On This Day / December 19, 1970
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19701219
Reference Date
19701219
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 19th December 1970, the Scarman Tribunal heard damaging evidence about the Tynan B Specials, including admissions of panic, poor firearms control and an attempted cover-up after the killing of John Gallagher. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Tynan Specials in Dock | On This Day – 19th December 1970
THE man in charge of the Tynan platoon of B Specials in Armagh on the night of August 14 1969 when John Gallagher was shot dead, was asked by Justice Scarman yesterday if he had lost his head or panicked that night.
The Judge added that from the district commandant, Mr William Murray’s evidence that members of the Tynan platoon had fired and he had not known what their targets were, it was possible that one of the bullets had killed Mr Gallagher.
Mr Murray admitted that he had failed to make a report for some time after the incident because he had been scared and wanted to make a report that would relieve his men of blame.
A Major in the UDR and the former District Commandant of the USC over the Armagh area told the Tribunal that he didn’t believe that members of the platoon who fired that night had had a reckless disregard for human life.
Major Michael Armstrong, BL Second Battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment and formerly a District Commandant of the B Specials in Armagh, was cross-examined yesterday by Mr Garrett McGrath, QC for the relatives of John Gallagher.
The Tynan platoon was under the command of Major Armstrong.
Mr Justice Scarman – There must have been certain principles to govern the use of firearms whatever the situation.
Major Armstrong – The basic principle was to use firearms only when absolutely necessary.
Mr Justice Scarman – Were the officers provided with any written document about the use of firearms?
Witness – No. They had run out of the firearms document which was published in 1958 and not reprinted.
Judge Scarman – What were the main duties of the Tynan platoon?
– Guarding the border.
Mr McGrath, QC – Do you agree that it was exclusively recruited from Protestants? – No.
Mr McGrath – Were there any Catholics in the platoon under your command?
– There was one Catholic but he did not serve for long.
Mr McGrath – Are you a member of the Orange Order and Black Preceptory? – Yes.
Are you a member of the Ulster Unionist Council? – Yes.
Referring to the Civil Rights march in Armagh that night, Mr McGrath asked the witness – Was it your view that the objects of this march were to create disorder and was that your view of the Civil Rights Movement in general?
– It is hard to be sweeping about that but it very often has been.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Despite the shocking revelations about the reckless actions of the Tynan B Specials in Armagh on August 14 1969 and the attempted cover-up, no one was ever charged with John Gallagher’s murder.)
On This Day – 19th December 1970
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19701219
Reference Date
19701219
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 19th December 1970, the Scarman Tribunal heard damaging evidence about the Tynan B Specials, including admissions of panic, poor firearms control and an attempted cover-up after the killing of John Gallagher. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Tynan Specials in Dock | On This Day – 19th December 1970
THE man in charge of the Tynan platoon of B Specials in Armagh on the night of August 14 1969 when John Gallagher was shot dead, was asked by Justice Scarman yesterday if he had lost his head or panicked that night.
The Judge added that from the district commandant, Mr William Murray’s evidence that members of the Tynan platoon had fired and he had not known what their targets were, it was possible that one of the bullets had killed Mr Gallagher.
Mr Murray admitted that he had failed to make a report for some time after the incident because he had been scared and wanted to make a report that would relieve his men of blame.
A Major in the UDR and the former District Commandant of the USC over the Armagh area told the Tribunal that he didn’t believe that members of the platoon who fired that night had had a reckless disregard for human life.
Major Michael Armstrong, BL Second Battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment and formerly a District Commandant of the B Specials in Armagh, was cross-examined yesterday by Mr Garrett McGrath, QC for the relatives of John Gallagher.
The Tynan platoon was under the command of Major Armstrong.
Mr Justice Scarman – There must have been certain principles to govern the use of firearms whatever the situation.
Major Armstrong – The basic principle was to use firearms only when absolutely necessary.
Mr Justice Scarman – Were the officers provided with any written document about the use of firearms?
Witness – No. They had run out of the firearms document which was published in 1958 and not reprinted.
Judge Scarman – What were the main duties of the Tynan platoon?
– Guarding the border.
Mr McGrath, QC – Do you agree that it was exclusively recruited from Protestants? – No.
Mr McGrath – Were there any Catholics in the platoon under your command?
– There was one Catholic but he did not serve for long.
Mr McGrath – Are you a member of the Orange Order and Black Preceptory? – Yes.
Are you a member of the Ulster Unionist Council? – Yes.
Referring to the Civil Rights march in Armagh that night, Mr McGrath asked the witness – Was it your view that the objects of this march were to create disorder and was that your view of the Civil Rights Movement in general?
– It is hard to be sweeping about that but it very often has been.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Despite the shocking revelations about the reckless actions of the Tynan B Specials in Armagh on August 14 1969 and the attempted cover-up, no one was ever charged with John Gallagher’s murder.)
On This Day – 19th December 1970
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19701219
Reference Date
December 19, 2020
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 19th December 1970, the Scarman Tribunal heard damaging evidence about the Tynan B Specials, including admissions of panic, poor firearms control and an attempted cover-up after the killing of John Gallagher. Edited by Éamon Phoenix.
Tynan Specials in Dock | On This Day – 19th December 1970
THE man in charge of the Tynan platoon of B Specials in Armagh on the night of August 14 1969 when John Gallagher was shot dead, was asked by Justice Scarman yesterday if he had lost his head or panicked that night.
The Judge added that from the district commandant, Mr William Murray’s evidence that members of the Tynan platoon had fired and he had not known what their targets were, it was possible that one of the bullets had killed Mr Gallagher.
Mr Murray admitted that he had failed to make a report for some time after the incident because he had been scared and wanted to make a report that would relieve his men of blame.
A Major in the UDR and the former District Commandant of the USC over the Armagh area told the Tribunal that he didn’t believe that members of the platoon who fired that night had had a reckless disregard for human life.
Major Michael Armstrong, BL Second Battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment and formerly a District Commandant of the B Specials in Armagh, was cross-examined yesterday by Mr Garrett McGrath, QC for the relatives of John Gallagher.
The Tynan platoon was under the command of Major Armstrong.
Mr Justice Scarman – There must have been certain principles to govern the use of firearms whatever the situation.
Major Armstrong – The basic principle was to use firearms only when absolutely necessary.
Mr Justice Scarman – Were the officers provided with any written document about the use of firearms?
Witness – No. They had run out of the firearms document which was published in 1958 and not reprinted.
Judge Scarman – What were the main duties of the Tynan platoon?
– Guarding the border.
Mr McGrath, QC – Do you agree that it was exclusively recruited from Protestants? – No.
Mr McGrath – Were there any Catholics in the platoon under your command?
– There was one Catholic but he did not serve for long.
Mr McGrath – Are you a member of the Orange Order and Black Preceptory? – Yes.
Are you a member of the Ulster Unionist Council? – Yes.
Referring to the Civil Rights march in Armagh that night, Mr McGrath asked the witness – Was it your view that the objects of this march were to create disorder and was that your view of the Civil Rights Movement in general?
– It is hard to be sweeping about that but it very often has been.
(Éamon Phoenix editor’s note: Despite the shocking revelations about the reckless actions of the Tynan B Specials in Armagh on August 14 1969 and the attempted cover-up, no one was ever charged with John Gallagher’s murder.)
On This Day – 19th December 1970
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
On This Day is a daily column in the Irish News looking back either 50 or 100 years. The column was compiled by Dr Éamon Phoenix from the mid 1980s until autumn, 2022. The Foundation is very grateful to the Irish News for giving permission to reproduce Eamon’s columns. Funding gratefully received from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the Magill Trust.
* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.