🔗 Share this article

January 30th, 1972 stands as arguably the most fatal – and momentous – days during thirty years of violence in the region.

Within the community where events unfolded – the images of the tragic events are painted on the structures and seared in people's minds.

A public gathering was conducted on a chilly yet clear afternoon in the city.

The demonstration was opposing the system of detention without trial – holding suspects without due process – which had been put in place after an extended period of conflict.

Military personnel from the specialized division shot dead multiple civilians in the Bogside area – which was, and remains, a strongly nationalist community.

A specific visual became especially iconic.

Pictures showed a religious figure, Fr Edward Daly, displaying a bloodied cloth as he tried to defend a assembly moving a teenager, the injured teenager, who had been fatally wounded.

Media personnel recorded much footage on the day.

Documented accounts features the priest telling a reporter that military personnel "appeared to fire in all directions" and he was "completely sure" that there was no provocation for the discharge of weapons.

That version of events wasn't accepted by the original examination.

The Widgery Tribunal found the Army had been shot at first.

During the negotiation period, the ruling party set up a new investigation, in response to advocacy by bereaved relatives, who said the first investigation had been a inadequate investigation.

That year, the findings by the inquiry said that on balance, the military personnel had fired first and that zero among the casualties had been armed.

At that time government leader, David Cameron, issued an apology in the House of Commons – stating deaths were "without justification and inexcusable."

Authorities started to examine the incident.

An ex-soldier, referred to as Soldier F, was brought to trial for killing.

Indictments were filed concerning the deaths of the first individual, 22, and twenty-six-year-old the second individual.

The defendant was further implicated of trying to kill several people, Joseph Friel, Joe Mahon, an additional individual, and an unidentified individual.

There is a legal order maintaining the veteran's privacy, which his lawyers have argued is necessary because he is at danger.

He stated to the examination that he had only fired at people who were carrying weapons.

That claim was dismissed in the final report.

Information from the examination would not be used directly as proof in the legal proceedings.

During the trial, the veteran was shielded from sight using a privacy screen.

He made statements for the initial occasion in court at a proceeding in December 2024, to answer "not guilty" when the allegations were read.

Family members of the victims on that day made the trip from the city to Belfast Crown Court every day of the proceedings.

One relative, whose brother Michael was fatally wounded, said they were aware that hearing the proceedings would be painful.

"I visualize all details in my recollection," John said, as we walked around the key areas discussed in the case – from the location, where his brother was shot dead, to the nearby the courtyard, where one victim and another victim were killed.

"It reminds me to my location that day.

"I assisted with the victim and place him in the vehicle.

"I went through the entire event during the evidence.

"Notwithstanding experiencing all that – it's still valuable for me."