Last year I interviewed the last survivor of the Irish Navy's unofficial trip to Dunkirk in 1940. The crew were in the UK doing trials on MTB2 which had just been purchased from the makers in Southhampton. The skipper of MTB2 had formerly been in the Royal Navy and he asked the crew if they would volunteer to go to Dunkirk to rescue [British] soldiers off the beaches. Afterwards they swore an oath of secrecy - though of course, inevitably, the news eventually slipped out.
I've written about this in my book about the 5,000 men who deserted from the Irish Army during WW2 to join the fight against Nazism. The book is called Spitting On A Soldier's Grave. I'll say no more here to avoid turning this into too much of an advert... however there's an article in today's (UK) Irish Post (repeated on line: http://www.irishpost.co.uk/tabId/68/...-betrayal.aspx) if anyone is interested.
I'm very curious to get some feedback/reactions about the whole issue of the WW2 Irish Army deserters, from serving Irish Defence Force members. Any comments?
I've written about this in my book about the 5,000 men who deserted from the Irish Army during WW2 to join the fight against Nazism. The book is called Spitting On A Soldier's Grave. I'll say no more here to avoid turning this into too much of an advert... however there's an article in today's (UK) Irish Post (repeated on line: http://www.irishpost.co.uk/tabId/68/...-betrayal.aspx) if anyone is interested.
I'm very curious to get some feedback/reactions about the whole issue of the WW2 Irish Army deserters, from serving Irish Defence Force members. Any comments?
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