Editing Ulster Defence Regiment (section)

====The Yellow Card====
[[File:The Yellow Card.jpg|thumb|right|The Yellow Card]]
All members of the British Armed Forces, including the UDR, carried a number of small information cards to assist in the execution of their duties in Northern Ireland. These were generally referred to by their colour. The most important of these was the [[Rules of engagement|Yellow Card]] which contained the rules for opening fire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/glossary.htm#Y|title=CAIN: Glossary of Terms on Northern Ireland Conflict|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}}</ref>

This content of this information card was seen as vitally important and all soldiers were taught to be entirely familiar with it as it contained specific instructions to be followed when opening fire on a suspected enemy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/383102.stm |title=UK &#124; Rules for a dangerous operation |work=BBC News |date=1999-07-01 |access-date=2013-07-17}}</ref> Requiring, "total understanding and instantaneous recall of the provisions...."<ref name="Potter p224"/> Warnings were to be issued to allow suspects to surrender. Soldiers could only shoot without warning "if there is no other way to protect themselves or those whom it is their duty to protect from the danger of being killed or seriously injured." The card was amended in 1980 to carry the words "Firearms must only be used as a last resort".<ref>Human Rights in Northern Ireland p155</ref> The use of the card was debated in Parliament.<ref>{{hansard|1995/feb/01/northern-ireland-rules-of-engagement|access-date=29 April 2020}}</ref>