Attack on Ballygawley barracks
Encyclopedia
The attack on Ballygawley RUC barracks was an attack carried out on 7 December 1985 by a Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA) group against a Royal Ulster Constabulary
(RUC) barracks at Ballygawley, County Tyrone
. The attack left two police officers dead and resulted in the complete destruction of the barracks in the subsequent bomb explosion.
and RUC bases in Northern Ireland. During that year alone there were 44 such attacks. Among the most devastating was the Newry mortar attack
.
In Tyrone the Provisional IRA East Tyrone Brigade
had during 1985 come to be led by Patrick Kelly
. He began developing tactics for attacking secluded bases in Tyrone. During the same time other East Tyrone Brigade members such as Jim Lynagh
and Pádraig McKearney
advocated creating flying column
s, attacking British security forces in larger attacks and destroying their infrastructure.
To give all these views and tactics a test the IRA Army Council
authorized a large-scale attack in late 1985.
s, an armed assault unit and a bomb making unit. There were also several teams of IRA observers situated in the area. The assault team were armed with AK-47
and AR-15
rifles, while the bombing unit carried a 200 pound bomb. They were all led by Patrick Kelly.
The assault was launched on Saturday 7 December at 18:55. In the initial burst of automatic fire the two guards at the entrance to the barracks were killed, Constable George Gilliland, and Reserve Constable William Clements. Constable Clement's Ruger security six
revolver
was taken by the attackers. The weapon was later found by the security forces after the Loughgall Ambush
, 18 months later. The barracks was then raked with gunfire. Another three policemen who were inside managed to escape through the back door. The IRA members went into the building and took documents and weapons. The large bomb was placed inside and, after being detonated, destroyed the entire barracks.
The first British army unit to arrive at the barracks that evening was D Company, 1st Battalion, Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment.
patrols, in isolated areas. The British Army
Royal Engineers
rebuilt Ballygawley barracks in 1986. The East Tyrone IRA launched two similar attacks in the following years, the successful attack on the Birches base in 1986, and the ill-fated attack on Loughgall barracks in 1987, in which Patrick Joseph Kelly was killed.
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) group against a Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
(RUC) barracks at Ballygawley, County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
. The attack left two police officers dead and resulted in the complete destruction of the barracks in the subsequent bomb explosion.
Background
Starting in early 1985, the IRA began a campaign aimed at the destruction of British ArmyBritish 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...
and RUC bases in Northern Ireland. During that year alone there were 44 such attacks. Among the most devastating was the Newry mortar attack
1985 Newry mortar attack
The 1985 Newry mortar attack was an attack carried out by the Provisional Irish Republican Army on a Royal Ulster Constabulary station in Corry Square, Newry, Northern Ireland. The attack killed nine RUC officers.-Background:...
.
In Tyrone the Provisional IRA East Tyrone Brigade
Provisional IRA East Tyrone Brigade
The East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army , also known as the Tyrone/Monaghan Brigade was one of the most active republican paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland during "the Troubles"...
had during 1985 come to be led by Patrick Kelly
Patrick Joseph Kelly
Patrick Joseph Kelly born Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, was the head of the Tyrone Brigade and the Commander of the East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army during the mid 1980s until his death in a Special Air Service ambush at Loughgall, County Armagh in May...
. He began developing tactics for attacking secluded bases in Tyrone. During the same time other East Tyrone Brigade members such as Jim Lynagh
Jim Lynagh
Jim Lynagh from Monaghan Town, County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, was a volunteer in the East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army .-Background:...
and Pádraig McKearney
Pádraig McKearney
Pádraig Oliver McKearney was a Marxist-oriented Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer. He was killed in a Special Air Service ambush with seven other IRA men at Loughgall, County Armagh in May 1987.-Background:...
advocated creating flying column
Flying column
A flying column is a small, independent, military land unit capable of rapid mobility and usually composed of all arms. It is often an ad hoc unit, formed during the course of operations....
s, attacking British security forces in larger attacks and destroying their infrastructure.
To give all these views and tactics a test the IRA Army Council
IRA Army Council
The IRA Army Council was the decision-making body of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, more commonly known as the IRA, a paramilitary group dedicated to bringing about the end of the Union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The council had seven members, said by the...
authorized a large-scale attack in late 1985.
The attack
The attack involved two IRA active service unitActive Service Unit
An active service unit was a Provisional Irish Republican Army cell of five to eight members, tasked with carrying out armed attacks. In 2002 the IRA had about 1,000 active members of which about 300 were in active service units....
s, an armed assault unit and a bomb making unit. There were also several teams of IRA observers situated in the area. The assault team were armed with AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
and 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, while the bombing unit carried a 200 pound bomb. They were all led by Patrick Kelly.
The assault was launched on Saturday 7 December at 18:55. In the initial burst of automatic fire the two guards at the entrance to the barracks were killed, Constable George Gilliland, and Reserve Constable William Clements. Constable Clement's Ruger security six
Ruger Security Six
The Ruger Security Six and its variants, the Service Six and Speed Six are a product line of double action revolvers introduced in 1971 and manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Company...
revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
was taken by the attackers. The weapon was later found by the security forces after the Loughgall Ambush
Loughgall Ambush
The Loughgall ambush took place on 8 May 1987 in the village of Loughgall, Northern Ireland. An eight-man Provisional Irish Republican Army group launched an attack on the village's Royal Ulster Constabulary station, but was ambushed by a British Army Special Air Service unit of twenty-five. The...
, 18 months later. The barracks was then raked with gunfire. Another three policemen who were inside managed to escape through the back door. The IRA members went into the building and took documents and weapons. The large bomb was placed inside and, after being detonated, destroyed the entire barracks.
The first British army unit to arrive at the barracks that evening was D Company, 1st Battalion, Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment.
Aftermath
The attack was one of the largest attacks conducted by the Provisional IRA during this period. The British Government responded by increasing Army, and especially Ulster Defence RegimentUlster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
patrols, in isolated areas. The 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...
Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
rebuilt Ballygawley barracks in 1986. The East Tyrone IRA launched two similar attacks in the following years, the successful attack on the Birches base in 1986, and the ill-fated attack on Loughgall barracks in 1987, in which Patrick Joseph Kelly was killed.
Further reading
- Moloney, Ed: A secret history of the IRA. Penguin Books (2002).
- Urban, Mark: Big Boys’ Rules: The SAS and the Secret Struggle Against the IRA. Faber and Faber (1992).