14 May 1972: John Albert Pedlow, 17-year-old Protestant civilian was shot and killed in the Springmartin estate in the 2nd night of gun battles between the army and the IRA. It is believed that John Pedlow was shot by soldiers. The inquest was told that John was hit by a .303 bullet that had ricocheted. The inquest was told that he and a companion had gone to a shop to buy cigarettes and were walking back when he was shot. The companion was also wounded but survived and told the inquest the firing was coming from near the Taggart Memorial army post and seemed to be directed towards Black Mountain Parade. John Pedlows companion was from Highfield Drive and told the inquest: I felt numbness and fell to the ground. I discovered later that I had been hit in the stomach. My friend, John Albert Pedlow, had been hit in the same burst of firing. John Pedlow was from Black Mountain Parade and was given a loyalist funeral. Police said at the inquest there was no evidence of John Pedlow being connected with any illegal organisation. At the time of his death, the army, IRA, and loyalist groups all used .303 rifles. Because the fatal shot was a ricochet, it could not be determined who fired the fatal shot. LEST WE FORGET!
Posted on: Wed, 14 May 2014 06:10:43 +0000