Hyde Park and Regent's Park bombings

The attacks

Hyde Park bombing

At 10:43 am, a nail bomb exploded in the boot of a blue Morris Marina parked on South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park. The bomb comprised 25 lb of gelignite and 30 lb of nails. Three soldiers of the Blues and Royals were killed immediately, and another, their standard-bearer, died from his wounds three days later. Explosives experts believed that the Hyde Park bomb was remotely triggered by an IRA member inside the park.

Regent's Park bombing

The second attack happened at 12:55 pm, when a bomb exploded underneath a bandstand in Regent's Park. Thirty military bandsmen of the Band of the 1st Battalion, Royal Green Jackets were on the stand performing music from Oliver! to a crowd of 120 people.

It was the first in a series of advertised lunchtime concerts there. Six of the bandsmen were killed outright and the rest were wounded; a seventh died of his wounds on 1 August. At least eight civilians were also injured. The bomb had been hidden under the stand some time before and triggered by a timer. Unlike the Hyde Park bomb, it contained no nails and seemed to be designed to cause minimal harm to bystanders.

Aftermath

At least 51 people were injured, and a total of 22 people were admitted to hospital as a result of the blasts: 18 soldiers, a police officer, and three civilians.

The bombings weakened public support in the United States for the Irish republican cause.

Sefton, a horse that survived the attack at Hyde Park despite suffering serious wounds, became famous after appearing in many television shows and was awarded Horse of the Year. Sefton's rider at the time of the bombing, Michael Pedersen, survived but he told his doctor that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder; after leaving his wife, he committed suicide in September 2012 after stabbing two of his children to death.

A memorial marks the spot of the Hyde Park bombing; and the troop honours it daily with an eyes-left and salute with drawn swords. A plaque commemorating the victims of the second attack stands in Regent's Park.

The event was alluded to in the 1983 Pink Floyd song "The Gunner's Dream" (from the album The Final Cut), where a dying RAF gunner dreams of a world where "maniacs don't blow holes in bandsmen by remote control". A 1986 album by experimental musicians Coil was inspired in part by an apocalyptic nightmare, linked to the bombings, that the band's songwriter and vocalist, John Balance, had. The front cover of the album, Horse Rotorvator, featured a photo of the Regent's Park bandstand, taken by Balance.

Criminal proceedings

In October 1987, 27-year-old Gilbert "Danny" McNamee, from County Armagh, was sentenced at the Old Bailey to 25 years in prison for his role in the Hyde Park bombing and others. In December 1998, shortly after his release from the Maze prison under the Good Friday Agreement, three Court of Appeal judges quashed his conviction, deeming it "unsafe" because of withheld fingerprint evidence that implicated other bomb-makers. They stated that though the conviction was unsafe it did not mean McNamee was necessarily innocent of the charge.

On 19 May 2013, 61-year-old John Anthony Downey, from County Donegal, was charged with murder in relation to the Hyde Park bomb and intending to cause an explosion likely to endanger life. He appeared by videolink from Belmarsh prison for a bail hearing at the Old Bailey on 24 May, and did not apply for bail, so was remanded in custody. At a hearing on 1 August 2013, Downey was granted conditional bail and a trial was scheduled for January 2014.

On 24 January 2014, Downey appeared at the Old Bailey for the beginning of his trial; he entered a not guilty plea on the four murder charges and the charge of intending to cause an explosion. On 25 February 2014, it was revealed that Downey's trial had collapsed after the presiding judge had ruled, on 21 February, upon a letter sent by the Police Service of Northern Ireland to Downey in 2007, assuring him that he would not face criminal charges over the attack. Although the assurance was made in error and the police realised the mistake, it was never withdrawn, and the judge ruled that therefore the defendant had been misled and prosecuting him would be an abuse of executive power. Downey is one of 187 IRA suspects who received secret on-the-run letters guaranteeing them unofficial immunity from prosecution. In December 2019 the High Court ruled, in a civil action against Downey by the family of a victim, that he had been an "active participant" in the Hyde Park bombing, subject to a claim for damages.

References

References

1. (4 March 1996). "Terrorist Incidents". UK Parliament.
2. (2019-12-18). "John Downey 'active participant' in Hyde Park bombing". BBC News.
3. [[David McKittrick. McKittrick, David]]. ''Lost Lives: The stories of the men, women and children who died as a result of the Northern Ireland Troubles''. Random House, 2001. pp. 908–909
4. White-Spunner, Barney. (2006). "Horse Guards: Illustrated History of the Household Cavalry". [[Pan Macmillan]].
5. Chalk, Peter. ''Encyclopedia of Terrorism''. ABC-CLIO, 2012. pp.614–615. {{ISBN. 0313308950
6. Pallister, David. (21 July 1982). "IRA terror bombs kill eight soldiers in London parks". [[The Guardian]].
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8. "Sefton, Battle of a War Horse".
9. . (5 December 2012). ["Pedersen deaths: Father killed children and himself"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-20615831).
10. . ["Hyde Park bomb"](https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/hyde-park-bomb/).
11. "Memorials, fountains and statues".
12. Keenan, David. (2024). "England's Hidden Reverse". [[MIT Press]].
13. . (17 December 1998). ["Man wins IRA bomb appeal"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/236898.stm).
14. . (22 May 2013). ["John Anthony Downey charged over 1982 Hyde Park bombings"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22625104).
15. (1 August 2013). "IRA Hyde Park bomb: John Downey granted bail".
16. (24 January 2014). "IRA Hyde Park bomb: John Downey denies murder".
17. (25 February 2014). "Alleged IRA Hyde Park bomber goes free after 'no trial' guarantee".
18. (26 February 2014). "Peter Robinson quit threat over IRA Hyde Park bomb case".
19. (18 December 2019). "John Downey 'active participant' in Hyde Park bombing".