SF visit to Narrow Water 'disturbing'
THE brother of a British Army Paratrooper killed in the "mass slaughter" at Narrow Water 20 years ago has told of his family's devastation at Sinn Fein Youth's trip to the site.
Terry Wood, 46, from London, said his family has never recovered from the murder of his older brother Tony, who was killed by the IRA along with 17 other Army personnel on August 27, 1979.
Today, had he survived, Tony would be 48 years old.
Mr Wood said that hearing the news that Sinn Fein Youth had visited the site last weekend was "very disturbing".
He said his older brother was "blown to smithereens" while driving the last truck from Warrenpoint, which "got the full blast of the bomb".
Recalling the full horror of the atrocity, Mr Wood said: "All that was left of him was a welded pelvis on the seat of the truck he was driving. His body was totally disintegrated by the 700lb bomb."
Mr Wood, also a former Paratrooper who served in Northern Ireland, said his mother – who is originally southern Irish – was particularly hurt at news of the trip.
He questioned what body had given Sinn Fein Youth permission to attend the site.
A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) said it was not clear what part of the site the trip had included, adding: "NIEA was not approached about the planned trip."
Mr Wood said of the bomb attack: "It was carried out by evil people and God can be their judge now. I remember Margaret Thatcher's assurances to my parents and other families that no stone would be left unturned to catch those responsible. But that did not happen. People were arrested and let go. There has been no charges.
"The Sinn Fein Youth who went on this trip were not even alive during the Troubles and it is so distasteful and uncalled for."
He said they had visited the scene as if it was a battle site.
"But it was not a battle site, it was the mass slaughter of people who were driving down the road," said Mr Wood.
"The whole family was totally devastated by news of the Narrow Water meeting. Tony was only 19 years old when he died. He didn't get a chance at life.
"He said to our mum when he was at home, only three weeks before the bomb, that he did not think he would be coming home, and he didn't.
"Tony had a death vibe. I have served in 2 Para myself in the Falklands and in Northern Ireland and I know people get the death vibe."
Terry, who was encouraged to go into the forces after his brother's murder, served in Ballykinler, Crossmaglen, Forkhill, Lisnaskea and all around the Province in 2 Para.
Terry said he was also based in Ballykinler a couple of years after his brother.
"I was a civilian when my brother died," he said. "That encouraged me to go into the forces, very much so.
"Tony was the eldest of three children and my mother's eldest son.
"Our mum is Irish, from the south of Ireland, and she was so disgusted she never returned after Tony's death. Tony was the first Para to be buried and our family even got a death threat in London that day."
On January 10, protestors clashed with republicans visiting Narrow Water. The delegation were met at Carlingford Lough by a group of protestors equipped with posters and banners, including DUP MLA Jim Wells and prominent victims' spokesperson, Willie Frazer.
Mr Wells, who had hoped the visit would be called off given cross-community objections, described the event as "ghoulish".
"I was actually quite surprised and shocked they (the members of Sinn Fein Youth] went ahead with the tour," he said.
"They were commemorating and gloating over the biggest loss of human life in Northern Ireland until Omagh."
The South Down representative believes the tour poses more questions than answers, particularly regarding the bona fides of Sinn Fein.
"I would like to know how they had a guide who appeared extremely knowledgeable of the Narrow Water massacre?" said Mr Wells
"If that person is so knowledgeable, he clearly has information that would be useful to the police."
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Monday 28 May 2012
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