Gary Desmond Martin
Constable

Gary Desmond Martin

Felonious
End of Watch April 27, 1981
Age 28
Gender Male

Incident

Constable Martin was killed at 2:50pm when a terrorist bomb exploded in a lorry that had been abandoned and was obstructing the thoroughfare near the junction of Glen Road and Shaw’s Road in Andersontown, Belfast.

The officer and his colleagues diverted traffic from the area before inspecting and moving the lorry. An inspector had checked the driver’s cabin but didn’t find anything.

Gary then volunteered to drive away the lorry and as he was getting into the cabin he put his hand on the seat and the lorry exploded. A mercury-tilt switch had been placed under the seat to detonate the bomb.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Constable Martin served with the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Martin.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Location NIR
Platform Identity ruc.bfs.nir.gb.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 27, 1981
Age 28
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Homicide - Bomb

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Gary is one of 1,170 officers killed feloniously in United Kingdom, 30.9% of the 3,791 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1981, 26 officers in United Kingdom were killed feloniously, the 5th heaviest of 216 years on record. The heaviest was 1941, with 167.

Every year on record · United Kingdom
II

Who

Gary was 28. Of the 1,048 killed feloniously in United Kingdom whose age is recorded, half were between 28 and 44; the middle age was 36.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

April holds 9.8% of these deaths in United Kingdom; May holds the most, 12.6%. Mondays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 30.9% of all 3,791 deaths in United Kingdom, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Royal Ulster Constabulary GC has at least 120 officers remembered here, Gary among them.

Across the years

Constable Gary Desmond Martin

Royal Ulster Constabulary GC · End of Watch April 27, 1981

Where the Name Is Cut

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