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 89 th 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 53 rd 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".

Transcript of winter newsletter 13 - Cavalry · PDF fileHe was commissioned in 1946 and he was President of...

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: _____________________________________