1 PARA Residential Tour Northern Ireland 1970-72

1 Battalion, the Parachute Regiment served in Northern Ireland on a 20-month residential tour from September 1970 to May 1972.

Events of the Tour

Internment

Col Wilford said in his statement to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry:

Generally the operations we carried out in Belfast were single company operations, but it was sometimes necessary to deploy two or more companies. I deployed three companies when we went into Ballymurphy on one occasion to deal with the barricades that had been put up. My recollection of the detail of that incident is not clear, but after we had removed the barricades we handed the area back to the two local battalions who were based there. On occasions the entire Battalion would be deployed, as it was during Internment.

Ballymurphy Massacre

• Main Page: Ballymurphy Massacre

Bank Robbery

Col Wilford said in his statement to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry:

I took over a good Battalion. The men were-well disciplined and morale was high. I did not have to get rid of any poor soldiers, although two got rid of themselves by their own criminal actions.

Magilligan Strand

Col Wilford said in his statement to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry:

The first time a part of the Battalion was deployed outside 39 Brigade area under my command was when C Company under Major 221A was deployed at Magilligan. I was not there and there would have been no need for me to be there. For that operation C Company was under the command of 8 Brigade. I cannot now remember being asked to make one of my companies available, but I recall they were deployed with the Royal Green Jackets to prévent rioters from breaking into the compound at Magilligan.

I now have very little recall of the events following the demonstration at Magilligan Beach on 23 January 1972.

Bloody Sunday

• Main Page: Bloody Sunday

Organisation and Personnel

Battalion Headquarters

• Lt Col Derek Wilford - Commanding Officer 21 July 1971-1973.
• Major Norman Nicholls - Second in Command.
• Captain Mike Jackson - Adjutant.
• Captain INQ 7 - Intelligence Officer.
• Captain INQ 2033 - Signals Officer.
• Captain INQ 1853 - Transport Officer.
• Captain 219 - Medical Officer.
• Major UNK 30, the Quartermaster
• Warrant Officer Class I INQ 2037, the Regimental Sergeant Major
• Sergeant INQ 301, the Provost Sergeant.

A Company

• Major INQ 10 - Commander of A Company.

B Company or Command Company

Miscellaneous B Company personnel

• Lance Corporal 206 - Arms storeman.
• Private 203 - Arms storeman.

C Company

• Major 221A - Commander of C Company.

Miscellaneous C Company personnel

• Private INQ 12

D Company

• Major INQ 350 - Commander of D Company.

Support Company

• Major Ted Loden - Commander of Support Company, 1 Para.
• Warrant Officer Class II Lewis - Company Sergeant Major.

Machine Gun Platoon

• Sergeant INQ 441 - Commander of the Machine Gun Platoon
• Corporal A - May have shot Damien Donaghey and injured John Johnston
• Private B - May have shot Damien Donaghey and injured John Johnston

Anti-Tank Platoon

• Lieutenant 119 - Commander of Anti Tank Platoon..
• Soldier 027 - Radio operator.
• Corporal E - Inquiry could not eliminate the possibility that he shot one of William Nash, John Young or Michael McDaid. Probably shot Patrick O'Donnell..
• Lance Corporal F - Shot Michael Kelly. May have shot William McKinney. May have shot Joe Friel. Shot Bernard McGuigan and Patrick Doherty. Probably shot Patrick Campbell and Daniel McGowan.
• Lance Corporal J - May have shot one of William Nash, John Young or Michael McDaid. May have shot Alexander Nash.
• Private G - May have shot Michael Quinn. May have shot Joe Friel. May have shot Jim Wray. Shot Gerard McKinney and Gerald Donaghey.
• Private H - May have shot William McKinney. May have shot Michael Quinn. May have shot Jim Wray.

Mortar Platoon

• Lieutenant N - Commander of the Mortar Platoon of Support Company. Probably shot Michael Bridge.
• Sergeant O - Platoon Sergeant. Commanded vehicle which struck Alana Burke and Thomas Harkin.
• Corporal P - Shot at least one and possibly all of William Nash, John Young and Michael McDaid. May have shot Alexander Nash.
• Private Q - Probably shot Michael Bradley.
• Private R - Probably shot Jackie Duddy.
• Private S - Inquiry could not eliminate possibility he shot Patrick Brolly.
• Private T - Probably shot Patrick Brolly.
• Private U - Shot Hugh Gilmour.
• Lance Corporal V - Probably shot Margaret Deery.

Administrative Company or HQ Company

• Captain 200 Commander of Administrative Company.

Reconnaissance Platoon or Drums Platoon

• Private C - transferred at some point to Mortar Platoon.

Miscellaneous HQ Company

• Soldier D