WILL we ever see an end to the bitterness in Northern Ireland?
Having served on three operational tours, I witnessed it for myself.
While the majority of those I met were law-abiding, decent people, a tiny minority were prepared to perpetuate the violence we still see on our screens today.
One of the many injustices from the Troubles has been the legacy cases against our soldiers.
Now, decades on, I hope the dramatic collapse of a murder case against two elderly paratroopers will see an end to this witch-hunt.
The two men, now 71 and 70, were accused of shooting a senior IRA commander, allegedly responsible for the deaths of 15 British soldiers.
Mr Justice O’Hara ruled that statements the soldiers were forced to give hours after the 1972 shooting were inadmissible.
At the time of their interviews, the two soldiers were cleared of wrongdoing.
Further interviews by the 2010 Historical Enquiries Team, intended only to bring resolution to bereaved families and never for use in court, concluded there should be no criminal probe.
Yet, the Public Prosecution Service chose to bring charges in 2016.
As scores of other cases against British soldiers rely on similar evidence, I trust they, too, will be dropped.
Predictably, the judgement has led to calls for more violence.
Tellingly, the two men were flown out of Belfast under special security measures immediately after their acquittal.
Let me be clear, no one in our Armed Forces should be above the law, but where there is no fresh and compelling evidence, cases should be dropped.
How anyone can remember what happened 50, 60, 70 years ago is beyond me.
Time now for these two former paratroopers to live out their lives in peace.
Justice delayed is, without doubt, justice denied.