the paras' commanding officer was colonel derek wilford. we were under attack.saville, who headed the inquiry into the killing, did not believe the paras' account. he couldn't let his soldiers down. i don't agree with his. view of what happened. explosions 30th january, 1972 — the day that forever became known as bloody sunday — is one of the darkest stains on britain's record in ireland. it was the day when british paratroopers shot dead 13 innocent catholics and nationalists during a civil rights march. they were protesting against internment without trial. that was 50 years ago. today, the names of the victims are commemorated on the bloody sunday memorial here in the heart of the bogside, the nationalist enclave beneath the city walls. it's a day that i will never forget. it was my first ever visit to northern ireland, and the day that i came face—to—face for the first time with a shocking reality of the conflict. at the time, i knew very little about the so—called troubles. the epic inquiry into what happened, an inquiry that took 12 years and cost almost £