Patch Trader Andy

A major part of the war on terrorism in Northern Ireland is mans best friend ..The Dog

The Royal Ulster Constabulary obtained its first 2 dogs back in 1953 however their role was simply as security within the Parliament Buildings at Stormont and it was not until much later that the dogs were trained to detect explosives.

There are now 5 various categories of dogs available to Police Officers in Northern Ireland. these are the General Purpose dog, Drugs Search, Victim Recovery and Money Detection as well as Explosive Search.

There are a variety of breeds which are used including German Shepherd and Malinois however Explosive Search dogs are either Spaniels or Labradors with the training period for explosive search being 12 weeks.

The police in Northern Ireland currently have 3 Explosive Search Dogs.

The Army Dog Unit Northern Ireland

The Army Dog Unit Northern Ireland was continually on duty throughout "Operation Banner" (The deployment of Military Personnel to support Police in Northern Ireland) which lasted from 1969 until the last day of July 2007.

The Arms Explosives Search Dogs were trained to locate all manner of firearms, explosives, including semtex, and various bomb components. All Dog Handlers are volunteers and are recruited from all regiments of the army and so - to illustrate they are qualified Dog Handlers, they wear the small red paw pin badge to the left of the regimental badge in their uniform beret.

During the deployment of the Army Dog Unit in Northern Ireland a total of 4 handlers were killed by terrorist action.

Constable Sam Todd was a Royal Ulster Constabulary Dog Handler who was murdered on15th October 1990. 

He was one of 2 Police Officers sitting in a police Dog Section van in High Street, Belfast when a terrorist gunman opened fire at close range hitting both officers. The other officer was seriously injured however Sam died later in hospital.

Corporal Bryan Criddle was murdered by a bomb explosion on 22nd July 1973

He died of his injuries following a terrorist bomb explosion. He had been working his sniffer dog and has seen a milk churn in a field and on going to examine it the bomb it contained was detonated by remote control. His german shepherd dog was blown 30 feet away however it escaped injury. Corporal Criddle died 4 days after the explosion in hospital and the bomb was found to have been made up of 3 milk churns containing a total of approx 700 lbs of explosives.    

Sapper M. Orton, Royal Engineers was murdered on 17th September 1973   

Corporal Brian David Brown was murdered on 28th May 1986.

He was a Dog Handler with the Ulster Defence Regiment and had attended a garage in kilkeel, County Down following a terrorist bomb warning. He had been checking the premises with his golden labrador, Oliver, when the bomb exploded. Both Corporal Brown and Oliver were killed instantly and it is believed that Oliver may have nudged an oil drum containing the bomb which was activated by a mercury tilt switch.

Corporal Derek Hayes was murdered on 21st May 1988    

He was an Army Dog handler who was killed along with his dog in a terrorist booby-trap bomb at Castleblayney Road, Crossmaglen. He has went forward to investigate a box partly hidden in a ditch and on doing so the bomb detonated.  Corporal Hayes was buried with the ashes of his dog.     

Corporal Terence O'Neill   was murdered on 25th May 1991.

He was an army dog handler and was killed when a grenade was thrown over the wall of his base. He had just finished feeding his dog and had been speaking with another soldier when the attack took place and the other soldier lost both legs in the explosion.      

 

ARMS EXPLOSIVES SEARCH DOGS PATCH AVAILABLE!  

            

The Arms Explosives Search Dog patch shown here is alailable for trade. The patch measures approx 2 3/4 inches wide by 1 3/4 inches tall.

To trade contact Dander@btinternet.com