1963/64 deployments
1963 marked the 4th year of Irish troop deployments to the Congo. In this article we will deal with the deployment of the 2nd Armoured Car Squadron and the 38th Battalion. Those units left Ireland in October and November 1962 respectively. However, most of their tours of duty did not end until early 1963.
Also, in 1963 three more deployments departed for the Congo. The 3rd Armoured Squadron and the 39th Battalion left in April, followed by the 2nd Infantry group in October, who would be the last Irish unit to serve in the Congo operation, completing its mission in May 1964.
As stated in an earlier article, Katanga, the southernmost province seceded from the rest of the Congo in July 1960 under the leadership of Moise Tshombe with Belgian support. Katanga province contained most of the mineral wealth of the country.
This created a situation where there were two opposing forces. The Congolese National Army and the Katangese Army, who were prepared to go to war with each other to solve the secession crisis.
The Katanga question was not settled until early 1963. despite efforts to resolve the situation by force beginning in September 1961. The UN launched Operation Grand Slam in late ‘62-early ’63, which finally defeated the Katangese Army and ended the secession of Katanga.
The situation on the ground, however, continued to be volatile and taxed the resources of the last Irish contingents to serve in Congo to the limit.
2ND ARMOURED CAR SQUADRON OCTOBER 1962 TO APRIL 1963
The Fermoy based members of the 2nd Armoured Car Squadron were as follows: Sgt P. O’Hara, Cpl W. O’Connell, Tpr C. Mahon, Tpr M. Tyrell, Tpr J. Delaney, Tpr JJ O’Sullivan, Tpr B. O’Callaghan, Tpr M. Conway, Tpr L. Sexton, Tpr P. O’Hara, Tpr J. Barry, Tpr P. Murphy, Tpr A. Coughlan and Tpr J. McAuliffe. The unit was commanded by Commandant J. Foley.
The entire squadron left Dublin on October 24th, 1962. Travel was by Sabena Airlines jet, a welcome change from the propellor driven Globemasters used to transport previous contingents. After a brief stopover in Brussels, the unit arrived in Leopoldville early on the morning of October 25th after a journey of 11 hours.
The squadron was transported into a transit camp near the city, called Camp Garnier. Conditions here were rough to say the least. After about one week, the unit was moved to a factory site called Jouret Congo.
Conditions here were not much better and had to be shared with two Indian signals and supply companies. However, this was to be the unit’s location for their 6-month tour of duty. The squadron was tasked with the security of the city along with a Nigerian battalion.
The military situation in the Congo at the time was that UN units were scattered throughout the country. Katanga, under Moise Tshombe, was still in secession from the central government. Other locations were Elizabethville, Kamina, Albertville in Katanga and Luluaborg, Leopoldville, Stanleyville and Bukau.
In Leopoldville, the situation was peaceful except for some local trouble from escaped convicts and some banditry. This had no effect on UN forces except after dark when it was necessary to conform to local police activities.
The main mission of the unit was to await refitting and train for a possible move after Christmas. The squadron went through a period of training during this period and the arrival of two Ferret armoured cars, which arrived on November 7th after being transported from England by boat, generated great enthusiasm. The remaining 10 cars arrived the following day, November 8th.
The rest of the tour of duty was taken up with patrols using the new armoured cars, training patrols were carried out at approximately one per week by mid-March ‘64 and various other duties including guarding the Louvanium University (reactor building), OUUC Hospital and the Squadron Camp, were undertaken by the unit.
Other contingents in the area included Indian, Pakistani, Swedish, Norwegian and Canadian and members of those contingents were regarded as close friends of the Irish unit. The unit also became friendly with the local clergy and the nuns and got on well with the local population. They also became friendly with the members of the US Embassy and the World Health Organisation.
Casualties consisted of relatively minor injuries, thankfully no fatalities occurred.
Morale and discipline were described as excellent/very good. Morale did suffer a short decline when informed the unit would not be deployed to Elizabethville Katanga province to take part in the actions there.
The Squadron returned to Ireland in April 1964, its mission completed.
38TH BATTALION - NOVEMBER 1962
TO MAY 1963
The Fermoy based members of the 38th Battalion were as follows: Sgt W. Mulcahy, Cpl T. Mockler, Cpl M. O’Connor, Cpl M. O’Mahoney, Tpr J. Walsh, Tpr D. McManus, Tpr F. Sheedy, Tpr J. Keely DSM, Tpr T. O’Hara, Tpr J. Ronan, Tpr A. Enright, Tpr M. Collins, Tpr W. Quirk, Tpr J. Corbett and Tpr M. Barry. The Battalion was commanded by Lt Col PJ Delaney.
The airlift of the battalion from Dublin commenced on November 7th, 1962, via Wheelus Airbase, Tripoli and Kano, Nigeria before arriving in Leopoldville and being temporarily accommodated in Camp Gardiner near the city. From there, the troops and stores were flown by UN aircraft to Elizabethville, with this movement of the battalion completed on November 18th.
By the time the unit arrived in Elizabethville, the Katanga secession was still not resolved and fighting was about to break out again. UN troops in Katanga were concentrated in three main areas, Elizabethville, Kamina and Albertville as the Katangese Army had blocked all UN movement in the province.
The situation confronting the battalion in Elizabethville was that the city, and also the airport, were controlled by the UN forces. The battalion was located at Prince Leopold farm and was in command reserve. Along with the Irish in the area were an Indian brigade, consisting of 4 Rajputana Rifle Battalion at the Airport, 2/5 Ghurka Battalion at the Golf Club, 4 Madras Battalion at Camp Massart, 4 Ethiopian Battalion based at the Lido and14 Tunisian Battalion located at Avenue Kasenga.
During the period November to December before being committed to battle, the Irish unit was engaged in training and familiarisation with the local area and local conditions.
On Christmas Eve morning firing commenced from Katangese Gendarmerie on UN positions. Later in the day a UN helicopter was shot down - an Indian Officer was killed and the remaining passengers were taken prisoner and badly beaten up.
After a 2 day pause on the night of 27/28 December, heavy small arms and mortar fire came from Katangan positions. 38th Battalion took up defensive positions and doubled guards on all barriers.
On December 28th after a postponement to allow Mr Tshombe to stop Katangese firing, an attack by the Indian Brigade was launched supported by a heavy mortar troop from 38th Battalion who were under command of the Indian Brigade. The 38th Battalion was passed through and advanced towards Kipushi (33km west of Elizabethville), arriving at 17.00hrs to find the bridge blown. C Company patrolled the area during the night and on December 30th after an Indian Field Engineer Company built a new bridge, the battalion advanced again. Having met a truce party about a mile from the town, the battalion entered the town peacefully.
Kipushi was occupied by a force formed from a portion of Battalion HQ , A Company, B Company, and the Armoured Car Group. The following weeks at Kipushi were taken up with controlling and assisting refugees, assisting civil authorities, discovery and taking over huge stocks of Gendarme food and equipment and the lifting of mines.
Meanwhile, the remainder of Battalion HQ and C Company returned to Elizabethville and remained on Simba Hill (on the outskirts of the city) for many weeks. A section of the Irish Armoured Car Group was placed under the command of the 3rd Ethiopian Brigade for the advance from the Lido to Simba Hill. This section saw action with elements of the 4th Ethiopian Battalion in the vicinity of Union Miniere and on Simba Hill.
The heavy mortar troop of the 38th was continuously in action in various engagements from December 28th, 1962 to January 21st, 1963 supporting both Indian and Ethiopian Brigades in various actions, including an advance to Lufira Bridge Jadotville and Kolwezi.
The Lufira Bridge which failed 2 task forces from the 35th Battalion to take for the relief of Jadotville in September 1961, was taken by a much stronger and better equipped force consisting of the Indian Brigade backed up by the 120mm mortar section of the 38th Battalion. The devasting effect of the 120mm mortar section played a major part in the capitulation of the Katangese forces by the end of January 1963.
A reorganisation of the areas of responsibility was made at this stage.
February 5th B Company and the armoured car group (less one section) were moved from Kipushi to Jadotville where they took over from the 4th Madras battalion.
February 11th the remainder of the 38th Battalion (less a small administrative echelon remaining in Elizabethville) moved to Kolwezi (300km Northwest of Elizabethville). Duties consisted of patrolling in strength and liaison with local civil authorities to help commercial and private citizens return to normal.
March 19th B Company having been relieved in Jadotville were moved to Kolwezi where it took over duties from C Company at the airport and Lualaba Bridge. The Armoured Car Group moved from Jadotville to a camp in Kolwezi. C Company moved in with A Company in Kolwezi.
The 38th made good friends with other units serving in the same areas including the Indian Brigade, Ethiopian Brigade and the Belgians; also with Congolese officials and the Northern Rhodesian Army unit at Kipushi.
The rest of the tour passed off without major incident apart from one fatality, Cpl McGrath of A Company was injured in a car accident on March 17th and died on March 21st as a result of his injuries. Cpl Sheehan (B Company) sustained a bullet wound on December 29th and Cpl Franklin and Pte Purcell were injured in a car accident in Jadotville on March 16th. Those three made a full recovery after being hospitalised.
The main body of the 38th, its tour of duty completed, were flown back to Ireland between April 30th, 1963 and May 7th, 1963. Most of the battalion were transported by United States Airforce Lockheed C 130 aircraft.
Part 2 will be published in The Avondhu in January 2024