Latest news with #Women'sRoyalArmyCorps
Sunday World
30-06-2025
- Sunday World
Loyalist woman killer and dangerous paedophile confronted by Sunday World
UVF murderer and child-porn perv is 'sorry' for 1970s execution of woman Jackie MacCauley answers his front door to the Sunday World this week The podgy pensioner pictured here is a UVF woman killer and dangerous paedophile, the Sunday World can reveal. John 'Jackie' MacCauley (78) appeared at Antrim Magistrates Court two weeks ago where he pleaded guilty to possessing a mobile phone capable of accessing the internet, which he had been banned from having after he was convicting of possessing sordid child abuse. MacCauley will appear in court again at the end of next month for sentencing. At a previous court hearing, where he was facing a string of child porn offences, it emerged MacCauley had told investigating detectives: 'I'm just a dirty old bastard — I'm guilty.' But a Sunday World probe revealed this week that MacCauley had recently bought a laptop computer which can also access the internet. And we also learned that he even had the brass neck to ask an unsuspecting young woman to set up the new computer in the living room of his own home. Collette in the Women's Royal Army Corps Originally from the ferry-port town of Larne in Co. Antrim, but now living in Ballymena, MacCauley was sent down for life in 1975 for the sectarian murder of 31-year-old Catholic mother-of-four Collette Brown. Her body was found dumped at the side of a country lane near Larne's Craigyhill estate. A former serving soldier in the Women's Royal Army Corps, Collette was a member of the popular and ultimately tragic Kelly family from Larne's Antiville estate. As Catholics living on a predominantly Protestant estate, the Kellys were particularly vulnerable to attack by loyalist paramilitaries. Jackie MacCauley answers his front door to the Sunday World this week And this week for the first time, MacCauley publicly apologised for Collette's savage murder. Speaking on the doorstep of his Ballymena flat, MacCauley bizarrely thanked us for giving him the opportunity to express his remorse. He said: 'I've visited Collette's grave a dozen times and each time I said I was sorry.' But despite being pressed by the Sunday World, MacCauley refused to apologise for his persistent and ongoing paedophile behaviour. MacCauley is quizzed this week by our man Hugh Jordan We told MacCauley that we knew he had recently pleaded guilty to possessing a phone capable of accessing the internet, which contravened a court order. And we told him that the courts viewed each child abuse picture found in his possession as representing an innocent victim. MacCauley appeared lost for words. And before closing the door, he said: 'I'm not talking about that. I'm not talking any more, but thank you, thank you.' MacCauley currently lives in a development in Ballymena which caters for over-55s. He moved there after his home on Larne's Craigyhill estate was attacked by the UDA. MacCauley's previous home was near the famous Craigyhill super-bonfire site and just a short distance from where he dumped Collette Brown's body. Over a nine-year period during the early years of the Troubles, the Kellys had two family members murdered by loyalists, even through both victims had served with the British security services. MacCauley's former home in Larne after it was attacked by loyalist paramilitaries A Larne resident who knew the Kelly family well told us: 'The Kellys' dad died at the very start of the Troubles and they had to survive as best they could. 'After the B-Specials were disbanded, young Protestants joined the UDR in droves. But they were also members of the UDA. They would wander round Craigyhill and Antiville during the day wearing their UDR uniforms,' he said. 'Then in the evening they would get out their UDA uniforms and parade around with wooden cudgels, looking for Catholic victims.' Another Kelly brother, William, had his hand cut off with a hacksaw by drunken loyalists who had tied him to a chair inside a third-floor flat. But the badly injured man was able to escape and run 70 yards to his sister's home on Kintyre Road, where she called an ambulance. MacCauley is quizzed this week by our man Hugh Jordan William was rushed to the Ulster Hospital in Belfast where, during an eight-hour operation, surgeons successfully re-attached his hacked-off hand to his wrist. The day before Collette's body was discovered, she had attended another brother's wedding and she later went on to a party. And it was from there she was abducted by powerfully-built Jackie MacCauley. Accompanied by a serving lance corporal in the British army's Ulster Defence Regiment, MacCauley drove the young mum to a quiet country road, where she was shot. Separated from her husband at the time of her death, the single mum's children were aged from two and 13. Both of her killers were later convicted of murder. MacCauley was handed a life sentence, but was released after serving just nine years behind bars. The Kelly family plot where Collette Brown and her murdered brother James are buried Collette is buried in the same grave as her 25-year-old brother James, who was murdered by loyalists in June 1973. James had served in the UDR for three months before quitting. He was abducted by a UDA gang while hitching a lift back to Larne from Corr's Corner after visiting his girlfriend. His body was found at the side of the road to Larne, just like his sister's would be two years later. Seven years later and riddled with guilt, one of James Kelly's killers approached an off-duty police officer in a Larne hotel and he confessed to his role in the murder. He was jailed for life. At his trial, the court heard how James had been selected for murder at a UDA meeting in a homing pigeon club in Larne. The murder squad was selected by the drawing of lots, the court also heard.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Mike Atkinson, bomb-disposal officer who was targeted by the IRA after defusing a powerful device
Major Mike Atkinson, who has died aged 67, was a bomb-disposal officer who dealt with more than 1,000 explosive-related incidents in a career which saw him defuse bombs in Northern Ireland, as well as reportedly the largest bomb to date in Germany, as a result of which he was targeted for assassination by the IRA. It also saw him parade naked for Margaret Thatcher, as well as becoming an acknowledged authority on military medals and the designer of the British Iraq war medal in 2003. Atkinson was an expert on Napoleon Bonaparte and possessed one of his personal medals. Asked what he was thinking as he attempted to defuse a bomb – which might at any millisecond atomise him – he replied that he simply thought of it as a series of small problems to address and solve, one after the other. Michael Neil Atkinson, always known as Mick, was born on September 14 1957 in the British Military Hospital Gibraltar into an Army family. His father, Maurice, was a sergeant-major and his mother, Sylvia, who was born in Madras, had been in the Women's Royal Army Corps. Atkinson had a peripatetic childhood, with his father's postings to West Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore and back home in the UK. In 1974 he enlisted in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Army Apprentices College, Chepstow, graduating in 1976 as an ammunition technician responsible for maintaining the safe use, storage and disposal of ammunition and explosives. He completed two gruelling tours of bomb-disposal duties (Explosive Ordnance Disposal, or EOD) in Northern Ireland in 1979 and 1984. In his first tour he worked in Belfast, where the tempo of operations was intense. On a single day, July 4 1979, he blew up six suspect vehicles using a remote-controlled robot nicknamed the 'wheelbarrow' – resulting in the eventual loss of the robot. Atkinson's second tour was based in Armagh, including the 'Bandit Country' of South Armagh, where he defused a number of large IRA improvised explosive devices, or IEDs – including a 300lb car bomb, and a 600lb landmine deliberately planted to kill the EOD team. From the end of 1982 until the middle of 1986 Atkinson was based in West Germany with the British Army of the Rhine, then 55,000-strong. With a great deal of live-firing training, the demands upon ammunition technical staff were exacting. On a subsequent tour in Germany, in May 1990, Atkinson was responsible for defusing the most powerful IRA bomb discovered in Germany, at Langenhagen Barracks in Hanover, consisting of more than 100lb of Semtex high explosive. During the subsequent court proceedings his personal details were disclosed, and this was to have serious consequences for Atkinson and his family. Some time later, back in the UK, his wife saw two men in their garden; they were later identified as IRA terrorists on a reconnaissance mission with the intention of assassinating him. He and his family were immediately relocated. In 1986 Atkinson completed a short tour in the Falkland Islands, where he was kept busy with the explosive and ammunition left-overs, principally Argentinian, from the 1982 conflict. On one occasion, on what was officially known as a Counter Improvised Nuclear Device Emergency Response (CINDER) demonstration, Atkinson, thanks to a tear in his protective clothing, had to complete the full decontamination drills – which included him having to shower naked in front of Mrs Thatcher. In June 1992, after a six-month posting to Belsize, Atkinson, by then a Warrant Officer (Class 1), was commissioned as an Ammunition Technical Officer. In 2000 he resigned his commission and accepted the offer of a post as a Retired Officer and deputy in charge of the Army Medal Office in Droitwich. With his interest and expertise in medals and his usual enthusiasm he was well-suited for the job as it entered possibly the busiest time in the history of the office. There, he was described as an enthusiastic perfectionist with a deep knowledge and passion for medals. He designed the 2003 Iraq War medal which features on the reverse an image of Lamassu, an ancient Assyrian deity with the head of a man and the body of a bull, above the word 'IRAQ'. He said the idea came to him while he was lying in his bath. Atkinson was an expert on Napoleon and regularly lectured on the man, his battles and his leadership. The subject allowed him to combine two of his great enthusiasms, the studies of history and of medals. Atkinson bought what he believed was a medal which had once belonged to the Emperor and made it his mission to prove its provenance – in which he succeeded. His research also included the Royal Flying Corps and German First World War medals. In 2005 he updated the Queen's Royal Medals Collection. He was a member of the Orders and Medals Research Society and the Birmingham Medals Society. He also regularly briefed new bomb disposal officers and lectured at the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham in Oxfordshire. Atkinson was a modest and generous person who for many years acted as a carer and friend for a soldier injured by a bomb in Oman in the early 1970s. He was always fit – he ran for the Army, was a keen walker and took part in the demanding Nijmegen Marches, which claim to be the world's largest multi-day walking event. Mike Atkinson is survived by his wife Christine and their son. Mike Atkinson, born September 14 1957, died March 31 2025 Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
ITV News
29-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
LGBT veterans 'angry and disappointed' at pace of government compensation scheme
Wrongfully dismissed for the historic 'crime' of being LGBT and trying to serve their country, mistreated veterans have, on Thursday, expressed anger at the pace of a compensation scheme aimed at addressing this injustice. In December, the government announced up to £75 million for the LGBT financial recognition scheme, with payments of up to £70,000 for each veteran 'to acknowledge the historic wrongs they experienced in the armed forces'. On Thursday, these same veterans expressed anger and disappointment that out of more than 1,000 applications for compensation over the last five months - so far just 24 have been paid. If applications were to continue being processed at this speed it would take more than 17 years to complete the compensation scheme. The Fighting with Pride military charity said eight of the 24 payouts were to veterans with life-limiting health conditions. The charity's chief executive Peter Gibson said older veterans have been left 'furious' and feeling that 'justice delayed is justice denied'. He has written to Defence Secretary John Healey to convey the 'growing anger, frustration and impatience' of veterans, and to say the scheme 'is sadly not delivering at a pace which meets the expectations of the ageing veterans we are working with'. Mr Gibson said a staff of 15 people to deal with the scheme 'together with underperforming technology is clearly and simply not enough to meet the demand'. Emma Storey, who was under investigation by military police and left the Women's Royal Army Corps in 1987, shared her anger over the delays. She said: 'We feel angry and disappointed. We were treated abysmally during our service. Forced out for our sexuality and loving the people we love, only to be let down by a casual approach to the payments we're owed. 'I'm 64 years old and deserve to enjoy some dignity in the later years of my life. 'After reopening the wounds by applying for the financial recognition scheme, the least I'd expect is to be showed the decency and respect of a prompt resolution.' For many veterans, who are now in their 60s, 70s, and 80s time is of the essence. 'For many it means justice delayed is justice denied. Fighting With Pride will continue to do everything we can to find every single affected LGBT veteran and ensure they get the reparations they deserve," said Peter Gibson. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: 'We recognise the need to work quickly through the over 1,000 applications for financial recognition we've received. 'The process of working through the applications requires checking a number of information sources and historical records, however we understand the need for timeliness in delivering this important scheme. 'We are working closely with stakeholder groups and applicants can receive updates on their progress from the team via
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The multicultural effort to defeat fascism
Regarding Gary Younge's article (Millions of the black and brown people who fought for Europe's freedom didn't get a VE Day, 8 May), it is refreshing to read about what actually happened at the end of the second world war. But I do resist strongly the framing of the millions of colonised people in the British empire as having 'fought for the allies'. They were the allies. These people, including my late father, were subjects of the British empire, just like any soldier from Liverpool or an Auxiliary Territorial Service recruit from Maidenhead. They were trained as the British army and they fought and died, or survived, just like those from Scotland or Wales. Many British people don't want to hear that millions of the grandparents and parents of those 'foreigners' living here were born and lived under the same rule as any Bristol or Birmingham council estate, but that was the case. The far-right 'othering' of people is a result of a deliberate and hateful ideology aimed at seizing power. The words we use matter. The soldiers and service personnel that Younge is talking about were British subjects and Britain was a complex, global, multicultural empire – not a white bastion of democratic resistance that fought alone from the shores of VertannesChurchdown, Gloucestershire • I read with interest that about 2.5 million personnel from the Indian subcontinent fought during the second world war. They are perhaps not the only forgotten ones. My mother was in India when war broke out. She joined the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC) in India and served throughout the duration, ending up with the rank of captain. Her last days would have been made easier if her service had been acknowledged. On inquiring whether extra pension rights (she had a very small state widow's pension) as a former servicewoman were hers to claim, she was told no records were available for WRAC in India. End of story. And a very shabby end to the story. Quite apart from the financial side, it was as if her service to the nation had simply never Blazy-O'ReillyVilleneuve-la-Comptal, Aude, France
