Bloody Sunday trial told of moment schoolboy was shot in face

By Jonathan McCambridge, PA

A witness has told the trial of a former soldier how he saw his own flesh “breaking away from his face” when he was shot on Bloody Sunday.

Michael Quinn also told Belfast Crown Court how he saw other victims fall after being shot when soldiers opened fire in Derry.

Members of the Parachute Regiment shot dead 13 civilians in the city after a civil rights march in January 1972.

An Army veteran, identified only as Soldier F, has been charged with the murders of two men killed on Bloody Sunday, James Wray and William McKinney.

I couldn’t understand why they were shooting because I hadn't heard anything fired at the Army

He is also charged with five attempted murders during the incident in the city’s Bogside area, including Mr Quinn, Joe Mahon, Joseph Friel, Patrick O’Donnell and a person unknown.

He has pleaded not guilty to the seven counts.

The veteran sits behind a curtain during the non-jury trial.

Mr Quinn said he was a 17-year-old schoolboy when he joined the civil rights march in 1972.

He told the court how at one point he was asked by Mr Wray to carry a banner in the march.

After disturbances broke out, Mr Quinn said he was taking shelter at a rubble barricade in William Street when he saw two Army Saracens enter the area.

He said: “I could see soldiers jumping out of the back of the Saracens.

“One of them was swinging the rifle like a club … that was quite shocking.”

He said he then heard four shots.

“That really threw me, I couldn’t understand why they were shooting because I hadn’t heard anything fired at the Army.”

Mr Quinn then said he saw another soldier emerge from the direction of the Rossville Flats.

He told the court: “He had his rifle by his side, he raised it a little, from a pouch at his side he took out what I took to be a bullet.

“There was a setting sun, it was quite bright, I could see this metal object glistening in the sun.

“He put it into the breech of the rifle.

“At this point I thought I am getting out of here.”

Mr Quinn said he moved towards Glenfada Park North.

He said he then saw two youths there, one of whom he had what he thought looked like a nail bomb in his pocket.

He said he saw a man in his mid-20s approach them and tell them “put those away, you will only get killed”.

Mr Quinn said there was sustained gunfire from the Rossville Street area. He told the court he then saw a man being shot.

He said: “I heard him call out, scream. I looked at him and saw a ring of blood emerging on his leg and he was collapsing to the ground.”

He added: “I heard someone shout ‘there are people dying out here’.

“I saw a group of people carrying the body of a young man across Glenfada Park.”

For some reason I slowed down and I could actually see the flesh and blood breaking away from my face

Mr Quinn said he tried to get out of the courtyard when he heard someone shout that soldiers were coming in.

He said: “I ran crouching across the courtyard. I remember jumping over the raised ground.

“As I was approaching the exit to Abbey Park, I felt myself being struck by the bullet.

“It grazed my shoulder, the jacket I was wearing, and then went through my face and exited through my nose.

“For some reason I slowed down and I could actually see the flesh and blood breaking away from my face.

“I stumbled and I could see to my right someone falling forward.

“I thought his head was hitting the kerb.

“What made me think he was shot, he didn’t try to save himself, his hands didn’t go out.”

Mr Quinn told the court he was taken to hospital where he was operated on.

He said his cheekbone had been shattered by the bullet.

The trial continues.