Thomas Robert BULLOCK

Private 24205385 Thomas Robert BULLOCK, 4th County Fermanagh Battalion. On the 21st September 1972 aged 55. He was off duty when he was shot dead with his wife by the PIRA at their home, Aghalane, near Derrylin, County Fermanagh. At rest with his wife in a family plot at Derrylin Parish churchyard.

Extract from S Hains on Operation Banner
A brutal day occurred when on the 21st of September 1972 at 1820 hrs two cars crossed the Border at Aghalane from Eire. One car a Brown Ford Escort drove to a farm at Killynick, home to a member of 4 UDR Private Thomas Bullock. His wife Emily opened the door and she was gunned down by an IRA man with .45. The other men walked into the house and shot Thomas dead with an M1 Carbine and a .303 Rifle.
The other car drove to Private Darlings farm, luckily he was out on his farm, and his wife hid his SMG and Children under the bed. The gunmen ransacked the house and took 2 full SMG magazines before leaving. They then fired shots at the Post office in Aghalane. Before crossing back into Eire. Witnesses claimed they heard the gunmen singing and shouting as they sped away, and they appeared drunk or on drugs.

Private 24205646 John Robert BELL, 4th County Fermanagh Battalion. He was shot dead by the PIRA whilst off duty on his farm at Derrydoon near Newtownbutler, County Fermanagh on the 22nd October 1972 aged 22. At rest in a family plot at Galloon Parish Church.
He is commemorated on a tree memorial plaque at the UDR Memorial Ulster Ash Grove, National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire.

Source for the following Issue 11 The Troubles.
Monday 23 October 1972. UDR man killed near border.
Off duty UDR John Bell 22 shot dead in an ambush near Newtownbutler. He was the front seat passenger of a car which was being driven to the family farm by his father. His father was wounded but managed to drive on and another brother who was in the back managed to return fire but did not hit anyone.


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