave.

The Vanguard steering committee has been discussing the development and an official said “Our attitude to this scandalous move will be pretty tough. We will probably take some action through the Loyalist Association of Workers. We will not sit back and take this.”

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Loyalist women strike A group calling itself the Loyalist Women’s Action Committee has called on Protestant women workers to strike to strike on Thursday

afternoon as a protest against direct rule and decisions taken by the Secretary of State, Mr. Whitelaw. The committee says it plans to hold a rally outside Belfast Prison to protest against the release of internees.

It is not clear if the strike call will receive much support, but if it comes off it will not have the backing of the official trade union movement.

had no objection to reports that were objective, even if they were not necessarily favourable to the Provisional IRA viewpoint.

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Allegations made against Army Army headquarters has issued a statement saying that they were not denying that soldiers had painted a Union Jack on the gable wall of a

The Derry Command of the Provisional IRA have said that they are to place strict sanctions on access to the Free Derry area to certain pressmen. In a statement they said that they had for some time given pressmen a free hand in the barricaded area, but they had become increasingly disturbed by certain press reports “being twisted and warped to suit the policy of the particular papers concerned.”

Wednesday 12th April 1972 Derry IRA issue press cards The Derry Command of the Provisional IRA have said that they are to place strict sanctions on access to the Free Derry area to certain pressmen. In a statement they said that they had for some time given pressmen a free hand in the barricaded area, but they had become increasingly disturbed by certain press reports “being twisted and warped to suit the policy of the particular papers concerned.” Although reluctant to place any restrictions, the IRA said I felt it had no other option. However, they pointed out that the command would be issuing Press Cards authorising the holders to operate in the Bogside and Creggan areas in their professional capacity. Cards would be issued to individual Pressmen and not t newspapers. The IRA said they had no intention of inhibiting the freedom of the press and

house in the lower Falls area of Belfast. But the spokesman added that it was difficult to check for the soldiers concerned, men of the Glosters, had left the North after completing their tour of duty.

Among the allegations, it was claimed that the Glosters had sung The Sash, made rude signs, played bugles, fired shots into the air and painted the Union Jack on a Gable wall in Raglan Street. The spokesman said that there was obviously some little party celebrations” and “high spirits” from the Glosters before leaving but he did not think that what happened was directed in a vicious way at any part of the community.

Wednesday 12th April 1972 UDR man sues soldiers for assault A full time member of the UDR has alleged at Belfast Recorder’s Court that he was kicked and beaten by

THE TROUBLES

soldiers at a road block. Thomas Irwin, aged 21, is suing the Ministry of Home Affairs for ÂŁ5,000 criminal injury damages.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Ex-B Special attacked An attempt has been made on the life of an ex-member of the Ulster Special Constabulary near Crossmaglen. The man, who has not been revealed, was travelling to work in a quarry when he passed a car with three men on board, parked at the side of the road. The car had a southern registration. A short time later the car overtook him and as it did a number of shots were fired, three of which struck the vehicle.

The gunmen then drove off in the direction of Dundalk.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Shots fired in Derry Four shots have been fired at the Brandywell Army post in Derry from the Creggan area. No one was injured and fire was not returned.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Car showroom attacked for fifth time A massive IRA car bomb has completely demolished the showrooms of Isaac Agnew at the corner of Durham Street and Grosvenor Road. This is the fifth time that the bombers have struck at these premises. An employee of the firm has said that a young man drove a Volkswagen into the showroom, got out and shouted that there was a bomb in the car and ran out. He jumped into a waiting car which

drove off up the Grosvenor Road.

Twenty minutes later the bomb exploded demolishing the three-storey building and completely wrecking about 30 new cars. No one was injured in the attack but windows in a large radius were shattered for the sixth or seventh time.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Security man shot in Newry A security man has been shot and at least a dozen people, including three soldiers and two RUC men, have been injured during a widespread bombing attack. The security man was shot in the leg by one of four men as they planted a bomb at a rural council office in Newry.

He is not thought to be seriously injured.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Pregnant woman had gun Two women were carried unconscious from a blazing building after an arson attempt went wrong. It appears that armed raiders, one of who was a pregnant woman, entered the premises of Queens University Air Squadron Club and sprinkled petrol on the floor. It is thought that the petrol may have been accidentally ignited by a gas fire on one of the floors. In the resulting panic a revolver was abandoned and found in a downstairs porch.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Bomb at Belfast Telegraph offices A bomb has been planted at the Newry offices of the Belfast Telegraph and Army experts were

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called to the scene. The bomb was dragged from the building into the street where it burst open. The soldier then detonated the device which contained 10lb of gelignite and a gallon of petrol.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Bomb at Smithfield Five buses have been wrecked and more than 20 severely damaged when a bomb exploded at Smithfield Bus Depot. The bomb, estimated to be more than 50lb was placed in the depot by two armed men. Employees were told to get out and fifteen minutes the bomb exploded. The RUC have said that the bomb was transported to the depot by a car which had been stolen in the Falls Road. Several houses in the Samuel Street area have been damaged by the blast.

Thursday 13th April 1972 9 internees released Another nine internees have been released from Long Kesh and Magilligan. This follows the unconditional releases of 47 internees and 26 detainees in Friday. After the latest releases a further 671 internees and 159 detainees are still being held under the Special Powers Act. Thursday 13th April 1972 Woman dies after Ballymoney bomb A 64-year-old Ballymoney woman has died when a bomb which was parked outside her flat exploded.

He woman, Mrs Elizabeth McAuley, lived above a shop in Main Street and her body was found

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in the building after the bomb, estimated to be between 50 and 100lbs exploded. A telephone warning had been received and the vehicle carrying the bomb identified, however, the RUC had difficulty trying to rouse Mr and Mrs McAuley. They did manage to get Mr McAuley out through the rear of the premises but before Mrs McAuley could be brought to safety the bomb exploded. The blast, the first in Ballymoney, was heard ten miles away.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Telephone exchange attacked in Fermanagh

In Fermanagh, more than 170 subscribers were left without telephones when a bomb exploded during the night at the automatic telephone exchange in Newtownbutler. It is estimated that the bomb contained 10lb of gelignite.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Bombs explode at Broadway Two bombs have exploded in the Broadway area of Belfast but an Army spokesman has said that there were no security force personnel in the area at the time and there was no apparent target. No damage was reported.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Shots fired in Belfast Troops have come under attack in the Lower Falls area of Belfast when six shots were fired from the direction of St Comgall’s School.

Troops returned fire but no hits were claimed.

Shots have also been fired at the Army posts at Springfield Road and at Falls Road bus depot. No casualties were reported Two high velocity shots were also fired shortly before 7.00pm at the Henry Taggart Army post, Ballymurphy. A short time later shots were also fired at a two man RUC patrol in Roden Street from

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the direction of Grosvenor Park and Beatrice Street. The bullets struck a wall close to them.

Nine shots have also been fired at the New Barnsley RUC Barracks from the direction of Divismore Park. The troops on duty returned fire but no one was injured.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Soldiers attacked in Derry There have been a number of shootings in Derry overnight. In the first of the incidents shots were fired at a gunman who appeared at the junction of Lone Moor Road and Eastway and it is reported that he was hit. Twice during the night soldiers came under fire at the DerryDonegal border. Eight gunmen operating in the area of Millbrook Bridge fired a total of 30 automatic and single shots at a two vehicle patrol. The soldiers returned fire and believe they may have ht one of the gunmen.

Thursday 13th April 1972 FACING PAGE - Bomb attack on the Annadale Embankment RIGHT - Bomb attack in Bishop Street, Derry

Customs post bombed A temporary customs post at Killea has been badly damaged by fire.

The previous post was destroyed by an explosion some time ago.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Soldiers attacked in Omagh Twenty soldiers in civvies have been attacked by youths in Bridge Street, Omagh. The soldiers were on their way back to Lisanelly Camp when the incident occurred, however members of the RUC, who were on foot patrol, managed to disperse the crowd. Later in the evening about 200 youths damaged property and smashed several windows in the town.

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Thursday 13th April 1972 Bogside election meeting A meeting backed by the Provisional IRA is to be held in the Bogside to discuss the “New Derry� general election to set up a community government within the Free Derry area. The Provisionals announced their election plans at the weekend saying that the election would take place within six weeks.

The meeting which is being held tonight in Our Lady of Lourdes Hall, is to form a steering committee to establish the machinery of the election.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Bomb in Castlederg Dozens of shops have been damaged by a bomb which exploded in Main Street Castlederg. Several of the shops had their fronts blown in and two RUC men, a sergeant and constable, were slightly injured.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Electricity pylons bombed A bomb has exploded at Drumuckaval, near Crossmaglen destroying two electricity pylons.

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No one was injured in the attack but the Army suspecting a booby trap in a hi-jacked lorry which is parked nearby have sealed off the road.

Three soldiers were later injured at a house at Drumuckaval while the attacks were being investigated, however their injuries are minor.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Mini van explodes in Derry A bomb which was left in a hijacked mini van has exploded in Derry. The lunchtime explosion

occurred in the enclosed yard of McConnell and Co. in Foyle Street.

No one was injured in the attack and the enclosed yard in which the bomb was planted limited the amount of damage caused. A pall of black smoke, however, could be seen belching several hundred feet up into the sky.

Thursday 13th April 1972 Loyalist women tell Whitelaw “Go home” About 500 women, some pushing

prams, blocked the Crumlin Road outside Belfast Prison in protest against the release to internees.

They sang songs as they moved in a circle on the roadway and traffic had to be diverted from the area.

Placards read “Go Home Willie Whitewash” and “Heath, Ulster’s Judas.” The demonstration was organised by Shankill members of the Ulster Loyalist Women’s Association, who called on women to stop work for the demonstration.

Friday 14th April 1972 Whitelaw denies RUC shake-up Secretary of State, Mr. William Whitelaw sent a message to all RUC men today that the rumours of a major reorganisation of the force are totally without foundation.

Friday 14th April 1972 Hold up at Mill Six armed men have got away with nearly £2,500 after they held up staff at the Falls Flax Spinning Company in Conway Street. The men used a hi-jacked GPO van to make their getaway and the driver was held for four hours before being released.

Friday 14th April 1972 Shots fired in Belfast Soldiers and RUC personnel have come under fire in Belfast but there were no casualties. Two shots were fired at a joint RUC-Army patrol at Shaw’s Road, but neither hit the LEFT - Bomb attack in Ballymoney’s Main Street. A 64 year old woman, Elizabeth McAuley, died in a blaze which followed.

THE TROUBLES

vehicle. Ten shots believed to be from a M1 carbine were fired in the Turf Lodge area but the RUC have said that the security forces were not involved. Six shots were also fired at an Army post at Andersonstown bus depot, but fire was not returned Friday 14th April 1972 IRA claim 30 operations in 24 hours The Provisional IRA, in a statement issued by the Irish Republican Publicity Bureau in Dublin claimed to have carried out 30 operations in the past 24 hours. The Provisionals added that extensive damage was caused to “administrative, commercial and industrial targets.” They also claimed responsibility for killing one soldier and wounding 16 others and four RUC men during the last ten days.

The launderette at Crumlin Road has been wrecked by a 50lb bomb.

It was carried into the premises at around 9.00 am.

A 30lb bomb has been defused at the local Electricity Board at Main Street, Newcastle. It had been planted at around midnight but was defused about ten hours later.

A parcel of gelignite has been made safe in Andersonstown after it was found in Ramoan Gardens. Five shots were fired at the Army expert who was called in to examine the device but fire was not returned and no injuries were caused.

A bomb has wrecked a Ministry of Agriculture digger at a dump at Newry Road, Newtownhamlton.

RIGHT - Bomb attack on Connell’s Tea Merchants, Derry.

At the new £12 million hydro-electric scheme at Camlough Lake, Army bomb experts spent 12 hours defusing a bomb. The bomb was planted by four armed men, who held up a security guard. The man was later released unharmed four miles away.

A pipe bomb has exploded on the premises of a heating engineer on the Beersbridge Road. A second device was defused.

A gunman entered the Farmers Rest

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public house at Castlereagh Street and ordered all the Protestants to leave the bar. About 75% of the customers left.

An incendiary device has exploded at the White Cross Hotel, Newtownhamilton. Only slight damage was caused.

At 10.45pm a bomb exploded at a deep litter hen house at Alnaveigh, Bessbrook.

In Armagh a tractor was destroyed in a blast at the playing fields at

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Moy Road. Charges that had been placed on two other vehicles failed to explode.

The offices of Fane Valley livestock market at Armagh Street, Newtownhamilton, was badly damaged by the explosion. Several buses parked nearby were wrecked.

The Beechlawn hotel in Dunmurry was damaged when a bomb exploded in a car outside the building. The hotel had been evacuated and no one was hurt.

A bomb has exploded at Massereene Golf Club, Lough Road, Antrim. The blast wrecked the lounge and the remainder of the building was badly damaged.

Fire has destroyed the premises of Feedwell Products in Bangor. The RUC were told that a bomb had been planted but nothing was found.

A new telephone exchange at Mayobridge was destroyed by a bomb at 9.40. The Exchange had not yet come into use.

A new telephone exchange at Newry Road, Kilkeel was also badly damaged by an explosion.

A mountain rescue hut at Tollymore, outside Newcastle was wrecked by a bomb. Some 23 people were told to leave the hut before the explosion occurred.

Castlewellan Masonic Hall was damaged by an explosion at around 2.15 in the morning. A second blast was heard in the same area but so far it has not been possible to trace it.

In Strabane County Tyrone an Air Force Cadet hut and a small electricity transformer were destroyed by bombs.

A bomb in a milk churn damaged

Kinawley post office in the early hours of the morning. Some of the explosives did not go off and were made safe by an Army bomb expert.

Three men drove a vehicle into a garage at Coleraine Road, Garvagh containing a bomb. The bomb exploded causing extensive damage.

A bomb in a suitcase was discovered by a UDR patrol at Moneymore, County Derry. It exploded shortly after 11.00pm damaging a Co-operative store and injuring an RUC man.

At around 1.00am a UDR mobile patrol was ambushed by the IRA at Dungiven. A burst of automatic gunfire was directed at the patrol, hitting one of the vehicles four times.

Raiders managed to slip unnoticed into an oil storage depot a Pennyburn, Derry, in the early hours of the morning and planted a 2030lb bomb. The bomb exploded but only caused slight damage to an oil supply line.

At 4.37am in Derry, three bursts of five or six shots were fired from the area of Charlotte Place-Barrack Street towards an Army patrol in Abercorn Road. There were no casualties and no fire was returned.

At around 5.00am a soldier identified a soldier at Nailor’s Row, Derry and fired at him, but no hit was claimed.

In William Street a bomb exploded at the rear of a public house. No one was injured.

Friday 14th April 1972 SDLP branch formed in Ardoyne A branch of the SDLP has been formed in Ardoyne after an inten-

sive six week canvassing campaign.

A packed meeting was held in the area and a committee was elected.

A member of the SDLP executive was in attendance to outline the party’s organisation and policies.

Friday 14th April 1972 Vanguard’s wreath dilemma The Vanguard movement in Britain is planning a march in London on April 29th, is finding it difficult to find somewhere to lay a wreath in Memory of British soldiers who have died in the North. They had hoped to lay it at the cenotaph in Whitehall but were told that the monument was specifically for the dead of two World Wars. It is expected that several thousand people will support the Vanguard demonstration. The anti-internment movement is planning a march on the same day. Police are making careful plans to keep the two groups apart.

Friday 14th April 1972 Bomb scare in Bangor Fifty families were evacuated from their homes in Bangor after a report that a bomb had been planted at a pet food factory. The area was evacuated but no bombs were found.

Friday 14th April 1972 Belfast traffic ban The traffic plan to beat the bombers in Belfast city centre will go into operation next Monday. An RUC spokesman said that the restrictions will be “rigidly enforced.” It will operate all week from 11.00am to 6.00pm. During that time, the use

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of all vehicles will be prohibited in the following designated zones: 1. Ann Street from Arthur Square to Church Lane.

2. Telfair Street.

3. Cornmarket.

4. Castle Lane from Donegal Place to Callender Street.

5. Castle Arcade.

6. Fountain Lane.

The order is being made under the Special Powers Act. Anyone who contravenes it is liable to a maximum £50 fine or a maximum sentence of six months, or both.

Friday 14th April 1972 Radio destroyed The Official IRA in Belfast has issued a statement accusing the Provisionals of “adopting the role of the British Army in the repression of free speech and basic human rights.” The Officials allege that members of the Provisional Alliance burst into the house of a pregnant woman in Andersonstown and damaged a radio being used by the Officials to broadcast requests for internees in Long Kesh. They say that the man and girl who were operating the radio were threatened with being shot if they attempted to interfere.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Senior IRA man shot dead A man, believed to be high on the Army’s wanted list, has been shot dead by troops in the Markets area of Belfast. He was challenged as he walked along Joy Street. The man pushed the soldier to the

ground and ran away. Other soldiers taking part in the routine patrol challenged him several times, but he failed to stop and was shot twice. His bleeding body lay on the pavement for some time while police and troop reinforcements rushed to the scene. The body was taken away in an ambulance accompanied by a plain clothes RUC man.

First reports said he was a high ranking officer in the IRA, and had been on the wanted list for at least three years. It is understood the man – believed to be from the Markets area – had disguised himself by dying his hair.

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gelignite finds on the railway near Stranraer.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Brothers wounded in Belfast The Army this afternoon gave details of a shooting in the Whiterock area of Belfast, after which two brothers were admitted to hospital.

The Army say a patrol of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers were fired on by two men. Two shots were fired at the troops who returned fire as the men ran away. One man was hit in the legs and the other dropped a 9mm pistol as he ran. Two men were later admitted to hospital.

The Official IRA in Belfast has issued a statement accusing the Provisionals of “adopting the role of the British Army in the repression of free speech and basic human rights.” The Officials allege that members of the Provisional Alliance burst into the house of a pregnant woman in Andersonstown and damaged a radio being used by the Officials to broadcast requests for internees in Long Kesh.

They say that the man and girl who were operating the radio were threatened with being shot if they attempted to interfere.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Gelignite seized in Larne Four Scotsmen are being questioned by the RUC after the discovery of 50lbs of explosives in a car on board a cross-channel ferry which docked at Larne Harbour.

The men all believed to have addresses in Lanarkshire were detained after police made a routine search on the car deck of the British Rail Ferry, Caledonian Princess.

There is speculation that the “routine check” at Larne could have followed a tip off from the Scottish Police who have been carrying out extensive investigations following

Saturday 15th April 1972 Gunmen shot in Derry The Army in Derry claim that they may have hit four gunmen in sporadic shooting incidents in the city.

In the first of the incidents shortly after 1.00am security forces claimed a hit after firing at a gunman in Warke’s Lane near the Rosemount Post. About fours later a gunman was seen in a building in Lone Moor Road. Troops fired at the man but failed to hit him. Forty minutes later soldiers again fired at a gunman seen in a derelict building in Lone Moor Road. No hit was claimed. A gunman was seen to

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RIGHT - The remains of Isaac Agnew’s car showroom after a bomb attack

fall five minutes after this when troops fired on him at the junction of Beechwood Crescent and Demesne Avenue. Ten minutes later another hit was claimed on one of two gunmen operating in a derelict building in Beechwood Avenue. At 5.59am a gunman fired two shots from the Lone Moor Road junction with Beechwood Street at the Bligh’s Lane Army post. There were no casualties but the Army returned fire and the gunman was seen to fall. In the last of the incidents at 6.28am, a gunman fired two shots from the area of the city cemetery at the Brandywell Army post.

There were no casualties and fire was not returned.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Filling station bombed A bomb has extensively damaged a filling station on Belfast’s Antrim Road but police and troops had evacuated the area before the blast and their were no injuries. The bomb was left outside the filling station at the Alexandra Park Avenue junction. The bombers made their getaway in a stolen Ford. The nearby Capital Cinema, normally crowded with children at the Saturday matinee, was hurriedly evacuated along with neighbouring shops and houses. The RUC sealed off the Antrim Road and diverted traffic into the side streets before the explosion. The blast badly damaged a car showroom and dozens of windows in nearby buildings. A number of cars were also damaged.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Boy finds pistol A nine year-old boy has found a loaded automatic pistol on waste ground in the Penynyburn area of Derry. It was handed over to the RUC along with a Parka jacket and a pair of gloves found beside it.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Troops find bomb device An Army explosives expert has uncovered what is thought to be a bomb device during a search of a street. The device, in a box, did not contain explosives. Troops afterwards carried out a search and while

this was going on a shot was fired at soldiers who had cordoned off the area, but no one was injured and fire was not returned.

Saturday 15th April 1972 IRA to investigate robbery Both wings of the IRA in Derry’s Creggan Estate have denied responsibility for a £3,000 shirt factory wages snatch. A spokesman for the Provisional IRA said that, in accordance with its policy, the raid would be investigated. An Official IRA spokesman said that as far as he knew none of their units had been involved.

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Saturday 15th April 1972 Bomb experts to get rocket launchers Army bomb disposal officers who go out on the streets in Belfast in future may well be accompanied by a special two-man rocket launcher team from the 2nd Parachute Regiment. It has been decided to use the launcher - normally fired to knock out tanks and armoured vehicles – to try and cut down the casualties among bomb disposal officers. The 84 mm weapon normally fires a live armour piercing rocket – an updated version of the bazooka – but in Belfast it will fire a dummy round. Staff officers realised the dummy rocket normally used for training purposes could set off a bomb fitted with an anti-handling device, without the bomb disposal officer having to go near it.

The weapon was tried, for the first time, in Corporation Street, Belfast earlier this week and it was found that the dummy rocket dispersed part of the bomb away from its detonator, so that there was only a small explosion.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Cinema bombed The biggest explosion of the night was at a cinema at Circular Road.

Cinema staff found the explosives and called in Army experts. They found the device too dangerous to dismantle and detonated it. The blast blew the roof off and caused RIGHT - Children look at bullet marks on the wall near the spot where IRA leader, Joe McCann, died in Joy Street

extensive damage to the rest of the building.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Customs post attacked The customs post at Tullyhommon, Pettigo, has been bombed. It is said that four men arrived by car and threw the bomb at the post. The post, which has been bombed several times before, is sited in a caravan.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Pipe bomb thrown a house Shortly after midnight a pipe bomb was thrown at a private house at Daly Park, Tullycarnet estate,

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Dundonald. The device broke glass in the front door and caused slight damage.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Shots fired in Belfast Nine shots have been fired at an Army post in Ballymurphy just before tea time. No soldiers were injured and fire was not returned.

At 6.25 heavy automatic fire was directed at the Army observation post at Springfield Parade. No hits were recorded and fire was not returned.

18 shots were fired at soldiers on duty at the Divis Drive bus depot.

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Nine shots were returned but no one was injured.

In the Suffolk Road area of Belfast three shots were directed at soldiers.

No one was injured in the shooting and fire was not returned.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Incendiary device explodes A small incendiary device has exploded at a motor company’s premises on the Albertbridge Road.

The device exploded at around 9.25 but caused little damage.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Nail bomb thrown at troops Soldiers have escaped injury hen a nail bomb was thrown at the vehicle in which they were travelling.

The attack took place at Riverdale Park East.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Sentry attacked A single shot has been fired at a Army sentry. The sentry, who was on duty at Holywood Barracks, was not injured in the attack.

Saturday 15th April 1972 RUC men attacked Two shots have been fired at an RUC Land Rover outside Coalisland. None of the rounds struck the vehicle and no one was injured.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Arms find near Rasharkin The RUC have discovered a quantity of arms and ammunition in a riverbank dug-out during a search of the Cortrichey area, near Rasharkin. The weapons included one Lee Enfield rifle, one M1 carbine, one magazine for a Thompson sub-machine gun, 141 rounds of assorted ammunition, 20 detonators, 22 sticks of gelignite as well as fuse wire, a timing device and other explosive materials.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Buses hijacked Two armed and masked men have hi-jacked a bus belonging to Ulsterbus at the Red Ford housing estate on the old Moy-Dunganon road. The men were waiting at a

bus stop along with other passengers. They ordered the driver out of the bus and then drove it away.

It was later found burned out.

In another raid, gunmen hi-jacked a private bus at Shean, Forkhill, in South Armagh. The men ordered the driver out before sprinkling petrol about the vehicle and setting it on fire.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Enter ‘No go’ areas says MP A Conservative MP, John Stokes, has told a meeting in Haleowen, Worcs, that a military force, possibly of several thousands, will have to enter the “no-go” areas if local people do not chase out the gunmen.

Addressing his audience the MP said that civilians would have to be evacuated and “the Army would have to shoot it out until the gunmen are captured or killed.” He also stated that this might take 24 hours or more and that heavy casualties might be incurred. He stated that he felt there was no alternative to this.

Saturday 15th April 1972 Man shot dead in Belfast A man shot dead in Belfast today is believed to be Joseph McCann, a high ranking IRA officer.

Monday 17th April 1972 Death of Joe McCann The shooting in Belfast on Saturday of Official IRA man Joe LEFT - Army and RUC experts search through the wreckage after a bomb explosion in Main Street, Castlederg.

FACING PAGE - Another view of the destruction in Castlederg

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McCann will leave a gap in the ranks of the movement which will be nearly impossible to fill. He was officer commanding of the 1st battalion, Official IRA and the areas he controlled were the New Lodge, Ardoyne, Unity Flats, Markets and Ballymacarrett.

McCann, aged 25, and the father of four young children, was wanted by the RUC in connection with shooting incidents in which members of the security forces were killed and injured. According to security sources McCann had been nicknamed “The Fox” had been a difficult man to find. He is said to have moved around his command area, the biggest in Belfast, wearing heavy disguises. When he was shot he had grown his hair long and dyed it ginger.

To the men under his command he was a sort of Che Guevara and they demonstrated their anger at his killing by launching the most intensive attack on the Army in Belfast and Derry for some time. The Official IRA teamed up with the

Provisionals and proudly boasted that the three soldiers killed on Sunday were in revenge for the shooting of McCann. McCann is also reported to hold a position on the command staff of the Officials in Dublin.

Monday 17th April 1972 Three soldiers killed Three soldiers and a civilian have died in Belfast and Derry over the weekend following the shooting of a top IRA man on Saturday. At least seven people received gunshot wounds and one is seriously ill in hospital in Derry. More than 500 rounds have been fired at troops and RUC personnel in Belfast and an attempt was made on the life of an off-duty member of the UDR. The shooting and rioting started early on Saturday after troops shot dead IRA leader Joseph McCann in Joy Street, off May Street.

As troops and police came under heavy fire in Divis Street, an officer in the 3rd Battalion, Royal Anglican Regiment, was shot in the chest and

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later died in hospital. Second Lt. Nicholas Hull was directing the removal of barricades from of an armoured car when sniper’s bullet came through the slit and struck him.

In Derry Corporal Gerard Bristow, aged 26, of the 1st Battalion, the Welch Fusiliers, died in hospital from wounds he received when a gunman fired on his patrol at the junction of Bishop and Ferguson Streets. He was married with a one year old son.

Private Martin Robinson, aged 21, of the 1st Battalion Worcester and Sherwood Foresters was killed when a gunman fired from the City Cemetery at the Brandywell Army post.

Two soldiers have been wounded in Little James Street, Derry, as their patrol tried to disperse rioters. The condition of one of the soldiers, who had an artery in his leg severed, is described as serious.

The man who died from gunshot wounds on Saturday has been identified as Mr. Sean McConville. Mr. McConville was shot near his home on the Crumlin Road at around 7.00pm. There are conflicting reports concerning the circumstances of his death. Some people have said that he was shot from a passing car while another report says that he was killed by a gunman on foot.

Monday 17th April 1972 500 lb bomb The RUC have issued radio and Press warnings in Derry in an effort to evacuate a half mile area of the Bogside after reports that there

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THE TROUBLES

was a 500lb bomb in a local factory. The RUC were unable to conduct the evacuation themselves as the Essex International factory is in a no-go area. According to reports the only troops in the area are in Bligh’s Lane Army post and they themselves are also getting out. An RUC spokesman has said they received a warning from the IRA that they had planted a bomb in the area and that it had failed to go off and was in a dangerous condition.

Monday 17th April 1972 Arms dump discovered Men of the 23rd Engineer Regiment have discovered a large IRA arms dump in East Belfast. It is believed that bombs may well have been made at the same place. Troops made the find during a search of buildings in Madrid Street.

Found during the search were 568 electric detonators, 58 ordinary detonators, one sawn-off shotgun, 79 shotgun cartridges, 78 .303 rounds, 11 .45 rounds, 29 .310 rounds, six home made brass bombs, one 2lb bag of gelignite and several sticks of gelignite. Several bottles and other bomb making sundries were also found.

Monday 17th April 1972 Protestant jail protest About 30 Protestant women from the Shankill and Crumlin Roads have protested outside Crumlin Road Jail. They were carrying placards calling for the release of loyalist prisoners. There were no incidents.

Monday 17th April 1972 Civilians and soldier wounded Two civilians and a soldier have been wounded in gun battles which have raged in Belfast since the early hours of the morning. One of the civilians was shot in the head by men of the East Anglican Regiment in the Divis Street area. They claim he fired on an armoured car and was hit when the soldiers shot back.

According to an Army officer at the scene, the soldiers could not get out of the vehicle because of the intense sniper fire which was being directed towards them from the Divis Flats complex; however he said that the man had almost certainly died. The bullet he said struck him in the face.

Earlier in the afternoon the Army claimed they shot a gunman after Andersonstown bus depot, which is under Army guard, was attacked.

The shots are believed to have come from the cemetery opposite and the injured man was whisked away by

ABOVE - Hijacked buses burning on the Springfield Road.

FACING PAGE - The scene at Bawnmore Grove after three men died in an explosion.

companions.

The soldier was shot while on duty in North Howard Street in the lower Falls area of Belfast. He was struck in the hip. His condition is not known.

Monday 17th April 1972 IRA can get freedom says priest A Catholic priest, the Rev Sean McManus, who is a brother of Mr. Frank McManus, the Westminster MP, has claimed in a newspaper article that the Provisional IRA alone could unite Ireland and achieve its freedom. His article published in the Dublin Irish Language newspaper “The Republic,” says that the Provisional IRA has proven to the world that the funda-

THE TROUBLES

mental cause of Ireland’s agony was not religion but foreign occupation.

Monday 17th April 1972 Rally told “Back the IRA” Young men have been urged to join the IRA by Mrs Maire Drumm at a “Fight on” rally which was held at the weekend in Belfast’s Andersonstown estate and attended by more than 1,500 people. Mrs Drumm said that she was not against peace but stated that it had to be peace with justice and that the fight of 50 years would continue until it was won.

Other speakers at the rally were Mrs Mary McGuigan, mother of the

only man to have escaped from Long Kesh, and Mrs Nan Saunders, whose 20-year-old son was recently shot dead. Mrs. Saunders told the crowd that “’til the day I die the IRA will have my support.”

Monday 17th April 1972 Baby injured in gun attack As vehicles were being hi-jacked in the Whiterock Road area of Belfast after news spread of the killing of Belfast IRA man Joseph McCann, an 18-month old baby, John O’Rawe, of Braemer Street was struck in the ankle by a stray bullet. His condition is not described as serious.

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Monday 17th April 1972 UDR man attacked Four shots have been fired from a passing car at an off duty UDR man in the Knock area. The part time soldier, who was accompanied by his wife, was not hit.

Monday 17th April 1972 Vigilante shot A 42-year-old South Derry garage owner has been seriously inured in a shooting incident in Swatragh.

The man, who had been on vigilante patrol in the town, was shot from a passing car.

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THE TROUBLES

Monday 17th April 1972 Fisherman wounded In Toomebridge three gunmen took a 45-year-old fisherman from a pub and shot him four times in one leg and once in the other. The reason for the attack is not known.

Monday 17th April 1972 Ballymurphy gun attack An Army spokesman has claimed that soldiers have shot and wounded a gunman near to the Army post at the Henry Taggart Memorial Hall.

The man was then dragged away from the scene. A second gunman, say the Army, has been shot in Andersonstown.

Monday 17th April 1972 Four RUC barracks attacked Four RUC barracks have been attacked in Belfast at the weekend.

The barracks attacked were Hastings Street, Glenravel Street, Oldpark Road and Andersonstown.

Monday 17th April 1972 Garage bombed Coulter’s garage on the Antrim Road has been badly damaged when a car, containing 10lbs of gelignite exploded outside it.

Monday 17th April 1972 Gardai in baton charge A large force of police used their batons in Clones to disperse a crowd of around 300 people. The crowd had assembled near the Gardai station earlier in the day after two men were arrested following an incident at the border.

Around 100 Gardai in riot gear at-

tacked the crowd after they blocked a street and broke some windows in nearby houses.

Monday 17th April 1972 Parades ban hits BB The ban on parades has hit the Boys Brigade in Belfast. Normally around 5,000 march to their annual church service. However this year only 2,000 were in attendance, no uniforms were worn and they did not march.

Monday 17th April 1972 Vigilantes in Ballymoney Following the recent bomb attack at Ballymoney a vigilante group has been formed in the town. It is consists up of local shopkeepers who look after the streets at certain times.

Monday 17th April 1972 Scotsmen on gelignite charge Four Scotsmen have been remanded at a Special Court in Larne on charges of having 124 sticks of gelignite.

Monday 17th April 1972 Limavady bans traffic Limavady has banned all traffic from their chief shopping centre in a bid to beat the car bombers. Market Street, Limavady’s principal shopping centre, is now closed to all traffic.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Wounded prisoners flee hospital Two men, suffering from gunshot wounds, have escaped from Musgrave Park Military Hospital.

They were recovering from their injuries in the prison ward and made their getaway around 2.00am. At least one of the men has already appeared several times on arms charges and was remanded in custody. One of the escapers had been shot in the stomach and the other in the leg. Troops are believed to be using tracker dogs to help find the men. Both of the men are believed to be members of the Provisional IRA. An inquiry is being launched into the escape. It is thought that the men managed to saw through the bars on their windows.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Derry bomb alert over The Essex factory bomb drama ended today when a convoy of Army vehicles left the factory carrying the 460lb of gelignite planted there by the IRA twenty four hours earlier. It is expected that the gelignite, which is said to be in a dangerous condition, will be blown up by the army. There had been reports that land mines had been planted in the Lone Moor Road, the most likely route by which the gelignite could be brought out of the area. The IRA had earlier cleared the barricade at the junction of Westland Street and Lone Moor Road to leave a clear route for the Army.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Army posts attacked The Brandywell Army post in Derry has come under attack when three low velocity and four high velocity shots were fired. The Army re-

THE TROUBLES

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tribute to McCann. One contingent in the procession was headed by a man leading an Irish wolfhound which belonged to the dead man.

Official IRA Chief of Staff, Cathal Goulding, was present in Belfast for the funeral and gave the graveside oration.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Army claim 20 hits In the 24 hours up until 8.30 this morning a youth was confirmed dead, the body of an 80-year old man with gunshot wounds was taken from Divis Towers, and the Army claimed 20 direct hits on gunmen.

turned fire but no hits were claimed.

Troops in an observation post at Black Mountain also came under sniper fire over a one hour period.

There were no casualties. An Army spokesman said that the shooting came from the Whiterock/Dermott Hill area.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 UDR mobilised The two Belfast battalions of the Ulster Defence Regiment, totalling about 1,000 men, have been put on full time duty as a massive security operation began in the city. Traffic in Belfast came to a standstill and thousands of people were late for work as troops searched vehicles on all the major roads into the city as they prepared for the funeral of IRA leader Joe McCann.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 5,000 attend funeral Two MP’s – Mr. Paddy Devlin and Mr. Paddy Kennedy – followed the funeral of IRA leader Joseph McCann in Turf Lodge this afternoon. They were among an estimated 5,000 mourners who marched behind the coffin as it made its way to Milltown Cemetery. It took 25 minutes to pass any one point on the Glen Road and was the biggest show of strength by the Official IRA in Belfast for some time. IRA units marched together as one of the most disciplined funerals seen in the North began.

About 120 young girls carried wreaths and green bereted young girls marched in military fashion behind them. Some observers said that members of the Provisional IRA joined the funeral to pay their

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Four thought dead Four men are believed dead following battles between the Army and the IRA during the night and at least 20 people have been wounded. One definite casualty was Patrick Joseph Magee a student teacher who died when troops returned fire after some 300 rounds were fired at them in the Divis Street area. An Army spokesman said the gunmen were operating from Divis Flats and St. Comgall’s School.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Boy shot in Belfast In the New Lodge area Belfast an eight year old boy, named locally as Paul Collins from North Queen Street, was shot in the stomach when a gunman opened fire from Artillery Flats on troops in Great George’s Street. He is in hospital and his condition is being described as “comfortable.”

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THE TROUBLES

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Gun battle in Turf Lodge Of the gun battles which took place in the city the biggest occurred in Turf Lodge and troops reported that they shot five gunmen in the area.

According to an Army spokesman twelve gunmen, using Thompson sub machineguns, M1 carbines, pistols and possibly a rifle which had been stolen from the Army, opened fire from the direction of the roundabout and Norglen Flats.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Belfast gun attacks Troops came under fire overnight in several parts of Belfast including Broadway, Oldpark, Ballykelly Street and the Henry Taggart Memorial Hall. Shots were also reported to have been fired the Bone and Louis Street, Oldpark and from the Divis Street complex towards Percy Street.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Cafe bombed Six people, including three children were treated for cuts and shock after an explosion ripped through the Continental Cafe, Castle Street, just before midnight. The bomb, containing between 50 and 100lbs of explosives, caused structural damage to the rear of the building and blew out the front windows. Windows in surrounding premises were also shattered.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Short Strand attacks Three small bombs have been thrown from Anderson Street into the Short Strand bus depot. Two

buses were damaged when two of the bombs exploded. The third device was defused.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Gelignite discovered A quantity of gelignite has been found in a telephone kiosk. The find was made in Twaddell Avenue.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Belfast man is tarred and feathered A Belfast man is in hospital after being tarred and feathered and shot through the left leg at Lenadoon Avenue. The man, from Falcarragh Drive, is reported to have had his leg bone fractured by the shot. He was found with a notice around his neck alleging that he had stolen purses.

ABOVE - Divis Street after a night of rioting.

FACING PAGE - Clearing up after a bomb attack in Grosvenor Road

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Claymore mine in Fermanagh Men of the 16/5th Lancers have escaped injury when a claymore mine exploded near their armoured vehicles at Belleek, County Fermanagh. The blast blew a seven foot hole in a stone wall.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Newry attack A soldier has been slightly injured when gunmen opened fire at Violet’s Hill, Newry. Fire was not returned.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 UDR man kidnapped Neither wing of the IRA was available for comment in Dublin on the

THE TROUBLES

Page 45

kidnapping of a UDR man near the border at Newry. The kidnapping bore the stamp of other abductions claimed by the IRA. The man was Mr. James Elliott, a 33-year-old corporal in ‘C’ Company of the Third County Down battalion. He had just driven his firm’s lorry from the South when he was ordered from the cab by gunmen and taken back across the border. The incident took place near Killeen, the scene of other kidnap operations.

friend when a man called him over to his car and asked him directions to Brompton Park. As he bent down to give directions he was shot five times in the chest and stomach.

alties and fire was not returned. A gunman has also opened fire on the Army observation post at Brandywell in Derry. Soldiers returned fire but no hits were reported.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Weapons found in Belfast Three air guns and 171 rounds of assorted ammunition have been found by the security forces during searches in the Unity Flats complex.

Two people have been arrested.

Tuesday 18th April 1972 Shot youth buried The funeral has taken place in Milltown Cemetery of 17-year-old Sean McConville. Mr. McConville had been walking home with a

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Sniper fires on soldiers A sniper has fired seven or eight shots at soldiers of the Royal Anglican Regiment in Albert Street mill, Belfast. There were no casu-

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Body found on border A man’s body has been discovered on a lonely road outside Newtownhamilton in South Armagh. The man, who has not yet been identified, was shot through the head and the killing has all the hallmarks of an IRA assassination.

As soldiers of the Devon and Dorset Regiment moved in the area known as Woodbridge, Altnamackin, on foot they discovered wire running from a culvert across the border. A further examination of the area revealed six deadly claymore mines and 200lbs of gelignite.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Teenage girl injured An 18-year-old girl has been shot in the thigh as her car stopped at traffic lights at the junction of Woodstock Street and Woodstock Road. The RUC believe that the shots were intended for a military patrol which had just passed though the lights. She was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital where her condition is described as satisfactory.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Fireman wounded A fireman has been shot in the hand as he fought a blaze in a derelict building on the Grosvenor Road.

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THE TROUBLES LEFT- A soldier sheltering behind a brick wall after the IRA opened fire from Divis Flats.

FACING PAGE - Troops open fire with baton rounds while removing a barricade in Derry.

trol at Lavinia Street in the Ormeau area. The youths ran off leaving the gun behind. None of the RUC men were injured in the attack.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Derry attacks Derry had what has been described as a relatively peaceful night but there were a number of shootings incidents in which the Army claimed three hits on three gunmen.

At the Bligh’s Lane post a sentry opened fire on a man seen carrying a gun. In another incident, troops shot at a group of men seen taking up firing positions behind a car in Gartan Square. One of the men was seen to fall and was dragged away.

Gunmen have also used a lorry as cover to shoot at an Army observation post in Brandywell. There were no reports of casualties and troops returned the fire.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Escapee recaptured The Army has recaptured one of the two men who escaped from Musgrave Park Hospital. He is James Mulvenna of Gracehill Street and he was captured in Milltown Cemetery still wearing his pyjamas.

fired at troops who returned fire on four occasions.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Bus depot attacked A bus in the Short Strand depot has been damaged as two blast bombs were thrown over the depot wall for the second night in succession.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Nail bombs thrown Nail bombs have been at a Protestant crowd in the Donegal Road – Broadway area. There was also automatic gunfire across the bottom section of the M1 motorway from the Rodney Street area.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Riots in Lurgan According to the Army a crowd of around 200 people started throwing bottles into Victoria Street, which is mainly Protestant. Troops fired baton rounds to disperse the crowd.

A car was turned on its side during the incident.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Shotgun explodes A shotgun has blown up as three youths fired a shot at an RUC pa-

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Helicopter attacked Twelve shots have been fired at an Army helicopter which was circling

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Belfast gun attacks An Army spokesman has said that there were a total of 21 shooting incidents in Belfast during the night.

In 16 of these attacks shots were

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Man named The RUC have named the 80-yearold man who was found shot dead in Divis Tower Flats. He is Patrick Donaghy.

THE TROUBLES

Page 47

near the village of Ballygawley.

None of the crew was hurt and the helicopter was able to return to its base safely.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Troops open fire in Newry The Army in Newry has fired one shot at a group of four men after they were spotted with guns. The incident happened after the patrol challenged the men in the Derrybeg estate.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 UDR patrol attacked Automatic fire has been directed at a patrol of the UDR at Dungiven.

Fire was returned but there were no casualties.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Bread van burned Two gunmen have set fire to a breadvan at Rosslea. After robbing the driver they escaped across the border.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Goulding to stand trial The date of the 11th of May has been set for the trial of Cathal Goulding, IRA Chief of Staff, on charges of incitement. Goulding is charged with inciting persons to unlawfully and maliciously cause by explosive substances explosions of a nature likely to endanger life or to cause serious injury to property. He is also charged with inciting people to unlawfully and maliciously shoot at persons with intent to do grievous bodily harm. The charges relate to an oration given by him at the funeral of Martin O’Leary who died

in an explosion at the Mogul Mines in Tipperary in July.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Warrant issued for escaper A bench warrant has been issued for one of two men who escaped from Musgrave Park Hospital on Tuesday, after he failed to appear before Belfast Magistrate’s court. The man, 19-year-old Francis Gerard Quigley was being treated hospital for gunshot wounds when he escaped.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 Concern over missing UDR man Concern is mounting over the safety of a UDR corporal kidnapped a gunpoint on the Newry border on Monday evening. The Official wing of the IRA is reported to have denied having the corporal but the Provisionals are not commenting.

Irish police have been searching for 33-year-old Mr. James Elliott from Rathfriland since he was abducted by armed men as he crossed into the North at Killeen driving his firm’s lorry. He was taken back across the border and almost two days after the

kidnapping there is still no word as to his whereabouts. The Presbyterian Church, to which Mr. Elliott and his family belong, has been attempting to contact IRA leaders in Dublin in an appeal for Mr. Elliott’s release.

The Official IRA in Dublin has said that none of its units were involved in the kidnapping but the Provisionals said that they had no authority from the Irish Republican Publicity Bureau to comment.

Wednesday 19th April 1972 RUC men injured in bomb attack An RUC man has been injured and dozens of buildings damaged when car bombs exploded in Belfast and Newtownstewart. The RUC man was hurt when the first car bomb exploded at Castlereagh Street. He was struck by a piece of flying kerbstone. Two other RUC men were slightly injured when the 40lb bomb exploded. The Belfast explosion devastated a wide area and was the second in the same street in two weeks. A row of six shops were very badly damaged and windows were smashed for the length of

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THE TROUBLES LEFT - Army checkpoint on the Queen’s Bridge

in the chest, once in the head and once in the back. It has been said locally that the dead man had been a detainee on the Maidstone prison ship earlier in the year. His kidnapping and shooting is said to bear all the hallmarks of an IRA “justice” operation.

about 100 yards on both sides of the street. A warning had been received that the bomb would explode in 10 minutes but it was more than a half hour before it exploded, by which time the area had been evacuated.

About 20 shops were damaged when the other car bomb exploded at Newtownstewart shortly before lunchtime. Worst hit were a hotel and a drapery store nearest to the seat of the explosion. A warning had been given and no one was injured by the 25lb bomb.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Armagh Prison hostage drama Late this afternoon there has been a claim that one prison officer has been shot dead as the authorities refused the prisoners demands for safe conduct to the border, but as yet officials cannot confirm this.

The drama began at 12.30pm when nine prisoners were driven back to Armagh Prison after appearing at in court. They were accompanied in the van by an armed RUC man and two warders. As the van drew up in the prison yard the nine pris-

oners jumped their guards and succeeded in jumping the RUC man, seizing his pistol. A shot was fired during the struggle but no one was injured. After hours of apparent stalemate a figure, believed to be the RUC man hostage shouted: “One prison warder has been shot dead.” He said that he was a police hostage and that he and another warder were unharmed.

Armagh prison was originally for women only, but then it was used as a borstal and in recent months remand prisoners have been held there.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Man abducted in Belfast Security forces were today searching for a kidnapped Andersonstown man whose brother was shot dead in the area on Wednesday night.

Martin Paul Owens, aged 22, was married with one child, was thrown from a car at Horn Drive, Suffolk about 11.00pm and shot repeatedly.

Earlier his brother was taken away from a club on the Suffolk Road.

The dead man was shot three times

Thursday 20th April 1972 UDR man was executed Feelings were running high in Rathfriland overnight after it was confirmed that the kidnapped UDR man James Elliott’s body was discovered on the border. He had been shot through the head and back and his body surrounded by a minefield of six claymore devices and a huge 500lb bomb only feet from the body. Mr. Elliott’s funeral will take place on Friday.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Soldier wounded in Belfast A soldier in the Royal Regiment of Wales has been shot and seriously injured as he worked at his base in Finiston School off the Oldpark Road, Belfast. He was hit in the back and shoulder after seven shots were fired by a gunman. He was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital. The gunman is believed to have been operating from the Ardilea Street area.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Border attack Two gunmen on the Southern side of the border, near Castlederg, have fired six shots at a mobile Army

THE TROUBLES

patrol. Two men were seen walking away after the incident but the troops did not return fire.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Derry shooting In Derry troops fired at a gunman in Ann Street but did not hit him.

Later a gunman fired at soldiers on the city walls but there were no casualties.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Incendiary bomb explodes An incendiary device, which was planted by three armed men at a shop on Belfast’s Shore Road, has exploded wrecking the building.

The men burst into McKinney’s Paint Shop at Whiteabbey just after 2.00pm and planted the bomb.

No one was injured in the attack.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Belfast gun attacks Frequent sniper attacks have been made on troops in the Lower Falls area of Belfast. According to the Army much of the gunfire came from Divis Flats and St. Comgall’s School and on at least two occasions from the grounds of St. Peter’s Church. During one exchange of fire troops believe they hit a gunman who opened up from Divis Tower. A man inside the flat complex was seen to fall.

The most concentrated gunfire came in a burst of about 30 shots just after six o’clock. The Army believes the gunmen were firing from St. Comgall’s School and St. Peter’s Church grounds. Minutes later an Army vehicle checkpoint at

North Howard Street – Falls Road was fired on. Eight shots came from Peel Street but there were no casualties and fire was not returned.

Heavy firing continued in the area and 20 automatic shots were fired at troops in Percy Street again, the Army believes from the grounds of St. Peters. Three shots were also fired at Andersonstown RUC barracks but there were no casualties.

As the gunfire continued in the Lower Falls area a soldier received a minor flesh wound in Divis Street.

Ten shots was also fired at an observation post on the peace-line from Divis Street direction. The soldiers fired back but claimed no hits.

Later the Army claimed they hit another gunman after sniper fire on the observation post at Cupar Street.

Two RUC men in the street had to dive for cover as the shots rang out.

The fire came from a nearby mill and a patrol of the Kings Own Scottish Borderer’s advanced towards the building and they believe they

Page 49

may have hit a gunman. Shortly after this six shots were heard in Lenadoon Avenue and one near Milltown Cemetery. The security forces were not involved in either incident. Soldiers also used baton rounds to disperse youths that gathered in the Falls area throughout the evening. Two members of the RUC Reserve on duty at Beechfield Street-Thistle Street were fired on but neither was injured.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Jail protest According to the Army stones were thrown at soldiers at Chief Street after a protest meeting outside Crumlin Road Jail. About 150 people took part in the protest, demanding the release of loyalist “political prisoners.”

Thursday 20th April 1972 Car burned at Rathfriland Sensed at the killing of a local UDR man, whose body was found on the border, 50 youths threw stones and

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THE TROUBLES

smashed shop windows in the town.

The crowd then set fire to a car and four youths were arrested.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Paint poured over girls Two teenage girls had their hair shorn and paint poured over them after being bundled into a car while

walking on the Stewartstown Road, in Coalisland.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Enniskillen explosion An explosion near midnight damaged a Housing Executive office, two shops and a school in the Cornagrade estate, Enniskillen. It

is thought that a 10 lb bomb was planted in a dustbin at the rear of the housing office.

Several glass fibre boats were also damaged when a fire swept through the Erne Plastics factory at Ballycassidy.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Customs posts destroyed in Derry Two customs posts at Molenan and Killeg on the outskirts of the city have been destroyed by fire and an explosion has slightly damaged an electricity transformer at Carnhill housing estate in the Shantallow area.

There was minor rioting in the William Street area and a gunman has fired at Bligh’s Lane Army post.

Fire was returned but there were no hits. Earlier, three shots were fired at soldiers dealing with a blaze started by a petrol bomb at Bligh’s Lane. There were no casualties.

Thursday 20th April 1972 UDR patrol attacked in Armagh About eight shots were fired at a UDR patrol on the Ring Road at Armagh. None of the soldiers were injured. Youths also stoned a patrol at Windmill Road.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Baton rounds fired in Lurgan Security forces were again confronted by mobs of youths in the Kilwilkie Estate. Troops fired baton rounds to disperse them. Two petrol bombs were also hurled at an Army patrol in Levin Road. Youths also fired petrol bombs into the grounds of the Glendinning textile

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wound and collapsed in a nearby house. Mr. Donnelly was a Catholic who was married to a Protestant.

factory at Lake Street–Victoria Street.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Temporary customs post destroyed The temporary customs post at Killeen was again destroyed by fire and a farmer repairing a stone wall near Newry has discovered 135 rounds of .45 ammunition inside a box.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Student teacher buried Over 1,000 people have attended the funeral of 20-year-old student teacher at Milltown Cemetery. The dead man had been trying to take cover when he was shot. A second victim of the gun battles has also buried he is Patrick Donaghy, who was found dead inside Divis Tower.

Although both men died from gunshot wounds it has not been established who shot them.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Girls engaged to soldiers It has been revealed today that the

two girls who had their hair cut and paint poured over them in Coalisland last night are both engaged to soldiers.

Friday 21st April 1972 Youths shot in Belfast The RUC are waiting at the hospital bedsides of two Catholic youths who have been shot in Denmark Street close to Carlisle Circus. The pair were standing outside a local café when they were approached by two men who ordered them away at gunpoint. One of the teenagers was shot in the mouth and his friend in the armpit. The RUC are trying to find a motive for the shooting.

Thursday 20th April 1972 Army posts attacked Army posts in Belfast and Derry have come under fire today but there were no casualties on either side. Eight shots were fired at the Brandywell post in Derry and in Belfast two bursts of automatic fire and two single shots were fired at the Louisa Street post. The Army returned fire on both occasions

Friday 21st April 1972 IRA suspected of killing Lenadoon man It is thought that 22-year-old Martin Paul Owens from Lenadoon was executed by the IRA and that his brother had been arrested by them earlier by mistake. Some sources believe the killings were carried out by extreme Protestants but the security forces are taking the line that if this had been the case then both brothers would have been shot.

Friday 21st April 1972 Taxi driver shot dead in Belfast An 18-year-old taxi driver has been shot dead in Belfast. The man, Gerard Donnelly from Kinross Avenue was shot dead as he sat in the driver’s seat of his taxi. He had picked up two men in Belfast and brought them to the Ardoyne area of Belfast. Mr. Donnelly staggered from his white Vauxhall in Harrybrook Street off the Crumlin Road, blood pouring from the

Friday 21st April 1972 Soldiers wounded in Belfast Two privates in the Royal Anglican Regiment have been seriously wounded when a gunman in a passing car opened fire in the Lower Falls area. A burst of automatic fire struck the slow moving Army vehicle as it was patrolling Sevastopol Street. Bullets struck the soldiers who were sitting just inside the armoured rear doors. As the bullets thudded into the vehicle there was

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one we will have to tackle and we will. But to try to do this by military means alone and would involve substantial casualties of innocent men and women. It would be wrong and cause great bitterness. I am not going to cause unnecessary loss of life. But this doesn’t mean the problem is not going to be solved. It is.”

Friday 21st April 1972 Death toll reaches 311 With the death of a Dundonald teenager overnight, the death-toll since the troubles stared has risen to 311.

no opportunity to return fire. Shots hit one of the soldiers in the chest and elbow and struck the other in the leg. The gunmen, firing from a car window, drove off at high speed along the Falls Road.

Friday 21st April 1972 Catholic shopkeeper intimidated A Catholic shopkeeper had to be given an RUC escort when he arrived to open his shop in East Belfast. Outside “Joey’s” fruit and vegetable shop at the corner of Templemore Avenue and Castlereagh Street were more than 30 Protestant women carrying out a picket. The shop is one of the few Catholic owned shops in the area.

One woman, who was picketing the shop, stuck an orange sticker above

the door of the shop saying “Boycott this shop.”

Friday 21st April 1972 Bomb wrecks engineering works Two people have been treated for shock after an explosion damaged an electrical engineering works off Durham Street. The blast was at the firm of Jennings and the bomb badly damaged the premises and smashed windows in the surrounding areas. The bomb is estimated to have contained between 50 and 100lbs of explosives.

Friday 21st April 1972 “No-go” areas will end Ulster Supremo William Whitelaw has pledged to tackle the IRA strongholds in Derry’s Bogside and Creggan areas. The No Go areas he said are “a major problem and

Friday 21st April 1972 Soldier wounded in Ardoyne A soldier has been wounded in the arm when a burst of shots was fired at a personnel carrier in Brompton Park. Troops have claimed they hit a gunman when they returned fire at a sniper in nearby Berwick Road.

The man was seen to fall but troops were unable to reach his body. An ambulance was later seen in the area.

Friday 21st April 1972 Nail bomb thrown at soldiers A nail bomb has been thrown at a mobile patrol of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers in Rodney Parade but there were no casualties.

Friday 21st April 1972 Catholic owned public house attacked One woman was slightly injured FACING PAGE - Firemen tackle a blaze after an attack on property on the Somerton Road

THE TROUBLES

when three bombs were hurled across the peace line into Cupar Street from Kashmir Road.

The window of a police Land Rover was also shattered when a crowd of 300 gathered outside two Catholic owned public houses in the Templemore area but there were no further incidents and the crowd eventually dispersed peacefully.

Friday 21st April 1972 Derry has relatively quiet night Derry as had a comparatively quiet night but four shots were fired at an Army patrol in the Springtown area.

At Drumahoe on the outskirts of the city, three armed youths held up an

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attendant at a petrol station and got away with about ÂŁ70 after one of them fired a shot into the counter.

Newry to break up stone throwing youths in the Derrybeg estate.

Friday 21st April 1972 Bomb explodes in Dungannon A 12lb bomb has extensively damaged a hairdressing salon in Thomas Street, Dungannon.

Friday 21st April 1972 Catholic and Protestants clash in Lurgan The Army has reported a minor stone throwing confrontation between Protestant and Catholic youths at the entrance to the Shankill and Wakehurst estates.

Friday 21st April 1972 CS gas fired in Armagh Soldiers in Armagh who found themselves encircled by a crowd of youths had to fire CS gas to get clear.

Friday 21st April 1972 Troops use rubber bullets Troops have used rubber bullets in

Friday 21st April 1972 Arson attack on primary school An attempt has been made to set fire to Largeymore Primary School, Lisburn but it was extinguished the blaze before it caught hold.

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THE TROUBLES

Friday 21st April 1972 Armagh Prison hostages Following six tense hours during which prisoners bargained the lives of an RUC man and two members of the prison staff, troops and RUC burst in and overpowered the men after CS gas had been fired. Early in the siege the RUC man was ordered to say that the prisoners had killed a member of staff however this was later proven to be untrue and that the prisoners had been trying to strengthen their position. It is likely that charges relating to escape attempt will be brought against some of the prisoners.

Friday 21st April 1972 Traffic restrictions at Long Kesh Traffic diversions will operate within a mile of Long Kesh internment camp on Saturday afternoon.

The ban, to operate from 2.00pm, coincides with a proposed protest rally at the camp, organised by the Northern Resistance Movement.

The RUC are also asking motorists to avoid Newtownards on Saturday between 1.00pm and 6.00pm, where between 5,000 and 7,000 Orangemen are expected to attend a rally in Londonderry Park.

Friday 21st April 1972 Change to RUC uniform The Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mr. David Howell has stated that it is planned to go ahead with changing the colour of RUC uniforms. However the new colour has not yet been decided.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 UDR man was tortured says relative Relatives of the 33-year-old UDR corporal who was kidnapped and killed last week have claimed that he was tortured. His nose and jaws had been broken and he had been shot several times. His body was eventually found on a border road beside a large bomb and surrounded by booby traps.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Explosives discovered in Markets Soldiers have uncovered 40lbs of explosives in the Markets area of Belfast during a routine search. The discovery was made by members of the Royal Horse Artillery in Keegan Street. Earlier soldiers of the Second Field Regiment came under fire in the Glen Road area of Belfast as

ABOVE AND FACING PAGE Members of the Official IRA man a roadblock in the Bogside area of Derry

they were returning from a patrol on the Black Mountain. Fire was returned but no casualties were reported on either side.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 RUC man wounded An RUC detective constable has been shot twice and seriously wounded in Newry. The RUC man was investigating a breaking and entering at Daisy Hill Nurseries shortly before 1.00pm when a gunman entered the office and fired two shots. One bullet struck him in the head, the second in the chest. He has been rushed to Daisy Hill Hospital where his condition is described as serious. His identity has not been revealed.

THE TROUBLES

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Saturday 22nd April 1972 Hoax bomb in Coalisland Troops have fired rubber bullets and baton charged a 100 strong stone throwing mob near Coalisland after explosives experts dealt with a suspect bomb under 600 gallon tank of diesel. Soldiers had sealed off the immediate area of the tank on land at Derna, placed explosive charges which set the fuel on fire.

The bomb turned out to be a hoax.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Soldier wounded in Belfast A soldier of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers is said to be very seriously ill in hospital after he was shot on the Donegal Road. Lance Corporal Gould, a 29-year-old man from Edinburgh, was shot once in the neck when one or two gunmen opened fire at his patrol from the Celtic Park area. Further rounds of automatic fire was then directed at the soldiers but no one was hit. The injured soldier’s tour of duty here was due to end on Tuesday.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Punishment attacks in Belfast Soldiers who went to investigate an IRA punishment attack in North Belfast came under sniper fire. As the troops approached a man who had been shot in the leg and had a placard around his neck accusing him of a crime, near Artillery Flats in North Queen Street, they came under attack. Fire was returned and the soldiers said that a gunman was seen to fall.

In another attack a 26-year-old man, described as having a low mental age, was found beaten up and tarred

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THE TROUBLES LEFT - The Rev. Martin Smyth addressing a rally of the Ulster Vanguard in Templemore Avenue

from the device to a firing point 20 yards across the border.

at Lawnbrook Avenue, off Cupar Street. He was taken to hospital where he was cleaned and treated.

His condition is described as not serious.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 RUC men attacked Two plain clothes RUC men who were on duty at Peel Street in the Lower Falls area of Belfast were attacked by a crowd of around 60 people. During the fighting one of the RUC men’s weapons was stolen. The Army arrived on the scene and rescued the RUC men. Although they were beaten they had no serious injures.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Man and woman shot in Newry A man and woman have both been shot in the legs as they left a pub in Newry. The couple, both Catholics, had left the premises with four other people and were walking along Canal Street when a car drew up beside them. Shots were fired at them from the vehicle and the car containing three men then drove off at speed.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Coalisland gun attack Fifteen shots have been fired at Coalisland RUC base. Gunmen had fired the shots from the direction of an office opposite the barracks.

Soldiers and RUC men returned fire but no one was injured.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Bomb at Draperstown RUC barracks Draperstown RUC Barracks has been extensively damaged by a 50 – 100lb bomb which exploded in a van outside. A warning about the bomb had been phoned and the area evacuated. No one was hurt but two buses and windows in surrounding buildings were damaged.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Landmine at Keady A 200lb bomb which was uncovered during an Army search on an unapproved road near Keady has been dismantled and blown up by bomb disposal experts. The boobytrap, in a milk churn, was concealed in a roadside culvert at Aughagurgan. Electric cable ran

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Gun battle in Derry A gun battle has ranged around Derry’s Rosemount RUC barracks for more than 20 minutes and there were a further six shooting incidents throughout the day. Approximately 60 shots have been fired at the RUC station by six gunmen.

The Army returned fire and believe that they have hit two of them.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 RTE camera crew attacked at funeral An RTE cameraman and his assistant have been beaten up as they were filming the funeral of UDR man James Elliott. Around 150 people who were standing watching the funeral pass attacked the camera crew. £4,000 worth of equipment was destroyed.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 SDLP “involved with IRA” A Young Unionist official has said it is becoming clear that SDLP MPs are becoming more involved with the IRA. Mr. James Rodgers, secretary of Belfast has said it is becoming clear that SDLP MPs are becoming more involved with the IRA. Mr. James Rodgers, secretary of Belfast Young Unionists, has criticised Mr. Ivan Cooper for saying that the IRA will have to be represented at any talks on the future

THE TROUBLES

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Wales and the North of Ireland. The posters being distributed in Wales are in Welsh and bear the Welsh dragon, the Irish Tricolour and Union Jack. The posters that are being distributed in the Six Counties, which it is hoped, will catch the eye of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers who are serving in Derry, are printed in English.

of the country and Mr. Paddy Devlin for attending and IRA funeral.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Blow to Official IRA in Belfast The Army have dealt a shattering blow to the Official IRA in Unity Walk and New Lodge Road areas by capturing two company commanders, two officers and four volunteers, all high on the wanted list.

One of the men lifted is known to be the commander of ‘E’ company of the Officials. The present operation is believed to have started on Monday when a company commander was captured in the Unity Walk area. It is thought that the rest of his men were captured after he revealed their whereabouts. The operation is known to have been carried out by the 2nd Parachute Regiment. They took over the areas from the 2nd battalion, the Royal Fusiliers, who were responsible for rounding up nearly a whole company of Provisional IRA men and arresting several members of the Fianna.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Soldiers seriously ill Eight soldiers are now being detained in hospital following shooting incidents in Belfast since Monday. Four are seriously ill. Many of the soldiers were injured in the Lower Falls area of Belfast where gun battles raged earlier in the week.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Girls leave their homes The two Coalisland girls who were shorn and painted this week for fraternising with soldiers have left the district. One of them is believed to be on her way to England to stay with the parents of her soldier fiancé.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Propaganda campaign A campaign to alienate Welsh soldiers from their English comrades is under way according to Republican sources in London. Posters asking “Why are Welsh soldiers dying in Ireland and fighting for English bosses” are being distributed in

Saturday 22nd April 1972 419 gun attacks in 27 days The House of Commons has been told that between March 22 and April 18 there were 419 incidents of shots being fired at troops, resulting in the deaths of four military dead and 23 injured. Soldiers fired on 196 occasions three suspected IRA men have been Killed, and it is believed that 72 others have been wounded and four were arrested at the scene of shootings.

Saturday 22nd April 1972 Rallies 250 demonstrators have held a meeting at an Army barrier but were not allowed near Long Kesh camp.

400 loyalist people attended a loyalist rally in Derry. Camera crews were manhandled and a rival crowd burned a Union Jack.

About 2,000 loyalist supporters have marched through Glasgow protesting against the suspension of Stormont.

Monday 24th April 1972 Armed raid nets £25,000 Three men, one of them disguised as an RUC man, escaped with about £25,000 after an armed raid on a Post Office mail van in

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THE TROUBLES

Newtownabbey on the outskirts of Belfast. The raid began as the van carrying mail and registered packages was travelling along Rathcoole Drive. The van driver saw a someone he thought was a policeman signal him to stop and when he did he was held at gunpoint. No shots were fired and the mal van was then driven to the Cavehill Road and the mail loaded into another vehicle.

Monday 24th April 1972 Bookmaker’s bombed A pipe bomb has been thrown into a bookmakers premises on Ravensdale Street in the Castlereagh area of Belfast but there were no casualties and only slight damage was caused to the building.

Monday 24th April 1972 UDR fund Local people in Rathfriland have set up a fund for the widow and family of UDR corporal James Elliott, who was shot dead on the border.

Monday 24th April 1972 Rubber bullet kills boy in Belfast An eleven year old boy, Francis Rowntree, of Clonard Street, has died in hospital from injuries sustained during rioting in the Divis

Street area last week. Relatives have claimed that he received a fractured skull when he was struck by a rubber bullet.

Monday 24th April 1972 Pensioner shot dead in Culleybackey The body of a 72-year-old man, Mr. Joseph Leitch, a retired farmer, who lived alone at Craigs, Cullybackey, has been discovered by a neighbour.

The RUC have said that the man died from a gunshot wound to the stomach.

Monday 24th April 1972 RUC man wounded in Derry In Derry, an RUC man is said to be comfortable in hospital after he was shot twice in the back as he was talking to a civilian in the back of an RUC van in Northland Avenue.

Monday 24th April 1972 Man wounded in leg A supermarket owner has been taken from his home near Middletown by masked raiders who also planted a bomb in his store.

The gunman then took the man’s car and drove off towards the Monaghan border. The bomb exploded

as they were driving away and caused extensive damage to the building.

Monday 24th April 1972 Lunch time attack Around lunch time a gunman fired at the Henry Taggart Army-RUC post. Fire was returned and troops believe they may have hit the gunman.

Monday 24th April 1972 Army post comes under fire A shot has been fired from a passing car in the Oldpark area of Belfast. It was aimed at the Army post in Finiston School. Soldiers returned fire striking the car which was later found abandoned in Ardilea Street.

Monday 24th April 1972 Attack at Timber yard A blast bomb has been thrown into an abandoned army post at a timber yard on the Springfield Road.

Shots were also fired at the post but no one was injured.

Monday 24th April 1972 Tartan gang attack After being called to deal with a fire at Wilson’s pub on the Castlereagh

THE TROUBLES

Road, the RUC came under attack from Tartan gangs and were stoned.

Monday 24th April 1972 Pub bombed A public house in the Markets area has been damaged when a blast bomb was thrown at it. But damage to Mooney’s Bar in Cromac Street was mainly confined to broken windows.

Monday 24th April 1972 17-year-old youth shot in Belfast A 17-year-old youth has been hit by a burst of automatic fire as he was walking along the Springfield Road. The shots were fired from a car parked near Mayo Street. The youth was hit twice in the leg but was not seriously injured.

Monday 24th April 1972 Rubber bullets fired in Ardoyne Rubber bullets have been used to disperse crowds of youths in the Ardoyne and Divis areas.

Monday 24th April 1972 Shots in Ardoyne It has been reported that a number of shots have been fired in the Ardoyne and Oldpark areas of Belfast in incidents that did not involve the security forces.

Monday 24th April 1972 Blast bombs discovered Three blast bombs have been discovered under the floorboards of a vacant house in Bryson Street in East Belfast.

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ABOVE - Bomb damage to the Grand Opera House after a bomb attack on nearby buildings

Monday 24th April 1972 UDR men injured in attack Five UDR men have been slightly injured when seven claymores exploded on a shooting range at Gortin Glen. The mines exploded as the men were returning to their transport after a day on the ranges.

Monday 24th April 1972 Gun attack at Castlederg Members of the UDR at Castlederg have claimed to have shot two gunmen who fired 60 shots at their patrol from across the border. None of the part time soldiers were injured.

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THE TROUBLES

Monday 24th April 1972 Dungannon bomb attack Several buildings have been damaged after a 75lb car bomb exploded in Scotch Street on Saturday night.

The area had been evacuated after a telephone warning and no one was injured.

Monday 24th April 1972 Derry attacks In Derry a soldier on patrol in William Street was has been wounded in the leg when a gunman opened fire from the direction of Lower Road and during the afternoon troops used rubber bullets to

disperse stone throwing youths in the Waterside during clashes between Catholics and Protestants from neighbouring estates.

30 shots were also heard near Creggan Bridge, 26 shots were heard around Brandywell cottages.

Shots were also heard on Brandwell and Creggan estates. An Army post in the city walls has come under fire from a gunman in the vicinity of St. Eugene’s school. Three time troops opened fire on a gunman in the Bogside but no hits were claimed and at Bligh’s Lane post water cannon and rubber bullets were used to disperse stone throwing youths.

Monday 24th April 1972 Youth charged with rifle An 18-year-old youth from the New Lodge area of Belfast has been charged with possession of a rifle and loaded magazine at Unity Walk.

A Republican Club convention in Belfast has passed a resolution condemning the bombing of non military targets and Official Sinn Fein President Tomas MacGiolla said that the campaign was almost exclusively against Protestant targets.

Banned under the Special Powers Act, the Republican Club movement held a conference at Divis Street but security forces did not interfere. About 300 delegates are reported to have attended.

Monday 24th April 1972 Gunman injured in bomb attack One of the gunmen involved in the LEFT AND FACING PAGE - Clearing up after a bomb attack in King Street.

THE TROUBLES

overnight bombing and shooting at a supermarket in Lisglynn, six miles from Armagh, was injured in the blast. It is reported that the man, who with other gunmen made his getaway across the border by car, was injured by flying glass. The bombing is believed to have been carrier out as part of the Official IRA’s campaign to stop some cross border trade.

Monday 24th April 1972 Buses back on Falls Belfast Corporation buses are running again on the Falls and Glen Roads for the first time in more than

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a week. But services are still off the Whiterock, Turf Lodge, Ardoyne and West Circular routes.

The Falls service is running via Grosvenor Road but a transport department spokesman said that services may be restored later via Divis Street.

Monday 24th April 1972 DUP man takes Council seat A Democratic Unionist candidate had an unopposed return for the Smithfield vacancy on Belfast City council caused by the expulsion of Republican Labour, Councillor James O’Kane.

Monday 24th April 1972 New troops for Belfast Men of the 1st Battalion the Kings Regiment will take over from the Kings Own Scottish Borderers in West Belfast on Tuesday. This will be their second tour of duty here.

They were on duty on the Shankill Road for their last tour.

Monday 24th April 1972 Attack on B-Special’s home A high velocity shot has been fired into the home of a former USC man in Barrack Hill, Armagh. The bullet went through the walls of the house but no one was injured.

Monday 24th April 1972 Police investigation into shooting A police investigation into the death of 72-year-old Joseph Leitch at Cullybackey, County Antrim has been unable to establish a motive.

Mr. Leitch was found dead in his own home. He had been shot three times in the stomach.

Monday 24th April 1972 Inquest into youth’s death The resumed inquest into the death of 16-year-old Martin McShane who was shot by troops in the Gaelic Park in Coalisland on the 14th December. Earlier in the inquest Marine ‘B’ had described how McShane had vaulted over the fence, however, a member of the RUC gave evidence that it would have been impossible for anyone to vault the wire by putting his hands on the post or fence. The constable said that he examined the fence from the pillars to the hole in a fence and found it to vary between 6ft 6in and 7ft

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THE TROUBLES

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Soldier killed on his last day Scottish soldier Joseph Gold has died in hospital on what was to be the last day of his tour of duty in the North. The 29-year-old died from gunshot wounds received when a sniper opened fire on his patrol on Friday night.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Shots fired in Andersonstown Three shots have been fired at a mobile patrol of the 2nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, in Bingnian Drive but there were no casualties.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Soldiers find bombs Troops carrying a search of a house in the Markets area of Belfast have discovered three blast bombs and a quantity of explosive materials. As well as the bombs the soldiers found several detonators, home made explosives, a timing device, a battery and some chemicals in the house Keegan Street.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Parcel bomb explodes Fire has gutted a large warehouse near the peace-line after a parcel bomb exploded without warning.

The parcel containing the bomb was delivered shortly before noon at Harold Mitchell’s pharmaceutical and photographic warehouse in Northumberland Street. After signing for it, an invoice clerk became suspicious and opened the package.

On discovering the bomb he raised the alarm and the building was evacuated.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Internees awarded damages Agreed damages totalling £3,900 have been awarded to 9 internees and 7 former internees. The men sued the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Police Authority and the Chief Constable of the RUC for damages alleging unlawful physical assault causing mental and physical suffering and degradation at Armagh and Ballykinlar in August.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 UDR man’s weapon stolen The RUC in Belfast are looking for two gunmen who beat up a UDR man in his home and stole his revolver. The UDR man received head injuries during the attack which took place in his home a Boyne Square, off Sandy Row.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Bomb in pram A bomb weighing between 100 and 200lb has been discovered in a pram which was left outside Belfast’s Telephone House in the Markets area. A doorman alerted soldiers in a passing armoured personnel carrier and the alarm was raised. The driver of the military vehicle mounted the pavement and used the vehicle to push the pram away from the building and towards Cromac Square. The pram was pushed 30 yards before he reversed and drove back to the building. When the bomb suddenly exploded it caused extensive damage to surrounding buildings and scattered debris over a wide area. The blast blew a ten

foot crater in the roadway and two soldiers and two civilians were injured, none seriously.

While troops were still at the scene of the blast, a gunman opened fire with a rifle. He fired twice, forcing firemen, police and troops to run for cover. Soldiers returned fire but did not claim a hit.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Gun attacks in Andersonstown Troops have come under fire at Sawel Hill in the Andersonstown area of Belfast and a gunman opened fire on a UDR man manning a checkpoint at Blacks Road.

No one injured in either attack.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Motorway attack Four shots were fired across the M1 towards Tate’s Avenue by a gunman operating from Rodney Parade. No one was injured.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Landmine explodes in Derry A landmine has exploded as two Army vehicles were travelling along Foyle Road. One vehicle is thought to have triggered off the 10 to 20lb device as it passed over a pressure point. About the same time a gunman in Ferguson Street fired three shots at the patrol but no one was injured.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Bus hi-jacked Ulsterbus has announced the withdrawal of services to Gobnascale until further notice after a bus was hijacked by three gunmen.

THE TROUBLES

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Bomb defused at RUC barracks Families living near Rosemount RUC barracks have been evacuated from their homes after a 20lb bomb was planted close to the station wall. An anonymous telephone caller told a newspaper office that the bomb would go off at 11.00 pm and an Army expert worked on it for four hours before it was safely defused.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Shots fired in Derry Twenty shots have been fired Derryview Terrace in the Waterside area of Derry at troops on Craigavon Bridge. Troops returned fire but no one was injured. Earlier in the evening 15 shots were fired at the Brandywell post but no one was injured.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Car bomb explodes in Cookstown A bomb estimated to be between 30 and 50lbs has exploded in a car at the front entrance to the Baptist Church at Burn Road. The blast blew in the door and lifted part of the roof off and shattered most of the windows in the building. The offices of the Daintifyt factory on the opposite side of the road were also damaged. Windows in nearby homes and the British Legion Hall were broken.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Castlederg gun attack Soldiers and RUC personnel have come under a fierce hail of fire from three gunmen on the Tyrone-Donegal border. More than 100 shots

are thought to have been fired by the snipers who were hiding among bushes. The battle raged for more than half an hour before the gunmen withdrew. The security forces found themselves pinned down but eventually managed to return fire.

No one was reported hit in the exchange.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Red cross visit Long Kesh Reporting on their second visit to Long Kesh internment camp, an International Red Cross team says that it found the atmosphere and morale of the internees had suffered a grave deterioration. The visit was in December and the two Swiss Red Cross delegates say that since the first inspection of the camp in October there was no improvement of any kind in dealing with overcrowding. “Its evil effects have only been aggravated” their report says.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Sinn Fein launches anti-EEC drive The Provisional wing of Sinn Fein has launched its anti-EEC campaign at a press conference in Dublin. Mr. David O’Connell, director of the campaign, said the Republican Movement was unequivocally opposed to joining the Common Market.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 No power cuts in “No-go” areas Mr. David Howell, the Under Secretary for Northern Ireland, in a commons written reply to a ques-

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tion, told Parliament “Electricity undertakings are required by law to maintain a supply of electricity to consumers unless charges have not been paid or an interruption of supply is necessary for technical reasons.” He stated that he would not require the cessation of electricity supplies to those parts of Londonderry where the population were not co-operating with the authorities.

Tuesday 25th April 1972 Canal bomb attack The lock gates on Newry canal have been damaged by a blast. After the attack the lock master’s wife and child were taken across the border by the raiders.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Sniper attack in Derry Soldiers in an observation post in Derry have fired on a gunman seen getting into a car in William Street.

An Army spokesman said that they were claiming a possible hit. Earlier two high velocity shots were fired at the Brandywell post but there were no casualties.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 BBC asked not to broadcast Devlin interview Mrs Mary Whitehouse, secretary of the National Viewers and Listeners Association has called on the BBC not to broadcast interviews with Miss Bernadette Devin on a religious affairs programme. She said that “it is not part of the public broadcasting service to accommo-

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THE TROUBLES

A girl is taken to an ambulance after being injured in a bomb attack in Belfast city centre

THE TROUBLES

An army saracen lies overturned in a field after an IRA landmine attack in Co. Tyrone

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THE TROUBLES

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Eight wounded in gun attacks Six soldiers and two civilians have been shot and wounded in Derry and Belfast. Two of the soldiers and one man are seriously ill in Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. In one attack, which was carried out by the Provisional IRA, a sniper fired a single shot at a soldier at the junction of William Street and Waterloo Place striking him in the chest. The bullet passed through his body and struck a middle aged man who was passing by.

date people who are given to revolution by violence if necessary.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Dispute over UDR man’s death Security chiefs have rejected the IRA’s version of events surrounding the killing of UDR man James Elliott. The IRA has stated that his body was not booby-trapped and that although there were mines in the vicinity the nearest one was over 200ft away. They also stated that he was shot in a struggle during which he pulled a revolver on his captors. An RUC spokesman has said that he was executed two hours

before his body was found and a day and a half after he was captured and that they had medical evidence to prove that he was not killed during a struggle.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Rubber bullet victim buried About 300 people have attended the funeral of 11-year-old Francis Rowntree who was killed during a riot in Belfast. The boy’s family are certain that he was killed by a rubber bullet. Since his death there have also been claims that the rubber bullet had been “doctored.”

This has been denied by the Army.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Youth shot in Belfast A 19-year-old Protestant youth who was walking along the Crumlin Road has been shot after he was approached by a man and girl. He was asked by the man “Are you from the Shankill Road?” When he said yes the man produced a pistol from his pocket and fired at him but nothing happened. The youth struggled with his attackers and was shot in the neck. He is said to be seriously ill but not in danger.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Sniper attacks in Belfast Snipers have launched a series of attacks on troops in the FallsGosvenor Road area. One shot fired by a gunman from Granville Street struck a soldier of the 3rd Battalion, the Anglican Regiment but he sustained only a minor flesh wound. Another soldier from the same unit was hit in the side by a gunman who opened fire from Burnaby Street. He was rushed to hospital but is not seriously injured.

THE TROUBLES

A third member of the battalion was shot at the junction of the Falls Road and Spinner Street. He too was not seriously hurt. The sniper is thought to have fired from Lower Clonard Street.

Two soldiers were shot at an Army observation post at Norfolk Parade.

Two gunmen fired 20 shots at the post. Neither of the soldiers are seriously injured.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Smithfield bomb defused Army experts have defused two 40lb bombs in a day long drama at Smithfield bus station. The bombs were left as parcels on a lorry which was parked in West Street. The de-

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pot and surrounding area was evacuated, causing widespread traffic disruption.

blast was heard over a wide area of the city but caused no damage or injury.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Pipe bombs thrown into house Two houses in the Markets area have been damaged when a pipe bomb was into an empty house in Lindsay Street. A youth was seen running away. No one was injured in the attack.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Petrol bombs thrown Four petrol bombs have been thrown at a house at Clara Park but there was no damage.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Claymore mine explodes A claymore mine has been detonated near an Army mobile patrol as it passed the junction of Rodney Parade and Donegal Road. The

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Shotgun found Troops have found a doubled barrel shotgun during a routine search in Andersonstown.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Arson attack The RUC are treating an overnight fire at a ladies hairdressing salon on the Shore Road as malicious.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Petrol station bombed The Melmont Service Station in Strabane has been severely damaged by a bomb. There were no casualties. The bomb, believed to contain between 20 and 50lb of explosives was placed in a toilet at the rear. Three cars parked next to the building were also wrecked.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Rifles found in Newtownabbey Soldiers have found two .22 rifles buried in an embankment near an old peoples home in Newtownabbey. A quantity of .22 ammunition was also found.

RIGHT - Firemen fight a blaze at a printers shop in Northumberland Street after a firebomb attack

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THE TROUBLES

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Explosion in quarry A site office at a quarry at Loughgal has been damaged by an explosion but security forces are waiting until daylight before they examine the scene.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Gun attack on Soldiers Twelve shots have been fired at a mobile patrol of the Devon and Dorset Regiment at Millyleggan, Blackwaterstown, but there were no casualties.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Whitelaw ready to lift ban The lifting of the parades ban by the

Secretary of State, Mr William Whitelaw, is now regarded as imminent. While the total ban will be removed, the Public Orders Act in relation to marches will continue.

Wednesday 26th April 1972 Bullet proof beds for troops Soldiers in Belfast are to be provided with more armoured support – in the form of bullet-proof beds.

The idea for the beds came from the 34th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers. Said an Army spokesman “one of our units is housed in an old Mill and it is a common occurrence for snipers bullets to enter one wall and go out another. Therefore in order to give the troops more pro-

tection. The beds are under construction and will soon be available.

Thursday 27th April 1972 22 internees freed Another 22 internees held under the Special Powers Act have been freed from Long Kesh. This brings the total number of internees to be released since the introduction of Direct Rule to 165.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Troops cut by 600 Six hundred men of the 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery have left the North but they are not being replaced. This brings the

THE TROUBLES

number of troops serving here to 13,900 but more men may be brought in for the 12th July.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Lynch refuses aid The Irish Government has had second thoughts about providing money for opposition parties in the North. Last year Mr Lynch announced that his government would make money available to opposition groups in the north to mount a passive resistance campaign. A member of the Fine Gael has said the reason the money would not be provided was because Mr. Lynch had gotten his knuckles raped by the British Government.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Peace activists visit Long Kesh A former minister in the Indian Government, Mr. Krishna Menon and other world peace activists have visited internees in Long Kesh.

Speaking after the visit he said that he felt internees should be either tried or released.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Soldier killed near Armagh One soldier has died and two others were injured when an Army breakdown truck left the road and overturned near Armagh. It is still not clear how the accident happened. Army witnesses have reported that the vehicle swerved to avoid youths who were throwing FACING PAGE - An armoured personnel moving into Divis Street RIGHT - Bomb attack on the warehouse of Harold Mitchell Ltd, West Belfast

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stones but local people say that no stones were thrown.

troops fired on a gunman in Lundy’s Lane, which is off Lecky Road.

Thursday 27th April 1972 UDR man’s home attacked In Armagh five or six shots have been fired at the Barrack Hill home of a UDR man. No one was injured and it is believed that the UDR man returned fire.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Army post attacked The Army post in Brandywell has come under fire on several occasions. About a dozen shots were directed at the post in two separate attacks but there were no casualties.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Bomb explodes in Derry A 2lb bomb was placed in the front hall of Claremont Presbyterian Church Hall at Eden Terrace. The doors, floor ceiling and windows of the building were damaged in the attack.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Gunmen may have been shot The Army think they hit two gunmen in Derry overnight. Shortly after 7.00 pm a gunman fired one shot at the Bligh’s Lane post. The soldiers returned fire and claim the man was hit. Later an ambulance was seen in the area. After a second attack an Army spokesman said

Thursday 27th April 1972 Nail bombs thrown in Derry Three nail bombs have been thrown at Rosemount RUC barracks in Derry but there was no damage and no one was injured in the attack.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Sniper attack on Army post The Brandywell Army post came under sniper attack at around 7.30 in the morning. Three shots were fired by a gunman from the city cemetery but there were no casualties and fire was not returned.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Rifles found in Andersonstown Soldiers in Belfast have recovered three IRA weapons on Wednesday.

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THE TROUBLES

One of the weapons had been shot from a gunman’s hands during a running battle in Andersonstown.

The incident in Slemish Way began when five shots were fired at a twovehicle Land Rover patrol. The gunman made off in a car towards South Link and a Land Rover gave chase. The car did a U-turn in an effort to escape and met the second Land Rover. Three men jumped out and fired a shot from an Armalite rifle. Soldiers returned fire and the rifle was shot from the man’s hands.

The other two men dropped their weapons and ran off up Commedagh Drive and escaped.

The Army later said that they had recovered a Japanese Armalite rifle and 12 rounds, a Sten gun and 40 rounds and a Lugar type pistol and six rounds.

and a fuse box in Bessbrook. The blast also damaged six houses and two business premises. No one was injured.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Soldier wounded in Belfast A soldier has been slightly injured in the hip when six gunmen ambushed a patrol at the corner of Shaw’s Road and Glen Road. Fire was returned but no hits were reported.

Thursday 27th April 1972 IRA leader faces jail The Chief of Staff of the IRA, Mr. Sean MacStiofain, is not expected to pay the £20 fine imposed on him at Navan Court for possessing a bullet. A leading member of the organisation has confirmed that if he did pay the fine this would be tantamount to recognising the court and he would be expelled from the IRA. This has already happened in the case of Anthony “Dutch” Doherty, who was expelled when he accepted bail on arms charges.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Pipe bomb thrown at wine shop A Pipe bomb has been thrown into Kelly’s wine shop on the Beersbridge Road. Damage was done to a rear door and windows were broken.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Electricity transformer bombed An explosion has badly damaged two electricity poles, a transformer

Thursday 27th April 1972 Bessbrook RUC base attacked Shots were also fired at the local RUC barracks in Bessbrook. Fire was returned and one gunman may have been hit.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Explosion in Killyleagh An explosion has damaged a water main just north of Killyleagh.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Incendiary attack The Crown Buildings, Newry Street, Kilkeel, has been slightly damaged in an incendiary attack.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Bomb experts blow up car An Army bomb expert has fired an anti-tank shell into a suspicious car

which was parked inside the controlled parking zone in Omagh. The car which had been parked near the Townhall, burst into flames and burned out, but no bomb was found.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Swedish work permit for deserter A British Army deserter who sought asylum in Sweden because he did not want to serve in Ireland has been granted residential and work permits “for humanitarian reasons.”

Lance Corporal Kevin Cadwallader from Preston is the first British deserter to seek asylum in Stockholm.

Thursday 27th April 1972 “Shoot IRA men” Kilfedder Mr. Jim Kilfedder, MP, for North Down, has said in London that he believed that if the Army were taking photographs of masked, armed men manning the barricades in Derry, then they should challenge them to surrender and if necessary shot them. Mr. Kilfedder said that he did not believe the Army should shoot to kill but only wound.

Thursday 27th April 1972 Border attack Twelve shots have been fired at an Army patrol at Narrow Water from the southern side of the border. No one has been hurt.

Friday 28th April 1972 Car bombs hit Belfast and Newry Two car bombs have caused severe damage and a number of injuries in Belfast city centre and Newry.

In the Belfast incident at King Street, off Smithfield, no warning

THE TROUBLES

was given but the security forces had cleared the area after spotting a stolen van. The van, which had been parked outside Clokey’s paint shop, disintegrated in the blast and damaged several shops.

The Newry car bomb exploded in the busy Kildare Street shopping centre caused damage to several buildings including the Town hall and Hale’s bar. An RUC man was injured by the blast. A number of civilians were also treated in hospital for shock and minor injuries.

Friday 28th April 1972 Peace march to IRA HQs Housewives in Derry’s Bogside are to stage a march for peace on Sun-

An army riot squad on the New Lodge Road

day next from “Free Derry Corner” to the headquarters of both the Official and Provisional IRA. And in the “no go” area they will tell them that the bombings and shootings must stop.

Friday 28th April 1972 Protestants in RUC protest About 100 angry Protestants have demonstrated outside Willowfield RUC barracks in Belfast against alleged RUC brutality in the area on Thursday night. Many of the protestors carried Union flags and placards which read “Protestants Betrayed” and “RUC SS.” Friday 28th April 1972

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Youths shot in East Belfast Gunmen have shot and seriously wounded two Protestant youths during the night. The youths, aged 12 and 18, from Mayo Street and Highcairn Drive, were shot by a gunman who opened up from a moving car near the March StreetAinsworth Avenue. The schoolboy was hit in the groin and another shot struck his friend’s right kidney.

They were both rushed to Hospital.

Friday 28th April 1972 RUC men in clash with Tartan gang Three RUC men have been injured during intermittent clashes with crowds, including Tartan gangs in

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THE TROUBLES

the Woodstock area. An RUC sergeant had to receive five stitches after he was struck by a missile.

Friday 28th April 1972 Rubber bullets fired at Children Rubber bullets have been fired a children who threw stones at a mobile patrol in the Stewartstown Road area.

Friday 28th April 1972 Springfield Road attacks A burst of automatic fire has been directed at soldiers on duty at a timber yard on Belfast’s Springfield Road. There were no casualties.

Friday 28th April 1972 Sniper attack A single shot has been directed by a sniper towards a mobile patrol in Cavendish Street, Belfast but no one was injured in the attack.

Friday 28th April 1972 Bombs in Claudy Two explosions, followed by a fire, have wrecked six buses parked in an open yard. RUC personnel who arrived on the scene were stoned by local youths.

Friday 28th April 1972 RUC patrol attacked in Castlederg 30 shots have been fired at an RUC patrol from across the border. The attack occurred about seven miles outside the town of Castlederg.

There were no casualties and fire was not returned.

Friday 28th April 1972 Gardai patrol fired on Just before midnight the Gardai in Ballynafeigh reported that one of their units had been fired on from the Northern side of the border.

They say the attackers were in the area of Kilclaw customs post.

was detonated from around 200 yards away.

Friday 28th April 1972 Strabane bomb demolishes building A bomb has almost demolished a Ministry of Agriculture building at

About 100 angry Protestants have demonstrated outside Willowfield RUC barracks in Belfast against alleged RUC brutality in the area on Thursday night.

Many of the protestors carried Union flags and placards which read “Protestants Betrayed” and “RUC SS.” Friday 28th April 1972 Troops return fire in Bligh’s Lane Troops at Bligh’s Lane Army post say that they returned fire on gunmen on two separate occasions and that they believe they may have hit one of them.

Friday 28th April 1972 Showrooms damaged by bomb The interior of Frazer Mitchell’s auctioneer showrooms at Castle Street Derry have been extensively damaged by a 5lb bomb which had been planted by six men.

Friday 28th April 1972 Scout cars attacked Two 16/5 Lancers scout cars have been slightly damaged when a 25lb booby-trap bomb exploded underneath one of the vehicles while they were on patrol. The Army say it

Melmont Road Strabane. The size of the bomb is estimated to be around 20lb.

Friday 28th April 1972 Mystery explosion in Coalisland The RUC are waiting until daylight before they are attempting to establish the source of an explosion heard in the Brackaville area of Coalisland.

Friday 28th April 1972 Shots fired in Oldpark Security forces have said that the shootings in the Bone area of the city were directed at both the RUC and the Army and they have discounted a report in the Irish Independent that the UVF had carried out a large scale attack on the isolated Catholic area. The spokesman also pointed out that 20 shots had been fired from playing fields at

THE TROUBLES

Armoured Personnel Carriers on the Oldpark Road. Two shots were also fired at two RUC men on duty at Louisa Street.

Saturday 29th April 1972 Vanguard rally held in London About 3,000 Ulster people are said to have paraded through the centre of London on a march organised by Ulster Vanguard to protest against direct rule. The parade stretched for almost a mile as it left Speaker’s Corner to its destination on the Embankment for a rally speech by Mr. William Craig.

Saturday 29th April 1972 Bangor factory bombed An explosion in Bangor has wrecked part of an animal feed factory and disrupted rail services from Belfast. The Feedwell factory, near Brunswick Road railway bridge had been out of production after a fire some time ago.

Saturday 29th April 1972 Bomb warning ignored Portadown police have criticised the “down right stupid” reaction of local people to a recent bomb warning that a bomb had been placed in the town centre. The RUC and Army had immediately sealed off the Market Street/High Street areas.

A loud hailer was used to warn shoppers to get off the streets and out of the danger area, but according to the RUC these plans were ignored by a large section of the general public “who went about

their business seemingly uncaring if a bomb exploded near them.”

Saturday 29th April 1972 Man found dead in South Detectives from Dublin Castle have begun a full scale murder hunt after the body of a partially crippled man was discovered on a lonely byroad about 14 miles from Drogheda.

One theory being considered is that the man, aged between 30 and 40 has been the victim of a political assassination. There was a hole in the back of his head but it is not known if this was caused by a bullet or a sharp instrument.

Saturday 29th April 1972 Trouble in East Belfast Soldiers and RUC personnel have rushed to East Belfast to deal with a new outbreak of trouble involving local Tartan gangs. The RUC in the area radioed for reinforcements when the trouble began in the Woodstock Road-Short Strand area.

Saturday 29th April 1972 Three men on arms charges Three men have appeared in court charged with possessing three revolvers and ammunition in the city on Friday Night.

Saturday 29th April 1972 Army claims to have shot snipers The army in Derry say a gunman fired two shots at them on the city walls. They returned fire and believe they may have hit him. In a separate incident they came under fire at the Bligh’s Lane post from the direction of Beechwood Avenue-Crescent junction. Shots were

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returned but no hits were claimed.

In Belfast troops fired back after a gunman fired seven shots at a mobile patrol on the Glen Road. The gunman is thought to have been operating from the direction of St. Teresa’s church hall. The man was seen to fall. A follow up search was mounted but no trace of the man could be found. Two shots were also fired at a sentry on duty at an electricity sub-station but he was not hit.

Saturday 29th April 1972 Sniper attack on checkpoint Four shots have been fired at an Army checkpoint at Cloughoe, Newry, from a nearby churchyard.

Fire was returned but the soldiers did not claim any hits.

Saturday 29th April 1972 Peace march cancelled The peace march which was due to take place in Derry on Sunday has been cancelled in order to avoid possible trouble on the streets.

Saturday 29th April 1972 Army attacked in Derry More than 30 shots have been fired at Bligh’s Lane Army post and soldiers fired two shots in response.

No one was injured in the attack.

Saturday 29th April 1972 Youth shot in Belfast A 16-year-old youth has been admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital with gunshot wounds to his thigh and abdomen after a shooting incident in Templemore Avenue. His condition is not known.

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THE TROUBLES

THOSE WHO DIED HENRY MILLAR AGED 79 4th April 1972 Mr Millar died after being injured in the bomb blast in Donegall Street two weeks previously. He was the seventh victim to die in this attack.

three were killed instantly.

JOHN McERLEAN AGED 17 7th April 1972 The third member of the IRA to be killed in the Bawnmore explosion.

Samuel Hughes

PETER DEACON SIME AGED 22 7th April 1972 Mr Sime was a soldier in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers. He was shot dead by an IRA sniper at the entrance to the Henry Taggart base in West Belfast.

SAMUEL HUGHES AGED 17 7th April 1972 One of three members of the IRA to be killed in a premature explosion in the Bawnmore Estate. It had exploded inside a garage and all

CHARLES McCRYSTAL AGED 18 7th April 1972 A member of the IRA killed alongside Samuel Hughes. From Greencastle, his brother had been killed by the UDA a few months previously.

Charles McChrystal

APOLOGY In the last issue of the publication we placed the wrong picture of Albert Kavanagh under his listing in the ‘Those who died’ section. This is the picture which should have been alongside the text and apologise for this mistake.

John McErlean

ERIC BLACKBURN AGED 24 10th April 1972 A soldier in the Royal Artillery Regiment, Mr Blackburn was killed alongside Lance Bombardier Brian Thomasson in a bomb attack in the pavilion of a bowling green at Brooke Park in Derry.

The troops were attempting to move children, who were throwing stones at them, away from the bomb when it exploded.

BRIAN THOMASSON AGED 21 10th April 1972 Killed alongside Eric Blackburn in the bomb attack in Derry.

ELIZABETH McAULEY AGED 65 13th April 1972 Mrs McAuley was killed after an IRA bomb exploded outside her flat in Main Street, Ballymoney.

The bomb started a fire and the charred remains of her were discovered in the ruins of the building.

JOE McCANN AGED 25 15th April 1972 Mr McCann was shot dead by members of the Parachute Regiment in the Markets area of South Belfast.

He had been a leading member of the Official IRA and was one of their most prominent activist. At the inquest into his death soldiers stated that they had expected his to be carrying a weapon but he was unarmed at the time.

Joe McCann

THE TROUBLES

GERARD BRISTOW AGED 26 16th April 1972 A soldier in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, he was shot dead by the Official IRA while on patrol in Derry’s Ferguson Street.

Sean McConville

SEAN McCONVILLE AGED 17 15th April 1972 Sean was walking up the Crumlin Road in North Belfast with a friend when a car pulled up into a lay-by and called them over.

One of the passengers asked directions and while doing so produced gun and opened fire. Sean was hit by at least three bullets. It is believed that the UDA were behind the murder.

MARTIN ROBINSON AGED 21 16th April 1972 A soldier in the Sherwood Forester’s Regiment he was in an observation post in an old filling station in the Brandywell area of Derry when it came under attack by the Official IRA.

NICHOLAS HULL AGED 22 16th April 1972 A second lieutenant in the Royal Anglican Regiment he was shot dead by the Official IRA while on mobile patrol in Durham Street in West Belfast.

He had been directing the removal of a barricade from inside an armoured vehicle when a snipers bullet came in through the observation slit. It is believed the gunman was operating from Divis Flats.

PATRICK MAGEE AGED 20 17th April 1972 Patrick was shot with another man as they were leaving St Comgall’s School on the Falls Road. The pair, who were student teachers, were shot by the Parachute Regiment who opened fire from Percy Street.

Patrick received a

deep chest wound and died while his friend was badly injured.

PATRICK DONAGHY AGED 86 17th April 1972 One of the oldest victims of the troubles, Mr Donaghy was shot dead through the window of his flat which was on the eight floor of the Divis Tower in West Belfast. His home help found him dead the following day.

At his inquest statements from the soldiers involved were read out.

They claimed that they had seen gun smoke from the window and that they had all opened fire. However the coroner said that any firing was unlikely to have come from Mr Donaghy as he had only one eye.

JAMES ELLIOT AGED 36 19th April 1972 A member of the UDR, James’s body was found on a border road near Newtownhamilton after he had been abducted by the IRA. His body had been surrounded by Claymore

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mines and a huge 500lb bomb.

MARTIN OWENS AGED 22 19th April 1972 Martin was killed after being taken from his home in the Andersonstown area of West Belfast. A short time after being taken from his home, his body was thrown from a car and found at Horn Drive in the nearby Suffolk area.

He had been shot five times at close range on the head, chest and neck. On the same evening his brother had also been abducted from a republican club on the Suffolk Road but later released. It is believed that the IRA were behind the killing.

GERALD DONNELLY AGED 22 20th April 1972 Mr Donnelly was one of the taxi drivers at Arkle Taxis in Clifton Street. At around 10.30pm two men came in and asked for a taxi to take them to the Nationalist Ardoyne area and Gerald took them in his taxi. A short time later he was shot five

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THE TROUBLES

times in Harrybrook Street by the gunmen who had entered his taxi and who, it is believed, were from the UDA. Later the same night two youths survived a murder attempt in the same area where Mr Donnelly’s taxi depot was situated. They had been standing outside a cafe in Carlisle Circus when two armed men approached them and ordered them into the Loyalist Denmark Street which runs onto Carlisle Circus. They were then shot, one in the mouth and the other in the arm.

FRANCIS ROWNTREE AGED 11 22nd April 1972 Francis was the first person to die after being struck by a rubber bullet near the Divis Flats area of West Belfast. He had been struck two days previously during rioting in the area and sustained massive head injuries.

A number of people claimed that the rubber bullet had been tampered with and that a battery had been inserted to make it more dangerous. Paddy

Devlin of the SDLP stated that the bullet had been cut in half with the torch battery replacing the missing half of the rubber bullet. He added that the injuries were consistent with being hit by a hard object and not a rubber bullet.

JOSEPH GOLD AGED UNLISTED

26th April 1972 A soldier in the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, he had been injured five days earlier during an IRA gun attack on a military patrol on the Donegall Road. He had been married with two children and his tour on duty in Northern Ireland was to have ended on the day he died.

LAURENCE JUBB AGED 22 26th April 1972 A soldier in the Royal Engineers, he was killed when the recovery lorry he was driving was stoned on the Killylea Road near Armagh City. The lorry jack-knifed after it lost control and overturned trapping three soldiers inside. Local people attempted to help res-

cue the trapped soldiers and one local nurse, whose husband was in Long Kesh at the time, helped give first aid. Laurence had been crushed.

ROSALEEN GAVIN AGED 8 29th April 1972 From Ardilea Street in the Bone district of North Belfast, she was shot on the Oldpark Road by a sniper aim-

ing a soldiers. Two soldiers, who were in an observation post, told the inquest that they heard a shot fired at them followed by four shots shortly afterwards. They said that after the shooting they heard screaming and saw the body of a child being placed in an ambulance. A man was wounded in the leg during the same incident.

A young boy is rushed to a first aid post after being struck on the face by an army rubber bullet. Although designed to control rioters by administering a sharp blow, the rubber bullet could do more permanent damage to the very young, frail or old.

Francis Rowntree was the first to be killed by a rubber bullet.

THE TROUBLES

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