At 10pm two IRA gunmen wearing masks burst open the door carrying machine guns. They sprayed the inside of the hall with bullets as they tried to murder every man in the building.

They stood just inside the doorway and opened fire on the 17 men sitting in the hall while another gunman fired through a window from outside.

Three lodge members were killed immediately while several others were wounded - one was to die shortly after at the scene and another two days later in hospital.

An off-duty member of the security forces attending the meeting was able to use a personal protection weapon to fire back, wounding one of the assailants who subsequently fled from the isolated hall.

An ambulance was called immediately to tend to the many wounded and the dead. Outside the Army found a metal container with 2Ib of explosive inside.

It is estimated that eight terrorists took part in the multiple killing, but only one - the driver of a getaway car - was ever convicted.

The slaying came just three weeks after the kidnap and murder of fellow lodge member William Meaklin, a former police reservist.

Only months later, in February 1976, a seventh member of the Co Armagh lodge, part-time UDR soldier Joseph McCullough, was also murdered. The same man was convicted in connection with the killings of UDR members  Robert William McConnell. He received seven life sentences and was also jailed for being a member of the IRA and having guns and explosives. But since the signing of the Belfast Agreement he is now a free man.
The victims were.........

William McKee Protestant Civilian farmer, 70 yrs married with five children
James McKee Protestant Civilian farmer, 40 yrs.
Nevin McConnell Protestant Civilian livestock market manager, 40 yrs.
John Johnson Protestant retired farmer 80 yrs
William Herron died two days after the IRA attack on the Orange Hall
"Lest we forget"