senior officers attempted to halt the exodus of catholics, allowing battalion commanders to appear on television (not usually permitted for the rank of lieutenant colonel in those days). appeals were made to religious and political leaders and extra personal security measures were introduced. brigadier scott-bowden's successor in 1972 was brigadier denis ormerod, a catholic whose mother's family came from the republic of ireland. his second-in-command (deputy commander udr), colonel kevin hill, was also catholic, as was his successor colonel paddy ryan. it was generally felt that these appointments were to appeal to catholics. ormerod admitted in his memoirs that his religion and appointment as the senior catholic army officer in northern ireland helped him considerably in his rapport with religious leaders of his own faith but that these appointments created unease with protestants leading to meetings with concerned unionist politicians including, notably, ian paisley.