Who was Derry man Billy McGreanery?

"Uncle Billy was our father Desmond’s only sibling. Billy was three years younger than Desmond,  but they both were very protective of each other, and relied on each other. 

"When our mother Mary died of leukaemia in 1960, at the age of just 30, it was Billy who stepped  in and became our second daddy. We were very young when this happened, Marjorie was just six years old, Rosie was four years old, and Billy was just a year and four months old. 

"Billy was more comfortable playing football with young Billy, and taking us on days out, than anywhere else. As our father worked such long hours, often not getting home until midnight,  Billy would be there for us. He never came to our house empty handed and would bring us  sweets every time he came up to the house, the dear type of sweets that no one could afford.  

"Billy was a manager in McLaughlin’s Sport’s Shop. Everyone knew him and he was very well  respected. He would sort the boots for the Derry City football team and lace the footballs.

"We remember him receiving a very fancy Omega watch as a present from John McLaughlin, the  store owner, after he had worked for the company for 25 years. Young Billy still has this watch, that Billy had been wearing when he was shot. 

"On September 14, 1971, Billy was shot by a British soldier. He died four hours later on September 15.

Family of Derry man shot dead by British army accepted “significant” financial settlement in respect of their uncle's death

Billy McGreanery was killed by a member of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards in Derry on September 14, 1971

"We believe this was in retaliation for two soldiers who had been shot earlier that  day. One had died and the other survived. We know the area was very quiet that night, with no  trouble at all. 

"The soldier, who is subsequently referred to in the records as ‘soldier A’, fired a single aimed shot and then claimed Billy was a gunman. 

"The soldier in the post alongside the shooter said he didn't see a gun and said he had asked  shooter why no warning was shouted to which soldier A replied he would not have heard. He just took his life. 

"This action had a very hard-hitting effect on all of the family but mostly on our father. Our granny  Madge was shattered. The fact that they attacked his good name, his reputation, by publicly  claiming he was a gunman was like they had killed him twice. They took his life and then they  destroyed his name.  

"Both our daddy and grandmother tried their best to clear Billy's name and get justice. When this  failed my father took it very badly as he felt he had failed Billy and their mother.

"Two years and four months after Billy's killing, our father Desmond was also dead at just 46 years old due to drink brought on by the murder and lies told to defend the killing. 

The devastating impact of Billy’s death cannot be overstated. It effectively left us as orphans  within two years, as we wholly believe had Billy not been shot that night, our father would not  have died so soon from a broken heart.” 

Background to the case 

Billy McGreanery was shot dead by a member of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards at  the junction of Eastway, Lonemoor Road and Westland Street, Derry, late in the evening  of September 14,1971.

He underwent surgery at Altnagelvin hospital and died approximately four hours later on during the early hours of Wednesday, September 15, 1971. He was 41  years old at the time of his death. 

The family engaged with the Historical Enquiries Team with the support of the Pat  Finucane Centre. The Historical Enquiries Team (HET) Review Summary Report (RSR) can be accessed here.

The HET Report reproduces a report by the local RUC Commander, Chief  Superintendent Frank Lagan submitted to police Headquarters (Dated: November 8, 1971).

It states: ‘Taking all the circumstances into consideration I  cannot find that soldier “A’s” action was justifiable and I therefore recommend  that he be charged with the murder of William F. McGreanery.’ (pg 30).

HET concluded that “There is an abundance of evidence from the civilian  witnesses to say that Mr McGreanery was not armed and therefore posed no  threat whatsoever to the soldier(s) ... it is the view of the HET that he was not  pointing a rifle at the soldier at the time. He was not involved with any  paramilitary organisation, he was not carrying a firearm of any description, and  he posed no threat to the soldiers at the observation post.” 

September 2011: Family receive written apology from the Chief of General Staff at the  Ministry of Defense, Sir Peter Wall, stating: “I would like to express my sorrow and regret for his death  which, in the years since it occurred, has deprived you of an Uncle’s support and  affection……I do not believe that anything I can say will ease the sorrow you feel for what  has happened, but I hope that this apology, and the findings of the Historical Enquiries  Team, will be of some comfort to you.” 

2013: Pat Finucane Centre uncovers a number of declassified British government documents concerning  the prosecution of soldiers.

The documents contain two pages of a memo (AG 1971 p2  and AG 1971 p3) concerning the visit of a JM Parkin, Head of C2 at HQNI (British Army  HQ) in the North to the then Attorney General Basil Kelly, a Unionist MP.

In reference to  any potential prosecutions of soldiers for the murder of civilians Parkin notes: "I have no doubt the Attorney General is doing all within his power to protect the  security forces against criminal proceedings in respect of actions on duty."

This is in the same paragraph that notes that the Attorney General had on his desk a  recommendation from the RUC that a soldier be ‘tried for the murder of a man named  McGreanery in Londonderry.’ No prosecution followed. 

See: Prosecution of British Soldiers | The Pat Finucane Centre 

April 2013: Family received an apology on behalf of the Ministry of Defense and British government from  the Minister for Armed Forces, Andrew Robathan in Westminster.

This was during an  adjournment debate brought by SDLP MP Mark Durkan at the request of the family. 

Marjorie and Billy were in Westminster to receive the apology along with Pat Finucane Centre. William McGreanery: MoD apology to family of man shot by soldier - BBC News

Hansard record can be accessed here: William McGreanery - Hansard - UK  Parliament

2013: Family applied to the Attorney General for fresh inquest. KRW engaged in lengthy  correspondence with the AG’s office, and in 2017 the AG confirmed that he had referred  the case to the PPS who then directed the PSNI to carry out a number of enquiries. Legacy Investigation Branch (LIB) undertook a review of the case, before commencing a full investigation. 

5th July 2013: Writ issued against the Ministry of Defence seeking damages; 

September 2021: Soldier ‘A’ interviewed under caution by LIB. 

June 2022: File submitted to the PPS by the PSNI LIB for review. File with PPS after soldier interview - McGreanery Case Update | The Pat Finucane Centre.

29 April 2024: PPS direct ‘no prosecution’ against Soldier A. They also issue a no  prosecution decision in relation to the 1971 shooting by a British soldier of 14-year-old schoolgirl Annette Mc Gavigan, also in Derry. 

The PPS stated: “Both cases featured significant evidential difficulties arising from the  circumstances in which accounts were taken and recorded, both by the Royal Military  Police in 1971, and later by the PSNI’s Historical Enquiries Team. 

“In addition, the death of significant witnesses and a failure to conduct effective  investigations at the time has undoubtedly hampered more recent investigative efforts  and the prosecutorial prospects in these cases.” 

In the case of William McGreanery, prosecutors were satisfied that the available  evidence was capable of proving that Mr McGreanery was unarmed and presented no  threat to any soldier. However, the admissible evidence was insufficient to prove that the  reported suspect was the soldier known as Soldier A who was responsible for causing  Mr McGreanery’s death.” 

The family have asked to a review of this decision and await the outcome. PPS issues decisions in relation to 1971 deaths | Public Prosecution Service for  Northern Ireland.

30 April 2024: Following the decision of the PPS, solicitor for the McGreanery family write to the Attorney General asking for her to order a new inquest. This was granted with the AG stating: 

“The Attorney is mindful that a fresh inquest is likely to be faced with difficulties  including the availability of witnesses, the fact that Soldier B is deceased and the  potential impact on the inquest’s ability to find facts if a witness asserts the privilege  against self-incrimination.

While these matters clearly sound on the utility of a further inquest the Attorney nonetheless considers that it is advisable to order a new inquest in this case.” 

14 November 2024: McGreanery family accept a civil settlement from the Ministry of  Defence.