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The Historical Enquiries Team said the IRA carried out the “purely sectarian” murder of the 10 Protestant civilians at Kingsmills in south Armagh as they travelled home from work 45 years ago this Tuesday.

Alan was shot 18 times as he and his colleagues were lined up against their minibus. However, he miraculously survived, refusing to buy into bitterness and going on to reach out across his community. But he never expected any recognition for his ‘services to the community’ in south Armagh.

“It came as such a surprise,” he told the News Letter. “I was notified by email at the beginning of the month. First of all I thought it was a prank and then I thought it could be a scam.

Alan Black, the only survivor of the 1976 Kingsmills massacre, has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours

“It gave a telephone number at Horse Guards Road, London. So I had to phone them to make sure it was genuine, that is how surprised I was.

“I would like to dedicate this MBE to the community in Bessbrook who supported me through some very tough years, and to the Kingsmills families,” he said.

During his recovery from the attack he met a man called Brian Sloan.

“Bessbrook was always well integrated and there was good community relations,” Mr Black said.

Belfast hotelier Lord Diljit Singh Rana, chairman of Andras House Ltd, who has been awarded an OBE for services to business and to the economy in Northern Ireland in the New Year Honours list

“And over a few pints Brian and I had the idea of keeping the community alive to each other and playing with each other, and starting up a youth football team. And that was really the start of it. I did my bit but I didn’t expect this recognition.”

Brookvale Young Boys Football Club still puts out six teams each week.

Alan played a central role in the club with Brian for 17 years but now serves in a figurehead capacity as president.

Alan was also well known for offering the hand of friendship to Eugene Reavey, who lost three brothers in an attack by loyalists the day before Kingsmills, at nearby Whitecross.

January 5 will mark the 45th anniversary of the Kingsmills massacre, but the MBE does nothing to lessen the pain he feels mounting each year in the countdown to the anniversary.

“I am well aware that there are still 10 families that are grieving. And I am still alive and have been alive for almost 45 years longer than their loved ones.”

Irish Government deliberately did not condemn ceasefire murders by IRA in 1996 to keep Sinn Féin on board, declassified file reveals

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New Year Honours: Kingsmills survivor Alan Black dedicates MBE to those who helped him through ‘tough years’ and the bereaved families