1990 British Army Gazelle shootdown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 1990 British Army Gazelle shootdown |
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| Part of The Troubles and Operation Banner | |
British Army personnel inspecting the Gazelle's wreckage
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| Location | between Augher and Derrygorry, Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border |
| Coordinates | 54°24′48″N 7°03′30″W / 54.41333°N 7.05833°W |
| Date | 11 February 1990 16:30 (GMT) |
| Target | British Army helicopter |
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Attack type
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Shooting |
| Deaths | 0 |
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Non-fatal injuries
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3 soldiers |
| Perpetrator | Provisional IRA |
On February 11, 1990, a helicopter belonging to the British Army was shot down. This happened near the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. A group from the Provisional IRA (Irish Republican Army), specifically their East Tyrone Brigade, was responsible. The helicopter was a Gazelle model, and it was hit many times by heavy machine-gun fire. It then crash-landed in a field, and three of its four crew members were hurt. This event took place between Augher in County Tyrone and Derrygorry in County Monaghan.
Why This Happened
Since late 1989, the British Army had been very careful in County Tyrone. This was because they had been warned about a possible attack by the IRA. On December 13, 1989, a big attack happened. An IRA team used a homemade armored truck to raid a checkpoint. This checkpoint was guarded by soldiers from the King's Own Scottish Borderers regiment. It was near Derryard, County Fermanagh, very close to the border.
In that attack, two soldiers were killed. The IRA used machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and even a flamethrower. British officials thought the IRA members were from County Monaghan in the Republic, helped by others from Clogher, County Tyrone. However, some experts believe it was a special group of IRA volunteers from different areas. This group was led by Michael "Pete" Ryan from the East Tyrone Brigade. These attacks by the IRA were described as "professional" and "well-planned" by British military sources.
The Helicopter Shootdown
On February 11, 1990, a group of soldiers from the King's Own Scottish Borderers went to check on some suspicious vehicles. They had help from an unarmed Gazelle helicopter from the Army Air Corps. The vehicles were actually a trick set up by the East Tyrone Brigade. They wanted to trick the soldiers into an ambush.
Helicopters often helped soldiers during their time in Northern Ireland. Their main jobs were to fly patrols to different places and to look for enemy ambushes. They also helped stop IRA members from escaping by landing more soldiers in their path. It's not clear if the IRA planned to shoot down the Gazelle or if it just became a target by chance.
At 4:30 PM, a local person heard many shots, about 50 to 60. Then, she saw the helicopter flying low over a field near Derrygorry. The Gazelle helicopter was hit many times and started to lose oil pressure. The crew had to crash-land the helicopter, and it broke apart when it hit the ground.
The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and the British Army quickly secured the area. They started an investigation. The official report confirmed the Gazelle was on a scouting flight. Three crew members were hurt in the crash. One of them, a sergeant major, had back injuries. None of the injured were hit by bullets. Another crew member was not hurt at all. News reports showed the helicopter wreckage being looked at by Army experts. The remains were guarded for several days for more tests before being taken away.
The Provisional IRA later said they had fired 300 rounds at the helicopter. They used two heavy machine guns and three automatic rifles. Some people think the machine guns might have been Soviet-designed DShKs or American M60s. The Gazelle helicopter was too damaged to be used again. This was the first helicopter shot down in Northern Ireland by enemy fire since June 1988. At that time, a Lynx helicopter was brought down in County Armagh.
What Happened Next
The Gazelle helicopter being shot down made people worried. They feared the Provisional IRA might try another big attack.
After this and other attacks on security forces in 1990, especially near the border, troops were given more powerful weapons. These included .50 Browning machine guns and M203 grenade launchers. By 1992, the IRA was using long-range weapons like mortars and heavy machine guns. This forced the British Army to move their main checkpoints. They built them one to five miles inside Northern Ireland to avoid attacks from the Republic.
From 1990 until the first Provisional IRA ceasefire in 1994, there were more IRA actions. These involved heavy weapons in the border areas of Tyrone and Fermanagh. At least four of these involved British Army helicopters. For example, on February 15, 1991, a Lynx helicopter was shot at while picking up British troops. This happened a few miles south of Clogher. More than 360 shots were fired from across the border. The helicopter had to stop its landing and go back to base.
See also
- 1978 British Army Gazelle downing
- 1988 British Army Lynx shootdown
- 1994 British Army Lynx shootdown
- Battle of Newry Road
- Chronology of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions (1990–99)
- List of attacks on British aircraft during The Troubles
