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In the
early hours of Friday morning,
22nd February 1974
, the HUMP Vehicle check point (VCP) on the road between Strabane and
Lifford came under fire from the
Eire
side of the Border. Fire was directed in the general direction of the VCP
from two fire positions, initially just rifle shots and then from another
fire position, mortar bombs were fired. Fire was returned at both
positions by the drums platoon. None of the terrorist’s rounds hit the
VCP and none of the mortar bombs landed in the VCP. A couple of bombs
landed in a gypsy camp causing damage to caravans but fortunally no one
was injured.
The
Battle
was said to be the “Most serious border Blitz so far” (Daily Mirror)
The
‘Battle’ made headlines in the Daily mirror “Trapped in the border
battle” being the banner headline with in slightly smaller print
“Children escape IRA Shell blitz” The Mirror went on to say how
parents and children cowered in terror as shells and bullets whistled
around them in a two way barrage. They also said that Men and Women fled
in their nightclothes as the firing began. On the other hand the TIMES was
much less flowery in their descriptions of the battle and started their
report “With extraordinary precision but remarkable little effect, the
provisional IRA Mounted a heavy mortar attack on British Soldiers in
Strabane. They went on to say The soldiers ran for cover” probably to
the sounds of the drum and bugle. The Times did say that the gunmen were
firing from the grounds of a hotel in Lifford in the Irish Republic 400
yards away.
The daily
express were more concerned with the Irish side of things and their
headline was “IRA men fire on the Police in Border getaway” No glory
for the drums there”
The Guardian also highlighted the
Irish side of the affair with “Unarmed Irish Police in IRA Border
Battle” They also said it was one of the fiercest border fights in the
present crisis”
An
unexploded Mortar bomb on the Hump
After the
action it was established that 30 Mortar bombs had been fired at the Hump,
of which 14 failed to explode. 400 rounds of ammunition had also been
fired at it (I wonder who counted them) Only two bombs caused damage, one
to the factory building to the rear of the hump and one to an occupied
gipsy caravan.
Local
Gypsies who came under fire examine some of the damage to their caravan
(Compensation looms)
There were
8 people sleeping in the caravan so it is remarkable that no one was
injured. Our force returned 474 (GPMG) and 54 rounds (SLR). A report later
indicated that al least one terrorist was hit, which was later confirmed
when it was established that one gunman’s leg was amputated.
The
engagement lasted for 45 minutes.
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