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Service tribute to troops during Northern Ireland Troubles

By Sam Lister
Wednesday, 10 September 2008

Thousands of bereaved families and military veterans gathered at St Paul’s Cathedral in London today to honour the men and women killed serving in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

In a service to mark the end of Operation Banner, which saw more than 300,000 personnel serve in the province during the longest campaign in British military history, tributes were paid to the courage and sacrifice of the Armed Forces and their families while bringing peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland.

Dignitaries invited included the Prince of Wales and wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, along with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Baroness Margaret Thatcher, Secretary of State for Defence Des Browne and military commanders.

The commemoration service, organised by the Ministry of Defence, was heavily oversubscribed with requests from thousands of people from across the UK who wanted to pay their respects to the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force personnel deployed during the 38 year operation.

On February 6, 1971 Gunner Robert Curtis of 32nd Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, became the first soldier to be killed on duty during the Troubles, after being gunned down by the Provisional IRA.

Twenty six years later, on February 12, 1997, Lance Bombardier Stephen Restorick, of the 3rd Regiment of the Royal Horse Artillery, became the last member of the UK Forces to be killed during the operation.

Between 1969 to 2007 the Armed Forces personnel death toll reached more than 1,000 with 763 men and women killed as a direct result of terrorism. A further 6,116 were wounded.

Today their families and colleagues were given the chance to formally mark their contribution.

Andrew Bennett, now Chair of the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Association, was a member of the Royal Corps of Signals. He served in Northern Ireland between 1986 and 1990 as an Electronic Counter Measures Operator with a Bomb Disposal Team, and with a Brigade Signal Squadron.

He said: “Operation Banner is the longest campaign in British military history, and those who served, and in some cases, lost their lives over the years, deserve this national recognition. As a Northern Ireland veteran I am proud to have the opportunity to attend this service alongside former colleagues and families.”

Operation Banner ended at midnight on July 31 last year. A permanent garrison of 5,000 Service personnel remains in the province ready for world-wide deployment, but the PSNI has full control over security operations.

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Billy,

I and many thousands of others thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your service in protecting us throughout "the troubles". Your brave service will never be forgotten. Anytime I ever meet a member of the British army I always make this clear to them, just how grateful we are to the brave members of the British army who served here.

Posted by Gary | 10.09.08, 16:23 GMT

Mickey,

I totally agree. What scares them the most is that if they stop hating the 'the brits' they might find out that they actually have a lot in common.

Posted by steve | 10.09.08, 15:59 GMT

mickey..... i totally agree with u that we as a country have to move on,but you also have to take on board that some sections of our community have not just been mistreated by the british army but harassed and worse! time is a great healer and yes we should move on,but for the people who have been mistreated at the hands of the british army,dont expect them to roll out the red carpet!!

Posted by steve | 10.09.08, 15:53 GMT

I was just 19yrs old when I served in 22mths in N.I. During this time I had hatred spat in my face for all that time by people who claerly wanted me dead. Yes the army made mistakes but for the vast majority of us we were doing a thankless job and could've been killed at any moment. We were there to keep the peace. Try remaining calm when your best friend has just been shot though the head. I was blinded in one eye and due to the serious head injury that caused it I am unemployable, live alone, and can't keep a realtionship going.

Posted by Billy | 10.09.08, 15:26 GMT

The bitter folk on here are barely able to mask their contempt for anything British. Collectively - we’re all just dirty Brits, (or worse) to them at the end of the day. Hence they have to hark back to the alleged mal-treatment by dirty Brits, of the poor innocent (!) folk from their own community in an attempt to justify their continual & existing hatred.
Unfortunately, their ilk are not allowed to let go, move on and seek closure (or whatever you wish to call it). Their community is guilty of deliberately passing on this hatred from generation to generation. It's the done thing. It's part of the growing-up/learning process where their community is concerned. The thought process is that if their kids are not brought up with this hatred etc, then they are failing in their duties as parents/republicns. Its sad that such bitter & twisted people still exist in 21st century Northern Ireland. The world goes by at an exceptional pace and yet all these people can do is gurn about the past.

Posted by mickey | 10.09.08, 15:24 GMT

'Robbo' the problem was that nationalist people were denied 'democratic means to bring about Irish unification', they were even denied basic democratic rights. They were also victims to pogroms by loyalist mobs, in which the british army either stood by and watched or actively participated in and helped the mobs burn people from their homes. When people tried to get their democratic rights they were fired upon by both loyalists and the british army.

When people are left burned out of their houses, shot at and killed by the very people who are supposed to be protecting them, what other choices were people left with? To read your post 'Robbo' it would seem that these Nationalist/Catholic people were blood lusting upstarts who participated in violence for the sake of violence.

"If democratic means to bring about Irish unification had been used there would have been no requirement for troops on the streets in the first place" What type of blinkered nonsense is this?

Posted by Barry | 10.09.08, 15:22 GMT

Have you forgotten the biggest and longest serving regiment in the history of the British Army?

Posted by William | 10.09.08, 14:55 GMT

Soldiers are employed by the british government to do a job. they are not there to make the decisions just to do what there are told.
This service is to remember the soles that where lost and support the injured and left behind, not to discuss the rights and wrongs of the troubles. My thoughts are with all the innocent victims.

Posted by Aaron | 10.09.08, 14:51 GMT

The British Army made some mistakes during their time here, however I will always be greatful for their help and their efforts to everything they could to stop the terrorists from both sides getting their way through violence.

Had it not been for the British army there would have been more innocent people murdered, and the majority of people in Northern Ireland would have had a united Ireland -which they didnt support - forced onto them by an illegal terrorist organisation which killed to try and get what it wanted

Posted by Gary | 10.09.08, 14:34 GMT

good to see the army at last getting some recognition for the good work and commitment they showed during the conflict

Posted by albert | 10.09.08, 14:33 GMT

One can seek freedom without bombing, killing and maiming people. To attempt to justify such action is inhumane.
If democratic means to bring about Irish unification had been used there would have been no requirement for troops on the streets in the first place.
Daniel Bright is claiming that IRA terrorism is different to Islamic killing and maiming - would the families of those affected in NI,and elsewhere agree? I doubt it.

Posted by robbo | 10.09.08, 14:31 GMT

They must be so proud of events such as Bloody Sunday.

Posted by Disgusted | 10.09.08, 14:31 GMT

yeah wat about the innocent men and women the british soldiers killed?

Posted by Patrick | 10.09.08, 14:14 GMT

Or a memorial service for all of the innocent civilians killed by the IRA, perhaps Liam?

Posted by Dave | 10.09.08, 13:43 GMT

WHy is it in all conflicts across this world that innocent people who are killed by the military are not even acknowledged? THe media has dumbed people down beyond belief. WHy are people so easily fooled by men in suits

Posted by mike | 10.09.08, 13:40 GMT

Liam
its narrow minded bigotry like yours that made move away from NI

Posted by Dick | 10.09.08, 13:05 GMT

Terrorism is acts of violence aimed simply at terrifying the public. Freedom fighters, as the IRA were, by whatever means, were seeking re-unification with the Republic through violent means.

I seek not to point fingers of blame, rather the IRA were not terrorists. Demanding political status as they did in the hunger strikes was a just cause.

The IRA had a definable finite end, reunification with Ireland. Their violence, although abhorrent is fundamentally different from islamic terrorism which hopes to simply kill, the IRA would end hositilites against the UK upon reunification; the Irish Republic after independence did not continue hostilities against the UK.

Posted by Daniel Bright, London | 10.09.08, 12:56 GMT