Jake Harper-Ronald wanted to be a soldier from childhood . In 1966 his ambition was fulfilled when he was conscripted as a National Serviceman into the Royal Rhodesia Regiment. He afterwards moved to the UK and passed selection for the ultra tough Parachute Regt — the famed red berets.

The Paras were regularly deployed in Northern Ireland where a raging war was ongoing between IRA Provos and Protestant militants — with the security forces like piggy in the middle. On Sunday 30 January 1972 1-Para was deployed in Londonderry to combat an IRA inspired ‘peace’ march. Jake was the official photographer. The situation deteriorated and elements in the crowd fired on the Paras who returned fire. The bodies of 13 dead marchers were recovered. That day lives on in infamy as ‘Bloody Sunday’.

Jakes photographs of this are reproduced in this book.

372pp; size 242 x 168mm,32 pages of black and white pics, 16 pages of colour pics

Paperback, NEW