Career
The Harvey Andrews song "Soldier" commemorates Willetts" sacrifice. Born in 1943 in the Nottinghamshire town of Sutton-in-Ashfield, Michael Willetts entered a local colliery after leaving school but found that he did not suit the job and soon afterwards joined the British Army, serving in the 3rd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment. After several tours abroad and a promotion to sergeant, Willetts was dispatched with the rest of his regiment to Northern Ireland at the outbreak of violence there between Irish nationalists and the unionist Royal Ulster Constabulary in 1971.
Placed with his squad at Springfield Road police station in Belfast, Willetts engaged in local operations until 25 May 1971, when he was killed in a Provisional Ireland Republican Army bomb attack on the barracks.
Willetts was killed in Springfield Road RUC station by the Provisional Ireland Republican Army. A man in his mid-twenties emerged from a car and threw a suitcase containing a blast bomb into the lobby of the station. Willetts thrust two children and two adults into a corner and stood above them as the 30 lbs of explosives detonated, seriously injuring him.
Seven RUC officers, two British soldiers and eighteen civilians were injured in the attack. Willetts was fatally injured by a chunk of metal from a locker which had struck him in the back of the head
As he was being removed by ambulance, he and the injured officers were jeered by local youths who screamed obscenities at them.
Willetts died after two hours on the operating table at Royal Victoria Hospital. The was awarded to Sergeant Willett"s widow in June and the citation appeared in the London Gazette at the same time.
