Alan Ross McWhirter (right), with his twin brother, Norris, was the co-founder in 1955 of Guinness Book of Records (known since 2000 as Guinness World Records). He was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in 1975 on 27 November, 40 years ago today. He was 
shot in the head & killed outside his home by two IRA volunteers, Harry Duggan and Hugh Doherty, both of whom were members of what became known as the Balcombe Street Gang, a group for whose capture McWhirter had offered a reward. Duggan and Doherty were apprehended following the
Balcombe Street siege and charged with murdering McWhirter, in addition to nine other victims. They were sentenced to life imprisonment, but released in 1999 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement
