CAVALRY CLUB NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2012

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1 In Memoriam. CAVALRY CLUB NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2012 With sadness we reported the death of one of the honorary members of the Cavalry Club, Mae McCorley (née Whelan) late of Ballymany Park, Newbridge who died at Cork University Hospital on Thursday 12 th April Mae was the widow of the late Colonel Roger McCorley DSM, who was the Club s president in 1972 and she is survived by her daughter Mairéad, her sister Una, granddaughters Sheena, Maayan and Ella, son-in-law Shmuel, sister and brother-in-law Lieutenant Colonel Pearse McCorley (Retd), nieces and nephews. Funeral mass was celebrated at the Garrison Church Curragh Camp on Monday, 16 th April, at 1000 hours followed by burial in Saint Conleth s Cemetery Newbridge. Suaimhneas Síoraí dá hanam. Cavalry Officers Serving Overseas. Three Cavalry officers have been posted to overseas appointments since the last newsletter. Lieutenant Colonel Tom Heskin deployed to the UN Operation in Cote d Ivoire (UNOCI) at the end of April and he will complete a six months tour of duty. Captain Shane McGrath and Lieutenant Siobhan O Sullivan travelled to South Lebanon in May with Reconnaissance Company of the 106 th Infantry Battalion. This brings to eleven the number of Cavalry officers who are on overseas service at this time. Commandant Rory McCorley (Club President in 2011) was extended in his appointment at UNIFIL Force HQ at Naquora until the end of the year where he is serving with Lieutenant Colonel Pat Power; Captain John Tynan is also in Lebanon at Sector West Headquarters in Shama; Lieutenant Colonel Kieran Dalton, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Lawless and Commandant Cormac Kirwan are in Brussels; Commandant Trevor Ging is in Kabul with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan and Lieutenant Andrew O Shaughnessy is in Vienna with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

2 Promotions. Congratulations to Capt Joe Mullins who was promoted to the rank of Commandant from the 2008 round of interviews and posted to the Cavalry school in June. Congratulations also to the six Cavalry Captains who were successful in the recent promotion competition and who are listed for elevation, they are Peter Norton, Jayne Lawlor, Andrew Burke, Will O Meara, Pat O Connor and John Fitzgerald. News from the Reserve Squadrons. The three Reserve Squadrons are preparing for annual full-time training camps and they will be in different locations throughout the country. 31st Reserve Cavalry Squadron will be in on camp in Stephens Barracks Kilkenny with exercises in the Kilworth area, 54th Reserve Cavalry Squadron will travel northwest to Finner Camp in August and the Naval Base Haulbowline will be the location for 62nd Reserve Cavalry Squadron. An Cosantóir. The Corps featured prominently in the June edition of An Cosantóir magazine with a feature article on Captain John Chadwick (Retd) and a piece by Captain Mick Bohan on the Cavalry Club as well as a report on 4 th Cavalry Squadron s success in the Defence Forces Recce Competition. Capt John Chadwick 47 th Cadet Class Re-union. The five Cavalry officers who joined the army as members of the 47 th cadet Class in April 1972 celebrated their fortieth anniversary at a dinner in Ceannt Officer Mess in April along with their classmates. The photograph shows L to R: Brendan Rohan, George Kerton, Eamonn Smyth, Noel Duffy and Seán Hynes.

3 4 Cavalry Squadron News. Orienteering provides an excellent means of practicing troop s navigation, map reading and decision-making ability in a relaxed but competitive environment. It was therefore decided to encourage and facilitate maximum participation by 4 th Cavalry Squadron personnel in the army orienteering events run within the 4 th Western Brigade in The Troop Training program conducted in the unit from January to March, presented an opportunity to refresh navigation and map reading 4 W Bde Team Orienteering Championships - Team Event Winners - 4 Cav Sqn Front row (l-r): Tpr Doyle, Tpr Finn, Sgt Kelly Back row (l-r): Tpr Daly, Tpr Gallogly, Lt McGuire, Tpr Sweeney skills among the troops through lectures, practical map work and navigation exercises ahead of the start of the 4 th Western Brigade Spring Orienteering League. The League provided regular opportunities for troops to practice and build confidence in their skills while at the same maintain and improve fitness levels. A large number of 4 th Cavalry Squadron personnel participated in each round of the league, with excellent individual results achieved. The unit consistently had individual finishers in the top three and by the last round of the league the unit, as a whole, had finished in a very credible 4th place overall. The experience gained during the league stood the unit well in the 4 th Western Brigade Orienteering Champs, held at Mullaghmeen, County Westmeath on the 2nd April 12. Each member of the team performed excellently on the day and the unit won the overall Team Event (picture inset). This was the first time the unit has won the event since 1990, the event having being dominated by the 28th Infantry Battalion and 6th Infantry Battalion for the last two decades. GOC 4 th Western Brigade Brigadier General Aherne presented the trophy on the day. The unit also picked up two individual titles with Trooper Cathal Sweeney winning the novice event and Lieutenant Eddie McGuire winning the intermediate event. Following on from the Brigade Championships, the unit entered a team to compete in the All-Army Orienteering Champs at Dysart, County Laois, where the team put in a very respectable performance. Next year it is hoped to build on the experience and success of 2012, introduce more personnel to the sport and challenge the ARW for the All-Army Minor Unit Title!

4 Presentation On Friday 1 st June 2012, the 4 th Cavalry Squadron had the honour of being presented with the Sam Browne belt that once belonged to Commandant Seán Connolly, Vice Brigadier of the Longford Brigade I.R.A. during the War of Independence, who was killed by British forces and from whom the Unit draws a great deal of its heritage and esprit de corps. Comdt. Cooke is presented with Seán Connolly s Sam Browne belt in the Officers Mess, Custume Barracks, Athlone, by Mr. Donal MacLochlainn. Also pictured are Mrs. Rita MacLochlainn and Brig. Gen. Aherne. The barracks in Longford that housed 4 th Cavalry Squadron from 1972 until 2009 was named in his honour, as is the Squadron s new and present Headquarters building. In fact, it was outside this building - Seán Connolly House, in Custume Barracks, Athlone, that the presentation of this important piece of military memorabilia was held. The belt was presented by Mr. Donal MacLochlainn, who is a nephew of Connolly and had always intended to give the belt to the Unit, which identified so strongly with his late uncle. Mr. MacLochlainn was accompanied by his wife Rita and members of their family, and the group were treated to lunch in the Officers Mess, Custume Barracks, before the presentation. Brigadier General Gerald Aherne, General Officer Commanding the 4 th Western Brigade, and Commandant Eugene Cooke, Squadron commander, 4 th Cavalry Squadron, dined with the guests. Accepting the presentation on behalf of 4 th Cavalry Squadron, Commandant Cooke spoke briefly about the significance of Seán Connolly in the Unit s history, the challenges faced by the Unit during the barrack closure and redeployment to Athlone in 2009, and recent sporting and military achievements by the Unit. In particular, he mentioned the All-Army Reconnaissance Concentration, which was won outright by a detachment from 4 th Cavalry Squadron under the command of Lieutenant Niall Dolan. Seán Connolly s Sam Browne belt has been mounted in a display case, and will be hung in a prominent location within the Headquarters building as a reminder of the proud history and heritage of the 4 th Cavalry Squadron.

5 Cork Paintball Outing and Dinner 10 th Apr 12. A Cavalry Young Officers day out was held in Cork on 10 April As the event was organised by officers of 1 st Cavalry Squadron it just had to involve shooting and as a it was a social function this had to be less-thanlethal. Participants met in Collins Barracks at 1300 hours and made their way down to Indoor Paintball, located in an old Ford manufacturing warehouse in Cork Marina. There was a very good attendance, mostly from the home unit, but a few Officers did make the journey. In addition to a number of infantry attachments, nine Young Cavalry Officers took part: Captain Pat Moroney, Captain Shane McGrath, Lieutenant Paul Austin, Lieutenant Michael Conway, Lieutenant Liam Fannon, Lieutenant Eoin Carroll, Lieutenant William Halpin, Lieutenant Colm Kirby and Lieutenant Richard Piggott. The group was split into two teams and the games began. In total five games were played, a number of rivalries were settled, and only one duel had to take place. Despite some people accidentally shooting their own team members (not really green-on-green paint!) it was too close to call a winner in the end but one thing was definite, that there is nothing to be gained from playing by the rules. After intense fighting-in-a-built-up-area, the group adjourned to the Officers Mess in Collins and were joined by Commandant Charlie Dineen, Captain Denise Burke, Captain Neil O Grady and Lieutenant Gillian Collins for an excellent steak dinner cooked by Trooper Gillman. Dinner was quickly followed by some liquid refreshments and a trip to explore the attractions of Cork City. Everybody made it home in the late hours and some even made it into work the next morning. A great day and night was had by all and hopefully a sign of things to co me in the future. YOs Induction Dinner A dinner was held in the Officers Mess the Military College on 26 th April to welcome Second Lieutenant Criostóir Humphreys who was commissioned to 2 nd Cavalry Squadron in March. The attendance included the Chief of Staff, the Director of Cavalry, the College Commandant along with Squadron Commanders and committee members.

6 Dublin Walk 14 Apr 12. A very enjoyable day was spent in Dublin recently when Cavalry Club members and their guests participated in the Cavalry Club walking Tour of Military Monuments and Memorials. The group departed on a day long walking tour of Dublin starting From McKee Barracks and travelled via Blackhorse Avenue to Grangegorman Military Cemetery and onwards past Arus an Uachtaran,Wellington memorial, Islandbridge Memorial Park to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.After lunch and refreshments in the Royal Hospital restaurant the group returned to McKee Barracks visiting Collins Barracks and Arbour Hill Cemetery. The Cavalry club Committee would like to extend their gratitude to Col Dick Heaslip and Comdt Billy Campbell for their help in organising this event. Comdt Billy Campbell briefs the group at Islandbridge.

7 WW1 Western Front Battlefield Recce June A group of Cavalry Club members and friends have recently returned from a trip to France and Flanders after visiting WW1 battlefield Sites and Cemeteries. Like in 2008 when the Club embarked on its first "Recce" trip it has proven to be a highly enjoyable and exciting occasion. The four day trip at the beginning of June involved visiting sites that had a strong Irish Regiment focus. Day 1 saw the Group visit Mons in Belgium and then follow the central retreat route taken by Smith Dorriens Second Corps southwards to La Cateau. From there we headed east to meet up with Haigs First Corps line of retreat and after travelling through Landrecies where the 1st Battalion Irish Guards were involved in a rear guard action we arrived in the area near Etreux where a famous rearguard action fought by the 2nd Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers took place. Special points of interest along the route were Mons, the first and last shots of the war, the Memorial to the Royal Irish Rifles and Saint Symphorien Cemetery to see the grave of Lt Maurice Dease from Co. Westmeath, the first recipient of the VC. Day 2 the Group embarked for the Somme where amongst the many sites visited were Rancourt, 16 TH Irish Division Memorial at Guillemont, the South African Memorial at Delville wood and the large mine site at La Boisselle called the Loughnagar crater. From there it was off to Pozieres to see the Tank Memorial, Thiepval memorial to the missing, The Ulster Tower and the Newfoundland Division Memorial at Beaumont Hamel. Day 3 saw us leave Arras our billets for the first two nights of the trip and head for Ypres in Belgium travelling through the area of the Forgotten Front of Festubert, Aubers Ridge, Neuve Chapelle and Fromelles where a lot of the Battles of 1915 occurred. On arriving in Ypres the group proceeded to follow the Ypres Salient south to north taking in the sites of Mount Kemmel, the Island of Ireland Peace Park, Messines Ridge and the German cemetery of Langemarck. Then on to Poelcapple to see John Condon s grave (at 14 years of age the youngest British casualty of the War) and the site of the first German gas attacks of the war. The visit to Tyne Cot Cemetery near Passchendaele, the biggest CWGC Cemetery in the World where casualties of the war are buried brought home to the group the idea of the enormity and complexity of the Battlles that were fought here and in France throughout the four years of the War. On a special note of our trip to the Battlefields the Group visited the sounding of the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres. Every night a moving ceremony takes place here under the Arch and for a few moments the noise of traffic ceases and a stillness descends over the Memorial. At exactly 20:00 hours up to six members of the regular buglers from the local volunteer Fire Brigade step into the roadway under the Memorial arch. They play the Last Post, followed by a short silence and then play Reveille. Then a Ceremony of laying of Wreaths takes place. The president, Col George Kerton accompanied by Capt Mick Bohan on behalf of the Cavalry Club laid a wreath in memory to all Irishmen and Women who died in the World Wars.

8 Cavalry Club golf The cavalry Club Golf outing and competition for the Cavalry Cup will be held this year at the Curragh Golf Club on Wednesday July 11th 2012 in conjunction with the Curragh Army Officers Golfing Society (CAOGS). Tee off times and hours. Green Fees 25. Non-members of CAOGS should register to play in the clubhouse before 1100 hours. Cavalry Club members of CAOGA are requested to register to compete in the competition before teeing off. Club members may invite a guest. Club handicaps will apply for the Cavalry Cup Competition. Those without a club handicap may compete with a Society Handicap not greater than 18 for 2nd and 3rd prize only. A meal will be provided after the competition for members who book in advance. Price extra. The Club President in the clubhouse will present prizes after the competition. Members who intend to play should contact any committee member. Cavalry Corps Memorial Day will be held on Saturday 1st Sep 2012 at Plunkett Barracks, Curragh Camp with Mass starting at 1100 hours. Other Events The National Day of Commemoration Ceremony, to honour all those Irishmen and Irishwomen who died in past wars or on service with the United Nations, will be held this year on Sunday, 8th July 2012 at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks at 1030 hours. President Michael D Higgins will lay a wreath on behalf of the people of Ireland. The event is open to the public and An Taoiseach and members of the Defence Forces will participate in the ceremony. Entry to the ceremony will be by the Arbour Hill Gate. Commemorative events will also be held in Sligo, Kilkenny, Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. To date, 86 members of the Defence have died while serving on peace support missions. Cavalry Club Website Can we please bring your attention again to the Cavalry Club website which is now being kept up to date with news articles and Unit event happenings. Anyone wishing to contribute any article or submit pictures can do so through by logging on to the website. Carpe Diem