World War II

Irish Justice Minister: “a tribute to how far we have come as a society”

Pete Baker on May 7, 2013, 10:27 pm

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As promised by the Irish Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter, in June last year, legislation has been passed by Dáil and Seanad providing for the granting of an amnesty and apology for the way the Irish State treated members of its Defence Forces who left to join the Allied Forces during World War II. I’ve noted previously the historical debate in Dáil Éireann in 1945. From the Irish Times report In his closing statement on the Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity Bill 2012) to …

“Those who fought on the Allied side also contributed to protecting this State’s sovereignty and independence and our democratic values.”

Pete Baker on June 12, 2012, 7:53 pm

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Success, then, for the Irish Soldiers Pardon (WW2) Campaign. I’ve noted previously the historical debate in Dáil Éireann in 1945. Now, as the BBC reports, Defence Minister Alan Shatter has told the Dáil that the Irish government will introduce legislation “to grant a pardon and amnesty to those who absented themselves from the Defence Forces without leave or permission to fight on the Allied side” [added link]. The Irish Times report has more from the Irish Defence Minister’s statement Pointing out individuals were not given a chance …

“We were neutral for one purpose and that is that we were Britain’s home defence”

Pete Baker on January 17, 2012, 3:48 pm

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Mick has already pointed to the Irish Times article at the weekend by Joseph Quinn on the post-World War II treatment in Ireland of around 5,000 Irish soldiers who deserted their own neutral army to join the British army and fought in Europe and elsewhere. The “confidential” list of those affected is still available from Ireland’s National Army Museum. But, via the Irish Soldiers Pardon (WW2) Campaign website, there are a couple of items to highlight. Firstly, the instrument at issue – the Emergency Powers (no. 362) Order, …

“What happened to them was vindictive and not only a stain on their honour but on the honour of Ireland”

Pete Baker on December 29, 2011, 4:46 pm

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The BBC’s John Waite previews his forthcoming Radio 4 Face the Facts – The Disowned Army – to be broadcast 12.30GMT on Wednesday 4 January 2012. It’s subject, the post-World War II treatment in Ireland of around 5,000 Irish soldiers who deserted their own neutral army to join the British army and fought in Europe and elsewhere. From the BBC article They were formally dismissed from the Irish army, stripped of all pay and pension rights, and prevented from finding work by being …

“If Herivel had not been recruited in January 1940, who would have thought of the Herivel tip?”

Pete Baker on February 14, 2011, 9:10 pm

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There’s a lovely piece of biographical detail in The Guardian‘s obituary of Belfast-born science historian, and former World War II codebreaker at Bletchley Park, John W. Herivel who died on 18 January 2011, aged 92. From The Guardian obituary Born in Belfast, Herivel had a civil servant father and was educated at Methodist College, from where, in 1937, he won a scholarship to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. He had a strong sense of humour. Unable for security reasons to tell one potential …

“This is perhaps a good week to pause and remember them and the long and lonely war that they waged.”

Pete Baker on November 11, 2010, 7:20 pm

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Military historian David Murphy has an interesting article in today’s Irish Times on the Irish men and women who joined the French Resistance during World War II. From the Irish Times article While the Irish contingent within the Resistance was extremely small, it can be shown that a number of them came to the attention of the authorities. It is known that 10 were arrested, tried and later sent to prison, a labour camp or a concentration camp. Four Irish …