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| By David Burke, author of ‘Kitson’s Irish War: Mastermind of the Dirty War in Ireland’. |
1. Kitson’s Private Army.
David Cleary is the real name of Soldier F, the Bloody Sunday mass murderer. A judicial review has been brought by the family of some of his victims to reinstate criminal charges against him for their murder. If successful, Cleary will face the genuine prospect of spending the rest of his life behind bars. Meanwhile, he is the keeper of many secrets about the events of Bloody Sunday.
Lance Corporal David Cleary was a member of the elite Support Company of the 1st Parachute Regiment which was commanded by Colonel Derek Wilford. Wilford reported upwards to Brigadier Frank Kitson. All were assigned to 39 Brigade area which operated in Belfast and its environs.
Support Company of 1 Para was known as ‘Kitson’s Private Army’ and was infamous for its brutal behaviour in Belfast.
Lance Corporal David Cleary was a member of the elite Support Company of the 1st Parachute Regiment which was commanded by Colonel Derek Wilford. Wilford reported upwards to Brigadier Frank Kitson. All were assigned to 39 Brigade area which operated in Belfast and its environs.
Support Company of 1 Para was known as ‘Kitson’s Private Army’ and was infamous for its brutal behaviour in Belfast.
Lance Corporal Cleary was ‘gazetted’ or ‘mentioned in dispatches’ for his “gallant” behaviour during the internment swoops of August 1971. Cleary could not have received that minor honour without the full support of his superiors. Clearly, he was one of the more important soldiers in Kitson’s Private Army.
Continue reading @ The Village.
Continue reading @ The Village.
Says something when even the UDR refused to patrol the Shankill in 73 until the Para's were withdrawn, and later Ken Maginnis calling for their removal from the Province entirely. I've heard little good said about them.
ReplyDeleteFollowing on from a Tweet by TPQ regular Dixie Elliot, I started looking into Costas Georgiou AKA Colonel Callan.
ReplyDeleteGeorgiou fired 26 shots on Bloody Sunday, and was jailed for five years for robbing a Post Office. It has been written in several places that, prior to his dishonourable discharge, such was his prestige in the Parachute Regiment, that he served as his Commanding Officer's personal bodyguard. I think, though I could be wrong, that this would make him Derek Wilford's bodyguard.
Georgiou's readiness to, and enjoyment of, killing has been well documented. He was tried and executed by Angolan authorities, in 1976.
It's worth considering that, had this murdering low-life survived, and faced prosecution for his crimes in Ireland, crowds of people would have protested against it.
1 Para were littered with murderers and criminals. Their actions directly led to wild support for the IRA and subsequent mass casualties inflicted on the British Army, including the Parachute Regiment, which lost more than 50 men to republicans.
https://geopoliticalcyprus.org/2020/09/24/cypriot-mercenaries-in-angola/
@ Stevie R - I'm reading, and hope to review, Conspicuous Gallantry by Anthony Leask. Ken Maginnis features prominently. Whilst I disagree with him politically, he is a man of considerable bravery.
Brandon,
DeleteMost definitely brave but I too find some of his views odious.
Goggzilla broke the story first.
ReplyDelete