18
NIEMBA AMBUSH
60 YEARS ON
By
Photos from
Tony O'Brien
Military Archives & DF Flickr
It may have been 60 years since the biggest loss of life of
Irish soldiers in any single overseas incident, in the history
of the Irish Defence Forces, but the memory of the Niemba
Ambush tragedy will never be forgotten.
Niemba is a name that has not only gone down in military
history, but remains in the Irish public's memory as well. The
massive turnout at the funerals of the men who were killed in
1960 ensured that. The nine who lost their lives in that terrible
event were 'ambassadors' for Ireland's early involvement
as UN peacekeepers. A role the Defence Forces would so
proudly and honourably carry on over the following decades.
It was the first time the Irish Army was embroiled in battle
since the founding of the Irish state in 1922.
Even now, 60 years later it is right to recall the event and to
again honour and pay tribute to the gallant men who served
and died for their country, but also for the world in the form of
the United Nations.
It all began in July 1960, when the Irish government
received an urgent request from the United Nations to
supply troops for peacekeeping deployment in the newly
created Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The only other
European country asked was Sweden. The DRC, previously
the Belgian Congo, had gained independence in June
1960 and almost immediately the President of the mineral
rich province of Katanga in the east of the country, Moise
Tshombe, began a process of secession, covertly supported
by powerful European mining and political interests.
Patrice Lumumba, the DRC's Prime Minister sought
international help from the United Nations to prevent this
attempted breakup of his country. The Irish government
responded positively to the request; a decision with far-
reaching consequences for the Defence Forces. It was the
Group photo of No. 2 Platoon, A Company, 33 Inf Bn
Members of the 1st Inf Gp erecting the monument to the victims
of the Niemba ambush back in 1961
