Editing Ulster Defence Regiment (section)

==Women's UDR (Greenfinches)==
[[File:UDR Greenfinch.jpg|thumb|right|UDR Greenfinch wearing semi-formal skirt and old style "flak Jacket" body armour.]]
In the early days of the regiment female members of the [[Royal Military Police]] accompanied patrols when available to enable female suspects to be searched. There were never enough of these RMP searchers so in 1973 an act was passed in Parliament to recruit women into the regiment.<ref name="Ryderp" /> On 16 August 1973 a regular army officer from the [[Women's Royal Army Corps]], Major Eileen Tye, took up the post of "Commander Women" at HQUDR.<ref name="Potter-p115">Potter p115</ref> By September 352 women had been enrolled and the first enlistments were carried out at 2 UDR's HQ in Armagh on the 16th.<ref name="Potter-p115" /> This use of women as an integrated part of the regiment preceded similar usage in the regular army by 20 years,<ref>Gamble p149</ref> and paved the way for the disbandment of the Women's Royal Army Corps in 1992.<ref name="Potter-p120">Potter p120</ref>

The only available clothing was mostly [[Auxiliary Territorial Service|ATS]] surplus from WWII.<ref name="Potter-p115" /> Many women were unhappy with the semi-formal skirts and knee length boots they had to wear in all weathers. Eventually the regulations were relaxed and by the time of the merger women were wearing full combat uniform.<ref name="Potter-p119">Potter p119</ref> The women soldiers also wore a silk cravat in their battalion colour.

A team of WRAC instructors led by WO2 Brooker was assigned to train the women in a one-week course consisting of drill, army organisation, map reading, searching of women and vehicles, radio procedure and basic first aid.<ref name=":2" /> Their assignment finished after one year when Greenfinches with the relevant experience were assigned to take over as instructors.<ref name=":2" />

The first recruits were largely from the executive and professional classes.<ref name=":2">Potter 2001, p. 116</ref> Some were wives of serving UDR soldiers and others were married to soldiers on long-term (accompanied) posting to Northern Ireland,<ref>Potter p166</ref> including the wives of some commanding officers.<ref name=autogenerated15>Ryder p105</ref> Some soldiers (male and female) were inclined to settle in Northern Ireland after their time in the army was finished and for female ex-soldiers and the wives of male ex-soldiers being a Greenfinch seemed to be an attractive and familiar career.<ref name=autogenerated15 />

The country and border battalions welcomed the use of women as essential in the searching of women and children but the city based battalions were slower to see the advantages and to some extent resented the presence of Greenfinches at first.<ref name=Potter117>Potter 2001, p. 117</ref> In the short-term all came to appreciate the value of having females with patrols. Through time the role of women was expanded as it was realised that their higher pitched voices were more suited to radio transmission than men.<ref name="Potter117"/> Tasked to relieve RMP women at the Belfast city centre segment gates they learned how to accept abuse from the public and how to avoid traps that could be set for them while they searched other women; i.e., razor blades placed in pockets.<ref name="Potter-p119" />

Some women were trained in the use of "Sea Watch" [[radar]] to assist seaborne patrols in those battalions with fast boats.<ref name="Potter117" />

Initially a part-time female officer was appointed in each battalion to supervise the women soldiers but through time the women came under command of the [[Officer Commanding]] (OC) of the company they were assigned to. In later years some women became battalion [[adjutant]]s or [[company commander]]s and a few were attached to [[brigade]] staffs throughout Northern Ireland.<ref name="Potter-p119" />

Accommodation for changing and toilet facilities was another problem faced early<ref name="Potter-p119" /> on and it took several years for the all-male environments of UDR bases to adapt to suit female needs.

The name ''Greenfinch'' applied to the women's UDR comes from the system of radio "appointment titles" (codewords) used by the army to identify certain people or branches of the service. Male soldiers in the regiment were identified as "Greentop" and women were given the codeword "Greenfinch" with female commanders being referred to as "Goldfinch".<ref>Gamble p150</ref> This became their working nickname. It is still applied today to women in the [[Royal Irish Regiment (1992)|Royal Irish Regiment]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2020}}

The recruitment of women soldiers peaked in 1986 with 286 permanent cadre and 530 part timers but the establishment never dropped below 700 from 1978 onwards.<ref name=Potter117 />

===Women's operational role===
Greenfinches were used to deny terrorists the use of women and children in paramilitary activities.<ref name="Gamble-p151">Gamble p151</ref> On patrol they were used to search for explosives, weapons, ammunition and documents, as well as driving patrol vehicles, operating radios and acting as interviewers.<ref name="Gamble-p151" /> The use of females in barracks included clerical, catering and store-keeping duties in addition to staffing "Operations Rooms" and "Intelligence Cells", released male soldiers for operational duties.<ref name="Gamble-p151" />

===Training===
Women soldiers were required to pass annual skills tests to qualify for grades and pay increments.<ref name="Gamble-p152">Gamble p152</ref> If these tests were failed the Greenfinch concerned would be downgraded and suffer a drop in wages.<ref>Gamble p155</ref> They received regular "role specific" training which included: person and vehicle searching, map reading, first aid, signals, personal security and terrorist recognition; as well as regimental history, military etiquette, rank structure and dress regulations, and also fitness training.<ref name="Gamble-p152" /> They were advised to maintain a high degree of fitness.<ref name="Gamble-p152" />

Although not armed on duty Greenfinches were trained to fire a full range of weapons and taught how to make a weapon "safe" as part of the training on dealing with casualties.<ref name="Potter-p120" /> HQUDR ran a [[.22 Long Rifle|.22]] shooting competition.<ref name="Potter-p120" />

Some Greenfinches were issued with (or purchased) personal protection weapons (PPW's) if considered to be at high risk.<ref name="Potter-p120" />

===Pregnancy, marriage and pay===
Issues which affected other servicewomen also applied to Greenfinches. Rules regarding pregnancy, marriage, and pay. To join, married women were required to submit written permission from their husbands and those with children were obliged to sign a declaration confirming childcare arrangements.<ref name="Gamble-p151" />

Ministry of Defence regulations concerning women soldiers meant that Greenfinches would be discharged in the fourth month of pregnancy.<ref name="Gamble-p153">Gamble p153</ref> If they returned to their unit after maternity leave they were required to retake the basic recruits course.<ref name="Gamble-p153" /> Their previous service did not count towards medal entitlement or promotion.<ref name="Gamble-p153" /> Some sympathetic battalion commanders avoided putting female soldiers through this by sending them on extended, long term leave but keeping them "on strength".<ref name="Potter-p120" />

The European Court ruled against the Ministry of Defence in 1990 and awarded compensation to 78 former Greenfinches totaling £370,000.<ref name="Gamble-p153" /> Regulations then changed and all British servicewomen were subsequently allowed 48 weeks unpaid maternity leave, following which they could return to duty without preconditions.<ref name="Potter-p120" />

A study in 1988 showed that half the women serving were married and 42% were mothers, with two thirds of their children being infants or of school age.<ref name="Potter-p120" />

===Women casualties===
Four Greenfinches were killed as active servicewomen between 1974 and 1992.<ref>Potter 2001, p. 115-121</ref> The first was Private Eva Martin, age 28, fatally wounded by rocket fragments on 3 May 1974 during a [[Attack on UDR Clogher barracks|PIRA attack on 6 UDR's outlying base at the Deanery, Clogher]]. She was also the first female from the security forces to die in the Troubles.<ref name="Potter117" /><ref>{{cite web|title=In Memory of Private EVA MARTIN|url=http://www.nivets.org.uk/ROH/certs/M0703.pdf|website=nivets.org.uk|publisher=Northern Ireland Veterans Association|access-date=2 January 2016}}</ref>