Sir, – The apology issued by the Minister for Defence and by the Chief of Staff for the failures that resulted in the deaths of three Irish soldiers in Lebanon in March 1989 is to be welcomed (Home News, September 19th, 20th). While it comes 22 years later, the issues involved are indicative of a history of denial involving some Army authorities.
The Niemba ambush in the Congo in 1960 should never have happened. The commanders responsible for sending out this patrol with inadequate communications, no reserve and no possibility of back-up support were never disciplined and went on to reach high military rank.
This incident did lead to a positive decision that all future Irish peacekeeping units would include an armoured-car supporting unit. However, this decision lead to another inexcusable mistake. The Ford armoured cars send to the Congo in 1961 were not in fact armoured cars at all, but converted trucks fitted with boiler-plate cladding that was not bullet-proof.
They were made during the “Emergency” partly to fool the Germans into thinking that we had some armour.
Tests carried out in the Curragh by the then Capt Larry Cooke (recently deceased) showed that this boilerplate could be penetrated by normal rifle ammunition, and was completely vulnerable to armour-piercing ammunition and heavy machine guns.
Army officers who sent these armoured cars to the Congo knew this, or should have known it, but many of the soldiers who had to fight in these armoured cars only became aware of their vulnerability when it was too late, and several probably died as a result, including the courageous Trooper Patrick Mullins, who is still listed as “missing in action”.
Mistakes will always be made under pressure of military active service and are part of the human condition. Denial and covering up of mistakes will lead to similar mistakes being needlessly repeated. That is why even the delayed acknowledgement by Mr Shatter and Lt Gen McCann that mistakes were made in Lebanon is important.
It is also vital that other mistakes made by Army officers in the Congo and elsewhere be more fully investigated and eventually acknowledged and where appropriate some justice and restitution achieved.
A good example of retrospective justice being achieved was the case of Supt William Geary, wrongfully dismissed from the Garda in 1928, and eventually exonerated in 1999 when he was 100 years old.
A similar case involving Lieut Dónal de Róiste, who was unjustly “retired” from the Army in 1969, is still unresolved. In such cases justice delayed may still have scope for some justice being achieved. – Yours, etc,