Editing Ulster Defence Regiment (section)

==Casualties==
{{see also|Attacks on the Ulster Defence Regiment}}

Between 1 April 1970 and 30 June 1992, a total of 197 soldiers were killed as active servicemen. Another 61 were killed after they had left the UDR.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.udrassociation.org/Roll+of+Honour/roll_of_honour_index.htm|title=Roll of Honour|website=udrassociation.org|access-date=18 November 2021|archive-date=18 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118201052/http://www.udrassociation.org/Roll%20of%20Honour/roll_of_honour_index.htm|url-status=usurped}}</ref> Three members of the UVF and one UDA member killed during the conflict were also soldiers of the regiment at the time of their deaths.<ref name=Sutton>[http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/sutton/chron/1975.html Sutton Chronology, 27 and 31 July 1975], [[CAIN]] website</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/sutton/chron/1972.html|title=CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths|first=Malcolm|last=Sutton|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}}</ref>

Two UDR soldiers were killed by the regular army, three by [[Ulster loyalism|loyalist]] paramilitaries, and the remaining 192 by republican paramilitaries (mainly the Provisional IRA). 22 died "by their own hand" and 220 died of natural causes, mostly heart attack.<ref>Potter p399</ref> Four Greenfinches were killed during the Troubles, Private Eva Martin,<ref name=autogenerated4 /> L/Cpl Jean Leggett,<ref>Ryder p91</ref> Cpl Heather Kerrigan<ref>Ryder p210</ref> and Pte Margaret A. Hearst.<ref>Ryder pp99-100</ref>

During this time soldiers of the UDR were responsible for the killing of six civilians and two members of the IRA.<ref name=autogenerated1>Ryder 1991, {{Page needed|date=September 2010}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

The first UDR soldier to be killed was Private Winston Donnell, aged 22, from the [[Strabane]] Company of 6 UDR, who was [[Killed in action]] on 9 August 1971 at a vehicle checkpoint (as part of the internment call-out) close to the [[The Troubles in Clady (Tyrone)#1971|Clady Bridge border crossing]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nivets.org.uk/ROH/certs/M0302.pdf |title=In Memory of Private WINSTON DONNELL|publisher=Northern Ireland Veterans Association|access-date=2 January 2016}}</ref>

The first serving Catholic to be killed was 32-year-old part-time Private Sean Russell of 7 UDR, who was shot dead on 8 December 1971, in front of his wife and children, by members of the Irish Republican Army who burst into his home in the predominantly Catholic area of New Barnsley, Belfast.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch71.htm|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1971|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk}}</ref><ref name=Potter60>Potter 2001, p. 60.</ref> The last was part-time Private William Megrath of 11 UDR who was shot dead in July 1987 as he drove through the [[Twinbrook, Belfast|Twinbrook]] area of west Belfast on his way home from his civilian job.<ref>Potter p303</ref>

The last UDR soldier to be killed was L/Cpl Ken Newell of [[4th/6th Battalion, Ulster Defence Regiment|4/6 UDR]] who was kidnapped and shot on 26 November 1991 in South Armagh. Another soldier kidnapped with him was set free near [[Crossmaglen]] not far from where Cpl Newell's body was found.<ref>Potter pp356-7</ref>

Attacks did not stop after amalgamation.  Six soldiers who had served with the UDR were killed on active duty with the Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service Battalions).<ref>Potter p392</ref>