Editing Ulster Volunteer Force (section)

==Leadership==

===Brigade Staff===
[[File:Ulster Volunteer force.jpg|thumb|left|Masked UVF Brigade Staff members at a press conference in October 1974. They are wearing part of the UVF uniform which earned them their nickname "Blacknecks"]]
The UVF's leadership is based in Belfast and known as the Brigade Staff. It comprises high-ranking officers under a Chief of Staff or Brigadier-General. With a few exceptions, such as Mid-Ulster brigadier [[Billy Hanna]] (a native of [[Lurgan]]), the Brigade Staff members have been from the Shankill Road or the neighbouring Woodvale area to the west.<ref name="anderson129">Anderson, Malcolm & Bort, Eberhard (1999). ''The Irish Border: History, Politics, Culture''. Liverpool University Press. p. 129</ref> The Brigade Staff's former headquarters were situated in rooms above "The Eagle" chip shop located on the Shankill Road at its junction with Spier's Place. The chip shop has since been closed down.

In 1972, the UVF's imprisoned leader [[Gusty Spence]] was at liberty for four months following a staged kidnapping by UVF volunteers. During this time he restructured the organisation into brigades, battalions, companies, platoons and sections.<ref name="taylor112">Taylor, Peter (1999). ''Loyalists''. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. p.112 {{ISBN|0-7475-4519-7}}</ref> These were all subordinate to the Brigade Staff. The incumbent Chief of Staff, is alleged to be [[John Graham (loyalist)|John "Bunter" Graham]], referred to by Martin Dillon as "Mr. F".<ref name="moloney377"/><ref name="beltel">[https://archive.today/20120720121259/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/the-untouchable-informers-facing-exposure-at-last-13401237.html "The untouchable informers facing exposure at last". ''Belfast Telegraph''. David Gordon. 18 January 2007.] Retrieved 31 May 2012</ref><ref name="dillon133">Dillon, p. 133</ref> Graham has held the position since he assumed office in 1976.<ref name="moloney377">Moloney, Ed (2010). ''Voices From the Grave: Two Men's War in Ireland''. Faber & Faber. p. 377</ref>

The UVF's nickname is "Blacknecks", derived from their uniform of black polo neck jumper, black trousers, black leather jacket, black [[watch cap|forage cap]], along with the UVF badge and belt.<ref name="gallaher151">{{cite book |last=Gallaher |first=Carolyn |author-link=Carolyn Gallaher |date=2007 |title=After the Peace: Loyalist Paramilitaries in Post-accord Northern Ireland |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Us0UUqj5abgC&pg=PA151 |publisher=Cornell University |location=Ithaca, New York |isbn=9780801474262 |oclc=125403384 |access-date=31 July 2014}}</ref><ref>Kate Fearon. ''The Conflict's Fifth Business: a brief biography of Billy Mitchell''. 2 February 2002. p. 27</ref> This uniform, based on those of the original UVF, was introduced in the early 1970s.<ref>Nelson, Sarah (1984). ''Ulster's Uncertain Defenders: Protestant Political, Paramilitary and Community Groups and the Northern Ireland Conflict''. Belfast: Appletree Press. p. 208</ref>

===Chiefs of Staff===
* Gusty Spence (1966). Whilst remaining ''de jure'' UVF leader after he was jailed for murder, he no longer acted as Chief of Staff.
*Samuel Stevenson (1966‐1969). Stevenson, a close ally of Rev. [[Ian Paisley]], confessed to being UVF chief of staff while undergoing questioning on explosives, a charge he later admitted 1970.<ref>Con McCloskey, [https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/events/crights/McCluskey/McCluskey_1989_Up_p167-184_r.pdf '11. A short diary of events'], pp. 170–171. Cain Archive, undated. Retrieved 29 November 2024</ref><ref>David McKittrick, [https://www.irishnews.com/opinion/columnists/2020/02/25/news/fionnuala-o-connor-paisley-s-baleful-influence-all-too-apparent-in-early-days-of-the-troubles-1850608/ 'Fionnuala O'Connor: Paisley's baleful influence all too apparent in early days of the Troubles']. ''Irish News'', 25 February 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2024</ref>
* [[Samuel McClelland|Sam "Bo" McClelland]] (1969–1973)<ref name="cusack21" /> Described as a "tough disciplinarian", he was personally appointed by Spence to succeed him as Chief of Staff, due to his having served in the [[Korean War]] with Spence's former regiment, the [[Royal Ulster Rifles]]. He was interned in late 1973, although by that stage the ''de facto'' Chief of Staff was his successor, Jim Hanna.<ref name="cusack21" /><ref name="tiernanpage1" />
* [[Jim Hanna (loyalist)|Jim Hanna]] (1973 – April 1974)<ref name="tiernanpage1">[http://politico.ie/archive/justice/3925-dublin-and-monaghan-bombing-cover-up-and-incompetence "The Dublin and Monaghan bombings: Cover-up and incompetence". page 1. ''Politico''. Joe Tiernan 3 May 2007] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829231415/http://politico.ie/archive/justice/3925-dublin-and-monaghan-bombing-cover-up-and-incompetence |date=29 August 2015 }} Retrieved 17 November 2011</ref> Hanna was allegedly shot dead by the UVF as a suspected informer.<ref name="tiernanpage1" />
* [[Ken Gibson (loyalist)|Ken Gibson]] (1974)<ref name="coogan177">Coogan, Tim Pat (1995). ''The Troubles: Ireland's Ordeal, 1966–1996, and the Search for Peace''. Hutchinson. p. 177</ref> Gibson was the Chief of Staff during the [[Ulster Workers' Council Strike]] in May 1974.<ref name="coogan177" />
* Unnamed Chief of Staff (1974 – October 1975). Leader of the [[Young Citizen Volunteers (1972)|Young Citizen Volunteers]] (YCV), the youth wing of the UVF. Assumed command after a coup by hardliners in 1974. He, along with the other hawkish Brigade Staff members, was overthrown by Tommy West and a new Brigade Staff of "moderates" in a counter-coup supported by Gusty Spence. He left Northern Ireland after his removal from power.<ref name="dillon53" /><ref name="moloney376">Moloney, Ed (2010). ''Voices From the Grave: Two Men's War in Ireland''. Faber & Faber. p. 376</ref>
* Tommy West (October 1975 – 1976)<ref name="gallaher134">{{cite book |last=Gallaher |first=Carolyn |author-link=Carolyn Gallaher |date=2007 |title=After the Peace: Loyalist Paramilitaries in Post-accord Northern Ireland |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Us0UUqj5abgC&pg=PA134 |publisher=Cornell University |location=Ithaca, New York |isbn=9780801474262 |oclc=125403384 |access-date=31 July 2014}}</ref> A former British Army soldier, West was already the Chief of Staff at the time UVF volunteer Noel "Nogi" Shaw was killed by [[Lenny Murphy]] in November 1975 as part of an internal feud.<ref name="gallaher134" />
* [[John Graham (loyalist)|John "Bunter" Graham]], also referred to as "Mr. F" (1976–present)<ref name="moloney377" /><ref name="beltel" /><ref name="dillon133" />