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T H E D E F E N C E F O R C E S M A G A Z I N E( E S TA B L I S H E D 1 9 4 0 )

MARCH 2007 €2.20 (Stg £1.40)

Training p.6

Naval Service p.13

Sport p.22

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2 AN COSANTÓIR March 2007

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AN COSANTÓIR March 2007 3

MANAGER:Capt Pádraig Kennedy

EDITOR:Sgt David Nagle

JOURNALIST:Terry McLaughlin

CONNECT:Sgt Willie Braine

PHOTOGRAPHER:Armn Billy Galligan

SUBSCRIPTIONS:Sgt Rena Kennedy

ADVERTISING:Killelan Marketing LtdMobile: 086 3842946 Tel: 01 8042691Email: [email protected]

Printed by Kilkenny People,Kilkenny.

The fact that an articleappears in this magazine doesnot indicate official approvalof the views expressed by theauthor.

© Published by OiC Public Relations Sectionfor the Defence Forces atDFHQ, Parkgate, Dublin 8,Ireland. Tel: 01 8042691Fax: 01 6779018E-mail: [email protected]

Front cover:Sgt Jim O’Neill and A/Sgt MarkHammond (both instructors inthe Air Corps’ Military TrainingSchool) during their recent“Survival, Escape & Evasion,Resistance to Interrogation andExtraction” (SERE) Course inSweden, are shown cross-country skiing and climbing.Photos by: Sgt Jim O’Neill andLt Col Ronnie Hammer. (Seepages 9-12.)

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www.military.ie/pr/an_cosantoir

News UpdatePicture Parade. 4 As Hard as Iron

Profile of Capt DaveClarke (6 Inf Bn).Report bySgt Rena Kennedy

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ExerciseSeascapesA recent Air Defenceexercise.Report byLt Paul Roche

6 Military InsigniaPart 2 of a series of articles on the militaryinsignia of the DefenceForces..Report byFt Sgt James G Perkins

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Staying AliveStudents reports of a recentsurvival course in Sweden.Report bySgt Jim O’Neill & A/Sgt Mark Hammond

9 FrenchConnectionThe importance of foreignlanguagse in the DF.Report byCapt Ciara Murray

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Three NaviesYesterday’s, today’s andtommorrow’s navy.Report byCdr Mark Mellet

13 The NavalAssociationHistory and background.Report byDeclan Pendred & Terry Cummins

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Live on theOcean WaveLÉ Niamh on patrol.Report byTerry McLaughlin &Sgt Willie Braine

16 PeacekeepersHonouredCongo portraitsunveiled at MilitaryCollege.

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DifferentStrokesThe faces behind theship.Report bySgt Willie Braine

20 31Letters tothe EditorReaders give theiropinion.

Price Increase April 2007The price of An Cosantóir is rising from €2.20 to €2.50 with effect from our April issue. The price of your magazinehas not been increased since the year 2000 despite inflation and increased costs and we are sure you will agree thatAn Cosantóir still represents excellent value for money at the new price of €2.50 per issue. For annual subscribers, ifyou send in your year’s subscription before the end of March you will still qualify for the old rate of €22.20 for the year.For Direct Debit subscriber the increase in price will affect you as follows:-Officers: from €1.83 to €2.08 per month. O/Ranks: from €0.42 to €0.48 per week.

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news update… news update… news update…

100 Paces Pictured in Collins BksMuseum, Dublin, are mem-bers of the 1 S BTC who per-formed a foot drill display, cre-ated by artist Sean Taylor(centre) to coincide with thenewly opened‘Soldiers and Chiefs’ exhibi-tion! A DVD of the perform-ance is available from themuseum shop. Photo: ArmnBilly Galligan.

Dílis goBráchThe 3 Inf Bn AssociationDinner took place inStephen’s Bks, Kilkennylate last year. The annualdinner is an opportunityfor former unit officers tomeet and catch up ontimes gone by. Photo: BillyBrett.

UCC ConferralLt Cdr Ronan Boyle received a MA inTechnology Management from UCCPresident, Professor Gerard Wrixon.Photo: Lt Cdr Boyle.

Fly Air CorpsCongratulations to (l/r) 2/Lts Ger Hynes,Andrew Fry and Odhran Murphy whoreceived their commissions and wings fromthe Minster for Defence, Willie O’Dea TD ata ceremony in Casement Aerodrome.Photo: Armn Billy Galligan

All the President’s MenDuring a visit to Ireland in February by the Polish President Lech Kaczynski, the 2 Inf Bn provided a guard of honourunder the command of Capt Shane Keogh in Aras an Uachtarain. Photo: Armn Billy Galligan.

A FamilyAffairCapt Des Connolly (4 Inf Bn),his wife, Nuala and daughterAoife attended his Jnr C&SGraduation Ceremony. Alsopicture (l/r), Lt Gen JimSreenan (Chief of Staff), NualaConnolly, Capt Des Connollywith Aoife, Lt Col Tommy Doyle(Chief Instr OTW) and CaptConor Bates (Instr OTW).Photo: Sgt JJ Ryan (HQ DFTC).

In the NavyAt Institute of Technology Sligo’s recent 2007 Career Fair, Liam Martin and SenanFlanagan, both students of Business Studies, question Ens Stephen Stack andL/Mech Gareth Malone about life at sea. Photo: Pte Mark Francis (HQ 4 W Bde).

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te… news update… news update… news update…

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Minister visits Lebanon The Minister for Defence, Mr Willie O'Dea TD is seen with members of 34 Inf Bn UNIFILduring his recent visit to Lebanon.

Doctoron callDoctor and Capt ZdenekOsecky received his commis-sion at a ceremony in theOfficer Mess, McKee Bks.Picture (l/r); Lt Cdr EamonLucey (HRM), Maj GenDermot Earley (D COS Sp),Capt Zdenek Osecky, Lt ColJO Monahan (D Dir MedCorps) and Col PaulPakenham (D Admin). Photo:Armn Billy Galligan.

WelldoneCplDevlinCongratulations to CplMaureen Devlin (Tpt Coy 54Res LSB), based in RenmoreBks, Galway who won theO’Mahony Cup for the 2006best soldier of the unit. Photo:CQMS Bunny Devlin (Retd).

Farewell Paddy Sgt Paddy Flood retired after 43 years service with the 3 Inf Bn andHQ DFTC. He is well known throughout the Defence Forces and willbe missed by his friends and colleagues. Pictured in Ceannt NCOMess, Curragh Camp is Paddy with his family, Brig Gen PatO’Sullivan (GOC DFTC), Lt Col Joe Dowling (OC SSU) and CQMS JoeMurphy (Mess Pres). Photo: Sgt JJ Ryan (HQ DFTC).

The bestAt the Jnr C&S GraduationCeremony late last year, CaptDan O’ Connor received theDirector of Infantry Award forBest Student. Pictured (l/r):Col Don O’ Keeffe (D Inf), LtGen Jim Sreenan (Chief ofStaff), Capt Dan O’ Connor(Best Student), Brig Gen PatO’ Sullivan (GOC DFTC) andLt Col Tommy Doyle (ChiefInstr OTW). Photo: Sgt JJRyan (DFTC).

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Last winter, 1 Air Defence Regiment (1 ADR) con-ducted an integrated PDF/RDF Battery exercise,the first to be run for a number of years and thefirst to use the‘Flycatcher’ radar units and

EL40/70 (Bofors) anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) guns,combined with Giraffe Radar and RBS-70 missiles.The exercise was to receive the support of the AirCorps and the Naval Service and their involvementwas an important factor in the outstanding successof the exercise.

The mission concept of Exercise Seascapes wasto provide Low Level Ground Based Air Defence(LLGBAD) of vital installation including the NavalBase, Naval Dockyard and Cork Harbour from airattack by the forces of ‘Fantasia’. 4 AD Bty based in

Haulbowline were tasked with the preparation, plan-ning and conduct of the exercise under the supervi-sion of HQ Bty, 1 ADR.

Due to the number of RDF taking part and the factthat 1 ADR is split between the DFTC and Southernand Eastern Brigades, the exercise was conducted overa weekend, with the AD deployment set for the NavalBase on a Friday night at 2000hrs. The Naval Base pro-vided logistics assistance in the deployment. Perhapsthey were also worried that Haulbowline Naval Basehas an uncanny resemblance to Pearl Harbour!

OC 1 ADR, Lt Col Eamonn Fogarty, commencedthe exercise briefing at 2130, followed by the missionbriefing from OC 4 Bty, Comdt Eddie Ellard.

The concept of operations provided for a layered

Lt Paul Roche (4 AD Bty RDF)sent in thisaccount of arecent airdefence exerciseheld at the Naval Base,Haulbowline and involved allelements of 1 AirDef Regt, bothPDF and RDF, as well as the Air Corps and theNaval Service.

Main pic:Naval Base, Haulbowline.

EXERCISESEASCAPES

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As soon as the start line was crossed Exercise‘Seascapes’ began in earnest and so did the usuallogistical challenges that arise with every exercise!The Giraffe met with some bemused looks fromlocals unused to seeing large military vehicles usingthe cross-river ferry. When all fire units (FUs) were inplace the radar units worked fast and efficiently tohook up their respective FUs, both missile and AAAguns, to their automated tracking systems.Configuration and testing completed, a myriad of lit-tle and large problems continued to be dealt withhead on as they occurred until finally the BatteryCaptain received the code word ‘Red Baron’ indicat-ing that the regiment was operational. Initial alert sta-tus was set at ‘Yellow’ and at 1045hrs moved to ‘Red’.

Radar operators concentrated on their displayswith the hum of equipment and the constant sweep ofthe search antenna providing the only sound as theyscanned for incoming threats. Cork Airport, less than15kms away, busy as only Saturday afternoons canbe, added to the workload. Aerial observation posts(AOPs) scanned the air with binoculars for theenemy. Gun and missile commanders, tense as theywaited for the aerial attacks to begin, carried out lastminute checks to ensure the equipment and crewswould work effectively when called upon.

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The Giraffe metwith somebemused looksfrom locals unusedto seeing large mil-itary vehicles usingthe cross-riverferry. When all fireunits (FUs) were inplace the radarunits worked fastand efficiently tohook up theirrespective FUs,both missile andAAA guns, to theirautomated trackingsystems.

defence to be deployed with missiles (RBS 70 andGiraffe Radar) forming the outer ring and AAA(Bofors Guns and Flycatcher Radars) for the inner-ring defence. Air and ground recces had been com-pleted previously and ‘avenues of approach andattack’ were mapped and counter measures setaccordingly. The AD estimate was used to validatethis process.

For the purpose of the exercise the regiment wasformed into a composite unit, designated 5 Bty, andeach AD unit was given its tasking. 1 Bty, which hadjust completed a Combat Leaders (Giraffe Radar)course for YOs with the Artillery School, was taskedwith deploying and operating the missile defence. 2Bty was tasked with supplying two gun crews and 3Bty was tasked with supplying two AAA guns com-plete with crews. 4 Bty provided the HQ element, twoFlycatcher units with crews, four AAA guns, two guncrews and the necessary logistical and material sup-ply for the running of exercise - right down to supply-ing return tickets to the Giraffe radar unit and twomissile crews for the cross-river ferry to Cobh!

The Met Office was kind to us as a break in theweather was predicted for the duration of the exer-cise. We had found a perfect weather window asthe rain stopped on Friday evening and startedagain on Sunday afternoon - it doesn’t get muchbetter than that.

As soon as the briefing was completed, O’Groups were formed and each battery set about itsfinal preparations for the morning with some person-nel working through until well into the night, makingsure everything was ready for reveille at 0700hrs andBattery Front at 0815hrs. A short night for some, notthe first and certainly not the last!

The morning came all too quickly and personnelbegan the final preparations under floodlights. Guntowing vehicles (GTVs) were loaded up with storesand equipment, guns were hooked up and moved ontothe Parade Ground for Battery Front, and missilecrews were prepped and ready to go. Due to the hardwork and preparation of all involved the regiment wasready ahead of schedule, allowing CaptainStavrionas (2i/c 4 AD Bty) to take the unusual step ofbringing forward Battery Front by ten minutes.

Above: PC-9 aircraft.

A soldier takes aim on one of the attacking aircraft.

Left: The Giraffe radar in action.

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The Air Corps, who provided the ‘enemy’ intruderaircraft had just completed a ground-attack coursefor their young pilots and would have a point toprove. Just after 1100hrs, startled onlookers saw apair of Pilatus PC-9s, “Viking Section” in formationdown the River Lee Valley. Using the terrain to masktheir radar signature in the ground clutter, theypopped up at the last moment to scream into theharbour and commence their attack.

The AOPs heard them before they saw them andvisual reports came in thick and fast as soon as bothaircraft shot into view. It is a tribute to the airman-ship shown by the pilots that the engine note fromthe PC-9 can be heard up to two miles away yet itwas only in the final stages of their initial attack thatthey could be seen.

Radar unit operators scrambled to lock on targetand establish firing solutions on the incoming ‘hos-tiles’. A quick glance on the TV camera display unitwas carried out to visually identify each target lock.Klaxons sounded on the AAA FUs, alerting thecrews that they were about to be activated and thatthe radar units now had control.

“Hostiles in sight!” Gun commanders quicklyidentified the hostiles, now targets, as the FUsswung round to engage. Gun commanders’ ordersrang out across the Naval Base as the gun crewswent through well-practiced drills. Missile crews lis-tened to the warning growls on their headsets thatindicated that the Giraffe had locked on to the twist-ing and turning targets as they howled across theharbour. They checked their target data receivers

patiently and brought their FUs to bear on theirrespective targets. On and on went the attacksfor the next hour as the battle on the groundand in the air raged on, with each trying tooutwit the other; different approaches, dif-ferent frequencies, any edge to gain thevital advantage.

The enemy aircraft withdrew to refueland the regiment went to yellow alertstatus. Meanwhile, the bemused gener-al public went about their businesswondering what was going on. For

many, it was their first time seeingand hearing the newest addition to

the fixed wing fleet of the AirCorps up close and it certainly

caused quite a stir.At 1345hrs, the alert status went back to ‘Red’ and

the attacks began again with twice the intensity asbefore. Lessons had obviously been learned in thefirst wave of attacks and the various issues encoun-tered by the battery in the first attacks were resolvedand fine tuned as the enemy tried to press home theadvantage of surprise in their initial attacks.

The attacks continued into the afternoon until LtCol Fogarty called ‘Endex’. He declared the exercisean outstanding success and stood down all combat-ants. The Air Corps gave us a farewell fly-by and theintegrated battery was stood down.

The laborious task of taking the equipment out ofaction and returning it to stores was commenced,with all equipment finally put to bed by 1800hrs.

Debrief was held at 1830hrs by Lt Col Fogarty. Alively discussion ensued and all contributors agreedthat valuable experience was gained and that it was avery worthwhile test of personnel and equipment. Thedebrief was closed by the CO who announced his sat-isfaction with the professionalism and conduct of theregiment during the exercise. He said that the per-formance of all involved showed that as an airdefence regiment we could move forward with confi-dence, ready to face fresh challenges in 2007. �

Above:The author, adjusting the fly-catcher’s radar.

Right:A crew loading an EL70 gun.

Below:An EL70 gun defending CorkHarbour.

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STAYING ALIVE

In August 2006 and January 2007Sgt Jim O'Neill and A/Sgt MarkHammond (both instructors in the Air Corps Military TrainingSchool) completed a SERE (survival,escape & evasion, resistance tointerrogation and extraction)Instructors Course at the SwedishArmed Forces Survival School. Sgt O'Neill sent us this report…

It was with a combination of excitement and antici-pation that we arrived at the Survival School inKarlsborg, Sweden at the end of July 2006 to partic-ipate on the four-week Part A of the SERE course.

We had limited information about the course but wedid know it was among the toughest courses in theSwedish Armed Forces.

The concept of military survival is not new but ithas had to adapt greatly as military missions over-seas have become increasing urbanised. Manyarmies use SERE training to increase their person-nel's chances of survival if they are captured or sepa-rated from the rest of their group. In the Nordic coun-tries soldiers at all levels, 'from the CO to the cook'as they say in Sweden, receive mandatory SEREtraining to keep them up to date with best militarypractice worldwide.

Survival training in the Swedish Survival School

Right:Students must be able toretrieve themselves from thefreezing water.

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is considered to be among the best of its type in theworld and the enthusiasm, professionalism and var-ied experience of its instructors in different aspectsof survival made for an exciting and varied course.

SERE training consists of four main elements:• Survival: The ability to exploit the equipment you

have and what you can find to provide shelter,water and food.

• Escape & Evasion: The skill of covering and navi-gating large distances in hostile territory while try-ing to avoid capture.

• Resistance to interrogation: If captured, how tobehave so as not to make your situation worse andalso how to deal with different aspects of interro-gation.

• Extraction: How to conduct yourself if you are to beextracted (usually by air) in a combat search and

rescue mission so as to minimise the risk to your-self and the rescuers.After meeting the other students and receiving

the introductory lectures, we relocated to a trainingcamp in the forests of Gravik, on the shores of stun-ning Lake Vattern. The next week was spent billetedin wooden cabins learning basic survival skills,including fire lighting, finding and purifying water,butchery, outdoor cooking, fishing, identifying wildplants for food and medicine, and shelter building.

Once these skills had been mastered we concen-trated on lessons unique to the military, includingmine awareness, dog evasion, how to improviseusing basic military equipment, and navigating overlong distances from memory and improvised maps.

On completion of this phase we took part on ourfirst multi-day exercise consisting of escape andevasion, while being pursued by a hunter force

Main pic:Students ski-march to theirtraining area in the forest.

Above left:Sgt O'Neill (centre) with twoother students geared up foran escape and evasion exer-cise. They are carrying replicaweapons, as it is illegal for for-eigners to carry real weaponsin Sweden.

Above centre right:An instructor explains the finerpoints of an arctic shelter.

Above (far right):A/Sgt Hammond (centre) withmembers of his team workingout a route!

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physical effects of working in these climatesand gain an understanding of how our bodieswould cope over a prolonged period.

This was followed by training in sea sur-vival, culminating in an exercise that involvedthe whole course being cast adrift in a life raftfor several hours.

The final, and longest, exercise tested allthe skills that we had learned. We had to survive overseveral days while travelling long distances on onlythe food we could find and with the most basic equip-ment, sleeping in improvised shelters along the way.This tested our physical stamina, survival skills, andmentally ability to function under pressure to the limitas your ability to function rapidly decreases withoutproper food and with limited water.

Finally, we arrived back at Granvik having complet-ed what we were told was 'the easy part' of the course!

equipped with dogs, and,once captured, an inter-rogation/POW exercise.The exercise gave us agood understanding ofwhat it would be like tobe pursued by a hostileforce and the interrogationelement taught us how to act if captured.Knowledge of these skills would be valuable for sol-diers as incorrect behaviour or attempts at playing'hardball' greatly decrease your chances of a posi-tive outcome.

After a couple of days rest we were back at theschool for training in jungle and desert survival. Thisincluded an exercise in a climate-controlled buildingthat allowed the staff to simulate extreme desert andjungle environments so that we could experience the

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The next week wasspent… learningbasic survival skills,including fire light-ing, finding and puri-fying water, butchery,outdoor cooking, fish-ing, identifying wildplants for food andmedicine, and shelterbuilding.

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For the main multi-day ground exercise we formedinto small patrols and had to reach different objec-tives each day and build different types of shelters,surviving throughout on what we could snare orcatch, which was occasionally subsidised by gamefrom the school staff. If lucky, a ski march severalkilometres to a frozen lake would be rewarded with apike to share with the other patrol members for pos-sibly your only meal of the day!

The main challenge during the exercise was tomaintain operational capability while working withminimal food in the hostile Arctic environment. Youconstantly had to avoid sweating while carrying outactivities, as it would rapidly cool you once youstopped. Also in the Arctic you need to drink aroundfour to five litres of liquid a day to avoid dehydration.This can be difficult, as water has to be carried closeto the body to avoid it freezing.

The temperature dropped below -40oC on a fewoccasions so you constantly had to be on your guardagainst cold injuries. This was particularly relevantwhen sleeping in the different snow shelters.

Back home, Mark and I were involved in trainingrecruits in Baldonnel until January when we foundourselves on a flight to Kiruna in Swedish Laplandfor Part B of the SERE course. Stepping off the planeat 1330hrs into a temperature of -24oC with the sunalready starting made us more than a little apprehen-sive about what we had got ourselves into! We hadarrived a week before the course to learn some basicwinter skills from the school instructors. We spentthe week practising military cross-country skiing andgetting acclimatized to the extreme temperature. Onour second day the temperature dropped to -35°C,which was a small taste of what was to follow.

With our week of training over we met up with theother students at the airport and were relocated toLappeasuando, a small hamlet east of Kiruna. Afterlunch and a few introductory lectures we werestraight onto skis and ski-marched several kilome-tres through forests and across a frozen river in thewinter darkness, to our training area for the next twoweeks. The wilderness camp was in dense forest sev-eral kilometres from the road and can only be

reached by snow mobile or skis in winter and by boatin summer.

Over the next few days we were given lessons onconstructing winter shelters, food slaughter, foodpreparation and a 'hole in the ice' bath, which teach-es the action to take if you go through thin ice whilecrossing frozen water. This was quite an experienceas the air temperature on the day was -30oC and ifyou've ever thought the rivers in the Glen of Imaalare cold you should think again! We also revised theskills we had learned on the summer course.

The first ground exercise was a 24-hour soloovernight that consisted of sleeping in a pit in thesnow using your jacket, skis and poles as overheadprotection from the falling snow. A sleeping bagcould be used, but not a 'bivvy' bag or sleeping mat.Among your other objectives were to maintain a fireand to melt snow for water.

We then moved onto lessons on snares and icefishing.

It was a great feeling when the last exercise final-ly came to an end. After a hot Swedish sauna theaward ceremony took place and Mark and I felt agreat sense of achievement as we received our SEREinstructor certificates from OC Survival School, MajTor Cavalli-Bjorkman. Afterwards we had a tradition-al Swedish meal with reindeer meat for the maincourse. This was followed with a few well-earneddrinks, which were occasionally interrupted as wewent outside to look at the Northern Lights.

Both the training and the hospitality we receivedfrom the Survival School's staff were superb andhelped to make our visits to Sweden so memorable.

As well as learning valuable skills we were alsotrained in how to safely manage exercises and pre-pare lectures in the different disciplines. It is hopedthat, in time, we will be able to use these skills tohelp further develop the survival training that the AirCorps Military Training School has been conductingwith great success over recent years.�

Above:Sgt O'Neill (left) prepares fire-wood as his buddy dries hissocks and boots at the fire. Theyhave scraped away the snow todraw heat up from the ground.

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'In 2020, the Irish marine sector will sellinto specialised global and local marketsin a dynamic, innovative and technologi-cally driven manner, by means of strongindustry research partnerships, a skilledworkforce and a strategic capability thatresponds to markets and technology. Itwill be internationally recognised for itshigh quality marine environment andcharacterised by coherent policy andregulation.'

Sea Change - A Marine Knowledge, Research andInnovation Strategy for Ireland (2007-2013)

Every navy consists of at least three navies; yes-terday's navy, today's navy and tomorrow's navyin planning. Some even say there is a fourth, thenavy after that. Over the last decade or so yesterday's navy

merged into the navy of today as it celebrated its50th anniversary. The outcomes from the GleesonCommission were bedding in, reaffirming our per-sonnel as central to everything we do. The firstPrice Waterhouse review of the Defence Forces hadjust been completed and the second, dealing withthe Naval Service and Air Corps, together with theDefence White Paper were about to drive the NSValue for Money Implementation Plan, leading toorganisation and process transformation.

The Navy of today was born out of this plan,which has seen an almost 50% increase in patroldays and a greater fleet capacity for service provi-sion. Naval Service vessels deploy daily in homewaters as the maritime element of defence, under-pinning state sovereignty and delivering a raft ofpolicing and public services.

Fishery protection duties within our exclusivefishery limits and beyond are important and over theyears they have been turned into a virtue, gettingships to sea and helping in the development of theIrish Navy's niche capability, small boat operations.

Ships of today's Navy have been operating fur-ther afield with the historic deployments of LÉNiamh to Asia in 2002 and LÉ Eithne to the SouthernAtlantic in 2006. These deployments highlighted theutility and flexibility of the Navy. LÉ Niamh support-ed the Irish government's Asia/Pacific economicstrategy by providing a focal point from which toarticulate Ireland's economic interest in six of themajor commercial centres along the Asian PacificRim. In South America LÉ Eithne helped tostrengthen Irish cultural links, while the importanceof one of Ireland's most famous maritime sonsAdmiral William Brown was also acknowledged. Inaddition the image of Ireland as a caring state wasreinforced through a variety of humanitarian initia-tives along South America's Atlantic rim.

Looking towards the Navy of tomorrow we seethe Service is poised to benefit from potentially thebiggest investment project ever undertaken withinthe Defence Forces, the replacement of three navalvessels. With a decision imminent and an estimatedlifetime per new ship of at least 30 years, trying toforecast what the world will be like in 2020 not tomention 2040 is difficult. A number of key factors,however, are helping shape how the Defence Forcesprepares for its future Navy.

The greatest uncertainty is the weather. Thedesign of offshore and coastal ship structuresrequires a good knowledge of the most severe windand wave conditions that they need to withstand. TheEuropean Centre for Medium-Range WeatherForecasts (ECMWF) has recently completed a globalanalysis of, inter alia, ocean winds and waves from1957 to 20021. Using data that cover the whole globethe study found that the storm track regions of theNorth Atlantic are where the most extreme waves inthe world are to be found, with wave heights of theregion of 24.5m to 27.5m.2 Much of this region is withinIreland's current and potential area of jurisdiction. In2000, RSS Challenger measured the largest waves inthe world (29.1m) 150 nautical miles west of Ireland.

Atlantic hurricanes of all categories have showna significant rise in the last 20 years3 (see fig 1 p15).While many have expended much of their energybefore they reach our shores the fact remains thatextreme storms constitute the driving mechanism

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THREE NAVIESONE CENTRE OF GRAVITY

by Cdr Mark Mellet NS

LÉ Eithne replenishingwith LÉ Róisín near theSouth Coast. PhotoA/Sea David Jones.

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The 1988 'Brundtland Report' captured many con-cerns when it said: “Major, unintended changes areoccurring in the atmosphere, in soils, in waters,among plants and animals. Nature is bountiful but it isalso fragile and finely balanced. There are thresholdsthat cannot be crossed without endangering the basicintegrity of the system. Today we are close to many ofthose thresholds.” Twenty years on there is irrefutableevidence that the manner in which man interacts withhis environment is having strategic implications.

It is easy when perched on the edge of the EuroAtlantic rim to comfort ourselves with the belief thatIreland has a pristine marine environment that is theenvy of our neighbours but the state of the environ-ment that lies beneath the surface is not alwaysapparent. In less than 50 years a growing and worry-ing appreciation of the sea's vulnerability hasreplaced perceptions of the oceans as systems ofinfinite capacity and inexhaustible abundance.Concerns such as over fishing, pollution, habitatdestruction, species extermination and ocean-useconflict are now the bullet points at almost everymarine science and law forum.

According to the European Environment Agency(EEA) 100% of fish stocks off the West Coast ofIreland are outside safe biological limits, a view sup-ported by the International Council for the Explorationof the Seas (ICES). The European Union's MaritimeGreen Paper acknowledges that our citizens are notalways well informed about the oceans and seas. Theyknow how crucial water is but may not make the linkwith most of it being recycled from the oceans as rainor snow. They worry about climate change but may notalways see the role of the oceans in modulating it.


for intense ocean wave and storm surge events andthe trend is ominous. Crew health and safety andship survivability are just some of the factors thatmust be considered into the future.

Ireland has commenced its claim for sovereignrights over the continental margin, having made apartial claim on an uncontested area abutting thePorcupine Abyssal Plain4 in 2005, and, together withFrance, the UK and Spain, a joint claim for a furtherarea in 2006 5. It is anticipated that a claim for a finalarea will be made before 2009. This potential exten-sion of Ireland's jurisdiction could result in a dou-bling of the area in which Ireland may exercise sover-eign rights, and at 220 million acres could be up to 13times the size of the state.

The rights over seabed and sub-seabed resourcesare exclusive in the sense that no one should under-take activities on these without government consent.6The recent publication of the 'Sea Change' documenthas highlighted the government's commitment toexpand the contribution to the economy of its mar-itime resources. This will see a major increase inactivity off the coast, including resource exploitationopportunities, renewable energy development, bioprospecting, research and tourism.

Between 3% and 5% of Europe's GDP is estimatedto be generated by marine-based industries andservices7 yet it is estimated that the sector account-ed for just less than 1% of Ireland's GDP in 2003.8Considering that in Denmark the sector accounts for11.5% of GDP and 20% in Norway, the potential forgrowth in Ireland is clear.

Unlike fish, which are a 'common' EU resource,the resources in Irish waters, such as oil, gas, miner-al wealth, blue bio, etc, and the services the marineenvironment supports, such as renewable energy pro-duction, are primarily in state ownership.

Looking towards 2010 the world's marine indus-tries forecast growth in almost all sub-sectors, with,for example, almost a 100% increase in submarinetelecoms, a 24% increase in the cruise industry, a 24%increase in marine biotechnology, a 12% increase inoffshore oil/gas and almost a 1,000% increase inrenewable energy9.

Biotechnology activity is likely to grow rapidlywith the Porcupine Ridge on the Irish ContinentalShelf demonstrating some of the unique featuresassociated with productive environments for bioprospecting in other jurisdictions.10The wind andwave regimes off the West Coast of Ireland are alsoamong the most favourable in the world for offshorerenewable energy production11.

Expanding the home waters' footprint far beyondthat which currently exists and stretching supportand communications lines up to 1,300km offshore,while underpinning Ireland's sovereign rights, willalso have a bearing on the Navy of tomorrow.

Ireland has com-menced its claim forsovereign rights overthe continental mar-gin, having made apartial claim on anuncontested areaabutting thePorcupine AbyssalPlain in 2005, and,together with France,the UK and Spain, ajoint claim for a fur-ther area in 2006. It isanticipated that aclaim for a final areawill be made before2009… could resultin a doubling of thearea in which Irelandmay exercise sovereignrights, and at 220 mil-lion acres could be upto 13 times the size ofthe state.

They may know about marine pollution but may notunderstand that most of it originates on land.

There is general consensus that most states willmove quickly to adopt a comprehensive system ofocean governance. Ecological sustainability, economicefficiency, and social fairness are among the jointobjectives required, with security being a key pillar of afuture ocean governance system. But security encom-passes more than just the traditional interpretation.

Getting it right in the coming years is crucial andone of the keys is the development of an ecosystem-based governance system with sustainable develop-ment as its cornerstone. The fundamental norm, sus-tainability, requires the development of rules that canguide specific human behaviour that is consistent

Lt Sean Lenihan driveshis ship in the BridgeSimulator at the NationalMaritime College. Photo:A/Sea David Jones.

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with goals that the norm sets.What happens in our oceans is a public policy

issue with local, national, regional and global dimen-sions. Constanza has said that the ocean is tooimportant to our survival to allow its continuedexploitation as if it was infinite. For the citizens ofIreland it is too valuable a resource and of suchstrategic national interest not to want to care or notto have a say.

As it ponders its future the Navy must consider allof its resource requirements. The optimal mix of shipsis important but a ship does not make a crew - a crewmakes a ship. So building these crews will meanretaining and recruiting people, who are smart, thinkfast and can leverage technology. Deploying remotely

operated vehicles (ROVs) in the ocean and usingsatellite technology for surveillance are just some ofnew technologies at work today and tomorrow's Navymust prepare for improved networked capabilities;ROVs that will go deeper, unmanned air vehicles(UAVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).

The Navy's crews will ensure new ships make thegreatest contribution to the Defence Forces, a contri-bution that ensures defence services with the great-est effect. Improving the level of 'jointness' is goingto help and this will come as the Defence Forcesenhances its combined joint capability. From a polic-ing perspective, the global maritime security environ-ment is dynamic and unpredictable, necessitatinggreater inter-agency and inter-state co-operation.

On the softer side the Navy must continue to buildits level of flexibility, enabling the broadest range ofpublic services possible with a capacity to assist ineverything from humanitarian disasters to monitor-ing marine environmental health, a Navy which to allintents and purposes is post-modern.

Finally, while policy, strategy and resources areimportant for the Navy, one resource forms its centreof gravity. This centre of gravity is always the same,for yesterday's Naval Service, for today's NavalService and for the Naval Service of tomorrow - it isits people!�

NOTES1. www.knmi.nl/publications/fulltexts/caires_extremes

_jclim_2005.pdf2. The report is consistent with the findings of numerous

other studies. For example, see 'The Wave Climate of theNorth Atlantic - Past, Present & Future.' Val R Swail et al,www.oceanweather.net/7thwave/Papers/Swail_etal.pdf

3. Holland G. Surgi, N., Franklin, J., Webster, P., Chen, S.,(2006) Cited in 'National Centre for AtmosphericResearch.' National Geographic

4. Submission to the Commission on the Limits of theContinental Shelf pursuant to Article 76, paragraph 8 ofthe United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982in respect of the area abutting the Porcupine AbyssalPlain. ISBN 0-9542479-1-4. Government of Ireland 2005.

5. 'Joint submission deposited by Ireland, France, Spainand the United Kingdom to UN Commission claimingextended Continental Shelf beyond 200 nautical milesfrom shore.' DFA press release, 19th May 2006.

6. Article 77, United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea.7. Green Paper on a Future Maritime Policy for the EU.8. 'Ireland's Ocean Economy and Resources,' Marine

Foresight, Series No.4, December 2005. Marine Institute.The importance of the maritime sector, however, is bet-ter appreciated when it is understood that the sectoraccounts for the transportation of 99% of Ireland'simports and exports.

9. Ibid. Page 29.10. bid.11. Ibid. Page 33.

7 5

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4 07 0 - 7 5 - 8 0 - 8 5 - 9 0 - 9 5 - 0 0 -7 4 7 9 8 4 8 9 9 4 9 9 0 4

Fig 1:North Atlantic Hurricanes 1970–2004

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Naval Service Remote OperatedVehicle (ROV) fitted with cameras and hydraulic grab.Photo: A/Sea David Jones).

Right:Deep Water Coral biodiversityhotspot off the west coast ofIreland. (Photo: courtesyInfremer & Dr Anthony Grehan,NUIG.)

…while policy, strate-gy and resources areimportant for theNavy, one resourceforms its centre ofgravity… for yester-day's Naval Service, fortoday's Naval Serviceand for the NavalService of tomorrow -it is its people!

20mm RheinmetalCannon day shootnear the equator.

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When I asked Lt Cdr Steve Walsh, captain LÉNiamh, what was going on in the Naval Serviceat the moment he told me “LÉ Eithne is head-ing to investigate a reported oil-spillage sight-

ing off the South East Coast that may or may not berelated to one of the missing trawlers, LÉ Aislingand LÉ Aoife are in Castletownbere making ready tojoin the search and recovery operation for the PereCharles and the Honey Dew II, LÉ Róisín is settingout on a fishery patrol of the southern sector of our200 mile limit, members of the Naval Diving Sectionare on board the Dept of the Marine research ship,the Granuaille preparing to dive on the site wherethe Pere Charles went down, and the Niamh is con-tinuing its current patrol after berthing in Limerickover the weekend.”

Right! And it’s only 0800hrs on Monday morningand I haven’t even had my first cup of coffee sinceSgt Willie Braine and I joined the Niamh alongsidethe quay in Limerick to accompany the crew on thelast leg of their current fishery protection patrol.

“So, when we will get back in?” I asked innocent-ly. “Well,” Lt Cdr Walsh answered me, “we may bealongside by Thursday or Friday, possibly inKillybegs, or then again we mightn’t be back in untilthe following Tuesday, depending on a number of fac-tors and what else may come up while we’re out.”

Such are the vagaries of life in the Naval Service.Plans are fluid and “everything,” I was told by theBosun, PO/Sea Adrian Braine, “is STC”– subject tochange. The weather affects every facet of life at seaand NS operations are no different, particularly fish-ery protection operations as the activity of fishing

trawlers, the main subject of interest to the patrol,are heavily weather dependent. Therefore changes inthe weather may cause changes in patrol plans androutes.

There is also the possibility that one of the ves-sels inspected by the ship’s boarding parties wouldneed to be detained and escorted to the nearestappropriate port.

Then again a flash signal could be received fromNaval Operations advising the captain of an emer-gency or detailing the ship for some other urgentoperation.

We passed out through the lock at the mouth ofthe harbour and entered the Shannon just after0800hrs and began the approximately two-and-a-halfhour journey to the open sea. As we passed throughrelatively narrow stretches of the river we could seecattle along the shoreline watching our approach andbacking steadily away from the water’s edge. Theseseasoned inhabitants of the area were well aware ofthe wash that would surge onto the banks as westeamed by.

Into the estuary and the strength of the currentcould be seen as it pushed hard against the buoysthat marked our route. Speed through the water isone thing but when the water is also moving fast itvastly increases the distance travelled in a giventime: one of a number of factors that have to be takeninto account by the captain and the navigation officerin order to steer the ship safely through the estuary’sshallow waters.

On the bridge the XO Lt Cathal Power told meabout the purpose and importance of fishery patrolsand how the Naval Service carries them out.

“Ireland’s 200-mile limit covers about 16% of theEUs fishing waters: a vast area covering approximate-ly 132,000 sq miles. It’s our responsibility to assist inprotecting and policing these waters and ensuringthat Irish and EU fishery protection laws are obeyed.

“During fishery patrols our ships monitor fishingtrawlers and board them for investigation if required.To assist them each ship is linked to the NavalService’s FIS (Fishery Information System) a data-base that contains all relevant information about all

Lifeon the Ocea

Last month Terry McLaughlin andSgt Willie Braine joined LÉ Niamhfor a couple of days during theship’s current fishery patrol.Terry filed this report on theexperience…

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EAregistered EU trawlers, such as registration details,

size, colour, type, catch, and date of last boarding. “On board we also have the FGS (Fishery

Geographical System),” he continued. “This is an on-screen graphical presentation of all the identifiedtrawlers in our waters. Each boat is separately repre-sented and the system allows us to link an on-screen‘target’ back to the FIS database and pull up itsdetails. We can also use the system to show thetrawler’s movements over the last few days.”

The nature of fishery patrols has changed radicallysince the 80s and early 90s. In those earlier days thedecision as to whether a boat was breaking the lawwas mainly confined to location: if a boat was not enti-tled to be fishing in Irish waters it was detained. Now,according to Lt Power, fishery protection has becomemuch more technical and Naval personnel involved,particularly boarding parties, must be conversant withall aspects of EU and Irish fishery law. Log books andcatches are checked for accuracy and legality, netsizes are checked, and thorough searches are con-ducted. To assist them in their task personnel involvedin boardings and decision-making have recourse toboth electronic and hard copies of the appropriateregulations and the statutory instruments that incor-porate these regulations into Irish law.

Ireland’s national waters are divided into ten zonesfor patrolling purposes. On the southern and north-western edges of our waters are two ‘grey areas’.These are zones of overlapping claims to ownership.For example the NorthWest Grey Area is subject toclaims by Ireland and the UK. The accepted protocolfor this area is that Irish naval vessels only board Irishtrawler s and the Royal Navy board UK registeredtrawlers. In recent years the Naval Service and theRoyal Navy have been conducting joint patrols knownas WASPs (Western Approaches Shared Patrols) todeter abuse of the anomalies in this area.

All vessels operating in Irish waters may beboarded by NS ships. However, in a bid to clampdown on illegal fishing activities in internationalwaters the NEC (North Eastern Conference), aninternational body representing the EU and severalother countries in the region, has adopted conven-tions that allow for naval ships of any member coun-try to board and investigate any ship it comes acrossin the waters of the North Atlantic. While naval shipsdo not have the right to detain trawlers in thesewaters, other than those registered in their owncountries, they can report illegal activities or breach-es of legislation back to the trawler’s country of ori-gin for further action.

When an NS ship approaches a vessel that thecaptain has decided to board the trawler will be con-tacted by radio. The Naval Service ship will identifyitself and tell the trawler to prepare to receive aboarding party. “Depending on the number of fishingvessels operating in an area and the crew available tous,” Lt Power told me, “we may do multiple board-ings, where one of our RIBs (rigid inflatable boats)will drop off a number of boarding parties, allowing usto carry out a number of searches simultaneously.”

As well as being a very important naturalresource, fisheries are a very valuable economicasset to the European Union and since the largestarea of EU waters is off the west coast of Ireland thevital role of the Naval Service in protecting andpolicing these waters cannot be overestimated.

After steaming all day and through the night LÉNiamh’s boarding operations began at first light onthe Tuesday morning with two large Norwegiantrawlers fishing near the outer limits of our 200-milezone. With everything in order we moved onto ournext targets a huge Lithuanian factory ship and anearby French trawler.

Manpower can be a problem on these patrols par-ticularly on the likes of the Niamh and the Roisin,both of which can steam through the night, unlike the

older Peacock Class vessels. This means thatfull watches are required 24 hours a day.

Every member of the crew isfully utilised in keeping the

ship functioning,

Ocean Wave

“Ireland’s 200-milelimit covers about16% of the EUsfishing waters: avast area coveringapproximately132,000 sq miles.It’s our responsi-bility to assist in protecting andpolicing thesewaters and ensur-ing that Irish and EU fishery protection laws are obeyed.

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Even such a simplething as sleepingcan become a problem when theship is steaming constantly. In roughseas it can be difficult to get anydecent sleep whiletrying to braceyourself in order tostay in your bunk.

whether it is doing watches on the bridge or in theengine room, carrying out maintenance and repairs,cooking in the galley, manning the radio room,launching the ship’s RIBs, carrying out boardings,looking after administration, or keeping the ship ship-shape (pardon the pun), among a myriad of tasks.

Demands on NS personnel have increased overthe years as the number of days at sea has beenincreased from 160/180 to its current 220 days per year.Some of the crew will be returning to sea with theNiamh for her next patrol after spending a couple ofweeks alongside in Haulbowline, where they will stillcome into work every day to do duties and carry outmaintenance, admin and cleaning; others are comingto the end of their current two-year stint at sea andwill be going ashore until their next seagoing appoint-ment in about two years, or until they are required asreliefs for other patrols; and some are returningashore after completing this patrol as reliefs.

Life at sea for our Naval Service colleagues isvery different from that of the average soldier or air-man. When off duty at sea, the sailor can’t go hometo his family or go for a few drinks with civvy friends:his or her working environment is also his off dutyenvironment. It is a bit similar to a soldier living in asmall camp while overseas, although in most casesthey can still get out of the camp for a run.

Constantly being surrounded by the same people forweeks at a time in a confined environment has itsown problems, and its own solutions. As one sea-soned sailor told me “You just learn to get on withpeople because there is no alternative. You try tomake sure things run smoothly and that any problemsare nipped in the bud.”

Even such a simple thing as sleeping can becomea problem when the ship is steaming constantly. Inrough seas it can be difficult to get any decent sleepwhile trying to brace yourself in order to stay in yourbunk. I encountered that problem on one of the nightsonboard even though it was only a moderate sea andI can certainly understand why they used hammocksin the old days as they were less likely to try to landyou on the floor on top of your head!

If, as Napoleon said, an army marches on itsstomach it is also true that food is a very importantelement of life in the navy. In that regard the crew ofLÉ Niamh are well served by their current cooks, L/Cook Alan Ferguson,A/Cook Brendan Fitzgerald, andA/Cook John O’Shea, who manageto turn out a selection of differentchoices for every meal. The food is plentifuland is a great credit to the lads given the crampedspace in the ship’s galley.

Below:Cooks prepare a meal in thegalley for the crew.

Keeping watch.One of the storerooms.

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Due to a change in the captain’s plans our tripaboard the Niamh was cut short as it was a choice ofgoing ashore in Galway or possibly spending theremainder of the week onboard. We chose to cut andrun. We had spent a few very enjoyable and interest-

ing days with the crew of the Niamh, who showed usthe customary excellent Naval Service hospitality, butI don’t think I would fancy it week after week, yearafter year…but then again what would you expectfrom a landlubber!�

Right:A RIB comes back from aboarding.

Moral of the crew isvery important.

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On any Naval Service ship youwill meet a varied bunch of individuals, all coming from different backgrounds, but ultimately they come together toensure the safe and effectiveoperational running of the ship!Sgt Willie Braine spoke to anumber of LÉ Niamh’s crewabout life at sea and their jobs onboard…

DifferentStrokes

Navigation Officer S/Lt Stuart ArmstrongThe navigation officer has a vast array of equipmentavailable to help him to navigate the ship safely. Thisranges from radar to GPS to electronic charts.However, the mainstay of his work still comprisesphysically plotting the ship’s course onto Admiraltycharts using a compass, a pencil, a special ruler anda lot of knowledge.

Admiralty charts are available for all our watersand come in a variety of scales with the larger scalesbeing used when closer to shore as they providedmore detail. The charts are updated periodically toshow any changes to the sea bed topography. Someareas, mainly in deep water, change very little over theyears but other areas in shallower waters canchanged substantially. For example, the Arklow Banks‘migrate’ east and then back west periodically.

One of the trickiest operations for the navigationofficer comes when anchoring the ship, particularlyinside a bay or estuary or otherwise close to theshore. A number of factors must be taken into con-sideration such as the depth of the ship’s keel, theheight of the water at low tide, the current, theweather, the distance the ship may rotate around itsanchor chain due to a change in the wind or tides,and the possibility of dragging the anchor. The latteris largely dependent on the nature of the sea bedand this information is given on the charts. Theanchor itself plays a small part in holding the ship, itis mainly the weight of the links of the anchor chainlying on the sea bed and the degree to which theybind with it. For example, mud provides good tractionas the links bed in well, whereas rock is the worst asit provides little grip.

When the ship is underway the Officer of the Watchchecks the ship’s position and marks it on the chart.This will show if the ship is drifting off course and acorrection can be made. These checks are generallymade at half-hourly intervals although this time spandecreases the closer the ship gets to shore as theimportance of having the ship in exactly the right posi-tion increases as the waters become more shallow.

Cox’n CPO John Pius NolanThe cox'n is the senior NCO onboard a Naval Service shipand Sgt Willie Braine spoke to LÉ Niamh's cox'n, CPOPius Nolan about his career. And just for the record, Piuswas bosun with LÉ Aoife in 1986 when O/Mech WillieBraine joined the ship for his first trip to sea.

CPO John Pius Nolan, from Inchicore, Dublin, joinedthe Naval Service in July 1975. Prior to enlisting Piusworked on the buildings and after turning up one dayand being told there was no work he says: “I wasstanding there with my sandwiches under my armand I said 'That's it, I'm joining the Navy!' So myselfand two other lads headed for Cathal Burgha Bks tosign up. You didn't need your parents' permissionback then and after doing a medical we came backthe next day, we were sworn in and given a travelwarrant to Cobh.”

After recruit training O/Sea Nolan was assigned toSeaman's Division. His first ship was LÉ Deirdre in1976, a two-week relief that ended up as a four-yearstint! His next ship was the Grainne and it was whilewith Grainne that he was sent on the 7th PotentialNCO Course in Haulbowline. After the course he spentthree years on Spike instructing recruits and courses.

After his spell ashore Pius went back to LÉDeirdre as a leading gunner. “There were a lot ofretirements around that time,” Pius says, “and I waspromoted to PO within two years and posted to theFola as bosun.” Apart from LÉ Eithne Pius has served

on every ship that was in service with the NavalService during his career, Grainne, Fola, Bamba, thefour PVs and the two Peacocks.

Pius recalls how the Naval Service has changedbeyond recognition since he joined up. “Theminesweepers were nothing like the ships of today,”he says. “When I served with them I was in the sen-ior mess deck, which held 12, where we literally ate,slept and drank. There was just one big wardrobe inthe middle of the mess and you had to drop one ofthe bunks down so people could eat their dinner,which was a matter of first up best dressed! TheDeirdre was the biggest ship at that time and was thefirst Naval Service ship with cabins.”

After promotion to CPO, Pius's first ship as cox'nwas LÉ Orla. From there he went to LÉ Aisling beforebecoming the first cox'n on both Róisín and Niamhrespectively.

As to his time spent at sea Pius told me: “Godknows; I certainly don't. I have nine years at sea as acox'n, but before that? I don't know: every time myturn was up I just went, there was never any ifs, andsor buts, I just went.”

As cox'n CPO Nolan's duties are the same as thoseof a sergeant major in an infantry unit, mainly disipline,ceremonial, duty, pay and allowances. He runs theship's office, which is the equivalent of an orderly

Navigation Officer S/Lt Stuart Armstrong.

CPO/ERA Richie Kinsella

Cox’n CPO Pius Nolan

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room. The cox'n is also responsible for steering theship during harbour stations, boarding stations or anytime the ship is piped for special sea duty.

Working and living together in a confined envi-ronment for long periods of time presents chal-lenges for the crew from the point of view of moraleand discipline. “There has to be cameraderie tokeep morale up,” Pius says. “We are all close, fromthe captain down to the seamen, but everyoneknows where the line is and it's not crossed. We area professional unit and have a job to do, but it'simportant to know when to lighten up and when tobe serious. For instance, the bosun must know, andours does, when to crack the whip and when to letthe lads relax. It's the same with the rest of thebranches' senior NCOs. We're all out here together,there's no one on their own and we all enjoy and suffer together.”

Pius served as sergeant major with UNIFIL inNaqoura in 1993/4 and has travelled on many foreigntrips with the NS.

Pius loves the Navy and all it stands for. “I'm onmy 32nd year in the Navy and I hope to stay in untilI'm 60. The Navy has been very good to me and Ithink it's a great life, particularly now that the shipsand equipment are getting better all the time.”

CPO/ERA Ritchie KinsellaCPO Ritche Kinsella with 31 years service and fromAvoca, Co Wicklow is currently on his second patrolwith LÉ Niamh and will be back ashore after the nextpatrol. As an Engine Room Artificer, Ritchie’s mainjob at sea is supervising the Engineer Branch WatchKeepers, which consists of three PO/ERAs, aPO/EA, a PO/Mech, a L/Mech and three A/Mechs.At times he is assigned apprentices from the NavalService Technical School, National Maritime CollegeIreland and is responsible for marking up their taskbooks while at sea.

The Niamh has a computerised maintenance sys-tem, which manages all routine maintenance tasksto be carried out onboard. The Engineer Branch dealwith all unplanned maintenance or repairs thatarise, such as problems with the hydraulic plant thatcontrols the ship’s stabilisation system.

LÉ Niamh has a reverse osmosis plant that canproduce between 10 and 12tons of drinking water perday from seawater. As the ship takes on water sup-

plies before going to sea, the plant is gener-ally not required. However, it must be

maintained should the need arise. Theplant was used extensively duringNiamh’s voyage to Asia in 2002.

Fire or flooding are the greatestdangers faced by a ship at seaand the CPO/ERA is also i/c ofthe Standing Sea Fire Party,

who will be the first in to assess and try to control afire on board.

The Navy has strong policies and practices in placeto ensure its ships do not pollute the sea. TheCPO/ERA keeps a dirty oil book in which he mustrecord every drop of waste oil, which is then storedsafely and brought back to the base. Water emanatingfrom the bilges that drains the ship’s keel and all otherwaste water, pass through an oil/water separator. Afterseparation the water then passes through a furthertesting device. If any more than 15 parts per million ofimpurity is detected the system will not allow the waterto be flushed out to sea and it has to be passed backthrough the separator again. The CPO/ERA is alsoresponsible for supervising this system.

In addition, all oily rags, used parts, mechanical orelectrical, batteries and anything else of that natureare returned to the Naval Base for proper disposal.

CPO Kinsella is very confident in the ship’s envi-ronmental protection systems and procedures and isadamant that no hazardous or harmful materials areallowed into the sea, and, as he says himself, “Itshouldn’t be any other way.”

Bosun PO/Sea Adrian BrainePO Braine has 18 years service with the NavalService, of which he has spent nearly 12 at sea. Hehas been with LÉ Niamh since December 2005, asLeading Gunner for the first eight months and thenas Bosun since his promotion to PO in August 2005.Prior to joining the Niamh, Adrian served with Orla(six years), Emer (two years) and Roisín (2 and ahalf years). He has also spent four years trainingrecruits in the Naval Base. PO Braine also instructson personal survival techniques in the NationalMaritime College Ireland, having completed hisinstructor’s course in Fleetwood Nautical College inthe UK.

The Bosun is responsible for the Seaman’s branchonboard ship. On LÉ Niamh this consists of threeleading seamen (L/Sea) and seven seamen (A/Sea orO/Sea). Among their duties are ship’s husbandry andmaintenance of the upper deck, including all cranes,ropes and ladders. The seamen also provide the cox’nand bowmen for the RIBs and man the ship’s guns.They also drive the ship while at sea and are the mainpeople on deck during towing or replenishment at sea(RAS) operations.

In addition to supervising the Seaman’s Branch,the Bosun is also responsible for the training at seaof any O/Seas that might be assigned to the ship.When they join the ship the O/Seas may only havedone their basic Seamanship and RIB courses andthe Bosun must ensure that they learn all the neces-sary seamanship skills and mark up their task booksas they complete the various skills.

From time to time seamen from the Naval Reservewill also join the ship for a patrol. These can range fromvery experienced to very inexperienced personnel.

PO Braine says the main attributes required by aBosun are a high level of seamanship skills, good manmanagement skills and good organisational skills.

“Obviously, you require very good seamanshipskills,” he says, “if you are to supervise others andmake sure their standards are up to scratch, and alsoto train the ordinary seamen in their jobs. You need tobe a good organiser to make sure the workload isspread fairly throughout the seamen, which is notalways an easy task. For instance, for one reason oranother I am short three seamen at the moment,which is quite an amount in a small branch, and thelads aren’t getting much rest. It’s times like this thatgood man management skills are also required.”�

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the sport had run its course due to a reoccurringinjury. Seeking a change in sporting direction hefound it in endurance racing after speaking to col-leagues Capt Tom Barry and Lt Sean Coffey, who hadcompeted in the Marathon Des Sables, a six-dayendurance race across the Sahara.

While serving with 93 Inf Bn UNMIL, Davebecame friendly with Lt Ronan O'Flaherty, who wasalready an experienced tri-athlete, and they bothdecided to try the Ironman qualifier in the UK.Training commenced almost immediately, with regu-larly visits to the swimming pool at the Riverviewcomplex where many UN workers are based, and itwas here that Dave developed his swimming tech-nique under Ronan's guidance. Dave also ran regu-larly throughout his tour of duty, and a new bike waspurchased on his return to Ireland.

Dave set his sights on Ironman UK 2006, whichwas held in Somerset in August. Returning fromLiberia in November gave him just eight months toget in shape for the most gruelling of endurancesports. However, after registering there was no goingback, so an intensive training plan was put in actionthat included early morning swims in the local poolbefore work, a run at lunchtime and a cycle in theevening. Dave kept up this punishing schedule andappreciates the support he got from those aroundhim, both at home and at work.

As part of his preparations Dave completedsprint triathlons in Sligo, Athlone and Kilkee.Triathlons in Ireland are one of the fastest growingsports and Dave was surprised at the level of partici-pation by people of all ages and a variety of sportingbackgrounds.

During an awards ceremony for a Hawaii runningrace back in 1978, a debate ensued among com-petitors about who is more fit…swimmers, run-ners or other athletes. One of the participants,

Navy Commander John Collins, and his wife Judy,came up with an idea to settle the argument. Theyproposed combining three existing races, theWaikiki Roughwater Swim (2.4 miles), the Around-Oahu Bike Race (112 miles) and the HonoluluMarathon (26.2 miles) into a single 'Ironman' race.Fifteen men participated in the initial event: 12 com-pleted the race, with the winner, Gordon Haller,coming home in a time of 11 hours, 46 minutes and58 seconds. Thus, Haller became the first Ironman.

The Ironman race has been held in Hawaii everyOctober since then and has expanded so much thatcompetitors now have to qualify in order to partici-pate in Hawaii. Ironman qualification races takeplace all over the world including in the UK, Japan,New Zealand, Austria, Canada, Germany, Australia,and various US states.

A number of Defence Forces personnel havecompleted triathlons all over the country and a fewhave ventured to the qualifiers for the Ironman com-petition. One of these is Capt Dave Clarke (6 InfBn), a native of Bundoran, Co Donegal, who is anewcomer to this endurance sport. Commissionedin 1992, Dave served with 5 and 28 Inf Bns before hispresent appointment as adjutant with 6 Inf Bn. Hehas also served overseas in Lebanon, East Timor,Eritrea and Liberia.

Capt Clarke represented Donegal in GAA atminor and senior levels but just prior to his trip toLiberia in 2005 he realised that his participation in

Main pic:The competitors in the swimming event.

Right:Dave crossing the finish line.

Below:Capt Dave Clarke.

Sgt Rena Kennedy spoke to Capt Dave Clarke (6 Inf Bn), a relative newcomer to the 'Ironman' endurance sport about its growing appeal with the Defence Forces…As

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Dave arrived in Somerset on August 14th, a weekbefore the competition. A profile of the race anddetails of the routes were sent to him beforehand andhe admits he was a bit apprehensive about the cycle,as the terrain looked tough. However, his army train-ing kicked in immediately with a recce of the cycleroute and swims in the lake each morning prior to therace.

There were 1,500 competitors from all over theworld at the qualifier so space was at a premium forthe start of the race. The start point for the swim was200m from the shore and many competitors opted toswim out to the start line and tread water for 5-10minutes before the starting gun sounded, in order tobe positioned at the front. Dave didn't opt for thistactic as he considers himself a poor swimmer andwanted to conserve his energy.

Having completed the 3,800m swim, Dave arrivedat the transition area where he stripped out of hiswetsuit and got into his cycling gear. Many veteransstart dressed like onions, peeling off one layer asthey complete each event but being a 'rookie' Davefelt “it was more important to be comfortable duringthe subsequent stages instead of trying to save acouple of minutes”.

Triathlon Disciplines

Swim Cycle RunIronman 3.8k 180k 42k Half Ironman 1.9k 90k 21kOlympic Triathlon 1.5k 40k 10kSprint Triathlon 750m 20k 5kDuathon 3.8k 12k 3.8k

Aquathon Swim followed by cycle (various distances)

In the last five miles of the bicycle race Dave real-ly felt the pain and strain, and, strange as it mightseem, he was actually looking forward to themarathon. (Looking forward to running a fullmarathon after swimming and cycling those dis-tances is a testament to the dedication and drive thatparticipants of endurance sports have.)

Dave was confident when he began the final leg ofthe race as he had completed runs of up to 20 mileson the back of 5-hour bike rides during his training,so he felt he had prepared sufficiently. He says thevariety of the run course was also a help as well asbeing able to chat with other competitors “if you hadthe energy!” which isn't allowed during the cyclestage. This is because you are not allowed 'drafting'(tucking in behind another cyclist, similar to the teamtactics engaged in other cycling races) in triathlonsand you can't remain within a 15m rectangular box ofanother cyclist for more than 30 seconds.

Dave hit his 'wall' at 15 miles and admits this wasearlier than he would normally expect in a marathon.However, an increase in carbohydrates, by way ofenergy bars and gels, and the encouragement hereceived from other competitors and from spectatorslining the route lifted his spirits and carried himthrough the pain barrier. Dave finished his firstIronman triathlon in a very credible time of 12 hours15 minutes and 44 seconds. An hour and 15 minutesquicker would have qualified him for a Hawaii slot butDave feels that this could easily be achieved withmore experience prior to his next Ironman.

Dave's advice to anyone interested in taking upthe sport is that they should try a few local competi-tions first to give them a taste of what is required.Alternatively, they could inquire in their local gym, asmany offer short indoor triathlons using treadmillsand bike machines. He adds that many local charitiesare now using triathlons to raise funds for goodcauses and even if you are not proficient at all threesports you can enter a relay team.

Another Ironman participant, Cpl Dave O'Reilly(DFTC) says that entering triathlons in Ireland usedto be very straightforward, with just a phone call tothe relevant organising committee a few days inadvance. However, over the last 18 months he foundhe was missing out on races due to their growingpopularity and now advises prospective participantsto register as soon as the event is advertised to makesure of a place in the starting line.

The governing body for triathlon in Ireland has anexcellent and informative web site (www.triathlonire-land.com), which carries a full calendar of events forsprint and olympic triathlons and practical tips forpreparing for your first triathlon. In 2007, two Half-Ironman competitions are being held in Ireland:Groomsport, Co Down, July 8th; and the Lost Sheep,Kenmare, Co Kerry, September 1st. A number ofduathons and aquathons are also listed for thosewho would only feel confident competing in twoevents. Defence Forces personnel can also contactany of the people listed below for tips, guidance andgeneral information on getting started.

Capt Dave Clarke (Custume Bks)Cpl Derek Nugent (Custume Bks)Cpl Joanna Tilly-Rock (DFTC)Cpl Dave O'Reilly (DFTC)Capt Dave McCourt (DFTC)Capt Ken Barry (DFTC)Sgt Johnny Murray (CIS Sch, DFTC)Sgt Donal McAllister (Cdt Sch, DFTC)Lt Laura Keane (2 Cav Sqn/USAC)�

Dave hit his 'wall'at 15 miles andadmits this wasearlier than hewould normallyexpect in amarathon. However,an increase in carbohydrates, byway of energy barsand gels, and theencouragement hereceived from othercompetitors andfrom spectators lining the routelifted his spiritsand carried himthrough the painbarrier.

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The badges shown are the permanent battal-ions and up to the 1950s, they were only identi-fiable by the numeral worn in conjunction withtheir collar badge. From the mid-50s to the

late-60s, permanent battalions had no distinctiveunit marking and it wasn't until the early-70sbefore unit flashes came into being. The designshave remained much the same since then, thoughsome small variations exist in regard to colour,shade and borders, which can be put down to themanufacturers not getting exact instructions.Around 1976, the Adjutant General issued aninstruction, which was aimed at standardising allunit badges in line with the vehicle decals. Whatmay have seemed a logical unit identification pro-cedure at the time turned out in fact to be thedemise of local unit history! Subsequently theinstruction changed to allow units to submit theirown designs, but having made the change unitswere not inclined to change again.

As you can be seen, the 4, 6 and 28 Inf Bns onlyadopted the standard design. Between 1973 and1977 four new battalions (27, 28, 29 and 30) wereformed. In 1998, 29 Inf Bn was amalgamated into 6and 27 Inf Bns, while 30 Inf Bn was amalgamatedinto 3 Inf Bn.

'An Chéad Chath' (1 Inf Bn) 1 Inf Bn was established in September1924 in theCurragh Camp. In May 1925, the battalion moved toGalway where it has remained since. Traditionally ithas been knows as 'An Chéad Chath' because itwas established to be an Irish speaking battalion.The flash is a basic design and shows the coat ofarms of Galway. The design has remained the samesince it was introduced.

2 Inf Bn 2 Inf Bn was established in January 1923 as part ofthe Athlone Command. The black and amber colourscheme of the flash was the same as the 6 Bde,which they were part of. Brigade HQ was inKilkenny, hence the colour. The design has remainedthe same since it was introduced. Motto: NulliSecundus (Second to None).

3 Inf Bn3 Inf Bn has its origins from the 1 Northern DivisionIRA, which operated in the Northwest until it wasre-designated the 3 Battalion in January 1923. Theunit flash uses the Red Hand of Ulster. Motto: Dílisgo Brách (Loyal Forever). The unit's nickname is'The Bloods'.

4 Inf BnTo date 4 Inf Bn has had three different versions ofthe unit flash, with the pipe band wearing an extraone. The first badge shown here was designed by Lt Col JA McMahon and approved for wear in 1974.Due to a manufacturer's error, the second batchhad the deer facing the wrong way! Which led oneunit wit to comment to a senior officer when askedhow things were in the battalion “ They don’t knowwhether they were coming or going”. Motto: Swiftand Sure

Military In

1 Inf Bn c.1973 2 Inf Bn c.1972

4 Inf Bn (Deer facing wrongway)1975-1977

4 Inf Bn (Deer facing rightway)1974-1977

4 Inf Bn (Standard) c.1977

6 Inf Bn (Standard)1978-1980s 6 Inf Bn (Current) Late-1980s 12 Inf Bn (CountyColours)1971-1978

28 Inf Bn (Standard) 1977-1981 29 Inf Bn c.1977 29 Inf Bn c. Mid 1980s

PERMANINFANT

BATTALI

By Flt Sgt James G Perkins

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HER

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GE5 Inf Bn

5 Inf Bn was formed in February 1923 in the AthloneCommand. Since then it has been amalgamated with 7and 18 Inf Bns, but still retained 5 Inf Bn title. Thebadge introduced in 1972 has been worn since. Thefirst batch produced had black cross rifles behind theCustom House. It is generally accepted that it was amanufacturer's error that removed the rifles and atthat time nobody corrected the error and so itremained unchanged.

6 Inf Bn6 Inf Bn was established in January 1923 and served aspart of the Kerry Command until disbanded in April1926. The unit was established, disbanded/re-designat-ed a number of times until in July 1946, when the cur-rent battalion was established. Three unit flashes havebeen worn since the early 1970s. The two non-standardversions show the bridge of Athlone, which has a his-torical significance to the siege in 1690.

12 Inf BnEstablished in January 1923, 12 Inf Bn was deactivatedto the 'A' Reserve in April 1930. In August 1939, 12 InfBn was called up to fulltime service and since then ithas absorbed 9, 13, 15 and 23 Inf Bns. In 1975 an elabo-rate flash designed by Pte S Foley, comprised thecounty colours of Tipperary and Limerick, indicatingtheir links with both was introduced. The designchanged in 1977, but strangely enough not to the rec-ommended standard design.

27 Inf Bn27 Inf Bn was established in September 1973 to replaceinfantry groups that had been put in place followingevents in Northern Ireland. The flash is based on thelegend of Cuchullain was designed by Lt Col L Hoganand Comdt M Dowling. The shape of the flash repre-sents the sloped armour, which is a feature of the mod-ern infantry armoured vehicles. A previous 27 Inf Bnwas established in February 1923 as part of the KerryCommand until it was amalgamated with 15 Inf Bn in1927.

28 Inf Bn28 Inf Bn has worn two unit flashes since its establish-ment in September 1973. The first one is credited toCapt J Coates and his design comprises a Black Lionand a Mountain Gap. The relevance of both is that thebattalion area covers Blacklion and the BarnesmoreGap. In 1977 the standard design was adopted. In 1981the original design was reintroduced. A previous 28 InfBn was established in January 1923 as part of theLimerick Command.

29 Inf Bn29 Inf Bn, now disbanded, was raised to bolster securi-ty on the border. The unit flash was introduced in May1977 and was designed by Lt Col TP Carroll. A previous29 Inf Bn was established in January 1923.

30 Inf Bn30 Inf Bn was established 1977 as part of the expandingDefence Forces. Its first flash had black rifles beforechanging to white in May 1980. New design changed toCoat of Arms of Kilkenny in the mid-80s. A previous 30Inf Bn was established in January 1923.�

y Insignia

3 Inf Bn 1973-Present 4 Inf Bn (Pipe Band Title) c.1974

5 Inf Bn (Black cross rifles)c.1971 one batch only

5 Inf Bn c.1972 6 Inf Bn (Bridge ofAthlone)1971-1978

12 Inf Bn c.1978 27 Inf Bn c.1974 28 Inf Bn (Lion) 1974-1977 andfrom 1981-Present

30 Inf Bn (Black) c.1977 30 Inf Bn (White) c.1980 30 Inf Bn c Mid-1980s

MANENTFANTRYTALIONS

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The Defence Forces' increasing European commit-ments, such as PSO battalion, rapid deploymentgroups, military observer groups, press groupsand national support elements, along with its

existing UN commitments, indicate a sharp increasein the requirement for language skills for peace sup-port, crisis management, international staff work andparticipation in international courses. The future forthe Defence Forces will be an environment ofincreased international commitments and bilateralmilitary contacts, where foreign languages and opera-tions will be synonymous. It is clear that within thisnew environment, military forces with competency injust one language will be in the minority.

French is an official EU, PfP and UN language andthe fact that thirty-three countries use it, confirms itsposition as the Defence Forces' language priority.

From September 2005 to September last year, I wasposted to the French Military Academy of Saint-Cyr/Coetquidan as an instructor. The military campsituated in the centre of Brittany, Northwest France isthe national centre for the officer academies of theFrench army (L'Armeé de Terre). The camp is approxi-mately seven times the size of the Curragh Camp,spreading over an area of 80km2. The nearest city,Rennes is about 35 minutes by car to the east.

The camp has all the usual military facilities

including messes, military hospital, schools for chil-dren from military families, churches and a virtualvillage of single and married quarters that houses acommunity of 5,000 personnel and their families.

There are also extensive sporting facilities: run-ning tracks, pitches, 50m swimming pool, gym,extensive equitation centre and a large forested areawith endless running trails.

The camp's equitation school forms an importantpart of the French cavalry tradition and is managedby staff from the famous Cadre Noir equitationschool. It has various courses for the different disci-plines of show jumping and cross-country, stretchingthe entire camp.

Horsemanship forms an integral part of cadettraining as it is believed that if they can master themind of such a powerful animal he, or she, will beprepared to master anything in life.

The Academy itself is made up of three differentofficer schools with approximately 1,500 cadets, ofwhich between 80 to 100 are foreign military stu-dents. These are the Ecole Militaire Interarmes(EMIA), the Ecole Militaire Corps TechniquesAdministratif (EMCTA) and the Ecole SpecialeMilitaire (ESM).

The EMIA is for potential officers from theNCO ranks who must pass a difficult selection

In her article, Capt Ciara Murray (34Inf Gp Unifil) outlines the importanceof foreign languages in the future ofthe Defence Forces as she recalls herchallenging year as an instructor inthe French Military Academy of Saint-Cyr/Coetquidan…

FrenchConnection

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process to qualify for their two-year long course.The EMCTA is for former graduates and special-

ists selected specifically for administrative andtechnical postings. These students have a one-yeartraining period.

The ESM, also known as the Saint-Cyr, is the old-est and most famous. Following initial training at amilitary or civilian preparatory school, Saint-Cyr'scadets have a three-year training period thatincludes intensive military and academic training.

On completion of their training, they are commis-sioned in the French Army having completed an MAdegree in science, languages or business.

Students from the other two schools also receivea grounding in academic subjects up to at

least diploma level, with particularemphasis on foreign languages,

which is considered a must for thefuture career of a French officer.

The Saint-Cyr school is highlyregarded within France and

world wide, forming part of theGrandes Ecoles (the French

equivalent of theOxbridge/Ivy League group

of third level institu-tions), having thesame prestige as a

university.

My role as an instructor was to teach Englishwhich is an obligatory part of cadet training. TheEnglish department is located in the Applied ForeignLanguage School (DLEA) in the academy's Centre ofResearch (DGER).

Apart from teaching English, I was also responsi-ble for the compilation and correction of military andacademic examinations for forwarding to theUniversity of Rennes for both BA and MA pro-grammes. I lectured cadets in preparation for theDCL and TOEIC examinations, which are internation-ally recognised English language qualifications.Lectures took place in the classroom and amphithe-atre, with a considerable amount of either tacticallessons on the ground or simulation-based classes,assisting O/C Applied Languages School in the acad-emy's indoor firing range.

Lectures ranged from OOTW (operations otherthan warfare), simulation-based classes on givingorders, on-the-ground tactical instruction including'dig-in' defensive scenarios, night heli-exercises and'Armeé Proterre' - A French military formation fordefensive operations and range practices, where Ifired the 5.62mm Famas personal weapon. Days werelong, lasting from 0800 to 1800hrs Monday to Fridayand some Saturdays as well.

Another responsibility I was given was to organisevisits to other regiments and military bases for stu-dents from the scientific department in the Universityof Rennes. These were part of a small group attachedto the Saint-Cyr cadets' training regime for a year aspart of their MA studies. Following further training atthe French Military Academy, these graduates havethe opportunity to become officers.

We visited an infantry HQ in Nantes, a nuclearsubmarine at the French Naval School in Brittany andthe Cavalry Young Officers' School in Saumur, whereI also assisted with part of their ground phaseEnglish assessment.

I spent two days on the ground with the CavalryYoung Officers' course, a class of 60 with the mainfocus on commanding the Le Clerc main battle tank.This interaction gave me a great insight into thetraining of French officers and it was very interestingto compare the training methods used for cadets andyoung officers in France and in Ireland. Both coun-

Above:The author, Capt Ciara Murray,standing beside a Le Clerc MBT.

Below:Taking part in a showjumpingevent.

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tries' training methods and specialised schools differgreatly, but both produce a very willing, able and pro-fessional platoon commander at the end of an inten-sive and character-building training period.

As I have a background in transport and logistics,I visited the Logistics School in Tours where I wasintegrated into the Captains' Logistics Course. Thiscourse prepares junior captains to command a logis-tics company, with students coming from all corpsand included a number of students from otherEuropean countries. Over the two days, I wasinvolved in a battalion simulation-based exercise,where we were given a number of scenarios to dealwith as a group from an Ops/Int cell.

Another of my duties at Saint-Cyr was that oftranslator and interpreter, translating speeches forGOC Saint-Cyr/Coetquidan, Brig Gen ColloumeLabarthe and his deputy, Gen Kohn for numerousinternational seminars and conferences. I also trans-lated a number of military documents for staff mem-bers and the school's military museum, and gaveEnglish lessons to GOC Saint-Cyr/Coetquidan inpreparation for his next posting with the Departmentof Defence in Paris.

During my time in France, I represented theDefence Forces at various social and military func-tions. One of these included the first InternationalConference on Military Ethics, which was attendedby representatives from 27 countries, with the Frenchand Belgian ministers of defence as guest speakers.

I travelled to Paris as a guest of the Minister ofDefence on two of France's most important nationaldays, November 11th and July 14th. The French are

very proud of their heritage and military

On the November11th I had the honour to meet thePresident of France,Monsieur JacquesChirac, who welcomed me to hiscountry, the FrenchPrime Minister,Mons De Villepin,and the femaleFrench Minister ofDefence, Michele-Alliot-Marie. I was later invited personally by theMinister of Defenceto a soireé atResidence desInvalides in Paris.

tradition and on both occasions there were over-whelming displays of patriotism, pride, honour andcolour. On the November 11th I had the honour to meetthe President of France, Monsieur Jacques Chirac,who welcomed me to his country, the French PrimeMinister, Mons De Villepin, and the female FrenchMinister of Defence, Michele-Alliot-Marie. I was laterinvited personally by the Minister of Defence to asoireé at Residence des Invalides in Paris. I was alsoinvited by one of the cadet classes to their pre-com-missioning ball in Versailles Palace in Paris, a trulysplendid occasion. I received a very warm reception inFrance as a member of the Irish Defence Forces andthe French have great respect for the Irish.

Towards the end of my posting I completed theFrench military parachute course with the first yearcadets in Pau, Southern France. Qualifying for thecourse consisted of completing a gruelling, timed 10kcommando run wearing full battle dress in soaringtemperatures, which a number of cadets failed to fin-ish on time, but fortunately not me! A number ofother tests including press-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups andrope climbing followed this. We then received a weekof intensive on-the-ground instruction in Saint-Cyrfrom para-school instructors before heading to thepara-school in Pau.

A class of 200 students jumped at 400m (combatjumping) from a French Army C160 Transil aircraft,with 80 students jumping at a time in quick succes-sion. The course consisted of six combat jumps: threebasic jumps, one with the reserve parachute, onewith gaine (full pack and Famas rifle) and one nightjump in total darkness. On completion of the course Iwas presented with the official French BrevetParachutiste wings and para-number by O/C ETAP.

Following the course we flew north for three hoursin the Transil back to Saint-Cyr where we jumpedarmed with battle dress into an offensive tacticalscenario. Parachuting was something that I hadalways wanted to do and this course was one of thehighlights of my posting with the French army.

Before my return to Ireland I completed the NATOSTANAG military exams in French at the

Applied Languages School. These are theofficial examinations for language profi-

ciency adapted and recognised by mostarmies including the Irish Defence Forces.

I arrived in the French Military Academyof Saint-Cyr/Coetquidan braced for a year

of new challenges, new faces, newplaces, a new working environment andan experience that would stay with mefor a lifetime. That it was. I was a member

of a very professional team consisting ofboth civilian and military staff alike. It was apleasure to work with such fine people. I wasalso very proud to represent the DefenceForces while at the same time experiencing

such a refined culture and having the oppor-tunity to perfect my foreign language profi-ciency.

In appreciation of her outstanding workand effort throughout the year in Saint-Cyr/Coetquidan, Capt Murray was pre-sented with a Lettre de Felicitations byBrig Gen Labarthe on behalf of theMinister of Defence. This is a rare, hon-

orary award presented to a minority intheir military careers in the French army.�

Capt CiaraMurray withFrench Cadets.

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The Naval Association (An Cumann Chabhlaigh)was established in 1962 but activities ceased inthe mid-'80s due to a decline in interest. In 1992 ata meeting at the Stella Maris Seafarers Club,

Dublin, the association was revived with the electionof an executive council and the establishment of theassociation's first branch. This branch was called theLeading Seaman Michael Quinn Branch, after hegave his life attempting to rescue Spanish sailorsfrom their stricken trawler off Bantry while servingonboard LÉ Deirdre.

With branches in Dublin, Waterford, and Limerick,membership is open to serving and former officers,NCOs and ratings of the Naval Service and NavalService Reserve (formerly An Slua Muirí) and to ex-members of the Marine Service and the MaritimeInscription.

Our aims are:• To promote social, cultural, educational and sport-

ing activities• To establish a comprehensive listing of all ex-

members of the Naval Services • To render aid and assistance, when necessary• To promote and further interests in matters apper-

taining to the seaTo maintain the seafaring traditions of the Ireland

In 1995 two significant events happened. Firstly, theassociation was presented with its colours by theHarbour Master of Dublin Port, at a ceremony onboardLÉ Eithne Secondly, following a request from FOCNSComdre John Kavanagh, the Dublin branch in 1996

hosted an event to commemorate the 50th anniversaryof the establishment of the Naval Service. This alsoled to the association hosting a maritime festival inMay 1996. To publicise the festival the associationparaded its new colours in the Boston St Patrick'sDay Parade in 1996. The158-strong contingent thatmarched included 85 serving officers, NCOs and rat-ings. The festival turned out to be a great success andwas followed by a four-day Tall Ships visit to Dublin,also arranged by the association.

1997 saw reciprocal visits between the NavalAssociation and the Birkenhead branch of the RoyalNaval Association, and the following year membersof the association from Dublin and Waterford trav-elled to Miami and then on to the largest Naval Basein San Diego.

When the Tall Ships race came to Dublin the fol-lowing year the association provided the communica-tions for this major maritime event.

In the same year, Comdre John Kavanagh pre-sented the Association's president, Mr PiarasO'Connor, one of the first to join the new MarineService set up at the outbreak of WWII, with hisChain of Office.

That year, association was also invited to theopening of the Peace Park at Messines, Belgium.

In 2001 the association again travelled toBirkenhead RNA to participate in their annualparade and memorial service.

Also that year, Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD,unveiled a stained glass window commissioned bythe association at the Garrison Church, Cathal

ASSO

CIA

TIO

NThe Naval Association

In this articleDeclan Pendredgives us thebackground tothe NavalAssociation andrecords some oftheir activitiesover the years.

Right:At the 2006 Royal HospitalKilmainham commerationfrom (l-r): Robert Mulrooney(Pres Naval Assoc), NevilleBrennan, Raphal Clarke(both Dublin Br), TommyKavanagh (Waterford Br,Declan Pendred (Sec NavalAssoc) and Gerry Kennedy(Limerick Br).

Right:During the JFK aircraft carrier visit to Dublin in1996, Declan Pendred pre-sented a photograph of theNaval Service Guard ofHonour being inspected byPresident Kennedy duringhis visit to Ireland in 1963 tothe XO JFK. Also in photo isTerry Cummins (CurrentPRO Naval Association).

Brugha Bks, in memory of the deceased membersof the Marine Service, the Maritime Inscription, theNaval Service and the SM/NSR.

In 2006 the Association raised over 2,000 for theRed Cross appeal for the Tsunami disaster, andanother 2,000 for LÉ Eithne's fund to assist thepoor during their visit to South America.

Last year members of the association had thehonour of meeting Pres McAleese in Aras anUachtarain, and later that year 65 members travelledto Ginchy and Guillemot, France to attend cere-monies commemorating the recapturing of thesetowns by Irish regiments in WWI. Lt Matt Comiskey(SM Retd) was presented with a certificate by theMayor of Ginchy in recognition of Matt's uncle,Patsy, who lost his life during the battle.

On November 11th last year the association host-ed a banquet in Dublin Castle to commemorate boththe Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme.�

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Pictured at an unveiingl cere-mony in the Officers Mess,Military College are (l/r): BrigGen Liam McNamee (EUMS),Capt Colin McNamee (DFHQ),Lt Rory Quinlan (28 Inf Bn),Capt Shane Quinlan (28 Inf Bn)and Comdt Pat Quinlan (HQ 4W Bde). They were there to hon-our the memory of their respec-tive father and grandfather, ColHugh McNamee (pictured left)and Col Pat Quinlan (right),who both served in the Congoin 1961 with the 35 Inf BnONUC. Photo: Armn BillyGalligan.

On Friday February 23rd, two portraits by the artistJames Hanley were unveiled at the MilitaryCollege. Brig Gen Liam McNamee, accompaniedby family members unveiled a portrait of his

father Col Hugh McNamee and Comdt Pat Quinlanand members of his family unveiled a portrait of hisfather Col Pat Quinlan. Both served with the 35 InfBn in Congo from June to December 1961, ColMcNamee as Commanding Officer and Col Quinlanas OC A Coy.

The Defence Forces Chief of Staff, Lt Gen JimSreenan in his introduction, drew comparisonsbetween the UN operations in the Congo (ONUC) inthe 1960s, characterised by the lack of clear lines ofauthority and responsibility, confusing political andstrategic direction and very difficult lines of commu-nication and the European Union (EUFOR) operationwhich was deployed in the Congo in support of theexisting UN force in 2006 and in which DefenceForces personnel participated. This had, by contrast,very clear political and strategic direction from theEU Political and Security Council (PSC), supportedby the EU Military Committee including the Chiefs ofStaff of the EU Armed Forces, established Strategic,Operational and Force Headquarters with reserves ateach level and the most sophisticated modern com-munications systems.

The 35th Battalion, he said, was even by the stan-dards of the day, badly equipped and badly trainedbut proved themselves to be brave men of honourand integrity and with high quality leaders such asMcNamee and Quinlan, both graduates of theMilitary College Command and Staff Course andboth of whom received the highest accolades in theirefficiency reports from their superior officerBrigadier General Kas Raja, India.

The COS pointed out that during the period 13th-17th September 1961 in particular, Quinlan and hiscompany defended bravely and effectively whileunder attack from about 5,000 Katangan gendarmerieat Jadtoville, while McNamee led the balance of his

PeacekeepersHONOURED

battalion in a multi national operation inElizabethville in which the battalion suffered threekilled and a significant number wounded. Twoattempts were made to relieve the Jadtoville garrisonat the cost of five Gurkhas killed and 25 wounded.

The complexity and intensity of these five daysalone placed the most enormous pressure onQuinlan and McNamee and Lt Gen Sreenan thenoutlined the assessment of the Irish officers by BrigGen Raja. These are as follows:

Col McNameeI feel that the fine example by this battalion was in avery large measure due to the personal example andsoldierly qualities of Lt Col McNamee, theirCommanding Officer. Col McNamee hasimpressed me as being a fine gentleman with highsoldierly qualities and possessing strong convic-tions and belief in the cause of the United Nations,which he has done his very best to uphold. This Ifeel contributed in no small way to the fine per-formance of his battalion during their six monthsstay here.

Col QuinlanI would like to make particular mention of ComdtQuinlan, who was in command of the Companywho had the misfortune to suffer so much atJadtoville. This officer needs little commendationas his performance in maintaining the disciplineand high morale of his men during a particularstage of Katanga operations speaks for itself. I havegreat personal admiration for the initiative,courage, drive and restraint of this officer and Ibelieve that he could be held as an example for allsoldiers

In conclusion, the COS remarked that it was a veryimportant day for both families and for the DefenceForces and pointed out that both families had giventhree generations to the Defence Forces: Col HughMcNamee, his son Brig Gen Liam McNamee (Chiefof Staff’s military representative at the EU MilitaryCommittee, Brussels) and his grandson Capt ColinMcNamee, Defence Forces HQ and Col Pat Quinlan,his sons Comdt Pat Quinlan (about to depart on UNduty in the Middle East), Comdt Leo Quinlan (retired)and his grandsons, Capt Shane Quinlan and Lt RuairiQuinlan, both serving in 28 Inf Bn.

Brig Gen McNamee and Comdt Quinlan bothspoke movingly of their parents and recalled theirchildhood memories of those fateful days in theCongo in 1961.�

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Heavy Mortar (120mm) Carriers

Dear EditorIf I am correct the PDF have virtually with-drawn the towed 120mm mortar and thePanhard APCs from regular service.

Could not the Panhard APCs be dieselisedand converted to have the 120 mortar a fixedinternal weapon enabling a mobile 120 mortarsystem as I believe most are these days.

It would be a more progressive step thanwithdrawing the two items from regular units.

Yours truly, M Murphy (Ex FCÁ)

Making use of the DefenceForces training

Dear EditorI was updating my website(www.cs.tcd.ie/eamonn.linehan/teaching.php)recently and thought that there is an interesting story about how the reservedefence forces has benefited people in theircivilian careers. For me, my experiences in thereserve have been hugely influential on mycivilian career. I have rarely spoken at aninterview about anything other than thedefence forces. I think also in the industry I work (computing) is dominated by Americantechnology companies where there is a preference to hire people with military experience. I saw your invitation to submit letters and though it might be possible towrite an interesting article on this subject and it would be good PR for the defenceforces (Trinity lecturer making use of thedefence forces training).

Éamonn Linehan(Cpl Integrated RDF Pl, A Coy, 5 Inf Bn)

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

00-An Cos-MAR-07 (p13-32) copy 09/03/2007 12:54

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