Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
40 years of hell for IRA murder victim’s family
Third generation carries scars of soldier’s killing
THE family of a British soldier murdered by the IRA 40 years ago said time has not healed their hurt.
Ivan Toombs, 42, was shot in his office at the docks at Warrenpoint, Co Down, on January 16, 1981.
His eldest son Paul – who was 16 at the time – recalled a difficult time for his family with his mother ill in hospital.
Mr Toombs, a part-time UDR officer, had survived a previous attempt on his life in 1976, which led Paul to hope his father would also survive this attack.
He said: “The drive from Newry High School to Warrenpoint seemed to go on for ages. Some of the girls thought it was our mum as she had a serious operation.
“It was just a horrendous time. We got by with the help of our grandmother and friends.
“It takes an exceptional person like my mum to hold the whole thing together.”
Mr Toombs said his greatest sadness is for what his father has missed, such as his graduation and wedding as well as the arrival of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He added: “As we have got on with our lives that pain and hurt hasn’t gone away, especially when it comes to a significant anniversary like this.
“It has brought back up memories and thoughts, to think my dad was only 42 when he was murdered and now it has been 40 years.”
Paul named his own eldest son Ivan in memory of his father.
He said that from a young age he had known about his grandfather but it was only when he was a teenager he learned the detail of what happened.
Ivan added: “My grandfather’s murder was long before my time. Dad and I have always been close, so growing up I was always aware of what happened.
“As a child it is very difficult to try and understand but as you get older and start to educate yourself, and others around you educate you about what happened in Northern Ireland’s past, you become more familiar with it.
“I was conscious of this anniversary, it was an emotional time for my dad – I see the trauma which was re-engaged at a later stage in his life.
“That’s something I find quite chilling. You think you live in times of peace but sometimes people forget the lasting effect it has on the second generation and even, to an extent, the third.
“We have dealt with that pain with dad – you are always aware to reflect in your own way and comfort dad.”
Paul said while many would “try to demonise the UDR”, most of its members – like his father – were good people who wanted to make Northern Ireland a better place.
He added: “He felt that for normal, good society for everybody, somebody had to stand in the void and keep the peace, and for the vast majority of people I speak to within the security forces, that was also
SHOT DEAD Ivan Toombs was just 42
TRAUMATISED Paul with brother and sisters
their main drive. Nothing pays you for being out to 4am in driving rain, sleet and snow. An exceptional type of person wants to do that.”
Following the first attempt on his life, he was offered transfers across the UK but as a proud Warrenpoint man he wanted to stay.
Despite a long Army career, Mr Toombs had not wanted military trappings at his funeral to ensure anyone could feel comfortable attending.
Then Bishop of Down and Dromore Robin Eames paid tribute to him by quoting his own words at the service.
Mourners were told: “Surely some day people will come to see that there are some things which are so good that they will endure.”
No one has ever been convicted of the murder.
Paul said: “It’s an extra burden when no one has been brought before the courts. Do we sacrifice justice for truth? I don’t think so.”
As we have got on with our lives, the pain and hurt hasn’t gone away PAUL TOOMBS CO DOWN YESTERDAY