An Cosantóir

16 | Damaged Armoured Car Congo Karl Martin photo of Ford Mk VI An advance party of 35 Infantry Battalion departed Dublin on 10 May 1961, with the final departure from Ireland taking place on 27 June. The battalion was based in Katanga Province, with its headquarters in Elizabethville. The battalion's role included defensive and offensive operations, patrols, internal security operations and refugee control and protection. The final elements of the battalion arrived back in Ireland on 25 December 1961. Over a period of three years, consider- able research and analysis was conducted by a Defence Forces research team, com- missioned by the Minister of Defence, into the circumstances leading to the death of Trooper Mullins on 15 September 1961, and the non-recovery of his remains to Ireland. Brig Gen Paul Pakenham, Col Peter Richardson and Comdt Victor Laing were members of the research team. The research team's final report was submitted on 15 October, 2009. Arising from a direction from the minister of defence, members of Tpr Mullins's family were formally briefed on the contents of the final report on 11 February 2010. Tpr Patrick Mullins was born to Edward (Ned) and Catherine Mullins in Boher, Kilbe- henny, Co Limerick. Pat was the youngest of six children, with two brothers Denis and Thomas and three sisters Margaret (Dwane), Mary (Kent), and Nelly (Kelly). His father was awarded the Emergency Service Medal for his service as a reservist. On 9 May 1960 Tpr Mullins enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force in Collins Barracks, Cork, with 6 Recruit Platoon, Command Training Centre. In October 1960, following his recruit training, Tpr An Cosantóir October 2011 Mullins was posted to 1 Mot Sqn, 1 Bde, Southern Command, in Fitzgerald Camp, Fermoy. On 16 June 1961 Tpr Mullins departed Ireland for the Congo as a member of the 634-strong 35 Inf Bn. During September 1961 a high-inten- sity operational environment prevailed throughout 35 Inf Bn's area of operations (AO). On 13 September 1961 elements of the United Nations force in Elizabethville launched Operation 'Morthor'. As part of this operation 35 Inf Bn was ordered to seize and defend a number of objectives including the Radio College. On 13 September an element of 35 Inf Bn, under the command of Lt Tom Ryan, occupied Radio College without the use of force, in order to use the facilities to conduct United Nations broadcasts. At 1600hrs on 14 September they were sur- rounded by Katangese Gendarmarie, who eventually took over the position. At 2045hrs on Thursday, 14 September, Comdt Pat Cahalane, OC Armoured Car Group, departed Battalion Headquarters with a patrol consisting of 19 personnel and one interpreter, in two armoured cars, a Land Rover and a bus. The patrol's tasks included visiting the Irish detachment in Radio College, locating and recovering Tpr Gaffney's remains (killed in action on 13 September), collecting Irish personnel at various locations, and delivering weapons to the Armée Nationale Congolaise detach- ment at 'the Factory'. The patrol was ambushed at approxi- mately 2145hrs on 14 September at Radio College, with the leading armoured car hit by anti-tank fire. Comdt Pat Cahalane and Sergeant Tim Carey, who was seri- ously injured, escaped from this car. The other occupants, Cpl Michael Nolan from Colbinstown, County Wicklow, and Tpr Pat Mullins, who was the gunner, remained in the car. The other personnel of the patrol dismounted their vehicles and occupied a house adjacent to Radio College. The lead armoured car was restarted in the early hours of Friday, 15 Septem- ber. Leaving the ambush location at Radio College, it proceeded northwards, leading away from the route back to 35 Inf Bn HQ. The armoured car was driven by one of its remaining crew, either Cpl Nolan or Tpr Mullins. The armoured car travelled through Elizabethville, finally coming to a halt on Boulevard Reine Elizabeth. The occupant, or occupants (Cpl Nolan and Tpr Mullins), were involved in a hostile engagement, in which 9mm Gustaf sub-machine gun am- munition was used, against the Katangese Gendarmarie on Friday, 15 September. On his return to the battalion's AO from a special tasking, Capt Art Magennis (Ar- moured Car Group) took a patrol to Radio College at approximately 0600hrs on 22 September. In the area of Radio College he located remnants of the patrol dispatched on 14 September, including one of the ar- moured cars. Having reported his findings to his commanding officer, Capt Magen- nis was tasked with locating the missing armoured car. In response to an anony- mous call to the battalion's HQ, the patrol, under Capt Magennis, went to Boulevard Reine Elizabeth, where they discovered the missing armoured car in a roadside drain- age trench a short distance south of the

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