Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The General Service Medal awarded to Private M. L. Hatton, Green Howards, who was shot dead by an I.R.A. sniper in the area of houses on the North side of the Crumlin Road, shortly after having charged a group of stone throwing youths at the Woodvale/Crumlin road junction, 9 August 1971. At the time this tragic incident was described as being part of ‘the worst three days of violence Belfast has ever suffered’

General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (24163702 Pte. M. L. Hatton Green Howards) good very fine £700-£900

Malcolm Leslie Hatton was born in Middlesborough in February 1950. He resided at Overdale Road, Park End, Middlesborough and served with the 1st Battalion, Green Howards. Hatton was killed in action by a sniper whilst serving in Northern Ireland, 9 August 1971. The Evening Gazette (For Middlesborough, Stockton and District) gives the following:

‘A Teeside soldier died today as a wave of terror engulfed Ulster. The soldier, 21 year-old Malcolm Leslie Hatton, of Park End, Middlesborough, was shot by a sniper in Northern Ireland’s worst rioting for three years.

And three more men were killed today as explosions and fires wrecked large areas of Belfast.

Private Hatton, who was dreading serving a second tour of duty in Northern Ireland, died after being shot in the head by a Belfast sniper.

He died in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, after surgeons had fought for three hours in a desperate attempt to save his life.... Malcolm was crossing a road in the Brompton Park area of Ardoyne shortly before midnight when he was hit in the head by a sniper’s bullet. He was rushed to hospital where a team of valiant surgeons fought a vain battle for his life.

His wife and parents were told of his death in a telegram. After hearing of his son’s death, Mr Harry Hatton told the Evening Gazette: “He was home a short while ago and he seemed to have premonition. He felt as though something was going to happen - he was dreading going back.”

Malcolm was serving his second tour of duty in Northern Ireland, and had been with the Green Howards for two and a half years. He had his early training in Greece and had also served with the Regiment in Germany.

Malcolm and Elizabeth were married only on April 15 this year. They last saw each other before he left with his unit for Ireland ten days ago....’

Additional detail about the overall operations is provided in The Green Howards’ Gazette:

‘It is with deep regret that we announce the deaths of Private Malcolm Hatton and Private John Robinson, both killed in action by I.R.A. snipers in Belfast. To the families of both we extend our deepest sympathy over their tragic loss.

The Battalion took over operational responsibility from 1 LI at 0800 hours on Friday, 30th July [1971] and the last chalk arrived from BAOR about 1200 hours the next day. Our dispositions in Belfast were as follows:

Tac H.Q. - Tennent Street Police Station.
Main H.Q. - Flax Street Mill.
A Coy. - Ligoniel.
B Coy. - Based at Flax Street Mill and responsible for the Ardoyne.
C Coy. - Based at Flax Street Mill and responsible for the Bone.
Sp. Coy. - Based at Leopold Street and responsible for the Shankill.

The first five days were relatively quiet. During this time we dealt with routine problems such as bomb scares - interface when groups of young Catholics and Protestants faced each other hurling insults or bricks - monitoring the movement of Protestant bands and football crowds and generally supporting the RUC.

Then about 0100 hours on Friday, 6th August we were involved in our first sniping incident. One of B Company’s ‘pigs’ was fired on in Butler Street in the Ardoyne, the bullets striking the back doors which were closed and nobody was hurt. However this was the prelude to what can only be described as the worst three days of violence Belfast has ever suffered.

As far as we are concerned it started just after midnight on Saturday, 7th August when we received reports of Catholic and Protestant youths stoning each other at the junction of Butler Street and Crumlin Road. Rubber bullets were fired to disperse the crowd and on forcing them down Butler Street we came under a hail of heavy bricks and also fire from snipers on our flank. We returned the fire and then used rubber bullets and CS grenades to get the situation under control and 0800 hours on Sunday morning we were carrying out normal patrolling through the whole of the Ardoyne. It was during this initial engagement that we suffered our first injuries from both enemy sniper fire and large bricks.

At about 2100 hours that night rioting broke out simultaneously in two areas of the Ardoyne. A crowd of about 200 set a bus and sweet shop alight in Butler Street, while at the same time a group of 30 youths raided the bus station about 500 yards away to the North West and set a car alight at the junction of the Crumlin and Woodvale roads. While this was going on the sniper fire could be heard coming from inside the Old Ardoyne too.

A and Sp Companys then sorted out the area of the Ardoyne/Crumlin roads while B Company pushed on down Butler Street where they again came under automatic fire from terrorist snipers to their flank. By 2300 hours B Company had cleared Butler Street and A and Sp Companies had the Crumlin Road quiet and sealed off. It was about this time that Pte. Hatton who had just baton charged a group of stone throwing youths at the Woodvale/Crumlin road junction was shot by a sniper, thought to be in the area of the houses on the North side of the Crumlin road, and tragically died shortly after arriving in hospital.’

Private Hatton is buried in Acklam Cemetery, Middlesborough, and is commemorated on the Armed Forces Memorial in Staffordshire and on the rolls of honour that are kept on public display in the Chapel of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London.

Sold with copied research, including photographic images of recipient.