Another Bloody Chapter In an Endless Civil War Volume 1 Read online

  The period under review covers the years of 1984-87 - nearing the end of the third decade of the Troubles. It uses research and oral contributions from the mid- to late 1980s and shows not only how the Provisional IRA (PIRA) grew in financial and logistical strength, but also how the Security Forces (SF) worked hard to contain them. It was also a period where the Republican terror group fully embraced Danny Morrison’s mantra, ‘The Armalite and the ballot box’, as they moved toward a realisation that the British military could not be beaten, but that they (PIRA) could at least sit down with them from a position of strength. Thereafter, their intention was not only political agitation, but also to keep up the terror campaign and force the British Government to talk; further to ensure that they – the British - accepted that there could only be an impasse (albeit one of continued violence). However, whilst they fought, talked and then fought again, a further 356 people died. This book will cover every major incident of the period - commencing with the ambush of an off-duty UDR soldier, Robert Elliott, through to the shameless bombing of Enniskillen. Significantly, both incidents were at the hands of the Provisional IRA. It will also look at the continued negative interference of the United States and the vast contribution of the Brit-hating Irish-Americans through NORAID, which ensured the killing and the violence would continue.

  Ken Wharton is now in his mid-60s. He is a former soldier turned writer who lives on the Gold Coast in Queensland. A former football referee and a veteran of 500 skydives, he is chronicling the Troubles and takes as his standpoint the position of the Security Forces and the innocent civilians - and refuses to allow Sinn Féin/IRA to rewrite history.

  ROB, DUKE OF WELLINGTON’S REGIMENT

  I have stood on the hate-filled streets of Ireland

  Faced bullets, stones and bombs.

  I have seen things that one should never see being

  A soldier on the streets of Ulster.

  Over the years, yes, the troubles have left their mark on me

  And many others, not visible, but deep in my mind.

  Each time I wear my medal of purple and green

  It brings back all the memories of what I did and have seen,

  Of young men standing together all dressed in combat green,

  Brothers forever, united we did stand for what were called the troubles

  Across the Ulster land.

  Dedicated to all who served and fell during Op Banner, 1969/2007

  Doug Hook

  FRIENDS ARE FOREVER

  (written by Billy Little) 10th January 2009

  My mind is wandering back

  To when we were boys

  All through our childhood

  We shared our toys

  We grew up together

  Never were we apart

  We were like twins

  Sharing the same heart

  When we left school

  We shared the same job

  We enlisted in the army

  We joined the same mob

  We trained side by side

  We went through the pain

  We grew from boys to men

  We would never be the same

  Then off to Northern Ireland

  Like the three tours before

  To protect the vulnerable people

  From this mindless civil war

  Patrolling the streets of Belfast

  Or the countryside of Armagh

  We were protecting each other

  Never ever straying too far

  I still remember that morning

  It`s implanted in my mind

  How did I miss that wire?

  Why, oh why was I blind?

  Now after all these years

  Each one comes and goes

  Never will I forget you

  As on your grave I place a rose

  © The right of Billy Little to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of these poems may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author.

  ANOTHER BLOODY CHAPTER IN AN ENDLESS CIVIL WAR

  Volume 1: Northern Ireland and the Troubles 1984-87

  Ken M. Wharton

  Helion & Company Limited

  26 Willow Road

  Solihull

  West Midlands

  B91 1UE

  England

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  Published by Helion & Company 2016

  Designed and typeset by Battlefield Design, Gloucester (www.battlefield-design.co.uk)

  Cover designed by Paul Hewitt, Battlefield Design (www.battlefield-design.co.uk)

  Text © Ken M. Wharton 2016

  Photographs from author’s collection unless otherwise noted.

  Every reasonable effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The author and publisher apologise for any errors or omissions in this work, and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.

  ISBN 978-1-911096-27-6

  eISBN 978-1-912174-27-0

  Mobi ISBN 978-1-912174-27-0

  British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data.

  A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written consent of Helion & Company Limited.

  For details of other military history titles published by Helion & Company Limited, contact the above address, or visit our website: http://www.helion.co.uk.

  We always welcome receiving book proposals from prospective authors.

  To Anita Bailkoski and her brother Martin John Haughey and the late Andrew Haughey whose daddy, Sergeant John Haughey (23710622) Royal Artillery was murdered by an IRA IED on Lonemoor Road, Londonderry: your family paid the price of Britain’s war against terrorism. God bless your daddy’s memory

  To the eternal memory of UDR soldier, Alfie Johnston, murdered by the IRA in 1972. To the Johnston family who lost their mum, Irene, in one of the years under review in this book. God bless their memories

  To the lasting memory of Jeffrey Fentoni (Royal Artillery); Rab McGough (Royal Corps of Transport) and Duncan Campbell (Royal Green Jackets) who all, sadly passed away during the writing of this book. Rest easy, soldiers

  DEDICATIONS

  To every man and woman who served in Northern Ireland, irrespective of your Corps or Regiment, irrespective of your roles; you are my comrades and the honour of knowing you is all mine.

  To the innocent civilians on both sides of the sectarian divide who only wanted to lead a peaceful life, my empathy and my respect

  To the late Ken ‘B’ and Colour Sergeant Ken Ambrose, your passing has left a void in all our lives.

  To the 1,300+ who never returned to their loved ones.

  To Steven McLaughlin, Darren Ware, Dave Hallam, Ken Pettengale, Gren Wilson, Dave Judge, Dave Pomfret, John Corr, Len Chappell and Tim Marsh; to the Royal Green Jackets, Celer et Audax

  To Mike Sangster, John & Bernie Swaine, Mick Potter, Royal Artillery, Ubique

  To Mi
ke Day; for your inspiration and tireless help.

  To Mick ‘Benny Hill’ Steve ‘Foxy’ Norman, Andy Thomas, Royal Anglians

  To Mark ‘C’, James Henderson, B.R., Haydn Williams, Glen Espie and the men and Greenfinches of the Ulster Defence Regiment

  To Mark and Allison Overson who started me on a long road.

  To Dave Parkinson, RTR + To JB, ATO

  To Kenneth Anderson, Kev Wright, Tommy Clarke, Nick Sword, Royal Corps of Transport

  To Dave ‘Slops’ Langston, Army Catering Corps

  To Eddie Atkinson & Mick Brooks, Green Howards

  To Tam Hutton and the Royal Highland Fusiliers

  My cousin John Leighton, a Royal Artillery TA soldier

  To the children and loved ones of our fallen: Anita Bailkoski Scott Haughey, Tammy Card, Tracey Abraham, Stevie Karen Rumble, Carol Richards, Anne Travers, Mark Olphert, Craig Agar, Stephen Gault, Kate Carroll and Rita Metcalfe.

  To my children: Anne-Marie, Anna-Martina, Jonathan, Jenny, Robbie, Alex and Nathan; love you all and always will.

  To my grandchildren: Sherriden, Kelsy, William, Sammy, Layla-Mae, Megan, Clara and Lydia; also to Morgan Addy.

  To Jeanne Griffin for your friendship and support

  My dear Aussie friends Rachel Barnard, Sophie Sheldon and Maddison Howard, on the Gold Coast

  My author friend, Bev Trounce

  Ada Leighton who is still alive.

  Finally to Adam Griffiths, Narelle Pearson, Andy Thomas, Fiona Addy and Dean Holmes, ever patient, ever persevering partners of my children.

  Contents

  List of Maps and Illustrations

  Foreword by Damien Lewis

  Preface by Tim Francis

  From the Author

  Comment from a Former Soldier

  Note to the Reader

  Introduction

  Preamble

  Part One: 1984

  1. January

  2. February

  3. March

  4. April

  5. May

  6. June

  7. July

  8. August

  9. September

  10. October

  11. November

  12. December

  Part Two: 1985

  13. January

  14. February

  15. March

  16. April

  17. May

  18. June

  19. July

  20. August

  21. September

  22. October

  23. November

  24. December

  Part Three: 1986

  25. January

  26. February

  27. March

  28. April

  29. May

  30. June

  31. July

  32. August

  33. September

  34. October

  35. November

  36. December

  Part Four: 1987

  37. January

  38. February

  39. March

  40. April

  41. May

  42. June

  43. July

  44. August

  45. September

  46. October

  47. November

  48. December

  Epilogue

  Appendices

  A. British Military Deaths

  B. Who Was Responsible for the Deaths?

  C. Number of people in each age group killed in the ‘Troubles’

  D. Graph of the number of killings carried out by each type of organisation in Northern Ireland’s ‘Troubles’

  E. Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland During the Troubles

  F. Troubles’ Deaths by Year: 1972-90

  Select Bibliography

  List of Maps and Illustrations

  Grave of UDR soldier, Robert Gregg, killed whilst off-duty by the IRA 2/1/1984: at Castlederg Cemetery.

  Scene of the murder of UDR soldier Greg Elliott by the IRA in 1984.

  Herbert Burrows a UDR soldier and funeral director was murdered by a PIRA UVBT.

  Close to the scene of the IRA car bomb which killed several soldiers off-duty at an angling competition.

  North Howard Street Mill, Belfast; home to several generations of troops over the course of the troubles.

  Loyalist Parade, Lisburn Road, Belfast: July 12.

  Grave of Heather Kerrigan, UDR soldier, murdered by the IRA: 14/7/1984: at Castlederg Cemetery.

  Grave of Norman McKinley, UDR soldier murdered by the IRA: 14/7/1984: at Castlederg Cemetery.

  This was the scene of an IRA bomb blast Corgary Road, Castlederg which killed Heather Kerrigan and Norman McKinley 14/7/1984. The firing point is a white building in the far right of the photo.

  Jim Bryson mural in Ballymurphy Estate; he was killed by soldiers from the Royal Green Jackets.

  The author outside Castlederg Police station. Attacked several times by the IRA.

  Scene of PIRA UVBT attack on an off-duty UDR soldier.

  PIRA car bomb: a UDR soldier survived this blast.

  Omagh after ‘Real IRA’ car bomb in 1998.

  PIRA car bomb in a Co Fermanagh town.

  Grave of UDR soldier, William Pollock killed by the IRA whilst off-duty: at Castlederg Cemetery.

  Scene of the IRA bomb blast which killed UDR soldier William Pollock in 1986.

  An anguished cry: poster asking why the INLA attacked a church.

  Interior of the Church after INLA indiscriminately machine-gunned worshippers.

  Newspaper after the INLA attack on the Mountain Lodge Church.

  Mountain Lodge Church after INLA attack.

  The Mountain Lodge Pentacostal Church after INLA machine-gun attack.

  Newly rebuilt Mountain Lodge Church.

  The author on Lonemoor Road, close to the scene of the murder of Sgt Jon Haughey.

  Lonemoor Road/ Stanley Walk, Creggan Estate in Londonderry.

  IRA mural to hunger striker Kevin Lynch, Whiterock Road, Belfast.

  Ballymurphy Estate, Belfast, seen from the Whiterock Road.

  Castlederg Police Station, Co Tyrone.

  RUC poster to show the real horrors committed by the IRA. This is the dead body of an informant.

  From RUC photo of a ‘tout’ murdered by the IRA after being tortured by the ‘nutting squad.’

  UFF sign: Rathcoole Estate, North Belfast.

  UFF murals Rathcoole estate, Belfast.

  UFF murals Rathcoole estate, Belfast.

  Loyalist Rathcoole, Belfast.

  The former RUC base at Loughgall scene of 1987 ambush by the SAS/RUC.

  Loughgall: close to ambush spot.

  Loughgall Site of PIRA attack on the RUC base.

  UDR memorial, Lisburn.

  Belfast’s New Lodge.

  Hillman Street in the Nationalist New Lodge.

  New Lodge.

  Spamount Street, New Lodge.

  Clinton Hall, Enniskillen. Formerly the Reading Rooms where the IRA bomb was placed.

  The cenotaph, Eniskillen.

  Remembering the evil deeds of Republican terrorists in Enniskillen.

  The aftermath of the IRA bomb in Enniskillen: ‘The Poppy Day Massacre.’

  Bogside Inn, Londonderry.

  McEnaney’s Bar, Andersonstown ‘The Grave Diggers’ Arms.’

  The period under review covers the years of 1984-87, nearing the end of the third decade of the troubles. It will use research and oral contributions from the mid to late 80s and show how the Provisional IRA grew in financial and logistical strength, but also how the security forces (SF) worked hard to contain them. It was also a period where the Republican terror group embraced fully Danny Morrison’s mantra: ‘The Armalite and the ballot box’ as they moved toward a realisation that the British military could not be beaten, but that they (PIRA) could at least sit down with them from a position of strength. Thereafter, their intention was not only political agitation but also to keep up the terror camp
aign and force the British Government to talk; further to ensure that they – the British – accepted that there could only be impasse, albeit one of continued violence. However, whilst they fought, talked and then fought again, 356 people died. This book will cover every major incident of the period, commencing with the ambush of an off-duty UDR soldier, Robert Elliott, through to the shameless bombing of Enniskillen. Significantly, both incidents were at the hands of the Provisional IRA.

  Foreword

  Damien Lewis

  The Northern Irish Troubles constitute one of the most fraught chapters in British military history. The trauma of that period is still felt in the hearts and minds of all who remember it, so much so that it is difficult, even now, to look back on the events of those times without becoming embroiled in a quagmire of the emotional and political rhetoric from each side. That is where a book like this – exquisitely well researched, combining bare-bones facts, compelling oral histories and fascinating witness accounts – begins to clear the impassioned fog and starts to make sense of the bloodshed.

  The accounts in this book – one of nine that Ken Wharton has written on the Troubles thus far – come from an intensely turbulent period of Northern Irish history, the years 1984–1987. In the wake of the Harrod’s bombing, and the tentative continuation of what seemed like endless political negotiations, the British troops on the ground in Belfast and beyond continued to face the demoralising task of fighting an enemy they could not see. Night after night they embarked on patrols through darkened streets where the faceless threat of the IRA & PIRA lurked in every shadow, ever ready with a well-aimed brick, projectile or crudely-made explosive – which, for many of these intrepid men, might make this night their last. The stories of these critical years are told right from the straight-talking mouths of those brave blokes on the ground that experienced the horror and uncertainty of this period first hand.