Statement from Billy Mc Greanery and Marjorie Roddy, the surviving nephew and niece of the late Billy Mc Greanery
Billy Mc Greanery, Marjorie Roddy | 13 September 2011
We the McGreanery family would like to publically acknowledge the official apology received from the Chief of General Staff of the British Army for the fatal shooting of our uncle Billy on 15th September 1971. We fought long and hard for this decision and feel we would not have achieved so much other than for the efforts made on our behalf by the PFC and the HET. Unfortunately it has come all too late for those nearest to Billy, namely his mother Madge and brother Dessie, our father.
Though we take issue with the MoD claim that the soldier “was mistaken in his belief that he … (Billy) … had a weapon” we acknowledge that the general tenor of the letter is one of apology. On the eve of the 40th anniversary of his death the MoD have acknowledged that Billy he was a totally innocent man who posed no threat. We feel we have finally set the truth free and somewhat righted a terrible wrong.
We would like to think that this would give hope to other families in similar circumstances. We have organised a number of events for the anniversary this Thursday, September 15.
Agenda Thursday, September 15.
6.45pm Short ceremony at plaque where Billy was shot dead at the top of Westland Street
7.30pm Mass in St Eugene’s Cathedral
9pm till late
Fundraiser in Delacroix for the Pat Finucane Centre (£5 at the door)
Speaking today PFC caseworker Maggie O'Conor said,
It is right and proper that the Chief of the General Staff should acknowledge the terrible wrong that was done that night in September 1971. Unusually in these cases the RUC actually recommended prosecution but the then Attorney General Sir Basil Kelly refused. The AG claimed that a soldier should not be charged with murder because he was on duty, regardless of the actual facts of the case - this had no basis in law. This was in fact a political not a legal opinion and set a highly dangerous precedent in giving British soldiers free rein to kill civilians with impunity and this from the highest legal authority in the land.
Only one week before this death 14 year old Annette Mc Gavigan was shot dead by British soldiers close to this location and mother of six Kathleen Thompson was shot dead by soldiers in her garden in the Creggan Estate several weeks later. Had RUC Superintendent Frank Lagan’s advice been acted upon in the Mc Greanery case it is entirely probable that other lives would have been saved including that of Mrs Thompson since soldiers and the MoD would have aware that wrongful deaths were likely to result in prosecution. Indeed it is not an exaggeration to suggest that the MoD may not have sent the Parachute Regiment to Derry on Bloody Sunday, just one month after this advice, had they understood that the rule of law also applied to the actions of their soldiers.