Soldiers opened fire in Derry on Bloody Sunday after automatic gunfire was heard, the Saville Inquiry was told today.
The inquiry was told for the second time this week that automatic fire rang out first in the city on the day 13 civilian civil rights marchers were shot dead.
Mr Christopher Laird, a station sergeant, who was based in the city's Diamond area on the day, said he heard the low-velocity gunfire from the William Street area on January 30th, 1972.
Mr Laird said he heard the gunfire before a gun battle broke out. He also said he heard the explosion of blast or nail bombs on the day.
"After hearing those first shots I heard the sound of nail bombs and baton rounds," he said in a statement submitted to the inquiry.
Mr Laird said he heard the "sharp cracks" of rifles fired by the British army, lower velocity shots from a gun of a different type, the "crump" of nail bombs and the "thud" of baton rounds on Bloody Sunday.
"However, I knew the sounds of gunfire well enough to get the impression that there was a gun battle going on because different shots seemed to be replying to one another," he said.
He also said police officers were told to prepare for trouble at a briefing before the march.
His evidence followed that of officers Mr Neil Falkingham and Mr Raymond Kirk, who yesterday claimed paratroopers came under fire before they returned shots.
PA