10 December 1972: Henry Stewart Middlemass, 33-years-old, married with 3 children and a soldier with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers holding the rank of Colour Sergeant. Sgt Middlemass was killed at the Fort Monagh army post and 2 of his colleagues were injured. The army post was located in the nationalist Turf Lodge area. Soldiers had found a rocket the previous night while on routine patrol. Sgt Middlemass was examining the rocket and when he picked it up, the tail fin exploded in his face. It was reported in 1 newspaper: the foot-long piece of metal casing with tail fins was found in a derelict house by a routine patrol and taken back to Fort Monagh. Because the tail section of a rocket is normally harmless, several soldiers passed it from hand to hand to look at it before the bomb disposal officer arrived. But when it was given to Colour Sgt Middlemass the casing blew up killing him instantly. Two soldiers who were with Sgt Middlemass were injured. One of them was seriously injured. Sgt Middlemass was attached to the regiments 1st Battalion. LEST WE FORGET!
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 10:08:39 +0000
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