3. Maze Prison Escape
On September 25, 1983, in the HM Prison Maze, yet another “escape-proof” prison, (actually dubbed the most escape-proof prison in Europe), the largest prisoner escape in the history of the United Kingdom occurred. Of course, like other successful escapes, the prisoners began planning months ahead of time. In this instance, two inmates worked as orderlies in the prison carefully analyzing the prison system for weaknesses. These two prisoners were “Big Bobby” Storey and Gerry Kelly, both active members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Together, with help from the IRA outside the prison walls, they smuggled six pistols into the prison and waited for their moment.
At 2:30pm, the escape began. Inmates used the smuggled pistols to attack and overpower guards to prevent them from sounding the alarm. The guards were taken hostage, some were stabbed or gun-butted, while one officer was shot in the head and survived. Within twenty minutes the prisoners had taken absolute control of their cell block but had to wait for transport. At 3:25pm, a delivery truck arrived. Taking the driver hostage along with another guard 37 prisoners climbed into the delivery truck equipped with adequate disguises and weapons and began moving toward the exit.
At the main gate of the Maze Prison, the inmates took more hostages. An officer named James Ferris attempted to trigger the alarm but was chased down and stabbed three times in the chest before he could get the chance. A soldier in the watch tower contacted the British Army while other officers tried to block the main gate with their cars. Prisoners attacked and shot at these officers, hijacking one of them and driving it into the gate. Unfortunately for the escapees, the IRA support team outside the prison walls was five minutes late and forced the prisoners to hijack cars or make a run for it on their own. In the end, 35 IRA prisoners escaped, with only one recaptured.
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