FINDING the dead body of a grandmother shot dead by British soldiers in Belfast was “one of the most horrific things I have ever seen,” a former paratrooper said yesterday.

Known by the codename M155, the former squaddie, who appeared via video link at the Ballymurphy massacre inquest, said he was a private in the Second Battalion, Parachute Regiment with duties as a bodyguard for the company commander.

Grandmother of eight Joan Connolly was shot a number of times in the face by British soldiers as they went on a three-day killing spree in the Ballymurphy area of West Belfast in August 1971.

It followed the introduction of internment without trial, which was seen as deliberately targeting Belfast’s Catholic minority.

Ten unarmed civilians were killed, including local parish priest Father Hugh Mullan. Another man, Paddy McCarthy, died from a heart attack after soldiers stuck a gun in his face in a mock execution.

M155 said Ms Connolly was lying face down with a large hole in her thigh, but when he turned her over he saw that her face had been shot off.

“Seeing someone in that state immediately put us into a humanitarian mode,” he claimed.

But the Ballymurphy inquiry has heard evidence suggesting such humanitarian action was rare, with paratroopers described as being “out of control.”

Soldiers have testified to sick competitions. One rewarded whoever got the first kill with a pot of cash to spend “on a piss up.”

In another “game,” part of Henry Thornton’s skull was allegedly used as an ashtray by British soldiers.

The inquest has been marked by soldiers suffering bouts of memory loss.

Tuesday’s hearing was told that former squaddies encouraged each other on social media to refuse cooperation with the coroner’s inquest.

M137 told the court on Tuesday that he could not remember anything of the events of August 1971, nor his Facebook password or the names of former comrades he was still in touch with.

Yesterday M155 claimed that he did not fire his weapon on the day and did not see any casualties abused by paratroopers in the Henry Taggart Memorial Hall military base.

He claimed to have made a statement to the Historical Enquiries Team. Records confirmed that he was contacted but there was no record of an interview with him.

The inquest continues next week.