The Longest Walk
As a British Army EOD technician enters the blast zone of a suspicious vehicle in Belfast, Northern Ireland, a foreboding sign on the intersection of Manor Street and Oldpark Road transforms an already powerful image into an iconic one.
A member of the Ammunition Technicians of the Royal Logistic Corps, the officer was one of several specialists called upon to handle and dispose of the explosive devices implemented throughout Northern Ireland during Operation Banner. The violent troubles between IRA and British military took a heavy toll on armed forces and civilians alike over a thirty-year period, with improvised and hidden bombs unleashing their own brand of indiscriminate terror. Fortunately for this man, the contents of the abandoned van turned out to be harmless, though the Old Testament excerpt assuredly made the journey longer.
Photo dated c. 1987.
Fun Fact: The verse on the wall is from the Book of Amos, chapter 4. Verse 12 of the prophetic chapter reads "Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel."