Heavy fire came from soldiers `other than paratroops'

Claims of heavy firing by soldiers other than the Parachute Regiment from elevated positions around the Bogside on Bloody Sunday…

Claims of heavy firing by soldiers other than the Parachute Regiment from elevated positions around the Bogside on Bloody Sunday were heard in successive witness statements read at the inquiry yesterday.

Witnesses described being narrowly missed by shots apparently fired from Derry's city walls. Evidence was also given pointing to shooting from an army observation post on top of the Embassy Ballroom, the highest building overlooking the Bogside.

This observation post afforded a direct view through the narrow gap between blocks one and two of Rossville Flats, a route taken by scores of people running to escape the paratroops. Counsel to the tribunal, Mr Christopher Clarke, said yesterday that one possibility which the tribunal would have to consider was whether Mr Barney McGuigan could have been killed by a shot that passed through the gap between blocks one and two.

One witness, Mr Hugh Barber, stated that he has a very clear recollection of Mr McGuigan standing in this gap. "He was very animated, standing up and waving his arms. I think he was holding and waving a white handkerchief, (he) was shouting to somebody through the gap whom I could not see. He was shouting `Please, please, help - do not shoot me'."

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Mr McGuigan was only about three yards away from him, Mr Barber said, and it seemed to him that he was shot in the face.

Several other witnesses describe seeing the impact of bullets on a series of brick structures known as the Threepenny Bits just south of this gap, and Mr Clarke pointed out that a shot from the top of the Embassy Ballroom building could hit these structures.

A witness, Mr Thomas Harrigan, remembers another man being hit by masonry which flew off the gable wall of block one as he stood in the alleyway between the blocks.

Counsel also pointed out that the bullet that killed Mr McGuigan had passed through his right lower eyelid and a piece of that eyelid had lodged in a wall which was either the gable end wall of block one or block 2.

Six witnesses give evidence to the effect that this spot was on the gable end of block two, but five or more others speak of the eyelid being on the gable of block one or that there was a blood mark where it had been.

A former mayor of Derry, Mr Leonard Green, who was a telephone engineer and had experience of firearms and ammunition in the navy, describes going to this spot on the day after Bloody Sunday to examine fresh bullet holes. Mr Green said he found the entry and exit holes of a bullet on the gable end wall of block two. He could see that the trajectory through the holes was directly in line with the army observation post on top of the Embassy Ballroom.

He added: "I am aware that there has been speculation that the army fired shots from the city walls, but as far as I am aware no one considered the possibility that shots had been fired from the observation post on the Embassy Ballroom. I have mentioned this to a number of people over the years, but nobody appears to be interested."

Mr Clarke said there was a substantial number of witnesses who spoke of shooting from the city walls. Some saw or heard, or saw the apparent effects of such firing, while others described being told of firing coming from the walls.

Mr William Lindsay, sheltering near the Joseph Place flats, which were below the city walls, said he could see several flashes as shots were fired from the walls. He added: "I was aware of bullets bouncing all around me."

Another witness who was in this area, Mr Gerard McDaid, said that he and others at that point could still hear army shooting, but were under cover and felt safe. "However, after a couple of minutes we then heard shooting coming from much closer to us. I am absolutely certain (it) was coming from the city walls."

This firing, he stated, was in single shots and only lasted for about five minutes, but the gunfire they could hear coming from the area of Rossville Street and Glenfada Park carried on.

A series of witnesses who were in an alleyway behind Joseph Place describe bullets "whizzing" over their heads and also churning up earth and grass in an adjoining grassy area.

On the other (western) side of Rossville Street, witnesses also described shots hitting the ground, apparently from a steep angle, and bullets also impacting on gable walls.

Mr John Bonnar said in his statement: "I remember seeing bullets hitting the tarmac directly in front of me. I could see the flash of the bullets as they hit the road and I recall seeing the dust and chippings from the impact flying to the left of me up Fahan Street West.

"I had the impression that they were being fired from a great height from the way they struck the road. They were single shots, but there were plenty of them, all seemed to be fired from the direction of the city walls."

Mr Louis McKinney, whose brother, Gerard, was shot dead that day, was also beside Fahan Street West. He said : "I could see the bullets hitting the road. It was never a revelation to me when people started saying that they were firing from the walls because I had seen the bullets coming from there that day."

The witness saw a girl running west along Fahan Street. "There were lots of people standing around at that time, but I knew somehow that she was only coming towards me.

"There was a silence in the air at that time that I have never witnessed in my life, except near death. "It was almost as if I knew that she was coming to give me bad news. She came over to me and I moved slightly away to avoid her. She said to me: `You, I want you, your brother is lying at the flats'."

The inquiry will resume on Monday.