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| 1st
Bn Duke of Edinburghs Royal Regiment |
| 'The
Emerald Isle' 1969 - 1971 |
| Whilst the Battalion
were stationed in Catterick the situation in Northern Ireland went from
bad to worst necessitating the deployment of troops 'In aid of the Civil
Power' The 1st Battalion Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment were involved
from the start with the deployment of 'C' Company to Londonderry, this
section and associated links will cover those early tours |
| 1969
LONDONDERRY (C Company)
1970 BELFAST (B Company)
1971 LONDONDERRY (Battalion Deployment) |
| DOES
THIS RING ANY BELLS.......... |
| 'Riot, Bloodshed,
Death' |
| 'Fierce Battles on the
Falls' |
| 'Hours of Desperate
Fighting' |
| 'Attack on Police and
Soldiers' |
| 'Tornado of Stones and
Bottles' |
| 'Military Fire on the
Mob' |
| 'Three killed, Many
Injured' |
| 'Infantry Charges' |
| 'Thrilling Midnight
scenes' |
| And so it should, any one or more of the
above headlines from an Irish newspaper will ring a cord with any 'Farmerboys'
who served across the water on one of the many tours completed by the
Regiment.
An Extract from the same newspaper reads.........
"There was consultation between the magistrates
and the officers in charge, and suddenly a firing party was ordered to the
front. The crowd saw the men drawn out and their only response to this
movement was a storm of derisive cheering and another flight of stones.
Very slowly and distinctly the order was given to load, and one could see
the men fumbling in their bandoliers, and then at another order bringing
the rifles to the 'Present'. At last 'Fire' roared an officer, and for the
first time since '86' a volley in dead earnest echoed along the falls
road. There was no question of missing, the range was to short for that,
and amidst a cry of horror, the crowd broke and ran, leaving three men
lying on the ground. The situation worsened , and the Riot act read again,
but to little effect. Then a Company of the Royal Berkshires were ordered
to the front and went through in dumb show the motions of loading, for the
orders though given at the fullest pitch of the officers voice, were inaudible
at a yards distance. The crowd as before did not stop throwing, and made
as if they would charge at the leveled rifles. Five or six shots were fired,
and a couple of men dropped" The report continues in the same vein
Date, August 1907
Unit Involved 1st
Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment as reported by the 'Belfast Telegraph'
15th August 1907 |
| As can be seen from the above newspaper report the
situation in Ulster and Ireland is long and complex. It it not the
intention of these pages to cover the Historical background in any way,
apart from the weeks leading up to the first deployment. The
Regiments, and by that I mean all the former Regiments have had a long
association with the Emerald Isle, both in terms of Deployments and
Recruitment. In 1969 the situation in Ulster went from bad to worse with
confrontation between Civil rights marchers, and the Royal Ulster
Constabulary, supported by the 'B' Specials. The situation came to a head
during the annual apprentice boys marches in Londonderry in 1969 necessitating
the deployment of British Troops after the R.U.C. were nearly overwhelmed.
Whilst this was taking place the 1st Bn D.E.R.R. were deployed all over
the world with 'A' Coy in Malaya, 'B' Coy in British Honduras, leaving
only 'C' Coy in Alma Barracks, Catterick as a deployable unit. They were immediately
ordered to Londonderry to reinforce the 1st Bn Queens Regiment for an open
ended commitment that turned out to be four months, setting a deployment
pattern that was followed for a number of years. Below are images
displayed in the British press of the day relating to the worsening
situation in Londonderry prior to the deployment of troops. The three
deployments by the Battalion are covered in the associated links. |
| WELCOME
TO LONDONDERRY 1969 |
|
 |
| A
'B' Special Circa 1969 |
|
 |
 |
| The
Police loose control in Londonderry 1969 |
The clinging power of
the detergent used in the petrol bombs are clear |
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| Police
Charge, Londonderry 1969 |
Rossville
Street, 1969 |
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| Police
use Tear gas against Bogsiders 1969 |
Police
under attack Waterloo place londonderry 1969 |
|
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| A
sight to become familiar to generations of 'Farmersboys' a local tradition
in Londonderry |
Whilst all this was taking place 'C' Company were preparing
to cross the water for the first time. The painting of Steel helmets to the
correct shade of green seemed to be high on the agenda. Go to the appropriate
link to follow the fortunes of the Rifle companies. |
