The cars were home built during the Emergency as the Irish refer to the WW2 period, when the Mission with ONUC was over the Irish Fords were left behind sold on to the local military or police, (no point in bringing them home to Ireland, as spare parts were unobtainable.)
PART 1:-
1940 FORD ARMOURED CAR Mark V. HISTORY:
28 Ford Armoured Car Mark V. produced by Thomas Thompson & Son of Carlow, Ireland.
The Carlow Ford was given the Army designation Mk V. had been designed by Commandant Lawless on the basis of firing tests he had carried out at Kilworth Camp when developing the Leyland Armoured Car, from which he determined that half-inch mild steel plate* could give adequate protection against ordinary small-arms fire.
In addition, there were fourteen turrets from the scrapped Peerless Armoured Cars which would be used to arm the proposed cars. The outline design was worked out with the aid of Captain Aubery Mayne, then Workshops officer, who then prepared the final drawings from which the car was made.
The prototype was constructed on a Ford V-8, 1. ½ ton chassis with a wheelbase of 134", but the remaining thirteen cars were built on a chassis reduced to 122" wheelbase, all cars being fitted with armour-plate turret mounting a Hotchkiss machine-gun, salvaged from the scrapped Peerless Armoured Cars.
The completed vehicles were put into service with the Second Armoured Squadron and possibly some Motor Squadrons (e.g. Fourth Motor Squadron) but at the time of the 1942 Manoeuvres they were all distributed between the Second (10 Vehicles) and Third (4 Vehicles) Armoured Squadrons. All of the above models were Scrapped of their armoured turrets and sold after the war.
However, the Irish Army did obtain a further 28 Ford Armoured Cars. These were of a slightly different design from the Mark V Ford's described above, in that the turrets were modelled on those of the Landsverk's. In this case the armament consisted of one Vickers .303 machine gun (whereas the Landsverk's had a 20 mm Cannon and one .303" Madsen each mounted co-axially.)
These Fords too were completed by Messer's. Thompson & Son Limited, Hanover Works, Carlow to a design produced by the same team that designed the Mark V Cars, the classification in this case being Ford Armoured Cars Mark VI
·
* At this point it has to be noted that "armour" plate was not available in Ireland for construction of the bodywork, nor, indeed procurable anywhere in the world at that particular time due to the war situation. Of course Ireland having declared a state of neutrality in the conflict then raging was not helped in anyway towards its procurement. It was decided therefore to construct the bodies in ½" mild steel plate, and this material was used in all further building of armoured cars then and later.
Entry to the car was through a rear door, later modifications added a side door.
THE ONUC MISSION IRISH FORDS
It is difficult to appreciate that the first two Irish Units to be sent to the Congo had no organised Cavalry element. The initial concept of the Congo operation was that U.N. troops would be in a police role and so Cavalry men in the 32nd and 33rd Bn. were there only as infantry.
Cavalry stalwarts, Commandant Tim Ryan, OIC 1 Motor Squadron. Commandant Pat Keogh, OIC 2 Motor Squadron and Comdt. Kevin Nunan, Cavalry School, were in the unlikely roles of Quarter-Master 32 Bn., Quarter-Master 33 Bn., and Quarter-Master 34 Bn., respectively. Army H.Q. must have envisaged a requirement for extended foraging of supplies!
The ever present threat of hostile reaction by uneasy tribesmen, the movement towards Katanga secession and above all the dreadful tragedy of Niemba emphasised the need for an organised Armoured Cavalry detachment in the U.N. Bn. Organization.
On December 1st, 1960 the Director of Cavalry, Colonel. J. K. Cogan, submitted to the Chief of Staff a proposal for an Armoured Car Group for the 34 Bn., consisting of three Armoured Car Troops, each of two Landsverk Armoured Cars and two Landrover's with an overall strength of 6 Officers, 15 NCO's and 30 Troopers. It would be commanded by a Captain and in addition in Battalion. H.Q. there would be a Cavalry Commandant. to advise and assist the Battalion Commander.
While the Landsverk was without a doubt the best Armoured Car we had at that time, only the personnel of the 1st Armoured Car Squadron were trained in its use. The car also required a crew of five. The 1st Armoured Car Squadron, at that time was operating with extreme difficulty on a meagre 24% of its establishment. The training of a relief unit, should the requirement arise, might have presented a major problem. It was in all probability these facts that led to the decision to use the Ford Armoured Car. There was a plentiful supply of trained crews for the Ford as it was basic training equipment for all Corp Squadrons, and it was crewed by three men only.
The original proposal saw the Armoured Car Group dependent on the Infantry Companys for Administration support. The Group that ultimately left Baldonnel (Ireland) for the Congo in January 1961, was administratively independent and had the status of an Infantry Company. It consisted of 54 all ranks commanded by a Commandant. - was organised in four sections each of two Fords and two Landrover's, each Section commanded by a Captain - included in the group was a relief increment of 2 Lieutenants. 6 N.C.O.'s and 8 Trooper's. A.F.V. crewmen.
The first eight Fords were hastily assembled at Plunkett Bks. in early December 1960, where Workshops gave them a thorough check and added refinements as a turret seat for the Commander, additional racks for ammunition and above all that blessed brake on the Vicker's ball mounting which was to be a life saver later.
Colonel Cogan was to write to the Chief of Staff in October 1961 of this fitting:
"This simple device, costing 25/- (Shillings) whereby, the gunner is enabled to hold his aim firmly during long bursts has more then doubled the fire-effect of the Ford Armoured Car. The guns are more consistent than if on a ground-mount and, without the device, overhead or close proximity covering fire would have been impossible. This we knew from range tests - it has now been proved on active service. The device was first fitted to Ford Armoured Cars in 1960. I think it is only right that I should acknowledge our debt to its inventor Lt- Colonel Stapelton, OIC Depot Cavalry Corps and to Mr. P. Lynch, Workshops foreman, who so ably assisted him."
"The sight of the first Ford car being driven into the gaping maw of an American Air Force C-124 Globemaster is one of the things that the few Irish cavalry men who were there will never forget, and as the huge plane roared off into the morning sky, we too, looked forward to new horizons for the Cavalry Corps - while the few who knew the details of recent tests on their mild steel plating prayed "
Christ help them if they have to fight in those hen-houses."
By January 15th 1961 the Armoured Car Group was operational on Kamina Base in Haute, Katanga, with the task of supporting the Infantry Companys in Base defence. Familiarization patrols were carried out jointly with the Infantry Company's and very soon the first problems of operating in Africa arose. It was hot outside, but twice as hot inside the cars.
At home in January the problem was how to keep warm and dry when driving with open hatches. Here a way had to be devised to keep cool. An air blower was the only answer but U.N. procurement could not supply a 6 volt type to suit the electrical system. Ford Armoured Car crews were to wait until spring of '61 to have suitable blowers from home fitted. Off the tarmac of Kamina, roads were mostly tracks through brush and mainly over laterite which became like axle grease after rain and on which traction was almost impossible. Crews were to find that as bad as these conditions were, at least there was no dust. By Easter conditions had changed and with the advent of the dry season the bush "roads" dried up and a thick red dust defeated the best goggles available.
Then the order came to move the Battalion by air to Elizabethville. DC 4's were available for the troops and stores and one C-119 for the Armoured Cars. Capt. Raymond Whyte was appointed to supervise the air lift. All he knew was the payload of the various aircraft, but he had no weighbridge to weigh the loads. How would travellers have felt had they known the plane load was calculated by loading until the undercarriage had depressed the depth of four "Cork" fingers and until the tail pole brushed the ground? But they all reached E'ville (Elizabethville) safely. The C119 was not designed to accommodate a vehicle as high as the Ford, but, with the turret removed the car just squeezed in, unfortunately, however, the lone C-119 packed up after ferrying out two cars and there was nothing for it but to take to the bush and the long haul overland - 400 miles to E'Ville. (Elizabethville)
The mixed group of six Irish Armoured Cars and eight Swedish A.P.C.'s was commanded by a Swedish Major who understood the capabilities of the Swedish 4 x 4 equipment, designed for this type of going, but had no idea of the limitations of the Ford 4 x 2. The long march began on Sunday night at 22:00 hrs and the first long halt were taken at 13:00 hrs on Monday - three hours for servicing and rest, if there was time. It was an hour before the tail runners reached the halt location, delayed by the difficulty in driving in the clouds of red dust and persistent carburation problems. Fitter-Sergeant Steve Sullivan did Herculean work and lost count of the number of carburettors he removed and drafts of petrol he swallowed in sucking out fuel lines. Asked what he most would like at the halt, he called for "
a barrel of Murphy." (Irish Stout/beer)
After three hours the column set off again and arrived in E'ville (Elizabethville) at 15:30 hrs. Tuesday with three Fords on tow and one abandoned near Jadotville. This one was recovered the following day. As the armoured grills of four Fords had been badly damaged by towing and recovery, and as the necessary repair work could only be done at Kamina base, a special return flight had to be made the same day. The technical staff aided by willing helpers from the crews worked as long as there was light and all the cars were operational by Thursday night.
The rest of the tour passed quickly and in June 1961 the new group of the 35 Bn. took over eight Armoured Cars in good condition, augmented by another three they had brought from home. Two of the later were new members of the Ford family. The experience of the 34 Bn. suggested a requirement for an Armoured Scout Car with an open top providing better observation. Turrets were removed from two (Ford Armoured) cars in the Cavalry Workshops and the open top fitted to take a pintle-mounted Bren LMG. The absence of the turret also allowed for an additional two men to be seated in the hull and so had the capability of carrying four dis-mountable men and driver.
The new group was given the task of carrying out route recce of all routes between the Bn. HQ and Luano airport and produced a route map showing routes A, B, C, and D. Route "Charlie" was destined to become the life line between U.N. positions on the fringe of the city and the airport, indeed for many months the only U.N. supply line. The mission of the 35th Battalion, was to maintain a U.N. presence in a secessionist and increasingly hostile Katanga. The demands for patrols were ever increasing and a great majority of these patrols included Armoured Cars. Worthy of particular mention is a patrol by a Platoon. of "A" Coy with an attachment of an augmented section of 3 Armoured Cars under Captain Frank Lawless which did a round trip of about 1000 miles to DILOLO, on the border with Angola, to rescue the family of a Central Government politician. One Ford Armoured car was lost when the bush "road" collapsed and its steering damaged beyond field repair.
Developing Katangese hostility led to operations "Rampunch" in August, "Morthor" in September and "Unokat" in December. The Armoured Car Group took important roles in these operations, suffering casualties in men and material. An action in which Corporal Mickey Rowland (now C/S of the 1st Motor Squadron) was involved best illustrated morale and spirit of Cavalry soldiers during these operations. Charged with ensuring the safety of a civilian technician who had to be moved from U.N. Headquarters to the main telecommunications centre at the Post Office, his escort party was ambushed very neatly by two Gendarmerie armoured cars. He engaged them in a running fight through the city streets. Although outgunned (he had a Vickers against their .5 inch Browning's) he forced them to break contact and successfully completed his mission. Corporal Rowland a few days later was promoted to Sergeant, and was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
By the end of September 1961 the Groups casualty list read:
Killed in Action :- Corporal Nolan and Trooper Mullins.
Wounded:- Commandant Cahalane and Sergeant Carey. Another Cavalry soldier Trooper Gaffney, was killed in action serving with C. Coy. In addition two Armoured Cars had been captured with the Jadotville Coy, and two had been put out of action by enemy fire in E'ville and were burned before they could be recovered. Another Ford had been extensively burned in a refuelling accident but remained operational until the cessation of fighting.
With the September 1961 ceasefire in force, the most pressing Cavalry task was to make the three burned cars as near serviceable as possible. Sergeants Bill Hartey, Ned Keogh and Corporal Mason, with willing help from the S&T (Supply & Transport) Section of the Battalion, which included Corporal Larry Curran of the 2nd Motor Squadron and indeed anyone who could handle a spanner, worked regardless of time or light and made all three cars operational again. Welding work, (and a lot of this type of work was needed,) was carried out with an ancient "borrowed" plant which produced its acetylene by a water drip on carbide. At times it looked more like a bomb than a welding plant and Sergeant Hartley handled it surrounded by "Danger" signs. Sergeant Keogh said afterwards that he was far more scared when Bill Hartley was welding than he was when under Gendarmerie Mortar fire. Try as they might, they failed to get one (Ford) turret to turn again through 360 degrees, so distorted was it by anti-tank direct hits.
In December 1961 it was more action, and then home for Christmas relieved by the 36th Bn. What a reception the 36th had! Arriving in torrential rain, isolated from the airport except for "
Charlie" Route which was even less negotiable than the infamous "Lisheens" and like the Battalion Location under intermittent machine gun and mortar fire and occasional bursts of 37mm fire of Gendarmerie Armoured Cars, one of its Globemaster's riddled with machine gun fire as it made its approach to land, is it any wonder that one Cavalry man was overheard to in a petulant voice "
Do they work here on a Sunday?"
Surprise too for the O.C. 1st Motor Squadron, lately Q.M. 32nd Battalion and now 2IC 36th Battalion, Commandant Tim Ryan and for Commandant Jim Bergin when "
Dig" directed them to his personal slit trench during a particularly heavy mortar attack and they dived in with gratitude, only to find themselves up to the waist in best Katanga bilge. Don't ask if "
Dig" joined them! The same mortar attack resulted in the death of Corporal Fallon of "A." Coy.
The new Group had brought with it two turreted Fords and a good supply of spares, including two engines and two gearboxes. Spares were really becoming a problem because the home supply was drying up and our Technical Stores staff was even then scouring the home "FORD" agents for any bits and pieces that were still available. The new Group had an immense task. The cars were beginning to show their age and needed extensive 2nd Line repairs having been in almost continuous action since hostilities recommenced at the beginning of December 1961.
The Battalion was engaged in extending its perimeter in face of strong Gendarmerie resistance and operational demands on the cavalry were heavy. By dint of hard work by the technical staff, Commandant Jer Delaney was able to meet all the Battalion requests for Armour Support and from personal experience on an earlier mission, was able to assure all car crews that their cars provided protection against .303 ball ammunition at zero range! Soon the Battalion was pushing opposing forces out of the famous Tunnel area and then out of the "European" city proper and in conjunction with other U.N. units clearing the two routes to Luano Airport. By the end of January 1962 all firing had ceased and the unit settled down to patrol activity with the Armoured Cars accompanying the infantry detachments, the technical staff once again going through the cars with a fine tooth comb and giving them a face lift. By this time too, reason had prevailed and the U.N. accepted that this was no place to have vehicles painted a brilliant white and OK'ed the use of Olive Drab paint.
By the end of March the group had nine cars in P.M.O. (Prime Mechanical Order) except for the one damaged turret and Sergeant Steve Sullivan was able to diversify into other fields - steam propulsion. The roads around the Battalion H.Q. in the Farm, Leopold were in very bad condition. Material was available locally to carry out repairs. All that was needed was a heavy roller and somebody located an ancient steam model on the Airport. It was in need of repair and Sergeant Sullivan decided to have a go and finally succeeded in driving it in triumph to the camp. About this time Sergeant Tommy Maguire injured a leg doing vehicle repairs. Reluctant to go sick, he was finally ordered to do so by the Group Commandant. Observed some few minutes later returning from the Aid Post, and asked if he had received medical attention, he replied sourly "
yes, Sir, he shouted at it."
All wasn't hard work. The rains passed and the sun shone again and the swimming pools at the "
Stade de la Victoire" and the "
Lido" were open and before the group realised it, the month of May had arrived and with it rotation time. The 37 Battalion, and a new Armoured Car Group arrived to a comparatively quite Katanga and so it remained for the entire six months. The refugee problem which had started early in the 35 Bn. tour was gradually being sorted out, and strangely enough it was in this field that the Cavalry men were to receive credit. While the greater part of the Group was doing routine patrols and refurbishing the Armoured Cars, Captain Tommy Roche and a small detachment were quietly sorting out the refugee problem. This extract from a letter written by a Group of ex-Political Prisoners of the Tshombe Government illustrates again the flexibility of the Cavalry soldiers: -
To: Captain. T. F. Roche,
We write you this letter in the name of Political Prisoners of 31st August 1960 at 9.45 when we broke the gate of the prison. As we were captured by the Katanga Government, it had no intention of releasing us but sent us to private prisons where we were to be shot . . .
Now as for the present Captain T. F. Roche, we had better tell him that Blessed are the pure of heart for they will see God. The way has been shown to us by you. You have also given us our daily bread this time. This year on Christmas Day our prayers will be, Lord Almighty, thou has given us Irish. Thou hast blessed their struggle for us by a mighty victory. Thou givest them power worthy of a new people like us to them; the power to create a great new freedom and to make us secure against our antagonists. Lord Almighty, give us the power of praying for them in their struggle for our interests and eternal as well . . .
Happy to the United Nations and their representatives, and we wish him long life Captain T. F. Roche."
Towards the end of the 37th Battalion tour of duty a small party of four officers which included Captain J. K. Lavery of the Armoured Car Group 38 Battalion were sent to NIEMBA to recover the remains of Trooper Anthony Browne who had been killed in the Niemba ambush. Anthony Browne was later awarded to be posthumously awarded the military medal for Gallantry, the only such award since the regulations were promulgated on 24 July 1948. Captain Lavery had previously served as Adm. Officer in Browne's Coy, A. Coy of the 33 Bn. At approximately the same time the remains of Corporal Nolan, killed in action while serving in the Armoured Car Group, 35 Battalion in 1960, were exhumed. Both were brought home for burial with full military honours.
By 18 November 1962, the newly formed 28 Bn. was operational in Elizabethville. They found the city and the airport firmly in U.N. hands. Barriers were manned on all approaches to the city to prevent non-UN troops entering. The Katangese Gendarmerie held barriers on all routes outside the U.N. barriers to prevent U.N. personnel leaving Elizabethville. The only entrance and exit from the city for U.N. personnel and supplies was by air through LUANO Airport. The lull could not last. It was only a matter of time before the clash came. In this atmosphere the new Armoured Car Group concentrated on perfecting their combat techniques and in preparing the Fords for the fray.
To be continued . . . . . . .
