An Cosantóir

reviews | 35 BOOK 'A' COMPANY ACTION THE BATTLE OF THE TUNNEL - 16TH DECEMBER 1961 By: Dan Harvey Format: Hardback Publisher: Book Republic (September 2011) www.bookrepublic.ie ISBN: 9781907221255 Price: €19.99 AT DAWN, in pouring rain on December 16th 1961 the army of the Irish Republic under a UN flag went into action. A sharp and bloody engagement followed, as the men of the 36th Inf Bn undertook a vital seize and hold operation. The objective was a railway tunnel, a crucial approach to Elizabethville held by mercenaries and Katangese Gendarmerie. Irishmen under Irish command under a United Nation's mandate on foreign soil went on the offensive. Intensive fighting followed. Fatalities were inflicted and suffered. The Irish assault was met with heavy machine- guns and fierce mortar fire. The Irish were severely tested but triumphed. 'A' Company 36th Battalion served with the United Nations' forces in the Congo, Central Africa, during the period of December 1961 to May 1962. Following the hostilities of December, including the famous Battle of the Tunnel, 14 members were awarded Distinguished Service Medals, including two posthumously. As a result 'A' Company 36th Battalion became the most decorated company in the history of the Irish Defence Forces. This is their remarkable story. Comdt Dan Harvey, also the author of Peace Enforcers (2010), has 30 years service to date. His service has seen him involved in a variety of operations both at home and overseas. A highly experienced and respected press officer, he has also pioneered many Defence Forces historical and heritage projects, most notably a number of museum collections. Dan is a constant contributor to An Cosantóir. He has a keen interest in rugby, and is a former senior player at representative level and now also coaches. He is currently stationed in Defence Forces Headquarters in Dublin. Paperback to be released in November 2011. RAGE IS a groundbreaking first-person shooter set in the not-too-distant future after an asteroid impacts Earth, leaving a ravaged world behind. You emerge into this vast wasteland to discover humanity working to rebuild itself against such forces as bandit gangs, mutants, and the Authority – an oppressive government regime that has a special interest in you in particular. Featuring intense first-person shooter action, breakneck vehicle combat, an expansive world to explore and jaw-dropping graphics, RAGE promises an experience like no other. id Software make great shooters. We all know they invented the first person genre with Wolfenstein, and the gaming world has never looked back. Platform: (PC, Xbox 360 & PS3) Price: €41.97 – PEGI: 18 For more info see: www.rage.com/en © 2011 id Software LLC, a ZeniMax Media company, Bethesda and related logos are registered trademarks of ZeniMax Media Inc. DVD STAKE LAND Director: Jim Mickle Genre: Horror Cinema Release Date: 17 Jun 2011 Rental Release Date: 30 Sep 2011 Certification: Starring: Danielle Harris, Kelly McGillis, Connor Paolo, Bonnie Dennison, Michael Cerveris, Sean Nelson, Chance Kelly, Adam Scarimbolo, Marianne Hagan, Nick Damici, Stuart Rudin, Lou Sumrall HORROR SET in a post-apocalyptic America that has been taken over by an ever- increasing army of vampires. Connor Paolo stars as Martin, a teenager who joins forces with vampire hunter Mister (Nick Damici) after his parents are killed by the marauding vampire forces. Together, the two set out to find a town where they have heard they will be safe - but does such a place really exist? GAME RAGE RELEASE DATE: 07 OCTOBER 2011 THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE

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