First shots fired ‘directed at paras’

THE first shots fired on Bloody Sunday were directed at paratroopers as they entered the Bogside area of Derry, it was claimed yesterday.

A Coldstream Guard, who has been granted anonymity, told the Saville

Inquiry in London he was in no doubt the first shots fired on January 30, 1972 were from the roof of the Rossville Flats.

But under questioning from Cathryn McGahey, counsel for the inquiry, Soldier INQ 564 admitted he did not hear five shots soldiers fired before paratroopers entered the Bogside. The guardsman was based on the Derry Walls overlooking the Bogside on the day 13 civil rights marchers were shot dead. A 14th man died later. He said he saw what appeared to be soldiers moving forward to conduct an arrest operation before any shots were fired. “I then heard shooting from the top of Block 1 of the Rossville Flats which was directed at the paras,” he said. “This happened more or less simultaneously to the paras de-bussing. I did not see anyone shooting or I would have returned fire.”

Soldier INQ 564 said he was in the army shooting team and could tell the shots were fired from Block 1.

“My view as a marksman is that the shots were fired from a weapon similar to an AK-47. They were certainly not fired from an (army issue) SLR,” he said. “I am in no doubt that these were the first shots of the day to be fired,” he added in a statement submitted to the inquiry.

The soldier said he could distinguish between the types of shooting by their sound. But he accepted a suggestion put by Arthur Harvey, QC, that it was almost impossible to distinguish between the sound of shooting from different weapons if the bullet does not pass over your head.

Mr Harvey, who represents most of the families of the killed and wounded, asked: “could it be that, just looking back on it and trying to recollect what you first heard, again that is trying to make sense of a jumble of memories that may have many different sources?” “Yes, yes,” the soldier replied.

In his statement, Soldier INQ 564 said paratroopers who were already on the ground when the shooting started dived for cover behind the doors of their armoured cars.

“The paras returned fire, firstly with baton rounds and then with live bullets. I could tell that baton rounds were fired first as I could see that SLRs were not being used and I could also hear the dull thud that baton rounds make,” he said.

“There was an exchange of gunfire as the paras defended themselves. I cannot remember for how long this gun battle went on.”

The soldier was the 706th witness to appear before the inquiry which will enter its 319th day today. The Saville inquiry, which usually sits at the Guildhall in Derry, is currently hearing evidence from military witnesses and others in London because of concerns for their safety.

Lord Saville of Newdigate and the Commonwealth judges accompanying him on the Bloody Sunday inquiry began their work nearly four years ago and are not expected to report back until late 2004.

The inquiry was established in 1998 by British Prime Minister Tony Blair after a campaign by families of those killed and injured.

They felt the Widgery Inquiry, held shortly after the shootings, did not find out the truth about what happened on Bloody Sunday.