Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Jadotville

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #31
    About Time that justice was served for the men of B Coy!!
    Well done to those who sought out the truth!
    These men were certainly no cowards!!
    "Dwight D. Eisenhower: The best morale exists when you never hear the word mentioned. When you hear it it's usually lousy.

    Comment


    • #32
      Thank God Heros may be Honoured

      :tri: It is over 40 Years and about time these men have been exhonrated and the present Military Leaders have to be applauded if the men are eventually honoured.

      Comment


      • #33
        Jadotville

        I knew the late Col Jonas Waern, who was Bde Cdr in Katanga 1961. He published a book "Katanga" in 1980. The book is in Swedish so I beleive it is not known much in Ireland.

        I have made these unauthorized translations by myself. Col Jonas Waern writes (page 125):

        "I had during my visit to Jadotville seen how impossible the situation was there from a military point of view. The only line of communication with Elisabethville was a streight 120 km narrow bush-road - - - the road could easily be cut off at Lufira river 40 km south of Jadotville - - - the roadbridge and railwaybridge over the 30 meter broad river could easily be blown up - - - since the UN forces had no bridging equipment one single mercernary could prevent UN to cross the river just using some explosives."


        Col Waern evacuated the UN troops from Jadotville but (page 126):

        "I was ordered by Rajah /Indian Brigadier serving as Mil Advisor to Conor Cruise O´Brien/ to send send a Coy there /Jadotville/.

        - In such case it is against my determined judgement and under formal protest, I said. The action is not justified from a military point of view.
        - Don´t worry, Rajah laughed, the Belgian Government has asked for it and the UN HQ has ordered it.
        - Anyhow I protest, I said. We have no means to support or bring help to this Coy 120 km away from where we are.
        - You may protest as much as you want, Rajah said, but this is a political decision and the Coy will go there."
        Last edited by Stellan Bojerud; 11 February 2005, 11:13.

        Comment


        • #34
          Jadotville - Ctd

          I summarize from Col Waerns book page 215-ff. On 15th Sept reinforcements were sent to Jadotville. One Irish Coy, one Ghurka Coy, two Swedish armoured cars.

          This force was 16th Sept halted at the Lufira river bridges and couldn´t come across the river. The force was repetedly bombed. Three Irish and three Ghurkas were KiA.

          A helicopter (Crew: one Norwegian, one Swede) reached Jadotville but was hit by fire and had to be abandoned. The crew joined the Coy.

          17th Sept 19H35 the Irish Coy in Jadotville was forced to end the resistance against the Katanga Gendarmes, since the supplies of water, food and munition had run out.

          After the Coy was released Col Waern said (page 261).

          I went to the Irish Coy wich was on parade at the tarmac airstrip. I thanked them for their efforts. Trough treason and betryal they had been forced to fight and to captivity and this was not their fault.

          Pic: Gen "Stoneface" Muke and Col Waern at the release of Irish Coy. Gen Muke was a former NCO with the Belgian colonial army.
          Attached Files
          Last edited by Stellan Bojerud; 12 February 2005, 06:44.

          Comment


          • #35
            Pat Quinlan

            Col Jonas Waern writes amongst other things that Major Quinlan (he writes Quinnlan) and his Coy had the most daring and dangerous task during "Operation Rumpunch" in Elisabethville 28th August 1961.

            His Coy took the Gendarme HQ by surprise and arrested the Belgian officers and mercenaries.

            Col Waern writes that the Irish Coy in Jadotville was attacked on 13th September about 08H00. About 14H00 the Coy was surrounded and under mortar fire.

            One Irish Coy (Kane) with two Irish and two Swedish armoured cars did an attempt to reach Jadotville and bring the Irish Coy back from there. They were halted by Katangese Belgian led forces at Lufira river bridge some 40 km south of Jadotville and had to return to Elisabethville.

            The second resque-operation I have already mentioned earlier.

            Ireland is not the only country forgetting their UN heroes. That is also the habit in Sweden, but the attitude is slowly changing here.
            Last edited by Stellan Bojerud; 11 February 2005, 14:04.

            Comment


            • #36
              new book

              Just picked up a new book " Siege at Jadotville" written by Declan Power looks promising.
              Can post it in book section? :tri:

              Comment


              • #37
                By all means.
                "The dolphins were monkeys that didn't like the land, walked back to the water, went back from the sand."

                Comment


                • #38
                  Having just finished reading Delans Power book Seige a Jadot ville...I hev to saythat I stand by my original post.The Book is very good I must say...and an enjoyable and easy read..I read in twnty four hours .Its a great story...some heroic deeds..well balanced look at the overall situation

                  The men fought the action to the highest of their capability and the cause of the surrender was lack of service and supply.......not through any lack determination on their own side....everyone did as he was asked and it seems they allsurvived because they obeyed the orders asked of them.

                  Why these men have been berated is beyond me....look a Srebnicia and now say they were cowards....

                  I'm also a bit confused as the information here refers to 'B'company while the book states it was 'A' coy.

                  How about something along the lines of a meritous unit citation to honour all those fought that action.
                  Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    how is it pronounced (properly)
                    Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
                    Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
                    The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere***
                    The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
                    The best lack all conviction, while the worst
                    Are full of passionate intensity.

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Hi,Hedge
                      Try JHA-DOH-VEEL. The "j" is pronounced with a "GH" sound.
                      regards
                      GttC

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        I have just finished reading this book Seige at Jadotville.A very poor book says nothing new and blames the UN and the Politicians.What is very evident though is the lack of aggression displayed by the Irish units involved both at Jadotville and at the Lufira bridge.
                        The company simply dug in and kept their heads down passing up chances of inflicting real damage on the Katanga forces.The attempt to cross the Lufira bridge by a relieving force was pathetic and was never pushed home with any conviction.But the real question is where was the Battalion CO at this time with one of his companies beseiged and another failing to lift the seige?If one is to believe the author he was busy entertaining OBrien.I read somewhere that the Indian contingent supporting the relief column were disgusted with the Irish leadership.This event was not a single failure but a double one and when put along side the loss of a patrol at Niemba it shows the officer corps in very poor light.
                        Many of the ordinary rankers acquited themselves with remarkable courage but the leadership let them down.

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          It is generally accepted that the leadership was the problem here. The average private on the ground acted beyond anything that was expected of a UN soldier at the time.


                          Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            heroes of the congo

                            I disagree with wILD I ,I think this is a good book easy to read and tells a story of great heroism that is ignored by the Military and the government. In other countries the state awards heroes for what they have done but in this story the troops on the ground were left out on a limb and why should they be denied a medal for bravery.
                            The army said the DSM was not in existance when Comt Quinlan put names forward for the MMG.
                            But all of you out there remember the Government of this country decorated former IRA(old) for the 1916 Rising,1917-1921 War of Independance and then awarded golden Jubilee medals to the surviviours in 1966 and 1971.
                            Yet troops in the Congo have been ignored.This is a shame on the Government and the Military ghiefs of the day and since.
                            Willie O'Dea if he had the balls might overturn the stupid decision taken in the 1960's.

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              GOC 132 I was refering to the leadership and in no way question the resolve or dedication of the troops.Just compare the behavior of that para Col H Jones at Goose Green with the behavior of the OC of the Irish Battalion.
                              As regards medal awards these are used as recognition and encouragement.At Jadotville and Lufire there was just surrender and failure and you can bet the powers that be just want to forget it.

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                In reply to you wILD I ,did you read the book,I was talking to the author Mr Power last night and we discussed the book at length. I disagree that it was just surrender and failure.

                                Comdt Quinlan told his troops to dig in,unlike the previous 2 companies thus saving their lives.
                                The troops were poorley equiped and with no food and water how do they survive.
                                They were out numbered 20-1 and no fatalities.
                                The UN had no control of the air ways.

                                A neighbour of mine was the first casuality to be shot would you consider a soldier who is shot to be a failure.
                                [U]
                                I resent your comments but this is a free world and you are entitled to your opinion as am I.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X