'˜Martin McGuinness didn't just leave one widow ... he left hundreds of us'

Manchester woman Christine Huggins was speaking about the death of her husband Robert Huggins, a father of three who died in an IRA car-bomb at the Lakeland Forum as he completed a day’s fishing on May 18, 1984.

Mr Huggins, a lance corporal in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, died along with colleague Corporal Thomas Agar, 35, a father of one. Two other soldiers and eight civilians were also injured in the blast.

“Bob was a loving husband, who doted on his children,” Christine said. “The times they had together were very precious because he was away all the time, so they made the most of their family time.

“He loved the Army, he loved fishing – that was his passion in life. He was a typical husband, went to work, brought home the money for the house and loved his children and wife.”

Robert was 29 and she was 27 when he died.

Christine did not expect him to be at risk doing something “recreational”, adding that it would have been “easier” if he had been killed on guard or patrol.

She was in Limavady with a friend at the time and had a sensation “like somebody walked over your grave”.

Later that evening she caught the news about two off-duty soldiers caught in an explosion. At that moment she heard a voice she believed to be her husband behind her, saying: “Christine do you understand that is me?”

Inexplicably, their youngest son, just four, told her shortly afterwards: “Daddy is not coming home.”

Her friends said she became “hysterical” but several hours later the Army padre confirmed the devastating news.

Going into shock, the Army shipped her three boys off to give her space to cope.

She has had one relationship since which failed, she believes, because of the scars.

“I just can’t get myself into a relationship because of the loss, devastation and grieving. I don’t think I could ever get myself into that position again.” The fear of loss is too great.

It made their three boys, then aged four, eight and nine “very quiet and withdrawn”. Having to leave the Army so suddenly cut deeply as they lost their home, friends and father in one blow.

Their youngest son took it the hardest as he never had any memories of his father to fall back on. Instead he seeks out his father’s friends to establish a feeling of the person he was.

Christine felt anger at the recent funeral of Mr McGuinness, considered to have been a leading IRA figure throughout the Troubles.

“It is just good riddance to bad rubbish, isn’t it? It is terrible he would not admit to what happened.”

She added: “It said in his obituary he has left a widow, but he didn’t leave a widow behind ... he left hundreds of widows behind. It is just one less person in the world who caused so much grief and heartache.”