the response from the b specials was mixed. some felt betrayed and resigned immediately, while others made application to join the udr as soon as forms were available. others joined the newly formed ruc reserve instead, especially in belfast, where during the first month of recruiting, only 36 specials applied to join the udr compared to an average of 29% – 2,424, one thousand of whom were rejected, mainly on the grounds of age and fitness. around 75% of the men of the tyrone b specials applied, of whom 419 were accepted and, as a result, the 6th battalion, ulster defence regiment started life as the only battalion more or less up to strength, and remained so during its history. in five of the seven battalions, former specials made up more than half of personnel; in the 4th battalion, ulster defence regiment, it reached 87%. the story was different in belfast (10%) and the rest of antrim (42%), where the figures were more balanced, with a correspondingly higher proportion of catholic recruits.