Operation Flavius

Historical eventMarch 61988

Operation Flavius

Operation Flavius: Three Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteers are shot dead by the SAS in Gibraltar.

Everything on March 6Original source
Photo: Heralder , elements from File:Coat of arms of Gibraltar1.svg · Public domain

In context

When
Sunday, March 6 198838 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1980s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1988-03-06.

Place: Winston Churchill Avenue, Gibraltar.

Type: military operation.

Deaths reported: 3.

What came before

Part of: The Troubles.

Background See also: The Troubles The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) aimed to establish a united Ireland and end the British administration of Northern Ireland through the use of force. The organisation was the result of a 1969 split in the Irish Republican Army ; [ 1 ] the other group, the Official IRA , ceased paramilitary activity in the 1970s. The IRA killed civilians, members of the armed forces, police, judiciary and prison service, including off-duty and retired members,

Who was involved

Involved: Special Air Service.

What happened

Operation Flavius was a military operation in which three members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) were shot dead by the British Special Air Service (SAS) in Gibraltar on 6 March 1988. The trio were believed to be planning a car bomb attack on British military personnel in Gibraltar. They were shot dead while leaving the territory, having parked a car. All three were found to be unarmed, and no bomb was discovered in the car,

March 6 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 19751975 Algiers Agreement
  2. 1985Christ's Commission Fellowship
  3. 1987MS Herald of Free Enterprise
  4. 1988The Troubles
  5. 1988Operation Flavius
  6. 2000Marine Parade Community Building
  7. 2003Air Algérie Flight 6289
  8. 20086 March 2008 Baghdad bombing
  9. 20082008 Jerusalem yeshiva attack
  10. 2009Florida State University academic-athletic scandal
  11. 20206 March 2020 Kabul shooting

Also in 1988

  • September 9Vietnam Airlines Flight 831Vietnam Airlines Flight 831 crashes in Khu Khot, Thailand, while on approach to Don Muang International Airport, killing 76.
  • March 14Johnson South Reef skirmishChina defeated Vietnam in a naval altercation while attempting to establish oceanographic observation posts on the Spratly Islands.
  • September 12Hurricane GilbertHurricane Gilbert devastates Jamaica; it turns towards Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula two days later, causing an estimated $5 billion in damage.
  • September 13Hurricane GilbertHurricane Gilbert reached a minimum pressure of 888 mb (26.22 inHg) with sustained flight-level winds of 185 mph (295 km/h), making it th…
  • September 188888 UprisingThe 8888 Uprising in Myanmar comes to an end.
  • September 18Henri NamphyGeneral Henri Namphy, president of Haiti, is ousted from power in a coup d'état led by General Prosper Avril.
  • September 18Magna Charta UniversitatumThe Magna Charta Universitatum, asserting key principles essential to the free operation of universities, is signed in Bologna by the rec…
  • August 10Civil Liberties Act of 1988The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 became law, authorizing reparations to surviving Japanese Americans interned during World War II.

Everything we record for 1988 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Operation Flavius”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/operation-flavius-1988-march-6, accessed October 27, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Operation Flavius happen?

March 6 1988 — 38 years ago, on a Sunday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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