January 1970: "Male Citizens of Good Character"
UDR Formation, RUC Patrols & Sinn Féin split.
January 1970 saw Muammar Gaddafi become the premier of Libya. We all know how that worked out for the revolutionary dictator! Meanwhile, Northern Ireland had some further developments in the ever-simmering conflict.
Following the Ulster Defence Regiment Act 1969 receiving Royal Assent on the 18th of December 1969, the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) came into existence, with it due to become operational on the 1st of April 1970.
General Sir John Anderson (5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards) was appointed as the first Colonel Commandant. He came to be known as the "Father of the Regiment". The first regimental commander was a WW2 veteran of some distinction, Brigadier Logan Scott-Bowden.
Regimental Headquarters was set up in a small bungalow behind the NAAFI shop at Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn.
Recruitment began on the 1st of January with a press conference. Advertisements appeared in local newspapers informing the Northern Ireland public that: "There's a new regiment in the army. We want you to help us form it." A coupon was provided for applicants to fill in, alternatively, those interested could pick up an information leaflet and application form from their local army barracks, TA Centre, Post Office, police station or library. A one-minute television commercial was produced which included a personal appeal by Brigadier Scott-Bowden. You can watch the advertisement here.
Recruiting was open to all "male citizens of good character" between the ages of 18–55. Application forms were sent to all members of the USC, which was soon to be wound up. The below shows the number of applicants from the USC.
Vetting was carried out by a Regular Army team of mostly retired officers from outside Northern Ireland including a vice admiral and several major generals. Each applicant had to provide two references and the referees would be interviewed by a vetting officer. Applicants were divided into three categories;
Those who were immediately deemed acceptable.
Those who were to be immediately rejected.
Those whose applications threw up doubt about their suitability.
All applications were supposed to be submitted to the RUC Special Branch and Criminal Investigation Department, but in practice, this didn't always happen because of the initially high number of applicants.
On the 13th of January, seven "training majors" from the regular army, who had never served in Northern Ireland previously, reported for duty. Their job was to raise each battalion and have it ready for duty on the 1st of April. These came to be known as TISOs (Training, Intelligence, and Security Officers). Each was assisted by a regular army quartermaster, a corporal clerk, a civil service Clerical Officer to act as Chief Clerk, and a typist.
Premises were acquired from diverse sources including wooden huts in army training centres, USC huts or whatever accommodation could be found in regular army barracks or Territorial Army Centres.
Seven battalions were formed initially;
1st (County Antrim)
2nd (County Armagh)
3rd (County Down)
4th (County Fermanagh)
5th (County Londonderry)
6th (County Tyrone)
7th (City of Belfast).
On the 1st of April 1970, the regiment joined the British Army's Order of Battle and became operational.
Meanwhile, in Dublin on the 11th of January, Sinn Féin held an Ard Fheis (party conference) at which the party split between those who were in favour of ending the policy of abstentionism (of not taking any seats won in the parliaments of Dublin, Belfast, and London) and those who were against. A majority of delegates (although not the two-thirds required under the party's rules to change policy) were in favour of ending the abstentionist policy. Those opposed to the move, 257 supporters of the 'Provisional Army Council', walked out of the meeting thus leaving the organisation and later establishing offices in Kevin Street, Dublin. This new grouping became known as 'Provisional Sinn Féin' (PSF). The majority who remained behind continued to occupy the offices in Gardiner Place, Dublin and were known as 'Official Sinn Féin' (OSF).
This split mirrored the split that had occurred on the 28th of December 1969, when the Irish Republican Army (IRA) broke up into the Provisional IRA (PIRA) and Official IRA (OIRA).
January. had also seen the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers begin to patrol the Falls Road area of Belfast for the first time since August 1969.
Recommended reading based on research for this instalment of our journey through The Troubles.