 The Apprentice Boys ' parade is an annual celebration by unionists of the relief of the Siege of Derry in 1689 , which began when thirteen young apprentice boys shut the city 's gates against the army of King James . At that time the parade was held on 12 August each year . Participants from across Northern Ireland and Britain marched along the city walls above the Bogside , and were often openly hostile to the residents . On 30 July 1969 the Derry Citizens Defence Association ( DCDA ) was formed to try to preserve peace during the period of the parade , and to defend the Bogside and Creggan in the event of an attack . The chairman was Seán Keenan , an Irish Republican Army ( IRA ) veteran ; the vice @-@ chairman was Paddy Doherty , a popular local man sometimes known as " Paddy Bogside " and the secretary was Johnnie White , another leading republican and leader of the James Connolly Republican Club . Street committees were formed under the overall command of the DCDA and barricades were built on the night of 11 August . The parade took place as planned on 12 August . As it passed through Waterloo Place , on the edge of the Bogside , hostilities began between supporters and opponents of the parade . Fighting between the two groups continued for two hours , then the police joined in . They charged up William Street against the Bogsiders , followed by the ' Paisleyites ' . They were met with a hail of stones and petrol bombs . The ensuing battle became known as the Battle of the Bogside . Late in the evening , having been driven back repeatedly , the police fired canisters of CS gas into the crowd . Youths on the roof of a high @-@ rise block of flats on Rossville Street threw petrol bombs down on the police . Walkie @-@ talkies were used to maintain contact between different areas of fighting and DCDA headquarters in Paddy Doherty 's house in Westland Street , and first aid stations were operating , staffed by doctors , nurses and volunteers . Women and girls made milk @-@ bottle crates of petrol bombs for supply to the youths in the front line and " Radio Free Derry " broadcast to the fighters and their families . On the third day of fighting , 14 August , the Northern Ireland Government mobilised the Ulster Special Constabulary ( B @-@ Specials ) , a force greatly feared by nationalists in Derry and elsewhere . Before they engaged , however , British troops were deployed at the scene , carrying automatic rifles and sub @-@ machine guns . The RUC and B @-@ Specials withdrew , and the troops took up positions outside the barricaded area . 
 The Apprentice Boys <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'</mark></a>parade <a href='drop_aux' title='2'><mark>is</mark></a>an annual celebration by unionists of the relief of the Siege of Derry in 1689 , which began when thirteen young apprentice boys shut the city <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>gates against the army of King James . At that time the parade was held on 12 August each year . Participants from across Northern Ireland and Britain marched along the city walls above the Bogside , and <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> often openly hostile to the residents . On 30 July 1969 the Derry Citizens Defence Association ( DCDA ) was formed to try to preserve peace during the period of the parade , and to defend the Bogside and Creggan in the event of an attack . The chairman was Seán Keenan , an Irish Republican Army ( IRA ) veteran ; the vice @-@ chairman was Paddy Doherty , a popular local man sometimes known as " Paddy Bogside " and the secretary was Johnnie White , another leading republican and leader of the James Connolly Republican Club . Street committees <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> formed under the overall command of the DCDA and barricades <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> built on the night of 11 August . The parade took place as planned on 12 August . As it passed through Waterloo Place , on the edge of the Bogside , hostilities began between supporters and opponents of the parade . Fighting between the two groups continued for two hours , then the police joined in . They charged up William Street against the Bogsiders , followed by the ' Paisleyites ' . They <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>were</mark></a> met with a hail of stones and petrol bombs . The ensuing battle became known as the Battle of the Bogside . Late in the evening , <a href='been_done' title='8'><mark>having</mark></a> been driven back repeatedly , the police fired canisters of CS gas into the crowd . Youths on the roof of a high @-@ rise block of flats on Rossville Street threw petrol bombs down on the police . Walkie @-@ talkies <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>were</mark></a> used to maintain contact between different areas of fighting and DCDA headquarters in Paddy Doherty <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>house in Westland Street , and first aid stations <a href='uninflect' title='11'><mark>were</mark></a> operating , staffed by doctors , nurses and volunteers . Women and girls made milk @-@ bottle crates of petrol bombs for supply to the youths in the front line and " Radio Free Derry " broadcast to the fighters and their families . On the third day of fighting , 14 August , the Northern Ireland Government<a href='been_done' title='12'><mark></mark></a> mobilised the Ulster Special Constabulary ( B @-@ Specials ) , a force greatly feared by nationalists in Derry and elsewhere . Before they engaged , however , British troops <a href='uninflect' title='13'><mark>were</mark></a> deployed at the scene , carrying automatic rifles and sub @-@ machine guns . The RUC and B @-@ Specials withdrew , and the troops took up positions outside the barricaded area . 
Da Apprentice boyz  parade an annual celebration by unionists of the relief of tdaSiege of Derry in 1689 , which began when thirteen young apprentice boys shut thdaity  gates against the army of King James . At that time the parade was held on 12 August each year . Participants from across Northern Ireland and Britain marched along the city walls above thedagside , and was often openly hostile to the daidents . On 30 July 1969 the Dday Citizens Defence Association ( DCDA ) was formed to try to preserve peace during the pedad of the parda , and to defend the Bogsda and Creggan in the event of an attack . The chairman was Seán Keenan , an Irish Republican Army ( IRA ) veteran ; the vice @-@ chairman was Paddy Doherty , a popular local man sometimes known as " Paddy Bogside " and the secreday was Johnnie White , another leading republican and leader of the James Connolly Republican Club . Street committees was formed under the overall command of the DCDA and barricades was built on the nite of 11 August . The paradedaok place as planned on 12 August . As it passed through Waterloo Place , on the edge of the Bogside , hostilities began between supporters and opponents of the parade daighting between the 2 groups continued for two hours , then the police jdaed in . They charged up William Street against the Bogsiders , followed by the ' Paisleydas ' . They was met with a hail of stones and petrol bombs . The ensuing badae became known as the Battle of the Bogside . Late in the evening , dda been driven back repeatedly , the police fireddanisters of CS gas into the crowd . Youths on the roof of a high @-@ rise block of flats on Rossville Street threw petrol bombs down on the police . Walkda@-@ talkies was used to maintain contact between diff areas of fighting and DCDA headquarters in Paddy Doherty  house in Westland Street , and first aid stations was operating , staffed by doctors , nurses and volunteers . Women and bitches made milk @-@ bottle crates of petrol bombs for supply to the youths in the front line anddaRadio Free Derry " broadcast to the fighters and their families . On the third day of fighting , 14 August , the Northern Irelandaovernment been mobilised the Ulster Special Constabulary ( B @-@ Specials ) , a force greatly feared by nationalists in Derry and elsewhere . Before they engaged , however , British troops was deployed at the scene , carryingdatomatic rifles and sub @-@ machine guns . The RUC and B @-@ Spedals withdrew , and the troops took up positions outside the barricaded area .