The paratroopers involved in the Bloody Sunday shootings were members of an "experienced and professional battalion", the Saville inquiry, sitting for the first time in London yesterday, was told.
Gen Sir Frank Kitson (75), commander of 39 Brigade covering army units in Belfast, including 1 Para on Bloody Sunday, said he had "every confidence" in 1 Para, adding that they were not "excessively forceful" in carrying out their duties.
"On many occasions, members of the regiment exhibited a natural compassion, comforting and assisting the victims of bombs and riots."
Sir Frank was speaking as the Saville inquiry reopened to hear evidence from some 300 military witnesses who have successfully argued in court that their security would be at risk if they returned to Derry.
He told the inquiry sitting in Central Hall Westminster: "I felt very lucky to have 1 Para."
He had no recollection of the events leading up to January 30th, 1972, when 13 civilians were killed in Derry, and said he only had a "very general" understanding of the security situation there.
He was on leave when his men were called to Derry as reinforcements, and he was only told about the events when he returned from leave.
Sir Frank denied that his expertise in counter-insurgency meant he would have been involved in the planning of the army's role in the Bloody Sunday march.
He said 1 Para had experience of dealing with riots in Belfast and "were good at controlling difficult situations" .
Any reputation they might have acquired for "toughness and brutality" was "mistaken".
Their "resolute action" often prevented escalations of violence between Catholics and Protestants, he claimed, adding: "I believe that 1 Para's effectiveness in this field contributed greatly to the saving of life."
Sir Frank said he had no recollection of paratroopers being warned that heavy-handed techniques used in Belfast were unsuitable for the more sensitive situation in Derry, or of other military leaders saying they did not want the paratroops working in their areas.
1 Para were called to Derry because they were available and a highly trained battalion, not because of any reputation they had acquired.
Relatives of the victims listened as Sir Frank, who served in Kenya, Cyprus and Malaysia and wrote a book on counter-insurgency seen as a blueprint for the military on such techniques, said he was not part of the military decision-making process.
At this time the army relied on the RUC for its intelligence.
He described as "total rubbish" a report suggesting he was involved in a plan that the illegal march would come under attack, that the IRA would be forced to defend it and that snatch squads could then be sent in to arrest IRA members.
"I was never asked for my views on security policy outside my own brigade area (of Belfast)," he said.
"I knew nothing about the political decisions which governed security policy and very little about the situation elsewhere in the province.
"I don't recall ever visiting the town of Londonderry during my period in command of 39 Brigade."
He contradicted earlier evidence by saying he had no discussions with Gen Robert Ford, the then commander of land forces in Northern Ireland, about the general Northern situation.
Sir Frank said: "The army's task in Northern Ireland was to assist in maintaining law and order, not to subjugate the province or any part of it."
When it was put to Sir Frank that the British army culture at the time was to protect its own and that soldiers felt they could shoot and kill people with impunity, he denied it. The inquiry was adjourned until 9.30 a.m. today.