Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Acknowledgements
- Prologue
- Introduction
- 1 Drills, Fights and Defence
- 2 ‘Civil rights, unrest, death’ (1960s)
- 3 Football, Flags and Fighting (1970–71)
- 4 Protestants at War? (1971–72)
- 5 Convergence (1972)
- 6 From Boys Brigade Belts and Bibles to Bombs and Bullets (1972–75)
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
6 - From Boys Brigade Belts and Bibles to Bombs and Bullets (1972–75)
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Acknowledgements
- Prologue
- Introduction
- 1 Drills, Fights and Defence
- 2 ‘Civil rights, unrest, death’ (1960s)
- 3 Football, Flags and Fighting (1970–71)
- 4 Protestants at War? (1971–72)
- 5 Convergence (1972)
- 6 From Boys Brigade Belts and Bibles to Bombs and Bullets (1972–75)
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The unwillingness of Westminster to give effective directives to the Army to rout the IRA encouraged the formation through frustration, of Loyalist para-military groups determined to do themselves what the Army should have been instructed to do. As Westminster had assumed responsibility for the security of Northern Ireland and had failed in that obligation, able-bodied Loyalists had a moral right to defend their country themselves.
Captain Austin Ardill (c.1974)We have come to realise that the Provisional Alliance will listen only to the speeches of the Machine Gun and the orations of the Car Bomb. Mr. Colt and Mr. Webley, it seems, are the only negotiators that the Provos will pay attention to and, it seems, that once again we will have to employ the products of these two illustrious gentlemen in getting our message through to the Provisional leadership.
William Johnston (Capt.) Adjutant Ulster Volunteer Force Brigade Headquarter StaffI feel there was a critical time in my life, where had I been two years either side of it I actually don't think I'd have become involved … [but] the die had been cast. There's a certain point – a Rubicon – when you cross it, there is no going back.
David Smyth (former YCV prisoner)In-fighting and recruitment
Although there was a large degree of cross-over between the loyalist paramilitary groupings in 1972, the fighting between loyalist youth gangs continued and began to increasingly reflect tensions between UDA and UVF constituencies which often overlapped in districts and even streets. Fights between young Protestants were sometimes in danger of spilling over into intra-communal paramilitary feuds. It was the fallout from one such altercation that led to Eddie Kinner being recruited by the YCV. During a disco in the Alliance Avenue area of North Belfast there was a by now typically ferocious fight involving two Tartan members from Agnes Street in the Shankill and some of the Ulster Bootboys from Highfield in which the latter came off much the worse.
The Agnes Street Tartans were YCV members, while the two Bootboys were in the UDA. The next week, UDA members from the Highfield and Glencairn estates at the top of the Shankill laid an ambush for the Shankill Tartans on their return from the Alliance Avenue disco.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Tartan Gangs and ParamilitariesThe Loyalist Backlash, pp. 183 - 207Publisher: Liverpool University PressPrint publication year: 2016