Drummuckavall Ambush
Encyclopedia
The Drummuckavall Ambush was a Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA) attack on a British Army
observation post
southeast of Crossmaglen
, County Armagh
, along the border with the Republic of Ireland
. It occurred on 22 November 1975 and resulted in the deaths of three soldiers.
in Northern Ireland
, the monitoring of the border between south County Armagh and the Republic of Ireland by the British Army was carried out from several static observation post
s (OPs), in order to prevent attacks launched from beyond the border. These part-time manned positions were highly vulnerable to attack, as proved by a 1974 bomb attack which claimed the lives of two Royal Marines
at the outpost of Drummuckavall.
It was not until 1986, when the first surveillance watchtowers were erected by the code named operations "Condor" and "Magistrate" that the army tried to regain the initiative in the region from the IRA.
The intelligence and control over the area relied until then, and for a lapse of ten years, mostly on mobile posts, comprising small uncovered infantry sections
.
regiment, coming from Crossmaglen
, mounted an observation post at 2:00 on 21 November 1975. Unknown to them, an IRA unit of about 12 members had spotted their position with the help of some local people, who had been watching the previous movements of the troops. The next day, at 16:20, heavy gunfire erupted, killing three Fusiliers and disabling the communications equipment. Those killed were James Duncan (19), Peter McDonald (19) and Michael Sampson (20). The lance corporal in charge of the party, Paul Johnson, unscathed during the first burst, was seriously injured when he tried to react, after the IRA men asked him to surrender.
One of the AR-15
rifles used in the attack was found to have been used by the South Armagh Republican Action Force
in an attack on the Tullyvallen Orange Hall that killed five civilians.
, issued a famous statement dubbing South Armagh Bandit Country.
The next year, the British Government officially deployed the Special Air Service
(SAS) into Northern Ireland in order to deal with the IRA. The secretive and undercover nature of this elite force made of them the best choice to infiltrate the South Armagh area, after the official report on the action exposed several flaws in the layout of the OP.
As a complement to the SAS operations, the British Army also changed tactics. Major General
Dick Trant established small teams of troops, called COPs (close observation platoons), with the purpose of collecting information, often in plain clothes or camouflaged
in the landscape. They were also able to set up ambushes, like the ill-fated Operation Conservation
in 1990.
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA) attack on a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
observation post
Observation post
An observation post, temporary or fixed, is a position from which soldiers can watch enemy movements, to warn of approaching soldiers , or to direct artillery fire...
southeast of Crossmaglen
Crossmaglen
Crossmaglen or Crosmaglen is a village and townland in south County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 1,459 people in the 2001 Census and is the largest village in south Armagh...
, County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
, along the border with the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It occurred on 22 November 1975 and resulted in the deaths of three soldiers.
Background
During the mid-1970s, the most violent decade of the TroublesThe Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, the monitoring of the border between south County Armagh and the Republic of Ireland by the British Army was carried out from several static observation post
Observation post
An observation post, temporary or fixed, is a position from which soldiers can watch enemy movements, to warn of approaching soldiers , or to direct artillery fire...
s (OPs), in order to prevent attacks launched from beyond the border. These part-time manned positions were highly vulnerable to attack, as proved by a 1974 bomb attack which claimed the lives of two Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
at the outpost of Drummuckavall.
It was not until 1986, when the first surveillance watchtowers were erected by the code named operations "Condor" and "Magistrate" that the army tried to regain the initiative in the region from the IRA.
The intelligence and control over the area relied until then, and for a lapse of ten years, mostly on mobile posts, comprising small uncovered infantry sections
Section (military unit)
A section is a small military unit in some armies. In many armies, it is a squad of seven to twelve soldiers. However in France and armies based on the French model, it is the sub-division of a company .-Australian Army:...
.
The ambush
A section of four soldiers from the Royal Regiment of FusiliersRoyal Regiment of Fusiliers
The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division.The regiment was formed on April 23, 1968, as part of the reforms of the army that saw the creation of the first 'large infantry regiments', by the amalgamation of the four English fusilier...
regiment, coming from Crossmaglen
Crossmaglen
Crossmaglen or Crosmaglen is a village and townland in south County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 1,459 people in the 2001 Census and is the largest village in south Armagh...
, mounted an observation post at 2:00 on 21 November 1975. Unknown to them, an IRA unit of about 12 members had spotted their position with the help of some local people, who had been watching the previous movements of the troops. The next day, at 16:20, heavy gunfire erupted, killing three Fusiliers and disabling the communications equipment. Those killed were James Duncan (19), Peter McDonald (19) and Michael Sampson (20). The lance corporal in charge of the party, Paul Johnson, unscathed during the first burst, was seriously injured when he tried to react, after the IRA men asked him to surrender.
One of the AR-15
AR-15
The AR-15 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle, with a rotating-lock bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. It is manufactured with the extensive use of aluminum alloys and synthetic materials....
rifles used in the attack was found to have been used by the South Armagh Republican Action Force
South Armagh Republican Action Force
The South Armagh Republican Action Force was an alleged Irish republican paramilitary group that was active from 1975 to 1977 during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Its area of activity was mainly the southern part of County Armagh. According to writers such as Ed Moloney and Richard English, it...
in an attack on the Tullyvallen Orange Hall that killed five civilians.
Aftermath
Shortly after the attack, Merlyn Rees, then Secretary of State for Northern IrelandSecretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
, issued a famous statement dubbing South Armagh Bandit Country.
The next year, the British Government officially deployed the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
(SAS) into Northern Ireland in order to deal with the IRA. The secretive and undercover nature of this elite force made of them the best choice to infiltrate the South Armagh area, after the official report on the action exposed several flaws in the layout of the OP.
As a complement to the SAS operations, the British Army also changed tactics. Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Dick Trant established small teams of troops, called COPs (close observation platoons), with the purpose of collecting information, often in plain clothes or camouflaged
Military camouflage
Military camouflage is one of many means of deceiving an enemy. In practice, it is the application of colour and materials to battledress and military equipment to conceal them from visual observation. The French slang word camouflage came into common English usage during World War I when the...
in the landscape. They were also able to set up ambushes, like the ill-fated Operation Conservation
Operation Conservation
Operation Conservation was a British Army attempt to ambush a large Provisional Irish Republican Army unit along the Dorsey Enclosure, between Cullyhanna and Silverbridge, in south Armagh, during the early days of May 1990...
in 1990.
See also
- Timeline of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions
- Glasdrumman ambushGlasdrumman ambushThe Glasdrumman ambush was an attack by the Provisional Irish Republican Army against a British Army observation post. It took place on 17 July 1981 at a scrapyard southwest of Crossmaglen, County Armagh.-Background:...
- Attack on Derryard checkpointAttack on Derryard checkpointThe attack on Derryard checkpoint was a raid carried out on 13 December 1989 by a Provisional Irish Republican Army unit against a British Army permanent vehicle checkpoint manned by soldiers of the King's Own Scottish Borderers . It occurred near the Northern Ireland–Republic of Ireland border at...
- Operation ConservationOperation ConservationOperation Conservation was a British Army attempt to ambush a large Provisional Irish Republican Army unit along the Dorsey Enclosure, between Cullyhanna and Silverbridge, in south Armagh, during the early days of May 1990...
- Attack on Cloghogue checkpointAttack on Cloghogue checkpointThe attack on Cloghogue checkpoint was an unconventional bomb attack carried out on 1 May 1992 by the Provisional Irish Republican Army against a British Army permanent vehicle checkpoint...