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“We believed we were hearing some sounds in the
shrubbery. It was an area with many trees. We heard
shuffling in the shrubbery. We saw no one. I assessed on
my own that there was a need for the mortar and I made a
request to fire it.”
10.138.
This mortar burnt itself out in the air. It lit up the area. In answer
to Lord Gifford, Maj. Dixon testified –
“We were coming under intermittent fire and I heard sounds
as if gunmen were coming through the old train yard. I took
the decision to light up the area. I saw nothing.”
Mortars not Exploding
10.139.
According to Maj. Dixon, 4 rounds of the 37, (excluding the
illuminative round), did not explode. The next day, 25 May, he found an
unexploded mortar at the Northern end of the field near the Community Centre.
Whereas Maj. Dixon could not say whether Carl Henry was hit by shrapnel at
Chang Avenue, he was definite that Marjorie Hinds could not have been injured
as was alleged.
Other Important Aspects of Major Dixon’s Evidence
10.140.
Maj. Dixon’s oral evidence substantially expanded his witness
statement
. Inter alia
, he performed the dual role of Mortar Officer (MO) and
MFC. About 8.20 a.m. on 24 May, he and his team of 9 persons were in place
near the Seprod building. Maj. Dixon took up a position on top of the building,
about 500 metres from the field at the Northern end of the Community Centre.
From his location he was able to observe two of the targets. The mortars used
were 81mm – a medium mortar of low velocity. He said of this type of mortar –
“As soon as it touches a reasonably hard surface, it will
explode and it won’t cause a crater or sort of excavation of
the earth. It makes two loud bangs. It does not make a
whistling sound.”