THE families of the victims of the Bloody Sunday massacre “will not grieve” the former head of the British Army, General Mike Jackson who died this week.
Gen Jackson, died on Tuesday, October 15, at the age of 80, surrounded by his family.
In a statement, the British Army said “General ‘Jacko’ served with distinction for over 40 years, finishing his career as Chief of the General Staff”.
They added: “He will be greatly missed, and long remembered.”
Prior to becoming head of the British Army, Gen Jackson was a Captain in the Parachute Regiment in Derry on January 30, 1972, when soldiers shot dead 13 civil rights demonstrators in what would become known as Bloody Sunday.
He was also present at the Ballymurphy Massacre in 1971, where 11 unarmed civilians were shot dead by British troops.
As news of his death was released, the chair of the Bloody Sunday Trust, Tony Doherty said the families of those who died, who are still campaigning for justice in their names, would not “grieve his loss”.
“On behalf of the Bloody Sunday families and many other families who’ve had loved ones murdered by the British army; there will be no grieving the loss of this man,” he said in a statement.
“He wreaked havoc in Derry and elsewhere in the 1970s,” he added, stating: “There will be no mourning here.”
Colum Eastwood, the SDLP MP for Foyle, said his thoughts are with the Bloody Sunday and Ballymurphy families.
“My thoughts are with the Bloody Sunday and Ballymurphy families and all innocent victims following the news of Mike Jackson’s death,” he said.
“No doubt this will bring back very difficult memories of their loved ones and the decades long crusade they were forced to go through in an attempt to uncover the truth and secure justice.”
Gen Jackson became Chief of the General Staff of the British Army in 2003, a position in which he served until his retirement in 2006 after being succeeded by Sir Richard Dannat.