Saville: Paras abused arrested civilians, say guards
Civilians arrested on Bloody Sunday were “abused” by paratroopers, two British soldiers claimed today.
The guardsmen from the First Battalion Coldstream Guards, on tour in Northern Ireland in January 1972, recall scenes of brutality which left them “appalled“, the Bloody Sunday Inquiry was told.
British paratroopers shot dead 13 unarmed men on a civil rights march in Derry on January 30, 1972.
One soldier, identified only as INQ 179, was so horrified by what he witnessed that he made a “quite lengthy” written report detailing specific incidents to his commanding officer.
In his inquiry statement, Soldier INQ 179 recalled that paras were “screaming and yelling” at the prisoners who were held at the Fort George gymnasium.
He said: “It is possible that the paratroopers kicked and struck the civilians. I just have a vivid memory of mistreatment.
“Irish men had been taken off the street and treated appallingly.”
Another guardsman, identified as Soldier INQ 1224, remembered that his Colonel “did his nut” after seeing the brutality.
Soldier INQ 1224’s statement said: “He had seen the prisoners being spreadeagled and abused and I remember he did his nut about their treatment.
“He was arguing with a para officer, whom I didn’t recognise. I only believe it was a para officer because anyone of a lower rank would not have argued with that Colonel.
“Our Colonel insisted that the prisoners should be brought chairs and cups of tea.
“This sticks in my mind because it was very unusual for officers to argue, especially in front of the men. Chairs were brought for the prisoners while I was there.”
Prisoners have previously told the inquiry that they had to run a gauntlet of paras who spat and thrust their gun butts in their mouths and made them stand with their hands against barbed wire and heaters.
The lieutenant colonel commanding the First Battalion Coldstream Guards on Bloody Sunday, today said he was unaware of any reports of ill treatment.
The officer, now a general identified as INQ 598, told the hearing that such serious matters would have triggered an investigation and possible disciplinary action.
He said he did not receive a written report from INQ 179, adding: “If I did see the report from him, it is not the sort of thing that can just be put in the pending file – it has to be dealt with.”
He recalled seeing between 30 to 50 people standing spreadeagled with their fingertips to the wall in the gym.
Upon his suggestion they sat down with their backs to the wall. They had been searched for weapons upon entering the building.
The officer dismissed Soldier INQ 1224’s account as “muddled” saying that no paras were in the gym.
The warrant officer handling the collection of prisoners had no difficulty with his suggestion of changing the positioning of the prisoners, he claimed.
The officer added: “I think he did it absolutely straight away and turned to his men and told them to do it.”
