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...today is the anniversary of a tragic time in Airborne history.
Warrenpoint wreathe centre copy.jpg
Just saw this posted on FB.
On this Day; in 1979 the IRA murdered Donald Blair, 23, Nicholas Andrews, 24, married, Gary Barnes, 18, Raymond Dunn, 20, Thomas Vance, 19, Michael Woods, 18, John Giles, 22, married, Ian Rogers, 31, married, Walter Beard, 33, Anthony Wood, 19, Robert England, 23, married father of 1, Jeffery Jones, 18, Leonard Jones, 26, married father of 1, Robert Jones, 18, Chris Ireland, 25, married father of 1, Peter Fursman, 35, Victor MacLeod, 24, & David Blair, 40, married father of 2.
18 soldiers, 16 of whom were from the Parachute Regiment, murdered in a “2 stage” bombing at Narrow Water Castle, Warrenpoint. Convoy making its way from Ballykinler to other base in Newry when 500 lb bomb detonated.
It was a warm & sunny Bank Holiday Monday. A bomb was in a trailer by the roadside, concealed among bales of straw. The blast caught the rear vehicle, a 4 ton truck. 6 soldiers died in this initial explosion.
With ammunition exploding in burning vehicle soldiers believed they were under fire from the Republic, across Carlingford Lough. They fired on Michael Hudson - a Royal Coachman who was birdwatching - & tragically he died.
Of the 8 men in the lorry only 2 survived & both suffered appalling injuries. 1 was only identified by forensic science. On hearing explosion a Royal Marine unit alerted the Army & reinforcements were dispatched.
A rapid reaction unit including medical staff headed to the scene by helicopter & another larger Wessex helicopter was dispatched to collect the wounded. Upon landing an Incident Command Post (ICP) was established.
The Incident Command Post was set up on the other side of the road beside a wall. A 2nd device - at 800 lb even larger than the 1st - was concealed behind the wall. 20 minutes after the 1st blast it was detonated.
12 more soldiers were murdered in this 2nd blast. 1 body was never found as it was vaporised. 1 unnamed soldier had his entire face torn off & was identified when it was found floating almost intact in nearby water.
The murderers had correctly predicted where the survivors of the first blast would seek cover. They were able to watch from the safety of the Republic & choose their moment to detonate the second device.
The tail end of the Wessex helicopter which had arrived to collect the injured from the first bomb was bent as it was taking off when the second device exploded. Remarkably the pilot was able to keep it up.
“It was a horrifying scene. There was human debris everywhere, on trees, in the grass verge & in the water: mostly unidentifiable lumps of flesh, but among them torsos, limbs, heads, hands & ears”.
A local fireman who arrived on the scene: “It was hard to say just what had happened. There were 3 or 4 bodies lying on the ground in flames. Everything else was covered by smoke”
Soldier flown to scene: “There were clear plastic bags everywhere full of bits of people. I’ll never forget those plastic bags. You think who did they belong to and think which of my mates are they”.
The Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, wrote personally to each of the families & flew to Northern Ireland a short time later visiting the injured in hospital & soldiers serving in S Armagh.
In July 1980 army doctor told inquest how he found injured among scattered limbs & decapitated bodies. Coroner told female members of inquest jury he wouldn’t ask them to examine photos of the scene.
A huge operation was launched to find the bombers with the RUC sifting all the rubble at scene & forensics able to pinpoint S Armagh IRA as responsible for making the bomb.
2 known IRA arrested by Garda leaving scene minutes after 2nd bomb but never charged with bombing - in spite of strong forensic evidence. Garda evidence later “lost”.
1 suspect in Narrow Water blew himself up with his own bomb in 1988. The other was convicted of mortar attack in 1994 but was released under the Belfast Agreement. Narrow Water has never come to court
Warrenpoint wreathe centre copy.jpg
Just saw this posted on FB.
On this Day; in 1979 the IRA murdered Donald Blair, 23, Nicholas Andrews, 24, married, Gary Barnes, 18, Raymond Dunn, 20, Thomas Vance, 19, Michael Woods, 18, John Giles, 22, married, Ian Rogers, 31, married, Walter Beard, 33, Anthony Wood, 19, Robert England, 23, married father of 1, Jeffery Jones, 18, Leonard Jones, 26, married father of 1, Robert Jones, 18, Chris Ireland, 25, married father of 1, Peter Fursman, 35, Victor MacLeod, 24, & David Blair, 40, married father of 2.
18 soldiers, 16 of whom were from the Parachute Regiment, murdered in a “2 stage” bombing at Narrow Water Castle, Warrenpoint. Convoy making its way from Ballykinler to other base in Newry when 500 lb bomb detonated.
It was a warm & sunny Bank Holiday Monday. A bomb was in a trailer by the roadside, concealed among bales of straw. The blast caught the rear vehicle, a 4 ton truck. 6 soldiers died in this initial explosion.
With ammunition exploding in burning vehicle soldiers believed they were under fire from the Republic, across Carlingford Lough. They fired on Michael Hudson - a Royal Coachman who was birdwatching - & tragically he died.
Of the 8 men in the lorry only 2 survived & both suffered appalling injuries. 1 was only identified by forensic science. On hearing explosion a Royal Marine unit alerted the Army & reinforcements were dispatched.
A rapid reaction unit including medical staff headed to the scene by helicopter & another larger Wessex helicopter was dispatched to collect the wounded. Upon landing an Incident Command Post (ICP) was established.
The Incident Command Post was set up on the other side of the road beside a wall. A 2nd device - at 800 lb even larger than the 1st - was concealed behind the wall. 20 minutes after the 1st blast it was detonated.
12 more soldiers were murdered in this 2nd blast. 1 body was never found as it was vaporised. 1 unnamed soldier had his entire face torn off & was identified when it was found floating almost intact in nearby water.
The murderers had correctly predicted where the survivors of the first blast would seek cover. They were able to watch from the safety of the Republic & choose their moment to detonate the second device.
The tail end of the Wessex helicopter which had arrived to collect the injured from the first bomb was bent as it was taking off when the second device exploded. Remarkably the pilot was able to keep it up.
“It was a horrifying scene. There was human debris everywhere, on trees, in the grass verge & in the water: mostly unidentifiable lumps of flesh, but among them torsos, limbs, heads, hands & ears”.
A local fireman who arrived on the scene: “It was hard to say just what had happened. There were 3 or 4 bodies lying on the ground in flames. Everything else was covered by smoke”
Soldier flown to scene: “There were clear plastic bags everywhere full of bits of people. I’ll never forget those plastic bags. You think who did they belong to and think which of my mates are they”.
The Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, wrote personally to each of the families & flew to Northern Ireland a short time later visiting the injured in hospital & soldiers serving in S Armagh.
In July 1980 army doctor told inquest how he found injured among scattered limbs & decapitated bodies. Coroner told female members of inquest jury he wouldn’t ask them to examine photos of the scene.
A huge operation was launched to find the bombers with the RUC sifting all the rubble at scene & forensics able to pinpoint S Armagh IRA as responsible for making the bomb.
2 known IRA arrested by Garda leaving scene minutes after 2nd bomb but never charged with bombing - in spite of strong forensic evidence. Garda evidence later “lost”.
1 suspect in Narrow Water blew himself up with his own bomb in 1988. The other was convicted of mortar attack in 1994 but was released under the Belfast Agreement. Narrow Water has never come to court
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