Hello this is my first time here and I'm hoping that someone in the veterans community can help me with a question that has been niggling me for years.
I lived in the lower falls area in Belfast throughout the troubles and I was a youngster at the time during the worst years of the 70s. It seemed that there were gun battles and shootings almost every day. I remember one shooting incident in raglan street which was unusual in that it took place after ten o'clock on a winters night when it was almost pitch black due to the lack of ( knocked out) street lighting. Low visibility suited army foot patrols for obvious reasons and therefore most attacks on them took place during daylight hours.
As I said, this was a winters night and there had been heavy snowfall over a number of days which disadvantaged night time patrolling due to the fact that snow even at night is highly reflective and makes objects or figures stand out more clearly. Two soldiers were shot and wounded that night and the rumour mill soon kicked in. The most likely account doing the rounds was that a night sight had been used.
I have spoken to people who remember the period and I have some recollection that the patrols out at night in the falls during this spell of snowy weather had been wearing white winter camouflage smocks. It was such a long time ago that I am left wondering whether this was the case as I can't find anyone who agrees with me. It may have been a localised regimental thing rather than a province wide use of such gear by the army. Or I could be the purveyor of an urban myth! Does anyone out there have any knowledge or insight which might clear this up? Any opinions would be a good help!
I lived in the lower falls area in Belfast throughout the troubles and I was a youngster at the time during the worst years of the 70s. It seemed that there were gun battles and shootings almost every day. I remember one shooting incident in raglan street which was unusual in that it took place after ten o'clock on a winters night when it was almost pitch black due to the lack of ( knocked out) street lighting. Low visibility suited army foot patrols for obvious reasons and therefore most attacks on them took place during daylight hours.
As I said, this was a winters night and there had been heavy snowfall over a number of days which disadvantaged night time patrolling due to the fact that snow even at night is highly reflective and makes objects or figures stand out more clearly. Two soldiers were shot and wounded that night and the rumour mill soon kicked in. The most likely account doing the rounds was that a night sight had been used.
I have spoken to people who remember the period and I have some recollection that the patrols out at night in the falls during this spell of snowy weather had been wearing white winter camouflage smocks. It was such a long time ago that I am left wondering whether this was the case as I can't find anyone who agrees with me. It may have been a localised regimental thing rather than a province wide use of such gear by the army. Or I could be the purveyor of an urban myth! Does anyone out there have any knowledge or insight which might clear this up? Any opinions would be a good help!
