An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir February 2017 www.dfmagazine.ie 30 | were quickly moved to counter threats and in all cases the enemy were beaten off. Late on the evening of the 15th around 30 enemy infiltrated houses on the outskirts of the base where the jungle grew right up to the perimeter. At first light on the following morning an Irish platoon counter-attacked and after a fight lasting about three hours dislodged the enemy who left three dead behind. When the base came under long-range mor tar attack, Irish mor tar crews crept forward under fire and brought down deadly fire on the enemy positions. The Irish crews kept changing their positions and continued striking enemy posi- tions while their opponents seemed to be unable to shif t their fire quickly in response. The enemy never set foot on the base again and it was the nearest they came to the airpor t five miles away. Enemy dead during these actions was estimated at 35 killed and 48 seri- ously wounded. The defenders were also subjected to regular air attacks from Fouga jets and all roads and bridges into the base had been blown up. Gradually, however, their meagre force was reinforced by air at night. As each new unit came in they took over posi- tions from the Irish troops who moved further and further out in search of the enemy. While they came up against some sniping and mortar fire they no longer faced serious opposition. On the night of the 19th 55 men of B Coy in Kilubi, who had been cut off when the enemy blocked and mined the road, were evacuated by helicopters. The rearguard of one officer and seven men destroyed all stores and equipment before taking off. The garrison was no longer needed in Kilubi as the power line had been cut. 1 Inf Gp used its generators for power and to supply emergency lighting for the airport's runways and power for the control tower. On receiving information that enemy reinforcements were moving in, 50 Irish troops were sent out to ambush them. Posi- tions were chosen, prepared and manned, but the enemy didn't materialise. Another 50 Irish were sent out to guard against a possible attack from the Jadotville/Kolwezi road. By the time a ceasefire came on the night of 20th September the base was manned by 320 Irish, about 300 Swedes, and about 100 Indians, all under the command of Lt Col O'Donovan. Not only had they secured the base but had advanced out and were holding all the ground up to the jungle's edge. Despite the air attacks and the vastly superior range of their opponents' weapons (until some long-range mortars were captured and turned on the enemy), the only casualties suffered on the base were three Congolese civilian refugees killed and an Italian pilot wounded in the first Fouga attack, and two civilian pilots wounded in a later attack when their plane was bombed on the ground. After the ceasefire the troops still had to man the outer de- fences and hold the ground they had won. There was little rest, with 24 hours on, 24 off. Then on 9th October 1 Inf Gp received 24 hours' notice to pack-up and move to Nyunzu near Niemba. The Swedish company from Kamina also moved to Nyunzu, still under the command of 1 Inf Gp. Taking over from the Ghanaians, they were the first white troops to occupy the area. Back into the bush and into tents, but this time at the height of the rainy season. They were also back among the Balubas and carried out frequent patrols to Niemba, and sad pilgrimages to the scene of the ambush. In Nyunzu they had 14 4 Katangan prisoners to look af ter, in addition to guarding the town, a railway, the road network and an airstrip. By the time the report on which this article is based was writ- ten, 1 Inf Gp had occupied seven stations since their arrival in the Congo five months previously, operating for all bar two weeks at 'battle stations'. The writer of the report said that morale, which had been very high when things were toughest, was dropping steadily with the arrival of each batch of newspapers from Ireland as the troops found that the Irish public were not being informed of their activities. Far from being a nebulous outpost of 35 Inf Bn in Elizabethville, as portrayed in the papers, Kamina was over 200 miles away and was an independent command. While giving all credit to 35 Inf Bn for the magnificent job they did in Elizabethville, the men of 'One-Inch' Group felt they also de- served credit for the work they had done and the hardships they had endured in the Congo; spending their entire service stationed near small towns without shops or modern amenities, confined to their camps because all their deployments were in trouble spots. Credit they certainly deserved in light of the above story. An artist's rendition of the United Nations flag, circa 1961. © UN Photo Irish ONUC soldier on sentry duty at Elisabethville airport. 1st April 1961. © UN Photo

• Cover