An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 5 Manager Comdt Colin Lawlor info@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5306 Editor Sgt Wayne Fitzgerald magazine@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5307 Connect Sgt Karl Byrne connect@military.ie Photo/Journalist: Cpl Lee Coyle journalist@military.ie Photographer Cpl Neville Coughlan photo@military.ie 045 44 5307 Subscriptions Cpl Kelly Gallagher +353 (0)45 44 5312 subs@military.ie DF/PR Information: Cpl Lynn Ryan (Overseas) admin@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5308 DF Webmaster Sgt Mick Burke +353 (0)45 44 5309 webmaster@military.ie Magazine Archivist Mr Sean Shinnors Designer/Advertising JM Publishing & Media, Arklow, Co. Wicklow,Ireland Tel: +353 15331911 Tel: +353871344135 Web: www.jmpublishing.ie Email: info@jmpublishing.ie Printer Turner's Printing Co., Ltd Earl Street, Longford, Ireland Tel: +353 (0)43 3350500 The fact that an article appears in this magazine does not indicate official approval of the views expressed by the author. © Published by OiC Public Relations Branch for the Defence Forces at DFHQ, Block 5, Ceannt Bks, DFTC, Curragh Camp, Co Kildare, Ireland. Tel: +353 (0)45 445312 Front Cover Pictured is an Air Corps AW139 conducting winching training. Photo by Cpl Neville Coughlan For more Defence Forces photographs, checkout: www.flickr.com/photos/ dfmagazine Editorial H ello and welcome to our July/August 2016 double issue. This 44-page issue is jammed with 16 articles - we literally couldn't get any more in! We would like to welcome in our new manager Comdt Colin Lawlor and thank Capt Donal Gallagher for filling in as manager once again. We could have filled 4 pages of your photos this month, however only the 12 best made it to On Parade – check the online issue for the remainder. In Focus looks at the new Custom House Visitor Centre, and also the Military Police Corps developed capability in Forensic Collision Investigation (FCI). Veterans News The Listowel Spitfire and Commemoration by Sean Shinnors looks at Cork native and highly decorated RAF Group Capt Francis Victor Beamish, AFC, DFC (with Bar) whose memory was honoured at the Listowel Military Tattoo this year. Our first feature is on the 4th Armoured Fighting Vehicle Range Management Course which was run by the Cavalry School in May. Next up in Working for the UN, civilian Noreen O'Gallagher the grand-daughter of Col TC Gallagher (4 W Bde) who has just completed six years with the UN mission in South Sudan briefs us on her experiences. In LÉ Niamh and the Soul of Modern Europe, NS Press Officer Lt Cdr Caoimhín Mac Unfraidh, updates us on the ongoing humanitarian mission in the Mediterranean and the experiences of LÉ Niamh. Next An Cosantóir visited the historical and very interesting tourist attraction in Cork Harbour - Spike Island and Fort Mitchel – with many thanks to RDF Comdt Tom O'Neill Retd and his team for hosting us. Our 3-page Strategic Review and front cover story looks at the historical participation of an Air Corps crew training the Air Wing of the Maltese Armed Forces in Malta. In the second extended article Gnr Terence O'Reilly from the Defence Forces Military Library in the Military College looks back on the last 75 years of this publication in An Cosantóir: the story so far. In FTX CAPSTONE 16, Lt Stephen Cunningham, 1 Mech Inf Coy gives us a brief synopsis of this annual exercise that is used as the confirmation exercise for junior leaders who are students on the Platoon Commander's Peace Support Course. Our first History feature by Paul O'Brien covers the second part on the Vietnam War, with Huê, Vietnam's Bloodiest Battle and in The Somme 1916, he covers the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. Our first Sports feature is on the DF One Wall Handball Championships and is followed by a short piece from Camp Ziouani on Unarmed Combat Training in UNDOF. Then finally we have a new Defence Forces Physiotherapy service that has been developed and will be operational from July. We finish this issue with our other regular features Gear Up, Noticeboard, Reviews and What I Do. Check out our competitions and results on pages 40 and 41. Sgt Wayne Fitzgerald - Editor New ONe website The Organisation of National Ex-Service Person- nel/ Óglaigh Náisiúnta Na hÉireann or ONE as it's better known, whose main aim is to support former Defence Forces personnel will launch a new website that will cover fundrais- ing and individual branches around the country, as well as much much more – check out their advert on page 23. LÉ samueL beckett The LÉ Samuel Beckett was pictured off Cape Clear Island on 30th May 2016. Photo by Jim Brennan

• Cover