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January 30th, 1972 is remembered as arguably the deadliest – and significant – dates during three decades of unrest in this area.

In the streets where it happened – the memories of the tragic events are visible on the structures and embedded in collective memory.

A civil rights march was conducted on a wintry, sunny afternoon in the city.

The protest was a protest against the policy of imprisonment without charges – detaining individuals without legal proceedings – which had been established after three years of unrest.

Soldiers from the elite army unit killed 13 people in the Bogside area – which was, and remains, a predominantly nationalist population.

A particular photograph became notably prominent.

Pictures showed a Catholic priest, Father Daly, waving a stained with blood cloth while attempting to shield a group moving a youth, the fatally wounded individual, who had been mortally injured.

Media personnel captured considerable film on the day.

Documented accounts contains the priest informing a reporter that soldiers "just seemed to discharge weapons randomly" and he was "completely sure" that there was no justification for the discharge of weapons.

That version of the incident was rejected by the initial investigation.

The first investigation concluded the soldiers had been shot at first.

Throughout the peace process, Tony Blair's government established a new investigation, following pressure by bereaved relatives, who said the first investigation had been a cover-up.

During 2010, the conclusion by Lord Saville said that overall, the military personnel had initiated shooting and that not one of the casualties had been armed.

The then head of state, the Prime Minister, expressed regret in the House of Commons – stating fatalities were "unjustified and inexcusable."

The police started to investigate the matter.

One former paratrooper, known as the accused, was charged for homicide.

He was charged concerning the killings of James Wray, 22, and twenty-six-year-old the second individual.

Soldier F was further implicated of attempting to murder Patrick O'Donnell, Joseph Friel, further individuals, another person, and an unnamed civilian.

Remains a legal order maintaining the veteran's anonymity, which his attorneys have argued is required because he is at threat.

He told the Saville Inquiry that he had exclusively discharged his weapon at persons who were carrying weapons.

That claim was disputed in the official findings.

Evidence from the examination would not be used immediately as testimony in the court case.

During the trial, the veteran was shielded from sight behind a blue curtain.

He addressed the court for the opening instance in court at a hearing in December 2024, to answer "innocent" when the allegations were presented.

Relatives of the victims on the incident travelled from the city to the courthouse every day of the trial.

A family member, whose relative was fatally wounded, said they understood that attending the case would be painful.

"I visualize everything in my mind's eye," he said, as we walked around the main locations discussed in the proceedings – from the street, where his brother was shot dead, to the adjoining the courtyard, where the individual and the second person were died.

"It reminds me to my location that day.

"I helped to carry Michael and lay him in the ambulance.

"I experienced again each detail during the proceedings.

"Despite experiencing everything – it's still meaningful for me."