3 PARA EAST TYRONE ‘EMERGENCY TOUR’ OPERATION GYPSY 1992

‘These photographs were initially taken for the usage of a 3 PARA journal of the battalion on its Northern Ireland ‘Emergency Tour’ codenamed ‘Operation Gypsy’. This was with the co-operation of 3 PARA Commanding Officer Lt. Colonel Tim Burls who gave me permission to document the battalion during this operational tour of duty. As the ‘emergency tour’ progressed I took more and more photographs and then suddenly the operational tour was cut short due to public opinion wanting the Parachute Regiment out of their area, much fuelled by the media and local members of parliament, there was an unsavoury feeling amongst the battalion and never once were my photographs asked for, so I kept them and preserved them’. - Stuart Griffiths