The 10th (City of Belfast) Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment was formed in 1972 from elements of the 7th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment creating a second battalion in Belfast. It was again amalgamated with 7 UDR in 1984 to form the 7th/10th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment.[1]
Uniform, armament & equipment
- See: Ulster Defence Regiment Uniform, armament & equipment
Greenfinches
Notable personnel
Gerry Adams wounded
When Gerry Adams (the Sinn Féin president) was wounded in an assassination attempt by three members of the UFF it was an off duty full-time Non-commissioned officer of 10 UDR[2] who gave chase to their car and arrested them, assisted by an off duty policeman.[3] This is not noted in Adams' Sinn Féin biography[4] and the BBC still insists the assailants were arrested by "plain clothes policemen".[5] The UDR NCO received the Queen's Gallantry Medal for arresting the gunmen. In the long term however the soldier was intimidated out of his home and the UDR as a direct result of these arrests.[6]
Investigations
A 1977 Army investigation involving D Company, 10 UDR, based at Girdwood Barracks in Belfast revealed that about 70 of the company's soldiers were suspected of links to the UVF, but evidence was only found against two, who were dismissed on security grounds. 30 soldiers from D Company were suspected of fraudulently diverting £47,000 to the UVF; and that UVF members socialized at Girdwood Barracks junior ranks mess. This investigation was halted after a senior UDR officer claimed it was harming morale.[7]
See also
Bibliography
- A Testimony to Courage – the Regimental History of the Ulster Defence Regiment 1969 – 1992, John Potter, Pen & Sword Books Ltd, 2001, ISBN 0-85052-819-4
- The Ulster Defence Regiment: An Instrument of Peace?, Chris Ryder 1991 ISBN 0-413-64800-1
- Lost Lives, David McKittrick, Mainstream, 2004, ISBN 184018504X
References
- ^ "The Ulster Defence Regiment". British Army. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
- ^ Ryder p197
- ^ Potter p267
- ^ "Profile of Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams". Sinnfein.org. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
- ^ "BBC ON THIS DAY | 14 | 1984: Sinn Féin leader shot in street attack". BBC News. 14 March 1991. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
- ^ Potter p268
- ^ http://www.thedetail.tv/issues/20/udr-girdwood-story/british-army-covered-up-udr-units-links-to-uvf "British army 'covered up' UDR units links to UVF"