winter newsletter 13 - cavalry · pdf filehe was commissioned in 1946 and he was president of...
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CAVALRY CLUB NEWSLETTER WINTER 2013
In Memoriam.
One of the Cavalry Corps links to the Emergency and to the
Cyclist Squadrons was severed in October with the death of
Comdt Breandán O Tighearnaigh Mount Merrion Dublin 4 and
late of 11 Mot Sqn FCA who was one of the small number of
surviving officers who served in the Defence Forces during the
early 1940s. Breandán passed away peacefully at his home on 15
Oct 13 in his 89th
year. He was born on 02 May 1925 and he
joined the army in 1942 and he served with 11 Cavalry Regiment.
He was commissioned in 1946 and he was President of the Cavalry Club in 1967. Up
to his death, he was the oldest surviving Club President. As a memento of his service
in the Cavalry Corps, his grandson, Gabhan, brought Breandán’s Glengarry to the
altar at the start of the funeral mass in the Church of St. Thérèse, Mount Merrion on
Thursday 17 Oct 13. We extend our condolences to his daughter Brenda, sons Cian
and Colm and grandchildren Gabhan and Eliza.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Honorary Member Appointed as New DCOS Sp.
On 05 Nov 13 the government announced the promotion
of Rear Admiral Mark Mellett DSM and his appointment
as DCOS Sp. His early military experiences are rooted
in Cavalry as he had served with 5 Motor Squadron FCA
from Oct 1973 until he was awarded a Naval Cadetship
in Dec 1978. As a Cadet in 53rd
Cadet Class he trained
with Pat Corr, Gabriel Darcy and Cathal O’Neill, three
officers who were commissioned into the Corps.
While serving as a Lt Cdr, R Adm Mellett was awarded
the Distinguished Service Medal with Distinction for a
major drugs interdiction operation at sea in 1993. The
citation reads: "For distinguished service as captain of
L.E. Orla, in showing courage, confidence and
leadership while co-coordinating a complex operation at sea leading to the arrest of
the ketch "Brime" off the south west coast on 13 July 1993. His professional skill,
dedication and devotion to duty in a difficult operation reflected great credit on the
Naval Service and the Defence Forces".
He served overseas with UNIFIL in Lebanon (1989) and with ISAF in Afghanistan
(2004).
R Adm Mellett attended courses at the Royal Naval College in Greenwich in 1989, at
the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1999 and he was awarded a
PhD in Oceans Governance from NUI Galway in 2009 and a Masters in Government
and Public Policy from University College Cork in 2004. He was appointed as
FOCNS in 25 Jan 11.
R Adm Mellett was elected as an honorary member of the Cavalry Club at the 67th
AGM in 2012 and the Club wish him every success in his new appointment and best
wishes for the future.
A young Tpr Mark Mellett 5th Motor Squadron FCA pictured 2nd from the right with former
colleagues, circa early 70s, Castlebar Military Barracks.
Cavalry Officers Serving Overseas.
Comdt Joe Mullins started a tour of duty with UNTSO in Aug.
In Sep Comdt Charlie Dineen joined the staff at HQ KFOR in Pristina.
Capt Dave Coughlan and Lt Fiachra O Coigligh deployed to UNIFIL with 42 Inf Gp
in Nov to replace 108 Inf Bn in mid Nov and Capt Mick Murphy joined the staff at
Sector West Headquarters in Shama. The 42 Inf Gp is part of the Finnish/Irish
Battalion and the battalion has approximately 180 Irish personnel. In addition, four
Irish staff officers are working at UNIFIL Sector West Headquarters and twenty-one
Irish personnel are at the Force Headquarters in Naqoura. The Minister for Defence,
Alan Shatter TD attended the Transfer of Authority ceremony when the Irish
transferred authority to the Finnish Defence Forces on 26 Nov 13. UNIFIL remains
as Ireland’s largest overseas deployment.
On 28 Sep 13, Lt Lisa Ann McMahon deployed to Camp Fouar in the Golan Heights
with the main body of 43 Inf Gp UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer
Force). Capt Rory McCann (formerly 4 Cav Sqn and now Ord Corps) is also with the
Gp. The unit is the Force Headquarters Reserve Company and it is the first Irish unit
to serve with this mission.
These seven officers join five other Cav Corps officers who will be on overseas
service for the Christmas period and during 2014: Lt Col Gerry Cooney is in EUFOR
BiH Sarajevo, Lt Col Bob Duggan and Capt Pat O’Connor are with UNTSO, Lt Col
Kieran Dalton and Lt Col Frank Lawless are serving in Brussels. We wish them all
and their families a safe and happy Christmas.
Lt Lisa Ann McMahon (centre) & Capt Rory McCann (right) at UNDOF Review.
Promotions.
Congratulations and best wishes to Ray O’Lehan and to Colm O Luasa who were
listed for promotion to the rank of Lt Col following the recent promotion
competitions. Lt Col O’Lehan, who has already been promoted, started his service in
1 Armd Car Sqn in 1986. Comdt O’Luasa is at present serving at DFHQ in Trg
Branch and he is due to be promoted early in the New Year, he was commissioned as
a Tp Comd 2 Cav Sqn in 1988.
Wedding Bells.
The committee extend their congratulations to Lt
Damien O’Herlihy and his wife Suzann who were
married on 25 Oct 13 and wish the happy couple
good health and every happiness into the future.
Septuagenarians/Octogenarians/ Nonagenarians Lunch 29 Aug 13.
Fifteen Elders of the Corps attended a special lunch at the Officers Mess the Mil Col
on 29 Aug 13. This was the biggest turnout since the annual lunch was started in
2009 with three over 90s, four over 80s and eight over 70s in attendance. The guests
were Comdt Art Magennis DSM, Comdt Dan Daly, Capt Luke Mullins, Capt Michael
Mulcahy, Comdt Brendan Smyth, Col Liam Young, Capt Charles O’Rourke, Capt Pat
Aylward, Col Hugh O’Connor, Captain
Jim Power, Comdt Jim O’Brien, Capt
Tony Marshall, Lt Col Kenneth Kelly,
Col Richard Heaslip and Comdt Eamon
O Briain. Col Mick Beary the CMC,
senior serving Cav officers and members
of the committee, joined them for a most
memorable function and an excellent
meal.
Cavalry Corps Memorial Day 07 Sep 13.
The annual Cavalry Corps Memorial
Day was held at the Curragh Camp on
Saturday 07 Sep 13 and the big
attendance included many members of
the families of those who lost their
lives in the Congo, Cyprus and the
Lebanon as well as many former
comrades. This year the ceremonies
commenced with mass at in St.
Brigid's Garrison Church at 1100
hours con-celebrated by the Right Rev
Mons Eoin Thyne HCF, Mons John
McDonald, Chaplain-in-Charge the
Curragh and Rev Fr Fergus O’Connor
PP Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish
Merrion, Dublin. Fr Fergus was a
member of 41 Cadet Class and he
served in the Corps from Sep 1968; he
retired as a Comdt in 1980. He was
the Club President in 1982. He was
ordained in 1990 by Pope John Paul II
in St Peter's Basilica, Rome and he
worked in Peru, Uganda and in Kenya. He was appointed as PP in Merrion in Sep
2008. Col Tony Bracken BMC, Dir Combat Sp & ISTAR welcomed the congregation
before the mass commenced. The Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Memorial Garden
was at 1230 hours at Plunkett Barracks, where Lt Gen Conor O’Boyle, Chief of Staff
and Col Tony Bracken BMC laid wreaths. Brig Gen Shay O’Giolláin GOC DFTC
and Lt Col Pat Power, Cav
Sch Comdt were among the
large group of serving
personnel along with unit
commanders and
representatives of the Cavalry
units and well as former
personnel of the Corps and the
Organisation of National Ex-
Servicemen and Women and
the Irish United Nations
Veterans Association. Comdt
Ruairi O’Brien, Sqn Comdt 2
Cav Sqn was the parade
commander for the ceremony.
Annual Club Dinner 02 November 13.
The Annual Club Dinner
2013 for Club Members
and their spouses/partners
was held in the Officers
Mess Collins Bks Cork
on Saturday 02 November
13 with a total of fifty
two in attendance. Guests
enjoyed pre-dinner drinks
in the Museum and were
treated to a most
interesting briefing by
CQMS Gerry White on Michael Collins and the history of the barracks as well as the
role of the military in the life and history of the city and county. Lt Gen Seán
McCann DSM (Retd) was the after dinner speaker and he said it was great to see the
good turnout. He said that it is right that this annual event should be moved around
the country because for too long the club was seen as being rooted in the greater
Curragh – Dublin area. He noted that next year the club will celebrate the 70th
anniversary of its founding and it is remarkable that it is still going strong. The very
survival and vitality of the club is attributable to the countless Cav officers who
willingly gave of their time and energy as
committee members and they ensured that the club
continued to exist in the good times and the not so
good times.
A Special Birthday.
Members of the Club along with former colleagues from 1 Mot Sqn and HQ Southern
Command joined with Lt Col Seán Hennessy at the Officers Mess Collins Bks Cork
to celebrate Seán’s 90th birthday and to mark his 41 years of devoted service in the
Defence Forces. He enlisted as a Pte on 31 Dec 1942 during the Emergency and he
Sean Hennessy with Friends
was awarded a cadetship with the 18th Cadet Class. He was commissioned on 12 Sep
1946 into the Construction Corps and he served in Gormanston Camp and in the
Training Depot in the Curragh. He transferred to the Cav Corps 01 Jun 1948 and
served with 2 Mot Sqn as a Tp Comd before he was posted to Fermoy in Apr 1957.
He was appointed Sqn Comd in Jul 1972 and he commanded 1 Mot Sqn until his
promotion to Lt Col in Mar 1978. He served on the Comd HQ Staff until he retired
on 11 Feb 1983. On behalf of the Club, we wish Seán many more happy years of
retirement.
News From the Units.
1 Cav Sqn Shooting Stars!
Photo Caption: Team members (Bde Champions Photo):
Front Row L-R: Tpr O’Hara, Cpl Morrissey, Tpr Morrisson, Tpr Garnon, Tpr Cambridge,
Back Row L-R: Sqn Sgt McGahern (Coach), Comdt MacDonald (OC 1 Cav Sqn), Tpr Quigley, Tpr Hurley, Cpl O’Brien, SQMS O’Donovan.
1 Cav Sqn has proven once again that they are the team to beat when it comes to the
All Army Shooting Competition. In 2013 they represented 1 Bde after they qualified
as the outright Bde Champions with the fastest qualifying time of 18 seconds. All
three Cav Sqns qualified for the 2013 All Army Shooting Competition. 1 Cav Sqn
qualified comfortably for the semi final where they faced and beat 1 Mech Coy. In the
final they came up against the 1 Cn Cois, defeating them in two runs with a final time
17.04 seconds. 1 Cav Sqn never conceded a run throughout the whole competition at
Bde or All Army level.
This was an outstanding performance by 1 Cav Sqn having taken on the best teams of
the Defence Forces such as 1 Cn Cois, 28 Inf Bn, 3 Inf Bn, 2 Cav Sqn, 1 ACS and 1
Mech Coy.
Record of All Army Falling Plates Wins:
1 Mot Sqn:1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976
I Cav Sqn: 1982,1985,1994,1998,2000,2013
Note. In 2000, 1 Cav Sqn, trained by Sgt Liam McGahern, had previously beaten 1 Cn
Cois in a time of 14.05 seconds and this time has never been beaten.
2 Cav Sqn Honour Guard at New Collins Memorial Unveiling.
On 23 Aug 13, the 91st anniversary of the death of the first Commander-in-Chief of
the National Army, Gen Michael Collins, 2 Cav Sqn provided a splendid honour
guard for a special ceremonial
event at Cathal Brugha Barracks.
The Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Conor
O'Boyle, unveiled a black marble
monument on the same spot where
one of the most iconic
photographs of "The Big Fella"
was taken on 07 Aug 1922 when
he returned from a memorial
service in the barracks for seven
soldiers who had been killed in the
then ongoing Civil War. A wreath
was laid by Collins’ grandniece,
Helen Collins - her grandfather,
Johnny, was Collins’ eldest brother. The memorial was erected with funds raised by
personnel in the barracks. ‘Sliabh na mBan’ the Rolls Royce armoured car in the
convoy on the day of the ambush at Béal na mBláth, County Cork on 23 Aug 1922
was on display for the ceremony.
Cavalry Club Website and Archival Photographs.
Please visit the Cavalry Club website at http://www.cavalryclub.ie/index.html to
view the current news and pictures from this years events and other information.
The committee are keen to collect photographs from members for scanning and
putting on the website as part of the archival material covering the history of the
Corps. Members are requested to dust off their photograph albums and to let the
committee know if you wish to contribute to the photographic record. We would be
delighted to receive photographs of operations, exercises, shoots, camps, ceremonial
events, unit personalities and vehicles from home or overseas for the website. All
photographs will be returned to the owners once scanned.
Christmas and New Year Greetings.
Beannachtaí na Nollag agus Athbhliain faoi shéan is faoi shonas.
The Committee takes this opportunity to wish all members of the Club and their
families a happy and peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2014 and look
forward to meeting more members at club events in the coming year.
We extend special greetings to our members who will be on duty or working at home
or abroad during the festive season.
Beannachtaí na Nollag agus athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh uilig.
Carpe Diem.
Membership
Subscription.
Officers of the Corps who might not have taken up
membership of the club or whose subscriptions
might not be up-to-date are requested to download
the attached request for a standing order and to
complete and forward to your own bank before 01
Feb 14.
Request for Standing Order (Note: This request supersedes any previous SO payable to the Cavalry Club)
To: The Manager
Bank: ______________________________
Branch: ____________________________ Date:
_______________________
01. Please charge to my account: A/c No:
02. Name of Account:
____________________________________________________
03. Payment Reference Number:
____________________________________________
(If applicable)
And Pay To:
04. Name of Account: The Cavalry Club
Bank: Bank of Ireland
College Green, Dublin 2
05. NSC: 90 00 17
06. Account Number: 17065214
The amount stated below at the specified intervals:
07. Frequency: Annually
08. Day of Month: 01
09. Commencing with the first payment on: 01 February 2014
10. Amount: Euro €25.00
My/our account will at all times contain sufficient funds to enable each payment
to be effected on the due date:
Signed: _____________________________________