Air Defence of Republic of Ireland
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IIRC
Some 250,000 Citizens of the Irish Republic volunteered for service with UK Armed Forces during WW2 - hence the appalling accent used by Sean Connery in the film "The Longest Day".
Some 250,000 Citizens of the Irish Republic volunteered for service with UK Armed Forces during WW2 - hence the appalling accent used by Sean Connery in the film "The Longest Day".
Irish air Defence
Of course it's not just Air Defence. I have always wondered why Ireland bothers to maintain an Army but not an Air Force. If it ever did 'hit the fan' a troop of Boy Scouts, with Air support, could roll them up in a weekend!
Mind you, their prime mission seems to be to be hired out to the UN and of course there is always the CIVIL aspect.
Mind you, their prime mission seems to be to be hired out to the UN and of course there is always the CIVIL aspect.
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Sweden and switzerland have true neutrality in that they can defend it, up until the late eighties ireland was piss poor so trying to justify a multi billion pound air force was never a runner. Initial WW2 neutrality was based upon devaleras (mistaken?) wish to stay away from englands war and by doing so reaffirming ireland fledgling independence (lets not forget ireland was just coming out of almost 400 years of british occupation and were reticent about aiding the 'oul enemy'). As a result of Irish neutrality during the second world war there has develpoed a 'neutral' mindset within the national psyche which is impossible to shake. It should not be forgoten however that ireland was neutral towards the allies! Allied bomber crews who carried out forced landings in Eire during WW2 were fed, refuelled and helped on their way, German crews were interred, coastal watchposts passed on german air and naval movements to the brits etc. The issue of Irish neutrality duriing WW2 and continued neutrality is still an ongoing debate. Every remembrance day the question is still asked as to why, given thousands of irish volunteers died in allied service, ireland did not just fully ally. In my humble opinion neutrality in WW2 was a mistake, however moaning about it and basing current political and military policy on a almost 70 year old gripe seems daft.
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[QUOTE=KiloB;4520456]Of course it's not just Air Defence. I have always wondered why Ireland bothers to maintain an Army but not an Air Force.QUOTE]
They do...
"The Role of the Air Corps under the Defence Act is to contribute to the security of the State by providing for the Military Air Defence of its airspace. However in times of peace it is more usual for the Air Corps to fulfill the roles assigned by Government through the deployment of a well motivated and effective Air Corps.
In Support of the Army
In Support of the Naval Service
In Aid to the Civil Power "
Defence Forces - Air Corps Roles
Guess it depends who you're defending your airspace from!
They do...
"The Role of the Air Corps under the Defence Act is to contribute to the security of the State by providing for the Military Air Defence of its airspace. However in times of peace it is more usual for the Air Corps to fulfill the roles assigned by Government through the deployment of a well motivated and effective Air Corps.
In Support of the Army
In Support of the Naval Service
In Aid to the Civil Power "
Defence Forces - Air Corps Roles
Guess it depends who you're defending your airspace from!
FX Guru
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eurocopter - Very nice post, sir.
One of my wife's relatives was an ardent Republican yet as soon as Britain declared war on Germany he was on the boat to Liverpool to sign up.
One of my wife's relatives was an ardent Republican yet as soon as Britain declared war on Germany he was on the boat to Liverpool to sign up.
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ROI Ww2
During WW2 President Devalera played a pretty straight bat in that he had to be seen to be even handed between the opposing forces. Winston Churchill vilified him because of his independant attitude, and had Devalera been part of the British elite then he would probably have been sacked.
The Irish question has and still remaims complex but in this instance one has to remember that Sir Roger Casement had been landed at Tralee by German U boat to assist in the uprising during WW1 against British rule, so links with Germany preceded the events of WW2, along with empathy for the Germans by the some of the Irish population, depending on their political affiliations.
During WW2 many Irishmen flocked to Britain, some to join the colours and others to join the civil engineering companies that between them contributed so much to the war effort.
However, it has never been officially admitted or indeed properly researched regarding the small minority of camp followers of a certain political organiseation who embedded themselves with the volunteers and caried out acts of espionage and sabotage in the UK during WW2 on behalf of Germany.
Historically British Military Intelligence has always maintained that all German spies and saboteurs were captured, this being based on German documents seized after the war, however Hitler had many parallel operations running in competiton with each other and I beg the question was MI fully aware and have they told the full story?
It would take someone of the brilliance of John Ware who carried out such excellent investigative reporting in the 1980"s on the World In Action programme to unravel the cause and effect of this particular subject but over the years substantive clues have pockmarked history ever since on this rather interesting aspect of wartime history.
The Irish question has and still remaims complex but in this instance one has to remember that Sir Roger Casement had been landed at Tralee by German U boat to assist in the uprising during WW1 against British rule, so links with Germany preceded the events of WW2, along with empathy for the Germans by the some of the Irish population, depending on their political affiliations.
During WW2 many Irishmen flocked to Britain, some to join the colours and others to join the civil engineering companies that between them contributed so much to the war effort.
However, it has never been officially admitted or indeed properly researched regarding the small minority of camp followers of a certain political organiseation who embedded themselves with the volunteers and caried out acts of espionage and sabotage in the UK during WW2 on behalf of Germany.
Historically British Military Intelligence has always maintained that all German spies and saboteurs were captured, this being based on German documents seized after the war, however Hitler had many parallel operations running in competiton with each other and I beg the question was MI fully aware and have they told the full story?
It would take someone of the brilliance of John Ware who carried out such excellent investigative reporting in the 1980"s on the World In Action programme to unravel the cause and effect of this particular subject but over the years substantive clues have pockmarked history ever since on this rather interesting aspect of wartime history.
Last edited by midnight retired; 11th Nov 2008 at 08:04. Reason: spelling
RoI in WW2
While Ireland needed to maintain an appearance of neutrality during the War, in January 1941 the UK government negotiated the Donegal corridor via a secret treaty with the Irish Free State. This enabled the Catalinas and Sunderlands operating out of Castle Archdale to reach 100 miles or more further into the Atlantic compared to the previous route flying entirely over Northern Irish territory and crossing the coast near Derry.
While primarily aimed at improving convoy cover and reducing the mid-Atlantic gap that could not be reached by anti-submarine aircraft operating from either side of the Atlantic, the Donegal corridor also enabled the Catalina that spotted the Bismarck to have the required range.
There's an interesting small museum at Castle Archdale comemmorating the wartime flying boat operations.
While primarily aimed at improving convoy cover and reducing the mid-Atlantic gap that could not be reached by anti-submarine aircraft operating from either side of the Atlantic, the Donegal corridor also enabled the Catalina that spotted the Bismarck to have the required range.
There's an interesting small museum at Castle Archdale comemmorating the wartime flying boat operations.
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Eire didn't "make the deep ports unavailable". UK chose to terminate its Treaty Rights (see my 9/11 post). They chose neutrality, which you may object to (if you are an RoI citizen). Neutrals do not offer aid to a combatant.
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One of the greatest fighter pilots of WWII was Dublin born, Brendan "Paddy" Finucane. A Wing Commander at the tender age of 21. Crashed into the Channel, was knocked unconscious and drowned whilst returning from a sortie over France.
His dog would always wait at the side of the runway for Paddy's return. When he failed to return, his dog stayed by the runway, refused all food and drink and died of starvation some 10 days later. That's real love and devotion.
His dog would always wait at the side of the runway for Paddy's return. When he failed to return, his dog stayed by the runway, refused all food and drink and died of starvation some 10 days later. That's real love and devotion.
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Donegal Corridor
Not sure if the "corridor" still exists but it is still there, if you know what I mean. Got caught out on SAR W of Ireland in the late 1980s and found that the only way to Ballykelly was in a straight line. I remember a mountain pass with a Pub called "Rosie O'Grady's"?? (did'nt stop, just flew by) but a quick internet search draws a blank.
DL
DL
Last edited by davaar lad; 12th Nov 2008 at 21:43. Reason: spollong mistook
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Quote"A significant proportion of the south's imports were from the neighbour they love to hate"
Posted by:Vie sans frontieres
The Irish dont hate the British, thats history, move on but dont forget it's a small minority that always get the attention unfortunately, but they are seen over here for what they are small minded fools.
Posted by:Vie sans frontieres
The Irish dont hate the British, thats history, move on but dont forget it's a small minority that always get the attention unfortunately, but they are seen over here for what they are small minded fools.
