Crossmaglen mortar attack (1994)
Encyclopedia
The 1994 Crossmaglen mortar attack was an improvised mortar
attack carried out by a Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA) unit on 20 March 1994 against the British Army
base at Crossmaglen
, County Armagh
, Northern Ireland
. The single round lobbed at the compound shot down a Westland Lynx
helicopter hovering over the helipad
.
". The mortar shell consisted of a one metre long metal propane
cylinder with a diameter of 36 cm that contained around 70 kg of home-made explosives and with a range between 75 and 275 m. The cylinder was an adaptation of a commercial 'Kosangas' gas cylinder for heating and cooking gas used in rural areas in Ireland. The first use of the "Barrack Buster" took place on 7 December 1992 against a security base in Ballygawley
, County Tyrone
.
helicopter, serial number
ZD275, was in the process of landing at the large British army base at Crossmaglen. Meanwhile, an IRA unit had mounted a Mark 15 mortar on a tractor, concealed behind bales of hay. The tractor was parked 150 yards from the intended target, on waste ground. At 20:27, there was a sudden blackout across Crossmaglen's square and at the same time, a single mortar shell was lobbed into the barracks. The IRA had used the mains
for the collapsing circuit of the firing pack, turning off the street's power supply. When the Lynx was hovering 100 feet over the helipad, the mortar round hit the aircraft on the tail's boom, which was severed from the fuselage. The machine span out of control, but the pilot was able to crash-land the Lynx inside the base. A Grenadier Guards
' patrol spotted a huge orange ball from a mile away. Three members of the crew managed to get out with minor injuries, but a member of the RUC was trapped inside the blazing wreckage. The constable was rescued just before the fuel tanks and the ammunition started to explode. Author Toby Harnden
described the incident as the most successful IRA operation against a helicopter in the course of the Troubles
.
top politician Seamus Mallon
, who said:
was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal
for dragging the wounded constable out of the crashed aircraft.
There was a second mortar attack on a British military helicopter on 12 July 1994 at Newtownhamilton
, when a RAF
Puma crash-landed on a soccer pitch after being hit on its tail by another Mark 15 mortar launched from a tractor.
The downing of two helicopters, along with the increasing sniper activity, was both a morale and military blow to the British forces in south County Armagh.
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
attack carried out by a Provisional Irish Republican Army
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) unit on 20 March 1994 against 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...
base at 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...
, 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 single round lobbed at the compound shot down a Westland Lynx
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
helicopter hovering over the helipad
Helipad
Helipad is a common abbreviation for helicopter landing pad, a landing area for helicopters. While helicopters are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fabricated helipad provides a clearly marked hard surface away from obstacles where a helicopter can safely...
.
Background
Since the 1970s, the IRA developed a series of home-made mortars. The goal was to produce devices to be use as "stand-off" weapons, capable of being launched from safe ranges upon police or military outposts, and easy to conceal on dead-ground. The different designs evolved in 1992 into the Mark 15 mortar, widely known as "Barrack busterBarrack buster
Barrack buster is the colloquial name given to several improvised mortars, developed in the 1990s by the engineering group of the Provisional Irish Republican Army ....
". The mortar shell consisted of a one metre long metal propane
Propane
Propane is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula , normally a gas, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used as a fuel for engines, oxy-gas torches, barbecues, portable stoves, and residential central...
cylinder with a diameter of 36 cm that contained around 70 kg of home-made explosives and with a range between 75 and 275 m. The cylinder was an adaptation of a commercial 'Kosangas' gas cylinder for heating and cooking gas used in rural areas in Ireland. The first use of the "Barrack Buster" took place on 7 December 1992 against a security base in Ballygawley
Ballygawley
Ballygawley or Ballygawly is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is about southwest of Dungannon, near the meeting of the A5 Omagh–Monaghan and A4 Dungannon–Enniskillen roads....
, 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
On the evening of 20 March 1994 a LynxWestland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
helicopter, serial number
United Kingdom military aircraft serials
In the United Kingdom to identify individual aircraft, all military aircraft are allocated and display a unique serial number. A unified serial number system, maintained by the Air Ministry , and its successor the Ministry of Defence , is used for aircraft operated by the Royal Air Force , Fleet...
ZD275, was in the process of landing at the large British army base at Crossmaglen. Meanwhile, an IRA unit had mounted a Mark 15 mortar on a tractor, concealed behind bales of hay. The tractor was parked 150 yards from the intended target, on waste ground. At 20:27, there was a sudden blackout across Crossmaglen's square and at the same time, a single mortar shell was lobbed into the barracks. The IRA had used the mains
Mains electricity
Mains is the general-purpose alternating current electric power supply. In the US, electric power is referred to by several names including household power, household electricity, powerline, domestic power, wall power, line power, AC power, city power, street power, and grid power...
for the collapsing circuit of the firing pack, turning off the street's power supply. When the Lynx was hovering 100 feet over the helipad, the mortar round hit the aircraft on the tail's boom, which was severed from the fuselage. The machine span out of control, but the pilot was able to crash-land the Lynx inside the base. A Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
' patrol spotted a huge orange ball from a mile away. Three members of the crew managed to get out with minor injuries, but a member of the RUC was trapped inside the blazing wreckage. The constable was rescued just before the fuel tanks and the ammunition started to explode. Author Toby Harnden
Toby Harnden
Toby Harnden is an Anglo-American journalist and author. He has been US editor of The Daily Telegraph since 2006.-Background:...
described the incident as the most successful IRA operation against a helicopter in the course of the Troubles
The 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...
.
Aftermath
After the incident, the IRA and Sinn Féin bore criticism from SDLPSocial Democratic and Labour Party
The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
top politician Seamus Mallon
Seamus Mallon
Seamus Frederick Mallon born 17 August 1936, in Markethill, County Armagh, is an Irish politician and former Deputy Leader of the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland...
, who said:
God knows how many people could have been killed. When you realise this mortar was lobbed over a number of houses it brings home the enormity of the danger so many people faced. Yet again you have Sinn Féin talking peace in the morning and carrying out these murderous attacks through the IRA in the evening.John Fee, a local SDLP councillor which dubbed the attack as "an act of lunacy" was later beaten by two men outside his home. The IRA denied responsibility. Corporal Wayne Cuckson of the Royal Logistic Corps
Royal Logistic Corps
The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal
Queen's Gallantry Medal
The Queen's Gallantry Medal is the third level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.It was instituted on 20 June 1974 to replace the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry, the British Empire Medal for Gallantry, and the Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry...
for dragging the wounded constable out of the crashed aircraft.
There was a second mortar attack on a British military helicopter on 12 July 1994 at Newtownhamilton
Newtownhamilton
Newtownhamilton is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is within the townland of Tullyvallan and the barony of Upper Fews. It is part of the Newry and Mourne District Council area...
, when a RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Puma crash-landed on a soccer pitch after being hit on its tail by another Mark 15 mortar launched from a tractor.
The downing of two helicopters, along with the increasing sniper activity, was both a morale and military blow to the British forces in south County Armagh.
See also
- Barrack busterBarrack busterBarrack buster is the colloquial name given to several improvised mortars, developed in the 1990s by the engineering group of the Provisional Irish Republican Army ....
- 1990 British Army Gazelle shootdown1990 British Army Gazelle shootdownOn 11 February 1990, an active service unit of the Provisional IRA, East Tyrone Brigade, shot down a British Army Gazelle helicopter, serial number ZB687, along the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland near Augher, County Tyrone, close to the Republic's village of Derrygorry...
- 1985 Newry mortar attack1985 Newry mortar attackThe 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:...
- Downing Street mortar attackDowning Street mortar attackThe Downing Street mortar attack was carried out by the Provisional Irish Republican Army on 10 Downing Street, London, the British Prime Minister John Major's official residence. The 7 February 1991 attack, an assassination attempt on Major and his War Cabinet who were meeting to discuss the...
- Osnabrück mortar attackOsnabrück mortar attackThe Osnabrück mortar attack was an improvised mortar attack carried out by a Provisional Irish Republican Army unit based in mainland Europe on 28 June 1996 against the Quebec British Army barracks at Osnabrück inside the largest British military garrison then deployed in Germany.-Background:The...
- Provisional IRA South Armagh BrigadeProvisional IRA South Armagh BrigadeThe South Armagh Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army operated during the Troubles in south County Armagh. It was organised into two battalions, one around Jonesborough and another around Crossmaglen. By the 1990s, the South Armagh Brigade was thought to consist of about 40 members,...
- Chronology of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions (1990-1999)Chronology of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions (1990-1999)This is a chronology of activities by the Provisional Irish Republican Army , from 1990 to 1999. For actions before and after this period see Chronology of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions....