Military Reaction Force
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Military Reaction Force
God, so now we have 'new' revelations about covert army operations in Belfast.
I knew about this in 1972 when I was there on a journalistic assignment for RAP. In particular, the assassination attempt on the Conway brothers close to where I was staying in the Whiterock Road next to the Falls Road and also their involvement in the infamous Four Square Laundry Service. I was given papers relating to the case by NICRA; the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association.
It wasn't till years later that Thatcher announced that she was sending in units of the SAS. Those of us in the know were very well aware that they had already been operating there since the late-60's; often attached to other units as cover.
The attempted killing of the Conway brothers was a botched assassination attempt by alleged paramilitaries but the guys concerned were seen and heard calling up military reinforcements on their walkie talkies.
Note, I make no value judgements as to the legitimacy or advisability of these operations but I find it incredible that they are presented as hot news over 40 years later.
I knew about this in 1972 when I was there on a journalistic assignment for RAP. In particular, the assassination attempt on the Conway brothers close to where I was staying in the Whiterock Road next to the Falls Road and also their involvement in the infamous Four Square Laundry Service. I was given papers relating to the case by NICRA; the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association.
It wasn't till years later that Thatcher announced that she was sending in units of the SAS. Those of us in the know were very well aware that they had already been operating there since the late-60's; often attached to other units as cover.
The attempted killing of the Conway brothers was a botched assassination attempt by alleged paramilitaries but the guys concerned were seen and heard calling up military reinforcements on their walkie talkies.
Note, I make no value judgements as to the legitimacy or advisability of these operations but I find it incredible that they are presented as hot news over 40 years later.
Hinch- Spaceship Commander
- Posts : 1927
Join date : 2012-09-05
Location : Stradhoughton
Re: Military Reaction Force
It's a tough one I think. If one of my loved ones had been killed I'd want some answers, and punishment for the crime, but at some point the country has to move on. I guess it probably never will fully. How can you draw a line under 3000 deaths?
Dalelad- Admin
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Join date : 2012-09-05
Age : 59
Re: Military Reaction Force
A tough one definitely, and infinitely sad, hope the 'troubles' really can be left behind.
Hinch is surprised this is 'hot news' 40 years later. The British public has become so immune to bad news, and there has been so much of it since then, much does tend to be forgotten.
The sectarian conflict was a puzzle to me, as I had no interest in it, and couldn't understand the accents of people either muttering or shouting about it in acronyms on T.V.
It seems this confusion was deliberately used in what went on. According to the documentary this evening it didn't make a lot of sense to the people who lived through it.
Bringing in soldiers from colonial conflicts seemed to make a bad situation worse, combining with the history of Ireland as the first British colony.
Things can sound quite harsh and frightening when said in a Belfast accent. 'Dispersal Order' said in it sounds quite worrying.
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/83807/dispersal-order-issued-to-combat-antisocial-behaviour-in-milkstone-and-deeplish
Hinch is surprised this is 'hot news' 40 years later. The British public has become so immune to bad news, and there has been so much of it since then, much does tend to be forgotten.
The sectarian conflict was a puzzle to me, as I had no interest in it, and couldn't understand the accents of people either muttering or shouting about it in acronyms on T.V.
It seems this confusion was deliberately used in what went on. According to the documentary this evening it didn't make a lot of sense to the people who lived through it.
Bringing in soldiers from colonial conflicts seemed to make a bad situation worse, combining with the history of Ireland as the first British colony.
Things can sound quite harsh and frightening when said in a Belfast accent. 'Dispersal Order' said in it sounds quite worrying.
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/83807/dispersal-order-issued-to-combat-antisocial-behaviour-in-milkstone-and-deeplish
cyfrifia- Time Lord
- Posts : 3139
Join date : 2012-09-16
Location : Todmorden
Re: Military Reaction Force
All Rochdale was subject to 'dispersal' when I was a kid. Groups of four or more where always 'moved on' if seen by the local beat cops. Pity it was ever stopped. Kids will always become a 'nuisance' if they gather in sufficient numbers and are left to do as they wish without reproach. In my day the locals did it for themselves and only called the cops if things got out of hand. But of course in those days a clip around the ear was expected from any of ones elders and sanctioned by the powers that be. One learned from an early age to 'toe the line' which of course followed through into teens and later. As ye sow so shall ye reap.
Atlas- Time Lord
- Posts : 3032
Join date : 2012-09-06
Location : Wales
Re: Military Reaction Force
A town can't rely on a 'dispersal area' to keep the peace for very long. Underlying structural causes need to be identified and changed.
cyfrifia- Time Lord
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Join date : 2012-09-16
Location : Todmorden
Re: Military Reaction Force
You genuinely couldn't understand a Northern Irish accent?cyfrifia wrote:The sectarian conflict was a puzzle to me, as I had no interest in it, and couldn't understand the accents of people either muttering or shouting about it in acronyms on T.V.
Dalelad- Admin
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Age : 59
Re: Military Reaction Force
I suppose I never 'tuned in' to the accent. Could catch some of it, but not enough to work out what they were on about. To me, during the troubles, on T.V. it seemed either traumatised people afraid to speak clearly, or raving politicians shouting and spluttering, with acronyms that meant nothing to me. I would guess a lot of English people had very little idea of what the issues were in Ireland.
I visited the north west of Ireland with some other English people, and had dinner one evening with a farmer and his family and freinds. Lovely people, but once they had 'warmed up' and started to talk fast, none of the English people could understand a word, not a single word, and just nodded politely.
It just didn't seem right at the time to say "I'm sorry but I can't understand you", as everyone was having a good time anyway. We explained to them next day that anything they might have said the previous evening was totally unknown to us, and they were a bit mortified, they had no idea we couldn't understand them.
They tried to teach us some of the local words and phrases, they thought were just a local dialect, but when put together fast, it became completely impenetrable.
It may be one of those things, in a very general way, that the more passionately an Irish person speaks, when it is most important they be understood, that's when an average English person will least understand them, and be most reluctant to say so. They will get some of the words, but the real meaning, no.
p.s. Why am I writing so much? Avoiding the housework. Trying not to think about it.
I visited the north west of Ireland with some other English people, and had dinner one evening with a farmer and his family and freinds. Lovely people, but once they had 'warmed up' and started to talk fast, none of the English people could understand a word, not a single word, and just nodded politely.
It just didn't seem right at the time to say "I'm sorry but I can't understand you", as everyone was having a good time anyway. We explained to them next day that anything they might have said the previous evening was totally unknown to us, and they were a bit mortified, they had no idea we couldn't understand them.
They tried to teach us some of the local words and phrases, they thought were just a local dialect, but when put together fast, it became completely impenetrable.
It may be one of those things, in a very general way, that the more passionately an Irish person speaks, when it is most important they be understood, that's when an average English person will least understand them, and be most reluctant to say so. They will get some of the words, but the real meaning, no.
p.s. Why am I writing so much? Avoiding the housework. Trying not to think about it.
cyfrifia- Time Lord
- Posts : 3139
Join date : 2012-09-16
Location : Todmorden
Re: Military Reaction Force
I can't say I've ever had a problem. Mind you it always amazes me when southerners complain about northern accents when they struggle to comprehend us. Many of them view us a different race I think.
Dalelad- Admin
- Posts : 345
Join date : 2012-09-05
Age : 59
Re: Military Reaction Force
The north/south divide.
cyfrifia- Time Lord
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Join date : 2012-09-16
Location : Todmorden
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