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| SOLDIERS DETAILS | ||
| Soldiers Name: William Toombs |
Other Names: Edward Ivan |
Also Known As: |
| Marital Status: Married |
Age at Death: 42 |
Civilian Job: Customs Officer |
| SERVICE DETAILS | ||
| Enlistment
Date: 17/08/1970 |
Service No: 493131 |
Rank: Maj |
| Regiment: UDR |
Battalion: 3 UDR |
Company: C Company |
| Service Type: Part Time |
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| DETAILS OF INCIDENT | ||
| On
or Off Duty: Off |
Date
of Death: 16/01/1981 |
 |
| County: Down |
Location: Warrenpoint |
|
Details: Shot by the IRA at the customs post office where he worked. One gunman covered the Customs Officer on duty at the door, a second burst into Toombs' office, weapon in hand, took up a firing position and pulled the trigger. The gun jammed. Toombs tried to reach his pistol in his briefcase. The gunman lunged at him. Toombs grappled with him, and being the stronger, would have overcome the assailant, but the second man, hearing the first calling for him, ran down the corridor, told his companion to stand aside and opened fire. As Toombs lay dying, the first man calmly cleared his weapon and pumped further rounds into his body to make sure he was dead. He commanded C Company in Rathfriland and had survived a gun attack in 1977. His daughter joined the Regiment some years after his death. 108th UDR member to be killed and 12th officer. |
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The details displayed on this page those are those currently held in the UDR and R IRISH (HS) Roll of Honour database. If you know of any errors please contact us and we will amend the record as soon as possible. Thank you.
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