Caterham Arms pub bombing

On 27 August 1975 a Provisional Irish Republican Army bomb exploded without warning at the Caterham Arms public house in Caterham, Surrey, England. No-one was killed but 33 people were injured, some severely, including three off-duty soldiers who lost limbs.

Caterham Arms pub bombing
Part of the Troubles
The Caterham Arms in 2009
LocationCaterham, Surrey, England
Date27 August 1975
21:20 (GMT)
Attack type
Time bomb
Deaths0
Injured33
PerpetratorProvisional Irish Republican Army

Background

In February 1975, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) agreed to a ceasefire with the British government. The last IRA attack in England was in January 1975 when they planted seven time bombs in London.[1][2]

The bombing

The IRA planted a time bomb in the Caterham Arms[3] public house[4] in Caterham, Surrey,[5] leaving a 7 lb (3.2 kg) bomb in a duffel bag under a seat. There was no warning and the bomb exploded at 9:20pm, injuring 23 civilians and 10 off-duty soldiers. The pub was used by members of the Welsh Guards who were based at the barracks nearby.[6] Some of the injuries were very serious,[7][8] with at least three soldiers losing limbs, including a male soldier, who lost both legs and one arm,[9] as well as two other soldiers who lost a leg each.[10][11] The blast blew the roof off the pub. This attack marked the start of a renewed bombing campaign in England[12] and the end of the truce with the British government.[13] The next day, the IRA detonated a bomb in Oxford Street, Central London, injuring several people.[14]

See also

References
  1. McGladdery, Gary (2006). The Provisional IRA in England: The Bombing Campaign, 1973-1997. Irish Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-7165-3373-3.
  2. Steven P. Moysey, The Road to Balcombe Street - The IRA Reign of Terror in London: Second Edition pg.160-161 (ISBN 978-0-7890-2913-3)
  3. Wharton, Ken (19 July 2013). Wasted Years, Wasted Lives Volume 1: The British Army in Northern Ireland 1975-77. Helion and Company. ISBN 978-1-909384-55-2.
  4. Shaw, Paul S. (6 January 2019). A Military Chefs Journey. Paul Shaw Publications. ISBN 978-1-5272-4308-8.
  5. Bijl, Nicholas van der (19 October 2009). Operation Banner: The British Army in Northern Ireland, 1969 – 2007. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-78159-926-6.
  6. Retallack, John (20 February 1981). The Welsh Guards. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-2069-2.
  7. Brain, Timothy (18 March 2010). A History of Policing in England and Wales from 1974: A Turbulent Journey. OUP Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-921866-0.
  8. Oates, Jonathan (22 April 2009). Attack on London: Disaster, Riot and War. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-84563-056-0.
  9. Meagher, Kevin (27 April 2021). What a Bloody Awful Country: Northern Ireland's Century of Division. Biteback Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78590-667-1.
  10. "Hansard, Written Answers, 2 November 1976".
  11. Moysey, Steve (9 October 2019). The Road to Balcombe Street: The IRA Reign of Terror in London. ISBN 9781136748585.
  12. Wilson, Ray (20 August 2015). Special Branch: A History: 1883-2006. Biteback Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84954-963-9.
  13. "CAIN: PRONI Public Records on CAIN Web". ulst.ac.uk.
  14. "CAIN: PRONI Public Records on CAIN Web". ulst.ac.uk.

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