An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir March 2018 www.dfmagazine.ie 10 | veteran's neWs veteran's neWs veteran's neWs By coMdt franK russell (retd) sgt hugh gaynor and the niemba ambush remembered I n July 1960, the irish government received an urgent request from the united nations to supply troops for peacekeeping deployment in the newly created democratic re- public of congo (drc). the only other european country requested was sweden. The DRC, previously the Belgian Congo, had gained independence in June 1960 and almost immediately the president of the mineral rich province of Katanga in the east of the coun- try, Moise Tshombe, began a process of secession, covertly supported by powerful European mining and politi- cal interests. The DRC's prime minister, Patrice Lumumba, sought interna- tional help from the UN to prevent this attempted breakup of his country. The Irish government responded positively to the request; a decision with far reaching consequences for the Defence Forces, as it was the beginning of unit-level deployments in strife torn areas across the world that continues to this day. Prior to their departure for the Congo in late July, the 650-strong 32 Infantry Battalion, under the com- mand of Lt Col Murt Buckley, paraded along O'Connell Street before thou- sands of enthusiastic well-wishers. Later, the troops flew out from Baldonnel on huge United States Air Force (USAF) Globemaster and Her- cules aircraft. A hint of what awaited them in equatorial Africa greeted the troops as they landed for refuelling at Wheelus USAF base in Tripoli and paraded to the food halls in their heavy 'bulls wool' uniforms and leather boots. The battalion then continued its flight, via an RAF base in Nigeria, to its deployment area in Kivu, close to Katanga. In early August, 33 Infantry Bat- talion, under the command of Lt Col Dick Bunworth, also arrived in the DRC, deploying to Albertville, in Katanga, where they would bear the brunt of the problems caused by the warring factions: forces loyal to Lumumba's central government and Tshombe's secessionist forces, led by white mercenaries. The battalion's companies deployed to smaller towns and tasked their pla- toons with carrying out patrols to keep roads open and liaising with the local pro-government Baluba population. On 8th November, an 11-man Irish patrol, led by Lt Kevin Gleeson and Sgt Hugh Gaynor, travelling in clearly marked, white UN vehicles, stopped to inspect a destroyed bridge over the Luweyeye. They were immediately ambushed by a large force of Baluba tribesmen. Lt Gleeson ordered his men to defend themselves but in a short space of time eight of the patrol were overwhelmed and killed, another managed to get away but died later in the bush from his wounds, and, miraculously, two were found alive the next morning by a UN search party. Twenty-eight attackers also died. The Irish fallen were brought home and on 22nd November hundreds of thousands of citizens again lined the streets of Dublin (my secondary school included), this time in silent homage, as the huge cortege made its way slowly to Glasnevin Cemetery. In the DRC the conflict continued unabated into 1961. Lumumba was assassinated in January at Elizabethville Airport, and in September Dag Hammarskjold was killed in an unexplained air crash in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) while en route to secret negotiations with Tshombe. Also that month the siege of Jadotville made interna- tional headlines. On 3rd February 2018, Sgt Hugh Gaynor and his Niemba comrades were commemorated with the unveil- ing of a plaque by the Mayor of Fingal Cllr Mary McCamley in Blanchard- stown village, near the Gaynor family home. Attendees included Sgt Gaynor's daughter, Mrs Sarah Tallon; Lt Gleeson's niece, Aoife Gleeson; and Niemba Ambush survivor Pte Thomas Kenny. A large number of represen- tatives from ONE and IUNVA also attended the unveiling of the plaque that will help to ensure that a local hero's ultimate sacrifice will not be forgotten. Comdt Frank Russell, a retired Air Corps pilot, was a childhood neighbour of the Gaynor family in Blanchard- stown. No 2 Platoon, with Lt Kevin Gleeson centre and Sgt Hugh Gaynor to his right. Photo: L/R: Ms Aoife Gleeson, niece of Lt Kevin Gleeson, Mrs Sarah Tallon, daughter of Sgt Hugh Gaynor and Comdt Frank Russell (retd), event organiser. Photo by David Smith The Niemba Memorial being erected in the Congo in the 1960s.

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