Following the recent presentation at the Newpark Hotel on ‘The Siege of Jadotville’ Leo Quinlan gave an exclusive interview to The Kilkenny Observer newspaper.
Almost 300 people, gathered at The Newpark hotel, Kilkenny to hear about ‘The Siege of Jadotville’. Many in attendance were military men and women and you could sense the pride they shared for their colleagues at Jadotville.
But sadness and disappointment also filled the room as those gathered heard that very little has been achieved in rewarding those heroes with medals of bravery. Comdt Leo Quinlan (Retd), son of the late Comdt Pat Quinlan, who commanded A Company, 35th Infantry Battalion, during the Siege of Jadotville in September 1961, has renewed his call for justice for the Irish soldiers who fought in the Congo, arguing that their ordeal did not end when they returned home.
Following Wednesday evening’s Jadotville event at the Newpark Hotel, Comdt Quinlan said the focus must move beyond the five-day battle itself to address the lasting psychological and family consequences experienced by the men who served there.
Moral injury
Perhaps the most poignant statement of the night came from M.C and co-ordinator of the night Eugene Doyle, himself a former army man, when he stated : “Five Irish soldiers were injured during the siege. But when all 156 members of A Company returned home, they faced a very different battle. All 156 had suffered moral injury. The men demonstrated extraordinary courage, bravery and military skill during five days under sustained attack by a vastly superior force. Their defensive actions helped bring all 156 men home alive. Yet, instead of being allowed to return to civilian life with the recognition they deserved, they found themselves caught up in a controversy that would affect them and their families for decades.”
Leo Quinlan is calling on the Irish Government to address the outstanding recommendations for bravery, gallantry and distinguished service, formally acknowledge the suffering endured by the veterans and their families, and issue a State apology for the decades of injustice and trauma experienced by A Company. Comdt Quinlan argues that the decision by A Company to surrender, taken in circumstances of extreme danger, was subsequently taken out of context by Irish military and political authorities. He believes the men were unfairly labelled as cowards, and that this portrayal deflected attention from the political and military failures that had placed A Company in what he describes as an impossible and potentially deadly situation. “Initially, these men were welcomed home as heroes. Civic receptions were held in towns and villages across Ireland. But within six months, silence had descended over Jadotville” said Mr Quinlan.
The question that was being posed at the Newpark gathering was why? Why did the public recognition disappear? Why were the men left to carry the stigma of surrender? And why did the institutions responsible for them fail to provide the recognition and duty of care that returning veterans deserved? “For many, the consequences were devastating. Veterans struggled in silence, relationships suffered, alcohol became a problem for some, and families lived with the effects of trauma they often did not fully understand. There are accounts of depression, family breakdown and suicide” said Quinlan. These were not simply consequences of a battle fought in Africa. They were also consequences of how these men were treated when they came home.” Comdt Quinlan also points to the significance of the defensive tactics employed at Jadotville, which he says have been studied in military training internationally, including in the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom
Outstanding medals
Comdt Quinlan acknowledges that the Irish Government has taken steps towards recognising the Jadotville veterans, most notably through the awarding of the Bonn Jadotville Medal to all members of A Company. However, he argues that the failure to award the recommended medals for bravery, gallantry and distinguished service to 34 members of the company continues to undermine the effort to restore their reputations. “While I acknowledge that progress has been made, we must ask how sincere the commitment to justice can be while the recommended individual medals remain outstanding”, continued Comdt Quinlan.
Towards the end of the evening, Mr Quinlan brought to the attention of the gathering that only five of the 34 men recommended for bravery and gallantry remain alive. Time is running out for those who are still here to see their service properly recognised.
Moral injury is commonly used to describe the lasting psychological and emotional distress that can arise when people experience events that conflict with their deeply held values, or when they believe they have been betrayed by those in positions of authority. Comdt Quinlan believes Ireland must now confront the treatment of the Jadotville veterans with the same willingness to examine other painful chapters of its history. “Jadotville must be part of that process of facing up to our past. “With only five of the 34 men recommended for bravery and gallantry still alive, this cannot be allowed to drift on for another generation.
“The State must now finish the job: address the outstanding medal recommendations, acknowledge the decades of suffering, and offer a formal apology to the men of A Company and their families.
He paid tribute to those who participated in the event, including Lt Col Dan Harvey (Retd), author of Jadotville: Benchmark for Bravery, and former RTÉ Security Correspondent Tom McCaughren, author of The Peacemakers of Niemba.
He also acknowledged the work of Eugene Doyle, coordinator of the event, and Post 8 of the Irish United Nations Veterans Association, particularly Comdt Larry Scallan (Retd), for hosting the gathering. Comdt Quinlan concluded: “Some Jadotville veterans went to their graves without having their suffering fully acknowledged. Their families continue to live with the consequences.
“The men of A Company did their duty in extraordinary circumstances. They brought all 156 members of their company home alive. They deserved to return to a country that recognised their service, supported them and stood by them.
