William Marchant | |
|---|---|
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Frenchie_Marchant.jpg) William "Frenchie" Marchant outside the Crumlin Road Courthouse | |
| Nickname(s) | "Frenchie" |
| Born | c. 1948 Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland |
| Died | 28 April 1987 (aged 38–39) Shankill Road, Belfast |
| Allegiance | Ulster Volunteer Force |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | A Company, 1st Battalion Belfast Brigade |
| Conflict | The Troubles |
William "Frenchie" Marchant (c. 1948 – 28 April 1987) was a Northern Irish loyalist and a high-ranking volunteer in the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).[1] He was on a Garda list of suspects in the 1974 Dublin car bombings, and was allegedly the leader of the Belfast UVF unit known as "Freddie and the Dreamers"[2] which hijacked and stole the three cars which were used in the bombings.[3]
Nine days after the bombings he was arrested and interned at the Maze Prison in relation to the bombings. When questioned by detectives regarding the latter he refused to answer. He was never brought to trial due to lack of evidence. Marchant held the rank of major in the UVF's A Company, 1st Battalion Belfast Brigade. He was shot to death by a Provisional IRA volunteer from a passing car as he stood outside "The Eagle" chip shop below the offices where the UVF Brigade Staff had their headquarters on the Shankill Road.[4]
- ^ Taylor, Peter (1999).Loyalists. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. p.197 ISBN 0-7475-4519-7
- ^ Tiernan, Joe (2000). The Dublin Bombings and the Murder Triangle. Ireland: Mercier Press. p. 95 (cited in the Barron Report 2003)
- ^ The Barron Report 2003: Appendices: The Hidden Hand: The Forgotten Massacre. pp. 14–15. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Dillon. p.456was invoked but never defined (see the help page).