BALLYKELLY
Preparations in Berlin included converting to the new SA80 automatic rifle. In January 1988 the Glosters moved to Ulster, with their families. 'A' Company was based on the border at Aughnacloy, 'B' and support companies were in Belfast supporting the Royal Scots. 'C' Company was in reserve and HQ company manned Shackleton Barracks.
Tuesday 22 March - bomb detonated at Pomeroy as an RUC/support company foot patrol passed. no casualties.
Wednesday 30 March - Bomb in Coalisland as a patrol passed. One policeman and 3 men from support company received minor injuries.
Wednesday 4 May - RUC Station at Coalisland bombed - no casualties. 'C' company involved in follow-up operation.
Saturday 14 May - Incendiary devices thrown at a Factory in Cookstown. 'C' company involved in follow-up operation.
Monday 16 May - A booby-trap bomb injured an off-duty part-time UDR man while working on a farm. Support company involved in follow-up operation.
Saturday 21 May - 'C' company found 2 Drogue bombs in Coalisland.
Monday 23 May - 2 Drogue bombs thrown at an RUC patrol. 'C' company involved in follow-up operations.
Wednesday 25 May - A mortar attack on a base at Cookstown manned by 'A' company. 7 minor injuries.
Saturday
28 May - another mortar attack on the base. 'A' company follow-up
operations.
........................-
2 Droge bombs thrown at
an RUC patrol. 'C' company follow-up ops.
Tuesday 21 June - 4 shots fired at civilian workmen repairing a roof at Cookstown base. No casualties. 'A' and 'B' companies in follow-up ops.
Wednesday 22 June - A bomb exploded in Coalisland. 2 men from 'B' company received minor injuries.
Wednesday 6 July - Attempted mortar and gun attack on Pomeroy RUC station. 'B' company was patrolling nearby at the time and carried out follow-up ops. One terrorist was killed by his own bomb.
Thursday 7 July - Stewartstown RUC station attacked. One civilian casualty. 'B' company in follow-up ops.
Saturday 9 July - funeral of terrorist. 'B' and Support companies covered the funeral.
Sunday 17 July - 'B' and Support companies covered the Orange Day parades.
Thursday 21 July - 'B' company patrol found a 600lbs land mine near Coalisland.
Monday 25 July - Support company in follow-up ops after 8/UDR found a bomb in Cookstown.
Tuesday 2 August - Land mine detonated near an 8/UDR patrol. 'A' company in follow-up ops.
Wednesday 3 August - Private McNicholl of 8/UDR ambushed and murdered while driving to Dungannon. 'A' company in follow-up ops.
Saturday 6 August - 'C' company found a 500 lbs device in East Tyrone.
Thursday 8 September - 1000lbs car bomb exploded outside Coagh RUC station. 'B' and Support companies in follow-up ops.
Saturday 8 October - 'C' company locate an underground terrorist bumker near Moneymore.
Tuesday 11 October - A bomb found in Dungannon. 'C' company in follow-up ops.
Tuesday 18 October - Terrorists tried to murder an 8/UDR man at his home in Cookstown. Support Coy. in follow-up ops.
Friday 28 October - A 500lbs bomb found near Pomeroy. Mortar Platoon in cordon duties.
Sunday 30 October - Following an incident in Cappagh, 'B' coy. found a 250lbs bomb in follow-up ops.
Monday 14 November - Mortar attack on Cookstown base. 2 men slightly injured.
Wednesday 23 November - A car bomb at Benburb RUC station killed 2 civilians passing by at the time. 'B' coy. in follow-up ops.
Tuesday 13 December - 'A' coy. found rifles, a Russian rocket launcher and ammunition near Dungannon.
Saturday 31 December - 'A' coy. cleared an anti-armour grenade found by 2 children in Cookstown. Mortar attack on Cookstown base failed.
Tuesday 10 January 1989 - Support Co. helped recover rifles, shotguns and ammunition found in Blackwatertown.
Monday 16 January - Dungannon courthouse bombed. Support Coy. in cordon duties.
Saturday 21 January - 'A' co. found an anti-personnel mine near Pomeroy RUC station.
Tuesday 24 January - 'B' co. helped in a search in Cookstown that found explosives and bomb-making equipment.
Thursday 26 January - A terrorist operation was intercepted by an RUC and Support Coy. operation in Coalisland. 5 well-known terrorists were arrested.
Monday 8 February - 'C' coy. helped in clearing a bomb found at Stewartstown.
Friday 10 March - 2 bombs thrown at Coalisland RUC station. 'B' Coy. in follow-up ops.
Tuesday 14 March - A part-time soldier of 8/UDR murdered near Dungannon. In the follow-up ops. 'B' Coy. arrested 3 escaping terrorists. Another 3 were arrested by 'B' company when their car crashed.
Friday 21 April - A bomb cleared in Dungannon. 'A' coy. operation.
Saturday 29 April - A car bomb cleared in Dungannon. 'A' coy. operation.
Monday 1 May - 'A' Co. cleared 2 mortar bombs found in a garden in Dungannon.
Wednesday 3 May - Large bomb cleared by 'A' Coy. operation.
Thursday 11 May - Bomb cleared at Moy. Support Coy. operation.
Sunday 21 May - Terrorists entered a house in Ardobe and kidnapped a woman in front of her husband and 2 children. An RUC patrol captured the men and their victim. Support Coy. went to the house and another terrorist was captured when a soldier jumped on him from a helicopter as he tried to escape.
Friday 23 June - Support Coy. found ammunition at Black Rock.
Monday 26 June - An anti-armour grenade cleared by 'B' coy. near Black Lough.
Saturday 5 July - NCO's Cadre found a hide containing ammunition.
Saturday 22 July - A search by 'A' Coy. found a large arms hide.
Friday 4 August - 'A' coy. cleared a grenade in Dungannon.
Monday 14 August - A bomb cleared by the RUC and 'A' Coy. near Dungannon.
Wednesday 23 August - A search by the RUC and Support Coy. finds rifles and pistols.
Tuesday 12 September - A checkpoint at Aughnacloy fired upon. 'B' Coy. returned fire. No casualties. 600lbs of explosives found.
Tuesday 19 September - An explosive device found at the home of Ken Maginniss, M.P.
Tuesday 24 October - An attempted trap laid near Capagh. A dummy placed in a car with a bomb nearby. Bomb cleared.
Wednesday 29 November - 2 civilians shot dead at a bar in Ardboe. 'A' Coy. in follow-up ops.
Sunday 10 December - a car crashed through an RUC check-point near Limvady. 'B' Coy. were deployed and 3 men arrested. Explosives were recovered from the car.
Wednesday 3 January 1990 - A car trying to escape a Check-point manned by 'C' Coy. fired on and stopped.
Friday 19th January - A 'C' Coy. search in Coalisland found explosives.
Tuesday 6th February - an RUC reservist seriously injured by a bomb near Omagh. 'A' Coy. in follow-up ops.
Awards:
OBE - Lieut-Colonel D.R. Dixon, MBE
MBE
- WO2 I.M. Walker
Major E.D. Brown
Major G.H. Hony
BEM - Corporal R.A. Butt
MID
- Lt-General Sir John Waters, KCB, CBE.
Major J.P. Lambie
Captain T.L. Kingsberry
Lieutenant J.D. Daniel.
WO2 C.S.D. Stevens
Sergeant F.P. Collins
Sergeant A.R. McEvoy
Sergeant J.E. Murphy
Sergeant M.W. Thomas
Corporal S.C. Hack
Corporal S.A. Ryan