British army role in North ends after 38 years

[two gun sid]

From The Irish Times:
The British army ends its 38-year role in support of the police in Northern Ireland tomorrow, the longest military operation in its history, writes Dan Keenan , Northern News Editor.

Operation Banner, the name given to the mobilisation of troops in Belfast in 1969 to support the RUC, formally ends at midnight tomorrow, bringing to an end a military exercise in which 763 members of British forces died.

The last soldier to die was Stephen Restorick, who was shot by a sniper in south Armagh in February 1997.

Soldiers will remain stationed in Northern Ireland in preparation for possible deployment anywhere in the world.

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/frontpage/2007/0730/1185230139289.html

I don't really have a comment to add to this.

[Narraback]

1. Good