Below is a message which was left in the guest book by Sam, about the "Droppin Well Massacre"

What is your name - friend of many of the victims

How did you find this Web Site - yahoo

"droppin well 6th december 1982

"Where are you from - Kilrea, Co Londonderry

Do you have any comments? - I was in the Army, it was better than winding up in prison, it taught me to respect others and understand other s problems! Then they sent me to Ballykelly in 1976,I grew up quickly, I met many, many great people from both sides of the "divide" the only way we can understand the causes of the problems as a soldier is to ask the right people the right questions. If you asked your boss in the Army they would give you the government answers, so I made a point of making friends of all types and asking all types of questions, often innocently naively! but getting an answer. I loved my time there, I saw lots of bad stuff, but came out of it a better more understanding person. Why we were there who knows, but did we make a difference? Yes the bombs and bullets that killed soldiers saved civilian lives, so yes we did achieve something, not always for the good, but most of us were pretty good guys. We even wrote poems, I wrote one once, it was the day after the droppin well bomb, I was due to go out to see my girlfriend as I did every December, since I left BK in 77, but I missed the train which meant I missed the plane, also bear in mind this was the early 80s I was still a serving soldier going to NI on leave, which was not allowed !!!! I wrote much of the poem on the way there on the 7th Dec and the rest on the 8 after I got there. It promotes questions! It is the first time I have ever showed it and it is in memory of all the innocent souls lost in the troubles from 1969.

7th & 10th December1982

Rest in peace all the friends I never met till next time.
Rest in peace the girl I knew, so sad I never got to say goodbye,
Why I wasn't there to see you, my plane it left well before time,
When I heard, so sad, so bad, a man I cried and cried.

I couldn't go, they stopped me, they forced me,
You a corporal, a serving soldier, you can’t go there now,
They gave me pills so I cannot flee,
To no avail, I left, a train, a plane I go there now.

When at last her dad I met, the tears, the sadness clear
Why wasn't I there to comfort and with her join?
On the journey that's far from here,
I told him, she's waiting with god for both of us to join....

Why can’t I join you now, in heaven my dear,
The pills, they help no more the pain to great,
Because the shots, I killed, what I did so bad the fear,
A soldiers lot, I may never join you, I’ll go to hell.

So sleep my dear, my friends I never met
That went with you that awful painful night,
Will treat you nice, will treat you well.
For they are in heaven and not in my hell.

Sam