Glasdrumman ambush facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Glasdrumman ambush
Part of the Troubles
Date 17 July 1981 Location Glasdrumman, County Armagh 54°3′26.76″N 6°31′37.84″W / 54.0574333°N 6.5271778°W / 54.0574333; -6.5271778 Result IRA victory
Belligerents
Provisional IRA	United Kingdom British Army
Commanders and leaders
Unknown	Lance Corporal Gavin Dean  †
Strength
Up to 7 IRA members	18 soldiers
Casualties and losses
None	1 killed 1 wounded

The Glasdrumman ambush was an attack that happened on 17 July 1981. It involved the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the British Army. The attack took place in Glasdrumman, a small area in County Armagh, which is in Northern Ireland.

During this event, the British Army was trying to set up a hidden lookout spot near a scrapyard. They wanted to catch IRA members who were setting up roadblocks. However, the IRA found out about the British Army's plan and ambushed them instead. One British soldier was killed in the attack. The IRA was able to keep setting up roadblocks in the South Armagh area after this event.

What Was the Glasdrumman Ambush?

The Glasdrumman ambush was a surprise attack by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). They attacked a hidden British Army team in Glasdrumman, County Armagh. This happened on 17 July 1981. The British Army was trying to stop the IRA from setting up illegal roadblocks. But the IRA found out and attacked the soldiers first.

Why Did It Happen?

The year 1981 was a time of high tension in Northern Ireland. This was partly due to the 1981 Irish hunger strike by some prisoners. Because of this, groups like the IRA became more active. British intelligence, which gathers information, learned that the IRA planned to set up illegal roadblocks. They also planned to take over vehicles on roads in South Armagh. This area is close to the border with the Republic of Ireland.

To stop this, the British Army used a tactic called "close observation platoons" (COPs). These were small, hidden army teams. Their job was to watch and stop IRA activities. This tactic was first used in 1977. In May 1981, a British Army team caught an IRA member trying to set up a roadblock. This showed that the British Army's new tactics could work.

The Ambush Unfolds

After their first success, the British Army continued using these hidden teams. On 16 July 1981, 18 soldiers from the Royal Green Jackets regiment started a new operation. They set up four hidden positions, named Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta. These spots were in the Glasdrumman area, near a scrapyard close to the border.

The plan was for a "triggering" team to ambush any IRA unit they saw. The other four hidden teams would then block any escape routes. On 17 July, the leaders of the Alpha and Delta teams became suspicious. They thought local people might have seen them, making the operation unsafe. So, they ordered their men to leave.

Soon after, the Bravo team was suddenly attacked. Six or seven IRA members fired many shots from across the border, about 160 yards away. They used powerful machine guns and rifles. The Bravo team was hidden inside an old, broken-down van. The van was hit by more than 250 bullets. The team's leader, Lance Corporal Gavin Dean, was killed right away. Another soldier, Rifleman John Moore, was badly hurt. Moore later received a bravery award called the Military Medal.

What Happened Next?

The British Army later looked into what went wrong. They found that Dean's team had been seen on the first day. This allowed the IRA to carefully check the area. They could then choose the best spot for their ambush.

British army commanders decided that it was too risky to send soldiers on such missions. They felt it was not worth risking lives just to stop an IRA roadblock. This event also showed how hard it was to keep operations secret in South Armagh. Many people in that area supported the IRA. Years later, the IRA in South Armagh had similar successes against hidden British observation posts. One example was during an operation in 1990.

Learn More

• Attack on Cloghogue checkpoint
• Drummuckavall Ambush
• Occupation of Cullaville
• Operation Conservation
• Timeline of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions