The number of military and police casualties during Operation Banner (14 August 1969 to 31 July 2007) vary according to sources with one source stating 1,400 soldiers and 319 Royal Ulster Constabulary Officers were killed and 6,100 members of the security forces injured.
The first soldier killed during Operation Banner was 20 year old Robert Curtis serving with the Royal Artillery who was shot in the New Lodge area of Belfast on 6 February 1971.
The last army fatality was 23 year old Stephen Restorick serving with the Royal Horse Artillery who was shot whilst manning a checkpoint at Bessbrook, South Armagh in February 1997. His killer was found guilty of multiple murders and bomb plots and sentenced to 490 years in prison, but was released after serving 16 months as part of the Good Friday Agreement! The Good Friday Agreement allowed all convicted terrorists to be released from prison and those on the run received comfort letters. Many Banner Veterans and their supporters accuse the British Government under Prime Minister Tony Blair of betrayal and persecution after several former soldiers fifty year after alleged events appeared in court.
Many veterans also resent Tony Blair for knowingly lying to Parliament and the British people when he said Iraq under Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction (WMD’s) to obtain approval for an illegal war against Iraq.
Alan Malcher 