The Troubles in Forkhill

The Troubles in Forkhill recounts incidents during, and the effects of, The Troubles in Forkhill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland.

Incidents in Forkhill during the Troubles:

1974

• 10 March 1974 - Michael McCreesh (15) and Michael Gallagher (18), both Catholic civilians, were killed by a Provisional Irish Republican Army booby trap bomb hidden in an abandoned car and intended for a British Army foot patrol, Dromintee, near Forkhill. Gallagher died on 14 March 1974.^[1]

• 14 December 1974 - David McNeice (19), a Protestant member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and Michael Gibson (20), a member of the British Army, were shot dead by Provisional Irish Republican Army snipers while on joint foot patrol, Killeavy, near Forkhill. Gibson died on 30 December 1974.^[1]

1975

• 17 July 1975 - Peter Willis (37), Edward Garside (34), Robert McCarter (33) and Calvert Brown (25), all members of the British Army, were killed near Forkhill by a Provisional Irish Republican Army remote controlled bomb, hidden in a milk churn and detonated when their search patrol passed.^[2] On 10 July the Army had seen an apparent suspect explosive device near Forkhill and kept it under observation until 17 July, when a patrol went to deal with it. On approach, an explosive was detonated from a distance. Rick (photographic aerial reconnaissance) had been flown that morning but ground mist obscured the remote wire. As well as the four soldiers killed another was seriously wounded. A man was arrested and appeared in court charged with murder.^[3]

1977

• 14 May 1977 - Robert Nairac (29), undercover British Army officer, was abducted by the Provisional Irish Republican Army outside the Three Step Inn, Dromintee, near Forkhill and presumed killed.^[4] His body was never recovered and he is listed as one of the 'disappeared'. He was posthumously awarded the George Cross.^[5] Several men have been imprisoned for his murder.

1980

• 1 January 1980 - Simon Bates (23) and Gerald Hardy (18), both British Army members, were shot dead in error, by other British Army members while setting an ambush position, near Forkhill.^[6]

1984

• 31 January 1984 - William Savage (27) and Thomas Bingham (29), both Protestant members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, were killed in a Provisional Irish Republican Army land mine attack on their armoured patrol car, near Forkhill.^[7]

1993

• 17 March 1993 - Lawrence Dickson (26), a member of the British Army, was shot and killed by an IRA sniper while on foot patrol along Bog Road, Forkhill^[8][9]

References