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 Armn Adam Murphy photo@military.ie 045 44 5307 Subscriptions Cpl Kelly Gallagher +353 (0)45 44 5312 subs@military.ie DF/PR Information: Cpl Lynn Ryan 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 Soldier Silhouette taken recently during an exercise by Armn Adam Murphy For more Defence Forces photographs, checkout: www.flickr.com/photos/ dfmagazine Editorial H ello and welcome to our April issue; another jam-packed magazine filled with stories from within the Defence Forces and the wider Defence Forces community, including families and veterans. As usual, this month's issue starts with your photographs standing tall On Parade, after which our In Focus pages looks at civilian volunteers, in particular Mr Denis McCarthy, who has been an invaluable member of Military Archives for the last 30 years and who also penned over 30 articles on armoured vehicles for An Cosantóir over the years. Then, we focus on the Munster Driving Campus and retired Sgt Paul Fitzgerald, who utilises his DF skills in his new career. For Veterans News I visited ONE's Brú na bhFiann (Home of the Brave), where they briefed other veterans groups on how ONE are Building for the Future and their plans for the launch of their Fuchsia Appeal 2017. Our first two features look at the technical training schools (TTS) of both the Air Corps and the Naval Service respectively: Air Corps Technicians' Skills Recognised looks at how the AC TTS achieved European Aviation Safety Agency training approval and Naval School's Engine Restoration Project looks at how the NS TTS rebuilt a Vickers Petters VE2 engine, which may well be the only one working in existence. In our front-cover feature, Training for Peace - UNDOF MRE, we look at the recent mission readiness exercise conducted by the 130 personnel of 55 Infantry Group in the Glen of Imaal. Next up is a short feature on 62 and 63 Recruit Platoons, followed by journalist James Wims's tribute to Mullingar man Cpl Gavin 'Care Bear' Carey, who tragically lost his life in a swimming accident in Bundoran last year, and how members of IUNVA Post 20 Mullingar and Gavin's mother, Trish, honour his memory with a charity shop that supports the Bundoran Costal Rescue Service. For our Strategic Review, Paul O'Brien looks at the current situation in Darfur, western Sudan. In Reserve hears from Comdt Louis O'Brien (retd) who informs us of the significant honour bestowed upon D Coy, Pearse Bn, who participated in The Easter 1966 Guard of Honour, and RDF CQMS Michael Barrett, who gives us brief update on RDF Revision Training for members of 7 Inf Bn. This is followed up with Historic Anniversary for Athlone, which looks at the re-enactment, organised by Lt Col Johnny Whittaker and 6 Inf Bn, of General Séan MacEoin and his troops' take-over of Athlone Castle and Victoria Bks/ Custume Bks in 1922. Next, Kerry Council Honours DF Contribution to World Peace reports on a civic reception held to honour our contribution to UN peacekeeping. Both our History features are World War II related. First, the amphibious attack on the heavily defended dry dock at St Nazaire and, second, a look at the life of Irishwoman Heather Kennedy and her career in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Our Sports pages are devoted to the DF Indoor Athletics Championships 2017, which took place in Athlone IT recently. Plus, we have our regular Gear Up, Noticeboard, Reviews, and What I Do features. Finally, check out our competitions and results on pages 24, 35 and 36. Sgt Wayne Fitzgerald - Editor Portlaoise action to Homeless (PatH) Pte Jason O'Neill has been a volunteer helping PATH over the last year, travelling to Dublin on Saturday evenings with other volunteers to feed homeless people. PATH travels around Dublin handing out hot stews, sandwiches, teas, coffees, sleeping bags and warm clothing. They feed 70 to 120 people of all ages and who have become homeless for many different reasons. As a non-profit or- ganisation PATH relies heavily on donations from the public, so Pte O'Neill along with Ptes David Murray and Jason Tynan (all Tpt Gp, DFTC) decided to complete an overnight 70km walk with a rough sleep out on the Slieve Bloom Mountains to raise funds for PATH. On Friday 3rd March they set off from Glenbarrow car park and walked 50km of the Slieve Bloom Way to their basecamp on a very wet and cold day and night. The next morning they finished off the last 20km back to the car park through a snowfall. They completed the walk within 24hrs, a little cold and wet, but were happy to be able to return to a warm home and bed after raising €986 in much-needed funds for PATH. if anyone would like to know more about the group please check out: http://path.ie/ or www.facebook.com/ PatHportlaoise/

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