1979
Pte Robert John McNally, 11 UDR, 13 Mar 1979.
The 90th UDR Soldier killed. Died from injuries he received when an INLA booby trap bomb exploded beneath his car on 06 Mar 79. One of the first instances where a mercury tilt switch was used to detonate a bomb. He was 20 years old, off duty and married at the time of his death.
LCpl Thomas James Armstrong, 2 UDR, 13 April 1979.
The 91st UDR Soldier killed. Shot by the IRA as he returned home for breakfast having left early to feed stock on the Caledon estate and found dead in his van two hours later. He was due to retire the following week having joined the Regiment on its formation. He was 64 years old, off duty and married at the time of his death.
Pte Robert Lockhart, 2 UDR, 17th April 1979.
Robert had left the Regiment in 1975 and subsequently joined the RUC as a Reservist. He was the 14th UDR Veteran to be killed. One of four policemen killed by a massive IRA bomb. They were in a Landrover which was blown apart when explosives detonated by remote control in a hijacked van blew up at Millvale Road, Bessbrook. Eleven other people were injured. Identification could only be confirmed by fingerprinting. He was 44 years old and married at the time of his death.
Pte John Graham, 6 UDR, 25 April 1979.
The 92nd UDR Soldier killed. Shot by the IRA whilst driving his lorry at Seskinore, County Tyrone on his regular tour of local farms collecting milk. He was 55 years old, off duty and married at the time of his death.
Pte Samuel George Gibson, 8 UDR, 29 April 1979.
The 93rd UDR Soldier killed. Shot by the IRA as he cycled to work at Tyrone Brick Works. He was hit ten times. He was 52 years old, off duty and married with a daughter at the time of his death.
Pte Jack McClenaghan. 4 UDR. 19th May 1979.
Jack left the Regiment in 1974. He was the 15th UDR Veteran to be killed. He was shot by the IRA as he delivered bread in the Main Street, Garrison. The gunmen opened fire from a motorcycle and escaped over the nearby border into the Irish Republic. He was 63 years old and married at the time of his death.
Pte David Wray. 5 UDR. 20th May 1979.
David had left the Regiment in 1976 and subsequently joined the RUC as a Reservist. He was the 16th UDR Veteran to be killed. He was shot by IRA gunmen as he was on his way to church, Claremont Presbyterian, Nothland Road, Londonderry. Two gunmen fired in front of his son and daughter. He had survived an earlier attack in 1976 when he was hit in the chest. The gunmen had hijacked a car near St Colman's Church in the city, holding the driver hostage in the church during mass. He was 50 years old and married at the time of his death.
Pte Alan Dunne. 2 UDR. 2nd June 1979.
Alan heft the Regiment in 1975 and subsequently joined the RUC as a Reservist. He was the 17th UDR Veteran to be killed. He was shot by INLA gunmen as he talked to a friend outside his home at Ballinahone Crescent, Armagh. His friend, David Stinson was also killed. The attack was witnessed by Alan's wife and son. He was 36 years old and married at the time of his death.
Pte Alexander Gore, 10 UDR, 6th June 1979.
The 94th UDR Soldier killed. Shot by the IRA at a UDR base on the Malone Road in Belfast, around 40 shots were fired by the gunmen from the back of a truck, 3 other soldiers were injured in the attack. His wife was expecting their first child. He was 23 years old, on duty and married at the time of his death.
Pte John Hannigan, 6 UDR, 19 June 1979.
The 95th UDR Soldier killed. Shot by the IRA as he came out of a confectionary shop. He was walking to work and was only a short distance from his home in Omagh. He was 33 years old, off duty and married at the time of his death.
Pte Joseph Porter, 2 UDR, 24 June 1979.
The 96th UDR Soldier killed. His body found by a neighbour at the side of a road near his home, Mountmorris, near Markethill. He had been shot in the head by the IRA and his house ransacked. He was 64 years old, off duty and single at the time of his death.
Pte Robert Hawthorne. 2 UDR. 5th October 1979
Robert left the Regiment in 1979. He was the 18th UDR Veteran to be killed. He was shot by the IRA as he arrived for work in Soho Place, Newry. Another man in the car was injured. Five years earlier Robert had been commended for bravery after he had managed to keep control of his Landrover despite being wounded in the thigh when his mobile patrol was attacked in South Armagh. He was 37 years old and married.
Pte Herbert Kernaghan, 4 UDR, 15 October 1979.
The 97th UDR Soldier killed. Shot by the IRA as he made his morning delivery run to Rosslea Primary School. Teachers and staff were kept in the dining hall by the masked gunmen waiting for their victim. Pupils witnessed the killing. His wife gave birth to their fourth child a fortnight after his death and named him Herbert. He was 36 years old, off duty and married with three children at the time of his death.
Pte James Arthur Robinson, 6 UDR, 19 October 1979.
The 98th UDR Soldier killed. Shot by the IRA as he drove his milk van on his regular route. The IRA issued a statement saying he was executed because 'he was a member of the British imperialist war machine'.
He was 20 years old, off duty and single at the time of his death.
Cpl Frederick Houston Irwin, 8 UDR, 30 October 1979.
The 99th UDR Soldier killed. Shot by the IRA as he drove to work. He has previously received death threats from the IRA and had been varying his route but could not avoid the last stretch. His brother Thomas also a soldier in the Regiment was killed by the IRA in 1986. He was 43 years old, off duty and married at the time of his death.
Pte James Fowler. 6 UDR. 16th December 1979.
James had left the regiment and had enlisted into the Territorial Army on 12 Nov 1979, and was waiting to commence duties with the TA. He was the 19th UDR Veteran to be killed. He was shot by the IRA in his chip van in Omagh. James was a driver for the Health and Social Services Board and ran a mobile fish and chip shop. The gunmen flagged the van down, ordered food and as James and his son age 13 prepared the food they opened fire.
