The
TROUBLES ISSUE 19
January/February 1973
SIX MEN GUNNED DOWN IN NEW LODGE
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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. Regular readers will be aware of slight changes being made to the layout of the Troubles magazine. This is due to a new format we're adopting in order to merge it with our sister publication Belfast Magazine. This will not occur until after Issue 20 and readers have nothing to worry about in terms of content and availability. The amount of pages will be the same and instead of being available four times per year it will now be available six times. per year. There will also be a decrease in price as the new price will be £2.50. At the back of each issue we also listed Those Who Died which was taken from the publication Lost Lives. Having completed 1972 we have decided that we should list these deaths the way they were reported at the time and not make any corrections which came out after the inquests etc. The page content of the whole combined magazine will be approximately 120 pages and this should be great value as most of our readers purchase both publications. We wish to hear your comments on this and remember it's NOT happening until after Issue 20 (February 2006)
SOURCE MATERIAL BELFAST NEWSLETTER Various issues for period covered
BELFAST TELEGRAPH Various issues for period covered
IRISH NEWS Various issues for period covered
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JANUARY 1973
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Monday 1 January 1973 Man shot in New Lodge Monday 1st January 1973 A 21-year-old man has been found in the New Lodge Road Man and woman killed in Donegal area suffering from gunshot wounds. His name has not In what has been described as the first assassinations in the been released but it is thought that he was shot in the shoulSouth, the bodies of an engaged couple have been discov- der in the Spamount Street area. ered on a lonely Donegal Road. The dead have been identified as Oliver Boyce, aged 25, a carpenter, of main Street Monday 1st January 1973 Clonmany and Breige Porter, aged 21, a factory worker, of Ardoyne shootings Matherinure, Buncrana. It is believed that the couple, who According to the Army about 150 rounds were fired in the were both shot a number of times, had set out for a New Ardoyne area during the night. Fire was returned on a Year Eve party. They are reported to have been seen walk- number of occasions and a man was reported to have been ing along the road after their car broke down. Their bodies shot in Gracehill Street. were found in a ditch at Birdstown, a small townland between Muff and Bridgend. A local farmer has reported that Monday 1st January 1973 he heard a scream and 15 shots at around 2.00 am. Mr Shots fired in Falls Boyce’s car was found three miles a way from the scene at Around 25 shots have been directed at soldiers who were Muff occupying an observation post in the bus depot. It is believed that the gunmen were operating from the direction Monday 1st January 1973 of Milltown cemetery. No one was injured in the attack. Incendiary removed from bar A passer-by has removed an incendiary device from the Monday 1st January 1973 front of a Dungannon public house shortly before it ex- Army post attacked ploded. An Army spokesman has said that the device was Shots have been fired at an Army post in the Ardoyne are thrown into the gutter where it exploded. No one was in- of Belfast. In Brompton Park also in Ardoyne, occasional jured. shots were directed at troops. No injuries were reported Monday 1st January 1973 Gun attack A man and a woman passenger have been detained in hospital after gunmen opened fire on a Corporation bus in West Belfast. The shots are reported to have been from the Protestant Highfield estate as the bus halted at a stop on the Springfield Road. The bus was struck 18 times but no one was seriously hurt.
Monday 1st January 1973 Weekend shootings There were a number of unsuccessful assassination attempts in Belfast over the weekend and more than 250 shots were fired in Republican areas. Many of the shots were at unknown targets. Soldiers have also claimed to have shot a man in the Ardoyne area of Belfast. British troops moving in to set up a check point near the border at Clones
Monday 1st January 1973 Soldiers open fire in Ballymurphy Soldiers have opened fire on two men who were believed to be carrying guns at Springfield Park. The soldiers fired from Moyard Park in Ballymurphy. No hits were claimed
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Monday 1 January 1973 Gunmen open fire on youths Shots have been fired from a passing car at four youths walking along Deramore Avenue in the Ormeau Road area. One youth, aged 19, was injured but his condition was not serious and he was discharged after treatment.
Monday 1st January 1973 Belfast explosion An explosion which was heard over a wide area of Belfast has been caused by the Army. Army bomb experts are said to have blown up a looking suspicious car which was found at Empire Street in the Donegal Road.
Monday 1st January 1973 Teenager injured in gun attack An 18-year-old youth has been shot as he walked with friends along Westway Gardens.. Witnesses have said that a car drew up beside the men and an occupant called out to one of the men, a shot was then fired. The youth was taken to hospital
Monday 1st January 1973 Car bomb at Newtownbutler A bomb which is estimated to have contained 30-50 lb of explosives has exploded at a garage in the village of Newtownbutler. Three nearby houses were damaged in the blast.
Monday 1st January 1973 Monday 1 January 1973 Houses petrol bombed Soldier wounded in New Lodge Three houses in the Whitehill estate in Bangor were atA soldier was been hit in the arm when a gunman opened tacked with petrol bombs during the night. One woman fire on a foot patrol in the New Lodge area of Belfast. A received burns to her arm. second soldier received a leg wound when soldiers came under fire at Berwick Road in the Ardoyne area. Neither is seriously injured. Monday 1st January 1973 Bomb at civil rights leader’s home A bomb containing 30 lb of explosives attached to a 5 gallon drum of petrol has been found at the home of a Civil Rights leader. The bomb, which was found at the rear of the home of Mr Kevin Agnew in Maghera, had been placed at the rear wall of the home. Army experts have said that the fuse had burned out. A telephone warning had been given to the RUC. Mr Agnew and his wife were not at home at the time. st
Monday 1st January 1973 RUC barracks attacked in Downpatrick Gunmen operating from an empty shop in Irish Street in Downpatrick have fired a number of shots at the local RUC barracks. No one was injured in the attack.
TOP - Funeral of UDR Captain James Hood who was killed by the IRA. BOTTOM - The car in which Jack Mooney was shot dead at the Rolls Royce factory in East Belfast RIGHT - Jack Mooney pictured with he son Paul FAR RIGHT - Shots being fired by women members of the IRA over the coffin of Rose Curry who was killed in an explosion in the Lower Falls area
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1 January 1973 Guns stolen from house Four masked men have burst into a home at Upper Greenisland, in Carrickfergus and got away with five legally held guns. The householder, who the RUC say was not connected with the security forces, was tied up. The raiders got away with four shotguns and a pistol.
Monday 1 January 1973 Incendiary device explodes in Millisle An incendiary device has exploded at a café in the County Down village of Millise. The café, on Main Street, was made of wood but only slight damage was caused.
Monday 1st January 1973 Malicious fire in Newry A fire, which is believed to have been started maliciously, has caused extensive damage to the Hermitage lounge bar in Newry.
Monday 1st January 1973 Official IRA killed RUC man The Official IRA have claimed responsibility for the killing of a RUC man in Lurgan as he delivered Christmas presents to 11-year-old girl in the Kilwilkie estate. At the time it was widely believed that the shooting had been carried out by the Provisional IRA.
Monday 1st January 1973 Shot fired at graveside Monday 1st January 1973 A volley of shots have been fired over the grave of a man Mystery explosion in Derry who was shot dead by the Army in Derry on Friday. The There has been an explosion in Derry during the night how- dead man, 30-year-old James McDaide, who came from ever its source has not yet been traced. According to the the Shantallow area of the city, was shot by a soldier at Army the muffled explosion was heard in the vicinity of Balllyarnett. Full IRA honours were accorded to dead man. Fanad Drive-Bligh’s Lane.
Monday 1st January 1973 Army patrol attacked in Twinbrook One shot has been fired at an Army patrol in the Twinbrook Tuesday 2nd January 1973 area of Belfast. There were no casualties and fire was not IRA women go on run It is believed that many members of the women’s section returned. of the IRA have gone on the run following the detention last night of a 19-year-old girl, Elizabeth McKee. Miss McKee last night became the first woman to be served with a detention order. She was one of a number of people arrested on Tuesday night when troops swooped on the Riverdale Park area of Belfast. The detention order comes one year after the first rumours that women were to be detained. It is though that she will be kept in the women’s section of Armagh prison.
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Tuesday 2 January 1973 Sinn Fein to open office in Belfast The Provisional wing of Sinn are said to be in the process of opening an office in Belfast to distribute literature and act as an advice centre. A spokesman for them has said that premises have already been acquired and that they will be operational in the near future. There has been no reaction from the government on the possibility of Sinn Fein, which is a banned organisation, opening offices.
Tuesday 2nd January 1973 82 people charge in December In a detailed report on the security situation, which has been given to the Secretary of State, William Whitelaw, 82 people were arrested on arms and explosives charges last month, 46 of these were Protestants and 36 Catholics.. In Protestant areas 21 guns and 6,500 rounds of ammunition and 900 lbs of explosive have been seized, whereas in Catholic areas, during the same period 22 guns, 1,600 rounds of ammunition and 650 lbs of explosives have been uncovered. Tuesday 2nd January 1973 Derry Republican Charged The Derry Republican leader, Martin McGuinness, has been remanded in custody for a fortnight, when he appeared before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin. He has been charged with membership of the IRA, possessing 250 lbs of explosives and 4,757 rounds .of ammunition Tuesday 2nd January 1973 Man killed at Rolls Royce plant A 31-year-old Catholic has been shot dead as he drove into the car park of the Rolls Royce plant at Dundonald. The dead man has been identified as Mr Jack Mooney, of Whiterock Park, The dead man’s father, who was travelling in the car, was uninjured in the attack but two other men who were travelling in the car were wounded, one has been shot in the chest and the other in the foot. Tuesday 2nd January 1973 Rocket attack on Army post A member of the RUC and a girl typist have had a narrow escape when a fragment from an RPG7 rocket thudded into he office where they were working. The rocket had been fired into the Springfield Road Army-RUC base from a nearby street.
Tuesday 2nd January 1973 Incendiary attack in Derry A fire which is believed to have been started by an incendiary device has gutted ladies and children’s outfitters at Great James Street, in Derry. The outbreak was discovered by an Army patrol and although firemen were quickly on the scene, the fire spread rapidly. Tuesday 2nd January 1973 Bomb damages public house A bomb has extensively damaged a disused house at Ann Street, Dungannon. A warning was given and there were no casualties. Tuesday 2nd January 1973 Arson attack at Limavady farm The RUC are investigating the cause of a blaze which destroyed a hayshed containing 8,000 bales of hay and other farm materials at Tartnakelly, Limavady.
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An Army spokesman has said that the soldier received a graze to his cheek when the shots were fired in Waterford Street
Wednesday 3rd January 1973 Man shot at Glencairn A 31-year-old man has been found lying on the road with a gunshot wound to the knee in the Glencairn area of Belfast. It is unsure how the incident happened but it is thought that he was captured by three men in a car and then shot.
Wednesday 3rd January 1973 Gunman shoots man in knee At around 9.30pm yesterday a 20-year-old man was shot in Distillery Street, Belfast, when a car pulled up beside him and called him over. As the youth went over to the car he was shot in the knee. The RUC have said that a .22 rifle was used.
Wednesday 3rd January 1973 Rocket fired at RUC base A rocket, which was launched at an RUC base in Benagh, County Tyrone, has failed to hit the building and exploded Tuesday 2nd January 1973 inside a derelict building. No one was hurt in the attack Explosives find at Greencastle which was launched from a nearby hill on the OmaghThe RUC has said that the Army has made safe 2 lbs of Ballygawley Road. It is understood that the rocket narexplosive mixture which was found at Catherine’s Row, rowly missed the barrack’s married quarters. near the M2 junction at Greencastle. Wednesday 3rd January 1973 Shots fired into home Tuesday 2nd January 1973 A man and his wife narrowly escaped death when a bullet Death figures for 1972 smashed through the window of their home at Fairway, The official death figures for civil unrest in 1972 show that Antiville, Larne. Three shots were fired at the house by a 467 people were killed. Including last nights shooting vicnumber of men. tim, the death total since 1969 is now 679. Wednesday 3rd January 1973 Sniper shoots soldier A soldier has been slightly wounded when an Army foot patrol came under fire in the lower Falls area of Belfast.
RIGHT - The Ben Madigan Station where Trevor Rankin was shot dead by Republicians. LEFT - Trevor Rankin
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Thursday 4th January 1973 Man charged with UVF membership An Army source has said that troops are normally transported in Wessex helicopters but that they prefer the Puma. One reason being is that it has an unloading door on each side of its fuselage. An Army source has said that troops are normally transported in Wessex helicopters but that they Wednesday 3rd January 1973 prefer the Puma. One reason being is that it has an unloading door on each side of its fuselage. An Army source has Arson attack on van A fish and chip van has been destroyed by fire after a stone said that troops are normally transported in Wessex heliwas thrown through the windscreen of the vehicle as it copters but that they prefer the Puma. One reason being is passed a housing estate at Ardmore, near Derry. It is be- that it has an unloading door on each side of its fuselage. lieved that fat tipped out and ignited as the van driver braked Thursday 4th January 1973 sharply. Shots fired at soldiers Wednesday 3rd January 1973 A working party of soldiers who were close to Finiston RAF border operations School in the Oldpark area have come under fire. No one It has been revealed that the RAF have been using their was injured and fire was not returned. latest helicopter, the Puma, to fly troops on border operations. The Puma, which can fly at a speed of 160 mph, has Thursday 4th January 1973 never been used in the north before and its presence has Border base for Irish Army been kept a secret since its arrival several weeks ago. An The Irish Army has almost completed its negotiations for Army source has said that troops are normally transported the leasing of Bishopscourt, a 26-room mansion near in Wessex helicopters but that they prefer the Puma. One Clones, County Monaghan for use as a temporary barracks reason being is that it has an unloading door on each side by troops on border patrol. The move follows recent bombof its fuselage. ing in the South and demands for greater protection. Wednesday 3 January 1973 Nail bomb discovered in Armagh Soldiers have discovered a nail bomb lying in a hedge near St Patrick’s Cemetery on Cathedral Road, Armagh. According to an Army spokesman the device had been lying there for some time.
Thursday 4th January 1973 Fierce gun battle in Ardoyne A man has been shot and seriously wounded during a fierce gun battle in the Ardoyne area of Belfast. The man, whose name has not been released, was wounded near his home in Ladbrooke Driver. More than 100 rounds of ammunition were fired through out the night and in the early ours of the morning Army posts at Alliance Road-Berwick Road, Glenpark Street, Louisa Street and Jamaica Street wee attacked. Thursday 4th January 1973 Explosion in Downpatrick An Army bomb disposal expert has dragged a bomb out of council offices in Downpatrick. It exploded a short time later. No one was hurt and only superficial damage was done to the property. LEFT - IRA bomb attack on a store at the junction of Royal Avenue and Donegall Street
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RIGHT - Troops and RUC search through the rubble after a bomb attack in Melville’s in Gresham Street.
Thursday 4th January 1973 RUC attacked Shots have been fired at An RUC Land Rover in the Oldpark area of Belfast. No one was injured in the attack. A short time later shots were fired at Andersonstown RUC barracks from the City Cemetery and at Tennent Street RUC barracks from the direction of Ambleside Street. No one was injured in the attacks. Thursday 4th January 1973 Bomb in South Armagh The Provisional IRA in South Armagh have admitted responsibility for the planting two bombs inside a widows home at Drumuckaval near Crossmaglen. The explosion wrecked the house and brought down electricity cables on the Dundalk-Crossmaglen Road. The home is in a remote area where several members of the security forces have been killed by the IRA. In a statement the IRA identified the woman and said that he had been dealt with leniently. The statement said that the woman had been co-operating with the security forces. Friday 5th January 1973 UDA explain ‘Eliminate’ The UDA’s Headquarters at Newtownards Road, Belfast was besieged for a time today by pressmen seeking clarification of the UDA’s intentions following their anti-assassination statement. The UDA’s vice-chairman, Tommy Herron accompanied by UDA council members have said that the word “eliminate” which had been used in a UDA statement had been used in a different context. They had not suggested that the assassins themselves would be killed but that the UDA had used the word in educational sense. Friday 5th January 1973 Bomb found in shipyard A 25 lb bomb has been found at Harland and Wolff’s main office block at Queen’s Island. The device was later made safe. It is not known how the bomb came to be planted at the Shipyard but during the night armed and masked men, in a building contractors van, tried to snatch wages from the Harland and Wolff building but they fled empty handed. One suggestion is that the bomb was left by the raiders but the RUC have said that there is nothing to suggest that there is a link between the two incidents.
Friday 5th January 1973 Arms find in Derry There has been an arms find at Tamneymore, on the outskirts of the Waterside in Derry. The find, which is believed to have been made on the basis of a tip-off, included two rifles, 530 rounds of ammunition, 20 detonators, 60 12 bore cartridges, a magazine for a Thompson sub machinegun, a mask and several lengths of safety fuse. The arms were wrapped in plastic bags, which were found in a hole in a field, which was covered by an old door and turfed over.
Friday 5th January 1973 Dublin bomb hoax Connolly Station in Amiens Street, Dublin has been evacuated because of a bomb hoax. An anonymous telephone call to a Dublin newspaper said that a device had been placed in the toilets at the station. The Garda later found a pack-
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age in a toilet but it was examined by Army experts it was Friday 5th January 1973 found to contain old newspapers. Man attacked in Derry Shortly after 7 pm ten shots were fired at a man, whose Friday 5th January 1973 name has not been released, in Moyola Park, Derry. The Short Strand riots man, who is a Protestant, living in the predominantly naRioting has broken out in the Short Strand area of Belfast. tionalist estate, was uninjured but one round did hit his car. The overnight riots, between workers from the Sirocco The motive for the attack has yet to be established. Works and residents of the Short Strand, have been described by the RUC as the worse riots for several weeks. Friday 5th January 1973 Bus burned A double-decker bus has been set on fire in Shipquay Street, Friday 5th January 1973 Derry. The top deck was badly damaged. The vehicle had Arms raid been left unattended when the attack happened. Two young A member of a group which raided the home of a boys were seen running away from the scene but it is not Carrickfergus arms dealer may have accidentally shot him- known if they were connected to the attack. self during the raid while escaping with stolen guns. Seven men are said to have arrived at the Marshallstown Road Friday 5th January 1973 home of the arms dealer to find only the mans 17-year-old Shots fired in Creggan son and 15-year-old daughter at home. An undisclosed The leader of an Army patrol in the Creggan has fired one number of weapons were taken. According to the boy and shot at a crowd of 300 children and youths who were riotgirl, shots were heard as they men left and later a pool of ing in the area. No one was injured in the shooting and the blood was found outside the house. shot is said to have been aimed over the children’s heads.
Friday 5th January 1973 Sinn Fein offices remain closed Provisional Sinn Fein’s headquarters in Dublin are to remain closed by the Gardai for at least another three months. A Sinn Fein spokesman has said that it intends to hold a protest vigil at the Kevin Street building. The Spokesperson said that a National Executive meeting was due to be held on Saturday in the building but if necessary it would be held outside in the street.
Friday 5th January 1973 UDR man shot dead A member of the Ulster Defence Regiment has been shot dead as he returned from duty to his County Derry home. The dead man, who was a captain in charge of C Company of the 5th battalion UDR, has been named as Captain James Hood. The dead man had been returning to his home at Straiddarren between Claudy and Feeney in the company of his son who is also a member of the UDR when, as he approached the back door of the house, a single shot rang out. He was shot once in the head. His son, who had been parking the car at the time found him.
Friday 5th January 1973 Blast bombs thrown in Derry Two blast bombs have been thrown at an Army patrol in Lone Moor Road, Derry. No one was injured in the attack but a man and child were treated for shock. Friday 5th January 1973 Man attacked in East Belfast A 21-year-old man who was walking across waste ground in Conlig Street in East Belfast has had a narrow escape. The man, who has not been named, had three shots fired at him from a passing car but he was not injured. The car sped off after the shooting. Friday 5th January 1973 Motorist attacked A motorist has reported that a shot was fired at him as he drove along Denmark Street, Belfast. None of the shots hit his car and he was uninjured. Friday 5th January 1973 Belfast shootings The RUC have reported that shots were heard in three parts of Belfast last night but there were no reports of injuries and neither the RUC nor Army were involved.
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Friday 5 January 1973 Army defuses bombs in Dungannon An Army bomb disposal expert has defused two bombs in Dungannon town centre. Both bombs were planted by the same two men. The first bomb, which was concealed in a suitcase, contained 50 lb of explosives and was left Alexander’s drapery store in Market Square. The men then walked a short distance to a café in Market Street, where they left a 20 lb bomb in a duffle bag. A two minute warning was given in each instance but the bombs were defused.
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Saturday 6 January 1973 Soldier shot by sniper A soldier has been seriously injured when a sniper opened fire on his patrol in the Falls area of Belfast. Six shots were fired troops as they got out of an armoured car at the corner of Merrion Street. The wounded man was rushed to hospital where he is described as being seriously ill. It is believed that the sniper opened fire from a derelict house in Leeson Street. A short time later shots were also fired at soldiers on duty at Albert Street Mill. On this occasion there were no hits and fire was not returned.
Friday 5th January 1973 Car bomb explodes in Lurgan A car bomb has exploded at an electricity sub-station on Saturday 6th January 1973 the Tandragee Road, Lurgan. Although the blast left a five Army dogs foot crater in the ground, the sub-station wasn’t damaged. It has been reported that hundreds of soldiers in the North have been collecting dogs as pets. The pets, many of which are being kept in Army bases and barracks without the permission of the commanding officer, and are without licence, Friday 5th January 1973 have been abandoned as their owners returned to England Arms raid in Tyrone after their tour of duty here. It was thought that more than Two men with revolvers have stolen two legally held shot- 100 dogs would have to be destroyed but a spokesperson guns from a house at Drumquin in County Tyrone. The has said that they would try to ensure that the dogs were family was held at gun point while the men removed the not put to sleep. guns and some cartridges from a bedroom.
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Saturday 6th January 1973 Arrests in County Derry Troops have detained six men during a series of searches in the Dungiven area of County Derry. Army activity has been stepped up since the recent killing of UDR Captain James Hood. The circumstances in which the men were detained are not immediately known but they were later handed over to the RUC for questioning.
Friday 5 January 1973 Clubs raided The RUC have raided two more shebeens in Belfast during the night. Both were in Protestant areas of the City and a quantity of drink was seized. The RUC backed up by troops raided a club in Mersey Street in East Belfast. A quantity of beer and wine was seized and names were taken. A similar operation was carried out on a club in the Shankill Road. A quantity of beer and stout was taken in this raid. There was no trouble during either raid. Saturday 6th January 1973 RTE refuse air-time Mrs Maire MacStiofain, wife of imprisoned IRA leader Saturday 6th January 1973 Sean MacStiofain, has been refused three minutes paid air Youth killed at Filling Station time to appeal for her husband’s release. Mrs MacStiodain An 18-year-old youth, William Trevor Rankin, of Dublin has said that she has received a letter from RTE regretting Street off the Ravenhill Road has been shot dead at a fill- that they “are not prepared to make air time available for ing station on the Shore Road as he inflated the tyres of his the purpose outlined”. Mr MacStiofain, who is on the 48th mini. The dead man, who worked as an apprentice me- day of his hunger strike at the Curragh Military Hospital chanic at an engineering firm at Whitehouse, was shot twice daily diet consists of three pints of water, juice of an orby two youths, one of whom was armed with a revolver. ange and two spoonfuls of glucose.
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Saturday 6th January 1973 Hand grenade is thrown into house A hand grenade has been thrown into the home of a Catholic priest at Killycomain Road in Portadown. Superficial damage was caused to the premises but the housekeeper was struck in the chest with shrapnel. Her condition is described as satisfactory.
of his home at Ederney Walk. The man had just come off duty and gone into the house when he heard a rap at the door. As he went to answer it three revolver shots were fired and two men were seen running away. The man, whose name is not being released, was uninjured.
Monday 8th January 1973 Saturday 6 January 1973 Army post stoned Hi-jack attempt in Limavady About 200 youths have stoned an Army post at Bligh’s Lane Two armed and masked men have attempted to hi-jack a in Derry. The youths dispersed after 20 minutes. And at car at Drumond, Limavady. The driver, who lives in the around the same time rubber bullets were fired at a crowd area, drove on. Shots were fired at the man. of 50 youths who stoned a mobile patrol in the Rathlin Drive area of Derry. Saturday 6th January 1973 Hoax bomb at Filling Station About 200 youths stoned the Army in Derry as they at- Monday 8th January 1973 tempted to deal with a bomb at a filling station. Earlier, Shankill arms find two youths entered the premises on Racecourse Road in Soldiers have uncovered a .50 calibre heavy browning the Shantallow district and told the manager that a masked machinegun of the type used in bomber and on surface vesman told them he left a bomb on the premises. It was later sels during the Second World War. An Army spokesman revealed to be a hoax. said that the weapon had its breach block removed and was incapable of firing in its present condition. However, he Saturday 6th January 1973 pointed out that it may have been stored in a separate place. Also uncovered in the search in Battenburg Street was an Long Kesh search protest Wives and relatives of internees from Ardoyne are refus- assortment of bullets. The find was made in a garage. ing to visit the men at Long Kesh in protest at the searches by military policewomen. The women, who went to the Monday 8th January 1973 camp to visit, refused to submit to the search and left with- RUC man in narrow escape out seeing them. A statement issued by the women said A member of the RUC has been ambushed on the road bethat they are being forced to strip to their underwear and tween Cullyhanna and Newtownhamilton. As the RUC man are manhandled by searchers. drove along the road in his private car he spotted three men with rifles at the roadside. The man sped off and came Monday 8th January 1973 under fire. Ten bullets ripped into his vehicle, shattering UDR man attacked the windscreen and bursting a tyre but he managed to drive A member of the UDR in Carrickfergus had a narrow es- on. The RUC man, who hasn’t been named, was wounded cape when a number of shots were fired through the door in the foot but his condition is not serious. th
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Monday 8 January 1973 Riots in Dungiven Rioting has broke out in Dungiven after a meeting was held in the town to protest about the detention of a number of local men. Stones were thrown at the local RUC barracks and at an Army observation post. Some shops in the town were also attacked and had windows broken. No one was injured in the attack.
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Monday 8 January 1973 Pipe bomb discovered The RUC at Bangor have discovered what appears to be a pipe bomb in a telephone kiosk in Kilcooley estate. The device, a metal tube with wires attached, was removed for examination by an Army expert. Monday 8th January 1973 Claymore mines explode Two small Claymore-type devices have exploded near a Saracen armoured car in the Kilwilkie estate but there were no casualties.
Monday 8th January 1973 Girl wounded at bus stop A 16-year-old girl has been detained in hospital after a shooting incident on Belfast’s Shore Road. The girl had been Monday 8th January 1973 standing near a bus stop near Skegoniel Avenue when she Dungannon gun attack was hit in the buttock by a high velocity bullet. Two shots have been fired into a house at Circular Road, Dungannon but no one was injured. And at Moygashel about 30 families were evacuated from their homes after a Monday 8th January 1973 milk churn was discovered outside a home at Hillcrest Park. RUC patrol attacked When the churn was examined by Army experts it was disFive shots have been fired at a two man RUC patrol in covered to have been filled with sand and fertiliser. Roden Street Belfast. Neither man was hit and fire was not returned. Monday 8th January 1973 Derry bomb attacks Monday 8th January 1973 There have been two bomb attacks in Derry. The first atShots fired at Army post tack was on a temporary supermarket at the junction of Shots have been fired at an Army post in Mulhouse Street. Strand Road and Meadowbank Avenue. The building was There were no casualties and fire was not returned but in a complexly destroyed by the 20-30 lb bomb but no one was follow up operation a .45 pistol was seized. injured in the attack. The bomb had been thrown through the window. In the second attack, which was on a cafÊ Monday 8th January 1973 about 30 yards away from the supermarket, a 20-30 lb bomb Portadown bomb A bomb has exploded outside premises in West Street in Portadown. An anonymous warning had been given and the area had been evacuated before the blast occurred. No one was injured in the attack and only moderate damage was caused to the premises. Monday 8th January 1973 Home attacked Four shots have been fired into a house at Garnerville Road, Portadown but none of the occupants were injured and at around the same time, two shots were also fired into a house at Churchill Park. No one was injured in either attack. RIGHT - The cross border Aghalanc Bridge near Belturbet after a bomb attack.
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was placed in the kitchen at the rear. A warning was given Tuesday 9th January 1973 and the bomb exploded 30 minutes latter. Bomb find Soldiers from the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers have th discovered a claymore type mine which contained between Monday 8 January 1973 200 -300 lbs of explosives in the Park area of County Derry. Gun attack in Strabane A shot has been fired at soldiers in Strabane but no one was The explosives had been packed into two milk churns which injured in the attack. Also in the same general area, sol- had been dug into a bank at the side of the road and then diers found two milk churns which were welded together camouflaged. Wire led from the bomb to a nearby field. in the loft of a derelict building. It is thought that they were being prepared for use as part of a land mine. Tuesday 9th January 1973 Motor-cycle gun attack Monday 8th January 1973 Two youths on a motorcycle have fired 14 high velocity Prison moves shots at a group of shops facing the fire station on the fringe Belfast Jails 220 Provisional IRA prisoners have been of Ardoyne. According to witnesses the gunmen rode up moved in a major security operation to Long Kesh. The Twadell Avenue from the direction of Ballygomartin Road transfer has meant that Belfast Prison no longer houses any and sped off down the Woodvale Road. No one was inspecial category prisoners. In return 150 remand prisoners jured in the attack. were moved to the Crumlin Road prison. A prison official has said that the moves were carried out in order to make better use of prison accommodation. But it is thought that Tuesday 9th January 1973 a big factor in the move is the high escape risk attached to Protest in Dungiven political prisoners. Only a week ago a tunnel was discov- 150 people have taken part in a protest in Dungiven against ered close to Crumlin Road prison. It was being dug from the continued detention of two local teachers. An RUC the outside and was only a week from completion. spokesman said that the demonstrators marched from the Castle to the RUC barrack. They later dispersed without Tuesday 9th January 1973 incident. Soldiers attacked Soldiers have fired rubber bullets at a crowd of between 50 and 80 people in the Beechwood Avenue-Beechwood Cres- Tuesday 9th January 1973 cent area of Derry. There are no reports of any injuries. Solders fire at sniper Also in Derry a single high velocity shot at Crowmore Soldiers have fired three shots at a sniper who aimed one shot at the local RUC base in Crossmaglen. No one was Gardens, Derry. There were no casualties. injured in the attack. Tuesday 9th January 1973 Shots fired after robbery Three armed men have raided Scarva post office and got away with an undisclosed sum of money. When the men left the village there car was recognised as being stolen and shots were fired at Lenaderg near Banbridge. Four shots were fired but no one was injured.
Tuesday 9th January 1973 Petrol bombs thrown into homes Three petrol bombs have been thrown into a house on the Desertmartin Road, Tobermore. Only slight damage was caused to the house which is believed to be occupied by a Protestant family.
Tuesday 9th January 1973 Tuesday 9 January 1973 Hoax bomb in Lurgan Derry MP to quit Army bomb disposal experts have dealt with a suspect deMr Robin Chichester Clarke, the Unionist MP for Derry at vice on the step of a local factory. Wires were found leadWestminster and younger brother of the former Prime Min- ing from the device. On investigation, the device, a box, ister, Lord Moyola, has decided not to seek re-nomination was backed with stones. th
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joint chairman of the thousands strong militant loyalist organisation. Tommy Herron remains the UDA’s vice chairman and all three sit on the organisation’s inner council, which has been increased from 13 to 17 members.
Wednesday 10th January 1973 Soldier injured in accident A soldier has been taken to hospital from Forkhill RUC base suffering from severe burns to the legs and hands. The soldier, along with another member of the Royal Hampshire Regiment, was painting the married quarters when the paint went on fire. Wednesday 10th January 1973 Belfast blast bombs Soldiers have found two blast bombs in a garden of a house in Commedagh Drive, Andersonstown. They were made harmless.
Wednesday 10th January 1973 Bomb rocks city centre A bomb, estimated to have contained 40 lbs has exploded on the stairway of Baxter’s health studios in Upper Donegal Street. The area was evacuated and the bomb exploded ten minutes later. Earlier in the day Army experts dismanTuesday 9th January 1973 tled a 25 lb bomb in the premises of Mobile Oil Company IRA leader intensifies hunger strike IRA leader Sean MacStiofain has intensified his hunger in Gamble Street. The men who planted the bomb strike and is now only taking water. McStiofain’s wife Moira said that his decision followed criticism by leading Wednesday 10th January 1973 members of the Republican Movement of his partial hun- Shankill weapons find Soldiers on a routine patrol in Argyle Street in the Shankill ger strike. area have discovered more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition and three .303 rifles which are of Austrian origin. The Tuesday 9th January 1973 weapons were uncovered in an empty house. New Army chief It has been announced that the new Commander of Land Forces in the North will be Brigadier Peter John Hall Long Wednesday 10th January 1973 who is now a Major General. He replaces Major General Shebeen raided The latest raid at unlicensed drinking premises has been in Robert Ford. the Unity Flats complex where 145 dozen bottles of beer and stout, along with 30 bottles of spirits were seized. Wednesday 10th January 1973 UDA leaders A Belfast man who was cleared of arms charges at the Old Wednesday 10th January 1973 Bailey last month has now resumed his position at the head Arms find in York Road of the Ulster Defence Association. He is Charles Harding 500 rounds of ammunition have been uncovered by the RUC Smith, age 41. Along with Jim Anderson he becomes a at an empty house at Ivan Street, Belfast.
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the loyalist community who refuse to meet the present united front, should be set aside. “This extreme action is called for because this is the eleventh hour and the cause is more important than any man.” Thursday 11th January 1973 Bank robbed A Tyrone bank manager has been held captive in this home for more than ten hours during the night by five men who robbed the safe when the office opened. The man was later released on the Fermanagh-Donegal border. An undisclosed sum of money was taken in the robbery at the Munster and Leinster Bank. Wednesday 10th January 1973 Youths stone RUC Twenty youths have stoned an RUC vehicle at Albertbridge Road-Hart Street. There were no casualties.
Thursday 11th January 1973 Radio shop bombed A bomb has exploded at an electrical and radio shop in Belfast’s Gresham Street. The bomb placed in the shop of William Melville blew out the front of the shop. No one was injured in the attack.
Wednesday 10th January 1973 Mail raid th Two youths, at least one of whom was armed, have raided Thursday 11 January 1973 a post office at Belvoir Park, Belfast. The men made off UDR man tarred A member of the Ulster Defence Regiment has been beaten with an undisclosed sum of money. up and tarred on the Shankill Road. The part time member, th whose name is not being released, was walking along the Wednesday 10 January 1973 Shankill Road when a car drew up alongside him. Four Time for ‘extreme action’ President of the Loyalist Association of Workers (LAW), men jumped out and after a struggle, tar was poured over the Rev Roy Magee, has said that acknowledged leaders of him. Thursday 11th January 1973 Machine gun found A sub-machine gun, which had earlier been used in an attack on the Army near Armagh, has been found five miles away on the outskirts of Armagh City. The weapon was found on the Newry Road after soldiers challenged two men who then ran off.
Thursday 11th January 1973 Milk churn bomb A Catholic church has been damaged by an explosion just outside Ballymena. The bomb, contained in a milk churn, is estimated to have contained between 10-15 lbs of explosives. No one was injured in the attack. TOP - Bomb attack on Clarkin’s Bar, Springfield Road BOTTOM - Fire bomb attack on the Ulster Carpet Centre
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Thursday 11 January 1973 Jailbreak A Northern political prisoner, who escaped from the Curragh military camp, has made an escape bid from Dublin’s Mountjoy jail. The Men, Thomas McGrath of Tyrone and Bearnard Hearty of Dundalk, had been on a work party inside the prison. They climbed over two walls before Thursday 11th January 1973 reaching the perimeter wall. There they sneaked through a temporary wall made by construction workers who were Soldier wounded A soldier has been shot and wounded in the neck in the building a new gate. The men were at large for 20 minutes Whiterock area of Belfast. The incident happened when a before they were recaptured. sniper fired one shot at a foot patrol in Britan’s Parade. The soldier, who was a member of the Royal Green Jackets, was rushed to hospital. His condition is not known. Thursday 11th January 1973 Girls used to spy say IRA Thursday 11th January 1973 In a statement issued through the Irish Republican PublicSniper attack in Belfast ity Bureau, the IRA has said that two girls from the Ardoyne A sniper has fired five shots at soldiers on duty at the front area of Belfast have been spying on the IRA. The stateentrance to Casement Park on the Andersonstown Road. ment said that the girls had been recruited by the Army to spy on republicans. The statement condemned the use of There were no casualties and fire was not returned. the girls to spy and they said that the only reason the girls Thursday 11th January 1973 were not being punished was because of their ages. Filling station bombed Three men, at least one of who was armed have planted a bomb at a Derry filling station. The bomb, estimated to have contained 20 lb of explosives, exploded at the Mex filling station on Strand Road. Thursday 11 January 1973 Brady jailed The President of Sinn Fein, Rory Brady, has been convicted of membership of the IRA by a Special Criminal Court in Dublin. He has been sentenced to six months imprisonment
Thursday 11th January 1973 Girl attacked in Sion Mills A 17-year-old Catholic girl has been attacked in Sion Mills by two men who cut a cross on her forehead. The attack happened in Bog Lane and it is thought that the girl may have a Protestant boyfriend. Thursday 11th January 1973 Bridge bombed There has been a bomb explosion on the border between Derryline and Belturbet. The explosion, which destroyed a customs hut and a bridge, is said to have happened on the southern side of the border. The bridge, a temporary one, had been erected by Cavan County Council to replace the stone one which had been blown up in November. TOP - Bomb attack on Spence’s Auction Rooms in Great Victoria Street. BOTTOM - The componds at Long Kesh
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Thursday 11 January 1973 Householder want new name for jail More than 300 families living in the shadow of the North’s top security jail are asking that’s its name be changed. The residents of the Maze district, near Lisburn, have complained that house values in the area have fallen since the Long Kesh camp was renamed the Maze Prison. Friday 12th January 1973 Army kills woman in Ardoyne A 76-year-old woman has been shot dead by the Army in the Ardoyne area of Belfast. The dead woman, Mrs Elizabeth McGregor, was shot at the corner of Highbury Gardens and Berwick Road, the woman was then rushed to hospital were she died two hours later. She had been serious. It is also reported that two shots were fired into wounded in the head and groin. According to an Army the house. statement the woman was shot by accident and that the soldier had been aiming at a gunman who was kneeling nearby. Friday 12th January 1973 Explosion at Annaghmore A mechanical digger, valued at £30,000, and which is owned Friday 12th January 1973 by the Ministry of Agriculture, has been badly damaged in Carpet store bombed A bomb has exploded in Belfast city centre. The bomb at an overnight explosion. A number of windows in the area the Ulster Carpet Centre caused extensive damage. Sur- were broken over a wide area but no one was injured in the rounding buildings were also damaged in the attack. No attack. one was injured in the blast. Friday 12th January 1973 th Bomb defused in Lurgan Friday 12 January 1973 An Army bomb disposal expert worked for two hours beArmy-RUC patrol attacked An RUC spokesman has said that a military vehicle had fore successfully defusing a bomb which had been planted broken down in Montrose Street in East Belfast and that an at the side of the courthouse in Lurgan. The device was RUC patrol had gone to assist. However, five minutes af- found to have contained 50 lb of explosives. ter they arrived two low velocity shots rang out. One ricochet hit an RUC man in the leg but only caused severe bruisFriday 12th January 1973 ing. He did not require hospital treatment RUC attacked in Portadown Members of a RUC Special Patrol Group came under atFriday 12th January 1973 tack at the Tunnel area of Portadown. 13 shots were fired Hoax bomb An Army bomb disposal team was sent to Templemore at the RUC men were fired at them from a nearby paroAvenue late on Thursday night to deal with a bomb in a chial hall and 17 shots were returned. No one was injured box which had been left outside a public house. On exami- in the attack. nation the bomb turned out to be hoax. The box was found Friday 12th January 1973 to hold sand, some wires and a clock. Ambush foiled th Soldiers have foiled a planned ambush on the ArmaghFriday 12 January 1973 Newry road at Armagh. One soldier, who was covering a Petrol bomb attacks Four men, believed to be Protestants, were treated for burns colleague carrying out a road check, spotted a gunman in a after a house was petrol bombed in Greenisland. The house hedge and shouted a warning. 14 shots were fired but the was only slightly damaged and the men’s injuries are not men made off into the darkness.
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Friday 12 January 1973 Arms find A rifle, a pistol, and a small quantity of ammunition, several hand grenades and some petrol bombs were discovered when soldiers searched the Drumarg and Dalton estates in Armagh.
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Malvern Street. The first search uncovered four cwt of nitrate beside two stolen cars. Later, just after midnight another four cwts were discovered on waste ground. The RUC believe that the second haul was abandoned after the first was discovered
Friday 12th January 1973 Friday 12 January 1973 500lb bomb destroyed UDR patrol attacked An Army explosives expert has destroyed a 500 lb bomb at A group of youths numbered about 20 or 30 strong have Crossmaglen. They were contained in two milk churns stoned a UDR patrol at Fairmount Park, Dungannon. No which were discovered on a minor road. The bomb was one was injured during the incident and no arrests were detonated by the Army. The blast left a large crater in the made. road. An Army spokesman has said that the only casualty was a cow which had its leg broken. Friday 12th January 1973 Explosives find in Derry Friday 12th January 1973 Troops using a sniffer dog have discovered 90 lbs of a Boy blinded for life chlorate based explosive mixture on two County Derry The parents of an 11-year-old Derry boy have been told by an American eye specialist that their son would be blind farms near the village of Dreem. for life. The boy, from Derry’s Malin Gardens in the Friday 12th January 1973 Creggan estate, was struck between the eyes by a rubber Explosives found in Shankill bullet which was fired at a group of boys who the Army A joint Army-RUC task force has seized almost half-a-ton claim were stoning an Army observation post at Rosemount of bomb making chemicals in two separate searches in RUC barracks. The bullet struck him in the face crushing his eyes. The incident happened on the 5th May last year TOP LEFT - An IRA picture released to the press showing and the group the ‘Worcester Committee for Justice’ fitwo Protestant men they were holding. They claimed that nanced the boy’s trip to America to see if his sight could be one of them was a member of the UDA. partially restored. However the family was told that damBELOW - Taxi men block the Shankill Road protesting age was irreversible. Although a file was sent to the Directh
against police harassment.
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tor of Public Prosecutions at the time it was decided that there was no grounds for prosecution against the soldier. Saturday 13th January 1973 No dual role for UDR men A spokesperson for UDR headquarters has said that the UDR will be telling their 9,000 strong force that they cannot hold dual membership of the Ulster Defence Regiment and militant organisations such as the UDA or the Catholic Ex-Servicemen’s Association. Some members have already been discharged; others have resigned or simply not turned out for duty. Saturday 13th January 1973 Enquiry in prison escape The Minister of State, David Howell, has ordered an inquiry into the 16th escape from Crumlin Road Prison since 1969. The latest escape was by a 17-year-old Derry youth, Daniel Joseph Keenan, who was a remand prisoner in the jail. Keenan is said to have walked out of the prison in place of another remand prisoner who was due to be released on bail. The IRA has said that the escaper is now in the South. Saturday 13th January 1973 Public house bombed A 50 lb bomb has badly damaged a public house in County Tyrone. The target was the ‘Halfway House’ on the Pomeroy Road about three miles from Cookstown. A warning was given and there were no injuries. Saturday 13th January 1973 Booby trap bomb discovered A booby trap bomb has been discovered in an unoccupied house at Mullaghbawn, Forkhill in South Armagh. Soldiers had gone to the house on the basis of an anonymous phone call. ‘Suspicious goings on’ had been reported also been reported a week ago. According to the Army a quantity of ammunition inside the building had been boobytrapped and that had anyone touched it the building would have blown up. Saturday 13th January 1973 Tories drop ‘Unionist’ tag The word Unionist may be dropped from the title of the Conservative and Unionist Party following the publication of a review committee under Lord Chelmer. A spokesman at Conservative Central Office has said that while he couldn’t comment on the name change proposal, some con-
sideration had been given to it in the past. Such a move it is thought will provoke dismay and anger among Ulster Unionists and a fear that the Tories no longer want the two parties to be linked. Saturday 13th January 1973 Shots fired at Peter’s Hill A soldier has fired one shot while on sentry duty at Carrickhill during a protest by taxi drivers. According to an Army spokesman the soldier had become surrounded by a crowd of around 40 people and the shot was fired as he tried to extricate himself. The drivers were protesting at the harassment of taxi drivers on the Shankill Road. Saturday 13th January 1973 Explosives found Two pounds of explosives and detonators have been found in the grounds of Our Lady’s Home at Beechmount in the Falls area of Belfast.
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Saturday 13 January 1973 Man beaten unconscious A 25-year-old man is in a serious condition in hospital after being beaten up in Cultra Street in the North Queen Street area. The RUC are not releasing his name but it has been said that he was beaten round the head with a bottle.
from an army observation post. It is thought that the boobytrap bomb had been placed under one of the men’s cars and possibly wired to a switch which had been placed behind the front wheel. The dead men have been named as Constable Mervyn Samuel Wilson, aged 23 and David William Dorsett, aged 37.
Saturday 13th January 1973 Unlicensed clubs raided Security forces have swooped on four more unlicensed clubs in Belfast. The clubs raided were the UDA club at Glendhu Estate in the Garnerville area. A club in the York Road area, one in Clovelly Street, in the Springfield area and the fourth in the Grosvenor Road area. Soldiers fired rubber bullets when they came under attack at the UDA club at Glendhu
Monday 15th January 1973 RUC man killed in land mine attack The third RUC man to die over the weekend was 34-yearold Reserve Constable Henry Sandford of Ballygroogan, Cookstown. He was killed when a land mine was detonated in front of his Land Rover in which he was travelling on a routine patrol. The explosion happened in the remote Cappagh mountain area of Tyrone.
Saturday 13th January 1973 Blast bomb explodes A blast bomb has exploded near Mountpottinger RUC barracks during the night but there was little damage and no casualties. Saturday 13th January 1973 Bomb attack in Belfast A bomb , which was planted at the Shakespeare Bar in Victoria Street by two men and a girl has been carried from the premises by an off duty RUC man. The bomb exploded in the street a short time later but no one was injured. Saturday 13th January 1973 Bomb defused in Armagh A 30 lb bomb which had been planted outside the Fane Valley Food Hall at Scotch Street in the centre of Armagh has been defused by an Army expert. Monday 15th January 1973 RUC men killed in Derry Two members of the RUC’s Traffic Branch have been killed and a third seriously injured when an explosion wrecked their car at Harbour Square in Derry. The RUC men died when a bomb estimated to have contained 15 lb of explosives exploded under their car which was parked 10 yards LEFT - Bomb attack on shops in Smithfield Square. RIGHT - Bomb attack on Gardners Newsagents in Botanic Avenue.
Monday 15th January 1973 Bomb explodes at Belfast bar Twenty five people have been taken to hospital after a bomb exploded without warning at a public house in Oranmore Street, Springfield Road. Local people say that the 30lb bomb exploded at the side of the building and partly demolished it. A car is reported to have sped away from the scene. Three people are still undergoing treatment in hospital for their injuries.
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Monday 15 January 1973 UDA and RUC clash A member of the RUC has required hospital treatment after being involved with a clash with members of the UDA in the Braniel area of Belfast. The incident began when a joint Army-RUC patrol stopped a car at Ravenswood Crescent. Among those in the car was a senior member of the RUC. The UDA men objected to being questioned and three more cars containing UDA members arrived. A fight broke out and the RUC man was treated in hospital for injuries to the head and mouth.
Monday 15th January 1973 Confrontation in Lisburn There has been a confrontation between the UDA and the security forces which ended with troops removing the cudgels that were being carried by the UDA men. The incident happened on Saturday night when around 30 UDA members, armed with cudgels and wearing masks assembled at Market Square South. They were told to remove their masks, which they did. They were told to dispose of the cudgel which they refused to do. The Commander of Land
Forces, General Ford, arrived on the scene and gave an ultimatum to the UDA men – to disarm or be arrested. The UDA handed over their cudgels to the troops. Monday 15th January 1973 Rocket attack in Newtownhamilton A gun and rocket attack has been launched on Newtownhamilton RUC barracks. The Russian made rocket missed its target and struck a derelict building. Gunmen, using automatic weapons, fired about 19 shots at the barracks from the Direction of Dundalk Street. No one was injured in the attack. Monday 15th January 1973 Lurgan bomb attacks A bomb has been planted outside O’Hagan’s Poultry shop in Edward Street. The device was driven to the scene in a car and on arrival the driver got into a second car and made his get away. Army bomb experts were then called in to deal with the device. A controlled explosion failed to destroy the bomb. The soldiers then set fire to the car to burn off the explosives but this too failed and the bomb exploded causing extensive damage to the surrounding area. Monday 15th January 1973 Man shot in Clady A 24-year-old Catholic man from Strabane has been shot in the village of Clady. The man had taken a lift to the village and as he started to walk along the street a car pulled up. The occupants asked him his name and address before putting him up against a wall and shot him in the leg. Monday 15th January 1973 Pub bombed in Tyrone A public house at Tullyroan, Cookstown, has been demolished by a bomb. The bomb had been planted by two men. Monday 15th January 1973 Booby-trap bomb defused A bomb which had been fitted with an anti-handling device has been defused by an Army bomb disposal officer. The device, which contained 30-40 lbs of explosives, was made safe after several hours. It had been planted in the offices of East Down Rural Council. TOP - Loyalist car bomb attack in Dublin’s Sackville Place. BOTTOM - IRA bomb attack on shops in Central Belfast.
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Monday 15 January 1973 Petrol bombs at Donaghadee Two petrol bombs have been thrown into the Yachtman Bar in Donaghadee but caused only slight damage. Monday 15th January 1973 EBNI offices attacked The RUC have said that 12 petrol bombs have been thrown into the temporary EBNI offices at the site of the hydro electric scheme in the area. Most of the bombs failed to ignite and there were no reports of damage. Monday 15th January 1973 SDLP man quits party Mr Julian Jacottet, General Secretary of the SDLP is to quit his post in the Party. It is understood his decision to stand down follows a dispute over the progress made by the party on the organisational and membership side. Mr Jacottet is a former television producer who joined the SDLP six months ago from London. Monday 15th January 1973 Shots fired at soldiers Seven shots have been fired at soldiers during separate incidents in Belfast. Four shots were fired at troops in Vere Foster School at New Barnsley. Soldiers also fired four shots at a box which was found outside a shop in Arthur Street but it was later found to contain nothing sinister. Also in Belfast the RUC are said to be investigating a fire which followed an explosion in the Theodore Street in the Grosvenor area. Tuesday 16th January 1973 UDR man’s body found in car boot The body of a member of the UDR has been discovered in the boot of a car which had been abandoned close to Belfast city centre. The man’s body was found in a maroon coloured family saloon which had been parked in Institution Place. The car had been hi-jacked only minutes earlier outside St John’s Chapel on the Falls Road. It has also been learned that the dead man’s car had been used in one TOP IRA bomb attack on the Co-Op store on the Stranmillis Road. RIGHT - Mrs Gail Bingham at the funeral of her husband David, a corporal in the UDR, who was abducted and shot dead by the IRA
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of the explosions in Victoria Palace. The RUC are working on the theory that the UDR man’s car was hi-jacked for use in one of the city centre bombings. However, on checking his ID the hi-jackers became aware of his membership of the UDR and executed him Tuesday 16th January 1973 RUC man wounded in ambush A member of the RUC Reserve has been shot and wounded during an ambush in County Tyrone. The attack happened as the RUC men were investigating a road traffic accident
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TOP - Rioting in the Tunnel area of Portadown. BOTTOM - Bomb attack on shops in South Belfast
in Glenadush on the Dungannon-Ballygawley road in County Tyrone. The weapon used, say the RUC, was a .22 pistol. Tuesday 16th January 1973 Rocket attack at RUC base Army experts are working to try and establish the type of rocket fired at the heavily guarded Springfield Road Barracks. The device was launched from the Colligan StreetWaterford Street junction and struck a pawnbrokers shop opposite the barracks, it then deflected and landed in the middle of the road where it exploded.. No one was injured in the attack, however two women were treated for shock. Tuesday 16th January 1973 Men wounded in Lurgan Two men have been shot in separate incidents in Lurgan during the night. The first shooting which happened at around 7.30 pm was at a house in Drumlin Drive when three masked men burst in and shot a 33-year-old man in the left thigh. A second shooting, which occurred a half hour later a 27-year-old man was shot in the leg at his home at Filbin Crescent. This shooting was also carried out by Tuesday 16th January 1973 Army attacked in South Armagh three men. Gunmen using three weapons have opened fire on an Army mobile patrol in Camlough during the night. There were Tuesday 16th January 1973 no casualties and fire was not returned. Soldier shot at Whitehouse A soldier has sustained a slight flesh wound to his arm when eight shots were directed at an Army Land Rover at the Tuesday 16th January 1973 Mill Road-Shore Road intersection. No other member of IRA leader ends hunger strike IRA leader Sean MacStiofain has ended his hunger strike the patrol was hurt and fire was not returned. and is being phased back in to restorative foods. An IRA spokesman said that the order had been issued out of conTuesday 16th January 1973 sideration for Mrs MacStiofain. He added that MacStiofain Arson attack at Whiteabbey The RUC are investigating a blaze at the Abbey Meat Pack- was a man of remarkable determination and that he had no ers plant at Glenville Road. The fire which is believed to doubt that he would have fasted until death. have started in the laundry at the plant gutted a despatch Wednesday 17th January 1973 room before being brought under control. RUC man wounded A reserve member of the RUC, clad only in his underwear Tuesday 16th January 1973 ran across fields in the suburbs of Belfast to escape the Explosives find in Derry A joint Army-RUC patrol has uncovered 15lbs of gelignite gunman who tried to kill him. The drama began when three and a quantity of cortex fuse when they searched a lock-up armed men stopped the RUC man’s Renault car, got into it and forced him to drive to Rocky Road which is about four garage in the Shantallow area of Derry.
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TOP - Clearing up after after a bomb attack on Brankin’s Bar in Portadown. BOTTOM - IRA bomb attack on the Belfast Coporation Executive Depatment in Belfast’s Hill Street.
at an Army patrol. Fire was returned but there were no injuries. Wednesday 17th January 1973 Petrol bomb attack on pet shop A petrol bomb has been thrown into a pet shop in Great James’ Street but only slight damage was caused. Wednesday 17th January 1973 Boy picks up blast bomb A small boy picked up a blast bomb in Derry’s Bogside area minutes after it was thrown at an Army foot patrol. The device had failed to go off. The boy then gave it to a soldier who took it away. The bomb was one of two thrown at troops in Stanley Walk. The other bomb exploded and bounced off a military Land Rover and into the road. None of the soldiers were hurt. Wednesday 17th January 1973 Petrol station destroyed in bomb attack A 25 lb bomb has destroyed a petrol filling station at Canal miles into the Castlereagh Hills. The RUC man was or- Street Newry. The bomb was planted by two men who dered out of the car and ordered to take off his uniform and took the proprietor of the garage with them as they fled. to hand over his revolver. The RUC, fearing for his life, The man was released unharmed on the Dublin Road. made a dash across fields and as he did so three shots were fired at him. Two shots missed and one struck him in the Wednesday 17th January 1973 leg. Despite being injured he made his way to a nearby RUC and UDR attacked in Dungannon house from where he was taken to hospital. His condition RUC and UDR personnel who were manning a security is not serious. checkpoint at Thomas Street, Dungannon came under fire from the direction of Charlemount Street. Fire was returned Wednesday 17th January 1973 but no hits were claimed. Shots fired in Ligoniel Twelve shots have been fired at soldiers on duty at Ligoniel Wednesday 17th January 1973 Mill. The soldiers returned fire but there were no casual- Gelignite uncovered in search ties. Soldiers have discovered 43lbs of gelignite and 1,500 feet of fuse wire when they searched an empty house in Wednesday 17th January 1973 Portadown. Man shot in Derry A number of armed men have taken a man from his home Wednesday 17th January 1973 at Dunree Drive in the Creggan Estate, Derry and brought Ban IRA film him to Westway where he was shot in the leg. He is not The Loyalist Association of Workers has complained to Mr seriously hurt. Earlier in the same area six shots were fired Whitelaw about the planned showing on BBC2 of the film
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The Informer, which is based on the Liam O’Flaherty novel of the same name. Directed by John Ford and starring Victor MacLaglen , the film is set in Ireland of the 1920’s and tells the story of how a man is tempted to betray this friends in the IRA. LAW claims the film, which won four Oscars, was nothing but IRA propaganda.
Thursday 18th January 1973 Rathcoole arms find The RUC have discovered a quantity of weapons during a search of a house in Rathcoole. The cache was found at Inniskeen Avenue and included a .38 revolver, a .32 automatic pistol and 32 rounds of ammunition, a sub-machine gun sling and a UDA cap. A man is said to be helping the RUC with their inquiries.
Wednesday 17th January 1973 Rathcoole robbery Four armed men have escaped with an estimated £2,000 in “dole money” from a sub-office in Belfast’s Rathcoole estate. The robbers wearing sun glasses and carried two sub Thursday 18th January 1973 machine guns and air rifle and a Lugar pistol. The main Derry rocket attack said that they were members of the UVF. The IRA has fired a Soviet made RPG7 rocket at an Army post adjacent to the Co-op at the junction of Louisa Street Wednesday 17th January 1973 and Oldpark Road. The rocket attack took place under conSoldier shot in Derry ditions of slight fog however the rocket missed its target A soldier has been shot at Lislane Drive in the Creggan and crashed into the Co-op’s wall. Several shots followed area of Derry. The soldier, who was part of a foot patrol, the attack which is the second of its kind in the district was shot in the leg by a single shot. He was taken to hospi- since the RPG7 emerged as another IRA weapon. tal for treatment.
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Wednesday 17 January 1973 Saracen attacked Several windows in Lucan Street in the Falls area of Belfast have been broken in a blast bomb attack. An Army Saracen which was driving down the street at the time is believed to have been the target. No one was hurt in the attack Thursday 18th January 1973 Man shot dead in hospital A man has been shot dead by a soldier in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital. It is understood that the man, who was aged 25, was among four armed men who carried out a bank raid in the hospital. Five shots were fired at the other raiders and the soldier claims that one of those were also wounded The raid at the Northern Bank began with the four men running into the foyer of the Northern Bank close to the Grosvenor Road., brandishing pistols. They placed a Chaplain in his room and locked the doors. The men had been given two bags of money and it was at this point that a soldier burst into the room and as a raider trained his pistol on him he shouted for women to get down. The soldier began firing and one man was killed instantly, his companions then escaped. One of the mail bags has yet to be accounted for.
Thursday 18th January 1973 Bomb attacks in Derry It has been estimated that £100,000 worth of damage has been caused by a new wave of bomb attacks in Derry. The first explosion occurred at Hassons Young Men’s Shop and five minutes later a second exploded at McManus’s shop. There were vague and warnings of another bomb but it turned out to be incorrect.
Thursday 18th January 1973 Man shot in legs A fourth man has been shot in the legs as a result of raids on private houses. The shooting took place in Churchill Park, Portadown and the gunmen made off on foot. It is believed that the IRA are responsible for the shootings.
Thursday 18th January 1973 Arms find in Armagh A man is being held by the RUC after the car which he was driving was stopped and searched at a UDR checkpoint. The search of the vehicle revealed a M1 Carbine, an Armalite rifle, two .303 rifles and 60 rounds of ammunition. The find was made at a checkpoint on Cathedral Road in Armagh.
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Thursday 18 January 1973 Bomb at house A private house 200 yards west of Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry has been bombed. Four men are said to have entered the house and told the cleaning woman to leave before planting the bomb. The woman was then taken with the bombers and released a short time later at Camlough Road, she was released unharmed.
Street. It is understood that Mr Weir was talking to an unknown man when he was joined by two others. After a brief conversation the first man produced a gun. One of the other men lunged for the weapon and either slipped or was knocked to the ground As he lay on the ground he heard a shot and Mr Weir fell fatally wounded.. It is understood that Mr Weir, his killer and the two other men visited a number of public houses in the town before the shooting.
Thursday 18th January 1973 Bomb at AOH hall A bomb, which had been contained in a milk churn, has been left outside the AOH Hall at Silverwood but explosives experts thought it might be too risky to attempt to defuse and sealed the area off. It was later defused.
Friday 19th January 1973 Youth badly beaten in East Belfast Soldiers have found an 18-year-old youth lying on the ground in East Belfast. The man, a Protestant, had been severely beaten. The motive for the attack is not known.
Thursday 18th January 1973 Lurgan arms find A rifle, 38 rounds of ammunition and three magazines have been found during a search of Kilmore Road in Lurgan Friday 19th January 1973 Bomb explodes at paint store A wallpaper and paint store in Belfast’s Smithfield Square has been gutted by fire after a 15-20 lb incendiary bomb exploded in the front doorway. No warning was given but the manager noticed two suspicious carrier bags with liquid oozing from them and raised the alarm. The area was cleared and the bomb exploded a quarter of an hour later. The shop is owned by Mr Matthew McMullan. It is not known if the bomb was connected to an incendiary device or whether paint in the shop ignited. th
Friday 19th January 1973 UDA checkpoints About 150 UDA men in paramilitary uniform have stopped cars in the Sandown Road-Knock Road areas of Belfast during the night. The UDA said that the checks were started because of reports that a gunman was seen in the area.
Friday 19th January 1973 Shebeen raided The RUC, backed up by troops, have raided a shebeen at Wheatfield Drive on the fringe of the Ardoyne area. A quantity of liquor was seized from an empty house was seized. The RUC is trying to determine whether any of it has been hi-jacked. No arrests were made. Friday 19th January 1973 Shot man named as IRA member The man who was shot dead by a British soldier in the Royal Victoria hospital on Thursday has been named as Arthur Francis Liggett, a labourer of St James’ Road. Death notices in local papers describe him as being a volunteer in the Provisional’s 2nd battalion.
Friday 19 January 1973 Protestants interrogated by IRA Two Protestant men from the Shankill Road have beheld by the IRA in Ardoyne for nine hours. The men are said to have been brought to a derelict house where they were interrogated about the UDA and UVF. One of the men has been named by the UDA as being one of their members. The men were later released. Friday 19th January 1973 Bombs explode at Desertmartin Friday 19th January 1973 Bombs have wrecked the national school and badly damMan shot dead in Portadown aged a Catholic Church at Desertmartin. The RUC have A 46-year-old man has died after being shot dead in the said that a 25-30 lb bomb had been left near the altar and centre of Portadown during the night. The man, who has the blast blew the roof off. The school was gutted by the been named as Joseph Henry Weir, of Churchill Park died fire which followed the explosion. A number of gas cylinin a shooting incident at the Magown Buildings in West ders were used in the attack as incendiaries.
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RIGHT - Bomb attack on the Hamill Hotel in Great Victoria Street
Friday 19th January 1973 Single shot fired A single shot has been fired at a sand bagged observation post at the rear of Dungiven RUC barracks. No one was hurt in the attack.said that a man would be appearing in a special court in the town. Saturday 20th January 1973 Man dies in Dublin car bomb A car bomb has exploded in Sackville Place, Dublin, almost at the exact spot where a bomb killed two bus men a month ago. In the latest attack, which has happened as a ruby international was underway at Landsdown Road, there are initial reports that one man has been killed a busman has been seriously injured. Two men were seen running away from the area and got into another car. According to eye witnesses, a bookies shop in the narrow street took the full force of the blast. Hundreds of shoppers ran in panic and that men and women were on the verge of collapse. Traffic piled up in the city centre. A city wide search for the bombers has begun and customs and security personnel along the border have been asked to keep a look out for the bombers. The hunt is further complicated by the fact that thousands of people crossed thee border for the All Blacks rugby international in Dublin. Saturday 20th January 1973 Bomb thrown into Belfast house A bomb has exploded in the Lower Falls area of Belfast shortly before midnight when the occupants of a white car tossed a small device into the hallway of a house in Cullingtree Road. The house holder was not at home at the time but his wife and children were treated for shock. The hallway was badly damaged and windows in nearby premises were smashed. Around the same time as the Falls bombing three shots were fired from the Lepper Street area of the New Lodge entered the upstairs room of a dwelling house in Duncairn Gardens. A 17-year-old youth who was upstairs in his bedroom was hit in the left hand by a bullet.
Saturday 20th January 1973 Teenager died from gunshot wounds A Dundalk inquest has been told that a Belfast teenager died in County Louth from a gunshot wound. David McAuley, aged 15, of Fairfield Street, was taken by car to Dundalk after being shot in Belfast on 19th February. Two days later a hearse bringing him to Belfast was stopped by troops at Banbridge and a certificate accompanying the body issued by Louth County Hospital said that the youth had died of “a non-infectious disease�. The inquest jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, that the death was caused by shock and bleeding from a wound to the abdomen. The wound had been caused by a gunshot.
Saturday 20th January 1973 Rocket attack in Derry Soldiers in an Army Ferret Scout car have come under attack while on patrol in the Shantallow area of Derry. The Soviet made rocket struck their vehicle but the rocket glanced off the turret before the second explosion. The Saturday 20th January 1973 vehicles had been travelling along Racecourse Road at the Southern troops to get border base time and were at the junction of Shantallow Road and The Minister for Justice in the South has announced that Irish Drumleck Drive when the attack was made. Soldiers then troops are soon to be based at Fort Dunree, Buncranna, County mounted a search for the launcher. They believe the rocket Donegal. There role will be to provide border security. was fired from a nearby house.
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Saturday 20 January 1973 Girl shot in head A girl is critically ill after being shot in the head in an incident in Portadown. The 18-year-old girl was in Watson Street and was rushed to Craigavon Hospital where she under went an emergency operation. An RUC spokesman said that a man would be appearing in a special court in the town.
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boy who was walking along the footpath was hit. The boy received flesh wounds to his right foot and left leg but his condition is described as not serious.
Monday 22nd January 1973 Unlicensed clubs raided Two unlicensed clubs in a house at Claremont Lane, Willowfield. In one of them, which the RUC described as Monday 22nd January 1973 being a UDA club ten cases of beer and three bottles of Extradition spirits were seized. In the same building the RUC raided a The RUC have won the first round of a legal battle to have Rangers supporters club and seized 67 dozen Guinness and Anthony ‘Dutch’ Doherty extradited from the South to face 42 dozen beer and eight bottles of spirits. arms charges. The Dublin District Court has granted an application by the state for an extradition order against Doherty on the basis of a warrant issued by the RUC in Belfast in February last. Doherty has 15 days to appeal to the High Court to have the extradition order set aside. Monday 22nd January 1973 Dublin car bomb The Garda have stated that the bomb which exploded in Dublin on Saturday and which killed one person and injured 14 others was planted by a man and a woman. The car containing the bomb had been hi-jacked on Saturday in Agnes Street, off Belfast’s Shankill Road. An RUC spokesman has said that the driver of the car was forced to stop by a woman walking on to the road; he was then kidnapped by two gunmen. The driver, a rugby fan, was on his way to the big match in Dublin was held for seven hours. Monday 22nd January 1973 RUC man killed in Armagh A member of the RUC has died in an accidental shooting in Armagh during the night. The dead man, who has not yet been named, was in a private house with two other members of the RUC when a service revolver was accidentally discharged. It is understood that the gun went off when it fell out of a holster. Monday 22nd January 1973 Boy wounded in Strabane A gunman has opened fire on an Army patrol in Beechmount Avenue, Strabane. Ten shots from a machine gun were fired but they missed the soldiers but a 15-year-old schoolRIGHT - Bomb attack in an electrical wholesale store in Linenhall Street
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Monday 22 January 1973 Booby trap bomb A booby trap bomb in a car near Newtownhamilton has been blown up twelve hours after it was discovered. The bomb, between 200 and 300 lbs of explosives was in two milk churns in the back seat. The car had been stolen in Dundalk and surrounding buildings were damaged when it exploded.
Monday 22nd January 1973 Chemical finds A search in the Springmartin estate by the Army has uncovered 4 cwts of ammonium nitrate and bomb making equipment in a garage at Blackmountain Parade. In Portadown a joint RUC-Army search party found one cwt of nitro shell and a gallon of oil in a disused house in the Florence Court area Monday 22nd January 1973 Controlled explosion The Army has carried out a controlled explosion near Unity Flats on a suspect car. The car had been stolen and 2 lbs of explosives were found inside. Monday 22nd January 1973 Peoples Democracy march The RUC and Army came under attack in Armagh on Saturday after a People’s Democracy march was refused entry into the city centre for a protest meeting. The march was held to commemorate the first anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’ in Derry.
Monday 22nd January 1973 UDA split denied In the face of a week long speculation about a split in the UDA, 200 UDA commanders have unanimously pledged support for the organisations vice chairman Tommy Herron. Mr Herron denied that there was any split in the UDA and said that the organisation was democratic from the bottom to the top. He went on to say that he believed that the man responsible for trying to break up the organisation was not even a member of the organisation. The first talk of a split came after publicly denounced sectarian assassinations and warned that the organisation would deal with the killers. Rumours spread that parts of the organisation disagree with this position and more rumours suggested that he was related to an IRA man who is on the run. This was completely denied by him although he did say that it was widely known in UDA circles that he did have Catholic relatives. LEFT - A UDA club at the corner of Agnes Street after an IRA bomb attack.
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Tuesday 23 January 1973 Soldiers wounded Two soldiers were slightly injured during the night when one shot was fired from a passing car near Dungannon and the other hit by a stone in Derry. The soldier who was shot Tuesday 23rd January 1973 received a flesh wound in the arm when a number of shots were fired at his patrol car on the Moy-Dungannon Road. Raider loses gun Three armed men have carried out a raid on a post office at Fire was returned but no hits were claimed. The other solGreencastle on the outskirts of Belfast. As they left the dier who was injured was struck by a stone when a group post office with an undisclosed sum of money, one of the of 25 youths stoned his patrol in Derry’s Creggan estate. men droped a fully loaded gun.. Monday 22 January 1973 Belfast attacks A shot has been fired at an RUC vehicle checkpoint on Belfast’s Queen’s Bridge but there were no casualties.
Tuesday 23rd January 1973 Tuesday 23 January 1973 Arson attack in Strabane Army open fire on armed man A grocery shop in Strabane has been slightly damaged when A soldier who was on duty at a road checkpoint has said a petrol bomb was thrown through the front window durthat he saw two men, one of whom was armed, in a field. ing the night. The incident at McLaughlin’s grocery store The gunman is said to have fired one shot at the soldier but in Market Street occurred shortly before midnight. missed. Fire was returned but no one was hit. Both men escaped across the border. Wednesday 24th January 1973 rd Tuesday 23 January 1973 Silencer used in assassination attempt Women join RUC Reserve An assassination attempt has been launched on a 44-yearThree Belfast women became today the first women to join old Catholic as he left his scrap yard at the junction of the RUC Reserve Force. The women’s identities are not Cullingtree and Grosvenor Roads. Eve witnesses have said being released for security reasons but it is expected that that two shots were fired from a blue 1100 car which was their duties will include court duties in the city, thereby travelling citywards and have stated that the gunmen used releasing full-time RUC women for other work. The ini- a silencer. The man was struck by one bullet. tial recruitment target is 400. rd
Tuesday 23rd January 1973 Kidnap attempt Two men have been arrested and are being questioned by the RUC in regards to the assault and kidnapping of a Catholic worker at Annsborough, near Castlewellan, County Down. The man was taken from his car by masked men, beaten with batons and dumped at Daisy Hill Hospital. Tuesday 23rd January 1973 Army detonate bomb The Army have detonated a 50 lb fertiliser bomb which was found in a milk churn. Wires were found leading across the border. The bomb was discovered at Killea and a controlled explosion was carried out. The bomb was destroyed but in the process some cross border electricity lines were brought down. The remains of a second bomb were found at the scene.
Wednesday 24th January 1973 Claymore mine explodes A 200 lb claymore type mine has exploded in front of an Army vehicle as it travelled along a road between Desertmartin and Maghera. The vehicle plunged into the crater made by the blast. Three soldiers suffered cuts and bruises. During a follow-up search wires were found leading from the crater. However, a more detailed search of the area revealed that a second device, which had been boobytrapped, had been left behind. It was later made safe. Wednesday 24th January 1973 Arms find in New Lodge A search of a house in Hillman Street in the New Lodge Road area has revealed a number of weapons including 100 cwt of gelignite, 15lbs of other explosives, cortex fuse and a Browning pistol. The find was made in a lock up garage in the street.
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Wednesday 24 January 1973 Ammunition uncovered in Andersonstown Ninty rounds of ammunition have been discovered in the Garden of a house in Bingnian Drive in Andersonstown. The find was made by soldiers during a routine search. Wednesday 24th January 1973 Weapons found in loyalist areas A joint Army-RUC patrol has found a number of weapons in the predominantly Protestant Heathfield area at the rear of Finiston School Army post. The find in one house included an automatic pistol, a baton, a knife and an extensive medical kit which included a stethoscope and gloves. In a second house, a shotgun, revolver, two rounds of ammunition and some brandy were discovered. Wednesday 24th January 1973 Shots fired at Army posts Army posts at Butler Street and Finiston School have come under fire during the night. Three shots were fired at soldiers in the Butler Street post and one shot was returned. No hits were claimed. Around the same time the Finiston post was attacked but no one was injured. And fire was not returned. Wednesday 24th January 1973 Mobile patrol attacked In the Shantallow area of Derry a mobile patrol was attacked with petrol bombs but no one was injured and at Shackleton Barracks at Ballykelly two bursts of gunfire were heard. The incident is still being investigated and no other details are known. Wednesday 24th January 1973 Girl attacked in Sion Mills A 17-year-old Catholic girl has been attacked for the second time in two weeks. In the first attack, she had a cross cut into her forehead while on her way to work at Herdman’s Mill. In this the latest attack, she was beaten up by three masked men. Wednesday 24th January 1973 Dublin alert There was traffic chaos in the centre of Dublin due to a bomb alert received by the Garda. On the basis of a message from the RUC that a bomb had been left in the centre of Dublin, O’Connell Street was sealed off. Nothing was found and the city returned to normal.
Wednesday 24th January 1973 Border shooting Soldiers have returned fire at a gunman who opened fire on them at the border at Clady. No one was injured and no hits were claimed. Wednesday 24th January 1973 IRA leader addresses public meeting Provisional IRA leader, David O’Connell, who is on the run from the Garda, has made an appearance at a public meeting in Cork. About 400 people attended the meeting in the Stardust Ballroom which was organised by the recently formed Irish Civil Rights Association. Special Branch Gardai were on duty at the front entrance but shortly before the meeting ended, O’Connell entered the hall through a back entrance and gave a short address. He left again through the back door, unnoticed by the Gardai. Wednesday 24th January 1973 Belfast bombs A bomb has exploded at the Corporation Executive Office in Hill Street, Belfast. But although the building suffered severe interior damage there does not appear to be any struc-
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RIGHT - IRA bomb attack on a wallpaper shop in King Street
tural damage. The car used in the attack was found a short distance away at Edward Street. The Army carried out a controlled explosion the car but nothing was found. Thursday 25th January 1973 Gelignite found in prison Prison staff have foiled an attempt to smuggle gelignite into Belfast’s Crumlin Road Prison. As a result of the find, which was concealed in a packet of biscuits and butter, the RUC are looking for a teenage girl. It is believed that the girl calmly walked into the prison and handed in the parcel. She left before the explosives were discovered. There is strong speculation that the explosives, about half a pound, were intended for a future escape attempt.
Thursday 25th January 1973 School set on fire A fire has destroyed six classrooms at Ashfield Boys Secondary School in Belfast during the night causing several thousand pounds worth of damage and leaving 200 pupils without classrooms. The fire started at around 9.00 pm and local residents have said that they heard an explosion before the fire. Four fire appliances brought the blaze under control and managed to stop it spreading to the main school.
Thursday 25th January 1973 Soldiers attacked Soldiers have been attacked in Belfast twice during the night. The first attack was on a military vehicle in the Whiterock Road. Two shots were aimed at the vehicle. The second incident occurred in Ardoyne when two bursts of fire were directed at an Army observation post at Flax Street. No one was injured in the attack.
Thursday 25th January 1973 Portadown car bomb More than 50 workers were forced to leave their place of work in a Portadown factory when rioting flared in the town Thursday 25th January 1973 after a car bomb exploded at a Catholic owned public house, SDLP joins referendum boycott Brankin’s Bar, in the Tunnel area of the town. The SDLP has urged its supporters in strongly unionist areas to apply for postal votes for the March 8 border poll but not to use them. The reason for this say the party is to Thursday 25th January 1973 ensure that the usual Unionist personation of absent voters Bomb attacks in Belfast will not take place. The SDLP has said that it has been Three bombs have exploded in the centre of Belfast caus- opposed to the referendum from the beginning. They stated ing widespread damage. The blasts were at Walter Mercer that thy have joined Republican Labour in a boycott of the Ltd electrical wholesalers in Linenhall Street. Firemen poll. battled with the blaze for a number of hours and managed to prevent it spreading to the nearby BBC headquarters, Friday 26th January 1973 Broadcasting House. A second explosion at a Co-op su- UDR expulsions permarket at Strandmillis demolished the building and the Figures which have been given in a written reply in the third blast was at Stevensons and Turners, plumbers and Commons show that there has been an increase in expulelectrical merchants at West Street in the Smithfield area. sions from the UDR. More than 82 members of the part
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FACING PAGE - Loyalist paramilitaries punish a suspected local criminal in the Shankill area of West Belfast. THIS PAGE _ IRA bomb attack on shops in Belfast City Centre
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time force have been discharged so far this month and a “fair proportion” of these have been asked to leave the UDR because of dual membership of other organisations. The staggering increase suggests that a “purge” of those with conflicting loyalties in now under way.
Friday 26th January 1973 Bomb at church defused Army bomb experts have defused a gelignite bomb which was found overnight on the window of a Catholic Church at Saintfield, Belfast. It is thought that the bomb, which was contained in a box, had a faulty timing mechanism and that this was why it did not explode.
Friday 26th January 1973 Farmer is awarded Damages A Donegal farmer has been awarded damages of £180 at Letterkenny Circuit Court for a cow which was shot during a cross border gun battle. The cow was shot near the village of Clady on 13th October last.
Friday 26th January 1973 Riots flare in Ardoyne For the second successive night rioting has taken place in Ardoyne. Petrol bombs were thrown at military vehicles and personnel but there were no Army casualties. Water cannon and rubber bullets were used by the Army to disperse the rioters.
Friday 26th January 1973 East Belfast robbery Four masked men, one of whom was armed with a revolver, Friday 26th January 1973 have held up staff at Connswater post office in East Bel- Magistrate dies after being shot fast. They escaped with an undisclosed sum of money. Mr William Staunton, a Belfast Magistrate who was shot and seriously wounded three months ago has died in hospital from his injuries. Mr Staunton, who was aged 46, was Friday 26th January 1973 shot in the head; shoulder and arm by a man on a motorcyHotel bombed cle as he drove away from St. Dominic’s school after dropThe Hamill Hotel in Belfast has been badly damaged by a ping his daughter off. bomb. The device, which contained between 20-30 lb of explosives and which was planted by two men exploded Friday 26th January 1973 after Army experts tried to defuse it by placing a small Rocket fired at RUC base charge beside it. The hotel, at the junction of Amelia Street The IRA have fired a Soviet made RPG7 rocket at and Great Victoria Street was badly damaged in the attack. Whiteabbey RUC barracks on the Shore Road, Belfast. The rocket, which was fired from 65 yards, struck the perimeter wire and exploded. Only slight damage was caused to Friday 26th January 1973 Soldier shot near M1 property in the area. An Army ambulance driver has been shot in the thigh when a gunman opened fire on his vehicle near the M1. Four shots were fired by the gunman, who was operating from Friday 26th January 1973 the Rodney Parade area. The soldier was taken to Musgrave Shot fired at Bangor man Park Hospital but his condition is not serious. A man returning home from work along Bangor’s Clandeboye Road came under attack when he was apFriday 26th January 1973 proached by two men, one of whom was carrying a revolver. Meehan cleared of escape charge The man, a Protestant, on seeing the gun ran off. One shot Belfast man Martin Meehan has been acquitted at Belfast was fired but no one was injured. City Commission on charges of escaping from jail but he remains in custody, serving a three year sentence for IRA Friday 26th January 1973 membership. The court heard that Meehan was right in Shots fired in Portadown claiming that he was not in legal custody after his arrest by A number of shots have been fired at an Army patrol in the the Army on 9th November 1971 and therefore he should Tunnel area of Portadown overnight. No one was injured not have been charges with escaping from lawful custody. in the attack.
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Friday 26 January 1973 Coalisland gun attacks Two shots have been fired from a passing car at a mobile Army patrol during the night. The shooting occurred near Coalisland. There were no military casualties and fire was not returned.
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Friday 26 January 1973 Outlaw IRA in Britain says MP Unionist MP, John Laird, has called on the British Government to “put its own backyard in order” by outlawing the IRA.
Saturday 27th January 1973 Shankill Road club is bombed Friday 26th January 1973 A no warning bomb has exploded at a loyalist club in the Military patrol attacked Shankill Road. The bomb is said to have exploded inside A military patrol has come under attack on the Donegal- on the first floor of the club which is situated on the corner Derry border during the night. It has been reported that of Brennan Street and Agnes Street. Fire swept through one soldier received gunshot wounds to the foot when five the building but the RUC are unable to explain how the shots were directed at his patrol on the Buncranna Road bomb was planted. Saturday 27th January 1973 Friday 26 January 1973 Bloody Sunday protest Bomb on border The security forces are to keep a close watch on the Creggan A bomb, estimated to have contained 200 lb of explosives and Bogside areas of Derry during commemoration to mark has exploded at Killrea on the Donegal border. The explo- the anniversary of Bloody Sunday when paratroopers killed sion left behind a 6 foot crater in the road and tore down a 13 people in Derry. The Army said that while it cannot telegraph pole. No one was injured in the attack. comment on its plans it will be adopting a low key approach to the events .and will be keeping discretely out of sight. Friday 26th January 1973 Donegal gun attack Saturday 27th January 1973 The Garda in Donegal are said to be investigating a shoot- Suspect car at Unity Flats ing at Birdstown, near Burnfoot where two shots were fired Army experts have blown up a suspect car at Stanhope Drive at a young Donegal man as he operated a mechanical dig- in the Unity Flats complex in Belfast. The area had been ger in a field. sealed off and no explosives were found in the vehicle. th
Friday 26th January 1973 IRA bomb warning The IRA have issued a bomb warning in which they state that due to recent action of bombs being lifted out of shops and being thrown into the street, thus endangering people’s lives, that they would be now fitting anti-handling devices to the bombs and warned people not to go near them.
Saturday 27th January 1973 Soldier shot in Lurgan A soldier who was on foot patrol in Lurgan has been shot and seriously injured. The man’s patrol was at the junction of Lake Street and Antrim Road when a sniper fired three shots from the direction of Kilmain Street. The wounded soldier was rushed to hospital where he is described as being “very seriously ill”.
Friday 26th January 1973 Shots fired at car A Free Presbyterian Minister, Rev Ivan Foster, has claimed that two armed men attempted to stop his car in the Lower Falls area of Belfast. Two shots were fired at the car. The RUC believe that the men were unaware of Mr Foster’s identity and were trying to hi-jack a car. It is understood that Mr Foster took a wrong turn and ended up in Leeson Street, unaware of where he was.
Saturday 27th January 1973 Rocket attack on UDR A Russian made RPG7 rocket has been launched at a UDR patrol who were on travelling in the area of Whitecross in Armagh. The rocket struck the Land Rover, which contained seven UDR soldiers as well as a second vehicle that was carrying another four. Three of the soldiers were injured in the attack. The rocket was then followed by gunfire. The UDR men returned fire but no one was injured.
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Saturday 27 January 1973 Bomb thrown into house A blast bomb has been thrown into the rear of a house in Rushmore Avenue, in the Ormeau Road area of Belfast. The blast, which occurred at around 10 pm caused only slight damage to the catholic owned house. One family member who was there at the time was treated for shock.
MacStiofain was in prison in the Curragh Camp. It is understood that the Provisional IRA leadership will now be divided into two parts. David O’Connell will now assume leadership in the South, with Adams leading the military campaign in the North. The Sinn Fein President, Mrs Maire Drumm, will continue in her role of being in charge of the political leadership of Sinn Fein (Kevin Street).
Saturday 27th January 1973 Rifles found in Belfast In a search carried out in the Andersonstown area of Belfast ten .303 rifles and more than 500 rounds of ammunition were found. A number of men have been arrested in relation to the find.
Monday 29th January 1973 Paint Shop bombed A paint shop in Belfast city centre has been completely destroyed in a bomb attack. The shop in King Street, owned by Garveys, has been completely gutted by the fire which followed the blast. According to eyewitnesses two teenagMonday 29th January 1973 ers, one of whom was armed with a gun, planted the bomb MPs seek unity of loyalists on the first floor of the three storey building. A warning Four Unionist MP’s have joined in the bid to bring about was given and no one was injured in the attack. unity of loyalist organisations before the Government publishes its white paper on Northern Ireland. John Laird, Harry Monday 29th January 1973 West, Joe Burns and Robert Mitchell have issued a state- McGuinness convicted in Dublin ment urging that every effort should be made among loyal- Martin McGuinness, the Derry Republican leader, has been ists to find as much common ground as possible. This fol- convicted in the Special Criminal Court in Dublin of being lows declarations by LAW and the UDA, who said that a member of the IRA. He was jailed for six months. they had the support of the illegal Ulster Volunteer Force in the quest for loyalist unity and that political leaders who Monday 29th January 1973 Man shot in Carrick did not respond would be “swept aside”. A 28-year-old Carrick man had a narrow escape when he was approached by a man who called him by his name beMonday 29th January 1973 Adams to head IRA in Ulster fore shooting him. The man was wounded in the stomach Gerry Adams, the former commander of the Ballymurphy but his condition is not serious. battalion of the Provisional IRA and who has been the IRA Commander in Belfast in recent months, may soon assume overall leadership of the IRA in the North. Sources in both Monday 29th January 1973 Belfast and Dublin have said that the 24-year-old was in Bloody Sunday Commemoration -Gun battles and the running for the post of military leader now that Sean riots More than 1,000 rounds of ammunition have been fired at troops by IRA gunmen in day long battles in Belfast. The Army are claiming 10 hits. The trouble flared after the Bloody Sunday march in Derry and it is estimated that in Belfast alone the security forces were involved in 119 shooting incidents. In Derry a shop was gutted in Bishop Street and six soldiers who were on duty at Bishop Gate were slightly injured in a petrol bomb attack
LEFT - Young people attending a service in Derry for the victims of Bloody Sunday
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LEFT - Bomb attack on the Belfast Bargain Stores on the Crumlin Road
Monday 29th January 1973 Arson attacks in Ballymena There have been a number fires in the area of Ballymena during the night. Two houses were set alight and around 1,400 bales of hay were destroyed. Monday 29th January 1973 Soldier wounded in Strabane A soldier has been slightly wounded after an exchange of shots between the IRA and soldiers on the border. No one else was injured in the attack. Monday 29th January 1973 Shots fired in Andersonstown Two revolver shots have been fired from a car in Andersonstown, Belfast. It happened as the car sped past St Joseph’s Training College. Students were leaving the building for their lunch at the time.
Monday 29th January 1973 Boys held imprison Two 15-year-old boys have appeared at a juvenile court in Belfast charged with possessing a crate of petrol bombs at Balholme Drive in Ardoyne. They refused to recognise the court and were remanded into custody at Belfast Prison instead of a training school. Monday 29th January 1973 Bomb explodes at Enniskillen A Catholic owned bar has been badly damaged in an explosion at Enniskillen. It is understood that a suitcase bomb was left outside the premises at the corner of Market Square and Church Street. No one was injured in the attack.
Tuesday 30th January 1973 Bomb in Shipyard Talks are going on within Harland and Wolff to establish how security has been breached once more at the shipyard. The overnight bomb attack on an office block came as a ÂŁ150 million order was announced for six large crude oil carriers. No one was injured in the attack.
Monday 29th January 1973 Pumping station destroyed A sewage pumping station on the outskirts of Lisnaskea Tuesday 30th January 1973 has been completely destroyed in a bomb attack. UDA man shot dead The body of a UDA man has been discovered by a mother Monday 29th January 1973 and child at the back of their Rodney Parade-Donegal Road RUC man injured in Portadown home. The dead man, Francis Smith, aged 28, of Benburb Linfield fans returning home from a football match have Street, had been shot three times in the head. He was marbeen attacked at the Tunnel area of Portadown. During the ried with one child. Tommy Herron, Vice-Chairman of the same incident an RUC man was injured UDA has confirmed that Smith was one of their members.
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Tuesday 30th January 1973 Direct rule extended The Secretary of State, Mr Whitelaw has announced that direct rule in the North is to be extended for another year..
Tuesday 30th January 1973 Store bombed in Belfast A shop has been bombed on Belfast’s Crumlin Road shortly before lunch time. According to eyewitnesses a man and woman entered the Pricerite store on the Crumlin Road and Tuesday 30th January 1973 after asking to see some shopping bags said that they were Man shot dead near M1 not interested and left the store. It was when they had gone A 22-year-old motor mechanic James Trainor, of Lagan the assistant noticed the bomb. The premises were cleared Walk, Lisburn has been shot dead by a gunman at the and device exploded. No one was injured in the attack. Speedline garage in Kennedy Way. The dead man was struck by four bullets as he turned to run from the gunman. Tuesday 30th January 1973 Arms find at Bawnmore Tuesday 30th January 1973 The Army has discovered a loaded Armalite rifle and a M1 Youth shot dead in West Belfast carbine during a search of the Bawnmore area of Belfast. A 15-year-old boy has been shot dead as he talked to a friend The weapons are said to have been in good condition. outside his mother’s shop on the Falls Road. The shots came from a passing car and also injured his companion. He has Tuesday 30th January 1973 been named as Peter Watterson from Falls Road. Weapons found in car A stolen car which was discovered in Salisbury Avenue on Tuesday 30th January 1973 the Antrim Road has been set on fire by the Army after it Rifle uncovered was suspected that it might be booby-trapped. This suspiThe Army has uncovered an SLR rifle and 60 rounds of cion proved to be unfounded but when the vehicle was exammunition in a field near Hilltown, County Down. A man amined it was found to contain a M1 carbine and a magazine containing 16 rounds of ammunition. An Armalite has been arrested.
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which was fitted with a magazine containing 31 rounds of ever an armed man forced him into the car and it sped off. His girlfriend struggled with the gunman but to no avail. ammunition was also discovered in the car. The youth’s body was later found at the Giant’s Ring beauty spot at Shaws Bridge. His anorak had been pulled over his Tuesday 30th January 1973 head and he was shot Shots fired at rioters Rioting has continued in Derry and at one stage troops opened fire on the rioters with live rounds. The Army how- Wednesday 31st January 1973 ever have said that the shots were fired over the rioter’s Double escape foiled heads. Staff at the high security prison at Long Kesh have foiled a double escape bid. The two would be escapees were being Tuesday 30th January 1973 held under an interim detention orders and were awaiting Border gun attack the hearing of their cases by the commissioners. They each A gunman has opened fire on soldiers on the Donegall- made separate bids for freedom by impersonating men who Derry border. The shooting took place at Muff but no one were due for release from prison. The latest two escape bids bring to seven the number of attempts to escape from was injured in the attack. Tuesday 30th January 1973 Transformer attacked Army bomb disposal experts have removed and detonated a bomb which was discovered under an electricity transformer at a quarry near Lisnaskea. There was no damage done to the transformer. An explosion in the same area on Sunday has been traced to a water treatment plant at Lough na Rye. Wednesday 31st January 1973 Escape bid from Crumlin Road fails Staff at Crumlin Road Jail have foiled another jailbreak according to a Ministry of Home Affairs spokesman. A spokesman has revealed that this latest bid for freedom involved a prisoner impersonating another prisoner who was due for release on bail. An inquiry into the escape bid is being carried out Wednesday 31st January 1973 Five people killed in 36 hours A 17-year-old motor mechanic has become the fifth person to die here in the past 36 hours. He has been named as Gabriel Savage who had been standing with his 16-yearold girlfriend at a bus stop in Andersonstown. A car pulled up beside them and the couple thought it was a taxi. HowFACING PAGE - The body of Gabriel Savage being removed. TOP RIGHT - Bomb attack on a wholesalers in Tate’s Avenue. BOTTOM RIGHT - IRA bomb attack on the Coporation Street Labour Exchange.
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Long Kesh by taking on the identity of another prisoner. Only one has succeeded so far and that was 24-year-old Francis McGuigan who walked out of Long Kesh after six months detention.
Wednesday 31st January 1973 Woman injured in shooting A woman is in hospital after a sniper opened fire on any Army patrol in Clonard Gardens. Fire was not returned. The woman’s condition is not thought to be serious.
Wednesday 31st January 1973 Bomb explodes in Belfast city centre A motor accessory shop in Belfast’s Union Street has been extensively damaged in a lunch time bomb attack. The shop, Barron and Brennan’s Ltd had been cleared and no one was injured by the bomb going off.
Wednesday 31st January 1973 UDA can’t stop killings The UDA Vice-chairman, Tommy Herron has issued a statement saying that it is futile for the UDA to clamp down on Protestant extremists. He said “We cannot control Protestant extremists in the face of IRA killings of UDR men, Wednesday 31st January 1973 Policemen and civilian Protestants and in the face of the Explosives found in car attitude of Republican MPs who are not happy unless they A car which had been abandoned in the Durham Street area are talking about injustice has been found to have contained a quantity of explosives. A controlled explosion was carried out to destroy them. Wednesday 31st January 1973 Wednesday 31st January 1973 RUC base attacked Army comes under fire in New Lodge Two bursts of automatic fire have been directed at A shot has been fired at an Army patrol in the New Lodge Magherafelt UDR headquarters on Station Road.. No one area of Belfast. The patrol which was in upper Meadow was injured in the attack. The shots fired are thought to Street was attacked from the Direction of North Queen have come from a car which had been stolen earlier in Street. Soldiers on the roof of Templar Flats were also Draperstown. fired on three occasions. No one was hurt and fire was not returned. Wednesday 31st January 1973 Shots fired at Glenarm The RUC are investigating the firing of a shot at Glenarm Wednesday 31st January 1973 Belfast shop bombed RUC barracks. No one was hit but six shots were returned A bomb has exploded in Electrical Sales (Ulster) Ltd, an by the guard electrical showroom and warehouse in Tate’s Avenue, off Belfast’s Lisburn Road. Damage to the premises was slight and no one was injured. Wednesday 31st January 1973 Belfast labour exchange bombed A second bomb has exploded in Belfast damaging part of the labour exchange in Corporation Street. Wednesday 31st January 1973 IRA admits killing UDA man A statement purporting to come from the Provisional IRA in Belfast has admitted responsibility for the killing of a 28-year-old UDA man who was found shot dead in Rodney Parade. The statement from the Irish Republican Publicity Bureau said: “The Belfast Brigade staff, IRA accepts responsibility for the shooting of Francis Smyth, 1 Co. UDA LEFT - Funeral of UDA member Francis Smyth.
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FEBRUARY 1973 Thursday 1st February 1973 Hand-grenade attack on workers One man has died, nine people have been injured, two of whom have been critically injured in a hand-grenade attack on a bus. The workers, who were all Catholics, were attacked as the bus made its daily trip to the new St Patrick’s school at Kingsway Gardens in Cherryvalley. Twenty workers, most of who were from the Andersonstown area and employed by a Falls road contracting firm, were on the bus at the time. According to the passengers, a man with a walking stick walked across the road, forcing the bus to slow down. A second man then threw a brick through the window of the bus while the third lobbed a hand-grenade inside the bus. The man who died in the attack was 50-year-old, Mr Paddy Heenan, a foreman joiner from Inishmore Crescent in Andersonstown. He was married with five children. Thursday 1st February 1973 Vanguard rally It has been announced that George Watt, a Belfast born engineer who spent three years in a Chinese prison on charges of spying will be a guest speaker at an Ulster Vanguard rally later this month. There has been media speculation that a “new Carson”, a new strong man, would enter politics at the rally. This claim has been rejected by Vanguard.
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Thursday 1 February 1973 Shots fired from passing car A number of shots have been fired from a passing car at two youths walking along the Ormeau Road. No one was injured in the attack. Thursday 1st February 1973 RUC man wounded A member of the RUC has been shot as he sat in his car outside Springfield Road RUC barracks. The man, who is not seriously wounded, was shot when a gunman opened fire from a vacant house 20 yards away in Violet Street? Thursday 1st February 1973 Over night attacks in Belfast Between 3.30 and 5.30 in the morning there were a number of attacks in the Belfast area. A contractor’s hut in Seymour Hill Mews was destroyed by fire; a car was set on fire at Larch Grove; a missile was thrown through the window of a house in Hornbeam Road and a house in Rowan Drive had four windows smashed. Thursday 1st February 1973 Dungannon bomb attack An explosion has wrecked Hanna’s bar in Percy Street, Dungannon. The bomb had been left by three armed men. The area was evacuated and the bomb exploded causing extensive damage to the bar. no one was injured in the attack
Thursday 1st February 1973 UDR patrol attacked Thursday 1st February 1973 One Member of the UDR was shot in the finger in Downpatrick gun attack Dungannon when his patrol came under machine gun atAn RUC man and a 9-year-old girl have been admitted to tack. Fire was returned but no hits were claimed. hospital after a gun attack at their home in Downpatrick. The RUC man had been parking his car when the attack Thursday 1st February 1973 occurred. Seven shots were fired, two of which struck the Bomb at Dunloy RUC man. The girl, who had been in bed, was struck when Two armed men have planted a bomb in McFerran’s bar in a bullet entered the house. Both the injured are being deDunloy. A bomb estimated to have contained 50 lb of exscribed by a hospital spokesman as “fairly satisfactory.” plosives was placed in one of the toilets. It was later defused by the Army. Thursday 1st February 1973 Youth shot in Belfast Thursday 1st February 1973 A 17-year-old Catholic youth has been shot twice in the Border gun attack Antrim Road area of Belfast. According to the injured man Gunmen, who the Army claim were operating from the a gunman appeared at Adela Street, shouted “Hey you” and southern side of the border near the town of Clady, fired when the youth turned round he was shot in the abdomen around 40 shots. None of the soldiers were injured. and leg.
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Thursday 1 February 1973 Statement is declaration of war say UDA The UDA has described a statement by the Provisional IRA that they will take retaliatory action against sectarian murders as “a virtual declaration of war.” The IRA statement, issued in Dublin informed the UDA that “a new phase of sectarian murders will not be tolerated” and goes on to say “The Irish Republican Army has no option but to take ruthless retaliatory action against the criminal elements who engage in the cowardly assassination of innocent people. It is with deep regret that the IRA has been forced to make the above decision.” The IRA went on to state that they have repeatedly asked for direct talks with the UDA to devise ways and means to end all sectarian killings. The statement was rejected by vice chairman of the UDA, Tommy Herron.
Thursday 1st February 1973 Detention orders The commissioners who have been appointed under the ‘Detention of Terrorists Order’ have made inquiries into the cases of a further nine prisoners held at Long Kesh. Detention orders have been made in all cases.
Friday 2nd February 1973 Detention centre for youths A detention centre for alleged teenage gunmen is to be set up by the British Government in May The centre, which will accommodate 70 youths will be modelled on Redbank approved school in Lancashire. The Recommendation has been made by the Diplock Commission.
Friday 2nd February 1973 Banks robbed Eight raiders, in two cars, have robbed two banks in the County Derry town of Draperstown. The raiders, masked and armed, drove into the town on a busy market day and robbed one bank before driving on to the second and robbing that too. Undisclosed sums were taken from the Ulster and Bank of Ireland. In a third bank raid, more than £6,000 was taken from McKinney’s steel company in Mallusk. Friday 2nd February 1973 Shots fired at UDA funeral Two volleys of shots have been fired over the coffin of the UDA man who was found shot dead in an alleyway off Rodney Parade on Tuesday. As the coffin of 28-year-old
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Francis Smith from Benburb Street was carried to the junction of Donegal Gardens and Eber Street, off Tates Avenue, six UDA men, three on either side of the coffin stepped out and fired the shots. Friday 2nd February 1973 Weapons found Soldiers on patrol in East Belfast have dug up an M1 carbine on waste ground behind Lisbon Street and in Anglesea Street, in the Shankill Road area soldiers found a machine gun in an empty house. Friday 2nd February 1973 Soldier shot dead The first regular soldier to be killed this year has been shot dead in Strabane by the Provisional IRA. The soldier, Colour Sergeant William Boardley, aged 30, of the Kings Own Border Regiment was hit by one of four shots fired at troops who were setting up a checkpoint in Meetinghouse Square. He was hit in the head and died before reaching hospital. The local unit of the Provisional IRA has issued a statement claiming responsibility for his death. The checkpoint had been set up after the RUC received a bomb warning. This warning turned out to be a hoax. Friday 2nd February 1973 Belfast riots Serious rioting has broken out in East Belfast, Ballybeen, Dundonald village and Tullycarnett after the security forces detained a number of men in relation to the hand grenade attack on Catholic workers. Pavements were ripped up and used as ammunition, Army and RUC patrols came under attack and hoax bomb calls made in order to lure in the security forces. Buses and cars were hi-jacked and large crowds of youths roamed the streets and in the Albertbridge Road four shots were fired.
It is not known how the man came to be shot in the neck, however while his condition is serious, it is not life threatening.
ABOVE - Bomb attack on McMaster’s Beauty Salon on the University Road. FACING PAGE - Bomb attack by loyalists on Catholic workmen on a bus taking them to the construction site of St Patrick’s School at Kingsway gardens. One man, Paddy Heenan, was killed.
Friday 2nd February 1973 Belfast explosions An explosion has taken place at Gaedor Ltd, electrical wholesalers in Dublin Road. Two men left a bomb there. A second bomb was left at a bar at the corner of Meadow Street and Cambridge Street near the New Lodge.
Friday 2nd February 1973 Soldiers attacked A soldier has been shot while erecting on a ramp at Broadway and three other soldiers were slightly injured when a blast bomb was thrown at their patrol from Divis Flats.
Friday 2nd February 1973 Ardoyne gun battle A lengthy gun battle has taken place in the Ardoyne area of Friday 2nd February 1973 Belfast after a bomb exploded at a draper’s shop in AlliMan wounded A 26-year-old Protestant man has been found with a gun- ance Road. Army bomb disposal experts were prevented shot wound at Hannahstown on the Upper Springfield Road. by the shooting from examining the scene of the blast.
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nd
Friday 2 February 1973 Incendiary device A bomb has been defused in Upper Donegal Street and an incendiary device was dealt with by the Army at CS Supplies in Church Street.
egraph building. However, a fault in the bombs timing device resulted in its failure to explode.
Saturday 3rd February 1973 Shot man still not named The identity of the man, whose hooded body was found in Friday 2nd February 1973 the Springfield Road, has not yet been established. The Shots fired in Tyrone dead man’s wrists and neck were bound with wire. He was A shot has been fired at an RUC barracks in Coalisland. shot three times. The man was found in a stolen car which There were no casualties. had been hi-jacked earlier in Fleetwood Street in the Crumlin Road area Friday 2nd February 1973 House petrol bombed Saturday 3rd February 1973 A petrol bomb has been thrown into an unoccupied house Belfast hotel bombed at Glenmore Walk. No one was injured in the attack. A bomb has exploded at Belfast’s Wellington Park Hotel a short time after it was planted by a man and woman. The Friday 2nd February 1973 bomb was carried in to the building in a duffle bag. The Bomb making kit discovered hotel was extensively damaged and windows in premises Soldiers have discovered a telescopic sight, a quantity of on the nearby Malone Road were broken. ammunition, Army clothing and a bomb making kit on waste ground in Armagh.
Friday 2nd February 1973 Rent and Rates strike It has been announced by an Under-Secretary of State at Westminster that at the beginning of January there were more than 18,000 public housing authority tenants on rent and rates strike and that 18,130 tenants owe a total of £1.37 million. Friday 2nd February 1973 Youths buried Two of the latest victims of assassination squads have been buried today. Both teenagers were kidnapped in the Andersonstown area. They are 14-year-old Philip Rafferty of Tullymore Gardens who was last seen when he attended band practice. His body was later found at the Giant’s Ring beauty spot and 17-year old Gabriel Savage, who was kidnapped as he stood talking to his girlfriend Saturday 3rd February 1973 Tanker bomb defused The Army has defused a 5 lb bomb which had been placed inside a 5,000 gallon petrol tanker in Belfast. The tanker, which had been hi-jacked earlier in the day, was driven into Little Donegal Street at the side of the Belfast TelRIGHT - Comedian Frankie Howard visiting British troops in Belfast.
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Saturday 3rd February 1973 East Belfast sniper attack Soldiers have come under heavy fire from snipers in East Belfast for the second day running. Riots have continued in the Newtownards Road, Ballybeen and Dundonald areas. Three soldiers have been injured in rioting and rubber bullets have been fired. As troops left their base in the Harbour Estate to move to the east end they came under sniper fire from two gunmen operating from Dee Street. More than 50 shots were fired by the gunmen.
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7,345 revolvers or pistols and of these 5,271 are issued to the security forces and a limited number of civilians for personal protection. A further 1,633 weapons fall into the category of antiques or relics. Mr Whitelaw has also been told that over the past two years 2,000 illegal weapons have been captured by the Army and RUC.
Saturday 3rd February 1973 Body found in car The body of a man, aged between 25 and 30 has been found in the boot of a car. The man, who has yet to be identified, Saturday 3rd February 1973 was found inside a car which had been dumped in Maurice Derry bomb attack Street, Belfast. Residents there became concerned about A bomb has exploded at Joy’s newsagents and wool shop the car which appeared to have been abandoned and notiin Bishop Street, Derry. An anonymous warning to the fied the RUC. RUC stated that there were two bombs in Joys and the third in a supermarket across the street with a fourth in a nearby Saturday 3rd February 1973 drapery store. The supermarket and drapery store were Woman and child attacked searched but nothing was found. The bomb in Joy’s con- A woman and her daughter have had a narrow escape when tained between 10 and 20 lb of explosives a gunman fired three bursts of machine gun fire as they went to answer a knock on their door in Belfast. Fourteen Saturday 3rd February 1973 shots were fired but no one was injured. Legal weapons The Secretary of State, William Whitelaw has been given a Saturday 3rd February 1973 breakdown on the amount of legally held weapons in the Youth shot dead, four others injured North. According to official figures there are: a total of The second person to die during the night was one of six 106,581 licensed firearms, of these 73,345 are shotguns, Protestant youths who were caught in gunfire as they left a 11,826 are air guns and 13,305 are .22 rifles. There are Church youth club at the junction of the Ballysillan and also 760 other rifles which are held by members of rifle Oldpark roads. The shots were fired by gunmen who were clubs or are war trophies. In addition to these there are: operating from the rear of a yellow mini. The vehicle was
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later found in a nearby lock-up garage. .Of the six youths, all but one were hit by the gunfire. One died later in hospital and the condition of the others are not known. The dead youth’s name has yet to be released.
Saturday 3rd February 1973 Antrim hotel bombed The Deerpark Hotel in Antrim has been severely damaged after a bomb was planted in a ladies toilet. A fifteen minute warning was given and a dance which was in progress was cancelled. No one was injured when the device exploded a short time later.
Monday 5th February 1973 Estate agents bombed A 20 lb bomb has exploded at Fredrick McKibbin’s estate agents in Belfast’s Donegal Square. The area was quickly evacuated and no one was injured in the attack. A small fire broke out after the explosion but this was brought under control.
Monday 5th February 1973 Bank siege Four men have been arrested during a bank raid on Belfast’s Malone Road. As the raid on the Northern Bank branch was in progress a member of the RUC walked into the premises in response to an alarm. He was initially taken Saturday 3rd February 1973 hostage by the raiders but after reinforcements arrived the Telephone exchange destroyed men were persuaded to give themselves up. Although a Over 2,000 telephone lines have been put out of order when number of shots were fired no one was injured in the raid. a bomb, planted by four armed men exploded in Dungannon telephone exchange. The exchange was destroyed in the Monday 5th February 1973 No revenge says mother attack. A Belfast mother, whose son, Seamus Gilmore, was shot dead at the Mount Pleasant filling station on the Ballysillan Saturday 3rd February 1973 Arson attack at Ballynahinch Road, has appealed for no revenge. Mrs Gilmore, of A newsagent’s shop which had closed for the night has been Rosscoole Park, said that she did not want anyone else to badly damaged by fire. It is believed that the blaze was caused by an incendiary device.
Saturday 3rd February 1973 Bomb attack in Larne A baker’s shop in Larne has been destroyed by a bomb which is estimated to have contained 50 lb of explosives. Extensive damage has been caused to neighbouring premises. No one was injured in the attack. Monday 5th February 1973 General election called in South It has been announced in Dublin by Prime Minister Jack Lynch that there is to be a general election in the South. The announcement of the February 28th election has stunned political observers North and South. Mr Lynch has said he is calling the election to avoid a protracted period of political uncertainty. The government, he said “will be faced with vital issues and the decisions taken could irrevocably change the course of future history.” RIGHT - Bomb attack on the Wellington Park Hotel
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Monday 5 February 1973 Army patrol comes under fire Thirty shots have been fired at an Army patrol in the Norglen Parade are of Belfast. The shots, according to an Army spokesman, came from a block of flats in the area.
Monday 5th February 1973 Youth wounded A 15-year old youth has been wounded at Hopeton Street in the Shankill area. He had been out walking when he was struck. It is not known where the shot came from but the boy was not seriously hurt.
Monday 5th February 1973 Blast bombs thrown The Army has reported that two blast bombs have been thrown over a fence in Boundary Street, Belfast. There were no casualties. Monday 5th February 1973 Gun attack in Belfast Four low velocity shots have been fired at the Army post at the corner of Berwick Road-Alliance Avenue in the Ardoyne suffer the anguish that she has since the shooting of her area. No one was injured. son. Seamus was shot and injured by two men at the weekend but died in hospital early today. Friends have said that they though his death was in revenge for the shooting Monday 5th February 1973 dead of 18-year-old Robert Burns outside a chip shop in House bombed Ballysillan. They also said that both Seamus and Robert A bomb has been thrown into a house at Stratford Gardens knew each other quite well and often spoke to each other. in Ardoyne. The house next door was also damaged. The house is occupied by Catholics in a Catholic area and the motive for the attack is not clear. Monday 5th February 1973 Shots fired in Ballymurphy More than 100 rounds of ammunition have been fired at Monday 5th February 1973 troops during a brief but fierce gun battle in the Sniper attack in Ardoyne Ballymurphy-New Barnsley area of Belfast. Many of the Four high velocity shots have been fired by a sniper opershots were directed at the Henry Taggart Army post. No ating from the direction of Alliance Road in the Ardoyne soldiers were injured but the Army are claiming two hits. area. The shots were aimed at soldiers in Alliance Avenue The have said that four or five gunmen had been operating but there were no casualties. Fire was not returned. from the Whiterock Road-Moyard Crescent area. Monday 5th February 1973 th Shots fired in Oldpark Monday 5 February 1973 More than ten shots have been fired at an Army observaCheckpoint attacked Nine shots have been fired at an Army vehicle checkpoint tion post at Louisa Street-Glenpark Street. The shots are as the soldiers were searching a car at New Barnsley Park. said to have come from nearby Gracehill Street. No one was injured in the attack. Fire was returned but no hits were claimed.
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Monday 5th February 1973 Shots fired into home A shot has been fired into the home of a Protestant man at Ashmount Grove in East Belfast as he answered a knock on his door. The man was not hurt and the motive for the attack is not known. Monday 5th February 1973 Baton rounds fired The Army have fired a number of baton rounds at youths in the Falls and New Lodge areas of Belfast during the night.
Monday 5th February 1973 Man bundled into car The RUC have reported that a man has been seen being bundled into a green BMC minivan on the Grosvenor Road yesterday. The van is said to have contained six men and drove off towards the city centre. No further details are known. Monday 5th February 1973 Malicious fire A fire, which is believed to have been started maliciously, has damaged a garage and an adjacent paint store at Brookvale Drive. No one was injured in the attack. Monday 5th February 1973 Men shot while playing football A goalkeeper and two spectators have been rushed to hospital after gunmen opened fire on a Gaelic football match at Hannahstown. The shots came from a car which drove off at speed. The men were not seriously injured.
Monday 5th February 1973 Soldier wounded in Derry A soldier has been wounded in the leg at Fort George Army base in Derry. The man who was shot by a sniper at around 5.00 am is not in a serious condition. Monday 5th February 1973 Bomb defused in Portadown A 100 lb bomb has been defused in Portadown. The bomb, which had been left in a narrow lane which leads from High Street to Meadow Lane, was packed into a beer barrel. Two controlled explosions were carried out by the Army before the device was finally defused
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Monday 5 February 1973 Arson attack at Loughgall A fire at a house in Loughgall has left a family of six homeless. No one was at home at the time and no one was injured. The fire is thought to have been malicious. Monday 5th February 1973 Newry blaze Three fires in the Border town of Newry are being treated by the RUC as being malicious. The fires have damaged a supermarket in O’Hagan Street, a builder’s yard in Monaghan Street and a bookmaker’s premises. Shots were also fired at the Army in Francis Street but there were no casualties. Monday 5th February 1973 Arms thefts Two men have stolen a legally held semi-shotgun from a house in Taylor’s Avenue Carrickfergus. Two shots were fired in the air by the men as they made off. In a second theft, a 9mm Browning pistol was stolen from a UDR man’s locker at the ICI plant in Kilroot. Monday 5th February 1973 Shots heard in Larne The Army and RUC have carried out a search of St John’s Place in Larne after shots were reported there during the night. Nothing was found. Monday 5th February 1973 Film banned A television documentary film about the life of Michael Collins which was banned by Sir Lew Grade, head of ATV, will be shown when the situation in the North improves. The film “Hang out your brightest colours” was banned “in view of the delicate political and military situation in Northern Ireland… this is not the time for such a film to be shown in the United Kingdom. The film about the IRA leader, who was killed during the Irish Civil War in 1922, TOP - A ‘petrol tanker bomb’ parked in Little Donegall Street TOP MIDDLE - Sand placed across Library Street to prevent petrol from the bomb spreading into the city centre. BOTTOM MIDDLE - The body of John Boyd lies next to the Connswater River where his body was dumped after he was abducted, tortured and killed by the UDA. BOTTOM - The body being removed.
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was made by Welsh actor-director Mr Kenneth Griffith. He automatic fire was directed at them as they operated in the has said that he believes that the ban is unnecessary but Lepper Street area. Shooting continued throughout the area almost constantly. Just before 2.00 am five shots were fired admitted that his film could “inflame strong passions.” by a gunman in the Lepper Street-Duncairn Gardens area. When soldiers returned fire they claimed another hit. The Monday 5th February 1973 Army say that none of their soldiers were injured. Six men killed in New Lodge In Belfast on Saturday and early Sunday morning soldiers claimed to have killed six IRA men and injured two others. Monday 5th February 1973 The Saturday evening started as gunmen sped down the Café owner shot dead Antrim Road and opened fire on a group of people stand- A café owner in Belfast has been shot dead by one of two ing outside a Chinese restaurant near the New Lodge Road. youths who walked into his fish and chip shop in York The suddenness of the attack did not allow the time for Street. According to the RUC one of the youths, armed anyone to escape and all there were hit by the gun fire. with a machine gun, stood at the door while the other went People who were eating in the restaurant at the time rushed towards the proprietor, 58-year-old, Mr James Fusco. Mr to the aid of the wounded. And the injured were taken to Fusco tried to get out of the way and ran into the back of hospital in a fleet of ambulances. Soldiers from the 1st the café for cover, but the youth, armed with a pistol, folQueens Regiment moved into the area. Within minutes lowed and shot Mr Fusco in the head. He died almost imother troops were being pinned down by several gunmen. mediately. The RUC have stated that the killing of Mr Fusco In the battle which followed and raged for several hours who is a member of a prominent Belfast Italian family, was more than 200 shots were fired at the soldiers, who are definitely an assassination. There was no question of it reported to have returned 150 rounds. Residents of the area being an attempted robbery. have disputed the Army’s claim that the dead were IRA gunmen and as black flags flew from the houses in the New Monday 5th February 1973 Lodge, local people there said that all were innocent men. Falls road gun attack Local people have also said that the Army were responsi- Shortly after 6.00 pm on Saturday gunmen in a white sable for four of the killings and alleged that Protestant gun- loon drove down Shiels Street and as it passed a group of men shot and killed the first two. people standing at the corner of Dairy Street, fired 20 shots It was just before midnight when the 1st Queens soldiers from a machine gun. Victims of the mass assassination came under fire when a gunman using a high velocity attempt had no chance to take cover and most of the ten weapon fired two shots from Halliday’s Road. Troops re- people were wounded in the legs and abdomen. Nine peoturned fire but no hits were claimed. The incident seemed ple were detained in hospital to herald the start of a gun battle which seemed to centre on Edlingham Street, although gunfire was directed at sol- Monday 5th February 1973 diers throughout the district. An Army observation post on Body found in East Belfast the top of Templar Flats came under fire several times and The body of a man has been found in the Connswater River soldiers in this post claimed to have shot a gunman who in East Belfast. He has been identified as being Mr John was dragged away by a comrade. Just after midnight sol- Boyd, a 33-year-old Protestant of Knockmore Square, diers claimed to have shot another gunman at the junction Lisburn. Mr Boyd’s naked body was discovered by chilof Spamount Street and Edlingham Street after they said dren on Sunday as they played on the banks of the river. they saw him carrying a gun. Shortly afterwards, another Mr Boyd is said to have been tortured before being shot in gunman operating at the same place fired shots at a patrol the head. only yards away at the Edlingham Street-Duncairn Gardens junction Soldiers then came under fire from Halliday’s Monday 5th February 1973 Road and at 12.20 a gunman operating in that area was hit Motor cyclist wounded when soldiers returned fire. At the same time a gunman in A motorcyclist has been shot and seriously wounded when Upper Meadow Street was firing at a patrol in the Duncairn shot by a gun man in a passing car. The shooting happened Gardens area. Soldiers then came under fire from York at around 2.25 am near the Rosetta post office. The RUC Street and just after 1.00 am soldiers claimed a hit after have appealed for witnesses.
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Monday 5 February 1973 Man wounded in Ligoniel A man has been admitted to hospital after being shot from a passing car as he walked along the Ligoniel Road. He was hit in the right shoulder and his condition is said to be serious. th
Monday 5 February 1973 Soldiers come under attack A number of shots have been fired at soldiers in the Falls area of Belfast after they went to investigate a suspicious car. None of the soldiers were injured but the RUC say that a 15-year-old youth was later admitted to hospital. Monday 5th February 1973 Shots fired from passing car Gunmen in a passing car have opened fire at a bookies shop at the corner of Brompton Park in the Ardoyne area but no one was injured in the attack. Monday 5th February 1973 Arson attack on delivery vehicles Four newspaper delivery vans, which belong to the Belfast Telegraph, have been hi-jacked in various parts of the city. The vehicles were taken from the Newtownards Road, Woodstock Road, Fortingale Street on the Crumlin Road and from Malvern Street in the Shankill. All four vehicles were set on fire.
Monday 5th February 1973 Car bomb at Glenavey A car bomb has exploded without warning outside a pub and slightly injured four people. The explosion occurred on Saturday night at Johnston’s pub shortly before 11.00 pm. Damage was extensive. Monday 5th February 1973 Bomb defused in Omagh An Army bomb disposal expert who was called out to deal with a bomb at a hardware shop has dealt with the device by setting fire to the device and burning off the 100 lb of explosives. No damage was caused to the premises. TOP RIGHT - Rioting on the Newtownards Road. BOTTOM RIGHT - Members of the UDA on parade outside the Ladas Drive RUC Barracks.
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Monday 5 February 1973 House attacked at Portrush A gunman has fired shots into a house just outside Portrush. The occupants, a married couple with six children escaped without injury. Monday 5th February 1973 UDA protest against arrests More than 1,000 loyalists, many of them wearing UDA uniforms and carrying batons have marched to Ladas Drive RUC barracks to protest against the detention of two men who have been held since the hand-grenade attack on Catholic workers in Dundonald. The demonstrators demanded that the men be released. Later the RUC allowed leaders to go inside the barracks where they met with senior RUC officers to discuss their demands. A statement was issued by loyalist leaders saying there was also to be an urgent meeting with the GOC Sir Frank King to discuss the loyalist demands and alleged continued harassment in Protestant areas. The demonstration is said to have been the first time that the UDA, Orange Volunteers Vanguard Service Corp and the Red Hand Group had presented a united front at a public protest.
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be controversy around the shootings with the Army claiming that they shot six IRA men and local people saying of the six people killed two were killed by Protestant extremists and the remainder by the Army. An Army statement claiming to have shot the six men said that shots were fired from a passing car on the Antrim Road but the confusion caused by the subsequent gun battle made it impossible to say who was killed where. Death notices for five of the Tuesday 6th February 1973 men also say they were killed by the British Army. The Strike call Widespread disruption, with probable power cuts, seems IRA has itself stated that none of their men were armed and certain because of a 24 hour strike call by militant Protes- that two IRA Volunteers were assassinated from the passtant organisations. A spokesman at Belfast Power Station ing car on the Antrim Road. West has said that it was thought that only a skeleton staff would be on duty from 11.30 pm tonight. The three main Tuesday 6th February 1973 transport undertakings, Ulsterbus, Belfast Corporation and Bomb explodes in Antrim Northern Ireland Rail, were adopting a wait and see atti- An explosion has badly damaged the Vauxhall motors buildtude. Services will depend on the number of workers who ing at Steeple Road. No one was injured in the attack. report for work as normal. The strike has been called in protest at the detention of two Protestants from Tullycarnet. Tuesday 6th February 1973 An unexpected development has been support for the stop- House petrol bombed in Bangor page from the Civil Rights Association and the Catholic A house at Carrowdore Gardens in Kilcooley estate, BanEx-Servicemen’s Association. NICRA said in a statement gor, has been damaged in a petrol bomb attack. A missile that, while they welcome the united stand by loyalists was used to smash a window in the Catholic occupied house against detention of their comrades, they found it hard to before the petrol bombs were thrown in. The family manunderstand how Protestant leaders could justify internment aged to escape unhurt. of others. Monday 5 February 1973 Derry protest Almost 1,000 people have taken part in a demonstration in the Shantallow area of Derry. The demonstration, organised by Provisional Sinn Fein, was against Army harassment of people in the area
Tuesday 6th February 1973 New Lodge killings Two men who were shot dead in the New Lodge area by gunmen in a passing car at the weekend have been described in death notices as members of the IRA. There appears to
Tuesday 6th February 1973 Shots fired into Catholic home Two shots have been fired into a Catholic family’s home at Craigboy Park in Bangor. One of the shots went through a window but none of the occupants were injured.
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thrown at his Army patrol in Divis Flats. According to the Army the device was thrown by a man on top of one of the flats. Shots were returned but no hits were claimed.
Tuesday 6th February 1973 Arms find at Checkpoint Soldiers operating a vehicle checkpoint in the Glen Road area of Belfast have seized an M1 carbine and an Armalite rifle. Tuesday 6th February 1973 Shot fired at RUC men A shot has been fired at members of the RUC in the Shore Road area of Belfast when they went to investigate the hijacking of a Corporation bus. The incident happened near the Grove Baths and the bus was recovered intact. Tuesday 6th February 1973 Military police come under attack A single shot has been fired at a military patrol near Cliftonville Circus in North Belfast. No one was injured in the attack. Tuesday 6th February 1973 Shots fired at RUC base Five shots have been fired at Tennent Street RUC barracks by a gunman who was operating from the direction of Ambleside Street. There were no casualties.
Tuesday 6th February 1973 GAA hall destroyed A fire, which is believed to have been started maliciously, has destroyed a GAA hall on the Scarva Road in Banbridge. Tuesday 6th February 1973 UDR men in arms find A UDR patrol operating a vehicle checkpoint at Glassdrummon have discovered a Russian made RPG7 rocket launcher, similar to those used in recent IRA attacks.
Tuesday 6th February 1973 Malicious fire at Newry school Fires, which are believed to have been started maliciously, have destroyed a classroom at the Abbey school and caused damage to Newry High School.
Tuesday 6th February 1973 Tuesday 6th February 1973 Soldier attacked Electricity transformer bombed A soldier has been slightly injured when a blast bomb was A bomb has exploded at an electricity transformer on the Dungannon Road, Coalisland during the night. The transFACING PAGE - Barricaders placed acrossTemplemore former was damaged but electricity supplies were not inStreet during riots in East Belfast terrupted.
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Tuesday 6 February 1973 Cookstown attack The RUC are said to be keeping an open mind about a small fire which has slightly damaged a bowling club in Cookstown. One theory is that the club was the target for an incendiary attack.
in his café and Mr Patrick Brady, aged 28, from Rosapenna Square, whose hooded and bound body was found in Maurice Street, off the Springfield Road.
Tuesday 6th February 1973 Men buried in Belfast The funerals have taken place in Belfast of two men who were killed by gunmen over the weekend. The funerals were of Mr Alfredo Fusco, aged 58, who was gunned down
Thursday 8th February 1973 A day of riots and shootings Four people are known to have died in a night of violence following the one day stoppage, dozens of people have been injured and the RUC are investigating the death of a fifth
Tuesday 6th February 1973 Fashion shop bombed A bomb, estimated to have contained between 30 – 40 lb of Tuesday 6th February 1973 explosives has exploded at Vivienne McMaster’s fashion Rocket attack on border store on Belfast’s University Road. A nearby Chinese resA rocket attack on a British Army post near the border has taurant was also damaged in the blast. triggered off a major gun battle between British troops and the IRA. More than 100 rounds were exchanged during Tuesday 6th February 1973 the 15 minute attack on the heavily fortified Army check- Army salute causes scare point on the Buncrana Road. The Army have said that af- The Army, firing a 21 gun salute to mark the anniversary ter the Russian made rocket was fired between eight and of Queen Elizabeth’s accession to the throne has caused ten gunmen opened fire on them. There were no casualties confusion in Belfast when many residents thought it was bomb or rocket attacks. in the attack.
THE TROUBLES
man who they believe may have been assassinated. The trouble flared outside RUC barracks in the afternoon after protests and by nightfall they had turned into raging gun battles. Arson attacks were widespread and a fireman who fought a blaze at Bradbury Place was shot dead. He was the first fireman to lose his life since the troubles began. During the nights shooting the Army came under fire from both Protestant and Catholic areas in Belfast and they have claimed to have shot six gunmen.
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dows broken. In Larne during the night around 200 catholic homes were daubed with crosses in black paint. Cars outside the homes were also damaged. In Bangor around 300 youths attacked the RUC barracks and placed loyalist flags on the perimeter. Main roads were blocked with barrels. Tartan gangs went on the rampage in Holywood. It is said most of them travelled from East Belfast on the back of a lorry. In Downpatrick 200 youths roamed the streets and rioted during a power cut and in Lisburn four buses were taken from the depot on the Hillsborough Road. One In Belfast an 18-year-old youth was admitted to Dundonald of them was set on fire in Longstone Street. Hospital in the afternoon with gunshot wounds but died at 8.15. The RUC say he was shot when fire was exchanged between gunmen and troops. A 31-year-old Protestant was Thursday 8th February 1973 pronounced dead on arrival at the same hospital. He was Cost of the one day strike believed to have been shot in the vicinity of Albertbridge Yesterday’s one day strike in the North has been estimated, Orange Hall during rioting. A short time later a third man by the Confederation of British Industry, to have cost the died after admission to the Royal Victoria Hospital. After North £3 million in lost production and a further £1 mila gun attack on a military post in Lawnmore Avenue, sol- lion in wages. diers followed a trail of blood and found a man with gunshot wounds. A St John’s ambulance post in East Belfast reported treating more than 30 casualties, eight were sent to hospital and two of these had been hit with swords. The fifth man to die was found in an alleyway at the rear of the Phoenix bar at Hallidays Road. He had been abducted the previous night as he walked past the Unity Flats complex. Bombs exploded in and around Belfast during the night but no one was injured. Extensive damage was caused to the Hillfoot Bar in Glen Road, Castlereagh when a bomb exploded there. Bombs exploded at the Sportsman Bar in Dunmurray and at Whitehouse service station. A Catholic owned shop at Milebush, Carrickfergus was destroyed and a 20-30 lb bomb exploded at Robert Clarke’s shop. Shots were also fired into homes in Carrick. At Rathcoole the homes of 50-60 homes which were occupied by Catholics were stoned and private cars damaged. Windows were broken in the Immaculata Special School at Whiteabbey. In Dundonald several attempts were made to burn down a Catholic Church. In the White City and Queen’s Park estates more than 30 Catholic homes were daubed with red paint and two Catholic homes had winFACING PAGE - A bombed out shop in Great Victoria Street. TOP RIGHT - Bomb attack on shops in University Road. BOTTOM RIGHT - The scene at Strangford Lough where IRA members Leo O’Hanlon and Vivienne Fitzsimmons were killed in a premature explosion.
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Thursday 8 February 1973 Tyrone shootings The Army claimed to have shot another three IRA men near Clady in County Tyrone. The soldiers said that they were attacked from the southern side of the border. The Army say that shot one man during the initial exchange of fire and then waited an hour until the men broke their cover. They shot the other two men at this stage.
Thursday 8th February 1973 Dead named The names of the four people killed in Belfast yesterday have been released by the RUC. They are: Robert Alfred Bennet, aged 31, from Rosenearh Gardens, Dundonald and 18-year-old Edward Petherbridge of St Leonard’s Street, Newtownards Road. Death notices in the daily papers have said that both have died from gunshot wounds but neither the Army nor RUC were able to detail the circumstances of their deaths. The RUC have also named a youth whose body was found behind a public house in Halliday’s Road, in the New Lodge area. He is Glenn Clarke, of Beechland Drive in Lisburn. The fourth man to die was Brian Douglas, of Shore Road, Belfast. Mr Douglas was a fireman who was shot dead as he helped fight a blaze at Bradbury place. Thursday 8th February 1973 Deaths in the North The death toll since the troubles began in 1969 now stands at 717 and in the first 38 days of 1973, up until midnight, Thursday 8th February 1973 30 civilians, two UDR, two soldiers and an RUC reservist Firearm licences It has been announced that firearms certificates for guns have been killed held by people in the North for their personal protection will now only be valid of six moths instead of a year. Thursday 8th February 1973 Fire at Fermanagh mill One of the worst fires in Fermanagh for nearly half a cen- Thursday 8th February 1973 tury has destroyed more than half of a large woollen mill Funeral attacked at Lisbellaw. Damage to the mill and stock is in the region A 46-year-old man and an 11-year-old boy have been shot in Belfast while attending the funeral of three IRA men of £60,000. who were shot dead in Belfast’s New Lodge area at the weekend. The 1,000 strong funeral of IRA Volunteers Tony Campbell, aged 19, of Artillery House; Jim Sloan, aged 19, Thursday 8th February 1973 of Lepper Street, and Jim McCann, aged 18, of Upper Shots fired in Ardoyne A sniper has fired a single shot at an Army observation Meadow Street passed the Falls Road junction with Conway post at the junction of Alliance and Berwick Roads in the Street when shots rang out. The heavy fire, believed to Ardoyne area of Belfast. There were no injuries and fire have been from a machine gun, came from the direction of the peace line. A soldier returned fire but no hits were was not returned.
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FACING PAGE - The burnt out shell of the Groovy Boutique at the junction of Sandy Row where a Belfast fireman, Brian Douglas, (below) was shot dead by loyalists. RIGHT - Funeral of UDA man Glenn Clarke. BELOW RIGHT - Funeral of Brian Douglas.
claimed.. The funerals of the other three victims of the New Lodge funerals, John Loughran, age 35, Brendan Maguire, age 32, and Ambrose Hardy, age 26, took place earlier in the day. 1,000 people attended their funerals. Friday 9th February 1973 McKeague arrested Seven Protestants, all from East Belfast have been arrested in early morning swoops. It is understood that some of the men have been arrested under Section II of the Special Powers Act.. One of those arrested was John McKeague. McKeague was alone at the time in his Albertbridge Road flat, which is above his shop. It is understood that he first
phoned his sister to notify her that he was being arrested before letting the soldiers and RUC men into the premises. Under the Special Powers Act the men can be held for up to 72 hours. Friday 9th February 1973 McCrea warns of loyalist arrests Rev William McCrea, of Magherafelt, who is chairman of the United Loyalist Front, has said that he has received information from intelligence officers close to the security forces that loyalist leaders are to be round up before the plebiscite on the border and the publication of the White Paper. He said that all middle and top ranking officers of para-military organisations will be detained in the coming weeks. Friday 9th February 1973 Bomb at Derry cafĂŠ A bomb has damaged a Derry CafĂŠ shortly after lunch hour which is situated opposite the Army headquarters in Derry, Ebrington Barracks. It is believed that two youths were involved in the attack. Friday 9th February 1973 Castlederg explosion An unoccupied farm at Ballyfolliard, Castlederg which is owned by a member of Castlederg Rural Council; has been
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damaged during an overnight explosion. The blast blew an alleyway by two men one of whom was armed with a out all the doors and windows in the single storey building revolver. His condition is said to be satisfactory. and caused internal damage. Friday 9th February 1973 Friday 9th February 1973 Arson attack on Church RUC man killed in Dungannon There has been an attempt to set fire to a Church of Ireland A member of the RUC has been shot dead at Donaghmore Church at Ballynure. A number of pews were badly damRoad, Dungannon. The dead RUC man, Constable Charles aged as was some of the interior but the building escaped Morrison of Bushmills was aged 26 had been at the scene major damage. of a road accident when he was shot. Constable Morrison had served in the London Metropolitan Police before join- Friday 9th February 1973 Border gun battle ing the RUC. There has been a two hour gun battle between the British Army and the IRA near the border village of Clady. No Friday 9th February 1973 Bomb alert on Border one was injured. An Army bomb disposal expert has been dealing with a suspicious car on the border near Crossmaglen. A spokesman for the Army said that the vehicle “smelt strongly of Friday 9th February 1973 explosives.” Shots fired in Lurgan Four shots have been fired from a passing car at a Catholic occupied house in the Bleary district of Lurgan. None of Friday 9th February 1973 the occupants were injured. Woman injured in Ardoyne A woman has been slightly injured by gunfire as she reversed her car into Etna Drive in the Ardoyne area of Bel- Friday 9th February 1973 fast. A burst of automatic fire was aimed at soldiers in the Army fired wildly says UDA leader area and a stray bullet hit the woman. She was not seri- Tommy Herron, vice-chairman of the Ulster Defence Association has accused the Army of shooting indiscriminately ously hurt and none of the soldiers were hit. during Wednesdays one day strike. He said “They panicked – at one time they were shooting at each other.” He Friday 9th February 1973 Gun attack on bar also said that it was a blatant lie that all the Army’s victims Four shots have been fired into the interior of the were shooting at troops. He did however agree that one of Cherrymount Inn on the Crumlin Road by a gunman who those killed, Andy Petherbridge, was a member of the UDA opened the front door. No one was injured in the attack. but stated that “He wasn’t armed – all UDA personnel had been released from their obligations to the UDA and had Friday 9th February 1973 been instructed to join the protest as members of the Soldiers attacked in Unity Flats public. Shots have been fired at troops from Stanhope Drive and later from the Unity Flats complex. No was injured. Soldiers have also said that they engaged a gunman in an al- Friday 9th February 1973 leyway in Rockdale Street in the Lower Falls but did not Soldier shot in Belfast claim any hits. A soldier has been shot in the New Lodge area of Belfast when his patrol was sprayed by machine gun fire. The Friday 9th February 1973 gunman is thought to have fired from Spamount Street. Fire Youth wounded in Derry was not returned. A 16-year-old youth has been admitted to hospital with a gunshot wound to the thigh. The RUC have said that the RIGHT - Rioting in the New Lodge area of North Belfast teenager, who lives in the Creggan estate, was dragged into
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Saturday 10 February 1973 McKeague charged John McKeague, former chairman of Shankill Defence Association has been charged with the theft of more than £1,500 cash and cheques and a .32 pistol in Coleraine last year. Appearing in Belfast Magistrates Court, McKeague insisted that he could not recognise the court because his rights as a British subject had been taken from him by the authorities by holding him under Section II of the Special Powers Act.
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Saturday 10 February 1973 UVF funeral Shots have been fired at the funeral of Robert Alfred Bennett, who was shot dead during Wednesday’s gun battles. The dead man, a former Irish Guardsman was a member of the UVF’s 1st battalion.
Saturday 10th February 1973 Catholic church bombed Saturday 10th February 1973 A bomb which was placed at St Bernadette’s Catholic UDA man buried Church on the Upper Knockbreda Road has exploded causMore than 1,000 men in paramilitary uniform have marched ing damage to the side door, porch and rooms immediately behind the coffin of Glenn Clarke, the Lisburn UDA man inside the building but the main part of the church was unkilled in the New Lodge Road on Wednesday. damaged.
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Saturday 10 February 1973 Belfast shooting Soldiers have exchanged fire with IRA men operating in the area of Corrigan Park. The soldiers were in Ballymurphy Road. A spokesman for the Army has said soldiers spotted two men supporting a third who was apparently injured Shortly after 11.00 pm two shots were fired at a soldier on Sentry duty at Crumlin Road Prison. Fire was returned and the sentry claimed a hit. Saturday 10th February 1973 Rocket launcher seized on border Gardai in County Monaghan have captured a Russian made rocket launcher when they stopped a vehicle close to the border. Two men jumped out of the car and made off across fields. Also discovered in the car were two rifles. It is believed that the rocket launcher was used to attack a UDR post at Newtownstewart during the night. Saturday 10th February 1973 Shotgun found A sawn off shotgun has been found in a car at Orchard Street in Belfast. The driver of the vehicle ran off but the passenger was apprehended. Saturday 10th February 1973 RUC barracks attacked Several gunmen have launched an attack on Toomebridge RUC barracks . RUC and UDR men returned fire but no hits were claimed. It is estimated that 50 shots were fired at the barracks. Saturday 10th February 1973 Rocket attack on UDR headquarters A rocket has been fired at the UDR headquarters in Newtownstewart. The device was fired from a distance of 100 yards, pierced a wall on the second storey of the building and entered an unoccupied office. No one was injured in the attack. Saturday 10th February 1973 Castlederg bombs Army bomb experts have detonated an explosive device in a derelict house at Ballyfolliard on the outskirts of TOP - Firebomb attack on shops in Donegall Place. RIGHT - Bomb attack on Turnpenny Engineers, McClure Street.
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TOP - Bomb attack on the Manfield Shoe shop in Belfast city centre. TOP RIGHT - People being rescued from an upstairs window of the Hole in the Wall Public House after a bomb attack.
Castlederg. As this happened a second device exploded. It is thought that the building had been booby trapped. Saturday 10th February 1973 IRA suspects held Four men, said by the Army to be senior members of the IRA in Belfast have been arrested in various parts of Belfast. One is thought to be a Commanding Officer, two others intelligence officers and the fourth a battalion quartermaster. Saturday 10th February 1973 Shop bombed in Derry The APCK shop in Shipquay Street in Derry has been bombed in a lunch hour attack. It is not known how the bomb was planted but the RUC received an anonymous phone call that the device was in the shop. Warnings were also sent to a local newspaper. The area was cleared and no one was injured. Monday 12th February 1973 McKeague will fast to death It has been announced at a press conference held at Vanguard headquarters on Knock Road, Belfast, that John McKeague is on a hunger and thirst strike. A man who described himself as a Brigadier in Vanguard Volunteers,
Mr James Rice, read a statement on behalf of the Red Hand Group. In the statement that McKeague’s condition had now deteriorated to such an extent that he has got to be lifted and carried for personal necessities. It was also stated that he was being guarded by four prisoners to prevent his removal to the prison hospital. The statement went on to say that “McKeague was no John Stevenson. He will continue his thirst and hunger strike to the end.
Monday 12th February 1973 Couple die in premature explosion Two members of the IRA, a 23-year-old Teacher and a 17year-old student at Belfast College of Business Studies have died in an accidental explosion in Downpatrick. The pair, who have been named as Leo Hanlon, of Vianstone Place, Downpatrick and Vivienne Fitzsimmons, of Lynn Doyle Place, Downpatrick, are believed to have been lifting the bomb when it exploded. Both the dead have been claimed by the Provisional IRA and O’Hanlon has been described as being the Company Commander in East Down. He was also a well known member of a local civil rights group.
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THE TROUBLES LEFT - Bomb attack on Dixon’s Garage at Newtownbutler RIGHT - Bomb attack on Walter Mercer’s E;ectrical Wholesalers, Ormeau Road
Monday 12th February 1973 Ardoyne gun attack Around 50 shots were fired at troops in Ardoyne from the direction of Etna Drive. The soldiers returned fire but did not claim any hits. Monday 12th February 1973 Gun and bomb attack on Falls A nine–year-old girl has been treated in hospital after being injured when a blast bomb exploded in Cupar Street, Belfast A short time after the bomb exploded gunmen in a Monday 12th February 1973 car opened fire on a group of young people at Islandbawn Bomb explodes in Armagh village Two bombs have exploded in the County Armagh town of Street-Falls Road junction. Soldiers pursued the gunmen Tandragee. The bars, Cullen’s and the Farmers Inn, were but lost them. Three men were later admitted to hospital both badly damaged by the bombs which had been con- with gunshot wounds. Their condition is not serious. tained in beer barrels. Monday 12th February 1973 Two bombs explode in Enniskillen ‘Two bombs have exploded in Enniskillen during the night. The blasts, which occurred simultaneously, damaged two car showrooms and about 60 cars. The target for the bombers were T. P. Toppins & Co showrooms and Country Cars.
Monday 12th February 1973 9-year-old girl injured A girl, aged nine has been injured when a gunman opened fire on an Army patrol from the direction of Ainsworth Avenue-Springfield Road junction. Ten shots were fired . Troops returned fire but no one was hit.
Monday 12th February 1973 Newtownbutler bomb attack Two bombs have exploded in Newtownbutler at Dixon’s in Main Street and the customs clearing house. One member of the RUC sustained slight injuries in the attack.
Monday 12th February 1973 Pillion passenger wounds youth A gunman on the pillion of a motorcycle has opened fire in Eliza Street in the markets area. A youth was wounded and taken to hospital.
Monday 12th February 1973 Man wounded Monday 12 February 1973 A 63-year-old man has been shot and wounded in the foot Explosion in Glenarm A bomb has exploded at McAllister’s garage and filling in the Jamaica Street area of Ardoyne. station on the Larne Road, Glenarm. No one was injured Monday 12th February 1973 in the attack. Houses attacked Petrol bombs have been thrown into at two houses at Monday 12th February 1973 Alexandra Park Avenue and in Duncairn Gardens. Gun battle in New Lodge There has been a series of sniping attacks on soldiers in the New Lodge area of Belfast over a three hour period. Ob- Monday 12th February 1973 servation posts and patrols were fired on but there were no Malicious fire casualties. According to the Army the firing ended as A malicious fire has destroyed a shed and its contents at Fortwilliam Golf Club. No one was injured in the attack. quickly as it started when someone blew a whistle. th
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Monday 12 February 1973 Arson attack on band hall A band hall in Moore Street in the Waterside area of Derry has been destroyed by a fire which the RUC believe was started maliciously. Monday 12th February 1973 Bomb explodes in Derry A 10 lb bomb has exploded in the premises of a wholesale paint merchants on the Springtown industrial estate. It was the third explosion of the day in the city. Earlier explosions were at the APCK bookshop and on Foyle Road, where a claymore type mine exploded in front of an Army “pig.� Monday 12th February 1973 Hatchery attacked The RUC have said that 90,000 chicks were destroyed when someone tampered with electronic switches at a hatchery at Donaghmore. Only a week ago 1.6 million chicks and hatchlings were killed when two bombs exploded in a hatchery. Monday 12th February 1973 Sinn Fein rally in Dungiven Monday 12 February 1973 1,000 people have taken part in a Provisional Sinn Fein Shots fired in North Belfast Twenty shots have been fired in the Bone district of Oldpark march and rally in Dungiven. The meeting was addresses but there were no casualties and at around the same time by the Acting President, Mrs Maire Drumm. soldiers opened fire on a man they claimed was carrying a Monday 12th February 1973 gun. The man escaped. Shots fired in Monkstown Shots have been fired into one house at Tynan Drive and Monday 12th February 1973 another at Tynan Close at Rifle found Soldiers have discovered a .22 rifle and one bullet in the Monkstown. No one was hurt. Cullingtree Road area of the Falls. Monday 12th February 1973 Shop petrol bombed Slight scorching damage has been caused to a shop at Monday 12th February 1973 Kingsway, Dunmurry when a petrol bomb was thrown into Incendiary attack in Derry A 10 lb bomb, which was linked to an incendiary device, the building. has completely destroyed the three storey premises of Robert Smyth & Co, of Foyle Street. The company is a Monday 12th February 1973 RUC man ambushed wholesale chemists. A member of the RUC has been ambushed by the IRA as he drove his car between Forkhill and Newtownhamilton. Monday 12th February 1973 The RUC man was hit six times in the leg but he managed School bombed An explosion heard in Enagh Lough, near Derry, has been to continue on driving before seeking help at a house. He traced to a temporary building at the local Catholic was taken to hospital where his condition is described as comfortable. Primary School. th
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Monday 12th February 1973 Soldier dies at Army HQ Military investigators are conducting an inquiry into the death of a soldier at the Army’s Lisburn Headquarters. Army sources have described the death as “an accidental shooting”. No details have been released but one report has said that the soldier died after a gun went off as it was being cleaned. The soldier’s name has not been released. Tuesday 13th February 1973 McKeague calls off strike John McKeague has ended his hunger and thirst strike. A Ministry of Home Affairs spokesman said that McKeague asked, after returning from a court appearance, if he was being held under the Special Powers Act. He was told that he was a remand prisoner and was not being held under the act.
Tuesday 13th February 1973 Pub bomb defused Army bomb experts have defused a bomb in the Metropolitan Bar in Foyle Street, Derry. It was planted by two youths who ran into the bar and shouted a ten minute warning. The area was sealed off and the Army worked to neutralise the device. The Metropolitan Bar has only recently reopened after being damaged in a previous bomb attack.
Tuesday 13th February 1973 Provos warn UDA The political wing of the Provisional IRA has issued a statement saying that any known member of the UDA found in minority areas must accept the consequences. In a statement from the Irish Republican Publicity Bureau, the Provisionals say that the UDA have been involved in sectarian killings and its spokesman had already given qualiTuesday 13th February 1973 fied support to its continuance. They say that if a UDA man does not subscribe to the aspirations of its leadership Independent Dominion Vanguard leader William Craig has told an audience that then he should resign. “They cannot be allowed to roam at from the outset that they would maintain the union with will, carrying out their nefarious activities,” Britain but “should that be impossible we would aim at a negotiated independent dominion of Ulster.” That domin- ABOVE - Michael Coleman and Peter McAleese who were ion would have a special relationship with Britain and Ire- shot dead on the Falls Road. RIGHT - The spot where they land. were gunned down
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Tuesday 13 February 1973 Belfast bar attacked A bomb has been thrown from a car into the Kingsway Bar at King Street-West Street in the Smithfield area. No warning was given but the building was cleared before the 20 lb device exploded. Tuesday 13th February 1973 Bomb explodes on Ormeau Road A bomb has exploded at premises owned by H & A Turner & Co, electrical contractors, McClure Street, in the Ormeau Road area. A young fitter remained in the building unaware that a bomb had been planted and the building evacuated. Although he was dazed he was rescued by ladder. He was uninjured by the blast.
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Tuesday 13 February 1973 Man dies fixing bomb damage A Tandragee man, Mr James Hughes, aged 68, has collapsed and died while boarding up windows in his bungalow which was damaged by two bombs on Sunday. The dead man was prominent in the Orange order for many years. Wednesday 14th February 1973 Soldier killed on Falls A soldier has been shot dead in the Falls Road area of Belfast. The dead soldier has been named as 20-year-old Private Edwin Paul Weston who was serving with the 1st battalion, Queen’s Lancashire Regiment. A second soldier who was also injured in the attack is in a serious condition.
Tuesday 13th February 1973 Arms find in Belfast Soldiers searching a garden shed at Rydalmere Street in the Donegal Road area of Belfast have found two rifles and 700 rounds of bullets
Wednesday 14th February 1973 Woman shot in Belfast A woman has been injured when a single shot was fired at an Army patrol in Hillman Street in the New Lodge area of Belfast. The woman who was taking a driving lesson at the time was struck in the leg. Her condition is not serious.
Tuesday 13th February 1973 Man wounded in Derry A man was wounded in Derry during the night in one of two incidents. The man is reported to have been shot in the leg near a chip van in the Brandywell area. It is thought that he was injured by a stray bullet. In the second shooting a soldier fired a single shot at a gunman who opened fire on an Army border checkpoint on the Muff Road. No one was injured in this attack.
Wednesday 14th February 1973 Bomb explodes in Belfast A no warning bomb has exploded in a car at the junction of North Queen Street and the New Lodge Road. Causing extensive damage to a post office and a chemist. Wednesday 14th February 1973 Gun attacks on Army The Army has come under attack in Belfast on a number of occasions. In two separate incidents shots were fired at soldiers at Jamaica Street in Ardoyne. No one was injured in either attack. At Northumberland Street a sniper fired a number of shots at an Army patrol but there were no casualties. In the Springfield Road a sniper also fired a single shot at the RUC barracks. No hits are recorded. Wednesday 14th February 1973 Derry bomb attacks A bomb has been left at Tyler’s shoe shop in Ferryquay Street, Derry. The device came to be discovered after a worker noticed a parcel and kicked it down the stairs, as he joked with some friends and shouted “bomb”. The parcel began to tick and the workmen all ran off. A telephone call was received warning of the bomb. The device exploded 30 minutes later. No one was injured. A second device
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was later found in the toilets of a bookmaker’s shop in Foyle Street. The area was evacuated and the bomb exploded. No injuries were reported as a result of either attack. Wednesday 14th February 1973 Detentions Minister for State at Westminster, David Howell, has told the Commons that there are 319 people detained in the North. Seven of these are Protestants. Of the 319 held under detention Orders, 221 are detained and 98 are held under interim custody orders. Since internment was introduced in 1971 1,391 people have been detained. Thursday 15th February 1973 Security man wounded A security man has been shot and wounded by one of three bombers who left a device in Mercers electrical wholesalers on the Ormeau Road. The man was not seriously wounded.
Thursday 15th February 1973 Gun attack on Belfast bar Two men have been slightly injured in a gun attack on a Belfast bar. The Bar, The Bunch of Grapes in Garmoyle Street was attacked by two men on a motorcycle. One of the men got off and walked to the door of the bar. There he fired five shots into the crowded bar
Thursday 15th February 1973 IRA officers arrested The Army have announced that they have captured another four Provisional IRA officers in Belfast. The latest arrests Thursday 15th February 1973 Arson attack in Portadown have taken place in the last 24 hours. Five masked and armed men have set fire to a fish and chip shop in Portadown. The Roxbora café in Churchill Park was gutted after inflammable liquid was poured over the Thursday 15th February 1973 premises and set alight. McKeague re-arrested John McKeague, who has been released on £2,000 bail has been arrested after appearing at Belfast’s magistrate’s Court. Thursday 15th February 1973 After signing a bail bond, he was approached by members Youth attacked in Armagh of Special Branch and arrested under the Special Powers An 18-year-old youth has been attacked by a crowd of stone throwing youths at Cathedral Villas. The youth’s mother Act. intervened and shielded him to the safety of their home. Thursday 15th February 1973 Strabane shooting A 20-year-old youth who was walking along Fountain Street in Strabane before midnight was dragged into an alleyway by two men and shot in the leg. His condition is not serious. ABOVE - British troops searching cars in Belfast’s Linenhall Street. LEFT - Fire bomb attack on Speedy Cleaners in Donegall Street.
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Thursday 15 February 1973 Mine explodes in Derry A claymore mine has exploded in Leenan Gardens in the Creggan Estate in Derry shortly after midnight. An Army patrol had passed the spot a shot time before.
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Friday 16 February 1973 Bakery workers abducted Two bakery workers have been abducted in West Belfast. The men, employed by Tip Top Bakery were taken to a house in Beechmount where they were held for two hours and were beaten. As they were being brought back to their van one man managed to escape and contacted the Army. The second man was held for a further two hours before being released.
Thursday 15th February 1973 Arms find on Shankill A search of premises in Urney Street in the Shankill area of Belfast has uncovered a quantity of ammunition. Dis- Friday 16th February 1973 covered in the house were two rifles magazines and 40 Shots fired into house rounds of assorted ammunition. A man has been arrested. The RUC have said that they received a report that a number of shots have been fired into a house in Cliftondene GarThursday 15th February 1973 dens in the Oldpark area of Belfast. No one was injured. Deaths since direct rule Mr David Howell, Minister for State at Westminster has Friday 16th February 1973 said in a statement that there have been 428 deaths in the Man abducted in Lurgan North since direct rule and in the same period between A man has been abducted from a public house in Lurgan March 1972 and February 1973 3,361 people were injured during the night and was taken to a flat in the Kilwilkie estate where he was assaulted. According to the RUC the in 9,655 incidents.
Friday 16th February 1973 Death sentence passed on UDA man A member of the UDA, Albert Edward Browne, has been sentenced to death at Belfast City Commission for killing a member of the RUC. Government sources are reluctant to predict if the Secretary of State will intervene. The exact constitutional position is unclear but it is unlikely that Browne will hang even if his appeal fails. The death penalty in Britain is no longer in existence and while Stormont is suspended legal experts believe the same position would apply in the North.
Friday 16th February 1973 Divis flats gun battle Soldiers and members of the IRA have engaged in a gun battle in the Divis Flats area of Belfast for more than a half hour in the early hours of the day. The shooting began with a single shot being aimed at soldiers in Divis Street. More shots were fired and soldiers aimed 18 shots at one of the gunmen. He managed to escape but the Army are claiming a hit. RIGHT - Bomb attack on Rugby Engineering, Belfast
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man was questioned “about certain matters”. As he was of highly toxic gas. The gas, Phosgene, is the type used in being set free one of his captors fired a number of shots at the trenches in the First World War. him but he was not hit. Saturday 17th February 1973 Friday 16th February 1973 Suspect cars blown up Bomb defused at Clones Soldiers have blown the boots of two cars which they susA 100 lb bomb has been left in a bar in Clones, County pected may contain explosives. The vehicles, which were Monaghan. The proprietor of the bar, has said that the bomb parked in Majestic Avenue in Sandy Row and at Library was left by three armed men who forced him upstairs, bound Street did not contain anything. his arms and tied him to the banisters. After a long struggle he managed to get free and raised the alarm. The bomb Saturday 17th February 1973 Bomb attack on pub was defused by the Irish Army. Six people have been injured, one seriously, when a bomb exploded at the Cherrymount Inn on Belfast’s Crumlin Friday 16th February 1973 Rubber bullets fired in Derry Road.. The bomb, in a beer barrel, exploded just as a warnSoldiers have fired a number of rubber bullets at youths ing was being received, and there was no time to evacuate who they claim were throwing stones at them in the Creggan the premises. area of Derry. Saturday 17th February 1973 th Saturday 17 February 1973 Shots fired in Ardoyne 25,000 in rent strike The Army have reported five separate shootings in the According to the Civil Rights Association who are holding Ardoyne area of Belfast. There were no military casualties their annual conference in Belfast, there is evidence that but the Army say soldiers shot one gunman after eight shots 25,000 people are still taking part in the rent and rates strike. were fired at them from Alliance Avenue. Saturday 17th February 1973 Three wounded in separate shootings A soldier and two civilians have been wounded in separate incidents in the North. One civilian, a Catholic, is said to be in a very serious condition after being found shot in the right temple in Watt Street in East Belfast. The man was lying in an abandoned car. The second man, a Protestant, was shot from a passing car in the Roden Street area. He is described as being very seriously ill. Neither of the two men have been named by the RUC. The soldier, who was wounded by a sniper in Mulhouse Street, is described as being ill. He was wounded in the back near the Royal Victoria Hospital was rushed to hospital; for treatment.
Saturday 17th February 1973 Gun attack on house Five shots have been fired into a house at Glebecloole Park in the Glengormley area of Belfast. None of the occupants were injured. Saturday 17th February 1973 Bomb found in car Two pounds of explosives have been found in a car which was blown up by the Army in Queen’s Square near the Albert Clock.
Saturday 17th February 1973 Town hall bombed Saturday 17th February 1973 An explosion has damaged Bessbrook town hall but no one Bomb causes poison scare was injured in the attack. A warning had been phoned to a Soldiers and fire men donned breathing apparatus to Deal Belfast morning paper. with a bomb which had been planted in the Speedy Cleaners in Lower Donegal Street. It has been reported that two Saturday 17th February 1973 youths and a girl planted the incendiary bomb. The device Belleek bomb blast did explode but did not fully ignite the incendiary materi- An explosion in the village of Belleek has caused slight als which were attached. The explosion however did dam- damage to the post office and a lounge bar. No one was age some containers of cleaning fluid which gave off clouds injured in the attack.
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Saturday 17th February 1973 Soldiers attacked in Shantallow Soldiers have come under heavy gunfire in the Shantallow area of Derry for a time. Eighteen automatic shots and several single rounds were fired at soldiers of the 25th Light Regiment Royal Artillery, as they drove along Liscloon Drive. One bullet struck their vehicle. .Fire was returned but no hits were claimed. th
Saturday 17 February 1973 Military equipment found on beach The Army has found a quantity of military equipment on a beach at Craigavad following a call from a member of the public. A box, which the army initially thought was a bomb, turned out to contain three half-inch flare rockets, a trip
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ABOVE - A man is searched outside him home in the Unity Flats complex in West Belfast
flare, rubber bullet cartridge cases and two gun powder igniters as well as a CS gas grenade and other items. No explanation has been offered as to how the equipment came to be there. Saturday 17th February 1973 Dublin arms raid Armed and masked men have stolen four guns in two raids in the Coolock area of Dublin. In the first raid a single and a double barrel shotgun were taken from a house. A short time later in the same area another shotgun and a rifle were taken.
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Monday 19 February 1973 Mans body discovered in snowdrift The body of a man which is thought to have lay under a blanket of snow for five days, has been discovered on a mountain road on the outskirts of Belfast The discovery was made at Wolfhill Quarry in Ligoniel. An anonymous caller had mad phone calls to local papers on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday saying that a body was there but searches revealed nothing. The victim had been shot four times in the head.
Monday 19th February 1973 Catholic Church attacked St Brigid’s Catholic Church in Derryvolgie Avenue came under attack during the night. A number of shots were fired at the church and the remaining five at the parochial church beside it. No one was injured in the attack.
Monday 19th February 1973 RUC reservists attacked Two members of the RUC Reserve, on duty at the Limestone Road, have come under attack from the direction of Newington Chapel. The RUC men were not hit and fire was not returned.
Monday 19th February 1973 Car bomb discovered Army experts have dealt with a 50 lb car bomb in open country south of Crossmaglen. An Army spokesman said that it was believed that the car was lying for a few days in Monday 19th February 1973 Petrol bomb attacks on homes a spot where an explosion would have done no damage. Two petrol bombs were thrown into Catholic homes in the Graymount area of Greencastle and later a Protestant’s Monday 19th February 1973 Bomb dragged from pub house was petrol bombed at Derwent Street on the An Army bomb expert has dragged a bomb in a gas cylin- Newtownards Road. der from a pub near Glengormley. A controlled explosion Monday 19th February 1973 broke some windows in the area of Corr’s Corner on the Ammunition find The security forces have discovered 324 rounds of ammumain Larne Road nition in a derelict house at Finaghy Road North. Monday 19th February 1973 Post office workers killed Two post office workers, Anthony Coleman, aged 30 of Colligan Street, off the Springfield Road and Joseph McAleese, aged 38 of Ballymurphy Parade have been shot dead. The men were walking along Divis Street in the Lower Falls when a man got out of a car and opened up with a machine gun. Both men, who had just come off duty and were still in uniform, died instantly The car drove off but a short distance away they opened fire on another man at the corner of Dover Street and Falls Road but he was not seriously hurt. The car used in the attack was hijacked in the Shankill and found abandoned in Conlig Street in the Old Lodge Road area. Monday 19th February 1973 Shots fired in Ardoyne Soldiers have said that they shot one man during a two hour long gun-battle in Belfast’s Ardoyne area. Over 90 shots were fired at soldiers from both high and low velocity weapons.
Monday 19th February 1973 Girl wounded A 16 –year-old girl was shot in the left shoulder on Saturday night after two youths were turned away from a disco off the Saintfield Road. Her condition is not serious.
Monday 19th February 1973 Shots fired into home Six shots have been fired into a Catholic home on the Ballysillan Road, Belfast during the night. A petrol bomb was also thrown into the house but no one was injured in the attack. Monday 19th February 1973 Army claim hit in Derry Soldiers in Derry say they shot a gunman during an exchange of fire at the vehicle checkpoint on Buncrana Road. Five shots were directed at troops but there were no casualties.
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Monday 19 February 1973 Supermarket bombed Longs supermarket in Derry has been damaged by a bomb. This is the third time in ten weeks that the premises have been bombed. Monday 19th February 1973 Rocket attack on RUC base Castlederg RUC barracks has been slightly damaged when a rocket was fired at it. The missile did not penetrate the building but rather dislodged plaster work from the outside wall. Several windows were broken. According to the Army the rocket was fired with cover from rifles by a man who got out of a car which stopped on the main road about 100 yards from the barracks.
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Monday 19 February 1973 Shop bombed in Tandragee A confectionary and news agents shop has been extensively damaged by a bomb planted by three armed men on Saturday night. The shop in Mill Street had been evacuated and no one was injured in the attack.
Tuesday 20th February 1973 RUC man attacked in Ballymurphy A member of the RUC escaped death today when a youth fired five shots at him at point blank range and missed. The incident happened at the junction of Ballymurphy Parade and Glenalina Road. The RUC man was in plain clothes at the time and had called at a number of houses in the area for several minutes before the incident.
Monday 19th February 1973 Lurgan RUC barracks attacked There has been a rocket attack on Lurgan RUC barracks. Tuesday 20th February 1973 The rocket is known to have pierced the rear of the build- Shooting victim buried ing and embedded itself in a wall. No injuries are reported. The funeral has taken place of Mr Francis Teggart, aged 20, of Fernagh Avenue, Newtownabbey. Mr Teggart ‘s body Monday 19th February 1973 was found in a car on Friday in an entry off Watt Street in Petrol bomb attack on house the Ravenhill Road. He died in hospital the following day. Two petrol bombs have been thrown into a house at Granville Road in Portadown. The house was vacant at the time, as the family had left a few days earlier. Some of Tuesday 20th February 1973 their furniture which was still in the house was damaged. Men punished Three men, aged in their 20’s have all been shot in the legs in the Ormeau Road area of Belfast. The RUC were called to River Terrace where they found the three men, two CathoMonday 19th February 1973 Bomb defused in Newry lics and a Protestant, had all been shot in the right knee. The centre of Newry has been sealed off as the Army worked They are working on the theory that the shooting was punfor four hours to defuse a bomb which had been left by two ishment and not sectarian. men in the town’s biggest shop. Monday 19th February 1973 Incendiary device discovered An incendiary device has been discovered by a customs officer in a caravan which is used as a temporary post on the Newry-Omeath Road Monday 19th February 1973 Ammunition find in Enniskillen RUC and Army personnel with tracker dogs have discovered more than 100 rounds of ammunition during a search on the banks of the River Erne and surrounding area near the East Bridge.
Tuesday 20th February 1973 Soldier loses eye It has been learned that one of the two soldiers who were injured in a blast bomb attack in the Crumlin Road area yesterday has lost an eye. He is described as being seriously ill. Tuesday 20th February 1973 Dead man named The man, whose body was found in a snowdrift in Ligoniel has been named as being, William Cooke, a 29-year-old Protestant from Legann Street in Ligoniel.
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Tuesday 20 February 1973 Newry bomb A bomb has exploded outside the EBNI offices and showroom at Katherine Road in Newry fifteen minutes after it was planted. The bomb contained 50 lb of explosives and the area was evacuated before the device went off.
Tuesday 20th February 1973 £50,000 taken in raid Five gunmen, have held up passengers at Dundalk railway as they waited for the Dublin Belfast train to arrive. The men then boarded the train and took five mail bags from the train. It is estimated that the raiders got away with £50,000. Wednesday 21st February 1973 Bomb wrecks Belfast pub Two men, dressed in combat gear and wearing balaclavas, have planted a100 lb bomb at P. J. Lambe’s pub, Ballyhackamore. The bar was completely demolished and extensive damage was also caused to the Ballyhackamore Arms next door. No one was injured in the attacks.
Wednesday 21st February 1973 Sniper kills soldier A member of the British Army’s Coldstream Guards has been shot dead by a single bullet fired by a sniper in the Whiterock area of Belfast. The soldier had been a member of a patrol guarding a party of engineers who were digging a trench to repair an electricity cable. They were within sight of the Army base Fort Pegasus when the sniper fired, He was the third member of the Coldstream Guards to die in the past 24 hours. st
Wednesday 21 February 1973 Belfast arms raid A number of armed men have carried out a raid on Nelson’s sports shop in Great Victoria Street. A number of small arms were taken. No one was injured in the raid. Wednesday 21st February 1973 Suspect cars Army experts have blown up two suspect cars in Belfast. One car, a stolen Ford Anglia, was found abandoned at the Albert Clock and the second car was found at Castle Street. No explosives were found in the vehicles.
Wednesday 21st February 1973 Bus attacked A cross-border express bus, which was on its way from Letterkenny to Dublin has been stopped by men dressed in Army uniform on the Aughnacloy-Ballygawley road. The CIE bus was then set alight.
Wednesday 21st February 1973 Soldiers die in ambush Two members of the Coldstream guards have been shot dead when several well concealed gunmen opened fire on a two vehicle Army patrol on the falls Road. Several gunmen, using a variety of weapons, opened fire on the soldiers at Panton Street. More than 40 shots were fired at the soldiers. The two soldiers who died in the attack have been named as Guardsman Malcolm Shaw, aged 23 and Guardsman Robert Pearson, aged 18. A follow up search revealed some spent cartridges which revealed that the weapons used by the IRA were An Armalite rifle, a Garrand, rifle and a Thompson sub machinegun.
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Wednesday 21st February 1973 Army deaths The number of regular soldiers killed in the North since the present troubles began is now said to be 151.
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Wednesday 21st February 1973 North Belfast gun attack A 16-year-old youth and his father had a narrow escape as they walked along the Antrim Road in Belfast. According to the RUC a mustard coloured BMC 1800 stopped behind them. One man stepped out and fired four or five shots. The youth was hit three times in the arm and leg but his injuries are said to be minor.
Wednesday 21st February 1973 Soldiers injured in Bomb attack A soldier has been seriously injured when a 20 lb bomb exploded in a derelict house in Singleton Street in the New Wednesday 21st February 1973 Lodge area. Three other soldiers and a civilian were in- House petrol bombed jured by the bomb which had been left in a doorway. Two petrol bombs have been thrown into a house occupied by a 66-year-old catholic man in Lurgan during the night. The man was not injured in the attack. Wednesday 21st February 1973 Army post attacked Wednesday 21st February 1973 A petrol bomb has been thrown and a shot fired, at soldiers Shots fired from car in an Army observation post at Ardoyne bus depot. Fire A number of shots have been fired from a car at two houses was returned but no hits were claimed. in Cranny Terrace in Portadown. Some of the bullets struck walls and doors but no one was hurt. Wednesday 21st February 1973 Girl wounded in Belfast An eight-year-old girl has been treated in hospital for flesh wounds after a shooting incident in the St James’ Road area of Belfast.
Wednesday 21st February 1973 Army attacked in Derry Six automatic shots have been directed at soldiers on patrol in the Shantallow area of Derry during the night. There were no casualties and fire was not returned.
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Wednesday 21 February 1973 Shot soldier named The soldier who was shot dead by an IRA sniper in the Whiterock Road area of Belfast has been named as 20-yearold Michael Doyle.
Thursday 22nd February 1973 Second escape for IRA man One of the seven IRA suspects, known to the movement as the “Magnificent Seven,” who escaped from the prison ship Maidstone two years ago, has made a second dramatic escape from custody when he dashed to freedom from cells underneath Crumlin Road courthouse. A second prisoner involved in the break was recaptured after a scuffle. The man who got away, 25-year-old James Bryson, had been due to appear in court on arms charges. The men were being held in cells underneath the court and watched by prison staff when what appeared to be a scuffle broke out in the cell. The prison staff rushed to investigate and were overpowered, stripped and tied up. The men then left through stairs leading to the No 1 court. Bryson was dressed in a warder’s uniform and everything went well until one of the warders managed to free himself and raised the alarm. One of the escapers was overpowered outside on the steps of the courthouse and the other, Bryson, scaled a 10 ft wall and reached the Old Lodge Road. A pistol was later found on the floor in the courthouse.
Thursday 22nd February 1973 IRA claim killings The Provisional IRA have claimed that they killed three members of the Coldstream Guard in retaliation for the six civilians, three of them members of the IRA, who were shot dead in the New Lodge Road area of Belfast.
Thursday 22nd February 1973 Mine defused in Belfast Soldiers who were called to the scene of an emergency on the Suffolk Road, which was in reality a hoax, have spotted three men running away from the scene. A follow up search has revealed a claymore mine in the roadway. It is said to have contained a gross of nails and about 12 lbs of explosives.
Thursday 22nd February 1973 Explosives discovery in Andersonstown Soldiers have discovered a small claymore mine in the Andersonstown area. The device which was contained in a tin and was found on waste ground, contained an explosive charge.
Thursday 22nd February 1973 Booby trapped car is blown up Soldiers have blown up a car which had been left in a car park in Oxford Street, Belfast. Three youths were seen running away from the vehicle. The car was blown up and Thursday 22nd February 1973 Engineering offices bombed an Army spokesman has confirmed that it contained a 5 lb Three hooded men, two of whom were armed, have planted booby trap bomb. a bomb in the offices of a Belfast engineering firm. The target for the latest bomb attack was Rugby Engineering Thursday 22nd February 1973 works at Rugby Avenue off the Ormeau Road. The offices Arms raid in Newry were wrecked in the attack but the workshops escaped with Three men have entered a house in Newry during the day and have seized several sporting guns. The car in which slight damage. they were travelling was later found abandoned but there was no sign of the weapons. Thursday 22nd February 1973 Man shot in Derry A civilian has been shot in the Shantallow area of Derry. Thursday 22nd February 1973 The security forces were not involved and the condition of Gun attack in Strabane the man is not immediately known In another shooting Members of the security forces came under fire in Strabane incident a man fired three shots from a pistol at an Army during they night when they went to investigate an abanpatrol in Creggan estate. There were no casualties and fire doned car. No one was injured and the car was later blown was not returned. up by the Army.
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Thursday 22 February 1973 Army checkpoint attacked Soldiers manning a checkpoint on the Buncrana Road in Derry have come under gun attack. A number of shots were fired but no one was injured. Friday 23rd February 1973 Republican marchers banned The RUC in Armagh City have banned a Republican march from entering the city centre. The march, was organised by the Pearse Republican Club. A member of the six county executive of the Republican Clubs has said that they will meet later to decide whether to accept the re-routing or to go ahead with the original march.
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Friday 23 February 1973 Man shot in knees A 34-year-old man from the Carnhill area of Derry has been shot in the kneecap by two men who took him behind a block of shops at Drumleck Drive.
Friday 23rd February 1973 Army patrol attacked An Army patrol has come under fire in the Creggan estate in Derry during the day. There were no casualties.
Friday 23rd February 1973 Booby trap defused Friday 23rd February 1973 An Army bomb disposal expert has successfully dismanRUC and Army on full alert tled two milk-churns which were wired as a booby-trap. All members of the Army and RUC have been told to be on The device, a 100 lb bomb, was discovered in a telephone full alert and have been issued with photographs of Provi- service manhole at Ballyronan, close to Lough Neagh. sional IRA leader James Bryson. A full scale investigation has also got underway to discover how security at the courthouse was breached. Bryson is the 29th person to have es- Saturday 24th February 1973 caped from custody. Bomb wrecks Belfast pub Two men, armed with machine guns have fired eight shots Friday 23rd February 1973 into the door of a Belfast bar after they planted a 50 lb Soldier dies in England bomb in the building. The bomb, at the White Horse Inn, A soldier has died in hospital in England four months after on the Springfield Road, exploded 40 minutes later. No he was injured in riots in East Belfast. The soldier, Lance- one was injured in the attack Corporal Leonard Durber, aged 26, of the Life Guards, is the first soldier to die as a result of militant protestant violence. Saturday 24th February 1973 Bomb attack on crowded bar Friday 23rd February 1973 A bomb has exploded at the Hole in the Wall bar in Baltic Woman attacked in Belfast Avenue, off Belfast’s Antrim Road. There were 60 people A motive is yet to be established for an attack on a Protes- in the bar at the time when the bomb was thrown from a car tant woman in the Ardoyne area. The woman, was found, into the doorway. A doorman, who was coming down the beaten and tied to a lamp post, in Glenbryn Parade. A short stairs spotted the smoking duffle bag bomb and kicked it time later her husband was also admitted to hospital after into the street. Twenty people were injured in the attack. he was assaulted. Four people have been detained in hospital. None of them are seriously ill. Friday 23rd February 1973 Soldier injured in Bomb attack A soldier has been badly injured in the hand and face after Saturday 24th February 1973 he tried to throw clear a blast bomb which had been lobbed Bomb at airport into a sand bagged Army post at Westway-Creggan Road An Army bomb disposal expert has defused a bomb which in the Creggan estate, Derry. The bomb exploded before it had been left in a car at Aldergrove airport. The 3 lb bomb cleared the post. One of the soldier’s fingers and his thumb had been placed under the seat and wires leading to the had to be amputated. door had been attached to it.
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Saturday 24 February 1973 Soldier shot in Belfast A soldier has been shot in the hand at his observation post at Glenveagh Drive in the Suffolk area. Fire was returned but no hits were claimed.
Saturday 24th February 1973 Shots fired into home A 5-year-old girl narrowly escaped death when shots were fired into her home at Woodside Green. The shots are believed to have come from the nearby Churchill Park estate.
Saturday 24th February 1973 Soldiers open fire on gunman Soldiers have opened fire on a man in Dawson Street in the New Lodge area who they say they saw carrying a gun. The man escaped uninjured.
Saturday 24th February 1973 Transformer bombed A bomb has damaged an electricity transformer at the gable wall of a house in Cloughmore, Newtownbutler. Slight damage was caused to the premises.
Saturday 24th February 1973 Saturday 24 February 1973 Land mine attack in Tyrone Mobile patrol attacked Four soldiers had a narrow escape when a land mine exAt Lenadoon, soldiers have carried out a search in the area ploded as the vehicle in which they were travelling came after a mobile patrol was attacked. A .303 rifle, two pis- under attack. The soldiers, who were in a Saracen, armoured tols, and 998 rounds of ammunition were seized along with car. were near Aughnacloy, County Tyrone, when the bomb a quantity of gun parts and magazines. exploded. One wheel was blown off their vehicle. th
Saturday 24th February 1973 Zip gun found in Andersonstown A hand made ‘zip gun’ has been found wrapped in a parcel outside the Mace supermarket in Rowan Drive in the Andersonstown area.
Saturday 24th February 1973 Arms raid at Carrickmore Six men have carried out a raid on a Tyrone farmhouse. A shotgun and a .22 rifle , without its bolt, where taken in the raid at Carrickmore
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Saturday 24 February 1973 Suspect car is blown up Soldiers have blown up another stolen car which had been abandoned in the Castle Street-Divis Street car park. The car was burned out but there were no explosives in the vehicle.
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area. The bullet struck the vehicle but there were no casualties.
Monday 26th February 1973 Bomb explodes at garage A bomb, estimated at 5 lbs has been planted in the Belfast garage of Hugh Galbraith. Two youths planted the bombs Monday 26th February 1973 which were contained in duffle bags and gave the staff 15 Boy dies in Derry explosion minutes to get out. The bombs exploded starting a fire A nine-year-old boy Derry boy, Gordon Gallagher, has died which was quickly extinguished. in an explosion as he played cowboys and Indians with his friends in the back garden of his home. It is thought Gordon Monday 26th February 1973 died after he tripped over a landmine which had been left Military police injured in ambush for soldiers at Leenan Drive in the Creggan estate. A search Two military policemen have been injured when their vehicle was fired on in the Ligoniel area of Belfast. 15 shots of the area revealed a second bomb in a nearby garden were fired and one soldier was shot in the back and the second was grazed in the neck by a bullet. Neither soldier Monday 26th February 1973 Man shot in Dundalk is seriously injured. A man has been shot and seriously wounded in Dundalk. According to witnesses a man wearing an anorak entered Monday 26th February 1973 the Ardri restaurant in the town and ordered two men out- Soldier wounded in New Lodge side at gunpoint. After an exchange of words one shot was A soldier has been slightly wounded in the arm when a fired hitting the man in the stomach. gunman opened fire on troops at the Duncairn Gardens Lepper Street junction. Monday 26th February 1973 Bomb hoaxes Monday 26th February 1973 Hundreds of workers have been evacuated form an indus- Youth wounded in leg trial estate at Stranmillis following fears that a bomb had A 16-year-old boy has been admitted to hospital suffering been planted in a petrol tanker. This was just one of a se- from gunshot wounds to the leg. The boy, a protestant, ries of hoaxes designed to stretch the Army’s bomb dis- was shot in Eglington Street. posal squads. Monday 26th February 1973 Belfast warehouse bombed A Belfast warehouse has been bombed by a girl and a youth who were armed with a pistol. The warehouse, that of J. C. Boustead & Sons Ltd in Hill Street was badly damaged in the blast. Monday 26th February 1973 Shots fired at troops A gunman has fired a single shot at an Army vehicle as it travelled along Racecourse Road in Derry’s Shantallow FACING PAGE - Bomb attack on Lambe’s Public House and Ballyhackamore Arms on the Upper newtownards Road RIGHT - Rioting breaks out following a parade in Armagh
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THE TROUBLES th
Monday 26 February 1973 Shots fired into house The Army have reported that shots have been fired into a house in Alliance Avenue from a nearby alley but there were no casualties.
Monday 26th February 1973 Petrol bomb attack on restaurant The Mayfair Chinese Restaurant in Great Victoria Street has been badly damaged as a result of two petrol bombs being thrown into the premises in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Monday 26th February 1973 RUC attacked in Belfast Members of the RUC have come under fire when they went to investigate a robbery at a garage on the Ravenhill Road. The fire came from two youths who ran off. A juvenile was later arrested
Monday 26th February 1973 Arson attack on hotel Cedarhurst House, Beechill Road, Newtownbreda, which is being converted into a hotel has been damaged by a blaze. The fire is believed to have been started maliciously.
Monday 26th February 1973 Fire at British Legion hall Monday 26th February 1973 A fire, whose origins have not yet been established has Men abducted in Belfast caused considerable damage to the interior of a British Two Protestant men found trying to walk with the aid of Legion Hall at Sandhurst Gardens in East Belfast. sticks in the Newtownbreda area of Belfast have told the RUC that they were abducted from outside a public house Monday 26th February 1973 in the Donegal Pass area by four or five armed men. They Blast bomb thrown are both understood to have shotgun wounds to the leg. A blast bomb has been thrown at soldiers in Havlock Street Neither is seriously injured. off the Ormeau Road. But there were no casualties.
THE TROUBLES th
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Monday 26 February 1973 Bomb explodes in Derry Three armed men have forced their way in to a public house in Bishop Street, Derry and planted a bomb. The bomb exploded two minutes later causing extensive damage. The son of the bar owner is an internee.
however exploded and troops think it may have been boobytrapped.
Monday 26th February 1973 Petrol bombs thrown into house Two petrol bombs have been thrown into a house in Coronation Road in Carrickfergus. The bombs were lobbed through upstairs and downstairs windows. Considerable interior damage was caused but none of the occupants were hurt.
Tuesday 27th February 1973 Arson attack on pub A fire, believed to have been started maliciously, has extensively damaged a public house in the Grosvenor Road area of Belfast. The fire, which started on the ground floor , was at Stanley’s bar in Hutchinson Street
Tuesday 27th February 1973 Army Captain in murder bid An army captain and a sergeant, both stationed in Lisburn’s Thiepval barracks have been charged at Belfast Magistrate’s Monday 26th February 1973 Court. The sergeant has been charged with attempting to UDR man ambushed murder three men and the captain with unlawfully posFour shots have been fired at a member of the UDR in the sessing a Thompson sub machinegun. When charged, the Shantallow area of Derry. The soldier was unhurt. captain James Alister McGregor replied, the ammunition had nothing to do with me. It belongs to the police at Monday 26th February 1973 Castlereagh and was issued by Special branch. Bomb explodes at bar A bomb has exploded at the White Horse Inn, five miles from Derry on the Limavady Road. Fifteen minutes warn- Tuesday 27th February 1973 ing was given. The blast caused extensive damage to the Three held after search building. Three men have been arrested by the Army following a search in Forfar Street, off the Springfield Road. One of Monday 26th February 1973 the men had a gunshot wound to the chest. Two hours earArmy post attacked lier an Army patrol chased a hijacked car into Forfar Street A shot has been fired at the Army post at Butcher’s Gate in where it was abandoned. One of the two men in the car Derry. The shot came from the direction of Rossville Flats fired a shot at troops before both made their escape. Fire but no one was injured. was not returned and no injury was reported.
Tuesday 27th February 1973 Monday 26 February 1973 Army post attacked Road closed due to explosion Five shots have been fired at an Army post at the junction The main road between Augher and Aughnacloy remains of Louisa Street and the Oldpark Road. There were no closed after a 100 lb landmine shattered the entire width of casualties and fire was not returned the road when it was detonated in front of an Army Saracen. th
Monday 26th February 1973 Sniffer dog uncovers explosives An Army sniffer dog has uncovered more than 30 lb of gelignite in the Ardmore Park area of Derry. The gelignite FACING PAGE - Bomb attack on the White Horse Inn, Springfield Road. RIGHT - Fire bomb attack on the Mayfair Chinese Restaurant in Great Victoria Street
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THE TROUBLES th
Tuesday 27 February 1973 Soldiers claim children fired at them An 11-year-old girl has been wounded by a bullet which was intended for soldiers. The shot was fired at the soldiers from the junction of Edlingham Street and Duncairn Gardens, but it missed its target and grazed the girl’s scalp.
Tuesday 27th February 1973 Arms find in Protestant areas A .303 rifle, a zip gun and 63 rounds of ammunition have been found in Wilton Street in the Shankill Road. Also discovered were two shoulder holsters and some training pamphlets. In a separate find at Black Mountain Parade in the Spring martin area, security forces found 32 lb of explosives, a bomb making kit and a ..303 rifle and 223 rounds of ammunition. Tuesday 27th February 1973 Explosives discovered in Lower Falls 20 lb of explosives, 150 detonators, a bomb making kit and walkie-talkies were found in a derelict house in the lower Falls area. They were discovered after soldiers smelt the gelignite.
Tuesday 27th February 1973 Shots fired in Oldpark Four shots have been fired at soldiers in Gracehill Street in the Old park area of Belfast. Two shots were returned but no hits were claimed. Tuesday 27th February 1973 Incendiary device destroys mail Letters posted overnight in a post box in Newry have been destroyed by fire. It is thought that an incendiary device started the blaze. Tuesday 27th February 1973 Car hi-jacked in Lurgan Two masked men, one carrying a revolver has hijacked a car in the Shankill estate in Lurgan. No other details are known. TOP - Bomb attack on Galbraith’s Car Showroom, King Street, Belfast. BOTTOM - Bomb damager at Boustead’s, Hill Street
Wednesday 28th February 1973 Soldier shot dead in Ardoyne A soldier has been shot dead in Butler Street in the Ardoyne area of Belfast. The soldier had been on duty on the Crumlin Road and just left a shop. As he distributed some chocolate amongst his colleagues a sniper fired four shots from a concealed position. Several bullets struck the soldier. The name of the dead man has not yet been released.
THE TROUBLES th
Wednesday 28 February 1973 Boy defuses bomb The Army has revealed that a 7-year-old boy has “defused” a 15 lb bomb which he found under the stage at Cloughmore War Memorial Hall. According to the Army, when the boy picked the bomb up he disturbed some of the wiring and made the bomb harmless. The boy then carried the bomb home to show to his parents. Wednesday 28th February 1973 New prison for women It has been announced that new prisons are to be built in the North for both men and women. According to a Ministry of Home Affairs spokesman, the decision has been taken in principle to replace both Crumlin Road and Armagh prisons. Wednesday 28th February 1973 Loyalist group may form own party The militant Protestant Ulster Loyalist Council are believed to be considering forming their own political party. The meeting is being held at the UDA headquarters in East Belfast and among those in attendance were William Craig of Vanguard and representatives of the Ulster Defence Association, the Loyalist Defence Volunteers, the Loyalist Association of Workers and the Ulster Special Constabulary Association. Wednesday 28th February 1973 Rocket fired from South The IRA have fired a Russian made RPG7 rocket from south of the border at Belleek RUC barracks. The missile struck one of the barrack’s boundary walls but no one was injured in the attack. Wednesday 28th February 1973 Arms found in Strabane Soldiers carrying out a routine search of an unoccupied house in the Ballycolman area of Strabane have uncovered a Thompson sub-machinegun and a Springfield rifle. A quantity of ammunition, black berets and other military equipment were also discovered. Wednesday 28th February 1973 Arms discovered in henhouse Soldiers have discovered weapons and explosives in a chicken Coop at the back of a house in Ardilea Drive in the Oldpark area of Belfast. The weapons were found in a
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dustbin which had been dug into the garden and they consisted of 10 lbs of explosives, two RPG7 rockets, one RPG7 gunsight in a case, a quantity of electric detonators, two clocks with timing mechanisms and other bomb making equipment. One man has been arrested. Wednesday 28th February 1973 Boy killed in Newry A boy has died in Newry after a shooting incident in the Derrybeg estate. The boy who died, 12-year-old Kevin Heatley, of Second Avenue, Derrybeg died from gunshot wounds in daisy hill estate. The only shooting which has been reported in the area, say the Army, happened a half hour before when soldiers said they fired at a gunman after he fired at them. They also said that they were not able to search for the gunman because an angry crowd had gathered. Wednesday 28th February 1973 RUC man killed in Lurgan A25-year-old member of the RUC has been shot dead at Carnagh Bridge, Aghagallon, about four miles from Lurgan. The Ambush on the RUC man was launched on a narrow country road by gunmen armed with a sub-machinegun and rifles. The dead RUC man lived in Lisburn and has been named as Constable Raymond William Wylie. He is the 36th RUC man to die in the troubles.
Wednesday 28th February 1973 Shots fired in Belfast Thirty shots have been fired at an Army patrol in the Norfolk Gardens area of Andersonstown. Fire was returned but no hits were recorded. Also in Belfast soldiers have found 57 rounds of ammunition in a garden of a house in Dunmisk Park in Andersonstown, Wednesday 28th February 1973 Hay destroyed in arson attack 2,500 bales of hay have been destroyed in a fire at Upperlands, Maghera. The RUC believe the fire was malicious. Wednesday 28th February 1973 Shots fired into public house Shots have been fired into a public house at Moyogall, Coleraine. No one was injured in the attack which was launched from a passing car.
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