GCSE History | The Security Forces in Northern Ireland

History Quiz - Northern Ireland: 1968-98 - The Role Of The Security Forces (Questions)

This GCSE History quiz looks at the role of the Army and police in Northern Ireland, from peacekeeping aims to controversies that shaped community attitudes during the Troubles.

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Fascinating Fact:

On Bloody Sunday in January 1972, British soldiers shot dead 13 unarmed civil rights marchers in Derry. The event badly damaged the Army’s reputation and boosted IRA recruitment.

In GCSE History, you study how security forces such as the British Army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary operated in Northern Ireland, including their methods, their powers, and the impact of their actions on both communities.

Key Terms

Security forces: The Army, police, and related units responsible for maintaining law, order, and public safety.
Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC): The main police force in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
Internment: The imprisonment of suspects without trial, used by the government as an emergency security measure.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What were the security forces in Northern Ireland during the Troubles?

The main security forces were the British Army, the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and the locally recruited Ulster Defence Regiment. They were tasked with keeping order and tackling paramilitary violence.

Why were British troops first sent to Northern Ireland in 1969?

British troops were deployed in 1969 to restore order after serious riots and to protect civilians. At first many Catholic communities welcomed them, but attitudes changed as the conflict continued.

How did security force actions affect relations with local communities?

Actions such as house searches, roadblocks, and arrests were seen by some as necessary for safety, but others viewed them as unfair or biased, which increased mistrust and tension.

Try These Related Quizzes

Jack Lynch, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland at the very beginning of the "Troubles", suggested that an outside force should intervene in the Province. Which force or forces did he have in mind?

[ ]	Units of the British army
[ ]	Police officers from the Irish Republic (Gardaí)
[ ]	A United Nations Force
[ ]	A force made up from Commonwealth countries

Later in 1969 Harold Wilson's Labour government did decide to deploy British troops to Northern Ireland. How were these troops received initially by the Catholic inhabitants in Belfast and Londonderry?

[ ]	With indifference
[ ]	With hostility
[ ]	With welcoming cups of tea and other refreshments
[ ]	With books and pamphlets outlining the case for a United Ireland

In January 1972 British troops killed 13 Roman Catholics in Londonderry. Which unit of the British army was responsible for this outrage?

[ ]	Royal Marine Commandos
[ ]	The Brigade of Guards
[ ]	The Parachute Regiment
[ ]	The Royal Engineers

An immediate enquiry was set up into the events of "Bloody Sunday". Which judge presided over this investigation, which was widely criticised for being too favourable to the security forces?

[ ]	Widgery
[ ]	Hutton
[ ]	Savile
[ ]	Scott

In 1972 "Operation Motorman" involved a military invasion and occupation of the Bogside area of Londonderry - and the introduction of internment. What was meant by internment?

[ ]	Arresting and imprisoning suspects locally without trial for an unlimited period
[ ]	Arresting suspects and keeping them in prison for a short while, before releasing them
[ ]	Arresting suspects and keeping them in prison for a while, before putting them before a court
[ ]	Arresting suspects and sending them indefinitely to prison on the UK mainland

Which of the following interrogation techniques was not used by British forces in Northern Ireland for a while during the 1970s?

[ ]	Hooding
[ ]	"White Noise"
[ ]	Sleep Deprivation
[ ]	Waterboarding

Which was the worst year during the "Troubles" for deaths among the security forces?

[ ]	1971
[ ]	1972
[ ]	1979
[ ]	1982

A special forces unit of the British army achieved the greatest Provisional IRA loss of life in one incident during the Troubles. Which unit was this?

[ ]	The Special Boat Squadron
[ ]	The Special Air Service
[ ]	The RAF Regiment
[ ]	The Army Air Corps

"Operation Banner" (the intervention in Northern Ireland) was the longest continuous campaign fought by the British army anywhere. How long was this?

[ ]	36 years
[ ]	29 years
[ ]	39 years
[ ]	38 years

10.

Which mainly Catholic area, bordering on the Irish Republic on the east side of the frontier, was exceptionally dangerous for the security forces, who arrived in and left the area by air?

[ ]	County Fermanagh
[ ]	County Tyrone
[ ]	South Armagh
[ ]	County Londonderry

History Quiz - Northern Ireland: 1968-98 - The Role Of The Security Forces (Answers)

[ ]	Units of the British army
[ ]	Police officers from the Irish Republic (Gardaí)
[x]	A United Nations Force
[ ]	A force made up from Commonwealth countries

The government of Southern Ireland felt that it had a responsibility to protect the minority Catholic community in the North

[ ]	With indifference
[ ]	With hostility
[x]	With welcoming cups of tea and other refreshments
[ ]	With books and pamphlets outlining the case for a United Ireland

The troops' arrival undoubtedly prevented a massacre, and reassured - temporarily - fearful Catholics

In January 1972 British troops killed 13 Roman Catholics in Londonderry. Which unit of the British army was responsible for this outrage?

[ ]	Royal Marine Commandos
[ ]	The Brigade of Guards
[x]	The Parachute Regiment
[ ]	The Royal Engineers

This was a shocking event, in which armed troops gunned down unarmed demonstrators on the streets of a British city

An immediate enquiry was set up into the events of "Bloody Sunday". Which judge presided over this investigation, which was widely criticised for being too favourable to the security forces?

[x]	Widgery
[ ]	Hutton
[ ]	Savile
[ ]	Scott

This early enquiry left in many people an uneasy feeling that justice had not been done

In 1972 "Operation Motorman" involved a military invasion and occupation of the Bogside area of Londonderry - and the introduction of internment. What was meant by internment?

[x]	Arresting and imprisoning suspects locally without trial for an unlimited period
[ ]	Arresting suspects and keeping them in prison for a short while, before releasing them
[ ]	Arresting suspects and keeping them in prison for a while, before putting them before a court
[ ]	Arresting suspects and sending them indefinitely to prison on the UK mainland

The Northern Irish authorities had difficulty in getting witnesses to testify against known paramilitaries. Internment was an attempt to overcome this problem

Which of the following interrogation techniques was not used by British forces in Northern Ireland for a while during the 1970s?

[ ]	Hooding
[ ]	"White Noise"
[ ]	Sleep Deprivation
[x]	Waterboarding

These methods were revealed in the 1970s and were thereafter discontinued. However, allegations of "torture" persisted, and the damage had already been done to relations between British troops and local Roman Catholics

Which was the worst year during the "Troubles" for deaths among the security forces?

[ ]	1971
[x]	1972
[ ]	1979
[ ]	1982

In the absence of a political settlement the security forces were left to battle it out with paramilitaries from both sides of the sectarian divide

A special forces unit of the British army achieved the greatest Provisional IRA loss of life in one incident during the Troubles. Which unit was this?

[ ]	The Special Boat Squadron
[x]	The Special Air Service
[ ]	The RAF Regiment
[ ]	The Army Air Corps

Small elite units could be highly effective in the circumstances of Northern Ireland