The Attack
The IRA team was armed with AK-47s and Armalite AR-18, two 12.7mm DShK heavy machine-guns, RPG-7s, different kinds of grenades, and a flamethrower. The bulk of the flying column would be driven to the checkpoint on a makeshift armoured truck. To assure widespread destruction, the column would detonate a van bomb after the initial assault. According to the RUC report, a third vehicle might have been involved. The chosen target, a permanent vehicle checkpoint at Derryard, was manned by eight soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the King's Own Scottish Borderers regiment and a member of the RUC.
The truck was driven from the border and halted at the checkpoint. As Private James Houston began to check the back of the truck, the IRA opened-fire with assault rifles and threw grenades into the compound. Two RPG-7s were fired at the observation sangar while the flamethrower was aimed at the command sangar. A farmer some distance away saw the orange ball of flames and heard gunfire 'raking the fields'. Heavy shooting continued as the truck reversed and smashed into the compound. The IRA sprayed it with gunfire from inside and threw grenades, nail bombs and petrol bombs. The defenders were forced to seek shelter in sangars, from where they fired into their own base. As the truck drove out of the now wrecked compound, a red transit van loaded with a 400 lb (182 kg) bomb was driven inside. However, it failed to detonate.
The attack was finally repulsed by a Borderers section from the checkpoint that was patrolling nearby, with the support of a Wessex helicopter. The patrol fired more than 100 rounds. The IRA column, at risk of being surrounded, then fled toward the border in the truck. It was found abandoned at the border with a 460 pounds (210 kg) bomb on board.
Two British soldiers were killed in the attack: Private Houston and Lance-Corporal Michael Patterson. Corporal Law was badly wounded by shrapnel and later airlifted for treatment. Another soldier suffered minor injures.
Read more about this topic: Attack On Derryard Checkpoint
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