An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 5 Manager Comdt James O'Hara info@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5306 Editor Sgt Wayne Fitzgerald magazine@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5307 Connect Sgt Karl Byrne connect@military.ie Photo/Journalist Cpl Lee Coyle journalist@military.ie Photographer Armn Jamie Barrrett photo@military.ie Subscriptions Cpl Kelly Gallagher +353 (0)45 44 5312 subs@military.ie DF/PR Information Cpl Lynn Ryan admin@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5308 DF Webmaster Sgt Mick Burke +353 (0)45 44 5309 webmaster@military.ie Magazine Archivist Mr Sean Shinnors Designer/Advertising JM Publishing & Media, Arklow, Co. Wicklow,Ireland Tel: +353 15331911 Tel: +353871344135 Web: www.jmpublishing.ie Email: info@jmpublishing.ie Printer Turner's Printing Co., Ltd Earl Street, Longford, Ireland Tel: +353 (0)43 3350500 The fact that an article appears in this magazine does not indicate official approval of the views expressed by the author. © Published by OiC Public Relations Branch for the Defence Forces at DFHQ, Block 5, Ceannt Bks, DFTC, Curragh Camp, Co Kildare, Ireland. Tel: +353 (0)45 445312 Front Cover Pictured is a student on the recent Military Static Line Jumpmaster and Young Entry Parachute courses. Photo by Sgt Karl Byrne For more Defence Forces photographs, checkout: www.flickr.com/photos/ dfmagazine Editorial H ello and welcome to our October issue. This month military parachuting is prominent with two feature articles. We also include pieces on the sinking of RMS Leinster 100 years ago, motorcycle training in the DF, a major EOD exercise, and RDF recruit training, to mention but a few. As always, your photographs set the scene around the Defence Forces community in On Parade. In Focus this month has a short piece on a recent fundraiser run by members of 27 Inf Bn and the National Maritime Museum - the museum in Dun Laoghaire boasts a number of important exhibits, including artefacts from RMS Leinster, and also houses an impressive library. Our first feature looks at the DF Parachute Team (An Para-Chumann Míleata) which was founded in 1972, and has been closely associated with parachute training in the DF, including advanced training for the ARW. In our other parachuting article we look at the recent Military Static Line Jumpmaster and Young Entry courses, run under the auspices of the Parachute Training School (PTS). Getting our feet back on the ground, Cpl Lee Coyle's feature, Defeating an Extremist Attack, follows students on the EOD YOs and NCOs courses as they were put through their paces on a highly realistic anti-terrorism exercise. Next, Sgt Karl Byrne has a report on the 7th Motorcycle Operators course, conducted by the MP Group, DFTC. In 'Do Nothing' - A Short Story South African Air Force veteran AJ Vosse, now living in Ireland, treats us to a military- related story from his 2017 collection of short stories 'The Lucky Thirteen'. Next, in Boots on the Ground, our regular reservist writer and photographer, CQMS Michael Barrett (AR), 7 Inf Bn, tells us about the recent, two-week, full- time tactical training phase undertaken in the Kilbride training area by 7 Inf Bn's current batch of RDF recruits. UNIFIL Battalion Commander's Challenge, by Capt Seán Maguire, reports on a challenge organised by the Finnish contingent that was designed to test both the mental and physical strength of participants from 118 IrishFinbatt. In the first of our History features, The Torpedoing of the RMS Leinster, James Scannell paints a vivid picture of the fateful day in October 1918 when the Irish mail ship was sunk by a u-boat, with the loss of over 560 souls. This is followed by another World War I story, about the highly respected General Paul von Lettow Vorbeck, a German commander in East Africa who carried out a four-year guerrilla campaign against much larger opposing forces without suffering a single defeat. Our Sports piece looks at a new initiative from the Defence Forces Physical Education School (DFPES) aimed at improving esprit de corps, promoting competition at unit level, and enhancing physical fitness throughout the Defence Forces. All this, plus our regular features, including Tac- Aide, Gear Review, Noticeboard, Book Reviews and our ever-popular What I Do. Sgt Wayne Fitzgerald Pictured in Ceannt Officers' Mess on 20th August 2018 when GOC DFTC, Brig Gen Joseph Mulligan presented 96-year-old Capt Luke Mullins (Retd) with his service medal and UN Peacekeepers Medal. Also present was Lt Col Colin MacNamee, Cav Sch Comdt and mem- bers of the Cavalry Club. Luke joined the army during the Emergency in 1941. He was com- missioned into the Cavalry Corps on 13th June 1944 and served in 5 Mtr Sqn. He later served in 4 Mtr Sqn and Depot Cav as well as with Depot Engrs. Luke served overseas in Cyprus with the Armd Car Gp, 9 Inf Gp (Sept 1967 – Mar 1968). Photo: Joe O'Brien (Luke's son-in-law)

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