Madam, - I wish to commend Julian Ellison for his excellent letter of September 5th. His forbears were all clearly of a proud warrior tradition. They remind me of my own military forbearers who served and fought in the uniforms of both Ireland and Britain.
My paternal great-grandfather was Prof Eoin MacNeill, who founded the Irish Volunteers, precursors of the modern Irish Army. In a sad indictment of the destruction and waste that was the Civil War of 1921-22, my great-grandfather had sons who fought on opposite sides in this tragic conflict. Brian fought on the Republican side and was killed at Ben Bulben, Co Sligo in 1922. Turlough joined the South County Dublin Brigade of the Irish Volunteers and served with the pro-Treaty forces.
Another son, Niall, was a colonel in the Irish Army.
My maternal fourth great-grandfather was one James O'Brien who, like thousands of other Irish during the 19th century, joined the British army. He ended his long and distinguished military career as a warden in the Tower of London, having been appointed to this position by another Irishman, the Duke of Wellington. He died in 1860 and his name is inscribed on a plaque in the little church of St Peter ad Vincula within the walls of the Tower.
The inscription is a testament to the long and noble tradition of the many Irish, of all persuasions, who served in the British army. James O'Brien's descendants continued this noble tradition of military service up to and including my maternal grandfather, Lt-Col James O'Brien. He served in what was then, and still is today, one of the most hostile conflict zones in the world, the North-west Frontier. His regiment (10th Baluch) saw action and honoured itself at the second World War battles of Kohima and Imphal, which halted the Japanese attempt to overrun India. Lest we forget, it was the very same Japanese army that was responsible for atrocities such as the rape of Nanking and the infamous Burma Railway death march.
My maternal great-granduncle, Lt Vincent Fox, served with the Royal Irish Rifles in 1914 and was killed in the opening days of the first World War at the Battle of Mons. Like the many Irish who joined the British army at the time, he had no doubt a variety of motives for signing up. I am sure, however, that love for his beloved Ireland and what he thought he could achieve for her was his primary reason.
I am proud and privileged to be the descendant of all my military forbears, whether they fought in an Irish or British uniform. I know all of them served, and in some cases were killed, for that noble principle of freedom. That freedom extends today to the right of any Irish man or woman to wear whatever uniform they believe best espouses and defends the inalienable right of other peoples and nations to be free from the shackles of tyranny. Those who serve in Afghanistan, Iraq, Chad and numerous other conflict zones throughout the world today are a testament to the aspiration that others are equally entitled to achieve and hold that precious gift of freedom.
The recent and tragic loss of Ranger Justin Couples in Afghanistan is proof positive that there are still many in Ireland today who are prepared to shun the narrow-minded, simplistic and outdated view espoused by Tom Cooper (September 1st). I salute Ranger Couples.
He, along with his comrades who have made that ultimate sacrifice, was a noble warrior and a true gladiator for freedom. - Yours, etc,
NIALL TIERNEY,
London SE11.