§ Mr. McCuskerasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make 476W a statement about the incidents involving the death of a Welsh Guardsman at Silverbridge, County Armagh, and the attack on the reconnaissance aircraft in South Armagh on 13th November, indicating whether or not those involved sought sanctuary in the Republic of Ireland.
§ Mr. Humphrey Atkins[pursuant to his reply, 19 November 1979, c. 79]: Shortly before 1 pm on 13 November, a foot patrol of the First Battalion, the Welsh Guards was moving from fields on to the road from Silverbridge to Crossmaglen near Ford's Cross, when an explosive device was detonated, killing Guardsman Paul Fryer (18) and injuring another soldier. It is not known in which direction or by what means those responsible escaped.
Shortly after 1 pm on the same day, an aircraft of the Army Air Corps on routine duties south-west of Crossmaglen was fired on and slightly damaged by a group of men who appeared to be mounting an unauthorised vehicle check point. Vehicles were shortly afterwards observed heading towards a nearby border crossing but it is not known whether they crossed the border.