Murder of Fred Starrett and James Cummings (UDR) – Belfast, 1972

This video remembers Private Fred Starrett and Private James Cummingstwo soldiers of the Ulster Defence Regiment who were murdered in a Provisional IRA bomb attack in Belfast city centre in 1972.

Both men were just 22 years old. Fred Starrett was from Grand Parade in East Belfast and had only been in the UDR for four months. James Cummings was from Avonlea Gardens in Rathcoole, Newtownabbey, and served with 7/10 UDR. Both were single and on duty at the time of their deaths.

At approximately 11:15pm, the two soldiers arrived to close security gates near the Castle Court construction site. Unbeknownst to them, a 200lb booby-trap bomb had been hidden behind hoarding. The device was detonated by command wire from Winetavern Street, killing both men instantly.

A second bomb, intended to target those responding to the explosion, failed to detonate and was later defused by the army.

This attack was part of a wider campaign of violence during the Troubles, where members of the security forces were frequently targeted, often in built-up urban areas.

This video serves as a remembrance of Fred and James, and of all those who lost their lives during the conflict.

Lest We Forget.

This video takes us to the Null Cemetery in Northern Ireland, where we visit the grave of Frederick Starrett, who served with the Ulster Defence Regiment and was tragically murdered in 1988. We explore various views of his headstone, other graves, and the surrounding cemetery grounds, offering a poignant look at this significant site. It's a somber journey that helps to explain a piece of Belfast's complex history.