Where did that shot come from?
From our position on the city walls above the Bogside, we overlooked the whole of the area and when a shooting or an explosion was heard down in the Bogside, we quickly switched a spare radio onto the net of the unit operating down there below us.
One evening about 7pm a single shot was heard. It was a Thompson with its distinctive 'Bark' and with no 'crack and thump' The single shot echoed and re-echoed around the Bogside.
We quickly switched to the other unit's net and listened while the situation unravelled. There had been a 'contact' and from the radio call signs being used, we deduced it was a company commander, his command element and two backup patrols operating together. They had come under fire from a gunman in the area of Williams street.
A backup patrol radio operator was the first to speak, he informed that the OC was 'hit' that 'sunray was down' and requested urgent starlight support. Sunray himself was next to speak, and in breathless and painful tones he cancelled the starlight request and took control of the situation. Apparently he had been hit between the shoulder blades by the bullet that had pushed him onto his face, but it had not penetrated his flak jacket.
Then on his radio the pained and breathless company commander asked his two patrols
"Hello 11 alpha, and 11 Bravo, Sunray speaking, does anyone know where that shot came from? Over!"
Pause... then one of his patrols answered: " This is 11 bravo, I don't know where the shot came from, but I think I know where it went. Over!
"Hello 11 Bravo Sunray speaking, I asked you where the shot came from? I know only too well where it went. Over!
Haydn Davies RRW Attached DERR.
Request for 'starlight' is to ask for medical support.
I was aware that the Regiment involved in the incident was the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. About three years later I was playing squash with a Duke of Wellington's Regiment Lt Col in Dramadd barracks Armagh. I related the story to him and by coincidence he was the very company commander who had taken the Thompson round three years earlier.
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