For all you comedy fans out there, I’m sure you’re familiar with Dave Chapelle, the world-renowned comedian and actor. Born in Washington DC in August 1973, he has gone on to have an amazing career; selling out huge arenas, starring in huge movies, and generally being an all-round funny guy. August 1973 and Washington DC have another connection in the world of The Troubles. The IRA were responsible for the explosion of a letter bomb that seriously injured a secretary at the British Embassy in Washington DC, blowing off her left hand. Unfortunately, the conflict crossed more than one body of water.
Political developments in August 1973
August 1973 began with further developments in the Littlejohn Affair. Kenneth Littlejohn received a sentence of 20 years imprisonment for his part in an armed robbery on the 12th of October 1972. His brother Keith received a sentence of 15 years imprisonment. In a stunning turn of events, both men later escaped from Mountjoy Prison on the 11th of March 1974.
Beyond the Littlejohn saga, August was relatively calm on the political front. However, a noteworthy development occurred during a riot when the Royal Ulster Constabulary tested a new plastic baton round. This new round was set to replace the rubber baton round, which had been in use since the 2nd of August 1970.
Shootings in August 1973
03/08/73 - IRA members, carrying out an armed robbery, shot dead a Catholic civilian, James Farrell (50), who was delivering wages to the British Leyland factory on Cashel Road, Dublin.
05/08/73 - A Catholic husband and wife, Francis Mullan (59) and Bernadette Mullan (39), were found shot dead at their farmhouse near Moy, County Tyrone. Their two-year-old son was also wounded by gunfire. Reports suggest that the UVF were responsible.
09/08/73 - The UVF killed a Presbyterian civilian from County Donegal when it shot at his company van from a bridge overlooking the M2 motorway near Templepatrick.
10/08/73 - UDA volunteers in a hijacked taxi shot dead Catholic civilian, Joseph Murphy (22), as he walked along Kennedy Way, Belfast. His father died of a heart attack when he learned of his son's death.
11/08/73 - Protestant civilian, Norman Hutchinson (17), was shot dead while walking along Ormeau Road, near University Street, Belfast by Loyalists.
11/08/73 - An IRA assault team consisting of over 20 volunteers surrounded Crossmaglen RUC barracks. The barracks were hit with rockets, mortars and machine gun fire. The RUC fired a large number of shots at the unit. There were no serious injuries on either side.
13/08/73 - The IRA shot dead off-duty RUC reservist, William McIlveen (36), at his workplace, a factory on Cathedral Road, Armagh town.
18/08/73 - Protestant civilian, Trevor Holland (36), was shot dead by the IRA from a passing car while he was standing outside a cafe on West Street, Edgarstown, Portadown.
23/08/73 - The IRA shot dead Protestant civilian, Margaret Meeke (52), as she drove her car at Tullyvallan, near Newtownhamilton, County Armagh. The sniper mistook her car for that of a UDR soldier.
23/08/73 - Catholic civilian, Charles McDonnell (20), was found shot dead in a car at Mayobridge, County Down. The UFF claimed responsibility.
24/08/73 - Civilian, Patrick Duffy (37), was found shot dead in a car on Buncrana Road, Derry. The IRA said he had been shot for being an informer.
25/08/73 - The IRA shot undercover British soldier, Richard Miller (21), outside Royal Victoria Hospital, Falls Road, Belfast. He died on the 18th of September 1973.
25/08/73 - Loyalists shot and killed 3 Catholic civilians, Sean McDonald (50), Ronald McDonald (55) and Anthony McGrady (16), during an attack on their place of work on Cliftonville Road, Belfast.
28/08/73 - The IRA shot dead UDR soldier, Kenneth Hill (25), in the Culdee section of Armagh town while evacuating the area during a bomb alert.
31/08/73 - IRA volunteer Patrick Mulvenna (19), was killed in a shootout with the British Army, Ballymurphy Road, Ballymurphy, Belfast. Another IRA volunteer, James Bryson (25), was fatally wounded, before eventually dying on the 22nd of September 1973.
Bombings in August 1973
11/08/73 - Two members of the IRA, James McGlyn (20) & Seamus Harvey (23), were killed when the bomb they were transporting exploded prematurely near Castlederg, County Tyrone.
11/08/73 - Two members of the IRA, James McGlyn (20) & Seamus Harvey (23), were killed when the bomb they were transporting exploded prematurely near Castlederg, County Tyrone.
15/08/73 - The UVF exploded a car bomb at Sportsman's Inn, Belfast. It killed a Catholic civilian, Edward Drummond (50).
16/08/73 - Two members of the IRA, Daniel McAnallen (37) & Patrick Quinn (18), died when a mortar bomb exploded prematurely during an attack on the joint British Army / Royal Ulster Constabulary base in Pomeroy, County Tyrone.
18/08/73 - The IRA detonated two firebombs at Harrods Department store in London causing slight damage. This was the beginning of the IRA’s first sustained bombing campaign in England.
20/08/73 - The IRA planted three incendiary devices in shops in New Street, Birmingham. Luckily, there were no injuries.
20/08/73 - Catholic civilian, Charles O’Donnell (61), was killed when the UVF threw a grenade into his house on Grampian Avenue, Belfast.
21/08/73 - The IRA sent book bombs to several locations including the Old Bailey, the RAF Association in Chiswick, the Union Jack Club in Waterloo and the Northern Ireland Information Office in Central London. Ten incendiary devices were also discovered at several West End stores as well as one at Baker Street tube station (which was targeted again just over a week later), but none ignited.
22/08/73 - Two bombs caused severe damage to Catholic churches. The first, near Ballymena at Braid Chapel, left the building in ruins. The second went off two hours later at a church in Crebilly but caused only minor damage, although many nearby houses were also damaged. It’s reported that the UDA were responsible.
22/08/73 - An IRA book bomb exploded at the Conservative Party Central Office in London.
24/08/73 - Two people were injured from a letter bomb sent to the London Stock Exchange. They were the first victims of the renewed IRA campaign in England.
25/08/73 - Two men were injured when an IRA bomb exploded in the Bank of England in London. Another bomb was defused in a shop in Oxford Street.
25/08/73 - The UVF exploded a bomb at a garage on Cliftonville Road, Belfast.
27/08/73 - Loyalist paramilitaries believed to be the UVF or RHC left a car bomb outside the Roman Catholic church (St. Patrick's & St. Brigid's) in the town. It was timed to explode as mass-goers left the church. But the service ran late, and the bomb detonated when the congregation were still inside the church, avoiding large-scale loss of life. 50 people were injured, 3 of them seriously, including a BBC journalist who needed an arm amputated.
27/08/73 - The explosion of a letter bomb seriously injured a secretary at the British Embassy in Washington DC. The bomb blew off her left hand. The IRA claimed responsibility.
27/08/73 - The IRA destroyed The Royal Bastion monument to British Governor Walker in Derry with a large bomb.
28/08/73 - Two UVF bombs explode in Armagh injuring 20 people.
29/08/73 - The IRA planted two bombs in Solihull, England, damaging a Building Society. They also planted an incendiary device in Harrod's store in London. There were no injuries from either incident.
30/08/73 - British Army officer Ronald Beckett (36), was killed while trying to defuse an IRA bomb at Tullyhommon Post Office, Tullyhommon, near Pettigoe, County Fermanagh.
31/08/73 - A bomb exploded in Old Quebec Street, Marble Arch damaging two hotels.
As always, thanks very much for reading this and I hope you enjoyed it enough to come back on Sunday to read the next instalment (fingers crossed!). Don’t forget to click the share button below to send it to any of your family or friends who would enjoy reading it, or subscribe to make sure you don’t miss anything. As Mrs Doyle from Father Ted would say, “Ah, Go On, Go On, Go On, Go On…”.
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Some recommended reading based on research for this instalment.
The Provisional IRA in England: The Bombing Campaign 1973-1997 by Gary McGladdery.
Lethal Allies: British Collusion in Ireland by Anne Cadwallader.