If 13 members of my community were shot dead and many more shot and injured by soldiers policing a civil rights march I would want justice and I would want answers.

The soldiers lost control but I don't blame the young men holding the weapons because they were ordered to be there and were given false imtelligence ; I blame their commanders and it is they who should be on trial.

However, it is massively important that the victims and their families gain the justice that has been too long coming.

I don't believe jailing the soldier , if convicted, will help justice, but a trial and potential ( probable) conviction will.

Unless you have been there you will never know how it makes you feel.

A patrol will start with a briefing, you will receive an intelligence update which will include IRA and UVF attacks that have happened that week. You will also get told what the threat is, it maybe a sniper, bomber or civil unrest, that’s ok you have been exercised on all of them in Lydd, Hythe or Sennelager. You then get your patrol orders, this again will highlight the threat, and depending where you are heading to, information on the known players (terrorists) operating in that area.

You leave the camp through various exit points your eyes the size of saucers and you’re absolutely shitting yourself! You are on the surface calm, professional and proud. But inside you are crapping it. You are scanning every face, every window, every door way, loose brick, pile of rubbish, car, every thing that could be used as a sniper position or a place to hide an IED (bomb). But it is all ok you have been trained to deal with it all; you have had the rules, you have done the exercises and seen the training videos.

Except it is not ok, because you are only 19 and Belfast looks like Chatham and Londonderry looks like Manchester and Fermanagh feels like the Brecon Beacons. The girls look like they do at home, that woman screaming at you looks like your Aunty Mary and the old man who has just called you a prick reminds you of your Grandad. Then it happens... and you react, you just ****ing react!!!

Afterwards you never expect the democratic pillars that you chose to protect as a teenager, to turn on you for your reaction that day many, many years ago; you know who I mean the government, the judiciary and the media, but they all do!!!

But you know deep down inside that unless they have done it, unless they have been there they will never ever know! The very fact that they have questioned your reaction on that day when you were still just a boy, proves that they will never know!

From another vet on another forum.

"Unless you have been there you will never know how it makes you feel.

A patrol will start with a briefing, you will receive an intelligence update which will include IRA and UVF attacks that have happened that week. You will also get told what the threat is, it maybe a sniper, bomber or civil unrest, that’s ok you have been exercised on all of them in Lydd, Hythe or Sennelager. You then get your patrol orders, this again will highlight the threat, and depending where you are heading to, information on the known players (terrorists) operating in that area.

You leave the camp through various exit points your eyes the size of saucers and you’re absolutely shitting yourself! You are on the surface calm, professional and proud. But inside you are crapping it. You are scanning every face, every window, every door way, loose brick, pile of rubbish, car, every thing that could be used as a sniper position or a place to hide an IED (bomb). But it is all ok you have been trained to deal with it all; you have had the rules, you have done the exercises and seen the training videos.

Except it is not ok, because you are only 19 and Belfast looks like Chatham and Londonderry looks like Manchester and Fermanagh feels like the Brecon Beacons. The girls look like they do at home, that woman screaming at you looks like your Aunty Mary and the old man who has just called you a prick reminds you of your Grandad. Then it happens... and you react, you just ****ing react!!!

Afterwards you never expect the democratic pillars that you chose to protect as a teenager, to turn on you for your reaction that day many, many years ago; you know who I mean the government, the judiciary and the media, but they all do!!!

But you know deep down inside that unless they have done it, unless they have been there they will never ever know! The very fact that they have questioned your reaction on that day when you were still just a boy, proves that they will never know!"

From another vet on another forum.

It can be equally true on the opposite side. Discriminated against by (powers that be) - the local authority, denied decent housing conditions, penalised by wishing to protest, discriminated against by the local Police and the Magistrates, pushed to the very limit and unable to obtain redress for your legitimate complaints, so you do the only other thing possible - declare war on the powers that be.

I agree, of course, but I really hope that this prosecution of the poor man is dropped.

As I said earlier, I have signed the petition (not that our glorious leaders would take a blind bit of notice of the general population, of course) and I encourage others to do the same.

SITREP- As of 18.15/03/2019 Zulu
Admins have had a lengthy conversation with the Metropolitan Police Service regarding a show of support for all Soldiers who may or may not being prosecuted.
We have an agreement in principle to form up at HorseGuards and bumble down Whitehall stopping to deliver a letter of disagreement to #10 ( suggesting a delegate from Airborne) then to carry on to Parliament Sq to form up ahead of Prime Minister Questions. If we run the show of support as we did for Marine A, then we will have no dramas. Tomorrow I meet with Westminster City Council......