An Cosantóir

on parade | 7 DIVERS JOIN THE SEARCH FOR SWIM TEEN Navy divers are to be drafted in to join the search for missing teenager Sean McNair. More than 150 volunteers braved stormy weather conditions yesterday in the hunt for the 17-year old from Co. Derry. Irish Daily Mirror, July 19 AN IRISHMAN’S IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR Photo shows (l/r) Recruit Conor Foley (6 Inf Bn) with his Fa- ther Sgt John Foley (4 CIS Coy) and his Mother Cpl Veronica Foley (Retd, one of the first Female Recruits in 1981)(HQ 4 W Bde). Photo courtesy of Sgt John Foley DEBENHAMS PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION WINNER THEN & NOW Members of the 60th Recruit Platoon, from the 5 Inf Bn and their Instructors on the 25th Oct 1990 in Collins Bks, Dublin. They met up again for their 21-year reunion on the 8th July 2011 in the NCO’s Mess, Mckee Bks, with 19 of the original platoon still serving. Photo courtesy of Sgt Phil Curry (2 Fd CIS Coy) a member of the Pln. DIARY The request for a pardon for deserters from the Irish Army during the Second World War implies a legal acceptance of guilt, but, as Peter Mulvany points out (Letters, June 28th) individuals deserve to be heard. Once during my army service, when acting as a quaintly titled “Soldiers Friend” (an Officer chosen by a soldier to defend him), I succeeded in reducing a charge of desertion to one of AWOL… PD Goggin The Irish Times, July 19 DUTY TO DEFEND STATE In response to the World War II deserters campaign for “justice” as a former member of the PDF I would like to add this thought. As serving members of the Irish Defence Forces, their duty and moral obligation was to stay and defend this state and its people from all foreign aggression no matter what the source, be it allied or axis. Joe McCabe, Former Petty Officer, Naval Service, Mallow. Irish Examiner, July 20 LEBANON THE EDGE This is war-ravaged Southern Lebanon – where our brave Irish troops are keeping the peace on a UN-backed mission. The Irish Sun landed in Camp Shamrock, Tibnin, yesterday to be warned “It could all flare up again in the next 24hrs”. The 440 men and women of the 104th battalion jetted out for the volatile Middle East state last month where they joined up with the UN peace- keeping mission. The Irish Sun, July 21 TROOPS FACE TOUGH BATTLE Irish soldiers helping to keep the peace in worn-torn Lebanon have been warned. Your area is one of the most difficult in the whole UN mission. The grim warning was given yesterday by the Spanish General who commands the 12,000 strong UNIFIL force in the south of the country – including the 440 Irish Troops. Irish Daily Star, July 21 WORLD’S TOUGHEST TRUCKS FOR RANGERS A French company that makes some of the world’s toughest trucks has won an order worth nearly €600,000 for vehicles for to support Ireland’s elite Army Ranger Wing. Sunday Independent, July 10 THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE

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