The Irish in the British army

[Royal rover]

an interesting topic, with rememberance sunday approaching, i thought about it many moons ago because i wanted to be a pilot (RAF) but to be honest the repercussions of it would of being drastic, and in essence i would shuned by some of my family, that said i have great respect for some of these people, i think anyone who does this type of job deserves credit,

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0612/soldiers.html?rss

[Sheridan]

I don't see why anyone who does that type of job deserves credit. I don't believe in nationalism, but if you enlist in your country's army because you see it as your civic duty, then fair play. People who sign up to kill for another country's army because they want the money or think it will be a lark are at best mercenaries and at worst psychopaths.

[pete]

People who sign up to kill for another country's army because they want the money or think it will be a lark are at best mercenaries and at worst psychopaths.

I think is too simplistic viewpoint. In WW II the only way to fight the Nazis was by joining the armed forced of another country. You could say the same thing about Afghanistan.

[OneRedArmy]

I think is too simplistic viewpoint. In WW II the only way to fight the Nazis was by joining the armed forced of another country. You could say the same thing about Afghanistan.I don't think there's a real and credible threat than Afghanistan will invade Ireland, so not really the same.

[eamo1]

In WW1 many Irish went to fight for the English on the understanding that the English would then look kindly on our request for independance.Times have changed now though and as someone already said anyone from here who fights for them now is a mercenary or a physcopath.A friend of a friend from here joined them few years ago and hes a complete nut job so point proven:).

[Macy]

I don't see how you can differentiate between people who join the Irish Army and the British Army. Surely anyone who wants to be soldier can be considered a mercenary to some degree?

[endabob1]

I don't see how you can differentiate between people who join the Irish Army and the British Army. Surely anyone who wants to be soldier can be considered a mercenary to some degree?

Bit of a sweeping statement. Not everybody joins the Army for the same reasons,

[drummerboy]

The period 1914-18 was a fascinating time. Had great grand uncle who fought in the Somme while his brother was in the GPO. The brother who fought in WWI was never really spoken about, while there were loads of tales about his brother in the IRA. Just wondering is anybody knows websites where you can look up soldiers records, preferably without paying.

[Macy]

Bit of a sweeping statement. Not everybody joins the Army for the same reasons,
I was more getting at the contention that if you sign up for the British Army you're a mercenary. If you want to be a soldier surely you'd go with were you'd get the best experience in terms of equipment, roles, duties etc.

[jinxy lilywhite]

The period 1914-18 was a fascinating time. Had great grand uncle who fought in the Somme while his brother was in the GPO. The brother who fought in WWI was never really spoken about, while there were loads of tales about his brother in the IRA. Just wondering is anybody knows websites where you can look up soldiers records, preferably without paying.

Try the Ministry of Defence, They have records of soliders who fought in both world wars. My father had some success in tracing our family tree after that programme on RTE.
My 100 year old Grandfather's older brother fought and died in the Battle of the Somme. I remember my Grandfather telling me that his other brother enlisted but deserted and returned to Ireland after the rising.
My English born cousin served with NATO in Bosnia in the Mid Nineties. This was because the Army where giving him a college education prior to his 2 years service.

[pete]

I was more getting at the contention that if you sign up for the British Army you're a mercenary. If you want to be a soldier surely you'd go with were you'd get the best experience in terms of equipment, roles, duties etc.

I am no expert but I get the impression the British Army don't start many wars or invade countries. I presume most of their work is UN resolutions & peace keeping enforcement. If someone felt strongly enough about Yugoslavia break up then being part of the Irish army would achieve nothing.

I wonder would people have the same impression if Irish people joined the French army?

[Stuttgart88]

I'm entitled to a UK passport as I was born here.

I'd be tempted to take one out to apply for this job on www.ft.com (it's there, honest, doesn't look like a spoof).

I've asked Mrs Stuttgart to iron my dinner jacket.

http://www.exec-appointments.com/jobs/viewAd.asp?id=124479

Check out the reference number!

[SolitudeRed]

Can't understand why anyone would want to join the RIR the British etc are the agressors in Afghanistan they are the ones doing the invading and occupying this cannot be compared with those that fought in WW1/2.

Also there have been numerous pics posted on the internet of RIR soldiers holding UVF flags and also wearing orange sashes, I can't imagine many southerners being very comfortable with that regardless of their religious denomination.

[Lionel Ritchie]

RTE reported last night, before it'd been confirmed, that a chap from Westport serving with the British Army had been killed in Afghanistan. Irrespective of views on Irish citizens serving with the Bristish armed forces I thought it was a bit insensitive to do so before the identity of the guy had been confirmed.

I mean, how many people from all of Mayo, much less Wetport alone, are likely to be serving in Afghanistan?

[gspain]

RTE reported last night, before it'd been confirmed, that a chap from Westport serving with the British Army had been killed in Afghanistan. Irrespective of views on Irish citizens serving with the Bristish armed forces I thought it was a bit insensitive to do so before the identity of the guy had been confirmed.

I mean, how many people from all of Mayo, much less Wetport alone, are likely to be serving in Afghanistan?

Sad news and condolences to his family.

Confirmed on Sky News as Robert McKibben. He played football with Westport United according to RTE radio this morning.

Agree re the detail given out this morning without confirming his identity. Named his mother's occupation, football club he played for, age, from westport etc.

[Lionel Ritchie]

that's a bit ****ed up on RTEs part now so it is.

It's entirely possible close friends and even relatives found out the guy had been killed via RTEs news bulletins.

[Thunderblaster]

His identity was on The Star this morning plus a picture. The British Army had not confirmed his identity at that time. I didn't know him that well but there is an outpouring of sympathy in Westport for his family. His funeral is likely to be as much as three weeks away.

[Poor Student]

Can't understand why anyone would want to join the RIR the British etc are the agressors in Afghanistan they are the ones doing the invading and occupying this cannot be compared with those that fought in WW1/2.

The war in Afghanistan removed a ruling regime more obscene and totalitarian than Hitler's.

[shantykelly]

The war in Afghanistan removed a ruling regime more obscene and totalitarian than Hitler's.

bad and all as the taliban are, i dont think they were quite on the same scale as Hitler. the only totalitarian regime conceiveably worse would have been Stalinist Russia/USSR.

[HarpoJoyce]

The war in Afghanistan removed a ruling regime more obscene and totalitarian than Hitler's.

Because they sprayed the poppy crops at the request of Governments in end user countries?
That's harsh of you Poor Student.

[Sheridan]

The war in Afghanistan removed a ruling regime more obscene and totalitarian than Hitler's.
:rolleyes:

I'm sure the Asian tsunami killed a lot of bad people too, let's celebrate that.

[SolitudeRed]

The war in Afghanistan removed a ruling regime more obscene and totalitarian than Hitler's.

Well that is true but Afghanistan didn't pose anywhere near the same threat as Nazi Germany did to its neighbours in fact it had no proper military to speak of really. Also there are a lot of brutal totalitarian regimes out there Saudi Arabia for example, If the US etc really cares about getting rid of dictatorships then they should attack all these other countries but somehow I can't see that happening!

[pete]

bad and all as the taliban are, i dont think they were quite on the same scale as Hitler..

Surely comparison with Nazi Germany isn't the standard set for intervention...

I would hate to think anyone would make a political point about a dead Mayo man from the British army.

[Poor Student]

:rolleyes:

I'm sure the Asian tsunami killed a lot of bad people too, let's celebrate that.

Did I say we should celebrate the war? I objected to the tone of the post which suggested that somehow invading and removing the Taliban from power wasn't a positive thing. While they didn't pose the proactive external threat of Hitler's Germany the people under their rule were subjected to apalling draconian conditions.

SolitudeRed, one has to be realistic about these things. It's not logistically possible to remove all the undesirable regimes at once nor does the political will exist to do so. I'd dearly love to see the Saudi regime taken down but just because that isn't happening it doesn't mean it's not good to see one rotten regime removed.