News: Irish Routed by British Air Elements

6th March 1989: British royalist and republican forces in Northern Ireland launched a massive co-ordinated counter-attack across the province against the invading Irish Republic forces.

Under relentless air attack by Royalist Army Air Lynx helicopters and Republican Air Force Tornadoes flying out of bases in Scotland, Irish AFV's were targeted in an around the clock bombardment before Royal Irish and Ulster Defence Force troops launched a ground assault on the night of the 5th.

Shell shocked Irish Defence Force troops streamed back across the border as territory in both the east and south of Ulster was recovered by British forces.

News: Irish Engaged at Armagh

4th March 1989: Sky News reported that the 1st Royal Irish Rangers had engaged Irish Republic forces advancing on the strategically important town of Armagh alongside elements of the Ulster Defence Regiment.

The Irish 3rd Infantry Battalion had advanced on Armagh in a effort to ensure the flank of the 1st Infantry, advancing on Lisburn, expecting minimal resistance from UDR forces in the area but was surprised by the presence of the 1st Royal Irish who they believed to still be preparing defences around Belfast. Fierce fighting took place as the 3rd attempted to storm the Royalist positions, the Milan ATGM causing numerous casualties amongst the advancing Irish APC's.

News: Welsh Nationalists Declare Independence

1st March 1989: Wales Today reported that paramilitary troops of Byddin Rhyddid Cymru (The Free Wales Army), a paramilitary Welsh nationalist organisation, seized Broadcasting House in Cardiff and declared independence from England. Julian Cayo-Evans, the FWA leader who had been imprisoned in for conspiracy to cause explosions in 1969, broadcast an appeal on BBC Cymru Wales to the country appealing for national unity and independence to "protect the Welsh nation and its peoples from the horrors that had engulfed England".

Unfortunately for Cayo-Evans whilst the FWA did attract considerable popular support, notably from a number of police forces in the Principality, his plea for unity was not welcomed by all. Cymru Goch (Red Wales) a left wing nationalist organisation with socialist and trade union support took to arms to resist the imposition of FWA rule on Wales.

Additionally other nationalist paramilitary organisations such as Meibion Glyndŵr (Sons of Glyndŵr), who had been waging a firebombing campaign since 1979 and Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru (The Movement for the Defence of Wales), an older nationalist group led by John Jenkins; opposed Cayo-Evans on a number of points of principle and made their own power plays often resulting in all out warfare between the nationalist groups.

The situation in Wales further worsened as militias such as the The Welsh Army for the Workers Republic were formed (sometimes with covert English Republican or Royalist support), often on a regional or language basis, leading to the breakdown of the rule of law as alliances were formed (and often quickly broken) as the various paramilitaries attempted to control valuable resources such as the South Wales coalmines.

News: Irish Army Captures Newry

22nd February 1989: RTÉ News reported that Irish Defence Forces had captured Newry as they "expanded the axis of advance as part of their peace keeping operations."

The 1st and 3rd Infantry Battalions advanced into County Amagh overnight meeting little resistance from UDR forces along the border capturing the city on the 22nd. Following this success the Irish Defence Forces continued their advance north towards Craigavon and Lisburn.

News: AVG Armour Goes in Action

15th February 1989: Sky News reported that American Volunteer Group armoured units had engaged Republican and German 'mercenary' units near Mansfield. General Munnery at GHQ stated that "superior American tanks had smashed the communists attempts to invade the heartland of the Royalist north of England".

In reality, whilst AVG M1's had engaged Republican forces, they were of limited numbers and had only achieved local success. However the escalation of the Civil War to now include American land forces was greeted with concern by both the Republican government in London and by Moscow.

News: Republicans Advance Up East Coast

12th February 1989: the Republican advance against the dispirited Royalist continued unabated with German armour supported by French and Republican Army units capturing Grantham, Boston and threatening Newark.

Despite the introduction of American Volunteer Group air force support, Royalist morale had plummeted and the army was in disarray. Some units had fallen back on positions such as in King's Lynn and Stamford which the Royalist press claimed were "key defensive positions being held on a fluid battlefield" but in reality the Republicans had bypassed them in their blitzkrieg inspired attack north towards key Royalist locations such as Sheffield and Grimsby.

News: Royalists Land Troops in Ulster

8th February 1989: Landings of Royalist "reinforcements" in Ulster were reported on Sky News to "assist in the efforts to repulse the Southern aggressors".

The U.S. Government had made clear its concerns about the Soviet presence in the Republic of Ireland and saw the invasion by the Irish Army as the first step towards the whole island falling under Moscow's influence. However, given the sentiments of many in America, President Bush regarded  it as political suicide to provide U.S. troops to aid the British against the Irish Republic's army (even if it was, in his view, a Soviet puppet).

To this end he negotiated a quid pro quo with the Royalist government, offering to expedite the provision of American Volunteer Group forces to England, if the Royalists would help repulse the invasion of Ulster.

The 1st Royal Irish Rangers were airlifted to positions north of Belfast seizing control of the M2 and M5 motorways, with the 2nd Royal Irish landing to the south occupying the M1 and other routes from the south. With most units of the Ulster Defence Regiment already engaging the Irish army or taking positions along the border with the Republic, very minimal resistance was met from some Constabulary Forces and quickly suppressed. Special Forces units took control of key points in Belfast, notably the port facilities allowing for more reinforcements to be ferried into the six counties.

News: American Volunteers Join The War

7th February 1989: Sky News reported the first elements of the American Volunteer Group, sanctioned by President Bush in his inauguration speech, had seen action against Republican forces near Peterborough.

Flying A-10 Thunderbolt's, the AVG helped stall a French armoured advance north and allow Royalist forces the chance to dig in near around Stilton.

The first AVG squadron to see action was the 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron, which had been based at RAF Woodbridge in Suffolk before Cranwell's order for US forces to leave British soil when it had decamped to Naval Air Station Keflavik in Iceland.

Officially the AVG comprised solely of volunteers but in reality complete units of the US military were transferred to the AVG given the desperate need of the Royalists and the US Government's concerns over French and German involvement in England, as well as the Soviet presence in Ireland.

News: Irish Army Seizes Derry

5th February 1989: RTÉ News reported that elements of the Irish Army including the 3 Infantry Battalion and 1 Cavalry Squadron had crossed the border into Northern Ireland on a peacekeeping mission, following weeks of internecine warfare between Nationalist, Republican and Royalist factions in Ulster.

The Irish forces entered Londonderry without resistance, although elements of the Ulster Defence Regiment (under Republican orders) took up positions near Dungiven and Garvagh to resist any potential move towards Belfast.

News: Royalist Frontline Collapses

2nd February 1989: The Royalist army fell back under the onslaught of the Republican's Operation Hammer with Panzerbrigade 12 "Oberpfalz" leading Republican troops into Cambridge and the 3e Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes seizing Mildenhall airport before being relieved by the advancing 3e Régiment de Chasseurs and 4th Tank Regiment.

The Royalist Government appealed to the United Nations over the intervention of France and Germany in an internal conflict, but a US sponsored resolution was vetoed by France. Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar expressed his disappointment in the escalating conflict and urged the US and France to concentrate their efforts on instigating a ceasefire rather than fuelling the conflict.

News: European Volunteers Aid Republicans

31st January 1989: The Republicans launched Operation Hammer, a massive counter-attack against the Royalist forces poised to invest London. In complete secrecy the Republican government had integrated 'volunteer' units from the Armée de Terre and Bundeswehr into their army, enjoying complete surprise against the Royalists as a three prong attack was launched in the early hours of the 29th January.

The French 1re Division Blindée, 2e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine and 92e Régiment d'Infanterie
smashed through the Royalist line west of St Albans swinging east between Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City enveloping the Royalist King’s Own Royal Border Regiment.

In the centre the 3rd Tank Regiment and the Hampshire Regiment pushed north up the M11 corridor towards Harlow engaging in heavy fighting with the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the Green Howards.

Meanwhile the Luftlandebrigade 26 "Saarland"and Force d'Action Rapide were landed at Hawk Hill near Battlesbridge to cut off the retreat of the Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire, itself forced back by Republican units, including the Jägerbataillon 291 and Light Infantry, that had landed at Leigh-on-Sea.

News: Blackout To Be Lifted

29th January 1989: Home Secretary Peter Taaffe has announced that the recently imposed news blackout across the British Republic will be lifted within the next 48 hours...

News: Republican Army Repulses M25 Attack

24th January 1989: the Hampshire Regiment supported by elements of the 3rd Republican Tank Regiment repulsed a heavy Royalist probe on their positions near Epping.

Royalist forces including the 1st Royal Tank Regiment, Royal Welch Fusiliers and Duke of Wellington’s Regiment launched a dawn attack on the Republican defence line in an attempt to follow up on their earlier successful attacks.

Fierce fighting around Barber's Wood and Theydon Mount saw heavy casualties on both sides, the Royalist attack being finally beaten off with the timely assistance of Republican Air Force Harriers operating out of Stapleford Aerodrome, despite it being targeted by Royalist artillery.

News: Republican Army Digs In Along M25

21st January 1989: The Republican Army swiftly moved reinforcements from west of London to the M25 Defence Line in a last ditch attempt to stem the Royalist advance. Units from the Gloucestershire Regiment along with the Light Infantry took up defensive positions on the line alongside Militia Units and ad hoc Composite army units comprising of troops who had fled the Royalist advance. To the north the Royalist Army continued to sweep up any remaining pockets of Republican resistance before consolidating  in preparation for the final stages of Operation Teal to capture London.

News: American Volunteer Group Authorised

20th January 1989: In his inaugural address, George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States, authorised the raising of an American Volunteer Group to serve in the United Kingdom if required. Both Bush and his predecessor Ronald Reagan were increasing concerned at the civil war in Britain and the potential threats of both French involvement in England and Soviet intervention in Northern Ireland. Whilst unwilling to have the United States become embroiled directly in a conflict that potentially could expand globally, the sanctioning of a volunteer force organised by the United States government was regarded as a proportionate response to the threat and risks posed.

News: Rebels Flee As Royalists Capture Chelmsford

 

19th January 1989: Republican troops fell back on the M25 defence line as Royalist troops captured Chelmsford and Billericay in 48 hours of fierce fighting. The Blues and Royals led sweeping advances into rebel held territory as Republican Territorial Army and Trade Union Militia units were swept aside.

News: Haughey Concerned At Ulster Violence

18th January 1989: RTE News reports on escalating violence in Northern Ireland with bitter fighting between Royalists, Republicans and Nationalists occurring in Londonderry. Taoiseach Charles Haughey expressed his concerns in the Dáil that the violence in both Ulster and England could spread into the Republic and stated that the Óglaigh na hÉireann, with the help of their Soviet advisors, would ensure that the nation was protected "whatever means necessary" to ensure this did not happen.

News: Bitter Fighting As Royalists Advance

17th January 1989: Republican resistance grew stronger as the Royalists continued to advance in Operation Teal. After a day of bitter hand to hand fighting the Gurkhas captured Stansted Airport from elements of the Republican Parachute Regiment and The King's Regiment began advancing along the A1060 London Road after clearing Bishop's Stortford of enemy troops. To the east Royalist armour captured Maldon before swinging back along the A12 cutting Republican forces in Chelmsford off from reinforcements.

News: Royalists Launch Offensive On London

16th January 1989: Royalist forces commenced Operation Teal, the offensive to capture the capital and smash the Republican movement. Following an intensive artillery barrage and air strikes on key targets, Royalist armour and troops commenced a two pronged pincer attack with one thrust attacking towards Bishop's Stortford and the other towards Chelmsford. Despite fierce Republican resistance the Royalists had invested Stansted and captured Witham by the end of the first day of the offensive.

News: "England's Darkest Hour"

15th January 1989: BBC News reported the visit to the frontline north of London by Prime Minister Cranwell who addressed Republican troops giving his famous "England's Darkest Hour" speech.

The speech criticised "the forces of the Monarcho-Capitalist oppressors who would snuff out the light of democracy in England, a light that has shone as a beacon for the world for a thousand years" and promised that "our struggle will echo through history and we will emerge victorious from England's darkest hour with the torch of democracy shining brighter".

With the final Royalist offensive on London expected within days, the Republicans rushed militia and para-military units to the frontline to bolster the Republican army and territorial units.