HET Review Summary Report into the death of William Francis ...

There has never been any dispute that Mr McGreanery was shot and
killed by a soldier who had been on duty in an army observation post which
was situated in an elevated position overlooking the junctions of Eastway,
Lonemoor Road and Westland Street in Derry. What has always been in
dispute are the circumstances leading up to the shooting, in particular
how Mr McGreanery and his colleagues got to that location, what their
intention was and whether or not he had been armed with a rifle.
Two soldiers were involved in this incident, both of whom were
interviewed after the shooting by the RMP. They were never questioned
by the RUC.
The version of events which was related to the RMP investigators by the
soldier who had discharged the shot and by his colleague, were at odds
with the accounts given by numerous witnesses to RUC investigators, and
also to a solicitor acting for the family. (A detailed review of each
statement will be made later in this report).
Around 11.40pm on the night before his death, Mr McGreanery called at
the home of a friend, James McGinley. They talked for a while before
going out for a walk and soon met up with two other men, Sean Canning
and Michael Campbell. As they approached Laburnum Terrace they came
across a barricade that had been placed across the road. In order to get
around it they all had to go into the passageway of the end house in
Laburnum Terrace and climb over a low wall.
The men then stood on a low wall before walking towards a small traffic
island at the junction of Eastway, Lonemoor Road and Westland Street.
As they moved forward a single shot rang out and Mr McGreanery fell to
the ground.
The shot had been fired by the soldier at the observation post. Mr
McGreanery was then dragged by his friends to a nearby lane and within a
very short space of time a priest arrived at the scene and administered
the last rites. He was then taken in the back of a van to the Altnagelvin
hospital arriving around 12.45am on the morning of 15, September, where
he was seen by Doctor Fay.
On arrival at the hospital, Mr McGreanery was still conscious. The doctor
noted that Mr McGreanery had a wound to his left chest and a
corresponding wound in his back. The front wound (chest) appeared to be
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