August 1971: Internment
August 1971 had a lot going on all around the world, with a lot in the mainstream media, but I’m certain that nowhere else in the world had a month quite like Northern Ireland. A truly horrifying time for all involved…
August 1971 was a significant month in the history of the troubles, especially with the introduction of internment. This in itself was a divisive subject in government. On the 4th of August 1974, there are released PRONI records that show the text of a message from R. Maudling, then British Home Secretary, to B. Faulkner, then Northern Ireland Prime Minister. There is an interesting section of the text that shows how split the approach was on internment, with discussions being held regarding the impact on both sides of the political divide in Northern Ireland.
We must look at the immediate situation against the background of the Apprentice Boys march on 12th August. If internment were introduced before then it would in our view be essential to proceed simultaneously with the indefinite banning of all political processions. I understand it is the GOC’s (General Officer Commanding Harry Tuzo) view on military grounds that he would not advise the banning of the procession. If the procession is to proceed it seems to me to be wiser to postpone any decision about internment until after it has taken place when we can review the situation again on the existing principles and wholly without prejudice to a decision either way. As so much attention has been paid to this march on 12th August its outcome one way or another will be of considerable significance for any decision about the future conduct of the campaign against the terrorists.
On the 7th of August, a Catholic man was shot dead by a British soldier in Belfast. Harry Thornton was travelling in a van on the Springfield Road area of Belfast when the van backfired. Subsequently, the Soldier opened fire, shooting Mr Thornton dead. The soldier in question had maintained that the van did not backfire, but that they were shot at from the van, hence why he opened fire, killing Mr Thornton. However, after an inquiry, in 2012, the government wrote a letter of apology to Mr Thornton's widow Mary confirming that her husband had been an "innocent man".
The next day, British soldier Malcolm Hatton (21) was shot dead in an IRA sniper attack while on foot patrol in the Ardoyne area of Belfast. The IRA claimed he was shot in retaliation for the of Harry Thornton.
Tensions in Northern Ireland ramped up to another level on Monday 9th of August 1971 with ‘Operation Demetrius’. In a series of dawn raids across Northern Ireland, 342 people were arrested and taken to makeshift camps as Internment was re-introduced in Northern Ireland. There was an immediate upsurge of violence with 17 people killed during the next 48 hours. Of these 10 were Catholic civilians who were shot dead by the British Army (BA).
Those that died were;
William Atwell (40). Security man killed by nail bomb thrown into Mackie’s factory on the Springfield Road by a Republican group.
Sarah Worthington (50). Shot in her home in the Ardoyne area of Belfast by the British Army.
Leo McGuigan (16). Shot whilst walking in the Ardoyne area of Belfast by the British Army.
Patrick McAdorey (24). Shot during a gun battle in the Ardoyne area of Belfast by the British Army.
John Beattie (17). Shot, from British Army observation post in Clonard Monastery, while driving a van along Ashmore Street, Shankill, Belfast.
Francis Quinn (20). Shot during a gun battle, Springfield Park, Ballymurphy, Belfast, by British Army snipers from the nearby New Barnsley British Army base, while going to the aid of a wounded man.
Hugh Mullan (38) was the first Catholic priest to be killed in the conflict when he was shot dead by the British Army as he was giving the last rites to a wounded man.
Francis McGuinness (17). Shot during street disturbances, Finaghy Road North, Belfast by the British Army.
Desmond Healey (14). Shot during street disturbances, Lenadoon Avenue, Belfast by the British Army.
Joan Connolly (50). Shot as she stood opposite New Barnsley British Army base, Springfield Road, Belfast by the British Army.
Daniel Teggart (44). Shot as he stood opposite New Barnsley British Army base, Springfield Road, Belfast by the British Army.
Noel Phillips (20). Shot as he stood opposite New Barnsley British Army base, Springfield Road, Belfast by the British Army.
Joseph Murphy (41). Shot as he stood opposite New Barnsley British Army base, Springfield Road, Belfast by the British Army.
Winston Donnell (22) became the first Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) solider to die in 'the Troubles' when he was shot by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) at a vehicle checkpoint near Clady, County Tyrone.
Norman Watson (53). Shot while driving along Irish Street, Armagh by the British Army.
Paul Challoner (23). Shot while on British Army foot patrol, Bligh's Lane, Creggan, Derry/Londonderry by IRA.
Edward Doherty (28). Shot while walking along Whiterock Road, Ballymurphy, Belfast by the British Army.
During the 9th of August 1971 and the early hours of the 10th of August, Northern Ireland experienced the worst violence since August 1969. Over the following days thousands of people (estimated at 7,000), the majority of them Catholics, were forced to flee their homes. Many Catholic 'refugees' moved to the Republic of Ireland, and have never returned to Northern Ireland. There were also more arrests in the following days and months. Internment was to continue until the 5th of December 1975. During that time 1,981 people were detained, of which 1,874 were Catholic/Republican, while 107 were Protestant/Loyalist. Internment had been proposed by Unionist politicians as the solution to the security situation in Northern Ireland but was to lead to a very high level of violence over the next few years and to increased support for the IRA. Even members of the security forces remarked on the drawbacks of internment.
From the 11th to the 14th of August, a further 7 people lost their lives as a result of the ongoing conflict.
John Laverty (20). Shot while walking along the path by St Aidan's Primary School, Ballymurphy, Belfast. by the British Army.
William Stronge (46). Shot while moving furniture from sister's home, Ballyclare Street, Belfast.
Seamus Simpson (21). Shot while throwing a bomb at British Army foot patrol, Rossnareen Avenue, Andersonstown, Belfast.
William McKavanagh (21). Shot while in McAuley Street, Markets, Belfast by the British Army.
William Ferris (38). Died two days after being shot whilst travelling in a car along Crumlin Road, Belfast by the British Army.
Hugh Herron (31). Shot during a gun battle, Long Tower Street, Derry/Londonderry by the British Army.
John Robinson (21). Shot by IRA sniper while on British Army mobile patrol, Butler Street, Ardoyne, Belfast.
From the 15th to the 16th of August, there were some political developments, all relating to internment. The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) announced that it was starting a campaign of civil disobedience in response to the introduction of Internment. The SDLP also withdrew their representatives from a number of public bodies. Over 8,000 workers also went on strike in Derry/Londonderry in protest of Internment. Joe Cahill, then Chief of Staff of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, held a press conference during which he claimed that only 30 IRA men had been interned.
The 18th and 19th of August saw a return to the killings with a further 3 people losing their lives.
Eamon Lafferty (20). A member of the Irish Republican Army was shot dead by the British Army during a gun battle in the Creggan area of Derry/Londonderry.
Eamon McDevitt (24), a Catholic civilian who was deaf and dumb, was shot dead by the British Army in Strabane, County Tyrone.
James O'Hagan (16), then a member of the Irish Republican Army, was shot and fatally wounded in the Waterside area of Derry/Londonderry. He had been with other IRA members and it was claimed at that time that the shooting was accidental.
An interesting development on the 19th of August was that The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was accused of political bias by the then British Minister of Defence, Lord Carrington. This was the first of many direct and indirect attempts by successive British governments to influence the way the media reported the conflict in Northern Ireland.
The 22nd of August saw further political developments with approximately 130 non-Unionist councillors announcing their withdrawal from participation in district councils across Northern Ireland in protest against Internment. Just 3 days later, Gerry Fitt, then Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), held a meeting with representatives of the United Nations at which he presented a number of allegations of brutality by the security forces in Northern Ireland. An inquiry into allegations of brutality by the security forces against those interned without trial was announced on the 31st of August.
Between the 23rd of August and the end of the month, there was a further 5 deaths;
George Crozier (23). Shot dead by an IRA sniper on Flax Street, Ardoyne, Belfast. The soldier was shot in the head as he exited an armoured vehicle.
Henry Beggs (23). Killed when the Irish Republican Army planted a bomb at the Northern Ireland Electricity Service office on the Malone Road in Belfast. It was reported that an inadequate warning was given.
Joseph Corr (43). Died 16 days after being shot by the British Army at the junction of Springfield Road and Divismore Crescent, Ballymurphy, Belfast.
Ian Armstrong (33). Shot dead by an IRA sniper near Crossmaglen, County Armagh. The soldier was travelling in a patrol consisting of two armoured Ferret Scout cars which inadvertently crossed the Irish border into County Louth near the village of Courtbane. While attempting to retreat back angry locals blocked their way and set one of the vehicles on fire. After eventually managing to get back across the border the patrol had to stop to change a damaged wheel. While this was happening a six-man IRA unit arrived on the scene and took up sniping positions in nearby fields. The soldier was killed after being shot in the neck. Another soldier was injured when he was struck in the shoulder.
Clifford Loring (18). Died one day after being shot by the IRA at a British Army vehicle checkpoint, Stockman's Lane, Belfast.
This has probably been one of the toughest instalments of the timeline to write, given the vast amount of deaths in one month. It really does bring home how fragile things were in Northern Ireland at the time, as well as showing the extremely difficult decisions that had to be made, knowing full well the potential ramifications of such decisions by those in charge.
Thanks for reading, and I look forward to bringing the next instalment over the coming days.