Droppin Well bombing

Droppin Well bombing

Coordinates: 55°02′28″N 7°00′36″W / 55.041°N 7.010°W / 55.041; -7.010

Droppin Well bombing
Part of The Troubles
Droppin Well bombing is located in Northern Ireland
{{{alt}}}
Location Ballykelly, Northern Ireland
Date 6 December 1982
23:15 (UTC±0)
Attack type Bombing
Weapon(s) Time bomb
Death(s) 17
(11 soldiers, 6 civilians)
Injured 30
Perpetrator Irish National Liberation Army

The Droppin Well bombing or Ballykelly bombing occurred on 6 December 1982, when the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) exploded a time bomb at a disco in Ballykelly, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The disco was targeted because it was frequented by British Army soldiers from the nearby Shackleton Barracks. The bomb killed eleven soldiers and six civilians.

Contents

Attack

In an interview after the bombing, INLA leader Dominic McGlinchey said that the Droppin Well's owner had been warned six times to stop offering "entertainment" to British soldiers. McGlinchey added that the owner, and those who socialized with the soldiers, "knew full well that the warnings had been given and that the place was going to be bombed at some stage".[1] It later emerged that the INLA may also have targeted Ballykelly because it believed it was part of NATO's radar and communications network.[2]

The bomb was made by INLA members in nearby Derry. One of those involved later revealed that the INLA unit had carried-out reconnaissance missions to the Droppin Well to see if there were enough soldiers to justify the possibility of civilian casualties.[2]

On the evening of Monday 6 December 1982, an INLA operative left a bomb inside the pub. There were about 150 people inside.[3] The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) believed that the bomb, estimated to be 5 pounds (2.3 kg) or 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of commercial (Frangex) explosives, was small enough to fit into a handbag. However, it had been left beside a support pillar and when it exploded, at about 23:15,[3] the blast brought down the roof. Many of those killed and injured were crushed by fallen masonry.[4]

Following the blast, it took many hours to pull survivors from the rubble. The last survivor was freed at 04:00, but it was not until 10:30 that the last of the bodies was recovered.[3] Ultimately, 17 people died (11 soldiers, 6 civilians) and about 30 were injured, some seriously.[4] Of the eleven soldiers who died, eight were from the 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment, two from the Army Catering Corps[5] and one from The Light Infantry. One of those on the scene was Bob Stewart, then a company commander in the Cheshire Regiment. He lost six soldiers from his company and was deeply affected as he tended to the dead and injured.[6] Of the six civilians who lost their lives, three were teenagers.[3]

Aftermath

Suspicion immediately fell upon the Provisional Irish Republican Army, who denied involvement. Shortly afterwards the Irish National Liberation Army issued a statement of responsibility:

We believe that it is only attacks of such a nature that bring it home to people in Britain and the British establishment. The shooting of an individual soldier, for the people of Britain, has very little effect in terms of the media or in terms of the British administration.[3]

The INLA also described the civilian women killed as "consorts".[2] The attack was criticised by many on both sides of the conflict in Northern Ireland due to the high loss of civilian lives. Soon after the INLA issued their statement, the government of the Republic of Ireland banned the INLA, making membership punishable by seven years imprisonment.[3]

A suspected operation to ferry INLA leader Dominic McGlinchey into Armagh six days after the bombing ended when RUC officers shot dead INLA members Seamus Grew and Roddie Carroll near a vehicle checkpoint. It was then found that neither was armed, nor was McGlinchey in their car.[7]

Convictions

In June 1986, four INLA members (two men, three women) received life sentences for the attack. Another woman was given ten years for manslaughter as the court believed she had been coerced into involvement. All of those convicted were from Derry.[3][2]

References

  1. ^ Ireland's Terrorist Dilemma. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1986. p.105
  2. ^ a b c d "INLA almost called off attack". Irish News. 8 December 2007. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Emotional reminder of Droppin' Well bombing". Irish News. 5 December 2002. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  4. ^ a b Chronology of the Conflict: December 1982, Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN)
  5. ^ Army Catering Corps
  6. ^ Tory MP still 'marked' by Ballykelly atrocity, Londonderry Sentinal
  7. ^ CAIN

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Timeline of the Northern Ireland Troubles and peace process — This article lists the major violent and political incidents during the Troubles and peace process in Northern Ireland. The Troubles (Irish: Na Trioblóidí) was a period of conflict in Northern Ireland involving republican and loyalist… …   Wikipedia

  • Irish Republican Socialist Party — Infobox Irish Political Party party name = Irish Republican Socialist Party party leader = Ard Chomhairle foundation = 8 December, 1974 ideology = Irish Republicanism, Socialism, Marxism, formerly physical force Irish republicanism international …   Wikipedia

  • 1982 in Northern Ireland — Events*19 February The DeLorean Car factory in Belfast is put into receivership. *6 April James Prior launches rolling devolution for Northern Ireland. *10 May Seamus Mallon of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) is appointed to Seanad… …   Wikipedia

  • The Troubles in Ballykelly — According to the Sutton Index of Deaths, all the Troubles related fatalities in Ballykelly, County Londonderry occurred as a result of the Ballykelly disco bombing, also known as the Droppin Well bombing. Responsibility for the bombing, which… …   Wikipedia

  • Dominic McGlinchey — Dominic McGlinchy Born 1954 Bellaghy, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland Died 10 February 1994 Drogheda, Republic of Ireland Allegiance …   Wikipedia

  • Shackleton Barracks — now a British Army base, was formerly RAF Ballykelly, a Royal Air Force station near Ballykelly, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It opened in 1941 and is due to close in April 2008.World War IIRAF Ballykelly opened in June 1941 as a base… …   Wikipedia

  • Bob Stewart (British Army officer) — Bob Stewart DSO MP Member of Parliament for Beckenham Incumbent Assumed office 6 May 2010 Preceded by Jacqui Lait Majority …   Wikipedia

  • December 6 — For the novel, see December 6 (novel). << December 2011 >> Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 …   Wikipedia

  • Cheshire Regiment — The Cheshire Regiment Cap badge of The Cheshire Regiment Active 1689 2007 Country United Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • Ballykelly, County Londonderry — For other places with the same name, see Ballykelly Infobox UK place official name= Ballykelly irish name= Baile Uí Cheallaigh scots name= static static image caption=The village centre, located on the A2 map type= Northern Ireland latitude=… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”