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Gunner Robert Curtis of 156 (Inkerman) Battery, 94 Locating Regiment, Royal Regiment of Artillery.
6 February 1971 New Lodge, Belfast.
In the early hours, a troop from 156 Battery were deployed in anti riot formation across Lepper Street at the junction of New Lodge Road tasked with preventing a mob from attacking people at the interface with Tiger Bay. A nail bomb was thrown at the troop and in the aftermath of the blast, the crowd split allowing a gunman to fire a long burst of automatic fire from an SMG. The crowd then reformed allowing the gunman to escape. Gunner Curtis was hit and died almost instantly. Four other troop members were wounded, one seriously.
This was the first officially recognised fatality that the army suffered as a direct result of terrorist action.
R.I.P. Geordie.
We Will Remember Them.
6 February 1971 New Lodge, Belfast.
In the early hours, a troop from 156 Battery were deployed in anti riot formation across Lepper Street at the junction of New Lodge Road tasked with preventing a mob from attacking people at the interface with Tiger Bay. A nail bomb was thrown at the troop and in the aftermath of the blast, the crowd split allowing a gunman to fire a long burst of automatic fire from an SMG. The crowd then reformed allowing the gunman to escape. Gunner Curtis was hit and died almost instantly. Four other troop members were wounded, one seriously.
This was the first officially recognised fatality that the army suffered as a direct result of terrorist action.
R.I.P. Geordie.
We Will Remember Them.
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