Paratroopers disobeyed orders on Bloody Sunday by going deep into a "no-go" area in armoured vehicles, the Saville inquiry heard today.
At the inquiry, Maj Gen Pat MacLellan, the officer commanding the British army's operation in Derry during the 1972 march, accepted his orders for a limited arrest operation carried out by soldiers on foot did not happen.
He further agreed that it appeared soldiers from 1st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment started a running battle in Rossville Street where, ultimately, several civilians were shot.
Thirteen unarmed civilians were shot dead by the British army during the march.
The Bloody Sunday inquiry, sitting in central London at the moment, heard that Maj Gen MacLellan, who was then a brigadier in command of the 8th Infantry Brigade, had expressly ordered that paratroopers should not engage in a running battle in the Bogside.
The Bogside area had become a self-declared no-go zone for the British army.
Lord Saville, the chairman of the inquiry, said to Maj Gen MacLellan: "I am not saying we accept this is the case, but it would appear that instead of doing what you wanted them to do, which was to conduct a limited arrest operation in the area of Little James Street/William Street and not to conduct a running battle down Rossville Street, they did not in fact conduct any limited arrest operation by going through barrier 14 at all.
"But instead they went in trucks through barrier 12, deep into the Bogside, and, on one view at least, they started a running battle, precisely contrary to your instructions".
Maj Gen MacLellan replied: "That is correct. I mean, I am agreeing with your proposition".
PA