Page 74
THE TROUBLES th
Tuesday 20 February 1973 Newry bomb A bomb has exploded outside the EBNI offices and showroom at Katherine Road in Newry fifteen minutes after it was planted. The bomb contained 50 lb of explosives and the area was evacuated before the device went off.
Tuesday 20th February 1973 £50,000 taken in raid Five gunmen, have held up passengers at Dundalk railway as they waited for the Dublin Belfast train to arrive. The men then boarded the train and took five mail bags from the train. It is estimated that the raiders got away with £50,000. Wednesday 21st February 1973 Bomb wrecks Belfast pub Two men, dressed in combat gear and wearing balaclavas, have planted a100 lb bomb at P. J. Lambe’s pub, Ballyhackamore. The bar was completely demolished and extensive damage was also caused to the Ballyhackamore Arms next door. No one was injured in the attacks.
Wednesday 21st February 1973 Sniper kills soldier A member of the British Army’s Coldstream Guards has been shot dead by a single bullet fired by a sniper in the Whiterock area of Belfast. The soldier had been a member of a patrol guarding a party of engineers who were digging a trench to repair an electricity cable. They were within sight of the Army base Fort Pegasus when the sniper fired, He was the third member of the Coldstream Guards to die in the past 24 hours. st
Wednesday 21 February 1973 Belfast arms raid A number of armed men have carried out a raid on Nelson’s sports shop in Great Victoria Street. A number of small arms were taken. No one was injured in the raid. Wednesday 21st February 1973 Suspect cars Army experts have blown up two suspect cars in Belfast. One car, a stolen Ford Anglia, was found abandoned at the Albert Clock and the second car was found at Castle Street. No explosives were found in the vehicles.
Wednesday 21st February 1973 Bus attacked A cross-border express bus, which was on its way from Letterkenny to Dublin has been stopped by men dressed in Army uniform on the Aughnacloy-Ballygawley road. The CIE bus was then set alight.
Wednesday 21st February 1973 Soldiers die in ambush Two members of the Coldstream guards have been shot dead when several well concealed gunmen opened fire on a two vehicle Army patrol on the falls Road. Several gunmen, using a variety of weapons, opened fire on the soldiers at Panton Street. More than 40 shots were fired at the soldiers. The two soldiers who died in the attack have been named as Guardsman Malcolm Shaw, aged 23 and Guardsman Robert Pearson, aged 18. A follow up search revealed some spent cartridges which revealed that the weapons used by the IRA were An Armalite rifle, a Garrand, rifle and a Thompson sub machinegun.