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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Army ending its operation in NI | Army ending its operation in NI |
| (about 23 hours later) | |
| The British army's operation in Northern Ireland will come to an end at midnight on Tuesday after 38 years. | The British army's operation in Northern Ireland will come to an end at midnight on Tuesday after 38 years. |
| Operation Banner - the Army's support role for the police - has been its longest continuous campaign, with more than 300,000 personnel taking part. | Operation Banner - the Army's support role for the police - has been its longest continuous campaign, with more than 300,000 personnel taking part. |
| A garrison of 5,000 troops will remain but security will be entirely the responsibility of the police. | A garrison of 5,000 troops will remain but security will be entirely the responsibility of the police. |
| British troops were sent to Northern Ireland in 1969 after violent clashes between Catholics and Protestants. | British troops were sent to Northern Ireland in 1969 after violent clashes between Catholics and Protestants. |
| When the first soldiers were deployed in August 1969, commanders believed they would be in Northern Ireland for just a few weeks. | When the first soldiers were deployed in August 1969, commanders believed they would be in Northern Ireland for just a few weeks. |
| The Army melted away, rather than marched away Kevin Connolly, BBC Ireland correspondent class="" href="/1/hi/northern_ireland/6923421.stm">No fanfare for Banner class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=7024&edition=1">Send us your comments | |
| But the Army quickly became involved in what came to be known as Operation Banner. | But the Army quickly became involved in what came to be known as Operation Banner. |
| A total of 763 military personnel were killed during the campaign. | A total of 763 military personnel were killed during the campaign. |
| At the height of the Troubles, there were about 27,000 soldiers in Northern Ireland. From Wednesday, there will be no more than 5,000. | |
| The head of the Army in Northern Ireland, General Nick Parker, said the operation helped create the conditions for a political solution. | The head of the Army in Northern Ireland, General Nick Parker, said the operation helped create the conditions for a political solution. |
| "What I believe the military have done here is make a significant contribution to the security in Northern Ireland that has allowed other people to make the difference through politics, social programmes and economics," he said. | "What I believe the military have done here is make a significant contribution to the security in Northern Ireland that has allowed other people to make the difference through politics, social programmes and economics," he said. |
| Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP, paid tribute to the Army. | |
| "If they had not been here to hold the line against terrorism, I don't think we would have made the progress that we have made," he said. | |
| "I think that we owe them a great debt of gratitude for a huge sacrifice that they have paid to help make this possible." | |
| Gerry Kelly, Sinn Fein, said it was the government who made decisions concerning the Army. | |
| "Was there a honeymoon period when people were relieved that they weren't the heavily armed RUC? Of course there was," he said. | |
| "That was short lived. The reason why is because they are an Army, a blunt instrument, it was the British government who made the decision to use them against republicans, nationalists and Catholics." | |
| In future, soldiers based in Northern Ireland will be involved in training and will be available for deployment in foreign trouble spots, not on local streets. |