Potter - Testimony to Courage : the History of the Ulster Defence Regiment 1969-1992

First published in Great Britain in 2001 by
LEO COOPER
an imprint of Pen & Sword Books
47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS

Copyright 2001 John Potter

ISBN 0 85052 819 4
PRINT ISBN: 9780850528190
PDF ISBN: 9781783377640
EPUB ISBN: 9781783379842
PRC ISBN: 9781783379644

A CIP catalogue record for this book
is available from the British Library

Typeset in 11/12pt Garamond by
Phoenix Typesetting, Ilkley, West Yorkshire

Printed in England by
CPI UK

This history is dedicated with admiration and gratitude to

THE FAMILIES OF THE ULSTER DEFENCE REGIMENT

who waited and worried, shared the dangers, cared for their wounded and disabled, mourned for their dead, yet never lost heart.

The manuscript of this book was submitted to the Ministry of Defence prior to publication. At their request, some changes were made to the text in order to protect the work of, and those who served in, The Ulster Defence Regiment. However, this does not imply MOD endorsement of any part of this book, nor those unofficial sources referred to.

Preface

Some people may feel that this is not the time to revive old controversies, now that Northern Ireland stands on the threshold of a new dawn. This is a time for forgiveness, however hard that may be. To forgive, but not to forget. Northern Ireland would never have arrived at this threshold had not The Ulster Defence Regiment played its part in holding the line against a violent terrorist campaign. That must never be forgotten.

When I retired after serving for thirteen years in a UDR battalion, followed by a further eight as Regimental Secretary, I was deputed by the Colonels Commandant to compile a historical archive of the Regiment. Since at its height there were eleven battalions, always evolving and constantly on operations, this archive became very large four volumes in fact. Comprising as it does official papers, it is held by the Ministry of Defence and will be treated in accordance with the requirements of the Public Records Act, emerging therefore in due course into the public domain.

Once I had completed it, I felt there was a great need for a shorter, less detailed account that could be published now and which would tell those who had not served in its ranks what it was like to be a member of the Regiment. Hence this book.

During my research I have carried out some 125 interviews, ranging from generals and chief constables to private soldiers. I am grateful to all those who talked to me so openly, some recalling events the memory of which was still painful, and to those who took the trouble to write down their reminiscences for me. In some instances I have set down their stories in their own words, others I have had to abridge or leave out to keep the length of the book within reasonable bounds. However, everything I have heard or read has helped enormously in the telling of the Regiments story. I have not related the circumstances of every death; there were simply too many. Instead I have included a Roll of Honour of all the serving and former soldiers killed in terrorist attacks. Sadly, with a few exceptions where the people mentioned have given me permission to name them, I have had to leave out the names of those who served in the Regiment and are still living. I could not run the risk that even now by naming them I might put their lives in danger.

I have been granted access to some official documents and have made extensive use of the annual historical records that every Army unit is required to maintain. In the UDR the standards varied in accordance with the enthusiasm of the record keeper; some were excellent, some cursory and uninformative, and in some years in some battalions there is no record at all. From 1984 onwards the standard improved and the records were considered by the MOD to be among the best in the Army. If some old soldiers feel that events in their battalion have been covered inadequately, the blame lies with the keepers of their historical records. I must also emphasize that the opinions expressed, where they are not attributed, are my own, formed by my own experiences in the Regiment.

A book such as this could not have been completed without the help of a great many people; the transcribing of taped interviews, the typing of the archive, followed by the typing and retyping several times over of the manuscript. I owe a debt to my daughter Nicola who did all the early transcribing and typing and then decided to have a baby instead; to my daughter-in-law Suzie who then took on the transcribing until she accompanied her husband on posting to Zimbabwe; to Jimmy James, Chris Johnston, Lyla Hanna and John ONeill; and particularly to Brigadier Dick Trigger (retd) for his help in processing the texts clearance.

Glossary