Membership was high in the Shankill, east Belfast, Sandy Row and Newtownabbey areas as well as in parts of County Down. The RHC was formed in June 1970 among loyalists in the Shankill area of west Belfast, by John McKeague (who was also involved with Tara), William 'Plum' Smith and colleagues from the Shankill Defence Association. 1.2 Progressive Unionist Party formation.The Red Hand Commando made a failed application in September 2017 to be removed from the list of proscribed organisations in the UK. The RHC is a Proscribed Organisation in the United Kingdom under the Terrorism Act 2000. However an alleged senior member of the organisation from East Belfast was charged with membership in 1983 after boasting to UVF man (and later supergrass) John Gibson that he was second-in-command in the area. The Red Hand Commando was the only major loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland not to have its ranks heavily penetrated by a so-called supergrass or informant during the early 1980s, this was attributed to the group's secrecy (described as an 'enigma') and opaque structure. These youths longed for action, and (the group founder John) McKeague let them have it.' Its membership was composed in the main of Protestant youths – the Tartans who roamed the streets at night looking for trouble.

Writing in early 1973, Martin Dillon characterized the Red Hand Commando thus: 'the composition of this group was highly selective, and it was very secret in its operations. It is named after the Red Hand of Ulster, and is unique among loyalist paramilitaries for its use of an Irish language motto, Lamh Dearg Abu, meaning 'red hand to victory'. As well as allowing other loyalist groupings to claim attacks in their name, the organisation has also allegedly used the cover names 'Red Branch Knights' and 'Loyalist Retaliation and Defence Group'. The Red Hand Commando carried out shootings and bombings, primarily targeting Catholic civilians.

Its aim was to combat Irish republicanism – particularly the Irish Republican Army (IRA) – and to maintain Northern Ireland's status as part of the United Kingdom. The Red Hand Commando (RHC) is a small secretive Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland that is closely linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). Progressive Unionist Party (political representation) Ulster loyalist paramilitary militant groupġ970 – 2007/2009 (declared ceasefire in October 1994, ended armed campaign in May 2007, disarmed by 2009)

Redhand of ulster