Campaign underway to honour Jadotville troops

The son of an Athlone soldier who fought in the Battle of Jadotville in the Congo has called for veterans of the conflict to be honoured when its 50th anniversary is reached on September 13 next. "That anniversary cannot pass without remembrance of these men," said Assumption Road native Patrick O'Callaghan, who has proposed that all surviving soldiers from the conflict be contacted to assemble in Athlone and parade through the streets of the town. Patrick's late father, Peter O'Callaghan, was one of 157 soldiers from the Western Command who formed 'A' Company, 35th Infantry Battalion ONUC and who marched out of Custume Barracks and paraded through the streets of Athlone in May 1961, prior to departure for the Congo. The men were mostly stationed or settled in Athlone. "My father said that if I was a 'good boy' he would bring me back a jeep (a toy one of course!)" recalled Patrick. "I was only four and a half. I don't remember a lot, but I do remember the prayers in our house and people coming and going. "I lived in Assumption Road. Our next door neighbours were the Conlons. Across the street were the McCabes, and down the street were the Kellys, Roaches, Monahans and Lynches - all of these men marched out of Custume Barracks on that same day in May." He recounted how, in the Congo, the 'A' Company was enlisted as a UN Force to defend the white population of Jadotville, even though "the local white population did not want protection from the UN" and reacted with hostility to the move by eventually taking up arms against the Irish troops. The 'A' Company commenced its role in Jadotville on September 3 and, ten days later, they were attacked by troops loyal to the Katangese Prime Minister Moise Tshombe. The heavily outnumbered Irish soldiers fiercely resisted the Katangese assaults for several days, inflicting heavy casualties, but they were eventually taken hostage on September 17. Patrick stated that the 'A' Company "did not lose this battle - they were duped into a credible ceasefire announced by (Prime Minister) Moise Tshombe." They were held hostage for a month before their release. There were no Irish casualties. "The Battle of Jadotville has been brushed under the Irish military, political and UN carpet," said Patrick. "The troops of 'A' Company were supposed to be the 'sacrificial lambs' but their Commandant Pat Quinlan had other plans and I got my 'toy jeep'." Patrick, whose father died in 2006, said the men who fought in the Battle of Jadotville were never properly honoured for their brave service. He stated that many members of 'A' Company were recommended for bravery medals but none were ever presented to them. In 2005 the then-Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea unveiled a plaque at Custume Barracks which marked their service, but Patrick said a monument should be erected in a more prominent location in the town. "I wonder, would it be possible to contact all the surviving members of 'A' Company to assemble in Athlone to allow the remaining members to parade through the streets of Athlone with the Company Pennant and the "Jadotville UN" flag (that was presented to Pat Quinlan by the troops of 'A' Company), to arrive at Custume Barracks and afforded full military honours upon arrival," he said. "This, I believe, could go a long way to putting this heroic epical Irish UN history to rest."