Former SAS member recounts deadly undercover operation in Northern Ireland
A former member of one of the British Army’s most secret surveillance units has, for the first time, told the dramatic story of his role in an undercover operation which ended with him being shot through the stomach, his partner mortally wounded, and a wanted IRA gunman fleeing injured into the night, reports BritPanorama.
The veteran, known only as Blue*, recounted how events unfolded in episode five of SAS: The Shadow War. At just 22 years old, he was operating with 14 Intelligence Company – the clandestine unit known simply as “the Det” – when he and another soldier established a covert observation post beside a farm in South Derry on St Patrick’s Day, 17 March 1978.
“My gut was telling me something bad was going to go down,” Blue recalls of that fateful night. As they hid, two armed figures emerged through a hedge, which Blue initially took to be British soldiers. Moments later, both opened fire on him.
“It was just like a hail of gunfire at a range of 12ft,” he explains. Blue was shot three times; his partner, Lance Corporal David Jones, also sustained critical injuries. This marks the first time Blue, now 70, has publicly shared his experience.
Having joined the Det from the Parachute Regiment, Blue was part of a broader surveillance effort aimed at tracking suspected Republican militants to build intelligence on their movements, contacts, and weapons networks. Their target that evening was Francis “Frankie” Hughes, a 22-year-old IRA gunman regarded as one of the most wanted men by police.
The surveillance operation was positioned under the assumption that a local associate might lead them to Hughes. The pair’s “night standing OP” was a temporary observation position using darkness for concealment, with just the two of them on the ground. However, as the night progressed, Blue sensed something was amiss.
At around 8 pm, the man they had intended to follow left the farm. Instead of retreating, Blue noticed the property owner remained outside, which heightened his suspicion. The sense of danger escalated when two men in apparent military attire emerged, patrolling in a manner that suggested familiarity with military protocol.
Despite having the option to withdraw undetected to safeguard their operation, Blue chose to stay. That decision would weigh heavily on him for decades. When he and his partner identified themselves as security forces, the men halted momentarily before opening fire.
One bullet tore through Blue’s abdomen, severely damaging his organs. Following a frantic exchange of gunfire, he lost sight of his partner as he fought to maintain composure in the face of overwhelming pain. As the attackers withdrew, Blue returned fire, later learning he had struck both men.
With injuries mounting, he struggled to reconnect his radio to call for assistance. After relaying a brief message, he moved to assist Jones, who was critically wounded. Blue’s decision to prioritize his partner’s care over his own injury came with potential fatal consequences.
As a 45-minute wait for an ambulance dragged on, Blue contemplated his situation, fearing he could die while waiting. Upon finally arriving at the hospital, Blue learned his partner’s fate; Jones had succumbed to his injuries. He was just 23 years old and days away from marriage.
Ironically, the firefight achieved the initial goal of the surveillance mission, as one of the gunmen was revealed to be Hughes, who was found nearby and later jailed for Jones’s murder and other crimes. He died in prison after a hunger strike in 1981.
The second assailant escaped, with investigators later tracing blood trails to a local nurse who was treating injured British soldiers from the altercation. The chaotic nature of the conflict frequently led to such intertwining fates.
Reflecting on that choice to remain in place during the ambush, Blue acknowledged, “That little decision – or big decision – cost my buddy’s life.” In sharing his story, he lends a human face to the complexities and tragedies inherent in the conflicts of the time.
The accounts from Blue serve as a stark reminder of the personal costs of military operations and the decisions that shape lives irrevocably amid conflict.
