Timeline of Ulster Defence Regiment Operations - 1973

1973

• January - 7 UDR arrest Tommy Herron, leader of the UDA, and several other men. 10 January - a patrol from 2 UDR comes under fire at Allistragh near The Moy. Fire is returned against two gunmen, one UDR soldier is injured in the wrist. A sub-machinegun is recovered in the follow-up. One week later the Glennane Company of 2 UDR arrest a known Provisional IRA man at a Vehicle Check Point (VCP) and seize an ArmaLite, an M1 carbine and two Lee Enfield .303 rifles. A further week later the patrol which had been ambushed at Allistragh arrests a man in Armagh city centre in possession of a 25 lb bomb.
• February - 3 UDR conducts a search operation in Castlewellan and finds two rifles and ammunition. 4 UDR arrests three men in possession of an RPG-7 near Lisnaskea. 9 UDR arrests three men in a car in possession of a 25 lb bomb outside Randalstown.
• March - 1 UDR arrests four loyalists suspected of petrol bombing a Catholic church. 10 UDR (along with Royal Marines) arrests four loyalists for bombing the Christian Brothers' Club, Antrim Road, Belfast. A bomb and an SMG stolen from a UDR armoury are recovered. The regiment is called out to provide cover for the Border Referendum polling stations and counting centres.
• April - 3 UDR foils a UVF attempt to seize arms from the guard at Knockbracken Reservoir, south Belfast. 9 UDR helps discover a UVF training area. In the follow-up, thirteen men are arrested and arms and ammunition seized.
• 13 May - 8 UDR shoots dead the commander of A Coy of the East Tyrone IRA battalion as he tried to shoot his way past a VCP.
• 10 UDR takes over nighttime and weekend manning of the segment gates in Belfast city centre.
• June - 8 UDR finds an M1 Carbine in a car at Dungannon and arrests the two occupants. An off-duty private from the UDR arrests a man at gunpoint after seeing him plant a bomb in the town centre. The bomb was defused. The private is awarded the Military Medal.
• August - 8 UDR gives chase to three men with rifles running from a car at a VCP. They capture two. 2 UDR deploya a patrol in the city centre to catch bombers but comea under fire suffering one fatality and one wounded. 8 UDR finds a rifle in a planned search west of Dungannon. 5 UDR arrests three "Provisionals" on the wanted list.
• September - 3 UDR mounts a major operation at Thunders Hill Wood above Rostrevor. Setting up a tactical HQ to co-ordinate the battalion, a light infantry unit, search dog, RAF helicopters and the Royal Navy warship in Carlingford Lough. Two hides containing weapon cleaning equipment are found.
• October 28 - first Greenfinches deploy with 10th Battalion in Belfast.
• November - 4 & 6 UDR provide cover for the Royal Engineers sealing off border roads in Tyrone and Fermanagh.
• December - 3 UDR finds an old UVF Martini-Henry rifle with bayonet plus three pistols and ammunition in a graveyard in Kilkeel. 3 UDR apprehends three suspects at Rostrevor and recovers an M1 Carbine and .303 rifle plus ammunition.