From the archive: Daring republican raid, the first action of the War of Independence, recalled - January 1968

Fifty years ago, on January 4, 1918, to be exact - the Rosses thrilled to the exploits of four young Republicans who, unarmed, held up a British military escort and forced them to hand over two prisoners they were taking to Derry.

The prisoners were two young soldiers home from the war who had decided that their duty lay in fighting for Ireland rather than for England on the battlefields of France.

The Kincasslagh Rd. Station ambush, as it became known, was probably the first engagement with the British Army in the War of Independence, certainly many months before Soloheadbeag.

Death of a Derry football great

One of Derry’s greatest footballer players died yesterday.

A legion of friends, and the whole sporting community, will be shocked at the news of the passing at his residence, 16 Eia Street, Belfast, of Johnny Campbell.

John, who had been living in Belfast for many years, had been ill for a considerable length of time. His outstanding football talent was early apparent and even in his early days in Derry and District F.A. football it was obvious he was destined for the highest honours of the game.

He joined Derry City in 1943 and over the next two years amply fulfilled his early promise.

Big Foyle land reclamation scheme

A proposal that thousands of acres of shallow water in Lough Foyle could be reclaimed, and a vast new industrial area, served by a deep-sea port could be created, was made at the annual meeting of the Derry port and harbour board’s.

The proposal was put forward by the chairman, Mr. T. F. Cooke, who said it had been said that the Harbour Commissioners were not taking sufficient interest in helping to find some alternative to fill the vacuum which would be caused by the projected closing of Ballykelly air station.

He said the decision to close the base was due to the ‘national economic situation’.