| Surname: | Jolliffe |
| Initials: | W G |
| Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Army Number: | 24177549 |
| Notes: | RMP. Died 1/3/1971. Cause of death petrol bomb attack on his Land-Rover in Londonderry. Age 18. First fatal RMP casualty in NI. Attached 173 Pro Coy. Inscription on gravestone: We shall remember. He is buried in Tidworth Military Cemetery. Plot F, grave 127. Born 10/6/1952. William Gordon Jolliffe. Extract from the Aberdeen Evening Explorer, 1/3/1971. Fire bomb fury kills soldier. A young redcap NCO died in a Londonderry hospital today shortly after a petrol bomb attack set his Land Rover ablaze. A boy of 16 who may have been a sniper is in hospital in Belfast with gun shot stomach wounds. Just before he was injured troops had returned fire in Omar street on the Falls Road. The Lance corporal in the Royal Military Police was fatally injured in the north east corner of Bogside, Londonderry, when the Land Rover was attacked with petrol bombs as it passed the corner of Westland and Cable street on a routine patrol. The vehicle was confronted by a youth who threw what looked like a petrol bomb which did not explode. At the same time 15 to 20 youths converged from both sides on the vehicle and threw 10 petrol bombs all of which exploded - four against the vehicle and the rest on the road. The vehicle mounted the pavement and struck a wall. the driver got out and fell to the ground, as he did so. Stoned. He picked himself up and went back towards the vehicle but could not get near it because of the flames. He was stoned by the crowd of youths but charged them and arrested one before running to a police station while he was being stoned. The injured soldier was extracted from the back of the Land Rover by residents of the street and was taken into a house and wrapped in blankets. The third member of the patrol who was in front of the vehicle was also taken care of by the people in the street. An ambulance took the injured soldier to Altnagelvin Hospital where he died shortly afterwards. An Army spokesman said 30 or 40 residents of the area were thoroughly helpful when the vehicle was being recovered. It was an isolated incident and Londonderry otherwise had a quiet weekend. |
Casualty Record: | |
| Date of Death: | March 1, 1971 |
| Company: | 3 DIV PRO COY |
| CWGC Link: | 90909 |
| Cemetery: | TIDWORTH MILITARY CEMETERY, UNITED KINGDOM 🇬🇧 |
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