Cloth Insignia of the I.D.F. (Part 15)
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Award of the M.M.G.
Thursday, 01 May 1997 00:00
Michael Walsh
From "An Cosantoir" 29 Inf Bn Soldier decorated for bravery under fire.Pte Paul Coventry, 29 Inf Bn, has been awarded the nation's highest medal for bravery after "displaying exceptional bravery and compassion" while serving with 'A' Coy, 71 Inf Bn, in South Lebanon. PTE DECLAN POWER, Public Relations Section, looks at the background to the tragic events which led to this award.
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Philosopher, Sailor, Police Chief
Saturday, 01 August 1998 00:00
Michael Walsh
During the first half of the nineteenth century, Bantry was home to many famous Irishmen. The bravest and most daring of them all was Chief Superintendent Francis O'Neill of the Chicago Police Force, born August 25th, 1849 in Tralibane, Bantry, Co. Cork.
Because of his brilliance at English, Maths and Draughtsmanship, Francis was nicknamed “Philosopher O’Neill” at the local National School. At fifteen he was offered a post as teacher but when an older brother insisted on the teaching salary being ploughed back into the family farm, Francis ran away from home.
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Irish Military Badge Update
Tuesday, 01 December 1998 00:00
Tom O'Neill
by Tom O'Neill Souvenir Patch from U.N.I.F.I.L. To celebrate twenty years of Irish military service with U.N.I.F.I.L., the 83rd Battalioin produced a commemorative patch illustrated below. The written detail is yellow on a navy blue background, the dove is white and it is carrying a green olive branch in its beak (the olive branch may not appear in the illustrations below).
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The Soldier's Family
Tuesday, 01 June 1999 00:00
Liam Dodd
Hints for Wives and FriendsSome Useful Memorandaby Liam Dodd Some amount of hardship is at present being experienced by soldiers' dependents, owing to ignorance of the required procedure in obtaining what is due to them. The War Office is doing everything possible for dependents, but the co-operation of the latter is essential for smooth working of the arrangements. Carelessness on the part of newly-joined soldiers or their wives is the usual cause of the latter finding difficulty in obtaining separation allowances. Men on joining the Army are supplied with two forms on which to enter particulars of their marriage and the births of their chidren. One form is retained by the military authorities, and the other should be given or sent by the recruit to his wife. It is essential that he should be careful to do this if trouble regarding payment is to be avoided.
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He Got Two
Monday, 01 February 1999 00:00
Ed Sullivan
by Ed Sullivan Barrack Street in Waterford City is unusual in that it had two British Army barracks in the same street. The artillery barracks with its fine sweeping views of the southern approaches to the city was burned down in 1922, and the military barracks which is still in use. This is where, in 1859, a young Lieutenant on leave from India on the Barrack square was introduced to the daughter of Captain Bews of the 73rd Foot. They married that year but the honeymoon was interrupted by a summons to Buckingham Palace on June 8th, so that the Queen might decorate the Lieutenant with his Victoria Cross. The Lieutenant was later to rise to the rank of Field Marshal and become Lord Roberts VC of Kandahar and Waterford.
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Queens South Africa Medal of the Volunteer Company Royal Irish Regiment
Sunday, 01 February 1998 00:00
Michael Kavanagh
by Michael Kavanagh Service in the South African War 1899 - 1902 for volunteer companies was authorised by Army Order 29 February 1900, and February 1901 and by Army Order 41 of February 1901.
The Irish Volunteer Companies were taken from:-
A. The 5th (Irish) Volunteer Battalion of The King's (Liverpool) Regiment, for service with the Royal Irish Regiment.
B. The 16th Middlesex (London Irish) Volunteer Battalion, for service with The Royal Irish Rifles.
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Some Thoughts on the Medal of Honor and the Victoria Cross
Sunday, 01 November 1987 00:00
E. H. O'Toole
By E.H. O’Toole “Comparisons are invidious,” said some sage or another. There are times when one has to agree with the sentiment and other times when comparisons seem to be inevitable. Discussion occasionally arises among medal collectors on the relative merits of gallantry decorations and nowhere is there more disagreement than when comparison is made between the U.S. Medal of Honor and the British Victoria Cross, in the western world, at least, the most prestigious of gallantry awards. So let us consider some aspects of the argument and attempt to determine why it is, for example, that a genuine named MOH can be bought for around $2,000 while a VC can fetch up to £110,000 and rarely less than £20,000.
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Decorations Awarded for the Irish Rebellion 1916
Wednesday, 01 August 1990 00:00
Anonymous
Distinguished Service Order Lt Col J.M. Blair
| Gordon Highlanders
| Major M.J. Christie
| Royal Flying Corps
| Major G.A. Harris
| Staff | Major J.F. Nelson
| 10th Hussars
| Major I.H. Price
| Staff | Captain A.H. Quibell
| Notts and Derby Regt
| Captain F. Rayner
| Notts and Derby Regt
| Lt Col T.A. Salt
| 11th Hussars
| | Major H.F. Somerville | Rifle Brigade
|
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Wreck of the Transport “Sea Horse” at Tramore 1816
Thursday, 01 February 1990 00:00
Ed Sullivan
by Ed SullivanThe 2nd Bn 59th (East Lancashire) Regt had been protecting the road from Brussels through Hal at the time of the Battle of Waterloo but escaped any serious military engagement at the time, although menaced by some 5,000 French cavalry. They were then quartered in France for a few months until ordered to Ireland, embarking in three transports on 24 January 1816. One of these vessels, the SEA HORSE, a transport of 350 tons burthen, was wrecked in Tramore Bay on 30 January 1816. She had on board nearly 400 souls, only 31 of whom were saved. The sea “ran mountains high,” the vessel struck at 12 midday and her mizzen and main masts were at once cut away. Some of the children were saved by being put in chests and so washed to shore by the waves.
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Can We Afford to go to War?
Thursday, 01 November 1990 00:00
George Callaghan
by George Callaghan
EXTRACTS FROM “PRICED VOCABULARY OF STORES” USED IN HIS MAJESTY’S SERVICE
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The Royal Irish Regiment Memorial at Mons
Saturday, 01 February 1992 00:00
Michael Walsh
This 15 ft high marble cross stands on a mound outside the city where the Royal Irish fought their first engagement of World War I. It was unveiled on 11 November 1923 by Field Marshal the Earl of Ypres, ex-Colonel in Chief of the Regiment, in that presence of a distinguished company. The base bears the badges and Battle Honours of the Regiment and the following inscription:
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Book Review: Militarische Auszeichnungen Der UdSSR
Friday, 01 February 1991 00:00
Anonymous
by D. Herfurth. Militarverlag der DDR, Berlin. 1987.A 163 page hardback in German, this book covers all the official military awards of the USSR and includes 36 colour plates, some of which show little known military badges. There are 50 pages of text with many black and white photos of award recipients, famous and otherwise. As the book was produced just before the collapse of the Communist regime in east Germany, the text is replete with the usual tiresome clichés about ‘brotherhood,’ ‘revolution of the proletariat,’ ‘anti-imperialist peoples,’ ‘forces standing shoulder to shoulder,’ et al. Nevertheless, it is a useful work on the subject, especially for the illustrations, and should be of interest to most USSR buffs.
Book Review: Hellenic Orders, Decorations and Medals
Thursday, 01 August 1991 00:00
Michael Walsh
by George Beldecos, Athens 1991. Hard and softback 28 x 21cm, 174pp 198 colour plates and illustrations. Text in Greek but all photo captions translated in English. Available from Hellenic War Museum, 2 Rizari Street, Athens 139.
The medallic awards of Greece reflect to a remarkable extent the tortuous and troubled history of that lovely land. From monarchy to republic, back again to monarchy, with the occasional military dictatorship for good measure, there have been an astonishing and complicated series of alterations in the insignia of awards. In addition to that, the constant changes of manufacturers throughout Europe and the occasional imprecise design instructions have also led to many variations. It would be safe to say that there are very few real experts in the Greek numismatic scene and the few which do exist are ever prepared for fresh discoveries.
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The Royal Irish With No Booze!
Friday, 01 November 1991 00:00
Ed Sullivan
by Ed Sullivan
The excellent article in JOURNAL No 17 on the subject of Army Temperance Medals brought to mind the affair of the Royal Irish Regiment and the Black Mountain Expedition of 1888 (see JOURNAL No 4, p19). The Commander-in-Chief in India, General Sir Frederick Roberts VC (Bobs to the troops) decided that no field canteen would accompany the expedition - it was to be teetotal! Within two months the affair was over, the Hassanzais and Akazais had made their peace with the Indian Government and the Indian General Service Medal with clasp HAZARA 1888 was granted to the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish and other troops who took part.
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Garda Siochana Long Service Medal
Tuesday, 01 May 1990 00:00
E.H. O’Toole
by E.H. O’TooleIntroduced in 1921 at the same time as the Garda Jubilee Medal (JOURNAL No. 11, page 35) this medal is awarded to all members of the Garda Siochana who complete twenty-two years continuous, exemplary service. It takes precedence after the Scott Medal and before the Jubilee Medal. It is a silver coloured medal 34mm in diameter and is issued unnamed.
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Caveat Emptor
Wednesday, 01 May 1991 00:00
Anonymous
Anyone thinking of purchasing some of the more important Soviet orders and decorations which are coming on to the market should consider the following from the DAILY MAIL of 9 April, 1991: “Eight years ago retired Vice Admiral Kholostyakov and his wife were murdered in their Moscow apartment by criminals whose target was the old man’s personal decorations and medals. The killers were found and the medals eventually deposited in the Museum of Combat Glory of the Pacific Fleet. Now they’ve been stolen again by thieves aware of their high black market value.”
South African Irish Units - Their Badges and Medals
Sunday, 01 May 1988 00:00
Michael A. Kavanagh
by Michael Kavanagh There has been an Irish presence in South Africa for nearly two centuries and it is hardly surprising therefore that there should be military units in that area with a strong Irish flavour. The first such unit appears to have been an Irish Company in the Volunteer force known as Prince Alfred’s Guard, extant during the period 1856 to 1966. Initially the Irish Company, styled “5th Irish Coy, Prince Alfred’s Guard” wore the standard cap badge of the unit (Fig. 1) but in 1878 adopted a distinctive badge consisting of the Leinster harp surmounted by a Queen’s Crown (Fig. 2). The Guard was entitled to the following medals for services rendered:
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Great War Statistics
Sunday, 01 August 1993 00:00
Michael Walsh
The table which appears below is quite fascinating, note for example that Austria suffered an incredible ninety percent of casualties in relation to mobilised strength while Japan had point two of one percent. Japan’s three (3) missing soldiers compares rather favourably with Russia’s two and a half million and the Central Powers twenty-three million mobilised were just over half of those of the Allies.
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The Fighting Sullivans
Saturday, 01 May 1993 00:00
Patrick J. Casey
I refer to the badge of the U.S. Naval Destroyer ‘U.S.S. THE SULLIVANS’, illustrated in our Journal No. 13 of Aug. 1990, and to the request for further information. The following article is based on information supplied by Patrick Barnard of Tonawanda, U.S.A.
In spite of U.S. Navy policy preventing siblings from serving at the same duty, or on the same ship simultaneously, five Irish-American brothers managed to persuade the authorities to allow them to serve on the light cruiser U.S.S. JUNEAU. The brothers were Joseph, Francis, Albert, Madison and George Sullivan, of Waterloo, Iowa, sons of Thomas and Alleta Sullivan.
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