In remembrance of Cde. Michael Forde, who on the morning of July 17, 1964, lost his life due to the explosion of a lethal bomb.
Forde was a 22-year-old Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) activist and was one of the leaders of the historic Freedom Marches in February of 1964. On July 17th, 1964 it was reported to the police that a young man went into the Progressive Bookshop, housed in the Freedom House building with a small carton. He placed the box on a bookshelf, purchased a book and without waiting for his change, hurriedly left the shop leaving his box behind. Seconds after the man had left, Forde, an employee, called out to the manager, Miss Euna Mulzack, an American citizen residing in the country, and informed her that the young man left hurriedly without collecting his change and also left a box behind.
Becoming suspicious, she told him to throw the box out of the building. Forde responded and was rushing through the eastern side door of the shop when there was an explosion. The lower part of Forde’s left hand was hurled some 50 yards away back of the pit entrance of the Metropole Cinema. His mutilated body was found face upward lying across the entrance of Freedom House with just strips of clothing dangling around his waist.
At the time of the explosion there were around 40 persons in Freedom House, some of whom were injured. Among the wounded were Mrs. Mary Nunes, wife of Minister of Education Mr. Cedric Nunes, Mrs. Patricia Christian, Miss Euna Mulzack, with a damaged eye and Miss Bispat with a suspected fractured spine. The Premier’s wife, Mrs. Janet Jagan, General Secretary of the PPP, escaped with slight injuries to her hands.
We shall never forget.
Progress Youth Organization