An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir September 2019 www.dfmagazine.ie 30 | BY PTE TERRENCE O'REILLY, DEFENCE FORCES LIBRARY, MIL COL I n January 1923 a general routine order (GRO) formally organ- ised the Infantry Corps into 60 infantry battalions. Troops then based in Renmore Bks in Galway were designated 4 Infantry Battalion, under the command of Comdt James O'Reilly. The new battalion was involved in the final stages of the Civil War and was transferred to Mayo in April 1924 under the command of Comdt John Haughey. They were headquartered in Castlebar Cavalry Barracks, when Comdt Haughey's son (a certain Charles J) was born the following year. Tensions were still high in the fledgling state and the unit was routinely involved in supporting An Garda Síochána and provid- ing security for elections and for the emerging Ardnacrusha power station. In 1927, the battalion transferred to Athlone and then to Limerick. It was then briefly disbanded before re-emerging in 1930 in Collins Barracks, Cork, which was still undergoing extensive reconstruction following its destruction during the Civil War. A pipe band was also formed, which became an integral part of the unit. In the early days of the Emergency, the battalion was tasked with the protection of Foynes seaplane base and the transatlantic cable station on Valentia. When the Wehrmacht reached the French coast 4 Inf Bn was deployed to West Cork as the core of a mo- torised battalion group responsible for coastal defence from Cork Harbour to the Shannon estuary. That winter the unit was billeted in Kilworth, Fermoy Aerodrome, and several stately houses, includ- ing Castle Hyde and Glenville. By 1941, the army was expanding rapidly and 4 Inf Bn became part of 3 Infantry Brigade of 1 Infantry Division. Training intensi- fied markedly, with an emphasis on night operations. One newly commissioned young officer who joined the unit in 1940 (and was acting battalion commander by 1944) was Lt Mick Gill (in later years Judge Advocate General). As talented a writer as he was a soldier, he left valuable written accounts of the bat- talion at this time. By 1944, the battalion was execut- ing 30-mile marches regularly and an endurance exercise was proposed. The result of this was subsequently recognised as a world record march by the Guinness Book of Records and was recorded thus: "On the night of 12-13 September 1944 a team of nine from B Com- pany 4th Infantry Battalion of the Irish Army made a night march of 42 miles (67.59 km) in full battle order carrying 40 lb (18.1kg) in 11 hours 49 minutes." In 1946, 3 Brigade was disbanded and 4 Inf Bn returned to Collins Barracks in June. Settling into a peacetime routine, the battalion's GAA team won several county titles, while Pte Mick Leahy began his career as an international boxing champion. Squash and handball clubs were also organised. Although discipline was strict and conditions Spar- tan during the 1950s ('an endless routine of parades, inspections and training') there were some consolations, including a barracks cinema and a weekly dance in the gymnasium. In 1960, troops from the unit deployed to the Congo with B Coy, 32 Inf Bn; thankfully without fatalities on this mission. Four DSMs were won by 4 Inf Bn soldiers, including Coy Sgt Walter O'Sullivan and CQMS Anthony Connolly. Issue of orders at Tallow-Bridge during the exercises in 1942. Pictured are Lt Gen M. J. Costello ( founder of An Cosantóir) and Col T. O'Higgins. Tactical exercises in 1943. 'C' Coy 4 Inf Bn under Capt M. M. Gill, in the Tallow-Bridge area.

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