Derek Wilford
Derek Wilford OBE | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Derek Wilford |
| Born | 16 February 1933 |
| Died | 24 November 2023 (aged 90) |
| Cause of death | Parkinson's Disease |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Service years | 1952–1983 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | Parachute Regiment |
| Commands | 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment |
| Known for | Commanding soldiers who killed 13 unarmed civilians on Bloody Sunday |
| Conflicts | Operation Banner |
| Awards | Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
| Alma mater | Eaton Hall, Cheshire |
Colonel Derek Wilford (16 February 1933 – 24 November 2023) was a British Army officer who commanded the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment from 1971 to 1973 during The Troubles in Northern Ireland. His tenure as Commanding Officer of 1 Para was overshadowed by the Ballymurphy Massacre in Belfast and Bloody Sunday in Derry, making him one of the most controversial figures in the history of the conflict in Northern Ireland.