Report of the The Bloody Sunday Inquiry volume 2

15.21 Barrier 14 was manned by soldiers of A Company 2 RGJ, who, as we have described above, were on the day under the command of 22 Lt AD Regt. In all there were some 40 soldiers at or in the immediate vicinity of this barrier. About 35 Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers were also near the barrier or at the junction of William Street and Waterloo Place.1 Shortly before 3.40pm Inspector Junkin, an RUC officer from Castlereagh, Belfast, who had been detached to Londonderry for the march, used a loudhailer to give two warnings to the crowd to disperse.2 He was standing alongside Major INQ 2079, the Company Commander of A Company 2 RGJ, behind Barrier 14.3 The first warning was met with jeering and abuse and a renewal of stoning, which caused him and the Company Commander to retire behind one of the Army vehicles close to the barrier. After the Inspector had come forward to give the second warning a stone nearly hit him in the face and knocked his cap off. This latter incident can be seen on film.4

The rioting

15.22 At this stage, as a result of continuing efforts by the stewards, some people started to move back from Barrier 14.1 Some went back up William Street and then either down Rossville Street or further west, some went down Chamberlain Street or through an alleyway (Macari’s Lane) that led off William Street to the Eden Place waste ground in front of the Rossville Flats. However, the rioting continued with the soldiers subjected to further substantial stoning.2 After a few minutes of this bombardment the soldiers responded with a volley of some six baton rounds.3 This caused the rioting youths to retire but they soon returned and continued.4 At this stage the soldiers brought up a water cannon that had been held at Waterloo Place (at the end of William Street) and, at or shortly before 3.45pm, began to hose the crowd. As will be seen from the following photographs, there were at this stage substantial numbers of people still in this part of William Street.

1 M4.1; Day 67/34; AM77.9

2 W169-170 serials 93, 99 and 109; W123 serial 284
3 JS10.1; M4.1

4 M4.1

15.23 A BBC cameraman (the late Peter Beggin) gave an account of what he then saw from the Army side of Barrier 14, in his written statement for the Widgery Inquiry:1

“Immediately the water cannon opened fire two canisters of CS gas were thrown from the crowd. One landed underneath the water cannon making it untenable for a short time. We all retreated from that immediate area. Very quickly however the crew got back into the water cannon, backed it round the corner and opened it up to air it. The stoning was resumed and several further volleys of baton rounds were fired by the troops.”


1 M4.1

15.24 As can be seen from film footage and the photographs below the water cannon, which used coloured dye (usually described as purple but sometimes as red) with the object of marking rioters, was initially successful in pushing the rioters back, aided by the CS gas that drifted towards the crowd and affected many people.1

1 Vid 1 02.22; Vid 3 01.51; Vid 1 02.24; Vid 3 02.03; Vid 1 02.46; Vid 1 02.27

15.25 Three photographs taken from the Army side of Barrier 14, reproduced below, show the effect on the soldiers and journalists behind the barrier of the CS gas which had been thrown from the crowd.

15.26 Some witnesses said that the soldiers at Barrier 14 used CS gas. However, for the following reasons, we are satisfied that this did not happen.

15.27 In his written statement for the Widgery Inquiry1 Colonel Ferguson, the Commanding Officer of 22 Lt AD Regt, stated, “No CS gas was used by Security Forces at Barrier 14. As the water cannon came forward to the barrier, and commenced to hose the rioters, CS canisters were thrown by the marchers.”

1 B1114

15.28 The Historical Report of 22 Lt AD Regt records the CS gas thrown from the crowd at Barrier 14 and the use of CS gas by the soldiers at Barriers 12 and 13 (which we consider below), but makes no mention of the soldiers using CS gas at Barrier 14.1

1 G133.887

15.29 A record of events compiled by 2 RGJ, dated 3rd February 1972, sets out the use of the water cannon and baton rounds at Barrier 14 and again refers only to CS gas thrown by the marchers.1

1 G114A.743.1

15.30 The Porter tapes include a message from 22 Lt AD Regt to Brigade (at about 1548 hours), after the water cannon had been used at Barrier 14, that “Some CS [gas] has been used, but this was by them. I repeat: used by them”.1

1 W125 serial 320

15.31 The 22 Lt AD Regt radio log records that 2 RGJ fired between 200 and 250 baton rounds, but makes no mention of their use of CS gas.1 There is other evidence, from journalists, soldiers and RUC officers, that to our minds shows that the soldiers at Barrier 14 did not use CS gas.2

15.32 In our view the evidence to the opposite effect either is explicable on the basis that the witness wrongly assumed that the gas thrown from the crowd had come from the soldiers, or (especially in the case of three soldiers who, in their evidence to this Inquiry, recollected the use of gas) resulted from confusing this riot with another occasion altogether, not surprisingly bearing in mind the passage of years.1 One witness in his NICRA statement did describe witnessing the confrontation with the Army at Barrier 14 and “some minor stone and bottle throwing. The army replied with a hail of C.S. and rubber bullets.”2 This statement (made at a time when emotions were running very high) plays down the severity of the riot and exaggerates the response of the soldiers and is one on which we are unable to place any reliance. Some civilians claimed that they were the ones to throw the CS gas at the soldiers, but their accounts failed to convince us that any of them was in fact responsible.3

1 C58.1; B1743.3; B1925.2

2 AO28.6
3 AD160.1; Day 80/128; Day 80/164; AR28.1; Day 174/95; AO65.1; Day 80/4; APIRA18.3; Day 408/39


15.33 The use of the water cannon and the presence of CS gas caused both the temporary withdrawal of the rioters, and the dispersal of many of the other civilians who had remained near Barrier 14. However, it was not long before rioters and bystanders returned to William Street and disturbances recommenced. The soldiers manning the barrier responded with baton rounds, causing the crowd to seek cover at the entrance of Chamberlain Street before re-emerging. Over the next 20 minutes this pattern continued and the rioting ebbed and flowed as people joined in, watched or drifted away towards the meeting at Free Derry Corner. It is not possible to establish the numbers involved with precision, but it seems likely from estimates made in 1972 reports and statements, as well as the extant photographic and film evidence, that for most of this period there could have been as many as 200 civilians present in this area and up to about 50 or 60 of them actively rioting. Both these numbers declined as time went on.1,2,3

1 M11.3; M5.1-2; M44.1; B1800; JH13.1-2; JB13.1; JC10.1; JF1.2; JJ1.1; JM18.6; JM33.1; JS11.10

2 W126-128 serials 332, 334, 353-359 and 365
3 W96; W158-159 serials 48-49 and 52


15.34 There is film footage of this period as well as photographs.1

1 Vid 1 02.50; Vid 1 03.04; Vid 3 03.31

15.35 It was suggested to us by Rifleman 160, a member of A Company 2 RGJ who was present at Barrier 14, that he and other members of his company fired baton rounds in a wild and indiscriminate fashion during the disturbances considered above.1 We are not persuaded that this was the case, as it is not supported by the photographic, film and eyewitness evidence considered above, or indeed by Rifleman 160’s 1972 evidence.2

1 B1956.006; Day 350/124
2 B1955


15.36 At about 4.00pm, rioters removed a piece of corrugated iron from the front of a nearby building and used it as a shield against the baton rounds being fired at them.1 This corrugated iron can be seen in the following photograph and in a film clip.2

1 JH13.1-2; B1800; AB77.1; M66.2; M4.2; M15.1; WT2.13

15.37 The soldiers deployed the water cannon for a second time, at about 1605 hours, which again had a temporary effect in driving back the rioters, many of whom took shelter at the north end of Chamberlain Street before re-emerging to continue attacking the soldiers.1

1 JH13.1; AK12.10; WT2.13; Vid 3 04.10; Vid 1 03.48; Vid 1 03.33

The duration and nature of the riot at Barrier 14

15.38 The riot at Barrier 14 lasted for some 30 minutes, starting at about 3.35pm. The situation at the end of this period, immediately before and at the time when C Company of 1 PARA went through this barrier, is considered later in this report.1The riot amounted to a sustained assault on those manning the barrier, the rioters hurling stones and whatever else they could lay their hands on at the soldiers with the object of causing injury, some hoping the more serious the better.2 There was a bombardment of stones, bottles, bricks, iron bars, gratings, angle irons, scaffolding poles, a nail-studded stave, lengths of timber and other missiles, though no nail or petrol bombs.3 Some witnesses expressed the view that this rioting was no worse, or perhaps even less violent, than the almost daily rioting of the previous months.4 Whatever comparison may be drawn with previous confrontations between rioters and soldiers in Londonderry, the evidence as a whole demonstrates to us that this was a serious and violent riot. Compared with the absence of debris at Barrier 14 at

The conduct of the soldiers at Barrier 14

15.39 It was submitted that the soldiers at Barrier 14 overreacted to events in their use of baton rounds and the water cannon. In particular, it was suggested by those acting on behalf of NICRA that serious stoning began only after the first use of the water cannon, that the use of this device was precipitate and unwarranted and that the soldiers had failed to appreciate that the stewards had the situation under control and were successfully keeping the crowd back from the barrier.1

1 FS10.264-268

15.40 We reject these submissions, which ignore the overwhelming and convincing evidence that events developed as we have set out above. In part at least, the submissions were based on an erroneous assumption that until the water cannon was used stewards were holding the crowd back as far as the entrance to Chamberlain Street. The truth is that the photographic evidence relied upon when seeking to establish this in fact depicts the scene right at the outset, when the group running from the junction of William Street and Rossville Street first arrived and before they and the crowd behind them pushed forward to Barrier 14.

15.41 We are satisfied that the soldiers of 2 RGJ manning Barrier 14 on this day acted with restraint in the face of the rioting at this barrier and deployed no more than properly proportionate force in seeking to deal with it.

Report of the The Bloody Sunday Inquiry
- Volume II - Chapter 16


16.1 Soldiers of 22nd Light Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery (22 Lt AD Regt) manned Barrier 12. This barrier (shown in the photographs below) was placed across Little James Street at the corner with Sackville Street, which was on the north side of the area known as Aggro Corner. As can be seen, immediately in front of the barrier was an area of open ground that extended southwards to the corner itself.

16.2 Barrier 13 was placed a short distance along Sackville Street. As already noted, Barriers 12 and 13 were closed shortly after 1530 hours, as the march was beginning to come down William Street.

16.3 Although most of the youths at the front of the march charged on down William Street towards Barrier 14, some rioters approached Barriers 12 and 13 and started to throw stones and rubble at the soldiers.1

1 B1772; Day 108/18-19; AM74.3; AK12.2

16.4 The deployment of the water cannon at Barrier 14 and the effects of the CS gas thrown there from the crowd caused a number of the marchers who had gone down William Street to go back up to Aggro Corner. Many of those returning then turned south to go down Rossville Street (or dispersed elsewhere), but some of the rioters who had come back from Barrier 14 now turned their attention to Barrier 12 and (to a lesser extent) Barrier 13, collecting stones and other debris from nearby waste ground. A significant number of marchers stayed at Aggro Corner to watch this rioting, which, by about 1550 hours, had become substantial, with many rioters stoning the troops at the barriers. There was evidence, which we accept, that some rioters moved between the rioting at Barriers 12, 13 and 14.1

1 AD148.6; Day 179/37; Day 60/86-87; KC4.3-4; Day 76/112-113

16.5 The soldiers at the barriers initially responded with baton rounds, but at approximately 1550 hours the soldiers at Barrier 12 also discharged a volley of CS gas and smoke grenades at the rioters in front of them.1The canisters appear to have fallen relatively close to the barrier, and there is some evidence to suggest that the gas drifted back towards the soldiers there and those close to the Presbyterian church.2 The CS gas and baton rounds pushed the crowd back temporarily, leading to a short lull in the rioting. It was probably during this time that the NICRA banner, which had been brought back from William Street, was paraded for a short time in front of Barrier 12.

1 W126 serial 326; G133.887; B1721; B1389-1390
2 WT5.2; WT5.12; B2219; Vid 3 03.08

16.6 However, rioting soon resumed at Barrier 12, this time with a hard core of rioters, some 20–30 strong, using sheets of corrugated iron as shields for protection.

16.7 The soldiers at Barrier 12 deployed a further volley of CS gas about five minutes after its first use.1 This landed further south than the first volley and affected many people, including a number of marchers who had been observing the riot from the south side of Aggro Corner and who then moved away south down Rossville Street or otherwise away from the area.2

1 W126 serial 338; W159; W175 serial 199
2 WT5.2-3; WT5.13; AD54.2; AD173.4


16.8 The following photographs show the CS gas and its effects, though it is not clear whether these were taken after the first or the second volley.

16.9 The second volley of CS gas again pushed back many of the rioters, but a few remained or returned, in the main using corrugated iron as shields. The following photographs were probably taken at this stage.

16.10 It seems that, in addition to the two volleys, there may also have been intermittent use of CS gas by the soldiers.1 During the course of the riot, one or more gas or smoke canisters were picked up by youths and thrown back towards the soldiers.2

1 B1721
2 C785.2; C863.3; AM277.8; AO19.9; M75.1; JM21.10; JS5.3; JR3.1


16.11 One of the canisters fired at this time struck Hugh Hegarty, who was then standing at the junction of William Street and Rossville Street assisting the stewards in directing the crowd towards Free Derry Corner.1 Hugh Hegarty, who lost a number of teeth as a result of the incident and suffered lacerations to his face and burns to his ankle,2 was assisted to the Rossville Flats by several civilians and members of the Order of Malta Ambulance Corps, and was seen there by a doctor.3 Hugh Hegarty refused to go to Altnagelvin Hospital, as he feared that he would be arrested; and so, on 1st February 1972, he was driven across the border to Letterkenny Hospital in Donegal for treatment.4

1 AH67.1-2

2 AH67.4-5; Day 68/38
3 Day 68/18; KL2.12; AF8.10; AM359.2

4 D1109; AH67.4-5; Day 68/17-18; Day 68/35-42


16.12 The situation at Barrier 12 at the time Support Company of 1 PARA went through this barrier at about 16.10 hours (and immediately before) is considered below.

CS gas at Barriers 12 and 13

16.13 The Army reportedly used 65 CS cartridges and 15 CS grenades on the day.1 According to the Royal Military Police (RMP) statement of Lieutenant 109, the Troop Commander at Barrier 12, 44 gas cartridges, four smoke grenades and four gas grenades were used at this barrier while he was there.2 It is thus the case (if both sets of figures were accurate) that CS gas was used elsewhere.

1 G98.593
2 B1722


16.14 The Brigade order for Operation Forecast1 forbade the use of CS gas except “as a last resort only if troops are about to be over-run and the rioters can no longer be held off with baton rounds and water cannon”. This order placed a greater restriction on the use of CS gas than the Brigade Standing Orders dated 10th November 1971.2

1 G95.572
2 G27.217


16.15 According to their evidence, neither Major INQ 1326, the Battery Commander who ordered its use,1 nor Lieutenant 109, the Troop Commander, seems to have been aware of this provision of the Brigade order.2 However, in the confirmatory note of the Regimental Orders Group made by the Commanding Officer of 22 Lt AD Regt, Colonel James Ferguson, which recorded the orders he gave his senior officers on 28th January 1972, following his attendance at the Brigade Orders Group of the same day, appear the words “CS Gas NOT to be used except as last resort ”, under the heading “Use of Force”.3

1 Day 301/105/19

2 B1720-1723; Day 360/91/1
3 B1122.58


16.16 The Historical Report of 22 Lt AD Regt1 records the use of CS gas at Barrier 13 as well as Barrier 12, and that gas was used at these locations “because baton rounds were not holding off the rioters”. However, in his written evidence to this Inquiry, Major INQ 1326, who had positioned himself behind Barrier 12 (as he considered it was that barrier that was likely to attract trouble), stated that he had ordered his men to fire CS gas in the direction of the rioters “to discourage others from joining their group”.2

1 G133.887
2 C1326.2-3


16.17 Although Gunner 034 told us that he did not remember any CS gas being used at Barrier 13, and Warrant Officer Class I 041 stated that it was not used at that barrier,1 in our view it probably was deployed at this barrier as well as at Barrier 12, which would account for the different figures given for its use on the day, to which we have previously referred. In addition to the 22 Lt AD Regt Historical Report, the Porter tapes record a message from 22 Lt AD Regt to Brigade at about 1550 hours that “serials 12 and 13 have had to disperse the hooligans with rubber bullets and gas”.2 Detective Chief Inspector Donnelly of the RUC recorded in his 1972 statement3 that he was behind Barrier 13 and that CS gas was used at both Barriers 12 and 13.

1 B1664.002; B1624.002

2 W126 serial 326
3 JD7.1


16.18 In their oral evidence to this Inquiry, both Major INQ 1326 and Lieutenant 109 accepted that the troops at Barriers 12 and 13 were not about to be overrun when CS gas was used;1 nor is there any other evidence to suggest that this was or could reasonably have been supposed to have been the case at any stage. There would thus seem to have been either a failure to communicate the Brigade order on the use of CS gas or a failure to carry it out. It may be that the soldiers, learning that CS gas had been discharged at Barrier 14 and perhaps mistakenly believing that this had been done by the soldiers there, thought that this somehow justified its use at Barrier 12, though they would have been wrong to have done so. In these circumstances, we consider that there is force in the submission made by NICRA that CS gas was used “recklessly and precipitately” at Barrier 12,2 in view of the fact that it was deployed contrary to the Brigade order and otherwise than as a last resort. Though serious, with photographs (reproduced below) showing that a considerable number of stones and other objects were thrown at the soldiers, in our view the rioting at Barriers 12 and 13 was not as severe as that at Barrier 14.

1 Day 301/105/19; Day 360/91/1
2 FS10.263. Although NICRA did not mention Barrier 13, we consider that the same criticism applies to the probable use of CS gas at that barrier.

Rioting at Barriers 15 and 16

16.19 Barrier 15 was located in Waterloo Street. It was probably the barrier shown in the following photograph, though its precise position in Waterloo Street is not entirely clear.1 Barrier 16 was at Castle Gate.2

1 Day 113/80; Day 178/22; Day 103/169
2 B1947.1; B1837.1

16.20 Both barriers came within the geographical area controlled by 22 Lt AD Regt on 30th January 1972, but, as we have pointed out, they were manned by members of A Company, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets (2 RGJ).1

1 G95.568; G95.577; G89.542; G89.547

Barrier 15

16.21 This barrier was manned by 21 members of 2 Platoon, 2 RGJ (and three members of the Royal Engineers) under the command of Sergeant 158.1 His RMP statement records that the platoon took up position in Waterloo Street at about 1200 hours on 30th January 1972.2 A communication recorded on the 22 Lt AD Regt log from the Commander of A Company, 2 RGJ (identifiable by the call sign N19) indicates that Barriers 14, 15 and 16 were being put in position at 1240 hours and Barriers 15 and 16 were in place by 1259 hours.3 Waterloo Street was closed to traffic at about 1325 hours.4

1 B1946; B1949.001

2 B1946
3 W94 serial 17 and 19

4 B1946


16.22 It appears from the 1972 evidence of other members of 2 Platoon that they were transported to Waterloo Street in two Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs). As the Royal Engineers erected the barrier, two members of the platoon were deployed into a nearby building in an anti-sniper role. When the barrier was closed off, one of the APCs was brought up and parked behind it.1

1 B1736; B1753

The rioting at Barrier 15

16.23 According to the RMP statement of Sergeant 158, stones were thrown at the barrier at about 1540 hours, by a group of about 30 to 40 people. A gas grenade was also thrown, which landed short of the barricade – the wind dispersed the gas in the direction of the demonstrators. The crowd left the area of Barrier 15 about ten minutes later. Sergeant 158’s current recollection was that the group that threw stones numbered 10 or 15 people.1

1 B1946


16.24 Corporal 131 commanded a section of the men present at Barrier 15. His RMP statement records that the rioting involved stones and bottles and lasted about 20 minutes. A gas grenade was thrown from the crowd.1 The current recollection of Corporal 131 accords generally with his 1972 account, with the added detail that the rioting crowd numbered about 20 or 30. He described the confrontation as short-lived.2

1 B1809
2 B1814; Day 296/70


16.25 That description of the confrontation can be contrasted with the 1972 evidence of Sergeant 114 (second in command of the platoon), who recalled a crowd of 150–200 appearing at the High Street/Waterloo Street junction after a “youth” had run out of High Street and thrown a brick which hit Sergeant 114 on the arm.1 Older people in the crowd tried to calm the youths who “were shouting and screaming abuse at us”. Sergeant 114 described the stoning that followed as “intense”.2 The gas grenade, thrown by a youth “coming from High Street,” landed “just before the barrier on the left hand side of the road.” The rioting lasted for about 15 minutes.3 The current recollection of Sergeant 114, as set out in his written statement to this Inquiry, is in broad agreement with his 1972 account, save that he described the rioting he witnessed as lasting for two hours.4

1 B1736

2 B1737
3 B1736; B1737; B1738.1

4 B1739.003


16.26 Rifleman 148 was deployed as a sniper and took up position in a house in Waterloo Street.1 He told the RMP that the crowd that gathered at the junction of High Street and Waterloo Street numbered about 200 and included an older element “trying to subdue the youths”. He estimated that the rioting at Barrier 15 (including the throwing of a gas grenade, which had little effect on the soldiers at the barrier) lasted about two hours.2 In his written statement to this Inquiry, Rifleman 148 said that the crowd at the barrier numbered between 20 and 40 people.3 Another rifleman, Rifleman 120, also told the RMP that the crowd numbered 200 and stoned the barrier for two hours.4 His written statement to this Inquiry describes the rioting, but gives no detail as to numbers or time.5 Rifleman 141 told the RMP that the rioting lasted for about 20 minutes.6

1 B1892

2 B1892

3 B1894.002
4 B1753

5 B1756

6 B1866


16.27 In our view, it is most unlikely that the rioting at Barrier 15 lasted for nearly as long as two hours.

16.28 In his RMP statement, Sergeant 158 recorded that his men did not fire any live rounds, baton rounds or gas projectiles on the day.1 In his written statement to this Inquiry, he told us that there had been “a very, very low level of activity at my barrier ”.2

1 B1947
2 B1949.003


16.29 There is limited evidence from RUC officers deployed in the area, which adds little further detail to the evidence available from military witnesses.1

1 JI2.1; JL3.1; JM18.5; JM33.1

16.30 The Inquiry heard oral evidence from Patrick McGlinchey, who was 15 years old at the time of Bloody Sunday. He said that he was part of a group of about six to eight youths who, having been prevented from reaching the front of the crowd at Barrier 14, ran up High Street and into Waterloo Street. There, they threw stones at the soldiers at Barrier 15.1 In his evidence to this Inquiry, Brian Baker described watching a mini-riot at Barrier 15, which involved about 10 or 20 people.2

1 AM247.2; Day 388/85
2 AB1.18


16.31 William Anderson said that he was part of a group that threw a CS gas canister at Barrier 14.1 We are of the view that he might have been responsible for the CS gas thrown towards Barrier 15, though he denied that this was the case.

1 APIRA18.3; Day 408/39

16.32 The 1972 statements of two journalists record that a CS gas canister was thrown at Barrier 15. John Cooke of the Press Association did not see the reaction of the troops at the barrier.1 In his written statement for the Widgery Inquiry, Brian Cashinella of the Times described both the stoning of Barrier 15 and the throwing of a gas canister that surprised the soldiers at that barrier.2 Both journalists appear to put the incident of a gas canister being thrown at Barrier 15 as occurring after a gas canister had been thrown at Barrier 14.

1 M16.1; M16.2
2 M11.2; Day 110/5-8


16.33 Major INQ 2079 (the Commander of A Company 2 RGJ) prepared a memorandum dated 3rd February 1972. That memorandum was sent to 22 Lt AD Regt. So far as Barrier 15 is concerned, it recorded that at 1540 hours, “Lightly stoned by 40–60 youths. No action taken” and at 1545 hours, “1 x C/S Gren is thrown among SF behind barricade by rioters”. The memorandum also recorded that CS gas was thrown at Barrier 14 at “1545 (Approx)”.1

1 G114A.743.1

16.34 On this evidence, it appears to us that CS gas was thrown at Barrier 15 shortly after it had been thrown at Barrier 14.

16.35 On the evidence as a whole, we have concluded that there was rioting at Barrier 15, that it did not last for more than about 20 minutes, and that it was not as serious as the rioting at Barriers 12, 13 and 14.

Barrier 16

16.36 Twenty-two men of 3 Platoon, A Company 2 RGJ, under the command of Lieutenant 136, manned Barrier 16. Two men were deployed in a sniper position in a nearby building and the barrier was set up at the Waterloo Street end of Castle Gate.1 Accompanying the platoon were a team of four men from the Royal Engineers. They established the barrier at about 1200 hours.2

1 B1836; Day 345/92
2 B1677