An Cosantóir

March 2013

An Cosantóir the official magazine of the Irish Defence Forces and Reserve Defence Forces.

Issue link: https://digital.jmpublishing.ie/i/112287

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 15 of 37

16 | Camp 2-45 By Wesley Bourke Photos by Cpl Colum Lawlor I n Lebanon last summer and autumn the Irish/Finnish 106 Inf Bn moved from Camp Shamrock (6-5) outside Tibnine to a new location, Camp 2-45, close to the village of At Tiri. While previously occupied by the French, the area is well known to the Irish as it was part of the AO of the old Irishbatt for many years and was the scene of one of the major incidents in the history of Irish involvement with UNIFIL, the Battle of At Tiri in 1980. In addition to the Irish/Finnish battalion, Camp 2-45, which can accommodate up to 900 personnel, is also home to 40 Belgian combat engineers and several officers from Observation Group Lebanon (OGL). The new HQ is well equipped to meet the needs of the Irish/ Finnish battalion as it is furnished with transport yards and workshops, a helicopter pad, a medical aid post, and dining complex. On the defensive side the camp has all-round perimeter defence including bunkers, watch towers, and an overwatch. Keeping fit is essential to personnel serving overseas and from that aspect Camp 2-45 is also well kitted out with a weights tent, an aerobics tent, an indoor soccer pitch, and literally kilometres of track and road for the troops to utilise. Of course this is South Lebanon so the camp also benefits from some unofficial guards in the shape of several ���wadi dogs���. While these animals��� occasional howling, particularly at night can be annoying, they are certainly on our side. Anyone arriving at the camp wearing a blue helmet or driving a white vehicle is met with a wagging tail but anyone else approaching the gate is greeted with loud barking guaranteed to alert the guard commander. An Cosant��ir March 2013 www.dfmagazine.ie

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of An Cosantóir - March 2013