The Road to Balcombe Street: The IRA Reign of Terror in London

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They got their name after taking a couple hostage in Balcombe Street following a London street battle, and surrendering after a six-day siege.

The murdered oncology professor has a plaque in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral, the inscription of which reads: Couple under siege in Balcombe StreetThree armed IRA men on the run from police have burst into a flat in central London and taken at least two people hostage. Last May, they were allowed out for a single day to attend a special Sinn Fein conference called to consider the Good Friday Agreement, and were given a warm reception from hundreds of delegates. The hostages John Matthews, 54, and his wife Sheila, 53, have been taken to University College Hospital where a spokesman said they were "shaken and weak" but doing well. There are also details of military establishments, including the Army officer's training academy at Sandhurst in Surrey. The document also reveals that officers found a newspaper cutting listing the people who attended a memorial service for an ex-Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.Modern view of Balcombe Street, Marylebone. No. 22b, the building involved in the siege, is to the left. In addition to Mr Purnell and Mr McVeigh, all the officers in the Granada and three of the SPG officers were decorated for their bravery under fire.

Photo: Mr John Matthews and his wife Shelia, aged 53, the couple who are the hostages for the four IRA gunmen holed up in the council flat at 22b Balcombe Street, Marylebone. The couple are pictured at a dance. Martin Joseph O'Connell, known as Joe, lived with his parents in a small bungalow beside their farm in Co Clare until 1974. His mother, Ms Annie O'Connell, said after his arrest: "I don't know how he got mixed up with such people." Announcement of his introduction at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 23 February 1999Their booby-trap devices killed Captain Roger Goad, an explosives expert, and cancer expert Professor Gordon Hamilton-Fairley, who was mistakenly killed by a car bomb. Wilson was asked by the Home Office to play down talk of it as a death list, saying it was a compilation of low-grade "intelligence" material found in the Milton Place flat. "We ask particularly that the contents of the list should not be divulged to any of those on it. The police will use their judgment whether any on the list need warning or protection. The list is supplied specifically in answer to the prime minister's request, and I would be glad if it could be treated as SECRET AND PERSONAL."

ON May 10 1998, four men made a dramatic appearance on the platform at a special Sinn Fein conference in Dublin. There was ‘stamping of feet, wild applause and triumphant cheering’ during a 10 minute ovation while the men known as the Balcombe Street gang stood grinning with clenched fists in the air. At the same conference, and to great applause, Gerry Adams described the four men as ‘our Nelson Mandelas!’ It was an initiative that was to cost McWhirter his life. On the evening of November 28, 1975, he was shot dead on the doorstep of his north London home. It seemed the IRA cell could strike at will, prompting the police into urgent action. They serve a range of cask ales, lagers, and spirits, as well as a menu of classic British pub food. Situated at 88 Marylebone Lane, The Coach Makers Arms Pub Marylebone is a traditional British pub that offers a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. The Allsop Arms is a traditional English pub located on Gloucester Place. The pub features a cozy interior with a wood-burning fireplace, leather banquettes, and a range of classic pub games like darts and pool.Tributes paid to former MPS commissioner". Police Professional. 13 November 2017 . Retrieved 13 November 2017.