Sergeant Frank McEvoy

Frank McEvoy was enlisted into the Army Catering Corps on 14 Sept 1960 at the age of 20. In 1961 he completed P Company before joining F (Sphinx) Parachute Battery 7 RHA on 29 April and deployed to Kuwait ls part of Operation Vantage to support the newly independent state of Kuwait.  Later that year he accompanied 7 RHA on their first operational tour.

During 1962 members of British and French Paras took part in joint exercise. British Soldiers formed scratch sides for a game of football. In the evening the Soldiers remained together –for a welcome glass of beer in an English Inn.  French and British Paras exchanged cap badges to the displeasure of the RSM.

Frank deployed with 7 RHA to Bahrain from April 1963 to Feb 1964 to support strategic interests following withdrawal from Aden. He returned to North Camp, Aldershot. 

In 1968 Frank deployed with ACC volunteers to Libya where he was stationed at Got el Afraq airstrip to augment Support company. Members from his unit were killed when RAF Argosy crashed during exercise. He transferred to Malta later the same year to cover the withdrawal from Libya.

Anguilla - Operation Sheepskin:  2 Para deploy to the Caribbean Island of Anguilla with small contingent of Met Police to quell political unrest over federation with other Caribbean states. The operation involved a beach assault with stiff opposition expected. OC reassures “cookie - the lads will take care of you”. The assault is met with locals welcoming the British troops with cans of Coca Cola.  During the deployment an Army PR Team photographs him working in an outdoor kitchen preparing food “for 200 hungry paratroops”.  A press release in the Yorkshire post entitled "A large family to feed" -  This successful ‘hearts and minds’ operation resulted in the award of the Wilkinson Sword of Peace ‘for acts of humanity and kindness overseas’.

Frank was deployed with 2 Para to Ballymurphy NI from April to August 1971. He was based in the Henry Taggart Memorial Hall (HTMH) during the introduction of internment (Op Demetrius) on 9 Aug 1971. Civil unrest escalated during the day with gun fire ricocheting inside the HTMH. 6 civilians were killed and others injured in cross-fire with further casualties over the following days.  The incident would become known as the "Ballymurphy Massacre".  As a person of Catholic faith, Frank did what he could to ensure those mortally injured received the last rites but the extent of hostilities at the time did not enable this. Media reports from the Ballymurphy inquest shows those injured were treated with a degree of humanity and compassion.  

Following this tour of NI, Frank was based in Browning Barracks, Aldershot. On 22 Feb 1972, whilst working in the Sergeant's Mess, an IRA bomb destroys the adjacent Officer's Mess, killing 6 civilian workers and Padre Weston; the Padre was due to christen his youngest son in the following months.

Frank undertook a UN tour to Cyprus from April to May 1972 before returning to Aldershot. The following year he prepared one of many Mess banquets celebrating Princess Anne’s Wedding to Capt Mark Phillips. Later this year and on promotion to Sergeant, Frank was posted to 16 Parachute Heavy Drop Co. based at RAF Hullavington.

During 1974 Frank undertakes a second operational tour of NI with 3 Para based in South Armagh. In September he takes part in Exercise Bold Guard, the biggest UK Joint Airborne Task Force deployment of the year along with 2 Para, part of 16 Parachute Brigade group and German and Danish Forces. The drop zone was close to the Kiel Canal. A tragic accident kills 6 soldiers during a difficult night drop.

The start of 1975 sees Frank deploy to Singapore with 3 Para on exercise, returning in March. He is sent to Sudan for dessert training from Oct to Dec also that year.

The following year Frank completes a third tour of NI with 3 Para based in South Armagh before ending his 17 years of service on 4 March 1977.