Altnaveigh landmine attack facts for kids

The Altnaveigh landmine attack happened on 19 May 1981 in Northern Ireland. During this event, five British soldiers lost their lives. Their armoured vehicle was destroyed by a hidden bomb, called a landmine. This landmine was planted by a group known as the Provisional IRA. The attack took place in a countryside area called Altnaveigh, near Newry in County Armagh. The bomb was set off from a distance as the vehicle drove over it. This attack happened when there was a lot of tension because of the 1981 Irish hunger strike.

What Led to the Attack?

Since 1970, the Provisional IRA had been fighting against the British security forces in Northern Ireland. This was part of a conflict known as the Troubles. The fighting was very strong in the southern part of County Armagh, which is close to the Republic of Ireland. A part of the IRA, called the South Armagh Brigade, often attacked British Army and police patrols.

For example, in April 1979, four police officers were killed by a roadside bomb. Later that year, 18 British soldiers died in a similar attack. This was known as the Warrenpoint ambush. It was the deadliest attack on British troops during the conflict.

In March 1981, some IRA prisoners started a hunger strike. They wanted to be treated as political prisoners, not criminals. One of the hunger strikers, Raymond McCreesh, was from a nearby area. During this time, there were many protests and more actions by the IRA.

How the Attack Happened

On 19 May 1981, two British Army armoured vehicles were driving on Chancellors Road. This road is in the rural area of Altnaveigh, west of Newry. The IRA had hidden a large bomb, weighing about 450 kilograms (1,000 pounds), under the road. It was placed in a drainpipe, called a culvert.

When the second vehicle drove over the spot, the bomb was set off. It was controlled by a radio from a distance. The explosion completely destroyed the vehicle. The force of the blast threw the vehicle's engine over a nearby railway line. It also left a very large hole in the road.

All five soldiers inside the vehicle died immediately. Their names were Paul Bulman (19), Michael Bagshaw (25), Andrew Gavin (19), John King (20), and Grenville Winstone (27). Most of them were from the Royal Green Jackets regiment. Paul Bulman, the driver, was from the Royal Corps of Transport. This attack was the deadliest for the British Army since the Warrenpoint ambush.

After the explosion, security forces quickly closed off the area. They spent several hours checking for more bombs before they could remove the bodies. Helicopters and a special plane searched the countryside for the IRA group responsible.

The IRA's South Armagh Brigade said they were responsible for the attack. They stated that British soldiers should realize that their lives were not cared for by the English public or politicians. They claimed soldiers were fighting a war they could not win. It is thought that this attack was meant to highlight the ongoing hunger strike of Raymond McCreesh. He died on hunger strike two days later.

See also

• Chronology of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions (1980–1989)
• Dungannon land mine attack
• Ballygawley land mine attack
• Ballygawley bus bombing
• 1990 Downpatrick roadside bomb