Death On The Rock – Operation Flavius
Yesterday marked the 11th anniversary of Operation Flavuis.
Danny McCann, Seán Savage and Mairéad Farrell planned to explode a car bomb at the location where a military band was due to gather for the weekly Changing of the Guard at the Governor’s residence.
Most people think that they know the story, but from a local point of view the nonsense of the BBC documentary and what was written in the UK tabloids is still greeted with a sad shake of the head.
Thinking that the bomb was already in place (and anyone who knows of Gib’s notorious parking problems would have no problem understanding why) they were stopped outside the Shell Petrol Station in Winston Churchill Avenue – the only road on and off the Rock.
McCann lunged for his bag, Savage for his pocket and Farrell for her handbag. Obviously the SAS didn’t know if they were reaching for 
weapons or the detonator so they were ventilated 5, 18 and 8 times respectively.
The rest, as they say is rather like them…history.
Although they did turn out to be unarmed, Farrell had keys in her handbag to a car in Spain with 64kg of Semtex in it. Then the backlash begain. “Death On The Rock” was made with the sole propaganda spin of trying to portray the three with the big bomb as poor fluffy bunnies and the nasty bandsmen as unfairly making a formation concerted effort to stand in front of it.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Terry, then the Governor of Gibraltar but later retired, authorised the Operation. On 18th Sept 1998 he was at his Staffordshire home when he was hit by 9 bullets. His wife was injured and daughter left in shock. Numerous operations rebuilt his face and took two bullets out of his head.
There are many servicemen and local Gibraltarians who owe their lives to Sir Peter and to the wider Operation Flavius at that time.
The Gib Inquiry ruled 9-2 lawful killing, and the ECHR ruled 10-9 that it was not legally “absolutely necessary” but that they were indeed terrorists and that no compensation or apology was due.
TheEye would have blogged on this yesterday on the anniversary but has been unwell. The medicinal leeches obtained from the local barber-surgeon seem to be working slowly. Normal service will be resumed shortly.
Get well soon.
Thank God, if you have one, for Operation Flavuis.
My growing up in north London friends included O’Reilly, Murray, Fox, Mcewon ( ? ), McCrowan, Higgins, Duffey; all second generation ‘off the boat’ and naturalised as you could wish for ( oh, and DeCruz, the paki from Goa, top bloke ).
The subject of ” The Troubles ” rarely surfaced but, if it did, was discussed in the most civil and polite way, even, and especially, when in drink.
Their view of the IRA & etc. was one of embarrassment and ‘not in my name’.
If any of them turned out to be deep penetration moles then the IRA are truly in line for a BAFTA. We shared serets of love, sexuality, deep yearnings and desires and then each others weddings but just one funeral.
I have never been one for obeying the States diktats about inclusivity and diversity but, as it happens, about 50% of my late twenties crowd were incomers to London and about 50% were not what might be called of Anglo-Norman stock. Our diversity ranged from Grimsby fisherfolk to newly arrived Jamaican reggae artist.
They had nothing but contempt for the BBC and its’ coverage of Belfast and ” death on the rock”.
Make of that what you will. Goodnight or sláinte!.
Some people think that terrorist deaths create martyrs. Actually is creates a corpse who can’t try it again.
Sorry to hear that The Eye has been feeling under par. Hope you feel better soon.
Get well soon!
Thanks for the kind words all.
David, I was going to blog on the two soldiers in NI but you’ve done a great job on ATW so I might just link with a few comments.
Frankly it should really be a post on GOT’s sweary blog. If I’d had the energy I’d have hit the screen a few times when I read some of the comments added on ATW.