4th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment

4th (County Fermanagh) Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment

Regimental Insignia
Active 1970–1992
Country  United Kingdom
Branch British Army
Type Infantry battalion
Role Internal Security
Size 750
Motto(s) "Quis Separabit" (Latin)
"Who Shall Separate Us?"
March (Quick) Garryowen & Sprig of Shillelagh.
(Slow) Oft in the Stilly Night
Commanders
Colonel Commandant

First: General Sir John Anderson GBE, KCB, DSO.

Last: General Sir Charles Huxtable, KCB, CBE, DL
Colonel of the Regiment Colonel Sir Dennis Faulkner CBE

4th (County Fermanagh) Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment (4 UDR) was formed in 1970 as part of the 7 original battalions specified in The Ulster Defence Regiment Act 1969, which received Royal Assent on 18 December 1969[1] and was brought into force on 1 January 1970.[2][3] It was amalgamated with the 6th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment in 1992 to form the 4th/6th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment.

History

Along with the other six original battalions, 4 UDR commenced operational duties on 1 April 1970.

The first training Major (TISO) was Major KW Battison of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.[4] Part of his job was to find accommodation for the various companies of the new battalion and, where possible, accommodation was sought in army bases. While the old Ulster Special Constabulary platoon huts were vacant and available, to have used those would have highlighted the continuity in personnel between the B Specials and the UDR. This reached 87% in the 4th Battalion, the highest of all UDR battalions.[4]

The battalion was initially based in the ladies' rest room of the Territorial Army centre in Enniskillen but was moved to Grosvenor Barracks, Coleshill, Enniskillen, where a new "hardened" barracks was eventually built, partially underground, to withstand mortar attack. The modified barracks was opened by Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster[5] (who had long standing family and military connections with the area) in 1991.

Most patrols from Grosvenor Barracks went out by helicopter or boat. Because of the danger of ambush, vehicles were only used in the urban area around Enniskillen. County Fermanagh is surrounded on three sides by the Republic of Ireland. Boat patrols were common as the county contains Lough Erne.[6]

Uniform, armament & equipment

See: Ulster Defence Regiment Uniform, armament & equipment

Greenfinches

See also: Women's UDR

Intimidation

Protestant and Catholic soldiers were both intimidated out of the regiment.[7] Following the introduction of internment however more Catholic soldiers found themselves the subject of intimidation from within their own community.[7] In Enniskillen one member of the conrate guard was Catholic. Some of his neighbours came to his home in the early hours of the morning and beat him as well as scrubbing his face with a hard brush. He was a frail man but was beaten black and blue and his face badly damaged by the brush. He resigned from the battalion the next day.[8]

Casualties

Notable personnel

See also

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 44996. p. 129747. 29 December 1969. Retrieved 5 March 2009.
  2. ↑ Statutory Instrument, 1969 No. 1860 (C. 58), The Ulster Defence Regiment Act 1969 (Commencement) Order 1969
  3. ↑ The New Law Journal, Volume 120, Part 1
  4. 1 2 Potter p27
  5. ↑ Potter p345
  6. ↑ Ryder p191
  7. 1 2 Potter p58
  8. ↑ Potter p59
  9. 1 2 Ryder p55
  10. ↑ Palace Barracks Memorial Garden - Northern Ireland, Falklands Islands, Felix Memorial Garden
  11. ↑ Ryder p56
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