Family of IRA murder victim release statement ahead of 50th anniversary saying that people who call Troubles 'a war' have 'lost the run of themselves'

Winston Cross (19) was killed along with Joseph ‘Bert’ Slater (29) after being abducted by the IRA on November 8, 1974.

Both were civilians working at Ebrington Barracks in Londonderry.

Ahead of a memorial service next week, Mr Cross’ family said in a statement: “We were a family who mixed across the community. Winston, like the rest of us, was reared with Catholics. Our own parents came from both sides of the traditional divide.

“Winston’s dream was to join the Army, he wanted to do his bit in serving the country and the community – but more so, he wanted to travel the world, and he would’ve taken to Army life.

"We have no doubt he would have risen through the ranks as he was a bright young man, and he was streetwise.

“Winston was only 18 years old when he was murdered. He worked in Ebrington Barracks as a painter and he was leaving his work one Friday in November 1974, he planned to join the regular Army on the Tuesday of the following week.

“When he didn’t come home on that Friday night, my mother presumed he had gone out for a drink with friends. His best friend Joseph Slater (known as Bert) was with him. They never came home.

“The Provisional IRA had abducted both of them from a bar across the border. They were taken to Buncrana and tortured for three days. Then, they were hooded and shot on Sheriff’s Mountain, they were then discarded at the side of the road with black bin-bags over their heads.

“When Winston and Bert were murdered, society was clear that this was ethnic and sectarian-motivated terrorism, 50 years on we are clear that this remains to be the case.

"However sadly there are certain church leaders, people within the political sphere, the media, and self-appointed do-gooders who now use the language of conflict, combatant, even war.

"They’ve lost the run of themselves.”

A service of remembrance and thanksgiving for the life of Winston Cross will take place on Monday at 7pm in All Saints Clooney Parish Church, Londonderry.