‘Operation Shamrock’ stirs memories
The headline ‘Operation Shamrock’ in the 14th April edition of Ireland’s Own grabbed my attention. It highlighted the humanitarian fostering in Ireland of hundreds of German children following World War 2. It brought to mind a mission with the same name, Operation Shamrock during my first tour in Congo 1960. It involved capturing Baluba tribesmen wounded during the Niemba Ambush on 8th November, 1960 in which 9 Irish soldiers were killed.
Sixty three years previously B Company (Coy), 33rd Infantry Battalion (Inf Bn) as part of the ONUC Congo deployment, also undertook a mission, codenamed ‘Operation Shamrock’. However, this was not for humanitarian reasons, quite the opposite. It was to snatch from Manono Hospital, 10 Baluba tribesmen wounded at Niemba on 08/11/1960 while ambushing an Irish patrol in which nine of eleven lost their lives. It remains the biggest loss of life for our Army during UN missions.
I was a young 17 year old storeman with B Coy at Manono. Our Coy was tasked to supply a search and rescue patrol to the area, in excess of 100 miles, 160Km away. I helped load ammunition and equipment onto the relief transport. Each soldier received a double issue of ammunition. The patrol had a strength of 30 Irish and 15 Moroccans.
On the outward journey they encountered vehicles transporting native wounded to the Manono hospital. They claimed they received the wounds fighting Gendarmerie. The patrol resumed but failed to find any Irish soldiers. They did recover the two Irish vehicles involved in the ambush. One had five 9mm bullet holes in the passenger door fired from inside. It’s not known if they were fired by a patrol member or the result of an accidental discharge from a captured Gustaf SMG as the vehicle was driven away.
As luck would have it, the Coy were replaced by Nigerians which allowed insufficient time for follow up action. We re-joined the Batallion in Albertville, 200 miles (320Km) away. It was the first time the Batallion was together since deployment. Permission was granted to capture the perpetrators.
Four of the squad were stationed in Fermoy - Comd’t Pearse Barry DSM, Cpl Mick Roche 13th Btn, Tprs JJ O’Connor and Jimmy Harris, 1st Motor Squadron. They were the only non-officers or NCOs in the group, truly a reflection of the esteem in which they were held. Planning went into overdrive. Comd’t Beckett, the Coy Doctor had worked in the hospital on a daily basis since September. No suspicions were aroused when he stayed behind after the Coy rotation. He would supply real time intelligence on the patients’ movements.
‘THE BIRDS ARE READY TO LEAVE THE NEST’
The arrival of the 10 wounded in Manono Hospital increased the patient numbers to 134. The number of external and internal Baluba guards increased. As any snatch would take place in the early hours of the morning, it was essential some simple means of identification of the targets be used. A red X was placed on the reverse side of their bed cards. Dr Beckett continued working in the hospital, sending back reports in Irish on the state of health of the targets.
Comd’t P Barry led a group of 12 volunteers and Lt Roland Lindholm, ‘B’ Coy’s Swedish interpreter. On November 30, Dr Beckett decided the targets were ready to leave and sent the following radio message “Tá na héin ullamh an nead a fhágaint”, informing Col Bunworth OC 33rd Bn that “The birds are ready to leave the nest”. Various messages using morse code were sent back and forth in a combination of Irish and English. The spelling and grammar wasn’t always correct but transcribed in the mission report as they appeared in the various logs.
The snatch was planned for 2 days later, first light on 2nd December. Manono’s small airstrip dictated the size of aircraft to be used which in turn dictated the size of party, plus prisoners. A DC 3 was used. The operation began at 16.30 hours December 1st when the plane took off from Albertville. An hour later, 30 minutes before dark it landed at Manono, ostensibly, because of shortage of fuel. They were met by Dr Beckett, Major Edge of the Queens Own Nigerian Rifles and a Moroccan officer.
At a planning conference at Nigerian HQ , they were brought up to date on the latest position. Comdt Barry assumed responsibility for drawing up and executing the plan of Operation Shamrock. It was agreed the Nigerians would supply additional troops for the operation. The Moroccans would provide two trucks and secure the airstrip.
Retiring to their allotted quarters, the Irish worked on the finer details of the plan. Dr Beckett informed them the Baluba patients retained their bows, arrows, pangas and spears. Since the Niemba ambush, the UN patrol couldn’t access the hospital grounds, the gates being padlocked and guarded by Baluba with “Bundooki” (firearms) and bows and arrows. Any shooting outside the hospital would alert the patients and make it impossible to identify the targets as they would be out of their beds.
To dupe the guards and gain entry without shooting, it was decided to dress Capt Condron up as an accident victim. As the troops ate a meal of beans and soup they listened to Radio Brazzaville. By a strange twist of fate, Brazzaville was broadcasting a recording of the funeral of the ambush victims in Dublin from the 23rd of November. Having checked the vehicles for fuel and ease of starting, they retired for a short uncomfortable sleep, some on the floor.
Awake at 04.00, they set out at 04.45. Leading was Dr Beckett in his Chevrolet, using headlights as normal. He was accompanied by Capt Condron, his arm in a sling and head bandaged and suitably stained with red ink. The interpreter travelled with them. The two trucks travelled behind without lights. Having driven through the town they arrived at a bend short of the hospital without incident. The car went on to the gates and just as they approached it there was movement to their right. A woman standing on high ground had seen them and ran off into the darkness. Pausing momentarily, expecting the alarm to be raised, nothing happened. They moved on. Moving up to the gates, much to their surprise they found them unlocked and unguarded. Operation Shamrock went into overdrive and was executed with precision.
THE BEGINNING OF JUSTICE
A few minutes later as they were driving out the gates of the hospital with 7 prisoners, dawn was just breaking. Operation Shamrock was carried out just in time. Several members of the group who slaughtered the soldiers at Niemba, had already returned to the bush and no trace of them could be found. As they drove, the troops could see the lights of the awakening town. Suddenly a Congolese came cycling towards them but passed without suspecting anything. The journey through the town was uneventful and the party was soon aboard the plane. After a nervy period while the engines were heated, the plane took off in fine sunny weather. They arrived back in Albertville at 07.10 hrs. The prisoners were handed over to the Katangese authorities. The beginning of justice for the peacekeepers of Niemba.
Eventually 5 of the 7 stood trial. Two had received wounds in a separate gun battle and while awaiting discharge from hospital they had occupied the beds of Niemba ambushers. Because of a full scale offensive by UN forces in September 1961, the trial wasn’t heard until 12th October 1961. The court established the case of murder and attempted murder without premeditation, also the case of carrying arms in an insurrectional movement. The following sentences awarded with penal service; Michel Kabeke - 3 years, Alexis Mukulayi - 2 years, Stanislas Mwamba - 3 years, Nufabule Banza – 2 years, Kamatshala Senga – 2 years.
Prior to 8th November, the Batallion had encountered numerous precarious situations which were managed without resorting to armed action. On this occasion the war party led by ex-Premier Sergeant Lualaba, had undergone a ceremony of baptism with ‘magic’ water and ritual words which they believed would shield them from gunfire. Grand Chief Kasanga-Niemba instructed ex-Sgt Lualaba to kill or be killed. Lt Gleeson’s patrol was doomed.
ONUC. Mission 1960 - 1964. Irish dead 26. Bravery awards conferred; Military Medal for Gallantry (MMG) 1, Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) With Honour 4, with Distinction 30, with Merit 31.