By Ollie Churm
Leicester, in 1939, was one of the first places in mainland Britain to be targeted by the IRA.
In July 1939, just two months before the outbreak of the Second World War, the IRA targeted Leicester’s London Road station with a bomb at the ticket collector’s office, wounding several people.
The city was to escape IRA attention for over 50 years, until February 20, 1990, when Leicester was once again a victim of the IRA.
An army van was the target of the attack in Rutland Street, which shook buildings within a 200-yard radius.
Luckily the bomb fell off the van before it was intended to explode. If it hadn’t, no one knows how catastrophic the attack could have been.
Three casualties were taken after the attack, two of which were army personal and the other was a civilian.
They were all treated for minor injuries and shock, but a large investigation was to follow, with at least 50 detectives involved.
