Beschreibung:

THE HEROES OF JADOTVILLE A comprehensive collection of internal Army documents, chronicling the day-to-day operations of the Irish Army units which served under United Nations command in the (formerly Belgian) Congo, 1960-61, including the Jadotville siege, as follows: A: Unit History. 32 Bn. In The Congo. Cyclostyled, circa 150 pp foolscap, in a military issue loose-leaf binder. Foreword and summary by Col. M. O Buachalla [Col. Mort Buckley]. Covers events involving the 32nd Batt., which established the Irish mission in the Congo, in minute daily detail from 22 July 1960 to 20 January 1961, various reports and appendices, personnel lists etc., map at end. [The 32nd was not the unit involved in the Niemba ambush]. B: Stair 35 Cathlán Coisithe sa Chongo [Unit History of 35 Bn. Infantry], [June-Dec.] 1961 (includes the Jadotville siege and associated events). Circa 70 pp, with a further 80 pp appendices, cyclostyled typescript, in a plastic binder. C: Stair Aonaid 2ú Grúpa Coisithe [Unit History, 2nd Infantry Group], Náisiúin Aontaithe, An Congo, D. Fhóir 1963 Bealtaine 1964 [October 1963 May 1964, the last Irish Army unit to serve in the Congo], 54 pp, with annexes, cyclostyled typescript, foolscap, tie-bound. D: Record of Award D.S.Ms for Service in the Congo. Ordaithe Gnathaimh Ginearálta, 1967, cyclostyled typescript, 12 pp, stapled. Items A to C, drawn directly from the military record, include the greatest possible detail of every aspect of operations, including personnel, logistics, equipment, food, medicine and health, tasks, orders, relations with the local and expatriate community, the political background, and a daily narrative of events as seen on the ground. Various pages are marked Restricted or Rúnda [Secret]. For the crucial episode of the Battle of Jadotville (13-17 Sept. 1961), item B includes at Appx. B a very detailed 11-page report of events (marked Secret) by Comdt. Patk Quinlan, O/C of A Co., the unit which was besieged and taken prisoner by Katangan forces under Belgian direction; at Appx. C the report of the unsuccessful attempts by Force Kane to relieve A Co. during the siege; Appx. D reports on Operation Morthor, Appx. G gives Comdt. Cahalanes report of his detention and questioning by white (i.e. Belgian) personnel, etc. The experience of the Jadotville siege has recently been highlighted in the acclaimed film, The Heroes of Jadotville. An important collection, of compelling interest to anyone wishing to study the Irish Armys contribution to U.N. peacekeeping operations in the 1960s and later.