Revealed: Bloody Sunday Inquiry Was a ‘Cynical Political Move’ – General Smith’s Blunt Critique

Newly declassified military documents from 1998 reveal a scathing criticism of the Bloody Sunday inquiry by General Rupert Smith, the British army’s commander in Northern Ireland at the time. Irish officials found the general’s perspectives at the dinner table unusual and his comments about the inquiry particularly noteworthy.

The Bloody Sunday Inquiry

In January 1972, during a civil rights march in Derry, British Parachute Regiment soldiers shot 26 unarmed civilians, resulting in 13 deaths on the day and one additional fatality weeks later. The incident became known as Bloody Sunday.

After years of campaigning, British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced the establishment of the Saville Inquiry in 1998, led by Lord Saville, to re-examine the events of Bloody Sunday.

General Rupert Smith’s Critique

In June 1998, as General Smith’s time commanding British forces in Northern Ireland was drawing to a close, he was invited to dinner with Irish officials in Belfast as part of the Anglo-Irish Secretariat.

During dinner, Smith expressed his “trenchant opposition” to the inquiry, calling it a “cynical political move” aimed at having soldiers blame others for their actions once more.

He argued that soldiers were in an “impossible position,” their actions based on orders from politicians, and that the initial inquiry conducted by Lord Widgery had come to a conclusion that was “about right.” Lord Widgery’s inquiry had largely vindicated the soldiers.

Smith’s Background

It’s worth noting that General Smith was a veteran of the British Parachute Regiment and had personally experienced the violence of Northern Ireland. His anti-IRA stance likely influenced his perspective. In 1978, Smith was injured in an IRA bomb explosion, suffering serious burns.

Despite his leadership role, Irish officials found Smith to be “more cerebral” and passionate about debate than his peers, albeit less sensitive to nationalist viewpoints.

Post-Dinner Conversations

Initially conflicted, Smith eventually conceded that Bloody Sunday was indeed “uniquely appalling.” He acknowledged the inquiry as necessary for a comprehensive peace settlement.

However, his critique underscored a belief that the soldiers were caught in a situation beyond their control, and that politicians were seeking to blame the military for actions they themselves had directed.

Subsequent Attitudes

A year after Smith, his successor, General Sir Hew Pike, similarly addressed the issue at a dinner with Irish diplomats. He expressed confusion over Northern Ireland’s politics and resistance to efforts to lift the anonymity of soldiers involved in Bloody Sunday.

Additionally, Ian Hamill, a Ministry of Defence official attached to army headquarters, was even more critical, questioning Lord Saville’s credibility, given his background in Scottish commercial law rather than Irish affairs.

Ultimately, the Truth

When Lord Saville delivered his report in 2010, it found the army’s actions on Bloody Sunday to be disproportionate and aimed to target civil rights marchers. He concluded that the soldiers had “lost control,” and none of the victims posed a threat. Their actions were further revealed to have included deliberate cover-ups.

The Impact of Revealed Documents

The newly declassified documents shed light on the underlying tensions and differing views within and between the British army and Irish officials regarding the Bloody Sunday inquiry. They highlight the complexity of the issues Northern Ireland has faced and its ongoing search for reconciliation.

These revelations are a stark reminder of the human cost of political decisions and the importance of thorough, impartial investigations into historical events.