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Post by gaul on Jan 21, 2012 12:34:27 GMT
I would respectfully suggest that my contribution be read completely before accusing me of denigrating Irishmen in the British army. I have not done that !. The Irishmen who join the British army do so for economic reasons and are to be admired. The Irish army is an army created to defend the people of Ireland. The British army was created to impose Britains imperialist and colonial will throught the world by force. I am not prepared to accept that an Irish soldier could either be a member of the British army or Irish army. In fact I contest the headline in the Irish Independent,but I suppose with Kevin Meyers as editor its not surprising.
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Post by maryfarrell6 on Jan 21, 2012 14:08:12 GMT
HI All, No intention of getting involved in any political bantering here, because all that does is take away from the praise that should be showering on this brave young soldier!!! What I see is a very handsome young Irish Lad who in the words of his father always wanted to be a soldier, and thats exactly what he has become A SOLDIER and boy what a soldier he has proved to be. One his family are rightly proud of. I turn on the news nightly and have seen 3,4,6 even one occasion 8 coffins carrying young men home being repatriated from Afganistan, a heartbreaking sight. Now Because of Lance Corporal James Whites selfless heroic actions not once but three times a great number of his comrades have been saved from that fate and now owe their lives to him. He went above and beyond the call of duty putting his own life on the line to come to the aid his fellow soldiers. Isn't that the type of loyal comrade every soldier wants fighting alongside him someone they can depend on to watch their backs and trust with their lives? A True Hero!! For His bravery he was awarded the Military Cross(and rightly so) one of the highest honours awarded by the British and not one given out lightly. So I for one feel so very proud of this young Irish Boy, a soldier who we should be singing his praises from the rooftops for. I will pray for his safety and wellbeing in future tours as I'm sure his regiment will be returning to that hellhole again and if the need arises he will not hesitate to do the same thing. So I wish him well in his future army career. I personally think the term 'mercenary' is a gross insult and slur on this particular thread and maybe that issue which was a travesty in history(which took place 15 yrs before James was even born) could be taken up elsewhere so as not to detract from this young Irish Lads amazing achievements........(My opinion) MaryF
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Post by Matt McNamara on Jan 21, 2012 14:35:50 GMT
HI All, No intention of getting involved in any political bantering here, because all that does is take away from the praise that should be showering on this brave young soldier!!! What I see is a very handsome young Irish Lad who in the words of his father always wanted to be a soldier, and thats exactly what he has become A SOLDIER and boy what a soldier he has proved to be. One his family are rightly proud of. I turn on the news nightly and have seen 3,4,6 even one occasion 8 coffins carrying young men home being repatriated from Afganistan, a heartbreaking sight. Now Because of Lance Corporal James Whites selfless heroic actions not once but three times a great number of his comrades have been saved from that fate and now owe their lives to him. He went above and beyond the call of duty putting his own life on the line to come to the aid his fellow soldiers. Isn't that the type of loyal comrade every soldier wants fighting alongside him someone they can depend on to watch their backs and trust with their lives? A True Hero!! For His bravery he was awarded the Military Cross(and rightly so) one of the highest honours awarded by the British and not one given out lightly. So I for one feel so very proud of this young Irish Boy, a soldier who we should be singing his praises from the rooftops for. I will pray for his safety and wellbeing in future tours as I'm sure his regiment will be returning to that hellhole again and if the need arises he will not hesitate to do the same thing. So I wish him well in his future army career. I personally think the term 'mercenary' is a gross insult and slur on this particular thread and maybe that issue which was a travesty in history(which took place 15 yrs before James was even born) could be taken up elsewhere so as not to detract from this young Irish Lads amazing achievements........(My opinion) MaryF Well done Mary, I think your post says it all and I wish Lance Corporal James White all the best in the future and may he continue to inspire others with his bravery and leadership. Matt
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Post by tommyhetherington on Jan 21, 2012 18:16:34 GMT
Well done young man as already stated our loss their gain.I have seen many people from the Curragh and local area go and join the British,French,and American forces I was nearly there in the 80's and the reason is simple. The interview system to get into the Irish Defence Forces is poor to say the least and that is a nice way of saying it. I missed out on my first attempt and having got in the second time got to know the two idiots who interviewed me the first time,again a nice way of saying it. I have just completed 24 years service to the state and retired yesterday I have seen and heard so many times about good Irish men and women been refused entry and one close friend went on and became an aircraft technician in the US Marines why in Gods name did they not see this potential. I can give more examples. Not one of these people are mercenaries our system let them down they wanted to soldier and that they did by giving their all to what ever military force they became part of. There IS NO POINT saying that it is good to see relationships with England improve and then put in the big but, we as a nation voted in recent years to put this to bed and that is an on going process christ all you are short of saying is 800 years of opression. As Matt just said wish him all the best he is a brave man I for one felt nothing but pride when I read the story in work the other day as did all the other Soldiers who shared in the story.
TOM
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Post by Helena on Jan 21, 2012 22:54:07 GMT
Hi Tom, just read your post and I wish you a very very happy retirement from the Defence Forces. As for myself I will just keep soldiering on!!!!!
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Post by anncu7hane on Jan 21, 2012 23:03:02 GMT
I know a lot of lad's from the Curragh who could not get into the Irish army, my son was one of them & a few of his friend's,very fit lad's healthy & always playing football never in trouble we couldent understand it. I hope that young man will have good health & happiness in his army career. My uncle Peter joined the British army & was sent to Japan he was killed age 26 on 19 December 1941.My dad spent year's looking for him his body was never found. We only got this information a few year's ago.We got what we know on the internet,theres a memorial built im memory to him and the soldiers that died with him most of them were Irish.Most of my relation,s are living in England that's where the work was at that time AnnC
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Post by andybrennan on Jan 22, 2012 1:09:46 GMT
Tommy header.
Enjoy the retirement
Andy
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Post by andybrennan on Jan 22, 2012 1:11:22 GMT
Helena Furlong,
God bless you, soldier onwards.
Andy
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Post by andybrennan on Jan 22, 2012 1:15:04 GMT
Hi Matt and all.
Have to hand it to Mary F as usual she has brought sanity to a very touchy subject.
Mary F, a true sage, you never lost it, actually getting better at it.
Girl you still have the talent with the words.
Andy
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Post by andybrennan on Jan 22, 2012 1:18:40 GMT
Annuca.
That is very sad.
Andy
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Post by afcmoore on Jan 22, 2012 1:30:50 GMT
Hi Gaul. Well done Mary F for stating the case so well . Gaul i served in the Irish Army and was in the Congo and we had mercenaries there who attacked our Soldiers in Elizabethville. I would not rate the people who serve as mercenaries very highly . How you can compare this brave young man with that band of scum beggars belief. I have read your first post and thats how you put it.
Ant.
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Post by edmundprice on Feb 14, 2012 9:49:25 GMT
Read the headline! ( the Queen doesn't 'give' a medal) She presents or awards a medal. The Queen doesn't present medals to Irish Soldiers! Only British or Commonwealth soldiers. So! what's all the fuss about. Men and woman from all over the world, serve in the British Armed Forces. They are British Service Personnel. Another fact. Edmund didn't write the post referred to by andybrennon (above)
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Post by andybrennan on Feb 14, 2012 19:58:11 GMT
Re the above subject,
Edmund.
I offer a very large Mea Culpa to Edmund Price, on the 21st Jan 2012 at 1.53 ,
I used Edmunds name associating it with Gauls , on checking back they are two different people so Edmund twas not you put your foot in it but myself.
Andy
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Post by Edmund on Feb 15, 2012 12:16:37 GMT
Re the above subject, Edmund. I offer a very large Mea Culpa to Edmund Price, on the 21st Jan 2012 at 1.53 , I used Edmunds name associating it with Gauls , on checking back they are two different people so Edmund twas not you put your foot in it but myself. Andy The Apology is gladly accepted Andy. Anyone can make a mistake, However! It takes a gentleman like yourself, to admit it. My reply is as a guest Andy, as it appears since this misunderstanding arose; I cannot login to the forum? No doubt, that will be sorted out too, in time! Thank you Andy. I look forward to enjoying you good humoured well informed posts. Edmund.
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Post by dingdong on Feb 15, 2012 20:21:46 GMT
This is an extract from some work I am doing. I thought it might help put the subject referred to above in some kind of context.
Concerning our visit to the Somme Battlefields on Friday the 1St of July 20/11. To begin, on a personal note. Meeting you as I did at the Theipval Monument to the missing is a memory I’ll cherish for my lifetime. Given the significance of the location, and my interest in The Great War. The fact you were there in an official capacity ‘representing Kildare County’ at a British War memorial for the First World War and of course to top it all off ‘it was your birthday. It was indeed a very special day. The thing of sadness cannot be avoided as we participate in the remembrance ceremony in honour of the 73.367 war dead in this area between July and November 1916 and who have no known grave. But a little satisfaction too in knowing that the participation of men and woman from the now ‘Republic of Ireland’ is officially recognized with the involvement of invited representatives from Southern Ireland, included and Irish army officer ‘in uniform’ and yourself, was something I couldn’t have ever imagined would happen. The story of the involvement of Southern Irish men and woman in the Great War is a complex time consuming study of historical, financial, religious and political circumstances which at times can challenge the established popular beliefs of decades of misinformation and folklore. Now with the assistance of the Internet, and access to official records not seen before. We can at last begin to understand the global overview of events that led to our Grandparents being in the British army during one of history’s defining moments. Further we can only try to comprehend, the emotions and despair of those who survived the war only to return to a country hostile to their participation in it. My journey in search of understanding began a very long time ago. It continues and I hope will continue for a while longer. However! To expect to arrive at a point of full comprehension is to aspire to live for an eternity. Each day I learn a little more, only to be aware that there is so much more to discover. It is not my intention to impose or even influence your search for answers but if anything I pass on to you is of assistance then my journey won’t have been wasted. Where and why did I begin this journey? It began in 1955 at school in Ballyshannon, where I first heard of Verdun and Bastogne. I was aware they were special places in history and from two different World Wars. I was fascinated then and it remains so to this day (I don’t know why!). When later I discovered my Grandfather Hogan had been in the British Army and had survived The Great War. My search for ‘truth’ had begun. Unfortunately! To date I still don’t have any answers concerning my Grandfather. It’s all part of the complicated circumstances surrounding southern Irish servicemen who survived the war! It begs the question.’Would they have been more fortunate’ if they were left behind on the Somme battlefields”, to become honoured and commemorated. ‘For Ever Young! ’ Once I overheard a very frail old soldier say as he looked over a war cemetery “they were the lucky ones”. On a more positive note. My investigations have given me a greater insight into the ‘what’s and Why’s as to the reasons that led to the outbreak of the conflict in August 1914 and the continuation of hostilities for more than another four years. And how American commercial interest’s provided cotton to German munitions factories without which it’s unlikely the war would have progressed beyond the short time that was at first predicted. That the reason why the British and Commonwealth armies went to war ‘The defence of the poor people of Belgium’ doesn’t explain ‘how Brittan in the first week of August 1914 attacked German interests in Eastern and Western Africa. And how the personal ambitions of Politicians and Generals alike, wear responsible for the carnage that is evident at Thipval.and many other battlefields around the world. The men and woman Southern Ireland, who joined the army, did for a variety of reasons long before the Great War. But very many more joined the New Armies believing the same propaganda that brought millions of others into the war, plus the promise that the Home Rule Bill would be enacted at the end of hostilities. It is something that is foremost in my mind when I visit a war cemetery and see the huge number of Southern Irish names there.
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