UDR man’s son ‘would not disgrace father’s name’ with talk of revenge

Ahead of a commemoration service in Rathfriland on Sunday to mark the anniversary, the son of Corporal James Elliott said his family never recovered from the impact of his father’s horrific ordeal.

Jim Elliott, who was 12 at the time, had to grow up fast as the eldest of the three sons.

“We were all totally devastated. I was heartbroken. None of us were ever the same again. For the past 50 years it has consumed our lives,” he said.

On April 17, 1972, James Elliott was abducted from his lorry by an IRA gang at the Killeen border crossing near Newry.

The 37-year-old father of three was held for around 36 hours by the terrorists, brutalised and then shot several times.

His body was then dumped on a border near Newtownhamilton as part of a plan to lure members of the security forces to their deaths.

A 500lb homemade bomb and a number of anti-personnel devices were placed in the vicinity with a command wire leading to a firing point south of the border.

It was believed that the brutal nature of the murder was an attempt to provoke a loyalist backlash, leading to a likely increase in support for the Provisional IRA.

James was described as a hard-working man and a regular church attender who lived for his family. As well as wife May, James left behind three young sons aged between four and 12.

On April 19, Mrs Elliott was informed that her husband’s body had been discovered that morning, just as she was about to watch the local lunchtime news bulletin for any news of James.

Jim said there was never any talk of revenge.

“We would never have disgraced our father’s name. There was no way we would do that because he was a very good man.”

Jim said he only realised the full extent of his father’s ordeal when, in adulthood, he sought out the full facts and found that the horrific nature of the maltreatment had been suppressed due to fear of reprisals.

“I can prove he was tortured,” Jim said.

“People were going to wreck the place and [the police] were worried about a backlash.”

The family, with the help of Ulster Human Rights Watch, has been pushing for an inquest into the murder but have been refused to date.

“We didn’t know for 30 years that there were two boys jailed in the Republic for having the explosives that were around my father, the culvert bomb, but they never were questioned about the murder.

“They were caught at the firing point [in the Republic]. One got nine months and one got 18 months and I don’t think they even served it all.”

Jim said the PSNI’s Legacy Investigations Branch had suggested several years ago that they would seek the arrest and extradition of the one surviving bomber but it didn’t happen.

SEFF’s advocacy services manager Pete Murtagh has been working in partnership with the Elliott family as they developed their thoughts and wishes around how they wanted James to be remembered.

Mr Murtagh said: “We have been privileged to work with the family in fulfilling their wishes around the marking of this milestone anniversary since the brutal murder of James Elliott.

“James was a much-loved husband and father, son and brother. The manner of his abduction, torture and subsequent murder by the Provisional IRA was particularly brutal and reading the details 50 years after the event does not lessen the chilling impact.

“The Elliott family have remained together and are strong in their resolve to see justice, truth and accountability. His three sons, Jim, Cyril and Lester are committed to standing up for and by their father’s legacy.”

Mr Murtagh said James wanted to serve the community and his country by enlisting in the Ulster Defence Regiment, and it was because of that service and devotion to “doing what was right” that he and his family paid a huge sacrifice.

“We hope that the Remembrance and thanksgiving service on Sunday will go some way to providing a form of acknowledgement for the Elliott family, and a booklet that has been produced will also be viewed as an important means of ensuring that the truth of James Elliott’s life is preserved,” Mr Murtagh added.

The memorial service for James Elliott will take place at the cenotaph in Rathfriland, Co Down on Sunday, April 17 at 3pm.

Corporal Elliott’s great granddaughter Chelsea Joslin will read a Psalm and Jonathan Larmour from Ulster Human Rights Watch will provide an update on ‘the quest for justice’.

The UDR Association and Royal British Legion are also taking part in the service.