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I was thinking of you Saturday,
And all the plans you made..
No matter the years that pass Graham
The memories never fade.
You always walk beside me,
We are never far apart.
Though other folks can't see you
You are living in my heart.
Love as always
Mom and Ali. xxx
On Wednesday 15 June 1988 at 8.50 p.m., an unmarked blue Ford Transit van carrying six off-duty British soldiers in civilian clothes drove off from a leisure centre carpark in Lisburn. The soldiers had just taken part in the "Lisburn Fun Run", a 13-mile charity half marathon held in the town. They had left the van unattended in the carpark, which was the start and finish point for the run. It was there that an IRA Active Service Unit (ASU), who had been following the van, hid a booby-trap bomb underneath the vehicle.[2] The half marathon and shorter "fun runs" were organised by Lisburn Borough Council, together with the YMCA, to raise funds for the handicapped. There were 4,500 participants that day and at least 200 Army personnel had been given leave to participate in the event.[2][3]
Nine minutes later, the van stopped at traffic lights at Market Square, in Lisburn's town centre. As the van moved on, the seven-pound booby-trap bomb detonated, turning the van into a massive fireball and instantly killing four of the soldiers as the vehicle disintegrated with the force of the blast. The semtex device had been designed in a cone shape to channel the blast upwards, thereby causing maximum damage to the vehicle and the soldiers inside. The area around Market Square was crowded with onlookers, including many teenagers and families with young children, although the biggest crowd was at the carpark. In all, about 10,000 onlookers had attended the charity run.[4][5] There was pandemonium as frightened parents searched for their children, whilst others rushed to give aid to the dead and dying soldiers before fire engines and ambulances arrived.
Eleven civilian bystanders were injured in the attack, including a two-year-old child and an 80-year-old man.[2] Another soldier died on the way to hospital whilst a sixth soldier died later that night after undergoing surgery for severe head injuries. The dead soldiers were stationed at Ebrington Barracks in Derry and were returning to base when the bomb went off. Four of the men – Sergeant Michael Winkler (31), Signalman Mark Clavey (24), Lance Corporal Graham Lambie (22), and Corporal William Patterson (22) – were from the Royal Signals regiment, whilst the other two – Corporal Ian Metcalf (36) and Lance Corporal Derek Green (20) – were from the Green Howards and Royal Army Ordnance Corps regiments respectively
And all the plans you made..
No matter the years that pass Graham
The memories never fade.
You always walk beside me,
We are never far apart.
Though other folks can't see you
You are living in my heart.
Love as always
Mom and Ali. xxx
On Wednesday 15 June 1988 at 8.50 p.m., an unmarked blue Ford Transit van carrying six off-duty British soldiers in civilian clothes drove off from a leisure centre carpark in Lisburn. The soldiers had just taken part in the "Lisburn Fun Run", a 13-mile charity half marathon held in the town. They had left the van unattended in the carpark, which was the start and finish point for the run. It was there that an IRA Active Service Unit (ASU), who had been following the van, hid a booby-trap bomb underneath the vehicle.[2] The half marathon and shorter "fun runs" were organised by Lisburn Borough Council, together with the YMCA, to raise funds for the handicapped. There were 4,500 participants that day and at least 200 Army personnel had been given leave to participate in the event.[2][3]
Nine minutes later, the van stopped at traffic lights at Market Square, in Lisburn's town centre. As the van moved on, the seven-pound booby-trap bomb detonated, turning the van into a massive fireball and instantly killing four of the soldiers as the vehicle disintegrated with the force of the blast. The semtex device had been designed in a cone shape to channel the blast upwards, thereby causing maximum damage to the vehicle and the soldiers inside. The area around Market Square was crowded with onlookers, including many teenagers and families with young children, although the biggest crowd was at the carpark. In all, about 10,000 onlookers had attended the charity run.[4][5] There was pandemonium as frightened parents searched for their children, whilst others rushed to give aid to the dead and dying soldiers before fire engines and ambulances arrived.
Eleven civilian bystanders were injured in the attack, including a two-year-old child and an 80-year-old man.[2] Another soldier died on the way to hospital whilst a sixth soldier died later that night after undergoing surgery for severe head injuries. The dead soldiers were stationed at Ebrington Barracks in Derry and were returning to base when the bomb went off. Four of the men – Sergeant Michael Winkler (31), Signalman Mark Clavey (24), Lance Corporal Graham Lambie (22), and Corporal William Patterson (22) – were from the Royal Signals regiment, whilst the other two – Corporal Ian Metcalf (36) and Lance Corporal Derek Green (20) – were from the Green Howards and Royal Army Ordnance Corps regiments respectively
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