8th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment
8th (County Tyrone) Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment | |
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![]() Regimental Insignia | |
Active | 1971–1992 |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Infantry battalion |
Role | Internal Security |
Size | 750 |
Regimental Headquarters | Lisburn |
Motto(s) | "Quis Separabit" (Latin) "Who Shall Separate Us?" |
March | (Quick) Garryowen & Sprig of Shillelagh. (Slow) Oft in the Stilly Night |
Commanders | |
Colonel Commandant | First: General Sir John Anderson GBE, KCB, DSO. Last: General Sir Charles Huxtable, KCB, CBE, DL |
Colonel of the Regiment | Colonel Sir Dennis Faulkner CBE |
The 8th (County Tyrone) Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment was formed on 1 December 1971 using companies, based in the east of the county, of the 6th Battalion Ulster Defence Regiment.[1] It was, along with the rest of the regiment, subsumed into the Royal Irish Rangers in 1992 to form the Royal Irish Regiment.[2]
History
Battalion HQ was based at Killymeal House, Dungannon, which was also home for the Commanding Officer and his family. The operations room was located in the stables.[3] 5 companies were dispersed between Killymeal House and the rest of the battalion area.
The first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel John Blackwell of the Royal Tank Regiment.[4]
On 7 November 1974, a gunman hijacked a van with its driver. A 500 pounds (230 kg) bomb was placed in the van and the driver ordered to take it to the local UDR base, which was J Company, 8 UDR. This was known in the terminology of the time as a proxy bomb. The base was prepared for such an attack, as were most bases.[5] When the van arrived at their base, a sergeant from J Company grabbed his SMG and forced the van driver to put his vehicle into what was known as a "Critpit"[6] (named after its originator, Colonel I.R. Critchley, (Black Watch),[7] deputy commander of 3 Infantry Brigade.[8] The Critpit was a deep pit, large enough to hold a lorry, and lined with sandbags.[6] The bomb exploded less than an hour later but the only damage done was a few shattered windows in the base and surrounding area.[6]
Uniform, armament & equipment
Casualties
The first soldier from the new battalion was killed on 7 December 1971. Lance Corporal Dennis Wilson, aged 31 J Company) had taken to his bed at home with a cold. At 10:30 pm, three armed men forced entry to his farmhouse near Caledon, County Tyrone, 300 yards from the border with the Republic of Ireland. One of them held his family at gunpoint in a downstairs room whilst the other two went upstairs and killed him.[9]
Notable personnel
- Category:Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers
- Category:Ulster Defence Regiment officers
See also
Bibliography
- A Testimony to Courage – the Regimental History of the Ulster Defence Regiment 1969 – 1992, John Potter, Pen & Sword Books Ltd, 2001, ISBN 0-85052-819-4
- The Ulster Defence Regiment: An Instrument of Peace?, Chris Ryder 1991 ISBN 0-413-64800-1
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- Battle of the Bogside/1969 riots
- RTÉ bombing
- Battle of St Matthew's
- Falls Curfew
- Crossmaglen bombing
- Scottish soldiers' killings
- Operation Demetrius
- Ballymurphy massacre
- Newry killings
- Red Lion Pub bombing
- McGurk's Bar bombing
- Balmoral showroom bombing
- Bloody Sunday
- Abercorn Restaurant bombing
- Donegall St bombing
- Battle at Springmartin
- Dungiven ambush
- Battle of Lenadoon
- Springhill massacre
- Bloody Friday
- Operation Motorman
- Claudy bombing
- Newry customs bombing
- Benny's Bar bombing
- Annie's Bar massacre
- Belturbet bombing
- Dublin bombings
- New Lodge Six shooting
- Coleraine bombings
- Rose & Crown Bar bombing
- Clogher barracks attack
- Dublin & Monaghan bombings
- Mountainview Tavern attack
- Bleary Darts Club shooting
- Strand Bar bombing
- Forkhill beer keg bomb
- Miami Showband killings
- Bayardo Bar attack
- Tullyvallen massacre
- October 1975 attacks
- Drummuckavall ambush
- Dublin Airport bombing
- Dundalk & Silverbridge attacks
- Central Bar bombing
- Reavey and O'Dowd killings
- Kingsmill massacre
- Castleblayney bombing
- Hillcrest Bar bombing
- Flagstaff Hill incident
- Charlemont pub attacks
- Store Bar shooting
- Chlorane Bar attack
- Ramble Inn attack
- Stag Inn attack
- Andersonstown incident
- Garryhinch ambush
- Jonesborough Gazelle shootdown
- La Mon restaurant bombing
- Warrenpoint ambush
- Dungannon land mine attack
1980s
- Dunmurry train bombing
- Lough Foyle attacks
- Altnaveigh landmine attack
- Glasdrumman ambush
- Divis Flats bombing
- Droppin Well bombing
- Ballygawley land mine attack
- Darkley killings
- Kesh ambush
- Strabane ambush
- Newry mortar attack
- Ballygawley barracks attack
- Birches barracks attack
- Clontibret invasion
- Loughgall ambush
- Remembrance Day bombing
- Milltown Cemetery attack
- Corporals killings
- Avenue Bar shooting
- Lisburn van bombing
- Aughanduff Lynx shootdown
- Ballygawley bus bombing
- Drumnakilly ambush
- Jonesborough ambush
- Derryard checkpoint attack
1990s
- Derrygorry Gazelle shootdown
- Downpatrick landmine attack
- Operation Conservation
- Armagh City roadside bombing
- Fort Victoria
- Proxy bombings
- Lough Neagh ambush
- Silverbridge Lynx shootdown
- Mullacreevie ambush
- Cappagh killings
- Craigavon mobile shop killings
- Glenanne barracks bombing
- Coagh ambush
- Musgrave Park Hospital bombing
- Craigavon Hyster killings
- Teebane bombing
- Sinn Féin Headquarters shooting
- Sean Graham bookmakers' shooting
- Clonoe ambush
- Cloghoge checkpoint attack
- Coalisland riots
- South Armagh sniper campaign
- Forensic Lab bombing
- James Murray's bookmakers attack
- Castlerock killings
- Cullaville occupation
- Battle of Newry Road
- Shankill Road bombing
- Greysteel massacre
- Fivemiletown ambush
- Crossmaglen Lynx shootdown
- 1994 Shankill Road killings
- Loughinisland massacre
- Killeeshil ambush
- Drumcree conflict
- Thiepval barracks bombing
- Coalisland attack
- 1997 riots
- Quinn brothers' killings
- Banbridge bombing
- Omagh bombing
References
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