Gunner George Mitchell Muncaster

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1 Troop (Mission Hall), 55 (The Residency) Battery, 49 Field Regiment Royal Artillery.

KIA 23rd January 1977 at 22.06hrs in the Markets area of south Belfast.

Buried in Bootle cemetery, commemorated at the National Memorial Arboretum - tree 183 in the Ulster Ash Grove and on the national memorial, remembered in Ken Wharton's book.

Never forgotten Scouse, one of us.

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We will remember them

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Never Forgotten.

R.I.P. Fellow Gunner.

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WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

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We who remain will not forget them.

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RIP George!

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Lest we forget

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Another year passes.

1977 was something of an eventful year for me. Second NI tour this time in charge of a section. We survived the attempt by three numpties to blow us up in the Gasworks only for the barstewards to cut George down in his prime. Soon after returning to BAOR I bought myself out without any plans and ended up home and jobless for a short while. I sorted myself out getting a job and a flat and some income. During this time I had my first breakdown of what later proved to be PTSD. I worked through it as you do and met t'Chicken who wasn't put off by my eccentric behaivour, mood swings, depression etc. Then many years later NIVA rescued me from my hurt, nearly 30 odd years of subconcious grieving.

1977 is now 35 years ago and the years are creeping up on me, but not on George. At 22.06 on 23/1/77 I had just got into my pit after a 16 hour shift. George and his section had just started theirs. At 22.06 on 23/1/12 I won't be online but will be thinking of him and you all with similar stories to tell. We must remember. Thank you for listening and have a drink for George, I will...

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I had only left Belfast 3 weeks prior and had many a time walked the same streets in the Markets without any major dramas. When I heard the sad news, it gave me pause for thought. There but for the grace etc.
Another young Gunner cut down in his youth.
We Will Remember Them.

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January 77 was a bad month indeed!

The Irish Republican Army stepped up their attacks on the security forces early in the New Year of 1977 with four British soldiers being quickly killed along with many others being wounded by the end of January alone.
It was during this early period that L/Cpl "Polly" Perkins, a junior Section Commander from 'A' Squadron, 3rd Royal Tank Regiment and his section of four young soldiers including myself, were lucky to survive an IRA Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack at Dungannon in County East Tyrone.
The IED concerned only partly detonated with most of our section within the target area; the device failed with only the detonator, small booster charge and napalm mix detonating. If the main charge of 10-12 lbs of military grade explosive had detonated, I fear myself and some of my comrades may not have been about today.
At the time I was 18 years of age.

Meanwhile, L/Cpl David Hind and several of his riflemen of the Royal Highland Fusiliers were not so lucky at nearby Crossmaglen just across the county border in South Armagh. Both Counties of Armagh and Tyrone covered an area known by the British Army as “Bandit Country” or “Murder Triangle” Few soldiers took their deployments to these areas lightly.

Sunday January 2nd 1977 saw L/Cpl David Hind of the 1 Battalion Royal Highland Fusiliers lead his section of four riflemen, escorted by a Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier out of the fort to patrol the village of Crossmaglen. This village and the surrounding area had built up a fearsome reputation and today was to prove this reputation was not without reason.

The Duty Officer and the Company Commander were in the “Ops Room” and were in radio contact with the patrol. All of a sudden the sound of automatic gunfire crashed out of the radio loudspeaker along with L/Cpl Hind’s standard contact report.
“Contact. Dundalk Road, School. Wait out.” Contact with the patrol was then lost;
A platoon strength fighting patrol was immediately dispatched to assist the patrol and judging by the sound of much gunfire, they were clearly in big trouble.
The reinforcements quickly reached the Saracen APC which was laying down suppressive fire with its turret mounted .30 Browning machine gun. In between bursts of fire, the gunner was able to give the CO a situation report (SIT REP).
At least 3 fallen British soldiers could be seen laying prostrate on the ground to the front of their position with muzzle flashes clearly evident even further to the rear.
After a brief fire-fight, the firing soon died away and the reinforcing platoon was able to advance, secure the immediate area and deal with the aftermath.

It came to be that the patrol had been moving along the main road with the Commander L/Cpl David Hind on the left with Fusilier Reid ten yards behind him. On the other side of the road were Fusiliers Simpson and Ferguson. It was just after midday and as they passed St Josephs school they came under heavy sustained automatic and single shot fire. The firing position was approximately 300 – 400 yards away. During the first volley, L/Cpl Hind was killed outright and his radio smashed.
Fusilier Simpson was also hit and fell severely wounded. Fusilier Ferguson had his arm smashed and the impact of the bullet strike carried his rifle out into the middle of the road. Only Fusilier Reid was un-injured. His instinctive action should have been to hit the ground, crawl, observe sight and fire.
He was 20 years old and only 14 months out of basic training. Instead, he stood his ground and engaged the IRA ambush firing position. Meanwhile, despite his smashed arm, Fusilier Ferguson crawled out into the middle of the road under fire and retrieved his rifle. In pain and unable to support his weapon correctly, he rolled onto his back, used his foot as a rest and also engaged the enemy. By now Reid had emptied his magazine and whilst changing mags, he doubled across the road with bullets whining off the tarmac all around him to assist his stricken section commander.
It was quite clear on his arrival that L/Cpl Hind was dead. Reid fired off another magazine and once empty, stood over Hind’s body, picked up his rifle and continued to engage the terrorists firing position. A passing civilian car then blundered into the ambush scene. Reid brought the car to a stop and ordered the driver to drive to the fort and raise the alarm. At this new development, the incoming fire died down with the terrorists soon melting away.

For this action, Fusilier Reid was awarded the Military Medal and
Fusilier Ferguson was Mentioned in Despatches.

Before the month of January was over, 2 more young British soldiers aged just 18 and 19 of the Royal Artillery were sniped and killed in Belfast.

These were not the only incidents to take place over this period of heightened activity;
Sapper Howard Edwards aged 24 would be shot down and killed in the Bogside, Londonderry. One of our area’s 'Bomb Disposal Operators' code named “Felix” Sgt Martin Walsh was blown to pieces whilst defusing an IED.
This was on top of losing our own local Ulster Defence Regiment Company Commander, Capt Eric Shielles who was shot down on his doorstep in front of his family. By the end of our four month tour of duty, 22 year old Trooper Sean Prendergast of the 9/12 Royal Lancers would die when he came under IED attack. Sgt William Edgar of the RCT would be abducted and then executed.
Five more UDR soldiers would fall alongside 9 Royal Ulster Constabulary Constables.
January to May of 1977 was indeed a bloody period for the security forces.
The IRA would prove time and time again that they were not only ruthless, but they were extremely capable as the British Army's RUC's casualty lists would reveal.
They were indeed a most dangerous enemy on their home ground.

The above is just a selection taken from many incidents which took place throughout this period in Northern Ireland.

The following British soldiers and Police Officers were killed in action or murdered in the province during A Sqn 3 RTR's 4 month emergency tour of duty.
IRA Casualties, civilians and other terrorist organisations unknown.

British Army

Sapper Howard Edwards. Age 24. Royal Engineers.
L/Cpl David Hind. Age 23. Royal Highland Fusiliers.
Sgt Martin Walsh. Age 28. Royal Army Ordnance Corps.
Gnr Edmund Muller. Age 18. Royal Artillery.
Major John Hill. Age 45. Ulster Defence Regiment.
Gnr George Muncaster. Age 19. Royal Artillery.
Pte John Reid. Age 55. Ulster Defence Regiment.
Cpl David McQuaillan. Age 36. Ulster Defence Regiment.
Tpr Sean Prendergast. Age 22. 9/12 Lancers.
Cpl Gerald Cloete. Age 46. Ulster Defence Regiment.
Sgt William Edgar. Age 34. Royal Corps of Transport.
Captain Eric Shielles. Age 49. Ulster Defence Regiment.

Royal Ulster Constabulary

Constable Joseph Scott. Age 49.
Constable Norman Campbell. Age 19.
Constable Samuel Armour. Age 37.
Constable James Greer. Age 27.
Constable Patrick McNulty.
Constable Robert Harrison. Age 50.
Constable Samuel McKane. Age 33.
Inspector Harold Cobb. Age 38.
Sgt Joseph Campbell. Age 49.
Constable William Brown. Age 18.
Constable Kenneth Sheehan. Age 19.
Constable John McCracken. Age 22.

"At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them!"

Switches

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Rest in peace George, never forgotten,

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Not been on the site for a few days. In memory of GNR PAUL SHEPPARD who was murdered 34 years ago on the 1-3-1978. REST IN PEACE MATE, IF YOU CAN .