An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 33 April in the Valley of total by COY SGT HENRY (HARRY) MULHERN (RETD) I n the hilly country of Southern Lebanon the village of tibnin stands high up overlooking a valley and the area called total. the ruins of an ancient Crusaders Castle overlook the village, which is populated by Lebanese Muslims and Maronite Christians. you won't find that name (total) on any map because it's a made up name. Adopted because of the Petrol Station located there of the French company total. the area has beauty despite its dry barren state from the end of March to early november. Two days of travel would ensure sleep came easy on arrival and after a friendly mug of tea and sandwiches. First sighting of surroundings is a big shock for young men and women from the green island of Ireland. Having arrived late the previous evening and in the dark often to the sound of explosions and gunfire close by. The name Total (pronounced Toe Tal) was adopted by Irish military personnel of UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) who were stationed there during the period of conflict in the area 1978-2001. Total is a valley of rough barren ground and rocky hills. The Irish Transport Group for the various battalions serving under UN Mandate lived and worked in the valley. Operating a fleet of worn out American M35's and M50 Trucks the task of keeping them going on a daily basis was tremendous. The work by transport fitters accomplishing that task was heroic and the drivers, whose duties involved traversing the mountain roads, such as they were, regularly had to talk their way out of dangerous situations. A daily re supply convoy left Tibnin for the Israeli/Lebanon Border. This convoy would include an armed heavy weapon escort element, in order to get safely through the strong- holds of the various factions. There were a number of groups regularly in conflict in South- ern Lebanon, these would have included local Muslim groups, Palestinians and Phalangists made up of Maronite Christian soldiers working in cooperation with Israel and another group of Lebanese nationalists, whose cry was (Lebanon for the Lebanese). Fresh water had to be drawn daily in large trucks from one of two underground water sources. It was then distributed to Irish outposts and camps in the area of operations. It was dangerous work and involved negotiating sometimes very hazardous territory and terrain. These underground springs were the only local source of drinking water and then after chemical treatment. Despite being a long way from home and the comforts of home, the soldiers were for the most part cheerful as they went about their various duties. Now into the month of April almost overnight the mild winter weather departed, to be re- placed by clear skies and brilliant sunshine. These conditions would not change until early November. Darkness arrived in the evenings very quickly unlike home where it was a more gradual process. After the intense heat of the day the cool evenings in the mountains are a welcome respite. The men could have a couple of cold beers as they gathered together and passed the time telling stories or listening to music. The sky at night is particularly beauti- ful in the Middle East. Contact with home was still predominately by letter and the value and importance of those contacts could never be understated. The battalion football pitch was situated in Total (football pitch is a great exaggeration), stony ground on dusty volcanic soil it barely coped. On one occasion, the Irish played host to a visiting team from the Ghanaian contingent. They arrived together with a medicine man dressed in white with whitened face and with a carved wooden idol under his arm. The medicine man proceeded around the pitch with the idol waving it about. He then produced a small container of white powder and sprinkled the pitch, the ball and lastly the Irish goalkeeper with the powder. The Ghanaian soldiers warned that we would be beaten five nil and indeed we were. The athletic prowess and the speed of those men were far too much for the Irish. Later they were given a taste of Irish hospitality, visiting the sergeants mess in the main Irish base (Camp Shamrock), a few days afterwards I noted that our 'Jameson Irish Whiskey' mirror in its elegant frame was gone and had been replaced by a familiar carved wooden idle. Coy Sgt Harry Mulhern (Retd), 49 Inf Bn, Lebanon

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