WARRENPOINT 27th AUGUST 1979

For the first time in Northern Ireland PIRA used remotely controlled bombs with no command wire; instead these bombs were detonated by radio waves by the terrorists as they sat on the top of a mountain in the Republic of Ireland. They then lured the British Army into an elaborate trap.

Sixteen of the eighteen soldiers were members of the Parachute Regiment.

The 'Narrowwater' where the massacre took place is a rural spot in a unpopulated area. The dual carriageway runs parallel to Carlingfordlough, which marks the boundary between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. The spot from where the bomb went off is only 800 metres from the Irish Republic. The PIRA terrorists had hidden a 800lb bomb in a trailer by the side of the road, concealed by bales of hay.

As the convoy of the two Army trucks led by an Army land rover made its way along the road in what is a beautiful part of Northern Ireland with fantastic scenery PIRA detonated the bomb as the rear vehicle of the convoy, a four ton truck passed by. At the same moment PIRA gunmen opened fire from the safety of the Irish Republic.

It is believed when the first bomb went off in this two pronged attack that six soldiers were already dead. In the next half hour several Army land rovers arrived at the scene and the shooting continued from the Irish Republic with the British Army returning fire. The soldiers who survived the first bomb had taken up a defensive position behind nearby gates and a wall, not realising that the PIRA guessing what they would do so, had concealed a second device there. This was another 800lb bomb. A innocent civilian was killed by the British Army as they returned fire - he was an Englishman on holiday by the name of Michael Hudson.

As the battle continued the Irish Republic security forces were nowhere to be seen.

Whilst a Wessex helicopter was taking off with injured soldiers on board, PIRA detonated the second bomb and killed a dozen more soldiers including a senior officer, Lieutenant Colonel David Blair (Queen's Own Highlanders) who had gone to the scene of the attack after the first bomb exploded. Apart from Colonel Blair and his radio operator, Lance Corporal Victor MacLeod, all the military casualties were members of the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment.

Lt Col David Blair and Lance Corporal Victor Macleod

Roll of Honour

MacLEOD - Lance Corporal Victor - 27th August 1979 - Aged 24 - Queen's Own Highlanders

BLAIR - Lieutenant Colonel David - 27th August 1979 - Aged 40 - Queen's Own Highlanders - Married with two children

ANDREWS - Corporal Nicholas J. - 27th August 1979 - Aged 24 (2 Para) Married

BARNES - Private Gary I. - 27th August 1979 - Aged 18 (2 Para) Single

DUNN - Private Raymond - 27th August 1979 - Aged 20 (2 Para) Single

WOOD - Private Anthony G. - 27th August 1979 - Aged 19 (2 Para) Single

WOODS - Private Michael - 27th August 1979 - Aged 18 (2 Para) Single

GILES - Corporal John C. - 27th August 1979 - Aged 22 (2 Para) Married

ROGERS - Sergeant Ian A. - 27th August 1979 - Aged 31 (2 Para) Married

BEARD - Warrant Officer Walter - 27th August 1979 - Aged 31 (2 Para)

VANCE - Private Thomas R. - 27th August 1979 - Aged 23 (2 Para)

ENGLAND - Private Robert N. - 27th August 1979 - Aged 23 (2 Para) Married with one child

JONES - Private Jeffrey A. - 27th August 1979 - Aged 18 (2 Para)

JONES - Corporal Leonard - 27th August 1979 - Aged 26 (2 Para) Married with one child 18 month old daughter

JONES - Private Robert D.V. - 27th August 1979 - Aged 18 (Para) Single

IRELAND - Lance Corporal Chris G. - 27th August 1979 - Aged 25 (2 Para) Married with one child

FURSMAN - Major Peter - 27th August 1979 - Aged 35 (Para)

BLAIR - Private Donald F. - 27th August 1979 - Aged 23 (2 Para)

 

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