1978 British Army Gazelle shootdown

1978 British Army Gazelle downing
Part of the Troubles and Operation Banner
A British Army Gazelle helicopter
Date 17 February 1978 Location Jonesborough, southern County Armagh 54°5′10.15″N 6°21′59.12″W / 54.0861528°N 6.3664222°W / 54.0861528; -6.3664222Coordinates: 54°5′10.15″N 6°21′59.12″W / 54.0861528°N 6.3664222°W / 54.0861528; -6.3664222 Result IRA victory
Belligerents
Provisional IRA	United Kingdom British Army
Commanders and leaders
unknown	† Lieutenant Colonel Ian Douglas Corden-Lloyd MC OBE
Strength
1 active service unit	1 Army section 1 helicopter
Casualties and losses
unknown	1 killed 2 wounded 1 helicopter lost
Location within Northern Ireland

 United Kingdom

On 17 February 1978, a British Army Gazelle helicopter, serial number XX404, went down near Jonesborough, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, after being fired at by a Provisional IRA unit from the South Armagh Brigade. The IRA unit was involved in a gun battle with a Green Jackets observation post deployed in the area, and the helicopter was sent in to support the ground troops. The helicopter crashed after the pilot lost control of the aircraft whilst evading ground fire.

Lieutenant-Colonel Ian Douglas Corden-Lloyd, 2nd Battalion Green Jackets commanding officer, died in the crash. The incident was overshadowed by the La Mon restaurant bombing, which took place just hours later near Belfast.

By early 1978, the British Army forces involved in Operation Banner had recently replaced their ageing Bell H-13 Sioux helicopters for the more versatile Aérospatiale Gazelles. The introduction of the new machines increased the area covered on a reconnaissance sortie as well as the improved time spent in airborne missions. In the same period, the Provisional IRA received its first consignment of M60 machine guns from the Middle East, which were displayed by masked volunteers during a Bloody Sunday commemoration in Derry. Airborne operations were crucial for the British presence along the border, especially in south County Armagh, where the level of IRA activity meant that every supply and soldier had to be ferried in and out of their bases by helicopter since 1975.