Pte Alan Smyth, 5 UDR, 24th April 1994.

Alan had left the Regiment in 1988. He was the 61st UDR Veteran to be killed. He was shot by the IRA as he sat in his car in Main Street, Garvagh, talking to his friend John McCloy, he also died. Another friend was slightly injured. One gunman fired thirty shots killing John instantly and Alan died a short time later. Alan had survived two previous attempts on his life. He was 40 years old and single at the time of his death.

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Pte Eric Smyth, 2 UDR, 28th April 1994.

Eric had left the Regiment in 1990. He was the 62nd UDR Veteran to be killed. He was shot by the IRA as he arrived home at Salters Grange Road, Armagh. Two gunmen waited behind a hedge opposite his house and fired nineteen rounds at his van when it stopped. Eric's 97 year old father and 15 year old daughter heard the shooting. Eric had been medically discharged after eighteen years service. The IRA wrongly claimed that he was a serving R IRISH soldier. He was 40 years old and married at the time of his death.

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Pte Reginald McCollum, 8 R IRISH, 21st May 1994.

The 5th Royal Irish Soldier killed. He was abducted and shot by the IRA whilst socialising off duty in Armagh. The IRA claimed that they had 'abducted, interrrogated and killed him', several hours after he was last seen. He had been shot nine times and a pathologist at the inquest said his other injuries suggested a considerable struggle and that he had fought hard with his attackers. His body was recovered from an area between Callanbridge and Mullacreevie Estates, Armagh. His brother Nigel, age 25, was killed in an IRA mortar attack on 08 Mar 93 whilst working for a civilian contractor and his grandmother was killed by an IRA bomb placed in her farmyard. He was 19 years old, off duty and single at the time of his death.

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Cpl Telford Withers, 3 R IRISH, 8th August 1994.

The 6th Royal Irish Soldier killed. Shot by the IRA as he worked in his butcher's shop in Downpatrick Street, Crossgar. He was hit twice by a gunman who fired five rounds. A nurse in the shop tried to resuscitate him but he died a few minutes later. His wife who was fighting cancer had gone to visit their eldest daughter in Scotland that day and saw a television report on the shooting. She telephoned the shop where the call was answered by a policeman who broke the news. Trelford was killed 23 days before the IRA announced a 'complete cessation of military operations' and was the last member of the security forces to be killed by the IRA before the 1994 ceasefire. Mrs Withers lost her battle with cancer two years later. His daughter joined the Regiment after her father's killing. He was 46 years old, off duty and married at the time of his death.

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At the going down of the sun,

and in the morning

We will remember them.

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