3, June 1991

Tony Doris (Coalisland), Lawrence McNally (Ballinderry), Pete Ryan (Ardboe)...

On the morning of 3, June 1991, 3 members of East Tyrone Brigade were driving towards Coagh village in a comandeered car carrying two weapons. They had just crossed a small bridge leading into Coagh's main street and past a small group of workmen. On entering the edge of Hanover Square they passed a lorry parked at the curb. Behind the lorry and in other locations around the square, lay a total of eight SAS troops. They were armed with heavy caliber assault rifles and at least one machine gun. On clearing the lorry the Volunteers' car was attacked and spun out of control, veering across the street and into a garden wall. The SAS then formed a semi circle around the stricken car, whose occupants appeared to have been hit in the initial outburst. However, the troops kept firing for approximately ten minutes to the amount of over two hundred rounds, until the car burst into flames. The blast ignited another car located near the crash.

Soon after the massacre, the media reported a "gun battle" as having taken place, and claimed the volunteers had been planning on attacking the workmen because they were protestant. This was a lie fabricated by the police and denied by the IRA. The word sent out was that the Volunteers had been en route to a military target. The message that this deliberate execution by the SAS intended to get across was that the shoot to kill policy of the british was still firmly in place, and that the use of official and unofficial death squads by the state would be used on any who did not conform. These 3 brave men had no chance, but they died serving their country and shall always be Honoured.