Memo to Lt Col Pownall, MoD from JF Howe, Civil Adviser to GOC re UDR - Membership of UDA, 31 July 1972

In this memo examples are given of possible joint membership of the UDR and UDA. Howe goes on to state:

'One important (but unspoken) function of the UDR is to channel into a constructive and disciplined direction Protestant energies which might otherwise become disruptive...it would be counter-productive to discharge a UDR member solely on the grounds that he was a member of the UDA...I am sure this moderate line towards UDA sympathisers is the right one in view of the role of the UDR as a safety valve.'