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THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2006 2.20 (Stg £1.40) 9 7 7 0 0 1 0 9 4 6 0 0 1 0 6 ISSN 0010-9460 UNARMED COMBAT 32 INF GP KOSOVO LADIES FOOTBALL THE SOMME REMEMBERED
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UNARMED COMBAT 32 INF GP KOSOVO LADIES FOOTBALL … · the defence forces magazine september 2006 €2.20 (stg £1.40) 9 7 7 0 0 1 0 9 4 6 0 0 1 0 issn 0010-9460 6 unarmed combat

Jul 26, 2018

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Page 1: UNARMED COMBAT 32 INF GP KOSOVO LADIES FOOTBALL … · the defence forces magazine september 2006 €2.20 (stg £1.40) 9 7 7 0 0 1 0 9 4 6 0 0 1 0 issn 0010-9460 6 unarmed combat

THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2006 €€2.20 (Stg £1.40)

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UNARMED COMBAT

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THE SOMME REMEMBERED

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AN COSANTÓIR September 2006 3

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FFrroonntt ccoovveerr::Armn Billy Galligan’s photoshows Sgt Robbie Buggy (left),unarmed combat instructor,demonstating a defensiveblock with CQMS John Ruddy.(See pages 6-7.)

An CosantóirV O L U M E 6 6

N u m b e r 6

S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 6

www.military.ie/pr/an_cosantoir

News UpdatePicture Parade. 4 Keeping the

Show on theRoadTransport and mainte-nance in the DF.Report byWesley Bourke

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Farewell toArmsUnarmed combat inthe Defence Forces.Report bySgt Willie Braine

6 Contact Front‘B’ Coy 95 Inf Bn, livefire exercises inLiberia.Report bySgt Dave Nagle

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Kosovo – A Region inTransitionAn overview of recentevents in Kosovo.Report byLt Col DM Bracken

8 From HumbleBeginningsThe history of ladiesfootball in the DefenceForces.Report bySgt Rena Kennedy

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Light at the Endof the TunnellHumanitarian projectadopted by 32 Inf Gp.Report byComdt Johnny Ridge

10 The Man in theMiddleA profile of TonyLennon, referee.

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WorkingTogetherIntercontingent cooperation in KFOR.Report byComdt John Whittaker

12 The Irish at the SommeA look at the 16th (Irish)and 36th (Ulster) divisions at the Somme.Report byCameron Robinson

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Operation‘North Pole’Account of a recentoperation by Irishtroops in KFOR.Report byCapt Rory Esler

14 You’re in theArmy now!2nd Media pre-Deployment course.Report byWesley Bourke

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4 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

news update… news update… news update…

Logs and Admin CourseCapt Alan Kavanagh’s (62 Res Inf Bn) photo shows the first RDF Junior Officers Logistics andAdministration course, which was held from July 15th – 28th in the Military AdministrationSchool, DFTC (Back row l-r): Lt John Doyle, Capt John Murphy and Lt Brian Ruske all (32 ResInf Bn), Lt Aengus Gordon (65 Res Inf Bn), Lt Dan Meade (32 Res Inf Bn), Lt Gerry Gaule(RDFTA), Lt Gerome Donnolly (67 Res Eng), Lt Niall O’Donnell (54 Res Tpt Coy) and Capt CathalClarke (51 Res Inf Bn). Front row: Lt Helen Farrell (67 Res Inf Bn), Lt Donal O’Regan (32 Res InfBn), Comdt Tom Bell (RDFTA and Course Commander), Capt Alan Kavanagh (62 Res Inf Bn andClass President), Capt Conor Galvin (RDFTA) and Lt Mark Kinsella (56 Res Inf Bn).

Anti-Tank ShootPhotographed are members of 2 Inf Bn on a recent84mm Anti Tank Gun shoot in the Glen of Imaal.Photo courtesy of Cpl Bob Tilly (2 Inf Bn).

RetirementOur photo shows Sgt P Wynne on theoccasion of his retirement after 34years service in the Defence Forcesbeing presented with a commemorativecrystal plate by his son Cpl D Wynne onbehalf of the NCOs’ Mess, Dún UíMhaoilíosa, Gaillimh,

1st for the 62The first 2 E Bde SINGARS course for the RDF sincethe reorganisation was run recently by 62 CIS RDFin Cathal Brugha Bks. Students not only covered allthe necessary theory, but also got to practice using119Cs and 119Es on the ground. Our photo shows the class with their instructors.(Back row l-r): Lt Eugene Gargan (Sigs Offr, 67 ResInf Bn), Cpl Brian Duffy (62 Res MP Coy), Pte KevinHealy (67 Res Inf Bn), Cpl Eamonn O’Reilly (62 ResMP Coy), Sgmn Colm O’Neill (62 CIS Assistant),Cpl Aaron Murphy (62 CIS Instructor), Cpl MichaelFloyd (67 Res Inf Bn), Cpl. Kevin Sharkey (62 Res MPCoy), Cpl Ciaran Boyle (67 Res Inf Bn), Pte. MarkReay (67 Res Inf Bn), Lt Ian Maguire (62 Res Inf Bn),Cpl Declan O’Reilly (62 CIS Instructor) and CaptJulian Ensor (62 CIS, i/c Course).Front row: Cpl Sam Condrot (62 Res Eng), Pte EmilyArmstrong (62 Res Inf Bn) Pte Ciarán McCartney (62Res Inf Bn), Sgt Gary Quinn (67 Res Inf Bn).

RDF MP CourseThe 1st RDF Military Police Foundation Investigation Course, was held in the Military PoliceSchool, DFTC, between July 8th – 21st. Our photo shows: (back row l-r): Sgt de Cogan, SgtDoyle, Sgt Ryabikh, Sgt O’Rourke, Sgt Timlin, Sgt Mulhall and Cpl Creigton. Middle row: CplCoy ( Instr), Cpl O’Brien, CQMS Ó’Dubin, Sgt Cronin, Capt Buckley, Capt O’Brien, Coy SgtBarry, Sgt Quinn and Cpl Smith (Instr). Front row: Sgt Kehoe (instr), A/Sgt Maj Banahan, LtKelly, Capt Reynolds,(Class President), Capt Smith (Course OIC), A/CQMS O’Neill and CplBalfe, (NCO i/c Course).

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AN COSANTÓIR September 2006 5

news update… news update… news update…

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StripesCpls Danny Nugent and MickCarroll (12 Inf Bn) wereawarded a state promotion tothe rank of Cpl, in recogni-tion of their long, loyal serv-ice to the State in SarsfieldBks recently.Sgt Gerry Cosgrove’s (1 SBde RDF) photo shows CplNugent and Carroll with BrigGen Padraig O’Callaghan(GOC 1 S Bde) with Officers& Senior NCO’s of 12 Inf Bnand Col Colm Doyle (recentlyreturned from overseas serv-ice in New York).

GOC VisitBrig Gen Frederick Swords(GOC 4 W Bde) presentingthe non-article 5 KFOR to the32 Inf Gp Medal Parade inCamp Clarke in early July.Photo: Capt Fred O’Donovan(PSO GOC 4 W Bde).

BoxedInSgt Willie Braine’sphoto shows mem-bers of 77 and 78Recruit classes inGormanston duringtheir week-longunarmed combatcourse, with (frontmiddle) instructorSgt Robbie Buggy (2 Inf Bn). See pages6-7.

ArtyCourseArmn Billy Galligan’sphoto shows studentsand instructors of therecent Air GunneryDetachmentCommanders Coursein the Artillery School,DFTC.

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Opposite:Sgt Willie Braine’s photos showstudents on the unarmed combat course from 77 and 78 Recruit Platoons practising avariety of locks and techniquesin the gym in Gormanston.

The introduction of unarmed combat (UAC) to theDefence Forces was through the Army RangerWing, whose personnel attended UAC courses inthe UK (British police), Denmark and Sweden.

These courses then opened up to a wider selection ofstudents from within the Defence Forces. When adecision was made to conduct UAC training withinthe Defence Forces’ Sgt ‘Sledge’ O’Leary, Cpl JamesMichael Maguire (DFSPC, DFTC), and Pte TerryHealy (1 S Bde), who finished 4th in the World JudoChampionships, were tasked with putting togetherthe syllabus.

The first UAC instructors’ course was held overfour weeks in 2003 in the DFTC with 16 students fromall brigades. With Irish soldiers facing situationssuch as the Kosovo riots in 2004, cash and prisonerescorts, and riot control, UAC training is now seen asa necessity for all recruits. However, due to a short-age of instructors it isn’t possible to get UAC on toall recruit syllabi.

When Sgt Robbie Buggy, a student on the 1st UACInstructors Course, was serving

with 27 Inf Gp in Kosovo in 2004he held unarmed combat trainingclasses two nights a week forinterested personnel outside ofduty hours. The course was very

popular and proved invaluablein May of that year when 27 Inf

Gp were involved in dealing witha severe outbreak of rioting

in Kosovo. Unfortunately,when all else failed the

skills Robbie hadtaught had to be putinto practice.

“It was not onlythe UAC skills butalso the confi-dence that thepersonnel operat-ing in the riotplatoons hadgained from thecourse thatproved invalu-

able,” Robbietold me.

Unarmed combat, which has itsorigins in martial arts, was firstofficially recognised when it wasaccepted as a sport in the ancientOlympic Games. Military personnelwere formally trained in unarmedcombat for the first time in WWIIfor use in hand-to-hand combat.Sgt Willie Braine spoke with SgtRobbie Buggy (2 Inf Bn) about thebackground of unarmed combattraining in theDefence Forcesand a recentcourse he hadconducted.

Farewell to arms

6 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

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AN COSANTÓIR September 2006 7

On his return to 2 Inf Bn, with the experience ofKosovo behind him, Sgt Buggy approached ComdtSeán Murphy (OC Sp Coy) with the idea of conduct-ing a UAC course in the battalion.

“As a result,” I was tasked with running a week-long UAC introduction course to 77 and 78 Recruitclasses in Gormanston Camp. This was to beRobbie’s first time to run a formal UAC course. “Theweek-long course is designed to develop a student’sability to apply basic UAC techniques,” Sgt Buggysays, “while also understanding the principles of theuse of force and conflict resolution, to include CO/D6 (Current Operations Document 6, ‘UnderstandingThe Use Of Force And Conflict’), warning and dan-ger signs, and fundamentals of UAC. Arrest andrestraint techniques, and the non-lethal use ofweapons such as the BAP, Steyr, and baton are alsotouched on.”

Students are given the theory side of UAC first.

As a general rule people who are going to attackanother person, or who may fear being attackedthemselves, engage in ‘ritualised combat’.

Ritualised combat manifests itself mainly throughnon-verbal signs.These include direct, prolonged eyecontact; changed facial colour; the head is back andthe body is drawn tall to its maximum height; kickingthe ground; exaggerated movements near the intend-ed target; accelerated breathing; and abrupt stoppingand starting of nervous behaviour.

‘The reactionary gap’ is the distance beyondwhich a potential attacker cannot strike his intend-ed target. When the reactionary gap is breached thesituation becomes much more dangerous and UACstudents are taught to manage and maintain thisspace.

When danger signs indicate that an attack isimminent, positive action is crucial in order to minimise risk of injury. In countering violenceincreasing degrees of force may be employed bymembers of the Defence Forces depending on thecircumstances and requirements of the situation.These include unarmed restraint by weight of num-bers, use of batons, the firing of warning and/orcontaining shots, the firing of live ammunition tohit. The guiding principle is that the minimum forcenecessary to achieve the immediate aim is to beemployed.

In addition there are what are called ‘reasonableresponse options impact factors’. These address avariety of factors that may influence the degree offorce to be employed in any given situation. Thesewould include the respective age, sex, size, physicalcondition and skill levels of the soldier and the per-son confronting him or her, or the presence of drugsor alcohol in the aggressor

Before any of the skills are taught it is stressed tothe students that UAC is only to be used when nec-essary and in the proper way. After the fundamentalsare tackled the students don sparring gear and areslowly taught the different types of strikes and blocksrequired to defend or attack.

The students then move onto distraction tech-niques. These involve applying pressure to one of anumber of pressure points, which cause immediatesevere pain. If a soldier is being held at gun- or knife-point these can be used to momentarily disable theattacker long enough for the soldier to gain control ofthe situation. There are five basic pressure pointsused: the mandibular angle (behind the ear), superscapular (shoulder), radian and median (arms), andcommon penniual nerve (leg).

The next stage involves various throws and take-downs which may be used against an attackertowards you. Students also learn about defenceagainst weapons such as knives or hammers.Lock techniques are also taught. These includehow tobring an attacker to the ground using a wrist lock orusing an army thumb lock to remove an attacker froma situation. The single grip, inside/outside grip andarm entanglement are also taught as ways of movinga person under control, such as moving a prisonerfrom a cell.

According to Sgt Buggy the introduction of UACtraining throughout the Defence Forces, commencingin recruit training, will not only enhance the fightingand survival skills of our military personnel but willalso have the benefit of increasing soldiers’ confi-dence in themselves and their ability to face danger-ous situations.■

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8 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

Recently while home on leave I was trying toexplain the political situation in Kosovo to afriend. “If you’re a Serb,” I said, “Kosovo is toSerbia what Munster is to Ireland, but if you’re a

Kosovo Albanian, Serbia is to Kosovo what Syria isto Lebanon.”

The analogy goes some way to explaining the sit-uation, but does scant justice to what is currentlyhappening. Nor does it adequately reflect the cur-rent political impasse between the two main com-munities, the Kosovo Serbs (K-Serb) and theKosovo Albanians (K-Alb).

In the former Yugoslavia Serbia was a sovereignstate compromising Serbia itself and twoautonomous provinces, Vojvodina in the north andKosovo in the south. Both provinces were heavilyinfluenced by the administration in Belgrade,Serbia’s capital, with each provincial assembly dom-inated by its Serb minority. This led to ill-feeling inKosovo but any opposition was ruthlessly put downby the federal regime under Tito, the charismaticleader of Yugoslavia and former Partisan leader wholed the Resistance against the Nazi invasion in WWII. However, on Tito’s death in 1980, Yugoslavia’s fed-eral system quickly unravelled as the various enti-ties strove for independence.

Strident nationalism also emerged. Serbia, underits new leader, Slobodan Milosevic, dominated theFederal Parliament and Milosevic’s rise to powerwas characterised by his use of Kosovo as a tool topromote Serbian nationalism, and by extension

Serbian hegemony over the whole region.Milosevic’s inflammatory speech to K-Serb miners

in 1987, before he became leader of his party, and ulti-mately the Federation, emphasized the importance ofSerbs in Kosovo and pledged “no-one should darebeat you”.

Two years later, when a million Serbs gathered tocelebrate the 600th anniversary of the Battle ofKosovo Polje, Serbian Prince Lazar’s last standagainst the Ottomans, Milosevic famously told them“Serbia is Kosovo, Kosovo is Serbia.”From 1990 to 1996 the conflict in the former Yugoslaviawas waged mainly in Croatia and Bosnia. The fero-ciousness of the ethnic cleansing on all sides coupledwith the brutality of the Yugoslav National Army(JNA) in Bosnia prompted the international commu-nity into action. A largely ineffective UN force sent inearly in the conflict was eventually replaced by aNATO-led force that stabilized the area, allowing apolitical process to begin.

Kosovo was largely unaffected by the initial tur-moil apart from an influx of refugees from Croatia andBosnia. However, when the smaller former republicsleft the Federation successfully, the K-Albs saw anopportunity to finally declare their ultimate goal ofindependence from Serbia.

Serbia reacted as it had in Croatia and Bosnia andstarted ruthlessly suppressing any resistance. Ethniccleansing started again and in 1998 the massacre of57 members of the Jashari family in the Drenica valleysignalled the start of Kosovo’s war of independence.

“If you’re a Serb,”I said, “Kosovo isto Serbia whatMunster is toIreland, but ifyou’re a KosovoAlbanian, Serbia isto Kosovo whatSyria is toLebanon.”

KOSOVO – A RegionLt Col DM Bracken, OC 32 Inf Gp

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AN COSANTÓIR September 2006 9

After two years of fighting between the KosovoLiberation Army (UCK) and the JNA and SerbianSpecial Police (MUP), a NATO force was deployedfollowing 78 days of air raids on Serbia. Thereafterbegan the task of stabilizing and securing the area,which is still being carried out today.

During the past six years, the UN Mission inKosovo (UNMIK) administered the province. Now,day-to-day administration is largely in the hands ofan elected provisional government. Working onmeeting governance standards set by the UN (with

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strong input from the Contact Group, including theUS, UK, Russia, France, Italy and Germany) the gov-ernment has made progress.

The most pressing issue is Kosovo’s status. SinceFebruary the UN Special Envoy, former Finnish presi-dent Martti Ahtisaari, and his team have held sevenrounds of meetings with both sides, culminating in asummit of leaders in July. The talks made littleprogress and another meeting is likely in September.

The experience of the past 10 years, includingMilosevic’s attempted ethnic cleansing, has madeanything less than independence totally unacceptableto the people of Kosovo and it would be welcome ifthe Serbian Prime Minister, Kostunica, embraced theseparation of Kosovo and Serbia but no-one reallyexpects it.

The Contact Group and the UN Security Councilare expected to endorse Mr Ahtisaari’s final proposal,whatever it might be, before the end of the year. Itmay mean independence with continued NATO mili-tary presence and international guarantees toKosovo’s Serb minorities.

Belgrade has pumped up the return-to-Serbiamovements in Kosovo’s three northern municipali-ties and in the adjoining city of Mitrovica, where 40%of K-Serbs live. K-Serbs were instructed to boycottthe UN-backed provisional government, and recentlyall teachers and health workers were made tear uptheir government contracts. Belgrade cited wide-spread concern over the security situation, andrumours began that former members of the JNA hadbeen carrying out security duties in the area.However, this ruse was rumbled when NATO sent introops who found that employment, poor economicdevelopment and problems with infrastructure,sewage and electricity were people’s main issues,rather than security.

NATO’s positive influence has provided both com-munities with an opportunity to negotiate in an envi-ronment of peace and stability. The skills of the inter-national negotiators and the willingness of the partic-ipants to compromise are crucial to an acceptableand lasting outcome. Whatever the result, it is anexciting time to work in Kosovo and when the historyof this region is finally written, 32 Inf Gp will be proudof its contribution to providing the conditions thatallowed peace to ultimately prevail.■

Right:Lt Col Bracken (OC 32 Inf Gp)with Maj Gen Dermot Early(DCos SP) during a verificationgroup visit to Kosovo.

Below:Lt Col Bracken and members of32 Inf Gp KFOR on their MedalParade marchpast.

n in Transition

The experience ofthe past 10 years,includingMilosevic’sattempted ethniccleansing, has madeanything less thanindependence totally unacceptableto the people ofKosovo…

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10 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

Humanitarian assistance isa major factor in the Irishsoldiers’ psyche.

On April 22nd 2006 adispute over landbetween two KosovarAlbanian families inStimlje led to agrenade and gun battle. A number ofhand-grenades werethrown and the mainthoroughfare of thetown was subjectedto indiscriminate fire.

Albiona Jashari is a beautiful eleven-year-oldKosovar Albanian child. She lives with her par-ents, two brothers and one sister in the town ofStimlje, which is one of the principal towns in C

Coy’s area of operations.On April 22nd 2006 a dispute over land between

two Kosovar Albanian families in Stimlje led to agrenade and gun battle. A number of hand-grenadeswere thrown and the main thoroughfare of the townwas subjected to indiscriminate fire. During theconfrontation two people were killed and five seri-ously injured.

On being informed of the attack C Companyimmediately dispatched two patrols to the town tosupport the Kosovo Police Service in stabilising thesituation. The town was cordoned off, the dead andinjured were evacuated to nearby hospitals and theperpetrators were arrested. The Irish bomb disposal

unit was also dispatched to the area to deal with anumber of unexploded grenades. Once the situationhad been stabilised C Company continued to main-tain a heightened presence in the area to reassure thepopulation and guard against reprisals.

Follow-up investigations by the Liaison MonitoringTeam (LMT) from Camp Clarke, under Comdt DesHealy, discovered that one of the victims was aneleven-year-old girl who had sustained a bullet woundto the head and glass damage to her left eye. AlbionaJashari had innocently wandered onto the veranda ofher family’s third storey apartment, attracted by thenoise and commotion when a ricochet bullet hit her inthe head, lodging in her cranium, perilously closed toher brain. The bullet had also shattered a window,resulting in a substantial amount of glass debris hit-ting Albiona in the face, and in particular her left eye.

A nuerosurgical team in Pristina Hospital operated

Light at the Endof the TunnelBy Comdt Johnny Ridge, Logistics Officer, 32 Infantry Group.

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AN COSANTÓIR September 2006 11

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on Albiona, removing the bullet without any damageto her brain. The following day she underwent anoperation on her eye but unfortunately, due to a lackof facilities and expertise, they were unable toremove all of the glass. To complicate matters therewere strong indications that the remaining debriswas resting on the optic nerve and this would eventu-ally result in the complete loss of the organ.

The LMT brought the matter to the attention ofOC 32 Inf Gp, Lt Col Bracken, and a team was dis-patched to Albiona’s family to see whether anythingcould be done to assist. The team was told that theonly hope was to fly Albiona out of the country formajor eye surgery.

While 32 Inf Gp’s primary role is to provide a safeand secure environment in Kosovo through theOperational Company, the personnel of the Groupwere also anxious that the longstanding tradition inthe Defence Forces of rendering humanitarian assis-tance should continue. Having seen the plight of thisfamily, and conscious that incident occurred in ourarea of operations, it was recommended to theGroup Commander that the Albiona case be adoptedas a 32 Inf Gp project.

Lt Col Bracken formed a committee, includingComdt Ray Yorke and BSM Pat Neilan from Gp HQ,Sgt Vivienne Fitzpatrick and Sgt ‘Aldo’ Healy from CCoy, and myself, Bty Sgt Noel Gibney and CplAnthony Prendergast from Logs Coy, to investigatethe possibilities of assisting Albiona.

Our first task was to meet with the neurosurgicalteam and eye specialists in Pristina Hospital to seektheir advice and assistance. It became clear that twocourses of action existed. Either Albiona and herfamily could be flown out of the country for the oper-ation or the expertise could be brought to Kosovo.A series of Internet searches and phone calls estab-lished that a clinic in Lunen, Germany, would be pre-

pared to send Dr Tamer Tandogan, an eminent eyespecialist with over 30 years experience and 25,000operations to his credit, to perform the operation atthe German clinic in Pristina at a cost of approxi-mately 8,000.

The finance side of the committee was already upand running with several events planned. BSMNeilan organized a very successful race night inCamp Clarke, which was very well supported by ourinternational colleagues, especially the Czech con-tingent, and raised over 6,000! There were a numberof smaller events, draws, etc, which combined withprivate donations brought the fund to over 7,600.Dr Tandogan flew in the day before the operation tocarry out an assessment and the news was not good.As well as the debris in her eye, Albiona had adetached retina and needed to have a cataractremoved. In addition, Dr Tandogan said if her opticnerve was damaged the chances of success wouldnot be great. The family took this news in their stride,acknowledging that this was Albiona’s only chance,and agreed to go ahead with the operation.

The day of the operation was a nervous one foreveryone. Such was the effect that Albiona had hadon everyone that the troops in Camp Clarke sentscores of good luck cards and charms, some of whichhad come from their families in Ireland.

The operation, a vitrosectomy, began at 1130hrsand lasted five hours. Dr Tandogan said afterwardsthat it was the most intricate, complicated and chal-lenging operation of his career.

The cataract and retina problems were easyenough to overcome but the real difficulty involvedthe glass debris. A shard of glass the size of one’ssmall fingernail was resting within millimetres of theoptic nerve and this was further complicated by asignificant mass of hardened blood and tissue thathad wound around the shard.

Thankfully, when Dr Tandogan emerged from theoperation his evaluation was that he had successful-ly removed the cataract, reattached the retina, andremoved all glass and debris from the eye. His initialprognosis was that Albiona, with the proper care,would regain up to 60% of her peripheral vision in herleft eye with full sight in her right eye. The family wasoverjoyed with the outcome. Two days later Albionagot a hero’s welcome at the Group medal parade.

Since the operation Albiona has returned to theclinic five times for post-operation control and thesurgeons are amazed at her excellent rate of recov-ery. The bandages are now off, only four weeks afterthe operation, and she can see without any difficulty.Such is Albiona’s progress the medical staff nowconsider the initial assessment of 60% peripheralvision as conservative.

As a mark of their gratitude to the men andwomen of the Irish contingent the Jashari familyhosted the committee to a meal of native Kosovarfare at the home of Albiona’s grandfather, which wasattended by up to 40 members of Albiona’s extendedfamily. In toasting the Irish contingent, Albiona’sgrandfather stated: “A piece of Ireland will foreverbe in my heart and the hearts of my family. It will bemy dying wish that this will be handed down through-out the generations of the Jashari family.”

Lt Col Bracken expressed his sincere gratitude tothe men and womene of 32 Inf Gp for their outstand-ing support and contribution towards the overalleffort and said: “It was the real portrail of the mean-ing of a ‘Unit’.”■

A grateful Albiona with hergrandfather and Comdt JohnnyRidge.

Our first task wasto meet with theneurosurgical teamand eye specialistsin Pristina Hospitalto seek their adviceand assistance. Itbecame clear thattwo courses ofaction existed.Either Albiona andher family could beflown out of thecountry for theoperation or theexpertise could bebrought to Kosovo.

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Charlie’ Company, 32 Inf Gp, is currently deployedwith KFOR under operational control toCommander Multi-national Task Force Centre(MNTF-C). KFOR is a Chapter VII, peace

enforcement mission, mandated by UNSCResolution 1244 and led by NATO. To date ‘Charlie’Company has conducted a diverse range of opera-tions, both within its tactical area of responsibility(TaoR) and Kosovo-wide.

Task Force Centre is one of five task forces withinKFOR: Task Force North is French-led, Task ForceWest is Italian-led, Task Force South is German-led,Task Force East is US-led. On July 31st Sweden tookover the lead nation role of Task Force Centre fromthe Czech Republic for the next 12 months, with com-mand passing from Colonel Hlavac to Sweden’sBrigadier General Lodin.

MNTF-C’s TaoR, which is the largest in KFOR,comprises the capital city, Pristina, and the airport,the air point of departure (APOD) for KFOR. Interoperability is NATO-speak for multinational co-operation between forces across a wide range ofareas including, inter alia, communications, varioustactics techniques and procedures (TTPs), C3 and,most importantly, logistics.

Interoperability is one of KFOR’s key pillars inaccomplishing its missions and has particular impor-tance within MNTF-C. With limited forces and thelargest TaoR, MNTF-C employs two operational com-panies, OpCoy 1 and OpCoy 2. These companieswere born out of operational necessity, given the

12 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

potential for overstretch of very limited ground forcesin times of crisis, and represent a key asset in theevent of things going awry either Kosovo-wide or inthe TaoR.

OpCoy 1 is comprised of Czechs and Slovaks whileOpCoy 2 is comprised of Irish, Finnish and Swedishpersonnel. Command of the OpCoys rotates betweenthe five manoeuvre company commanders, with eachassuming command for a two-week period. OC‘Charlie’ Company commits a platoon to OpCoy 2when he is not in the lead role, and a platoon plusCompany HQ, when he assumes command.

OpCoy 2’s contributing units cross train on anongoing basis in crowd riot control (CRC). This isdone for two reasons. Firstly, CRC was one of the keyareas highlighted for further training and improve-ment within KFOR after the March 2004 riots.Secondly, the fact that KFOR’s 40+ troop contributingnations each operate with their own national caveatsas to what their troops can and cannot do means aheadache for the commander on the ground.Nonetheless, these caveats must be identified, under-stood and managed by the Commander for all opera-tions. The trickiest operation, from a national caveatstandpoint, is CRC. Using OpCoy 2 as an example,Finnish troops are not authorised to use water cannonand riot control agents (except tear gas) in a CRC sit-uation. The Irish are not currently authorised to useless than lethal agents and cannot operate in anythingless than a company. Finally, the Swedes are autho-rised to use rubber bullets with certain weapons, but

OpCoy 1 is comprised ofCzechs and Slovakswhile OpCoy 2 iscomprised of Irish,Finnish andSwedish personnel.Command of theOpCoys rotatesbetween the fivemanoeuvre com-pany commanders,with each assumingcommand for atwo-week period.

WorkingTogether

By Comdt John Whittaker, OC ‘Charlie’ Company,

32 Inf Gp, KFOR

Right:Swedish (bottom) and Irish(above) troops during trainingin interoperability crowd/riotcontrol in Kosovo.

Opposite page:Left: Troops during air mobileoperations exercise.

Right: Irish troops on patrol inKFOR.

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not water cannon or tear gas! As the reader canimagine the potential for ‘cluster’ for the tacticalcommander in the midst of a March 2004 type sce-nario is high. Regular interoperability trainingreduces the chance of such a situation occurring.The result of this regular training is an increasedunderstanding of the rules of engagement, caveatsand TTPs, and increased awareness of variousnations’ capabilities and legal limitations amongOpCoy 2 contributors.

In May KFOR completed a transition, whichbegan last October, from a brigade-oriented, fixedforce, conducting large-scale framework operationswithin brigade boundaries, towards a more mobile,flexible, task force-oriented, ‘unfixing’ force, operat-ing Kosovo-wide. It is expected that this modifiedposture will facilitate KFOR in conducting more dis-creet, intelligence-led operations.

The transition requires all task forces to deployKosovo-wide on what are termed cross boundaryoperations (XBOs). Although XBOs have been con-ducted for some time, their frequency continues toincrease reflecting KFOR’s new ‘unfixing’, flexibleapproach to operations.

Central to XBOs is the ability of troop contribut-ing nations to display their interoperability on opera-tions. Concurrently XBOs offer KFOR the means todemonstrate its ability to deploy its forces Kosovo-wide at short notice.

A key enabler for all operations, but even more sowith regard to XBOs, is the vital logistics tail. XBOsoffer an ideal opportunity for all nations to co-oper-ate and streamline administrative, supply and main-tenance procedures in order to ensure timely andcontinuous sustainment operations.Commander KFOR (ComKFOR) assesses that tai-lored, flexible and sustainable logistics, in support ofKFOR’s revised operational posture, are central tothe success of future operations.

From an Irish perspective the Logistical SupportCompany located at Camp Clarke and the National

Support Element (NSE) in Skopje, Macedonia, pro-vide the operational company with all necessary sup-port and are to be complimented for theirprofessionalism.

A recent XBO in which ‘Charlie’ Company partici-pated under the guise of OpCoy 2, will serve as anexample. ‘Charlie’ Company played the primary rolein leading, planning and executing XBO ‘LoneRanger’ and the Logistical Support Company led thelogistical effort. ‘Lone Ranger’ entailed OpCoy 2deploying into MNTF-E (the American sector) for a72-hour period. The overall purpose of the operationwas to conduct overt framework operations along theborder with Macedonia, as part of a larger force, inorder to flush out organised criminal gangs whowere undermining Kosovo’s economy through large-scale illicit smuggling across the border.

OpCoy 2 established a series of overt and highlyvisible OPs, VCPs, foot, vehicle and airmobilepatrols within its sector in order to channel the crim-inals into a particular route where an interdictionforce was covertly deployed. A total of 850 KFORtroops deployed into MNTF-E, drawn from theCzech, Slovak, Irish, Swede, Finn, Belgian, German,American, and Greek contingents. The Americansmade a vast array of their hi-tech assets available insupport of the manoeuvre forces. These assetsincluded Apache and Black Hawk helicopter gun-ships, and Airscan fixed wing aircraft, which sup-plied a live feed to troops on the ground.

This interoperable, multinational mission resultedin the successful detention of several known highvalue targets and the confiscation of large quantitiesof contraband.

From a company commander’s perspective, oper-ating in a multinational overseas environment pro-vides a unique opportunity to benchmark one’s ownforces across a wide spectrum, from the operationalplanning process through to logistical support sys-tems, with other international partners. It has beenmy experience that the Defence Forces is at least ona par with the other nations in the majority of areasand is a leader in many other areas, especially withour soldiers and NCOs in the areas of adaptability,flexibility and excellent people skills.

KFOR continues to offer an excellent opportunityto train and evaluate our commanders at all levels ina truly dynamic theatre alongside our multinationalcolleagues against a complex and challenging inter-ethnic backdrop.■

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In July, claims by Serb officials that Serbs inNorthern Kosovo had recruited 385 formerYugoslav army soldiers to defend them fromattacks by ethnic Albanians, raised tensions in the

area. Prime Minister Agim Ceku called on KFORand UNMIK to reinforce security measures in thearea. In response KFOR re-occupied a former campnorth of Mitrovica.

C Company, 32 Inf Gp, was tasked with deployingtroops into the MTNF-North area, north of the riverIbar as far as the Serbian border to conduct CrossBoundary Operation (XBO) ‘North Pole’ from July11th – 28th.

The Irish operate as part of the composite OpCoy2 along with Swedish, Finnish contingents. XBO‘North Pole’ was under the command of the SwedishCompany Commander, Major Fredriksson, due to thecommand rotation system that operates in OpCoy 2between the three contributing contingents.

The Forward Tactical Command Post (FTCP) wassituated in Camp ‘Nothing Hill’ north of Mitrovica,which is one of the few remaining mixed KosovoSerb/Albanian large towns and is considered one ofthe main ‘flash points’ in Kosovo.

After conducting a thorough reconnaissance of thecamp it was found that it been aptly nicknamed‘Nothing Hill’. It consisted of a large, flat, grey, grav-elled area with a row of T-walls for ballistic protectionand two rows of tents. It did, however, offer the luxuryof clean toilets and a shower block!

On the morning of the 11th we left Camp Clarke in aconvoy of Mowag APCs, Nissan Patrols and 4x4 TCV.Keeping a convoy of vehicles together on Main SupplyRoute ‘Hawk’ is a challenging endeavour, given thetreacherous conditions and the conduct of the localdrivers. (On average there are four people a day killedon the roads in Kosovo; quite a sobering statistic foran area the size of Ulster.) However we managed tokeep the convoy together for the two-and-a-half hourjourney and arrived shortly before 1000hrs.

Having arrived early the platoon ‘O’ group had anopportunity to do a short reconnaissance.Accompanied by my section commanders we droveout the gate and into our new area of operations.Climbing steeply, the road brought us to our destina-tion, the large flat peak of Ravna Gora, which offered

14 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

Cross Boundary Operation‘NORTH POLE’

Capt Rory Esler

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AN COSANTÓIR September 2006 15

panoramic views of the entire area. We were metthere by a Greek captain who gave us a full brief ofthe area. He explained that the area is mostly inhab-ited by Kosovo Serbs and many of the older villagerswould still be sympathetic to the ‘Milosevic regime’.Some would even consider the area to be part ofSerbia. On account of this, we realised we wouldhave to be extra vigilant and monitor and record theattitudes of the local people towards the increasedKFOR presence.

He also pointed out three small villages nestledhigh up in the valley, which he told us were inhabitedby Kosovo Albanians. This concept was slightlystrange to us as we were more familiar with havingSerbian enclaves or minorities surrounded byAlbanian villages in our area further south.

It was evident from the start that the local peoplein the area were not used to KFOR vehicles or sol-

fit from our time spent in the area. We started at midday on the 11th and carried on

24 hours a day throughout the operation. On average,during each 24-hour period the Irish platoon aloneconducted approximately ten foot patrols, 14 mobilepatrols and two OPs.

The terrain was a mixture of high peaks and deepvalleys with thick scrub-like forest covering themajority of the slopes. This meant that our VHF radiocoverage was restricted and since our Swedish andFinnish colleagues were in the same boat the onlyreliable means of communication were by satellitephone and high frequency (HF) systems.

Each of the platoons had Serbian interpretersavailable to travel with them during operations,which proved invaluable. They are generally localpeople and they undergo rigorous security clear-ances before they can be considered for employmentwith KFOR. For security reasons they are never privyto sensitive information and are only told what theyneed to know. They are generally very eager and com-mitted workers, particularly as they realise theimportance of employment in a country with anunemployment rate of approximately 80%.

The main concern for us in Northern Kosovo wasorganised crime. The area is awash with corruption,drug trafficking, people trafficking, prostitution andlarceny. In addition, the entire country is awash withillegally held weapons, in the region of 500,000 accord-ing to some estimates. During daylight mobile patrolsof a minimum of five soldiers generally travelledalone but at night the patrols were increased to twovehicles and a minimum of eight soldiers. This is aforce protection measure and also a safety aspectshould one vehicle need assistance. There was also aquick reaction force of platoon strength back in campat all times on five minutes notice-to-move. In addi-tion all personnel wore body armour and ballistic hel-mets while manning checkpoints. The French contin-gent also had a Super Puma medium-lift helicopteravailable to us for medevac for a couple of occasionswhen we needed to patrol areas inaccessible by road.

We left Camp ‘Nothing Hill’ on the morning ofFriday 28ttth July having spent almost three weeksconducting extensive operations in the area. I feelour presence in the area certainly made a differ-ence. The Kosovo Police Service (KPS) began toreturn and patrol in northern Kosovo, reassured bythe KFOR presence. The local people are also moreat ease given the security the KFOR presencebrings and the Force remains intent on flying theflag in the northern part of Kosovo for some time tocome.■

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diers in their villages, as we were met with confusedlooks and half-hearted waves as we passed throughthis seemingly quiet area. The younger children, how-ever, reacted no differently than they do when weoperate in our own areas surrounding Lipljan orStimlje: they waved and smiled and even ran afterour vehicles in the hopes of getting some freshwater, fruit or chocolate – a genuine treat for thesepoor children.

Our focus during ‘North Pole’ was to carry outmobile and foot patrols throughout the area and vehi-cle checkpoints (VCPs) along Main Supply Route‘Bull’. We were also tasked with establish overt andcovert OPs to monitor and record the flow of andtype of traffic moving into and out of Serbia. Theintelligence gained from our covert OPs could beused to better position our troops on the ground andin particular our VCPs so as to gain maximum bene-

Above: Aerial view of CampNothing Hill, Leposabac, northern Kosovo.

Above left:‘C’ Coy troops patrolling northof the River Ibar.

Top right:‘C’ Coy troops who took part inOperation ‘North Pole’.

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16 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

When talking about the DFTC the topic is usuallya course that’s running or a Corps School orthe Military College, but in addition to its train-ing establishments the DFTC is also home to

several unique units that are essential to the runningof the Defence Forces. One such unit is theCombined Vehicle Base Workshops (CVBW).

Hidden down the back corner of the West Camp inthe area more commonly known as Tintown, theCVBW is responsible for the maintenance of theDefence Forces’ fleet of approximately 2,100 vehicles.For anyone into trucks, armour, bikes, dismantledengines and gearboxes this unit has it all.

In huge workshops that resemble aircraft hangers,the CVBW has a staff of 106 civilian and military per-sonnel who literally keep the wheels turning.Operational since November 1999 the unit wasformed during the restructuring of the DefenceForces. “We are part of Defence Forces LogisticsBase,” explained Capt Stephen Malone. “Prior to ourestablishment there were three separate facilities:the Soft-Skinned Base Workshops and TechnicalStores located in Clancy Barracks, Dublin; theArmoured Base Workshops and Technical Stores inPlunkett Barracks; and the Curragh CommandVehicle Workshops here in the Curragh. All threefacilities have now been amalgamated into theCombined Vehicle Base Workshops.”

The CVBW provides first- and second-line main-tenance to the DFTC vehicle fleet, and third- andfourth-line maintenance to both the Defence Forcesarmoured and soft-skin vehicle fleets; it receives allnew vehicles, spare parts, and vehicle-related tools

and equipment from suppliers and distributes them tounits; it provides on-the-job-training for heavy vehicletrainee technicians and apprentices; and advises boththe Director of Transport and Vehicle Maintenanceand the Director of Cavalry on all vehicle mainte-nance matters.

“With the diverse nature of the DF fleet it is notpossible to carry all the diagnostic equipments thatmay be unique to some of these vehicles,” CaptMalone told me. “In cases where we cannot undertakeparticular work on a vehicle the job is contracted to arecognized dealer.”

The CVBW is divided into the main tech stores,the service bay, the light vehicle repair section, thearmoured vehicle repair section, the heavy vehiclerepair section and the vehicle body repair section.This new Tech Stores warehouse was completed in2001 at a cost of euro 6 million while euro 11.3 millionwas sent on the new workshops building which wascompleted in 2003.

No vehicle or workshop could operate without asource for all the necessary parts and equipment. Themain tech stores is the heart of the CVBW. Every nutand bolt that finds its way to Liberia starts off here.“This is the main tech stores for the Defence Forces,”explained BQMS Stafford. “Everything for vehicles isdispatched through here and we have to have parts forevery one of the over 160 types of vehicle currently inservice with the Defence Forces. Many of these vehi-cles also have variants and we have to have parts andservice kits for all of these as well.”

Row upon row, shelf upon shelf of nuts and bolts,filters, oil and lubricants, windscreens, engines and

Hidden down theback corner of theWest Camp in the area more commonly known asTintown, the CVBWis responsible forthe maintenance ofthe Defence Forces’fleet of approxi-mately 2,100 vehicles. For anyoneinto trucks, armour,bikes, dismantledengines and gearboxes this unit has it all.

Keeping the Show

on the RoadBy Wesley Bourke

Capt Stephen Malone (OC CVBW)

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tyres: these are just some of the items that make upthe labyrinth of some 90,000 parts stored here.

It is hard to imagine any system keeping it all inorder. There is a whole section of the stores devotedsolely to filters, another for wipers, another withparts for Scorpions. Some of the items even dateback to the 1960s I was told. “These would be partsfor the AMLs,” BQMS Stafford said. “Nowadaysthings are different though due to the demands ofhealth and safety. For instance if a part for a soft-skinned vehicle is not used in two years it is discard-ed. For armoured vehicles we will generally keep itfor five years. The orders come to me on computerfrom the units. If the part is here we send it out, if it’snot it has to be ordered, which is done upstairs.”

All orders that come in have to be checked andgiven a DoD number regardless of whether there’sone item or ten. The responsibility for the stores’floor falls to Brendan Kavanagh the tech storessupervisor. He looks after everything that comesthrough. “We have three goods-in and three goods-out personnel. We are under pressure most of thetime, as we have to supply the three overseas units,the home units and the transport workshops andservice bays. They all have to be ‘fed’ to keep theball rolling. It’s a very busy place to work. Civiliansand military work together here as a team and it runsvery well. Some of the civilian staff, like me, comefrom a military background; I was a CQMS in theSignals Corps for 27 years.”

“At the moment we are implementing the new MIFcomputer system,” Brendan told me, “and we are stillbacking everything up with a paper trail because thesystem is in its infancy, but it’s coming together andit will work well when it’s fully implemented.”

I met another former member of the DF, DenisMcLoughlin, working in goods-in and goods-out.“We check every item that comes in through thedoor. We have a copy of all purchase orders for theDefence Forces, filed as ‘orders completed’ and‘orders not completed’. When the items come in wecheck the purchase order to make sure it’s what wasordered. With the new computer system we give allgoods a reference number, so if somebody is lookingfor a part we can check it instantly on the computer.The reference number is like a locator on a directory,it gives us the details of the item, when it came in, ifit’s in stock or has been dispatched. The systemsaves us physically having to check on the part.”

Moving on from the tech stores you come to rowupon row of vehicles waiting to go into the work-shops for third line maintenance, delivery inspec-tions, crash repair, modifications, or an NCT.

It has to be said that for vehicle junkies the work-shops are pretty cool with big tucks, fast jeeps andAPCs all lined up to be worked on by the techni-cians. Although the workshops contain the tradition-al mixed aroma of petrol, diesel, oil, grease, metal,and rubber, the days of the stereotypical greased-upmechanic with a hammer in one hand and a spannerin the other are gone. Today’s technicians are like ITexperts: everything these days is computerised.

Coy Sgt Mick Murray showed us around the soft-skinned workshops. “We carry out third-line mainte-nance on the Defence Forces’ soft-skinned vehicles.First-line is carried out by the drivers and user units,and second-line by the logs battalions at brigadelevel. You’ll find everything in here from Honda lawn-mowers to big eight-wheelers. We have fittermechanics, fitter turners, trimmers, panel beater /spray painters, welders, automobile electricians,motorcycle mechanics, and DoE testing technicians.Part of the workshops themselves are broken downinto light soft-skin and heavy soft-skin.”

“At the moment,” Coy Sgt Murray continued, “wehave 95 trainee technicians and apprentices workinghere. We are the largest trainer of heavy good vehi-cles apprentices in the country, and we badly needthem as there is a huge shortage of technicians inthe Defence Forces.”

Most fault-finding on vehicles is now carried outby computer. The computer can diagnose faults inengines, gear boxes, and air conditioning systems,saving the technicians a lot of time. “Previously youhad to keep checking manually until you found thefault,” explained Coy Sgt Murray. “Now the computercan tell you where the fault is and then you fix it man-ually. One of the biggest problems we have is notonly the wide range of vehicles in the Defence Forcesbut the variants as well. Take the Nissan Patrol forexample. We have a RD28 2.8 turbo-diesel engine.There is also a 3-litre injection engine. There are alsoother 2.8-litre variants of this as well. The vehiclesmay look the same but they have completely differentengines. That means we have to have the parts, serv-ice kits and computer diagnostic software for all thedifferent variants.”

Even as we spoke about the Nissan Patrol, outsidein the yard there were rows and rows of the newNissan Patrol petrol GRs. These are automatic trans-mission, which means a completely different gearboxto be worked on from the other stick-shift variants.This all has to be kept in mind when technicians areordering parts.

As we made our way through the workshops I gotthe chance to see some of the technology in actionwhen Coy Sgt Murray brought me over to Pte PJCoffey, who was using a Ford World-WideDiagnostics System with a touch screen and thesoftware to tell him exactly what was wrong with thevehicle he was working on.

The heavy soft-skinned section is home to all thebig 4x4s, 6x6s and 8x8s; trucks, DROPS vehicles,recovery vehicles, buses and trailers, Scania, Iveco,and Man Diesels, just to mention some. “TheDefence Forces has a lot of specialised heavy vehi-cles,” Coy Sgt Murray told me. “For example, the newfully armoured bomb disposal car MOWAG DURO isa very sophisticated vehicle. Its braking, transmis-sion, and engine management systems are all com-puterised. It has the equivalent of three PCs underthe bonnet.”

With all this new equipment and software thetechnicians have to be constantly retraining. Cpl JimMcCafferty specialises on the computer software forthe new bomb disposal vehicle and is going to

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BQMS Paul Stafford

Brendan Kavanagh

Denis McLoughlin

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Kosovo to do diagnostics on the ordnance vehiclesover there. “The software for this computer is madeby a company called Cummins, from Daventry inEngland,” Jim told me, “and I’m going over there soonto do more training because they are constantlyupgrading the software. When I come back we hopeto set up a syllabus to teach other technicians.”

One vehicle that completely dominates all othersfrom the point of view of size is the heavy recoveryvehicle MAN 32:320 better know as the Beast. The 6x6ACMAT recovery vehicles and the new Iveco 8x8 infor maintenance were dwarfed by sheer size of thehuge vehicle that dominated the workshop.

“The Beast has had many tours overseas, inKosovo and Somalia,” Coy Sgt Murray told me. “It’sbeing overhauled at the moment and the front axlehad to be replaced.”

The NCT is something you hear most drivers givingout about in the civilian world and the Defence Forces

has its equivalent, although in the military’s case it’s theunits that get the call not the driver. The CVBW has afully kitted out Department of the Environment NCTcentre. All the technicians working in the centre havecompleted specialised courses with the DoE. DefenceForces vehicles don’t require an actual NCT certificatelike their civilian counterparts so what is carried out atthe CVBW centre is more in the terms of ‘best prac-tice’. As it turns out the Defence Forces’ NCT is asstringent as the civilian version.

Coy Sgt Murray filled me in on the test centre.“The lads here check the standard of the fleet. A unitwill get a call to say that all their vehicles have to bebrought up and checked by a certain date. Vehiclesare tested every two years and a report is sent toDirector of Transport on the soft skin fleet and toDirector of Cavalry on the armoured fleet. Everythinggoes through here APCs, trailers, eight-wheelers,trucks, vans…everything.”

As we were there Joe Nolan and John Moran wereputting a Transit through its paces.

“We check the exterior of the vehicle for damage tothe body, the lights, the paintwork’” Joe told me. “Welisten for abnormal noises from the transmission andwe carry out a ‘smoke test’. On the inside we checkelectrical function and the condition of the vehicle.”

The vehicle is then sent through a side-slip test,which checks the tracking of the wheels, and a shocktest, which vibrates the vehicle’s shock absorbers.

“What we are looking for here,” Joe continued, “isto ensure there are not massive differences betweenthe shocks. By using shaker plates (these arehydraulic plates with motion sensors) the wheels canbe subjected to the types of stress and movement thatthey would be on the road. From underneath the vehi-cle we can then monitor the performance of the bear-ings and suspension units. We can also use the samesystem to simulate a vehicle going into a corner so wecan see if the wheels will hold or not.”

Joe then explained the purpose of the next test, the‘rolling road’. “This tests the brakes. The rollers movethe wheel and when you brake it measure the resist-ance of the wheel. It can measure each brake individu-ally so if one wheel slips more then the other you cansend it back across to the technicians to check thatparticular brake.”

Something that you wouldn’t find on a civilian NCTreport is the ‘comments’ section that the techniciansin the CBVW fill in. It is used to record anything thatthey feel should be rechecked at a specified time inthe future. For instance something may pass safe butthey feel that it is getting close to the point at which itmight fail. In such a case they could recommend thatparticular part should be checked again in two orthree months time.

Armour has always been looked after in this part ofthe Curragh. Where the CVBW is now used to be the

18 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

Declan McGlynn

Cpl Jim McCaffrey

Joe Nolan Sgt Jimmy Guinan

Above: Coy Sgt Mick Murrayand Sgt Mick Bennan.

Pte PJ Coffey

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home to the Cavalry workshops. Today all armour isworked on together, AMLs, Scorpions and Mowags.

Unlike the other workshops, technicians in thearmoured-vehicle section can go that bit further.“We do all maintenance on the vehicles from levelthree and four, even up to refurbishment, dependingon the vehicle,” Sqn Sgt Jack O’Brien told me.“Third-line could be anything from overhauling agearbox or an engine, or rebuilding an engine, thatsort of thing. Fourth line would include the likes ofgoing in-depth into the electrics, transferring boxes,separating the gear boxes from the engines andstripping them down.”

“The armoured section is really run by the civilianfitters,” Sgt Jimmy Guinan said. “The military per-sonnel spend a lot of time on other projects such asthe technician and apprentice schemes, vehiclemaintenance projects, or new vehicle conversioncourses. At the moment we have a Technical Officerscourse running. We also regularly run maintenancecourse geared towards qualified mechanics, mainlyto give them a good introduction and working knowl-edge of the Mowags and the other armour. Theseinclude teaching them vehicle layout and how to goabout working on them. We also run refresher cours-es for technicians going overseas.”

While the AMLs and the Scorpions have beenaround for some time the Mowags are still relativenewcomers. When the first batch of Mowags werebeing purchased both civilian and military techni-cians found themselves on Mowag courses inSwitzerland. However, since then standards of train-ing and expertise have been reached that allow thesame courses to be conducted at home now.

At the start there were teething problems, asthere are with the introduction of any new vehicle. Ondelivery inspections all sorts of little faults wereturning up. “To prevent this,” Sgt Guinan told me,“technicians from the workshops now go toSwitzerland to check the cars before delivery so nocar leaves with a problem.”

However, there were also bigger faults too andboth Sqn Sgt O’Brien and Sgt Guinan feel that tech-nicians in the Defence Forces were a major help tothe Mowag company. “We have been the problemfinders for them,” Sgt O’Brien said, “and in a lot ofcases the problem solvers too. For example, thecharging system was giving problems all over theworld and when we discovered the problem here wealso found how to cure it. As it turned out they werebeing assembled incorrectly. We passed on our find-ings to Mowag and the problem has now been solved.I think it’s a tribute to the calibre of personnel work-ing here that we could solve a problem that was con-founding Mowag despite all the support and technol-ogy available to them.”

Although the Mowags are the newest armoured

vehicles the older vehicles are still important to theDefence Forces. “The AMLs are great vehicles andthey have given us excellent service both here andoverseas down through a long number of years,” saidSqn Sgt O’Brien. “At the moment we are in theprocess of getting the Scorpion fleet back on theroad. My main concern is making them safe for thedriver. Looking into the future we would like to con-vert them to diesel and the gunnery aspect still needsto be looked at, but that’s for the ordnance guys.”

After getting an explanation of the differencebetween a conventional suspension system and thecentral tyre inflation system on the Mowag I wasintroduced to Mick Turner the armoured section fore-man. “At the moment we have five Mowags backfrom Liberia for fourth line maintenance,” Mick toldme. “There’s an exchange programme with vehiclesoverseas and here, in order to spread the mileage asevenly as we can throughout the fleet, as obviouslymore miles mean more wear and tear.”

“As you can see we are full right now,” he contin-ued. “In addition to the Mowags there are severalAMLs in for overhauls as well as Scorpions in forrefurbishment. It never stops.”

All body repair for the Defence Forces is done inthe body shop, where the panel beaters and welderswork on the vehicle bodies while the tyre and canvasrepair crews do their stuff. The paint sprayers thenget into the action and the end result is a previouslydamaged vehicle that now looks like new.

“You break them we fix them,” says Sgt MickyBrennan. “Even in here the days of the hammer andvice grips are all but gone. Today it’s all high-techcomputers. Not that it makes our job easier but it cer-tainly saves time and it improves the standard of thework. For example, at the moment Pte Donal Mahonis working on a van that was rear-ended. He has it upon our chassis straightening system, which is a rela-tively new arrival to the shop. It’s all computerised.”

Donal took up the story. “This system isdesigned for light vehicle bodies. The vehicle isbrought onto the ramp and is attached to a pullingsystem. On the computer you enter the chassisspecs for that particular vehicle and sensors in thepulling system will tell you if points on the chassisare out of place and by how much. The pulling sys-tem is then used to manipulate the chassis and thecomputer will tell us when we are back in line. Thesystem, designed by Black Hawk, is very advancedand it can take measurements of fractions of a mil-limetre. Because of the nature of military vehiclesthe computer may not have the specs for every chas-sis that we use but the beauty of this system is thattechnicians can input the measurement data forvehicles that are not on file.

Everything these days is highly specialised, evenchanging tyres. “One job that guys take for granted ischanging the tyres on a Mowag,” says Sgt Brennanwith a smile. “For example, people wonder what thedelay is when a Mowag goes in with four tyres to bechanged. They don’t realise what’s involved. There is asolid tyre on the inside that is used when the outertyre is shot away so in order to change these tyres wehad to bring in special machinery for taking it apartand putting the wheel back together. You then have atyre balancing machine and a tyre straighteningmachine.”

As can be seen the CBVW is a hive of activity,depending on a well-motivated staff of highly-skilledpeople to keep the Defence Forces’ transport fleet onthe road. The unit is a prime example of how opera-tional activities rely to a large extent on many peoplewho work quietly in the background.■

Pádraig Lynch

Pte Josh MahonSqn Sgt O’Brien

Ptes Enda Fitzpatrick and Peter Slane

Tommy Carey

Tpr Joe Hynes

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20 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

In July, Sgt DavidNagle and ArmnBilly Galligancaught up withthe troops from B Coy, 95 Inf BnUNMIL on overseas duty in Liberia as they where putthrough theirpaces during alive-fire battle-field exercise.

On a hot, humid afternoon, on a beach surroundedby sand dunes that would be packed with sunworshippers back home, a nine-man section ofMortar Platoon, B Coy, wearing full battledress

(helmets, body armour with ballistic plates, chest rigand personal weapon) moved in combat column for-mation towards the shoreline.

“Contact front!!” shouted the umpire and immedi-ately the section got into a defensive position withthe front scout engaging the ‘enemy’ to the front. Thesection commander, Sgt Damien Casey, took controland tactically withdrew his section under cover andfire out of the killing zone. Once the section was outof danger, the umpires stopped the exercise and got

“Contactfront!”

each man to clear his weapon safely.Ultimately, soldiers go to war, close in and make

contact with the enemy in order to defeat them. Muchof the training Irish soldiers receive today is little dif-ferent from that taught to those who fought in past.Although infantry tactics and weaponry have changeddramatically, the soldier still must dismount hisarmoured personnel carrier and get his feet on theground in order to engage the enemy.

Though on peacekeeping duty in Liberia, our sol-diers must be prepared for every situation, even com-bat. Sgt Kevin Murray (umpire and B Coy instr) whowas running the live-fire shoot explained that thecompany had been training continuously for the pastfour months on improving the individual soldiers’ per-sonal weapons skills (shooting, care and cleaning, fir-ing at night) and on up to section-, platoon- and com-pany-level tactics.

For B Coy’s troops, training began almost immedi-ately when they formed up with 95 Inf Bn back inIreland and involved putting the seven company sec-tions through their paces, individually at first, then asplatoons and finally as a full size company operatingin a built-up area using blank ammunition and theTESS simulation kit during the Mission ReadinessExercise in Fort Davis, a disused coastal fort nearCrosshaven, Co Cork.

Since arriving in Liberia, apart from their regularpatrolling and camp security duties, B Coy have beenhoning their infantry tactics, and over the coming

Covering-off during the live fireexercise.

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AN COSANTÓIR September 2006 21

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months they hope to conduct live-fire exercises atplatoon-level.

Capt Cathal O’Roidran (umpire and B Coy instr)explain that infantry tactics, especially contactdrills, will become almost instinctive if the soldier isphysical fit, properly trained and knows how to reactduring contact with the enemy. If carried out effec-tively these drills could save the soldier’s life andthat of his comrade.

the supporting APC. With the section safely inside,the Mowag quickly moved out of the killing zone.

The Irish troops in Liberia and Kosovo are APC-mounted and the Mowag is usually close by duringfoot patrols in the event that the troops needs extrafire support or need to withdraw.

The final shoot saw the troops deploy from theAPC under cover and away from the enemy position.The section commander dismounted his troops andmoved them to a ruined house and from there issueda ‘Frago’ (fragmentary order). Fragos ensure thateveryone in the section knows the commander’s intentand what their job is in the mission.

This time the section were to assault a buildingand the section commander pre-placed his fire sup-port group (FSG), consisting of the section 2i/c andtwo others with the GPMG, on the left flank. SgtCasey then split up the remaining members of thesection into three two-man assault teams to assaultand clear the house.

The assault began with a pre-arranged mortar bar-rage (which was simulated by explosive charges setby the battalion’s engineers). When the FSG startedfiring on the building, the assault teams attacked,moving in bounds. On reaching the building, the FSGlifted and shifted its fire onto other likely enemy posi-tions as the assault teams cleared the building ofenemy.

Clear buildings, or FIBUA (fighting in built-upareas) as it is more commonly known, is physicallyand mentally demanding on the assaulting troops.Each building must be cleared room-by-room andfloor-by-floor before it is confirmed taken.

Over the past number of years, FIBUA training atunit, cadet, Pot NCO and Std Course levels is an inte-gral part of infantry tactical modules. Also key officerand NCO instructors, like Sgt Murray, have attendedFIBUA instructor courses abroad.

Once the building was cleared, a green flag wasposted at its entrance to let friendly forces moving upfrom the rear know that the building was secure.Following the assault, an APC moved close to thebuilding so the assault team could withdraw safely.

After a quick debrief and clean up, the troopsreturned to their stores and cleaned their weaponsthoroughly. The live-fire exercise helped to give thetroops involved confidence that the proper practice ofdrills in training can save lives if and when the needarises.■

As with all live-fire training in the DefenceForces, safety is paramount. Before the exercisesafety briefs were carried out and countless dryruns, with umpires and medics on standby. “All safe-ty guidelines laid down by Defence Forces TrainingCirculars are adhered too to the letter out here aswell,” said Sgt Murray.

Following the first live fire exercise the sectioncarried out another two shoots. The second involvedthe section marching along a road in combat column,closely followed by a Mowag APC.

Again on the umpires command, this time‘Contact right!’, the section turned and engaged thetarget, bring the full fire power of eight Steyr AssaultRifles and a GPMG to bear.

At this stage the Mowag also engaged the target,giving support to the infantry section. Sgt Caseyordered two smoke grenades to be thrown, whichwhen deployed allowed him to move his section oneby one under covering fire and smoke to the rear of

Above: Members of 1 Fd Arty Regtserving with ‘B’ Coy in Liberia.

Below: House clearing drills.

Bottom:A safety umpire keeps an eye on the exercise.

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Anumber of counties lay claim to being the cradleof Ladies Gaelic Football in Ireland. Rumour hasit that a parish league was organised in CountyClare in 1926, it lasted a couple of years but

gradually faded away.The 1960s provided the first real evidence of organ-

ised games throughout Ireland, which progressed tothe establishment of County Boards in 1974, the firstof which was set up in a house in Lisnamult, CoRoscommon. This led to the commencement of aCounty Championship which was won by Clan naGael, which coincidentally was the venue for the firstLadies Defence Forces game 26 years later.

Following the County Championship a meetingwas called at Killurney, a village in Co Tipperary, witha view to setting up an association. Delegates froma number of counties attended but the meeting waspostponed and rescheduled to take place in HayesHotel, Thurles, at a later date in order to encouragemore attendees.

On July 18th 1974 the Ladies Gaelic FootballAssociation was founded in Hayes Hotel (the venuewhere 90 years earlier the GAA was founded).Tipperary’s Jim Kennedy was elected President. Jim,a native of Killenaule, was a sergeant in the DefenceForces who had served in Congo and Cyprus in the60s and working as an instructor with the FCÁ(RDF) in Clonmel.

Roll-on a quarter of a century.Ladies football in the Defence Forces was foundedin 2000. At the presentation of prizes to the DF men’steam after the representative series against Bank ofIreland and AIB in Mullingar early that year MaryMcKenna mentioned the possibility of extending therepresentative series to include Ladies Football.Comdt Pat Herbert, secretary of the DFAA at thetime, was present and when GOC 4 W Bde, Brig GenJohn Martin, was speaking after the presentation, he

duly gave Comdt Herbert ‘the nod’ and the idea ofLadies GAA in the PDF was spawned.

Lt Col Herbert consulted with Capt SueRamsbottom, probably one of the best-known femaleinter-county players in the country. (Sue has the dis-tinction of being the youngest All-Star ever andplayed with Laois in seven All-Ireland finals, winningone. When many a player would have hung up theirboots after such numerous defeats Sue perseveredand eventually won her most coveted medal.)

Letters were distributed to all available femalesin the Defence Forces with details of football trialsbeing held in the DFTC. Approximately 40 took partin those trials and a panel of 22 was selected. The DFLadies Gaelic Football team played their first repre-sentative series against BOI and AIB on April 14th2000, with the game being attended by HelenO’Rourke (President of the Ladies GAA at the time).

From HumbleBeginnings

Sgt Rena Kennedy(PR Section, DFHQ)

22 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

Right:DFTC All Army Winners 2006.

Below:Rena Kennedy in action duringthe Plate Final between 2 E Bdeand 4 W Bde.

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AN COSANTÓIR September 2006 23

The Defence Forces came away easy winners andwon again in 2001 against the same opposition.

Former Cork county player, Capt Therese O’Keeffe,then Secretary of the DFAA, with encouragementfrom Col Senan Downes, Director of Training, called ameeting with players from each brigade. It was decid-ed there were sufficient females in the DefenceForces to establish a Defence Forces Championshipwith teams representing each of the four brigades(NS personnel had the option of playing with 1 S Bdeand Air Corps personnel with 2 E Bde). June 2002 sawthe inaugural Defence Forces Ladies Championshipsin the DFAA grounds in Phoenix Park.

Since then the game has gone from strength tostrength. In 2003 a Plate Final was introduced. Eachteam would now play each other twice, which helpedmaintain the interest of the players. Following thesegames brigade reps would choose an All-Army teamto play in the Representative Series, which nowincluded a team from An Garda Síochána.

Probably the highlight over the last few years wasin September 2003 playing a touring Australasia side,who were competing in the Ladies Gaelic FootballWorld Championships in Dublin. The visitors won anextremely tight and tough game played in the

Phoenix Park.Each year has seen an increase in turnout at

each championship venue. Sarsfield Bks,Limerick hosted the finals this year in July.

DFTC, who had a number of players compet-ing in various inter-county championshipgames the following weekend, were winnersfor the first time and their captain, TprJackie Kelly, received the cup. The Platewas won by 2 E Bde.

This year’s representative games arescheduled for September and a game will

also be played against TG4’s “Underdogs,”whose focus this year is ladies football.

The Defence Forces have been involvedin the Underdogs with the men’s foot-

ball and hurling teams over the last two years so theopportunity for the ladies to represent the DefenceForces is a welcome challenge.

Overall, ladies Gaelic football has been a greatsuccess and on the last count Defence Forces teamshave featured inter-county players from no less than17 counties, with Cork, Waterford, Laois, Mayo andOffaly to name but a few. To this end good wishes areextended to those players whose counties are con-testing the All-Ireland during September andOctober.

PLAYER PROFILESTpr Jackie Kelly (DFTC)Unit: 1 ACSAge: 19Service: 1year 3 mtsPosition: Half-forward

Outside the Defence ForcesJackie plays with Round TowersGFC, in Kildare Town. She hasplayed football since U/8 leveland with Kildare she has wonLeinster championships at U/16and U18 levels and All-IrelandJunior championships in 2003and 2004 as well as Division 2League winners in 2004. Jackiecaptained the DFTC team thatwon the Defence Forces championships this year.

Jackie is also a handy soccer player and winninga league title with Templeogue Utd in 2005 and alsoan All-Ireland playing for Leinster at U/18 level

Jackie says that to encourage new players to getinvolved with ladies Gaelic football in the DefenceForces there needs to be more training days andcompetitions to raise the profile of the game.

Lt Aoife Herbert (4 W Bde)Unit: 4 Fd Arty RegtAge: 22Service: 3 years (joined the cadets in Sept 03)Position: Corner forward

Aoife started playing Gaelicfootball in primary school ataround 11 years of age. Her firstclub was Naas GFC but as theyonly had girls teams up to U/16level she moved on to EadstownGFC in Kildare where she hasplayed since then.

She won Player of the Yearwith her team in 2001 and haswon four league titles withEadstown. At county level Aoife was Minor Player ofthe Year in 2001, was a Nation League Division 2winner in 2004, and won the Leinster JuniorChampionship in 2004 and the All-Ireland JuniorChampionship in 2004. She was also Vice Captainon the Kildare Senior team in 2005/2006.

In the Defence Forces she has represented 4 WBde for the last two years, captaining the team thisyear. While Gaelic football is the only sport sheplays in civilian life she has also played camogieand rugby for the Defence Forces and represented 4W Bde in camogie, rugby, basketball, and athletics,where she won medals for the 100m sprint and longjump in 2005/2006.

Aoife finds it ironic that her father, Lt Col PatHerbert assisted in the foundation of ladies footballin the Defence Forces before she even joined thecadets, though it is a connection she is very proudof. Aoife’s advises prospective players: “Just toenjoy it! You don’t have to be the most talented play-er to start off with but I think that by setting yourselflittle goals it becomes more enjoyable when youachieve them. It’s also good being part of a teamand helps in getting to know different people withinthe brigade.”

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New players are always wel-come so females who are newto the Defence Forces, orindeed those new to football,can contact their brigade repsfor information.

1 S Bde – Capt T O’Keeffe, 1 LSB

2 E Bde –Capt C Burke, D ORD, DFHQ

4 W Bde – Sgt B Clarke, 28 Inf Bn

DFTC –Capt L Conlon, SSU, DFTC

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Pte Jenny Hannon (1 S Bde)Unit:Tpt Coy, 1 LSBAge: 27Service: 7 years

Jenny only started playing ladiesfootball in the Defence Forcesfour years but plays camogie out-side with her club in Lismore,County Waterford, with whomshe has won three County Seniorclub championship medals.

Jenny was part of the 1 S Bdeteam that won the DefenceForces Ladies Gaelic FootballChampionship in 2004.

Jenny advises players to starttraining well in advance of com-petitions to give players and even non-players achance to learn the skills and to get to know theirteam mates.

Capt Caroline Burke (2 E Bde)Unit: D Ord, DFHQAge: 28Service: 11 yearsPosition: Centre forward

Caroline started playing at 12when her primary school head-master set up an U/14 girls teamwith the local GAA club. It wasthe first team sport for girls ofthat age to be set up in the area

and attracted huge numbers ofparticipants.

She plays with MichaelGlavey’s GFC in Roscommonand also played with Mungret

GAA Club in Limerick for twoyears when she was based in

Sarsfield Bks.Last year Caroline won the County Roscommon

Intermediate championship and this year is theirfirst be involved at senior level. She also represent-ed her county from U/16 up to Junior level.

In the Defence Forces she was on the 1 S Bdeteam that won the All-Army in 2004 and the 2 E Bdeteam that won the Plate 2005, as well as playing with

the DF at representative level. She says shetakes some ‘stick’ from her former SouthernBrigade colleagues when she lines out againstthem for the East. “Particularly in 2005,” shesays, “when I had just come back from overseaswith 1 S Bde and then found myself captainingthe 2 E Bde team! Still it’s all in good spirits and I

have great friends now in both brigades through thefootball.”

A keen runner until injuries took their toll,Caroline sees herself “more as a recreational runnerthese days!” although she has also competed in ori-enteering and basketball in the Defence Forces.

Caroline would encourage anybody interested inplaying to “just go along to training as it is tailoredfor all levels from beginner right up to countylevel. This is especially true if they have notplayed before, as many of the girls currentlyinvolved got their first taste of ladies footballthrough the DF and have now gone onto joincivilian clubs and have really improved in a short

24 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

Above:Tpr Jackie Kelly, captain 4 W Bdeteam, receiving the Winner’s Cupfrom Comdt Rob McDonald (OC ‘A’ Coy, 12 Inf Bn).

Belwo:Action from the Final.

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AN COSANTÓIR September 2006 25

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Tony, a civilian pay clerk with the Air Corps inBaldonnel, is a hurling referee, a ladies footballreferee for Ballyboden St Enda’s (All-Irelandladies Gaelic football champions for the last two

years), and also referees ladies Gaelic football for theDefence Forces.

Tony refereed the Leinster Junior Hurling final inCarlow last weekend and has also referred at county-level and Junior All-Irelands.

“I read an article in Connect about six or sevenyears ago,” Tony told us. “They were looking forladies to join the DF football team and anyone elsewho could help out. I rang up and offered my services as a referee.”

Tony says he has seen a huge improvement inthe standard of ladies football in the DF over thattime. “It’s mainly due to increased coaching and ahigher standard of fitness,” he says. “The biggestdrawback is that the All-Army team don’t get totrain together often enough. The championshipsare only held once a year so the team get togetherfor that, otherwise there is only the occasional

friendly match against the Guards for example.”Tony says the standard of player in the DF is very

high and that there is probably a dozen or so in eachbrigade that play in Division 1.

“There is great discipline in ladies football in gen-eral,” Tony says. “A lot of the players in the DefenceForces already play with civilian teams so theyalready have the discipline and the skill level.”

Tony’s highlights are the annual championships aswell as the first game against An Garda Síochána’sladies team, which he says was a great game. As forthe championships he says: “It’s a long day with fourmatches but its great to be there. The final is usuallyvery good and generally of a high standard.”

As to the comparison with men’s football Tonysays: “I really enjoy refereeing the ladies football.There’s an awful lot more fouling in the men’s gamebecause the rules are different. There is no pick-upin ladies football so the game is much faster andmore free flowing, with less fouls and off-the-ballincidents, so it’s a much better game to referee andto watch.”■

The Manin the

Middle…

TonyLennon

They were lookingfor ladies to jointhe DF footballteam and anyoneelse who could helpout. I rang up andoffered my servicesas a referee.”

Tony in action during theDefence Forces’ 2006 LadiesFootball Championship.

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26 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

In June 1914 Ireland was on the verge of civil war.The two opposing parties had armed volunteerforces; the Unionists, led by Sir Edward Carson, hadthe Ulster Volunteer Force, the Nationalists, led by

John Redmond, had the Irish National Volunteers. Ifsomeone had suggested that within one year thesetwo forces would serve in the same army and withintwo years fight on the same side in a major battle in aEuropean war, he would have been called a fool.

The potential civil war in Ireland was overtaken bythe outbreak of The Great War. Carson and Redmondboth offered their forces for service with GreatBritain; the National Volunteers would become the16th (Irish) Division, the UVF the 36th (Ulster)Division. Of the 54,000 Catholic Irish who would vol-unteer by the Spring of 1916, 22,000 would be from theNational Volunteers, and of the 43,000 IrishProtestants who came forward in the same period25,000 would come from the UVF. The battle would bethe Somme, fought from July to November 1916. The36th would be there at the start in July, the 16th wouldbe posted to the Somme in September.

After a week-longartillery bombard-ment by morethan 1,500 guns,firing 1,732,873shells, the BritishArmy commencedthe greatestoffensive in itshistory. The bom-bardment hadbeen such thatthey believed nodefenders couldhave survived, andthey expected thatthe barbed wirewould have beenswept away.

Members o f 36th (Ulster)Division arrived in France at theend of 1915 and were posted tothe Somme s Sector.

The Irish atthe Somme

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AN COSANTÓIR September 2006 27

The 16th Division arrived in France at the end of1915 and went into the line at Hulluch in the LoosSalient where, between January and May 1916, theysuffered 3,491 casualties.

The 36th Division also arrived in France at the endof 1915 and were posted to the Somme sector. Theywere part of a major Allied offensive that wouldbecome the Battle of the Somme.

The three brigades (108th, 109th and 107th) of 36thDivision were positioned in the area between AncreRiver and Thiepval Wood. The 108th were on bothbanks of the Ancre, and the 109th on the right in thewood, with the 107th in reserve. Their main objectivewould be the Schwaben Redoubt, a large Germandefensive work on high ground.

After a week-long artillery bombardment by morethan 1,500 guns, firing 1,732,873 shells, the BritishArmy commenced the greatest offensive in its histo-ry. The bombardment had been such that they believedno defenders could have survived, and they expectedthat the barbed wire would have been swept away.

Saturday July 1st 1916 was a beautiful sunnymorning with Summer flowers in full bloom. Justbefore dawn the main British bombardment ceasedand the Ulstermen in their forward positions couldhear the birds starting to sing. Then at 6.00am theGerman artillery opened fire and the Division suf-fered its first casualties in the coming battle. At6.25am the final pre-assault barrage from the Alliedartillery including the Division’s trench mortarsopened up on the German line; this was to last until7.25am, five minutes before Zero Hour. It was aboutthis time that the first Victoria Cross of the battle waswon posthumously by Private Billy McFadzean, 14thBatt, Royal Irish Rifles, the first of the four that theDivision won that day.

The commander of the Division, General Nugent(from County Cavan and a veteran of the Boer War),had ordered a move into no-man’s land before thebombardment ended to be closer to the objective. At7.10am the first wave of troops north of the Ancremoved into no-man’s land and at 7.15am those southof the river moved out The second wave moved intothe vacated trenches. The bombardment ceased at7.30am, the officers blew their whistles and the menadvanced at the walk towards the German lines.Some had picked flowers and put them in their tunicsand a few even put on their orange sashes. Many car-ried rolls of barbed wire and shovels to consolidatecaptured positions.

However, the bombardment had not been a suc-cess and the troops north of the river were cut to

pieces by German machine gun fire. The wire wasalso still intact and 9th Batt, Royal Irish Fusiliers, suf-fered 90% casualties here. The units in the centrewere luckier as the wire had been cut there and theGerman trenches had not yet been manned (theywere still in their bunkers) and the Division’s firstwave took the enemy’s first and support trenchesmoving on to their second line.

The second wave was not so lucky. The Germanscame up opening fire on the advancing troops, whoalso took crossfire from the flanks. In the words of oneUlsterman, the bodies were like ‘sheaves of corn onthe ground’.1The troops who had broken through in thecentre and into the rear of the Redoubt would be theonly ones to reach their objective that day but theirsupport troops couldn’t follow them. Many becamesurrounded and the positions were retaken in the earlyhours of the next day by German counter-attacks.

The Division’s casualties tell the tale. Over 5,100men were killed and wounded, and by July 5th theDivision was withdrawn from the front. The 36th werenot unique; total British Army casualties on the firstday of the Somme offensive came to just under60,000, the worst day in its history.

By September the Somme battlefield had changeddramatically. There were no more flowers, just a ‘chaoticwilderness of shell-holes, rim over rim overlapping rimand, in the bottom of many, the bodies of the dead’.2

The 16th (Irish) Division were pulled out of line atHulluch on August 24th and after a few days rest wereposted to the Somme. The Division consisted of 47th,48th and 49th Brigades under the command of MajorGeneral WB Hickie. The 47th saw action first, beingattached to 20th Division for an attack on Guillemont(about 9km south of Thiepval). The 47th advanced tothe skirl of the pipes and caught the Germans beforethey could deploy. They went forward with ‘paradeground neatness’ but the ground soon broke up theirlines until they looked like a ‘post-match mob invadinga football field’.3Vicious hand-to-hand fighting tookplace, using grenades on the bunkers. The 47th wontwo VCs in this attack: Pte Thomas Huges, 6thConnaught Rangers; and Lt John Holland, 7thLeinsters, a former Irish Volunteers officer.

The enemy did not give up easily. One defenderof Guillemont remembered: ‘Repeatedly our menmust have rushed to defend this vital place andagain and again they fell as fresh victims, on top ofthose who had gone before. It was a living wallwhich could only have been broken with over-whelming numbers’.4 When the advance stoppedjust short of the village of Ginchy the 47th had

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16th Division

36th Divison

‘Repeatedly ourmen must haverushed to defendthis vital place andagain and againthey fell as freshvictims, on top ofthose who hadgone before. It wasa living wall whichcould only havebeen broken withoverwhelmingnumbers’.

The 16th (Irish) Division arriving in France.

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28 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

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AN COSANTÓIR September 2006 29

The 48th got into the village due to a gap in theGerman line due to Ginchy being on the boundary oftwo German Divisions with no single unit assignedto its defence. Opposition was limited and aGerman attempt at defence on the edge of the vil-lage was broken by the 48th’s trench mortars.

By 6.30pm Ginchy was captured and the troopshad to be restrained from chasing the enemy. FrWilliam Doyle, a chaplain with 8th Royal IrishFusiliers, was awarded the Military Cross for hisservice at Ginchy.

The Irish dug-in in a semi-circular covering posi-tion around the village with well sited Lewis gunsand repulsed German counter-attacks at 11.00pmthat night and at 3.00am the next day. Later that daythe 16th was relieved by the Guards Division (whichincluded the Irish Guards). The 16th suffered 4,330casualties between September 1st and 10th.7

The 36th and 16th Divisions were not the onlyIrish who fought on the Somme. There were also theregular Irish Regiments serving with other Divisions,like the 103rd (Tyneside Irish) Brigade who suffered3,000 casualties without even reaching the firstGerman trench on the July 1st. One should alsoremember the many Irishmen who would have beenserving with Canadian, South African, Australianand New Zealand units. Because of this it is impossi-ble to give an exact figure for the Irish casualties atthe Somme. Without doubt, however, is that the per-formance of the Irish added to their reputation ofbeing among the world’s foremost fighting soldiers; areputation for all on this island to be proud of.

When they came home from France many mem-bers of the 16th and 36th Divisions found them-selves on opposite sides of the conflict in Irelandbut many of the comrades they left behind in Francewere united on the memorial to the missing of theSomme at Thiepval.■

EENNDDNNOOTTEESS1. ‘The Road to the Somme’ , Phillip Orr, Belfast 19872. ‘Ireland’s Unknown Soldiers’ ,Terrence Drennan, Dublin

19923. Lt O’Sullivan, 6th Connaught Rangers.4. Reserve Vitzefeldwebel Heinrich Warnecke, 1st Comp,

Fusilier Regiment 73.5. The 6th Connaughts’ CO, Col Lenox-Cunningham, an

Ulster Protestant, was one of those killed.6. ‘Trench Pictures from France’, Maj William (Willie)

Redmond, London, 1917. Willie was John Redmond’syounger brother and an officer in the 6th Royal IrishRegiment. He would die a year later at the Battle ofMessines Ridge.

7. Among whom was the poet, politician, and IrishVolunteer, Lt Tom Kettle, killed on September 8th serv-ing with the 9th Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

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suffered 1,147 casualties5 out of a total of 2,400 men.The 16th were given the task of taking Ginchy and

all three brigades took part in this action. At dawnon September 9th the British bombardment began.The trenches were so badly damaged that theGerman defenders piled up dead British soldiers touse as cover.

At 4.45pm the 16th attacked; the late hour wasintended to make it difficult for the Germans tocounter-attack before night. As they advanced the47th came under heavy, close range machine gunand rifle fire, and men were hit as soon as they lefttheir trenches. The 47th made no further move for-ward even when the 49th came up to support them.The best they could do was dig-in and cover theright flank of the 48th Brigade. The 48th were luckierand advancing ‘the Irishmen sang Irish patrioticsongs, one battalion to the other, as they charged.’6

Major Willie Redmond.

Below: Reserve trenches in Ginchy.

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30 AN COSANTÓIR September 2006

From May 29th to June 2nd DFTC played host tothe 2nd Media pre-Deployment course ran by theDefence Forces Public Relations Section. For 12members of the media the Curragh would become

home while they received intense training andinstruction on overseas deployment to conflict areas.

Joseph Galloway, Bob Fisk and Asne Seierstadare just few of the foreign and war correspondentsthat have made household names for themselves byreporting from conflict areas such as Vietnam, theMiddle East and Iraq. The first few trips overseas forthem were a learning experience. They literally threwthemselves in the deep end to get the story out. For them there was no pre-deployment course telling them what to do under fire or in the case of aCBRN attack, and no advice on first aid, personaladministration on the ground or what to do in ahostage situation.

“The purpose of this course is to raise levels ofawareness as to the types of dangers facing mem-bers of the media when they deploy to hostile envi-ronments or conflict zones,” said Comdt Brian Cleary(DF Press Officer). Equally, the programme isdesigned to give participants practical advice andexperience that may help them. The could be as sim-ple as crossing a river with sensitive recording orcamera equipment to coping with being takenhostage by armed extremists.”

From the Curragh Plains to the Glen of Imaal andthe various schools of the DFTC the students foundthemselves covering a variety of subjects includingvehicle handling and maintenance, mine awareness,map reading, first aid, weapons awareness, waterconfidence, environment risk management, teambuilding exercises, and battlefield inoculation.

The course also gave the students an understand-

You’re in theArmy now!

Above and bottom right:2nd Media pre-Deploymentcourse during team buildingexercises.

Below:Battle innoculation for thefirst time is intimidating.

ing of what firepower can do. Watching a GPMG tearthrough a car, a brick wall and sand bags in aweapons displays by the Infantry Weapons Wing willmake the students think twice before sticking theirheads around a corner in the middle of a fire fight.

Catching up with the students just after undergo-ing a battlefield inoculation we asked several ofthem what they thought of the course.

Enda Leahy (Sunday Times) has already workedoverseas, reporting on Brazilian Special Forces inthe Amazon and interviewing Colonel Ghaddafi inLibya on a modelling competition no less! Enda foundworking with the Defence Forces “an eye-opener.”

“I can see why you guys go over drills again andagain,” he said. “We might never need everythingwe’ve covered here but if we’re in a situation someday and remember just one of the drills we havelearned it might just save our life.” Juno McEnroe(Irish Examiner) found the battlefield inoculationquite an experience. “It was terrifying,” he said. “Youcould feel the shock waves going through you aftereach explosion and the crack of the bullets flyingoverhead - I’m still trembling.”

RTE’s Seán Whelan is a very experienced journal-ist but he also found a benefit in the course. “I foundthe map reading with the GPS and using the 4x4vehicles very helpful,” he said. “I’ve done map read-ing before but never in this detail. This type of courseis very beneficial for anybody going overseas itmakes you aware of the dangers that are out there.One aspect I would like to see brought into thecourse in the future is civil conflicts. Over the lastyear alone there have been riots in Paris and inO’Connell Street. These situations can be veryvolatile and media personnel should be made awareof how to handle a situation like that.”■