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January 30th, 1972 stands as one of the most deadly – and significant – occasions in multiple decades of violence in the region.

In the streets of the incident – the images of that fateful day are displayed on the buildings and seared in people's minds.

A public gathering was conducted on a wintry, sunny afternoon in Londonderry.

The protest was opposing the practice of detention without trial – holding suspects without due process – which had been established following three years of violence.

Military personnel from the Parachute Regiment shot dead multiple civilians in the Bogside area – which was, and continues to be, a overwhelmingly nationalist area.

A specific visual became especially prominent.

Images showed a clergyman, Fr Edward Daly, waving a bloodied fabric while attempting to shield a assembly transporting a youth, the injured teenager, who had been fatally wounded.

Journalists captured extensive video on the day.

Documented accounts contains Fr Daly telling a media representative that troops "gave the impression they would fire in all directions" and he was "totally convinced" that there was no reason for the gunfire.

The narrative of the incident was disputed by the first inquiry.

The Widgery Tribunal concluded the Army had been attacked first.

During the negotiation period, the administration set up a new investigation, in response to advocacy by family members, who said Widgery had been a whitewash.

That year, the conclusion by the investigation said that on balance, the paratroopers had fired first and that zero among the individuals had presented danger.

The contemporary head of state, the leader, expressed regret in the House of Commons – saying killings were "without justification and inexcusable."

Authorities began to look into the incident.

One former paratrooper, known as Soldier F, was brought to trial for murder.

He was charged over the fatalities of James Wray, twenty-two, and twenty-six-year-old another victim.

Soldier F was additionally charged of trying to kill multiple individuals, additional persons, Joe Mahon, Michael Quinn, and an unnamed civilian.

There is a judicial decision maintaining the defendant's privacy, which his attorneys have argued is essential because he is at risk of attack.

He told the Saville Inquiry that he had only fired at people who were armed.

This assertion was dismissed in the final report.

Information from the investigation was unable to be used directly as testimony in the criminal process.

In the dock, the accused was shielded from sight behind a protective barrier.

He spoke for the initial occasion in the proceedings at a session in that month, to answer "not guilty" when the charges were presented.

Family members of those who were killed on that day travelled from the city to Belfast Crown Court daily of the case.

A family member, whose sibling was fatally wounded, said they were aware that listening to the case would be difficult.

"I visualize the events in my mind's eye," he said, as we visited the key areas mentioned in the proceedings – from Rossville Street, where his brother was killed, to the adjacent Glenfada Park, where one victim and another victim were died.

"It returns me to where I was that day.

"I assisted with Michael and place him in the medical transport.

"I relived each detail during the proceedings.

"Notwithstanding having to go through everything – it's still worthwhile for me."