Battle at Springmartin

Battle at Springmartin
Part of the Troubles and Operation Banner
The interface area today. At the far end of the 18-foot (5.5 m) high peace wall is the former British Army base. The area has been extensively rebuilt since 1972.
Date 13–14 May 1972 Location Interface area between Springmartin and Ballymurphy housing estates, Belfast, Northern Ireland 54°35′41″N 5°59′14″W / 54.59472°N 5.98722°W / 54.59472; -5.98722Coordinates: 54°35′41″N 5°59′14″W / 54.59472°N 5.98722°W / 54.59472; -5.98722 Result 7 dead (including 5 civilians), at least 66 injured
Belligerents
United Kingdom British Army	Provisional Irish Republican Army	Ulster Volunteer Force
Strength
2 regiments	Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
1 killed, unknown wounded	1 killed, unknown wounded	at least 1 wounded

 United Kingdom

The Battle at Springmartin was a series of gun battles in Belfast, Northern Ireland on 13–14 May 1972. It involved the British Army, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), and the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).

The violence began when a car bomb, planted by Ulster loyalists, exploded outside a crowded public house in the mainly Irish nationalist and Catholic district of Ballymurphy. UVF snipers then opened fire on the survivors from an abandoned high-rise flat. This began the worst fighting in Northern Ireland since the suspension of the Parliament of Northern Ireland and the imposition of direct rule from London. For the rest of the night and throughout the next day, local IRA units fought gun battles with both the UVF and British Army. Most of the fighting took place along the interface between the Catholic Ballymurphy and Ulster Protestant Springmartin housing estates, and the British Army base that sat between them.

Seven people were killed in the violence: five civilians (four Catholics, one Protestant), a British soldier and a member of the IRA Youth Section. Four of the dead were teenagers.

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