Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign WW2

LAST UPDATE: THURSDAY: 06 NOVEMBER 2025

Mayo Author Michael Feeney MBE launches his new book 'Heroic Mayo'

Author Michael Feeney MBE has included articles on the Shot at Dawn Campaign Irl (WW1) and the Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign WW2 along with a multitude of other interesting stories for his new book Heroic Mayo which should be of interest. Heroic Mayo can be purchased on line via Mayo Books or by contacting Michael via email at mayomemorialpeacepark@gmail.com or michaelnfeeney@gmail.com (07 December 2023: Western People: Major new book on Mayo’s war heroes):(12 January 2024: Connaught Telegraph: Radio star Joe Duffys resounding endorsement of war book Heroic Mayo):

Intro: During July 2001 while researching another project in the Irish military archives, a query was made in order to locate any documents relating to the 26 Irish Shot at Dawn during WW1 that might be extant in their records. Although there was no information available on the Shot at Dawn, a file containing a document with a list of Irish defence forces personnel recorded as dismissed for desertion post WW2 compiled by the de Valera Government was discovered, and which one had never seen before. This document included a reference to the Irish army number, name, last recorded address, date of birth, declared occupation prior to enlistment in the defence forces, and the date of dismissal from the defence forces of nearly 5000 alleged deserters. When the issue of pardons for Irish born British soldiers Shot at Dawn during WW1 was raised, it was mentioned that something should also be done to obtain redress for the men recorded in the blacklist. At the time, one had been under the impression that all former Irish defence forces personnel blacklisted by the de Valera Government on the 08^th of August 1945 pursuant to Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order, 1945 had been tried before an Irish military tribunal and as such the matter had been settled. However, it was due to the incisive article by Kevin Myers, Irish Independent 24 May 2011, Irish-Independent-24_May_2011.pdf that one finally understood the full background, thereby prompting concerns that the political process used by the de Valera Government to dismiss personnel post WW2 had subverted the jurisdiction of the military courts and was legally flawed. Further research revealed a notice published in the Irish Press 09^th August 1945 which also confirmed there was no court-martial process involved in their dismissal: See Army Deserters Dismissal Order: Irish Press 09^th August 1945 Dismissal.Order-IrishPress.09.August.1945.pdf. On the 06th June 2011, the Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign (WW2) was initiated to try and obtain some form of redress from the Irish government for the survivors and their families. Please NOTE: As it is likely some of the context for the desertion issue will be drawn by authors etc from "Spitting on a Soldier’s Grave" a book by Robert Widders (Pub Matador, 1 Nov 2010), all concerned should be aware that this books subtitle ‘Court Martialed After Death” has contributed to a misunderstanding as to the POLITICAL PROCESS that was introduced by the de Valera Government to dismiss blacklisted personnel in 1945. For the record: There was no court-martial, military tribunal et al involved in adjudicating on military personnel recorded in the blacklist. Indeed, "THE ABSENCE OF A MILITARY TRIBUNAL WHICH HAS SOLE JURISDICTION IN ADJUDICATING ON SERVICE PERSONNEL ACCUSED OF THE MILITARY OFFENCE OF DESERTION WAS THE REASON FOR THE INITIATION OF THE IRISH SOLDIERS PARDONS CAMPAIGN (WW2) ON THE O6TH JUNE 2011". To reiterate, Irish Defence Forces Personnel listed in the blacklist were never “Court Martialed After Death” as asserted by this author. In consequence, the index page of the Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign WW2 has been re-published to include a clarification re the affect of the passing of the Amnesty and Immunity Bill by Dail and Seanad Eireann, and its signing into Irish Law on the 14 May 2013 by the President of Ireland along with other background information:

Note 1: With regard to persons subject to Irish military law, an Irish military court has sole jurisdiction to adjudicate on members of the Irish defence forces accused of the military offence of desertion, and upon conviction, a court-martial/military tribunal has sole jurisdiction to award punishments upon accused person's, who are subject to Irish military law, and who have been found guilty by a court-martial/military tribunal of a breach of Irish military law. The military offence of desertion as reflected in Section 42 (1) of the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions Act), 1923 and successor Acts clearly states inter-alia that..."PERSONS SUBJECT TO MILITARY LAW.... SHALL, ON CONVICTION BY COURT-MARTIAL....BE LIABLE TO SUFFER"...which affirms the legal position that an Irish military court is the final arbiter of the guilt or innocence of persons subject to Irish military law, and political cabals, aspiring historians, commentators et al, do not have jurisdiction to award punishments or make determinations of fact upon persons who are subject to Irish military law.

Note 2: It beggars belief that some Irish authors who purport to be writers of record continue to rewrite the effects of the legislation introduced by Minister for Defence Alan Shatter TD in 2012 to resolve the desertion issue in the Irish Defence Forces, following WW2, and requires comment:

● To Restate: The Amnesty and Immunity Act initiated by Minister for Defence Mr Alan Shatter TD, on behalf of the Irish government in 2012;

● was supported UNANIMOUSLY by Dail Eireann (The Irish Parliament) in 2013;

● signed into Irish law on the 14 May 2013 by the President of Ireland;

● is an unprecedented, and historically significant piece of legislation, which EXONERATES members of the Irish Defence Forces who went AWOL (absent without leave) and joined UK or allied forces during world war two, and at the same time provides immunity from prosecution for others;

● Accompanied by an apology, this legislation comprehensively and unambiguously obliterates the imputation of guilt imposed by the post war Irish government on former blacklisted Irish Defence Forces personnel;

● For the information of all concerned, the Government decided NOT to go down a Pardon legislation route, as such a Pardon instrument/legislation, if introduced, would have encroached on the remit of the President of Ireland as defined pursuant to the Constitution;

● The issue of pardons has also been raised on many other occasions including by Lara Marlowe in her Irish Woman’s Diary Irish Times 04 June 2019 when she referred to a new book “The Irish at D-Day” by retired Lieutenant-Colonel in the Defence forces Dan Harvey. The writer recorded “In 2012 then Minister Alan Shatter pardoned 4983 soldiers who deserted the Irish Defence Forces “. That is untrue. The Amnesty and Immunity Act/legislation is again being misrepresented, perhaps to suit another narrative. A rebuttal letter was subsequently published in the Irish Times, letters page, dated 06th June 2019 entitled “D-Day and Ireland”;

● For the information of Irish Historians/Writers of record etc, the Amnesty and Immunity Act is now embedded in IRISH LAW and settles the issue, IN PERPETUITY;

● “Have We Finally Figured Out Who The Real Traitors Were”: an article by Gerry Gregg, Herald, Dublin, 10 May 2013, provides additional background:

Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel - Legal issues

● NOTE: Although the Emergency period ended on the 01st April 1946, and despite occasional protests at the absurdity of keeping the Irish state in a condition of emergency, the resolutions passed in 1939 were rescinded in 1976, and replaced by fresh resolutions because of the Northern Ireland conflict:

● NOTE: Despite suggestions to the contrary, A CITIZEN'S RIGHT OF ACCESS TO THE COURTS WAS NEVER RESCINDED DURING OR AFTER THE EMERGENCY PERIOD 03/09/1939 to 01/04/1946; (See section "Citizens Right of Access to the Courts" below):

● NOTE: Cognisant of the PERSONAL OPINION of Mr Justice Gavan Duffy who indicated that an Irish Government had the authority to suspend judicial control of the Constitution during the Emergency Period 03/09/1939 to 01/04/1946, an opinion which was also supported by those who raised objections during the Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign (WW2) arguing that the de Valera Government was not bound by the Irish Constitution during the Emergency Period 1939-1946. In this regard, the following observations may be of interest:

● In September 1939, The Emergency Powers Act duly expressed to be for securing public safety and the preservation of the Irish state during a time of war or armed rebellion was passed and signed into Irish Law. Mr Justice Gavan Duffy in a personal view opined: Quote "The constitution has placed in the hands of The Oireachtas, as law-giver, special authority to suspend judicial control over the other organs of Government during any such emergency; that is the simple explanation of Article 28.3.3, a permanent provision, but available only in time of war or armed rebellion. The plain intention of article 28.3.3 is that the natural guardian of the citizen's constitutional guarantees, the High Court of Justice in this state, shall for the time being relinquish its guardianship ....(Its) inescapable effect is to deny the protection of the High Court to the citizen, when these rights, or any of them, are invaded under emergency law, or by, or under colour of, an executive act done in pursuance of that law" Unquote: (See Page 163, Page 166, Page 167, The Irish Constitution, by J. M. Kelly, Second Edition, Jurist Publishing Co. Ltd, University College Dublin 4, Published 1984):

● The opinion of Mr Justice Gavan Duffy as to when an Emergency Powers Order is available to the Irish Government is legally significant. He stated; "The constitution has placed in the hands of The Oireachtas, as law-giver, special authority to suspend judicial control over the other organs of Government during any such emergency; that is the simple explanation of Article 28.3.3, "A PERMANENT PROVISION, BUT AVAILABLE ONLY IN TIME OF WAR OR ARMED REBELLION" Unquote: ( See Page 163, Page 166, Page 167; The Irish Constitution by J. M. Kelly, Second Edition, Jurist Publishing Co. Ltd, University College, Dublin 4, Published 1984):

● NOTE: Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 introduced by the de Valera Government on the 08th of August 1945 and scheduled to be effective from 01st day of April 1946, a date which marks the end of the Emergency in Ireland, and according to the personal opinion of Mr Justice Gavan Duffy, is also the date from which the Irish High Court of Justice regained its guardianship/legal oversight over the laws in Ireland following the ending of the Emergency on the 01st of April 1946:

● NOTE: On the 01st of April 1946, (the conclusion of the Emergency Period declared in September 1939) there was no armed rebellion or world war threatening the Irish state to cause activation of an Emergency Powers Order, indeed the de Valera Government had already decided to release IRA prisoners from the K-Lines No 1 Internment Camp-Curragh Camp post WW2 such was the peace dividend and lack of threats to the state post war.

● Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 introduced by the de Valera Government on the 08th of August 1945, and scheduled to take effect from the 01st of April 1946, post the declared Emergency Period, was a political decision that intentionally subverted the jurisdiction of the Irish military courts, and by depriving Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel of their legal right to challenge allegations of desertion within a military court, breached the constitutional guarantee that entitles citizens a right of access to the courts:

● NOTE: The failure by the de Valera Government to include a notification within the text of Emergency Powers (362) Order 1945 that a blacklisted defence force member had a right of recourse to the courts to challenge the effects of the Order, invalidates Emergency Powers (362) Order 1945 from the 01st of April 1946, the date upon which the Emergency Period ended, and the date when the Irish High Court of Justice regained its guardianship/legal oversight over the laws in Ireland: ● NOTE: If a blacklisted defence forces member does not know of his right, he cannot exercise it; if he cannot exercise it, HIS RIGHT IS VIOLATED.

● An unspecified right pursuant to the Irish Constitution also guarantees the citizen the right to work and earn a livelihood. ● NOTE: Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 breaches that constitutional guarantee:

● In a blatant act of class bias, serving officers of the Irish defence forces who deserted or went absent without leave (AWOL) during the Emergency 1939-1946 were deliberately excluded by the deValera Government from the effects of Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 and avoided being named and shamed, unlike lower rank and file members of the Defence Forces who were recorded in the Blacklist.

●British Government Concerns:

●During October 1945 the British Government publicly communicated their concerns regarding the effect of Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 (The Starvation Order) on Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel who had previously served with UK/Allied Forces during WW2.

●On the 18th October 1945, Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 was the subject of an Annulment Motion proposed by Dr O'Higgins T.D. Fine Gael and Deputy Leader of the opposition, which was lost on a division. However, in connection with this motion, the British news agency, the Exchange Telegraph, sent out a despatch from London which was published in foreign newspapers. The German text of that despatch as published in the Swiss Newspaper Neue Zuericher Zeitung dated 19th October 1945, along with an English translation, follows:

● Irland:
● Maßregelung von Frontkämpfern Dublin, 19. Okt. (Exchange):

Premierminister de Valera unterzeichnete ein Notgeset, welches die 4000 irischen Soldaten, die auf englischer Seite gegen Deutschland kämpften, mit „sozialen Entrechtungen“ bestraft. Den „Fahnenflüchtigen“ wird das Recht auf Anstellung in den öffentlichen Diensten, auf Bezug von Arbeitslosenunterstützung und Ausfüh—-rung von Aufträgen, die vom Staat finanziert wer—-den, auf sieben Jahre entzogen. Die Opposition bezeichnete im Parlament das Notgesetz als „brutal, unchristlich und unmenschlich“, da es sich gegen Männer richte, die fünf Jahre lang die Gefahren des Krieges auf sich genommen hätten".
● Ireland:
● Reprimand of frontline fighters Dublin, Oct. 19 (Exchange):

Prime Minister de Valera signed an emergency law that punished the 4,000 Irish soldiers who fought on the English side against Germany with “social disenfranchisement.” The “defenders” are deprived of the right to employment in the public service, to receive unemployment benefits and to carry out contracts financed by the state for seven years. In parliament, the opposition described the emergency law as “brutal, unchristian and inhumane” because it was directed against men who had endured the dangers of war for five years".

● Irish Government Response:

On the 14th November 1945, Joseph Walshe Secretary of the Department of External Affairs, sent a letter to all Irish missions regarding "Irish Defence Force Deserters" in which he was critical of a (British) report about the effects of Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 on Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel who had served in UK forces during world war two and had returned to Ireland. In a rebuttal, Walshe accused the British of a flagrant barefaced distortion.

● However, Joseph P. Walshe should have been corrected on his understanding of Irish Military Law. To restate, the military offence of desertion is not a criminal charge, but instead is one of a disciplinary nature, which is far more serious in a military environment, and until such time as a military court decides on whether a member is guilty, or not guilty, of the military offence of desertion, the member concerned is considered AWOL, Absent Without Leave. In the case of Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel there was no adjudication/ruling by a military court. That's the issue, and whether a defence force member went absent to join allied forces or went to work in the UK during the war is irrelevant.

● It is also apparent that Walshe and de Valera's Government were unconcerned as to the detrimental effect of Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 on the families of those Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel.

● In his letter Walshe also asserts Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 signed by de Valera was "A mere routine measure of Army administration". On the contrary there was nothing routine about this legislation introduced by An Taoiseach Eamon de Valera, a politician. Mr Walshe was attempting to deflect criticism of de Valera by describing this legislation as "A mere routine measure of Army administration". In fact Emergency Powers (No.362) Order 1945 was constructed and implemented by politicians (The de Valera Government), which subverted the jurisdiction of a military court, and apart from confirming the period of absence of a member who was absent without leave, AWOL, the Irish Defence Forces had nothing whatsoever to do with the implementation of Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 to dismiss Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel post WW2.

● The Collateral Effect of Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 on families post WW2:

● Paddy Reid whose father fought the Japanese during the Burma Campaign and was blacklisted on his return to Ireland, recalls his families experience post war: Irish Times Letter-Paddy Reid-29June 2011:

● Paddy Reid recalls his families experience post war: TV Interview BBC News-Europe 07 May 2013:

● Paddy Reid recalls his families experience post war: Radio Interview Voice of Russia UK 08 May 2013:

● THE FAMILY: Article 41 of the Irish Constitution states:
● 1 1° The State recognises the Family as the natural primary and fundamental unit group of Society, and as a moral institution possessing inalienable and imprescriptible rights, antecedent and superior to all positive law.
● 2° The State, therefore, guarantees to protect the Family in its constitution and authority, as the necessary basis of social order and as indispensable to the welfare of the Nation and the State.
● 2 1° In particular, the State recognises that by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved.
● 2° The State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home.

● As there were many blacklisted defence force personnel who were married and had young children, and others would have had elderly dependents to support, it was foreseeable that the imposition of a barring order pursuant to Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 would have a detrimental effect on innocent families. In this regard the deValera Government was in breach of Article 41.

● Citizens Right of Access to the Courts:

● In the State (Quinn) v Ryan, 1965 Irish Reports, Page 70, Chief Justice Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh (Supreme Court) stated; Quote; "No one can with impunity set [the citizen's rights] at nought or circumvent them [by depriving him of access to the courts] and...the court's powers in this regard are as ample as the defence of the Constitution requires; Unquote.

● Irish case law shows a citizen's right to have recourse to the Irish High Court to defend and vindicate a legal right, is one of the personal rights of the citizen guaranteed in Article 40.3.3 of the Irish Constitution

● On Tuesday 31st August 1976 during a Dáil Éireann Debate, on a National Emergency Motion, An Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave, addressed concerns re the potential suspension of the constitution thereby impacting on the rights of citizens guaranteed by the Irish Constitution, in the event a National Emergency Motion was supported and subsequently given legal effect. He said in clarification: Quote: “There have been comments and headlines which suggested that the Oireachtas was to be asked to suspend the Constitution. Deputies will appreciate, I am sure, that this is not so. If it were true, the Constitution would have been suspended since 1939. The reality is that it has not been so suspended and will not be so suspended by adoption of the present resolution” Unquote: (Statement also recorded at Page 161 Irish Law Reports, Supreme Court 15th October 1976; In Re Article 26 and the Emergency Powers Bill, 1976).

● In 1976 President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh exercised one of the discretions left to him under the constitution by referring the Emergency Powers Bill, 1976 to the supreme court after he had taken the advice, as he was required to do, of the council of state. The Bill was introduced by the government in response to a worsening in the security position, both north and south of the border, arising from the continual political unrest in Northern Ireland, which had culminated in the assassination of the British ambassador. The bill provided for the detention, for up to seven days, of persons suspected of subversive activity, and was passed in pursuance of a resolution of the two houses that a state of emergency existed, thus effectively shielding the bill, once it became an act, from scrutiny by the courts.

● President Ó Dálaigh who had served as Attorney General from 30th April 1946 to 18th February 1948 would have been aware of the detrimental effect of Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 on Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel and their families post war. In 1976, as President of Ireland his reference of the Emergency Powers Bill 1976 to the supreme court, may have been prompted by his post war experience as Attorney General, and a concern that this Bill, if enacted, could breach the constitutional guarantee that entitles citizens a right of access to the courts. The supreme court in due course upheld the constitutionality of the bill.

● In Re The Emergency Powers Bill, 1976, Irish Supreme Court, Chief Justice O'Higgins on the 15th day of October 1976, in his judgement concluded: "The act may not be read as an abnegation (a denial) of the arrested person's constitutional rights in respect of matters such as rights to communicate and the right to legal and medical assistance and the right of access to the courts".

● This judgement confirms that a citizens constitutional right of access to the courts is extant within the Irish Constitution.

Families of Irish Defence Force Personnel Serving in UK Forces During WW2:
Documents in the National Archives at Kew in London contain correspondence between officials in Dublin, the British War Office and the Admiralty, which indicate that during the Emergency Period the Irish government had demanded that family allowances paid to Irish personnel serving in the British forces should be handed over to the industrial schools if their children had been the subject of a committal order by the courts. Britain initially refused but the Irish government were persistent and Frederick Boland, a senior official who worked closely with de Valera, wrote increasingly trenchant letters. In one he couples the demand with the comment: "There is the further incidental consideration that in not a few of these cases the lack of parental control to which the committal of the children is due is attributable to the absence of the fathers with your forces." By the end of the war Britain had capitulated and paid up. It then became clear that the Irish government had all the servicemen's numbers and knew who was serving with the British forces at the time which also suggests that if Dublin could supply the roll numbers of the troops involved - rather than the other way round - there was surveillance of the families of Irish Defence Forces Personnel who had gone absent without leave (A.W.O.L) and joined British/Allied Forces during WW2.

Citizens of Eire - Postal orders to Southern Ireland from the UK - 1939-44:

On the 7 February 1945, the British Postmaster-General (Captain Cruickshank) indicated to the House Of Commons that a total of £22,830,000 was paid through postal and money orders to Eire during the years 1939–1944. The following indicates the sums sent back to Ireland in each of these years by Irish citizens working in the UK which also includes remittances from Irish Defence Forces Personnel who had gone absent without leave (A.W.O.L) and joined British/Allied Forces during WW2:

Remittances to Ireland by Irish Citizens in the UK 1939-44
Year	Postal Orders	Money Orders	Total £.
1939	512,000	484,000	996,000
1940	377,000	777,000	1,154,000
1941	374,000	1,824,000	2,198,000
1942	449,000	4,236,000	4,685,000
1943	568,000	6,166,000	6,734,000
1944	612,000	6,451,000	7,063,000
Total £.	2,892,000	19,938,000	22,830,000

During the Emergency, all postal/money orders from the UK would have been routed through the General Post Office in Dublin. Allowances and mail to families from Irish defence force alleged deserters who were serving in UK forces would also have been monitored by G.2 Branch-Irish Army Intelligence through the GPO and that information shared with British security services. It could be argued that remittances back to Ireland helped families to survive the rigours of the Emergency years and were a much needed boost to a stagnant Irish economy. With the termination of the war in Europe some of the activities with regard to Postal and Telegraph Censorship involving the security sections of G.2 Branch in the General Post Office were discontinued on the 12 May 1945.

"In December 1945 the unemployment figure in Ireland stood at over 70000 and was expected to rise rapidly with the return of war workers and demobbed soldiers from Britain. That did not occur, the reverse was the case, as hoards of Irish workers took the emigration route to the major industrial cities of England. The safety valve of emigration to the UK was arguably a stabilising factor in a post war Ireland marked by high unemployment, growing emigration and a continuous balance of payments deficits all of which led to widespread dissatisfaction. (Michael O'Sullivan, 'Sean Lemass A Biography', Pub 1994, P102, Blackwater Press, Dublin."

● 22nd February 1949 - Emergency Powers (362) Order 1945 - Repealed:

● Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 provided for automatic dismissal from the Defence Forces, for desertion in a time of national emergency, of any member of the Defence Forces who deserted or absented himself without leave during the emergency period and remained absent for 180 days or more. The Order also disqualified, for a period of seven years, any person so dismissed from holding—
● (i) any office or employment remunerated out of the Central Fund or moneys provided by the Oireachtas or moneys raised by local taxation, or
● (ii) any office or employment under any board or body established by or under statutory authority, or
● (iii) office as a paid member of any such board or body. Furthermore, the payment of any pension, gratuity or allowance under the Army Pensions Acts or the Defence Forces (Pensions) Acts was prohibited in such cases. Persons so dismissed were also debarred from the benefits to which, under the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1945, members of the Defence Forces were eligible in respect of army service after the 2nd September, 1939. These disqualifications were continued in permanent legislation under Section 13 of the Defence Forces ((Temporary Provisions) Act, 1946.

● In 1949 the Irish Government introduced Section 8 of the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act (22nd February 1949) to remove the disqualifications mentioned with regard to the holding of office or employment, which also suggests the Government was aware of the legal flaws extant in Emergency Powers (No, 362) 1945. However, the removal of the barring section does not mitigate the legal effect of Emergency Powers (No. 362 Order) 1945 on the 4983 Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel who were denied a constitutional right to defend themselves in the courts when the order was first introduced on the 08th of August 1945 and scheduled to be effective from the 01st of April 1946.

● To restate, the military offence of desertion is not a criminal charge, but instead is one of a disciplinary nature, which is far more serious in a military environment, and until such time as a military court decides on whether a member is guilty, or not guilty, of the military offence of desertion, the member concerned is considered AWOL, Absent Without Leave. In the case of Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel;

● there was no adjudication/ruling by a military court;

● a right of appeal was not enshrined in the text of Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 ;

● personnel or their legal representatives were not informed of a constitutional right of appeal;

● If a Blacklisted Defence Forces Member (or his next of kin) does not know of his right to appeal to the courts, he cannot exercise it; if he cannot exercise it; HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT IS VIOLATED;

● It was also foreseeable that Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 would have a profound detrimental effect on the innocent families of Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel:

● The introduction of Emergency Powers (No.362) Order 1945 by the deValera Government on the 08th of August 1945, shows Irish politicians subverting the jurisdiction of the Irish Military Courts and by determining the guilt of Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel breached the separation of powers as defined by Article 34.1 of the Irish Constitution . (See also Separation of Powers-Irish Court Service). Emergency Powers (No.362) Order 1945 in whole and in part was legally defective from the outset.

● The Attorney General of Ireland 1942-1946:

● NOTE: Mr Justice Kevin Dixon, See also: Kevin Dixon Biography, who served as Attorney General of Ireland from 10th October 1942 to 30th April 1946, was the legal advisor to the de Valera Government on matters of law, and would have been closely involved in the construction of Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 which effected Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel following the end of the second world war.

● NOTE: Nearly all the Ministers in 12th Dail/4th Government of Ireland (9th June 1944 – 18th February 1948) led by Éamon de Valera, who decided to introduce Emergency Powers (No.362) Order 1945 had previously served as IRA Volunteers. Oscar Traynor TD, then Minister for Defence and former brigadier of the Dublin Brigade of the Irish Republican Army, opined during passage of the Emergency Powers (No.362) Order of 1945 through Dail Eireann (Irish Parliament), that Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel, both survivors and those who had lost their lives, "were worthy of very little consideration", and yet, some years later when SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny wanted to come to Ireland the same Oscar Traynor TD had no difficulty in permitting this committed Nazi to legally enter Ireland.

● NOTE: As all officers and men of the Irish Defence Forces were persons subject to Irish military law pursuant to the provisions of the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923 then in force, the ultimatum on the 06th March 1924 by Irish army officers led by Major General Liam Tobin, (see Pathe News re 3000 Rebellious Troops), was a direct challenge to the democratic foundations of the Irish State and their frank expression of military discontent was mutiny as proscribed by military law which required adjudication according to military law. However, despite his leading role as instigator of the Irish army mutiny Tobin was permitted to exit the Defence Forces without sanction and subsequently ended up as Superintendent of the Houses of the Oireachtas during the Emergency Period 1939-1946. Interestingly while Mr de Valera and the Irish Parliament/Dail Eireann were subverting the jurisdiction of the military court process for ordinary rank and file personnel Blacklisted pursuant to Emergency Powers (No.362) Order 1945, the person in charge of security in the same Irish Parliament/Dail Eireann was a mutineer who in March 1924 as a senior commissioned officer of the Irish Defence Forces had directly challenged the democratic institutions of the Irish state thereby repudiating the oath he had previously sworn to bear true faith and allegiance to the Irish state and to faithfully defend her against all her enemies. Following his death on the 30th April 1963 Major General Liam Tobin was accorded full Irish defence force military honours and buried in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin.

Overview

During world war two approximately 5000 service personnel from the Irish defence forces who (allegedly) deserted, including those who had joined the allied war effort to fight fascism, were subsequently dismissed from the defence forces on the 8th of August 1945, en masse, unheard, and in absentia by Irish government decree. It is a basic tenet of Irish constitutional law that citizens have a right to defend themselves, and defendants subject to military law, even when on active service, have the same rights to adduce a defence in any proceedings. The Emergency Powers Order introduced by the post war Irish government to deal with alleged deserters was a vindictive political act of injustice, arbitrary in application, and by disregarding their fundamental rights as citizens denied Irish defence force personnel the right to defend themselves before an Irish military tribunal. Irish defence force personnel accused of desertion were treated differently depending on whether they stayed in Ireland or went abroad to fight with the allies. The exclusion of officers from the Order’s terms of reference should have raised concerns as to class bias. By August 1945, the Irish government had constructed a unique political instrument to deal with the military offence of desertion in such a way that the rights of individuals were abrogated for the sake of political expediency. Oscar Traynor TD, then Minister for Defence, opined during passage of the Order through Dail Eireann (Irish Parliament), that these men, both survivors and those who had lost their lives, were worthy of very little consideration, and yet some years later when SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny wanted to come to Ireland the same Oscar Traynor TD had no difficulty in permitting this committed Nazi to legally enter Ireland. Former SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny was the coordinator of ODESSA, the Organization of Former SS Members (‘Organization Der Ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen’), in Spain, and it was ODESSA, and their sympathisers who managed to route Dr Josef Mengele to South America and away from the Nazi Hunters, thus evading justice for his war crimes. In contrast, Irish defence force personnel some of whom rest in eternal silence on the various battlefields throughout the world were still regarded with dishonour by the Irish government. Post 1945, one of the most repugnant instruments of printed injustice directed at service personnel, Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945, was placed on the Irish statute book which resulted in the compilation of a list of those who had (allegedly) deserted the Irish defence force during the Emergency which included men who had lost their lives fighting against the Nazis and the Japanese during world war two. The blacklist was then distributed on a confidential basis by the Irish government to all state authorities barring their employment and various entitlements from state sources for seven years. On the 6th June 2011, this argument formed part of our campaign submission to the Irish government. To resolve the issue, the Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Act (No 12) 2013, was initiated by the Minister for Defence Mr Alan Shatter TD, on behalf of the Irish government, and is an unprecedented, and historically significant piece of legislation, which exonerates members of the Irish defence forces who went AWOL (absent without leave) and joined UK or allied forces during world war two, and at the same time provides immunity from prosecution for others. Accompanied by an apology, this legislation comprehensively and unambiguously obliterates the imputation of guilt imposed by the post war Irish government on former blacklisted Irish defence force personnel. On Saturday the 15th June 2013, a private family commemorative event was held at the Irish National War Memorial, Islandbridge, Dublin, to mark the passing of the Amnesty and Immunity Bill, and it’s signing into Irish law on the 14th May 2013 by the President of Ireland. Simultaneously with the Dublin event, wreaths/crosses/flowers were placed in remembrance at the war graves of known former Irish defence force personnel and at war memorials in various countries worldwide.

Although the Irish Amnesty and Immunity Act will address and resolve insofar as possible historical issues, the memory of family experience will always be in the background and will take time to heal. At least this generation of Irish politicians are making an honourable attempt to rectify questionable past political decisions and have conducted their debates constructively and sympathetically with due regard for all concerns. Some have said the Amnesty legislation is perhaps too little to late. However, there were political obstacles which bedevilled British Irish relationships over the years and which arguably would have made it very difficult for any Irish government to act on the issue prior to the Royal visit to Ireland in May 2011. Irrespective, the Amnesty accompanied by an apology will remove the stigma from those who were blacklisted and should also be seen as an act of reconciliation. Yes, 68 years on from the end of world war two might seem to little to late…but better late than never. Irish Minister for Defence Mr Alan Shatter TD supported by his staff and members of Dail and Seanad Eireann (Irish Parliament and Irish Senate) are to be congratulated for having the political courage and integrity in bringing the Amnesty and Immunity Act to a successful conclusion, and is an occasion of historical significance. In the full knowledge that they have now been formally recognised and honoured as part of the collective remembrance of the island of Ireland, the last of our old soldiers, and their families, can live out the rest of their lives with some semblance of honour restored. Consequently, the Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign (WW2) was stood down on the 15th June 2013.

Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Act (No 12) 2013

● Sean O’Riordan in his article published Irish Examiner, 05 November 2022 “Number of personnel going AWOL in Defence Forces to hit 10-year high" concluded; "They were officially pardoned in 2012 by then defence minister Alan Shatter”. That is incorrect.

● Mr O'Riordan in his article published Irish Examiner, Thursday, 06th June 2024, "D-Day, 'Private Ryan, and the Irish soldiers who fought in 'hell on Earth" concluded, "It was only 12 years ago that they were granted an official pardon by then minister for defence, Alan Shatter". That is incorrect.

● In his excellent article “Ireland isn’t invited to the VE Day 80th anniversary celebrations, but the losses we suffered should never be forgotten” Irish Independent 01st May 2025, Frank Coughlan writes “after the war an unforgiving Fianna Fail government court-martialled each and every one”, suggesting that defence force personnel blacklisted for desertion during the emergency were court-martialled. That is incorrect. The writer also wrote "justice Minister Alan Shatter issued a long overdue pardon". That is incorrect.

● For the sake of clarity, the Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Act (No 12) 2013 is an Amnesty and not a Pardon. A Pardon is the forgiveness of an offence, whereas the construct and effect of this amnesty and immunity legislation is to exculpate all concerned from allegations of desertion thereby removing the stigma of dishonour associated with being blacklisted. To reiterate, the introduction of the Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Act (No 12) 2013 initiated by then Minister for Defence Mr Allan Shatter TD on behalf of the Irish Government, comprehensively and unambiguously obliterated the imputation of guilt imposed by the introduction of Emergency Powers Order 362 on the 8th of August 1945.

● The Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945 introduced on the 08th of August 1945 by the Irish Government led by Éamon de Valera to dismiss and punish former Irish defence force personnel was NOT an adjudication by a military tribunal. In fact the Irish Government for the sake of political expediency had subverted the jurisdiction of the Irish military courts to deal with allegations of desertion which effectively denied former Irish defence force personnel their constitutional right to due process in a military court.

IRA Prisoners "K-Lines" (No.1 Internment camp) Curragh Camp 1939-45

In contrast to the harsh treatment meted out to blacklisted defence force personnel who were barred from working in state companies for 7 years pursuant to Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945, the following is an example of how the de Valera government dealth with former members of the IRA post war:
● James O'Donovan was a leading Republican who collaborated with the Nazis during world war two. Mr O'Donovan worked with the Irish Electricity Supply Board and despite his IRA activity, which included three years imprisonment in the K-Lines No 1 Internment Camp-Curragh Camp, O'Donovan remained with the state run ESB until his retirement in 1961.
● The writer Francis Stuart collaborated with the Nazis in Berlin and made radio broadcasts to Ireland to stir up animosity against the Allies. Stuart also acted as a recruiting official involved in the preliminary selection of captured Irish born British prisoners of war encouraging them to work for Nazi Germany. He, too, was able to resume respectability when he returned to Ireland. In October 1996, President Mary Robinson invested Francis Stuart as an Irish SAOI to great fanfare from a glittering gathering of Irish artists and writers. Neither Stuart nor O'Donovan ever repudiated their treasonable war record. They had powerful friends and were anti-British. In post war Ireland Nazi collaborators (and there were others) got a free pass. In contrast Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel including those killed in action fighting the Nazis and Japanese were treated differently.

● Paddy Reid recalls his families experience post war: TV Interview BBC News-Europe 07 May 2013:

● Paddy Reid recalls his families experience post war: Voice of Russia UK 08 May 2013:

● Facebook page: 09th September 1951: Statue commemorating IRA Chief of Staff Sean Russell Dublin:
● Facebook page: 19th September 2024: Letter Dublin People - IRA Chief of Staff Sean Russell:

● Máirtín Ó Cadhai n who became an IRA Recruiting Officer in Dublin and is said to have recruited Brendan Behan, was appointed to the IRA Army Council in 1938 and later interned in the K-Lines No 1 Internment Camp-Curragh Camp from 1940-1945. Released in June 1945 many former IRA Internees had the opportunity of seeking work in Bord Na Mona, the ESB and other Irish semi state organisations, (Blacklisted Defence Force Personnel many of whom had fought the Nazis and Japanese during the war were barred from working in state employment for 7 years, while IRA volunteers and Nazi collaborators were given a free pass by the deValera Government). Mr Ó Cadhain who described himself as a "civil servant" was subsequently employed as a translator on the staff of Leinster House/Dail Eireann from 1949 to 1956 when he became a lecturer in Modern Irish in Trinity College Dublin:

● In Ireland's Nazis a 2007 RTE TV1 Hidden History (Tile Film Production), see also (● Ireland's Nazis-Youtube-Video-Part One and Ireland's Nazis-Youtube-Video-Part Two): Ex Royal Air Force veteran Cathal O'Shannon showed how official Ireland turned a blind eye as Nazis and their collaborators who came to Ireland after world war two made a new life for themselves. Prior to the transmission of the programme Mrs Elizabeth Clissmann made a complaint about this documentary which was upheld in June 2007 by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission in relation to impartiality. Helmut Clissmann was assisted by Sean McBride, then Irish Minister for External affairs to travel to Ireland in June 1948, despite the fact that British intelligence did not want him to leave Germany, indeed they also advised that Helmut Clissmann should not have been denazified into category V which was the category of least politically involved Nazis. Germans placed in that category were allowed to leave Germany provided their applications came within the approved category of travel. See: British Foreign Office File Helmut Clissmann 11 June 1948 and Helmut Clissmann Recategorisation of Status 13 July 1948: Helmut Clissman joined the Nazi Party on the 1 May 1934 and during world war two was inter-alia attached to the Brandenburg Regiment. The Clissman's are also known to have worked with SS-Brigadeführer Edmund Vessenmeyer . While appointed German Plenipotentiary delegate in Hungary, Vessenmeyer reported in a Telegram dated 11th July 1944 to the German Foreign Ministry that 437,402 Jews have been deported - Auschwitz was their final destination:

● Helmut Clissman and Irish Republican Contacts 1940/41: Extract interrogation report Dr. Kurt HALLER, alias VOGE: Head of Abwehr Abteiling II [sabotage] section dealing with Ireland:

● British Archives Reveal IRA Invasion Plan: Aljazeera News 14 November 2003:

● Irish Independent Letters: 02 January 2025: History Shows Defence Personnel Wrongly Treated After WW11

● Denazification and Helmut Clissman:

From 1945, the hunt for war criminals was accompanied by a campaign to rid German and Austrian politics, industry, media, arts, and the judiciary of Nazis. Former party and SS members were removed from positions of power and influence, and Nazi organisations were abolished. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of Germans were detained in internment camps while their backgrounds were investigated. There were nine such camps in the British zone, all guarded by British troops. By late 1946, growing tensions with the Soviet Union, the economic importance of Western Germany and a lack of Allied manpower to run the denazification effort, saw the campaign wind down. The British Army of the Rhine (BAOR), handed over the denazification panels to the German authorities who were more sympathetic to former nazi party members. In June 1948, just weeks before his nazi status was to be Recategorised on the 13th July 1948, Helmut Clissmann travelled to Ireland, which suggests he had been forewarned that his denazification status V was about to change, and advised to leave Germany with due haste. NOTE: Following the end of the war, German citizens and others had to fill in a background form and were given over to justice under an Arbitration/Denazification panel which assigned them to one of five following categories:

● V. Persons Exonerated. No sanctions.
● IV. Followers. Possible restrictions on travel, employment, political rights, plus fines.
● III. Lesser Offenders. Placed on probation for two–three years with a list of restrictions. No internment.
● II. Offenders: Activists, Militants, and Profiteers, or Incriminated Persons. Subject to immediate arrest and imprisonment up to ten years performing reparation or reconstruction work plus a list of other restrictions.
● I. Major Offenders. Subject to immediate arrest, death, imprisonment with or without hard labour, plus a list of lesser sanctions.

● Nazi Protocol of January 20, 1942 - Final Solution on the Jewish Question - Irish Citizens:
On the 20 January 1942 at the Berlin-Wannsee Conference High Third Reich officials including the Chief of the Sicherheitspolizei Reinhard Heydrich and Adolf Eichmann Reichssicherhauptamt (RHSA), took the executive decisions for conducting the Final Solution of the Jewish Question. Page 6 of this document contains a precise number of Jews scheduled for extermination with a breakdown of the specific regions involved. Although the overwhelming majority lived in Eastern Europe, Ireland's Jewish population calculated at 4000 were listed. The accuracy of the numbers shown in this document would indicate that members of the Nazi party and their collaborators based in Ireland before the War are responsible for its compilation and that it was also the intention of the Nazis to exterminate Irish citizens. List of Nazi Party Members in Ireland Pre-War:

Uk/Northern Ireland Newspaper Reports

●"Eire Army Deserters who joined British Forces: Thousands afraid to go home": The Londonderry Sentinel-23 June 1945: Captain Peadar Cowan defending Paratrooper and DDay veteran Private Patrick Mortimer of Dublin:
●"Cannot Go Home: Eire Army Men in British Forces": Belfast Newsletter-Friday 22 October 1945: Captain Peadar Cowan defending Paratrooper and DDay veteran Private Patrick Mortimer of Dublin:

●"Eire Army Deserters: Government’s new order": The Londonderry Sentinel- Saturday 11 August 1945:
●"DESERTERS": The Daily Mirror-Saturday 20 October 1945:
●"The Desertions Order": Annulment Call by Dr O’Higgins TD": Ballymena Weekly Telegraph-Friday 26 October 1945:

●"EIRE FORGIVES deserters Who Fought Germans": Captain Peadar Cowan defended Private Patrick Kehoe/Irish Defence Forces: (Flight Sergeant/Royal Air Force) and Private Patrick Shannon/Irish Defence Forces (Corporal British Army): Northern Daily Mail-16 June 1945: ●See also article by Kevin Myers, Irish Independent 24 May 2011, Irish-Independent-24_May_2011.pdf :

Irish Defence Force Strength/Numbers 1939-1945

● In analysing the desertion rate to overall strength for the Irish defence forces during the period 1939 to 1945, a figure of 10% desertion is mentioned by some Irish commentators. However a closer examination of the Confidential List of Irish Defence Force Personnel dismissed for alleged desertion pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 of 1945 , shows a COMBINATION of several categories of enlisted defence force personnel, e.g. regulars, reservists and those who had signed up as volunteers for the duration of the Emergency. This record includes the names of 756 regular army personnel who had left the Colours and 1313 personnel of the 1st and 2nd line reserves, the remainder were volunteers which includes members of the construction corps. The figure of 42,000 personnel serving in the Irish Army being quoted by Irish Examiner Journalist Sean O'Riordan relates to regulars + reservists, and does not include those who volunteered for the Local Defence Force which was approx 98,000, who were later absorbed into the Defence Forces. A calculation of the total strength of the Irish Defence Forces e.g. 40,000 (which is a combination of regular army + reservists) + the estimated 98,000 personnel serving in the Local Defence Forces = 138,000. Consequently the 4983 personnel recorded in the blacklist represents 3.61% of the total of those alleged to be deserters. Irrespective, a forensic comparative study of extant documentation would prove useful in establishing the facts. While it is obvious the debate surrounding the desertion issue will continue nevertheless in the interests of establishing some semblance of historical accuracy aspiring Irish historians/writers/academics would be better advised to step down from their ivory towers and do more research before making further assertions...and the subject matter does require more objective scrutiny.

● NOTE: The primary focus of the Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign (WW2) was seeking a redress for 4983 defence force personnel recorded in the Confidential Blacklist who were dismissed for desertion pursuant to Emergency Powers (No. 362) Order 1945. As the Confidential Blacklist is the only available published record of desertions in the defence forces during the emergency period 1939-1946, the higher figure of an estimated 7000 desertions and upwards suggested by some Irish sources is speculative until proven by documentary evidence.

Irish Times Letter-Thursday 16th February 2023

● In his excellent contribution (“Ireland’s defence in second World War, Army’s capability was formidable” Irish Times, February 16th 2023), Donal O’Carroll (Colonel Rtd) asserts “During the war, the Army had two divisions, two independent brigades and three command (ie garrison) battalions – 40,000 in all, and probably 100,000 in the Local Defence Force”. The writer is spot on with his figures a conclusion we had reached some years ago during the Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign (WW2). However, during the Campaign some Irish sources sought to rewrite the effects of any potential outcome to the desertion issue envisaged by Minister for Defence Alan Shatter TD by engaging in misinformation re the desertion rate to support their own agenda. They asserted the desertion rate to overall strength for the Irish defence forces during the period 1939 to 1945 was 10% to support their own narrative, and THEY WERE WRONG. The Blacklist which records those dismissed for desertion on the 08th of August 1945, is a combination of several categories of enlisted defence force personnel, e.g. regulars, reservists and those who had signed up as volunteers for the duration of the Emergency. In the years since the resolution introduced by Minister for Defence Allan Shatter in 2012 the letter in the Irish Times 16th February 2023, by Donal O’Carroll (Colonel Rtd), is the first time that I am aware, of anyone asserting the correct figures for those who had served in the Defence Forces during the emergency, and I thank the Colonel for his EXPERT contribution.

Peter Mulvany BCL, HDip Arts Admin,

Coordinator Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign (WW2)

https://www.irishseamensrelativesassociation.ie

Notes/Comments/Chief of Staff/Irish Defence Forces 1941-1943

● For the period 01st April 1941 to 31st March 1942: Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieut-General Daniel (Dan) McKenna remarked “the wide-spread feeling in the country that there is no immediate danger of invasion”; "It may be said has largely removed the patriotic urge to join the Army, which undoubtedly existed in June, 1940 and young men of adventurous spirit may thus be tempted to join the British Army in the hope they may see active service”.

● For the period 01st April 1942 to 31st March 1943: The Chief of Staff observed “The course of the war in Europe has convinced most people that there is little danger to this country of immediate invasion and the patriotic urge to join the Army which was so noticeable during the summer of 1940 has almost completely disappeared. Any threat of renewed danger would almost assuredly result in a further burst of enthusiastic recruiting, but as things stand at present, there are so many openings elsewhere that few men have any desire to join the Army (Irish), while those who have a natural taste for military life are more inclined to join the British Services, where a more exciting career is expected”.

● For the period 01st April 1942 to 31st March 1943: The Chief of Staff concluded: “The factors which still tend to lower morale of the Defence Forces are largely outside Army control. The most important are considered to be: (a) Lack of equipment; (b) Inadequate allowances for dependents; (c) Boredom due to waiting for something to happen coupled with the knowledge that a more ‘adventurous service’ can be found abroad. (A reference to British services); It is thought that the high rate of desertion was largely due to these causes”.

Appeals for men to defend Neutral Ireland 1940-1941

Following various appeals (Join The Volunteers) during 1940-1941 by Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Eamon DeValera for men to sign up to defend neutral Ireland, blacklisted defence force personnel did respond to DeValera's appeal and enlisted in the defence forces to defend the state against a German invasion, although a small number were already serving soldiers. The Irish Government had also put a bar on anyone wanting to leave the Army or had concluded their contract which includes those who had signed a 12 month contact with the Non Combatant Construction Corps for the duration of the emergency. Following the Battle of Britain the threat of a German invasion against neutral Ireland was believed to have receded. Consequently, Irish defence forces personnel who had been training intensely to fight against a Nazi invasion, and with no Nazi invasion of neutral Ireland imminent, the majority of those that were blacklisted on the 08th of August 1945 would have sought to join British/allied forces to engage in the fight against the Nazi's and the Japanese.

●Thousands of Irishmen join British Army: Eire ready to DEFEND Neutrality: UK Leicester Evening Mail - 22 June 1940:

The following extracts from PATHE NEWS might also be of interest.

●Irish Troops Prepare to Defend Ireland 1940: https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/136602/

●Irish Army Manoeuvres 1940: https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/47614/

●Irish Army parade in Dublin. 29th April 1941: Thousands of Irish citizens who had joined the Irish defence forces to protect neutral Ireland following the call to defend the Irish State filmed on parade in O’Connell Street, Dublin. As the threat of a Nazi invasion of neutral Ireland receded, many of those marching would later join British/allied forces to fight the Nazis and Japanese: https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/66461/

Southern Irishmen and Irishwomen in UK Forces - Enlistment Figures - 03rd September 1939 - 31st August 1945

In her informative article “Marking VE Day in the North” (Irish Times, Home News, May 8th 2025), Freya McClements writes “the number of Irishmen and women who fought and acted in support and auxiliary roles in the British services in the second World War", and advises "the most recent estimate (sourced from Dr Niamh Gallagher) is more than 66.000 from the South and 64,000 from the North”. In this regard the following information sourced from British archives might be helpful:

NOTE: "The only figures which can be given in the case of the Royal Navy are based on information supplied to UK authorities as to the address at the time of entry into the Service with UK Forces. The figures for those who had enlisted in the British Army and the Royal Air Force are based on information supplied as to place of birth, and in the case of the Army some of the men and women may have enlisted before the war. A number would undoubtedly have given false names and addresses particularly those who went AWOL (Absent Without Leave) from the Irish Army. Others would have given accommodation addresses rather than home addresses and they would appear in the records as recruited from Northern Ireland instead of from the South. It was thought that the only real test in order to ascertain as to who was who, would be the addresses which personnel gave when they first enlisted for their next of kin in case they fell in battle or were disabled, and that information would probably be genuine as service personnel with obligations would more than likely want their own people to benefit from remittances sent home and would hardly give false addresses for a recipient beneficiary. On this basis the number of men and women who joined British Forces from Southern Ireland from 03rd September 1939, to the 31st of August 1945, under the headings of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force which includes former defence force personnel are as follows:

Royal Navy and Royal Marines:
● Total numbers enlisted between 03rd September 1939, and 31st December 1944: Men: 483
● Total numbers enlisted between 15th December 1943, and 31st August 1945: Women: 34
British Army:
● Total serving at 31st December 1944: Men: 28,645
● Total serving at 31st December 1944: Women: 4,133
Royal Air Force
● Total numbers enlisted at Belfast between January, 1943, and 31st August 1945: Men: 9,426
● Total numbers enlisted at Belfast between January, 1943, and 31st August 1945: Women: 528
Total: 03rd September 1939 - 31st August 1945: 43,249

As regards such enlistments before 01st January 1943, no distinction was drawn in the records between Northern Ireland and Eire. These statistics also do not include enlistments in Great Britain of men and women of Eire origin as to which no figures are available. (Michael Kennedy and Victor Laing (eds.), The Irish Defence Forces 1940-1949: The Chief of Staff’s Reports (Dublin, 2011), published by the Irish Manuscripts Commission, estimates that during the second world war approximately 150000 Irish citizens joined British forces, a statistic which is at odds with figures in official UK records.

On the 19th March 1946 in the House of Lords, Admiral of the Fleet William Henry Dudley Boyle, 12th Earl of Cork, mentioned the contribution of Irish born service personnel who served in UK forces during world war two, and stated; "I am sure all your Lordships will agree that this country owes those men and women a great debt which must be honourably discharged, and I have not the least doubt that the Government intend to discharge it honourably, because their views on that point were given only last month in another place, where it was said that His Majesty's Government took the view that when men had fought with us and stood by us it was against our religion to let them down". (Extract Hansard: https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1946/mar/19/southern-irishmen-in-the-forces#column_239):

Citizens of Northern Ireland who served in His Majesty's Forces during the 1939–45 War

NOTE: "No complete statistics are available of the total number of residents or citizens of Northern Ireland who served in His Majesty's Forces during the war. In the case of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines the figures available are based on information supplied as to the address at the time of entry into the Service and do not include those who joined the Navy before 3rd September, 1939. Those for the British Army and Royal Air Force are based on information supplied as to place of birth. In the case of the British Army those who left before the end of 1944 or joined after that date are not included. On this basis the figures are as follows:

Royal Navy and Royal Marines:
● Men entered and enlisted between 3rd September 1939, and 31st August 1945: 4,623
● Women—no figures available: -
British Army:
● Total numbers serving at 31st December 1944: Men: 27,462
● Total numbers serving at 31st December 1944: Women: 2,087
Royal Air Force:
● Total numbers serving at 31st December 1944: Men: 2,619
● Total numbers serving at 31st December 1944: Women: 491
Total: 03rd September 1939 - 31st August 1945: 37,282

NOTE: As regards Royal Air Force and Women's Auxiliary Air Force enlistments before 01st January, 1943, no distinction was drawn in the records between Northern Ireland and Eire. The R.A.F. and W.A.A.F. statistics also do not include enlistments in Great Britain of men and women of Northern Ireland origin as to which no figures are available. It is estimated that the approximate strengths in the Royal Air Force at the end of August, 1945, were probably much the same both for men and women coming from Northern Ireland as for those coming from Eire. The basis on which the above information is given was stated in 1946 to be not altogether satisfactory, as it was deemed not possible to supply more accurate figures without the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of time and labour": (Extract Hansard: https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1946/apr/01/armed-forces-northern-ireland-citizens):

A selected number of former Irish Defence Forces personnel killed in action during WW2

Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion 08 August 1945 by Emergency Powers Order 362 - TEXT - Amnestied 14 May 2013

1: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2138464/patrick-moran/
● Trooper PATRICK MORAN 3865276, 18th (5th Bn. The Loyal Regt.) Regt., Reconnaissance Corps, who died age 21 on the 15th February 1942. Son of John and Mary J. Moran, of Clonmoyle, Co. Westmeath, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour, SINGAPORE MEMORIAL.

● Trooper Patrick Moran was serving with the 18th battalion reconnaissance regiment in Bombay when he received orders to proceed to Singapore on the Empress of Asia.
● At 1100 hours, on the 05th February 1942 when the leading ships of the convoy were close to Singapore and the slowest ship, the Empress of Asia, was south-west of the Sembilan Islands, the convoy was attacked by enemy dive-bombers. The Empress of Asia received several direct hits and soon began to sink. Troops had to take to the water owing to fire on the ship. Some great acts of gallantry were performed, especially by members of the ships hospital staff. Rescues were quickly effected by the Royal Navy. The loss of life fortunately was small, but nearly all weapons and equipment on board were lost. It thus happened that some of these units landed in Singapore without their equipment. They were re-equipped as far as possible with small arms and fought thereafter as infantry.
● Subsequently Trooper Moran fell sick and was sent to the British Military Hospital in Singapore. During the afternoon of the 14th February 1942 the Japanese entered the undefended British Military Hospital and ran amok bayoneting patients.

● Gathered together in an outer building at least 150 men were bayoneted before the Japanese were interrupted by artillery fire. Trooper Moran is believed to have died in this location. (This incident is known as the Alexandra Road Hospital Massacre). A Commemorative Plaque located in the hospital gardens honours the hospitalized soldiers and staff massacred by Japanese forces in 1942:

● Facebook Page: https://fb.watch/A9mfWj9-ck/

● On the 08th August 1945, PATRICK MORAN was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

● 05th November 2025, A TV programme re Irish Army deserters during the WW2, was broadcast on the European TV Channel ARTE TV, and is available on the internet via the link below: The short segment on Irish Army Deserters is from 37minutes. 14 seconds into the broadcast and is approximately 07 Minutes long. Although in French and German the programme will assist to highlight the issue to a European audience.
https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/120086-122-A/invitation-au-voyage/:
https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/120086-122-A/stadt-land-kunst/:

2: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2210536/owen-mills/
● Private OWEN MILLS 5960934, 5th Bn., East Yorkshire Regiment, aged 23, Killed in Action 25th July 1942. Son of Owen and Elizabeth Mills, of Seatown, Dundalk, Co. Louth, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour, EL ALAMEIN WAR CEMETERY: The Battles of Alamein:

● On the 08th August 1945, OWEN MILLS was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

3: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2117405/james-mckenna/
● Private JAMES McKENNA 4279454, 1/7th Bn., Middlesex Regiment, aged 24, Killed in Action 24th October 1942. Son of James and Catherine McKenna, of Scotstown, Co. Monaghan, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour, EL ALAMEIN WAR CEMETERY:
● Between 11th November, 1941 and 09th December, 1943, the 1/7th Bn Middlesex Regiment was the Divisional Machine Gun (MG) Battalion to the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. During 1942 they were involved in operations in North Africa, including Libya and Tunisia:
● Breaching the "Devils Gardens": Mine Clearance El Alamein: Operation Lightfoot: (23rd October to 04th November, 1942):
In the early hours of the 24th October 1942, British infantry and engineers began Operation Lightfoot, a painstaking and hazardous process of creating two channels in the German minefields through which the allied armoured forces were to advance. The Axis forces had dug-in behind their minefields after previous attacks on British lines had failed, so the key to a successful British attack was to negotiate the mines with minimal disruption and delay.
● The plan for Operation Lightfoot revolved around a two-pronged attack to the north and south, though the northern attack would only be a feint to draw off a proportion of the Axis forces. The diversion would be carried out by the 7th Armoured ‘Desert Rats’ supporting XIII Corps, while the main thrust would come from X Corps and supporting infantry divisions of XXX Corps to the south. The infantry divisions of both thrusts were to move forward and secure the minefields and prepare lanes for armoured units to attack through. As most of the German mines were anti-tank the infantry units could quickly cross the minefields allowing the engineers to get started clearing lanes.
● Private James McKenna was serving with the Machine Gun (MG) Battalion of the 1/7th Bn Middlesex Regiment - 51st (Highland) Infantry Division when they were tasked to protect mine clearance personnel of the Royal Engineers as they advanced forward. By the end of the day (24th October 1942) the battalion had fought its way up to the enemy forward defence lines as planned. In this engagement 20 members of the battalion were killed in action which included Private James McKenna:

● https://www.cwgc.org/our-work/blog/remembering-the-battle-of-el-alamein-80-years-on/
● Private James McKenna was originally buried on the 24th October 1942 in a battlefield cemetery located near El Alamein
● On the 11th of May 1943 following exhumation and identification, the remains of Private James McKenna were reinterred in El Alamein Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.

● On the 08th August 1945, JAMES McKENNA was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● Facebook Page: https://fb.watch/DbagSru9x0/

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

4: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2183865/james-mcdaid/
● Gunner JAMES McDAID 1779631, 43 Bty., 61 Lt. A.A. Regt., Royal Artillery, aged 21, Killed in Action 14th November 1942. Son of Joseph and Susan McDaid, of Inver, Co. Donegal, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour, EL ALAMEIN MEMORIAL: James McDaid was wounded on the 26th October while serving with the 61st Light AA regiment. The enemy captured him, and he died a few weeks later, whilst still a Prisoner of War: The Battles of Alamein:

● On the 08th August 1945, JAMES McDAID was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

5: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2621243/patrick-mcmahon/
● Rifleman PATRICK McMAHON 6921437, 10th (2nd Bn. The Tower Hamlets Rifles) Bn., Rifle Brigade, aged 27, Killed in Action 11th January 1943. Son of John and Johanna McMahon, of Athea, Co. Limerick, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour, MEDJEZ-EL-BAB WAR CEMETERY.

● Patrick McMahon a farm labourer from Co Limerick was serving with the Rifles. On the 11th January 1943, supported by tanks from the 17th/21st Lancers, the Rifles were tasked to assault a German strong point on Two Tree Hill and clear the ridge of the enemy. Rifleman Patrick McMahon was killed as the Rifles advanced up the Hill: The Tunisia Campaign:
● The Battle of Two Tree Hill refers to a series of engagements during the Tunisia Campaign of World War II, primarily focused on a hill near Bou Arada https://mapcarta.com/36155676, Tunisia, where two prominent trees grew on its summit. The hill was a strategically important observation point for the Germans as this location overlooked the surrounding terrain and the Bou Arada road. The Germans eventually withdrew from the hill in April 1943, after holding it for several months.
● TWO TREE HILL Tunisia: IWM Photograph:
● Rifleman Patrick McMahon was originally buried on the 13th January 1943 in a battlefield cemetery located in the main dressing station at the Hanshīr al Baharine farm https://mapcarta.com/17291264
● On the 09th of August 1944 following exhumation and identification, the remains of Rifleman Patrick McMahon were reinterred in the Medjez-el-Bab Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.

● Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14J3yQPzKXj/

● On the 08th August 1945, PATRICK McMAHON was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

6: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2196060/patrick-conway/
● Private PATRICK CONWAY 6409851, 1st Bn., The Parachute Regiment, A.A.C., (Army Air Corps) who died age 24 on the 02nd March 1943. Son of Daniel and Mary Anne Conway, of Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour, MASSICAULT WAR CEMETERY. Tunisia.
● On 2nd February 1943 the 1st Bn., The Parachute Regiment was ordered to take the Djebel Mansour and Djebel Alliliga, supported by a single company of the French Foreign Legion. The battalion launched its attack during the night and by the next morning had captured both features against fierce opposition. The battalion’s casualties were so heavy, that it was compelled to fall back from the Djebel Alliliga and concentrate its remaining strength on the Djebel Mansour. Here it was cut off from supplies and almost all reinforcements, and the 6th Armoured Division’s counterattacks failed to reach the battalion. The 3/Grenadier Guards of the 1st Guards Brigade was able to capture most of Djebel Alliliga on 4th February 1943, but both battalions then came under increasingly heavy German attack, and by 11.00 on the following day it was decided to withdraw both of these units.

Private Conway was wounded while serving with 1st Battalion The Parachute Regiment in the Battle of El Mansour and subsequently died of his wounds sustained in battle: The Tunisia Campaign: Djebel Alliliga is a battle honour of The Parachute Regiment which took place in North Africa in February 1943, during Operation Torch. It is also known as the Battle of Mansour: British Airborne Operations in North Africa.

● Facebook Page: https://fb.watch/A9l-4qtBjD/

● On the 08th August 1945, PATRICK CONWAY was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces

pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

7: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2632409/leonard-keating/
● Fusilier LEONARD KEATING 7043583, 1st Bn., Royal Irish Fusiliers, aged 26, Killed in Action 25th April 1943. Son of Johanna-Keating McEnery, of Mullinahone, Co. Tipperary, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour, MEDJEZ-EL-BAB MEMORIAL.

● Within the Mejez-el-Bab Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery stands the Mejez-el-Bab War Memorial, bearing the names of almost 2,000 men of the First Army who died during the operations in Algeria and Tunisia between 08th November 1942 and 19th February 1943, and those of the First and Eighth Armies who died in operations in the same areas between 20th February 1943 and 13th May 1943, and who have no known graves.
● Battle casualties were originally buried at a cemetery located in the main dressing station at the Hanshīr al Baharine farm, https://mapcarta.com/17291264 , and later reinterred in the Medjez-el-Bab War Graves Cemetery. However, as the remains of Fusilier Leonard Keating were never located his name is listed in commemoration on Face 31 of the Medjez-el-Bab War Memorial, Tunisia:
● The 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers, along with the rest of the 38th (Irish) Brigade, arrived in North Africa in November 1942. They were initially attached to the 6th Armoured Division before transferring to the 78th Battleaxe Division in February 1943. The-story-of-the-irish-brigade-1942-1947
● The brigade's first major battles in North Africa took place north of Bou Arada in January 1943. The Royal Irish Fusiliers, specifically, were involved in patrolling and skirmishes on the Goubellat Plain including a notable engagement where they captured German paratroopers from the Hermann Goering Division. The fighting in Tunisia was crucial for securing the Allied position in North Africa and paved the way for the invasion of Sicily and Italy. The 38th (Irish) Brigade's successes contributed to the overall Allied victory in Tunisia. The Tunisia Campaign:
● On the 25th April 1943, the 1st Bn., Royal Irish Fusiliers (A Company and D Company) attacked German forces occupying Butler’s Hill and Point 662, (regarded as excellent German defensive positions) and suffered many casualties including Fusilier Leonard Keating Killed in Action:

● 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers/War Dairy/April-1943/Point-622/

● Campaign-narrative/tunisian-campaign-month-by-month/april-1943/
● Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DqLVmzeBM/

● On the 08th August 1945, LEONARD KEATING was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

8: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2195924/james-brady/
● Guardsman JAMES BRADY 2719497, 1st Bn., Irish Guards, Killed in Action 29th April 1943. Son of Mr. and Mrs. P. Brady, of Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour, MASSICAULT WAR CEMETERY.

● Grave Headstone Guardsman JAMES BRADY, 1st Bn., Irish Guards, Massicault War Cemetery, Tunisia:

● On the 27th April 1943 the Irish Guards supported by the Scots Guards attacked the elite Herman Goering Division at Medjez-el-Bab. The Irish Guards played a significant role at the Battle of Medjez-el-Bab, particularly holding crucial positions located at the western end of the feature. They were instrumental in holding the points 212 and 214 against frequent German counter-attacks. One notable act of valour during this engagement was Lance-Corporal John Kenneally's (Irish Guards) single-handed charge against a German company, which earned him the Victoria Cross. https://www.victoriacross.org.uk/bbkennea.htm :
● Guardsman Brady was a member of No 4 Company 1st Bn., Irish Guards when counter attacked using Rifles, Grenades and Bayonets. While defending their position Guardsman Brady was wounded and later died of wounds sustained in Battle.
● General Alexander sent the following Message to the surviving soldiers of the Irish Guards: ‘Congratulations to you for your magnificent fight which has been of the utmost importance to the whole battle. I am immensely proud of you all’: https://www.cwgc.org/our-work/blog/endgame-in-the-desert-the-medjez-el-bab-memorial-the-tunisia-campaign/:

● Facebook Page: https://fb.watch/AeZhfLqzgT/

● On the 08th August 1945, JAMES BRADY was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

9: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2823770/stephen-mcmanus/
● Gunner STEPHEN McMANUS 1779858, 144 Bty., 35 Lt. A.A. Regt., Royal Artillery, who died age 28 on the 27th July 1943. Son of Mr. and Mrs. John McManus, of Sligo, Irish Republic; husband of Margaret McManus. Remembered with honour, KANCHANABURI WAR CEMETERY. The town of Kanchanaburi is 129 kilometres North-West of Bangkok and is best reached by road, along the National Highway which runs north from the capital. There are bus and train services from Bangkok. Kanchanaburi War Cemetery is situated adjacent to Saeng Chuto Road which is the main road through the town. When approaching from Bangkok, the cemetery is on the left side of the road, towards the far (northern) end of the town. A Commission signpost faces the cemetery on the opposite side of the road. Along with the rest of British and Commonwealth forces 144 Battery surrendered to the Japanese on the 15th February 1941. Conditions of the POW’s deteriorated and food supplies ran low. Many men suffered from dysentery and vitamin deficiency, disease became commonplace like Beriberi. On the 17th August 1941 Stephen was sent with a party of men to work on the Burma Railway. In July 1943 Stephen was working from a POW camp called Hindato near a Thai Village of the same name, (See Background ). On Tuesday 20th July 1943 he was sent to the cholera hut and died later on from his disease. Stephen’s remains were hastily cremated outside the camp: The Burma Campaign: The Thai-Burma Railway – the “Death Railway”. Constructed under appalling conditions, claimed the lives of 12,500 Allied POWs and more than 80,000 Asian workers. They carried out punishing labour while suffering from disease, malnutrition, and physical brutality from Japanese engineers and guards, and conscripted Korean guards

● Facebook Page: https://fb.watch/A9mHWeT0-j/

● On the 08th August 1945, STEPHEN McMANUS was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 15th June 2013: Gunner Stephen McManus, Remembered by the Royal British Legion in KANCHANABURI WAR CEMETERY, Thailand: See Youtube: https://youtu.be/oigmu7izH1I

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

10: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/208111/john-dorman/
● Private JOHN DORMAN 13040936, Pioneer Corps, aged 27, Killed in Action 10th September 1943. Son of James and Julia, of Morgans, Co. Limerick, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour, SALERNO WAR CEMETERY. As the beachhead at Salerno was attacked with artillery, mortar fire and aerial bombed by the Luftwaffe. John was killed: The Italian Campaign:

● On the 08th August 1945, JOHN DORMAN was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

11: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2520606/james-oates/
● Fusilier JAMES OATES 14413172, 1st Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers aged 20, Killed in Action 11th April 1944. Son of Thomas Oates, and Catherine Oates, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour. RANGOON MEMORIAL. As the remains of Fusilier OATES were never recovered by the allied recovery teams post war his name is inscribed on the Rangoon Memorial located within the Taukkyan War Cemetery in Myanmar (formerly Burma). It commemorates over 27,000 men of the Commonwealth land forces who died during the Burma Campaign of World War II and who have no known grave:

● Fusilier (Chindit) JAMES OATES, of Cartubber, Carrick-on-Shannon (Ex Irish Defence Forces), 1st Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers/The Chindits Special Forces Group, aged 20, was on operations with the Chindits when he was Killed in Action, Burma, 11th April 1944:
● The Chindits were a special operations force of the British and Indian armies during World War II known for their deep penetration raids into Japanese-held Burma. Formed by Major General Orde Charles Wingate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orde_Wingate, they conducted two major expeditions, one in 1943 and another in 1944, aiming to disrupt Japanese communication and supply lines. They faced harsh conditions, including disease, exhaustion, and constant threat of ambush, and suffered significant casualties and are remembered for their courage, resilience, and unconventional warfare tactics: https://thechinditsociety.org.uk/about-chindits
● Operation Thursday, 05th March 1944, saw the Chindits Special Forces Group landing by glider and Dakota aircraft deep behind enemy lines, with orders to disrupt Japanese forces, by cutting communications and destroying supply dumps of all five enemy divisions. At the conclusion of their operations, the Chindits had largely destroyed a Japanese force of 10 Battalions which contributed to the eventual Allied victory in Burma: https://thechinditsociety.org.uk/operation-thursday-part-2
● Private James Oates was a soldier with the 1st Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers on Operation Thursday and his battalion was part of the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade, which comprised, No. 20 Column (1st Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers) commanded by Major W.P.A. Shuttleworth and No. 50 Column (1st Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers) commanded by Colonel Hugh Christie:
● In the early stages of the operation, the Lancashire Fusiliers had performed floater column duties (protection of the base by patrolling the perimeter and the jungle hinterland of the base) in the vicinity of the Broadway stronghold, the first Chindit base constructed after a glider airborne assault on the 05th March 1944:
● The 77th Brigade commander (Mike Calvert) then took the majority of his force north to construct another forward operating base (White City) which would strangle the Japanese supply routes by blocking the Mandalay- Myitkhina railway. Leaving one small company of No. 20 Column (1st Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers) to harass the Japanese by attacking their river traffic on the Irrawaddy, he took the rest of the Brigade with him, including the rest of No. 20 column and all of No. 50 Column:
● Having succeeded in constructing the White City stronghold, Brigadier Calvert used 20 Column (01st Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers) plus the machine gun and mortar teams from 50 Column (1st Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers) inside the stronghold as garrison troops. The rest of 50 Column under Hugh Christie and a column of Gurkhas were part of a striking force operating outside of the stronghold and attacking Japanese positions and enemy units attempting to destroy the White City base. Although uncertain it is very likely that James Oates was part of this striking force:
● From the 06th April 1944, night after night until the 17th of April 1944, the Japanese tried to force their way into the heavily protected White City forward operating base by attempting to cut the perimeter wire with Bangalore torpedoes (long pipes filled with explosives) or to climb over the wire and swamp the anti-personnel mines by sheer weight of numbers. After a pause the Japanese attack would be repeated nightly again, and again, in exactly the same spot, and in a senseless way resulting in hundreds of Japanese being killed with many casualties amongst the allied defenders:
● In his book 'Prisoners of Hope' by 77th Brigade commander Mike Calvert, there is a short narrative explaining the situation around White City on the 11th April. To paraphrase: “The striking force had already been away from the stronghold for a week, busy ambushing Japanese trucks and convoys on the roads about 20 miles from White City. During one such ambush on the 11th, a section of Gurkhas had been separated from their column and had withdrawn with the intention of returning to the sanctuary of White City. Not realising that White City was under heavy attack at this time, Colonel Christie decided to send back his sick and wounded as well, with (quote) “the less sick escorting the more sick”:
● Although many of the Gurkhas duly arrived at White City, the seven sick and wounded Lancashire Fusiliers mentioned in the book were never seen again, and it was believed that they had been taken prisoner. Sadly, by this juncture neither side was entertaining holding on to prisoners and it is likely that these men would have been killed by the Japanese. Although we can never be 100% certain, it is likely this is how James died. In any case, we can be certain that Private James Oates was serving with the 1st Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers/The Chindits Special Forces Group, in the vicinity of the White City stronghold (forward operating base), when he perished:
● Thanks are due to Steve Fogden (Chindit Society archivist) for his assistance in compiling the background for this article: https://thechinditsociety.org.uk/about-the-chindit-society
● 1942-1944: The Lancashire Fusiliers in Burma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OThzot3tGks
● The Forgotten Army (1944): The Chindits - Pathé News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GvYhq4-7mA

● On the 08th August 1945, JAMES OATES was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 15th June 2013: Fusilier JAMES OATES remembered by family members of a British Diplomat at The Rangoon Memorial, Taukkyan War Cemetery, Yangon, Myanmar, (formerly Rangoon, Burma): See Youtube https://youtu.be/T1TrfSBKp9c

● Facebook Page: https://fb.watch/AqKIBs_jRD/

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

12: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2608467/felix-carpenter/

● Rifleman FELIX CARPENTER 6921648, 10th (2nd Bn. The Tower Hamlets Rifles) Bn., Rifle Brigade aged 20, Killed in Action 29th May 1944. Son of Matthew and Alice Carpenter, of Dublin, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour. CASSINO WAR CEMETERY
● On the 08th November 1942, the 10th Bn., Rifle Brigade, which included the 2nd Bn., Tower Hamlet Rifles (Motor Battalion), left the United Kingdom and arrived in North Africa on November 22nd, where it remained until the 12th of March 1944. The Battalion arrived in Italy on the 14th March 1944:
● On the 18th of May 1944 the leading vehicles of the battalion's reconnaissance group came up against the Hitler Line. At dawn next day B Company's carrier platoon went forward to reconnoitre the town of Aquino, running into a roadblock that was covered by machine guns, but destroying a towed anti-tank gun. All the platoon's carriers were knocked out by the retaliatory fire.
● On the 25th of May following a rest the 10th Bn., Rifle Brigade was back on the road and passed through a gap in the Hitler Line made by the Canadians, until it reached the river Melfa, where the bridge was blocked by a knocked-out tank and B Company suffered casualties. The battalion scouted the riverbank for an alternative crossing, and next morning waded across where the only remaining enemy were a few deserters. 1st Guards Brigade then passed through this bridgehead and continued the advance.
● On the 29th of May the enemy fell back again, allowing the Lothians and Border Horse to follow up Route 6 to town of Arce where the 10th (2nd Bn., Tower Hamlets Rifles) Bn., Rifle Brigade was ordered to cross the river and capture Fontana Liri. This time the bridge was blown, however the river was too deep to wade and by the time the battalion found a way round Arce, and with numerous casualties from booby-traps, the Germans had retreated. That night the battalion was relieved, having suffered total casualties of two officers killed and four wounded, 18 riflemen killed and 68 wounded. Rifleman FELIX CARPENTER, was Killed in Action during this engagement.
● On the 29th May 1944, the remains of Rifleman FELIX CARPENTER were buried in a temporary battlefield cemetery. On the 16th of March 1945 his remains were recovered and re-interred in Cassino War Cemetery by a New Zealand Army Graves Concentration Unit:

● The Italian Campaign
● Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/12KYZvXVMLF/

● On the 08th August 1945, FELIX CARPENTER was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

13: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2328387/joseph-mullally/
● Private JOSEPH MULLALLY 14438660, Green Howards (Yorkshire Regiment) aged 28, Killed in Action 06th June 1944. Son of Frederick and Maria Mullally, of Moate, Co. Westmeath, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour. BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY. Joseph was killed in Action on D-Day at Ver-Sur-Mer: The Normandy Landings 1944:

● The Graves Concentration Report held by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission indicate Private Joseph Mullally 6th Bn. Green Howards was initially buried on the 06th June 1944 in Villiers-le-Sec, and reburied in Bayeux Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery on the 29th October 1944. Villiers-le-Sec played a significant role in the Battle of Normandy during World War II. It was located within the area of heavy fighting following the D-Day landings, and the village itself saw action;

● DDay 6th June 1944, found Sergeant Major Stan Hollis Green Howards in a landing craft approaching Gold Beach, firing a Lewis gun at the German defences. Just before they lurched to a halt inshore, he rashly grabbed the gun by its white-hot barrel, giving himself a burn which proved his most agonising wound of the morning.
● The first man down the ramp in front of Hollis, a fine soldier named Sergeant Hill, plunged deep into a shell-hole concealed by the sea, where under the deadweight of his ammunition and equipment he sank without trace.
● Hollis waded ashore with his company, narrowly escaping death when the steel escape hatch of an exploded tank whirled through the air beside him, almost taking off his head.
● An Irishman named Mullally, (Private Joseph Mullally Ex Irish Defence Forces) who was killed a few moments later, gazed in amazement at a row of birds perched on German barbed wire beneath the torment of shelling and small-arms fire and said: ‘No bloody wonder they are there sergeant major, there’s no room in the air for them!’
● Stan Hollis’s company commander spotted a German position from which came fierce machine-gun fire and said: ‘There’s a pillbox there, sergeant-major!’
● Hollis never hesitated. He cocked his Sten gun and dashed forward alone, straight for the enemy, firing bursts as he went, then tossed a grenade through the gun slit. As it exploded, he ran around the back and burst inside. He met two dead Germans, and a cluster of others who promptly surrendered.
● Seeing another nearby pillbox, he ran along a connecting trench and took prisoner its occupants, too. Then he gestured the whole lot, 20 in all, down towards the beach.
● A few hours later, Hollis did exactly the same again in a Norman farmyard, running headlong at a German machine-gun post.
For his suicidally courageous morning’s work, two months later Stan Hollis was awarded a Victoria Cross. He shrugged modestly: ‘There wasn’t only me doing these things, there was other people doing things as well.’ He was right about that.
● The Green Howards Memorial Crepon France

● Facebook Page: https://fb.watch/AeZBiLznmx/

● On the 08th August 1945, JOSEPH MULLALLY was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

14: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2326828/john-hyland/
● Private JOHN HYLAND 14428419, 6th Bn., Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) aged 24, Killed in Action 18th June 1944. Son of Patrick Hyland, and of Norah Hyland, of Waterford, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour. BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY. John landed on the Normandy beaches on the 11th June 1944 less than a week later he was killed in Action: D-Day at Ver-Sur-Mer: The Normandy Landings 1944:

● On the 08th August 1945, JOHN HYLAND was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

15: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2326986/john-james-keating/
● Private JOHN JAMES KEATING 14441924, 1st Bn., Hampshire Regiment aged 24, Killed in Action 19th June 1944. Son of Patrick and Annie Keating, of Kilmore, Co. Wexford, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour. BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY: In the British Army for 7 Months - John James was killed in Action in Hottot-les-Bagues on the 19th June 1944. The battalion fought through France and then led the advance into Belgium. Four months after landing in Normandy, the Hampshire Regiment marched into the newly-liberated-Brussels: D-Day at Ver-Sur-Mer: The Normandy Landings 1944:

Facebook Page: https://fb.watch/AeYi-82Re2/

● On the 08th August 1945, JOHN JAMES KEATING was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

16: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2048529/maurice-cannon/
● Private MAURICE CANNON 14416967, 2nd Bn., The King's Regiment (Liverpool) aged 24, Killed in Action 26th June 1944. Son of Daniel and Anne Cannon, of Downings Bay, Co. Donegal, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour, ASSISI WAR CEMETERY. Maurice was killed in action on the 26th June 1944 while serving with the King’s at Assisi: The Italian Campaign:

● On the 08th August 1945, MAURICE CANNON was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

17: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2635704/patrick-keane/
● Private PATRICK KEANE 3783108, 2nd Bn., The King's Regiment (Liverpool) aged 23, Killed in Action 17th September 1944. Son of John and Mary Keane, of Ballydough, Rosbrien, Co. Limerick, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour. CORIANO RIDGE WAR CEMETERY. Patrick was killed in action on the 17th September 1944 with the King’s Regiment on Coriano Ridge:The Italian Campaign:

● On the 08th August 1945, PATRICK KEANE was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

18: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2658824/edward-browne/
● Corporal EDWARD BROWNE M.M. 14400302, 2nd Bn., Royal Warwickshire Regiment aged 26, Killed in Action 30th September 1944. Son of John and Margaret Browne, husband of Bridget Browne, of Achowry, Co. Sligo, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour. GROESBEEK WAR MEMORIAL:

● Memorial Inscription: Corporal Edward Browne M.M., Groesbeek War Memorial to the Missing in Action - Holland:

Corporal Edward Browne was awarded the Military Medal and decorated for bravery when he displayed exceptional courage in taking on a German machine gun post in Le Bas Perrier, France, following the Normandy landings on the 6th June 1944 Cpl Edward Browne MM Military Medal Citation: D-Day at Ver-Sur-Mer: The Normandy Landings 1944:.

● The 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment were part of the 185th Brigade which landed on Queen beach, Normandy, France, a sub-division of Sword on 6th June 1944. The 1/7th Battalion joined them on the 29th June and both took part in the fighting around Caen. The first engagement for the 1/7th was on the 8th July to capture the village of St Contest. It was a hard fought battle as they were up against the first-rate 25th SS Panzer Grenadiers. Even so by 6.30pm they had reached their objective having lost 26 men and 96 wounded. By the end of August the Allies had secured Normandy and the Germans were retreating. The 1/7th Royal Warwicks were disbanded on the 31st August 1944 and the 2nd Bn Royal Warwicks remained in North West Europe. In mid September 1944 after a period of training and reinforcements they moved to Holland and helped with the eastward advance around Venray. Corporal Edward Browne M.M. was Killed in Action during the Battle of Overloon 30 September - 18 October 1944:

● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Overloon

● War Dairy October 1944 - 2nd Bn The Royal Warwickshire Regt

● Facebook Page: https://fb.watch/A9n5DyTnTu/

● On the 08th August 1945, EDWARD BROWNE M.M. was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

19: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2663075/james-davis/
● Rifleman JAMES DAVIS 1835251, 9th Bn., Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) aged 24, Killed in Action 28th November 1944. Son of Patrick and Bridget Davis, of Fethard, Co. Tipperary, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour. GROESBEEK CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY. On the 28th November 1944, during the Battle of Broekhuizen at Broekhuizen Castle in Holland while engaged in a search and destroy operation and as they approached a moat surrounding a building a German Spandau Machine fired on C Company killing 20 men of the Cameronians including James Davis:

● Facebook Page: https://fb.watch/A9mPYJQJO3/

● On the 08th August 1945, JAMES DAVIS was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

20: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2235157/nicholas-mcnamara/
● Sergeant NICHOLAS McNAMARA 1798690, 582 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve aged 21, Killed in Action 17th January 1945. Son of Nicholas McNamara and of Bridget McNamara (nee Liston), of Limerick, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour. CLICHY NORTHERN WAR CEMETERY:

● Grave: Headstone Sergeant Nicholas McNamara, Clichy Northern War Cemetery, Hauts-de-Seine, Paris, France:

● Nicholas volunteered for Bomber crew following training with the RAF in September 1941 and trained as an Air Gunner. On the 1st April 1944 McNamara’s crew was posted to RAF Little Staughton to form a new Squadron 582 Pathfinder Squadron https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._582_Squadron_RAF which usually served a tour of 40 missions before being rested. On the 16th January 1945 their target was the Braunkohle-Benzin factory in Zeitz Central Germany. Following the attack a shrapnel burst damaged the hydraulic lines on the aircraft as it headed for home. Later a Junkers 88 attacked and Nicholas was badly wounded from a burst of cannon fire which raked the fuselage. It was clear to the crew that they would not make it home and their only option was to bale out of the aircraft. Two crewmembers pulled the badly wounded Nicholas from his gun turret and attached a line to his parachute ripcord in a desperate attempt to save his life before the plane crashed. The line deployed the chute which opened the canopy and Nicholas landed. However the badly wounded Sergeant McNamara died of his wounds and was buried in the Clichy Northern Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery Paris:

● In memory of those members of 109 and 582 Pathfinder Squadrons, Royal Air Force from Great Britain and the Commonwealth who gave their lives during the second world war on operations from RAF Little Staughton:

● Facebook Page: https://fb.watch/A9nldL1VyB/

● On the 08th August 1945, NICHOLAS McNAMARA was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

21: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2232323/michael-joseph-o-donnell/
● Corporal MICHAEL JOSEPH O'DONNELL, 14441868, 9th Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) aged 21 years, Killed in Action 15th February 1945. Son of Patrick and Nora O'Donnell, of Bruff, Co. Limerick, Irish Republic. Remembered with honour, GROESBEEK CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY. Michael was killed in action during the Rhineland Offensive which was a series of allied offensive operations by 21st Army Group commanded by Bernard Montgomery from 8 February 1945 to 25 March 1945, at the end of the Second World War. The operations were aimed at occupying the Rhineland and securing a passage over the Rhine river. https://www.liberationroute.com/stories/189/the-rhineland-offensive:

● On the 08th August 1945, JOSEPH O'DONNELL was Dismissed "POST MORTEM" for desertion from the Irish Defence Forces pursuant to Emergency Powers Order 362 - List of Dismissed Personnel + Irish Press Notice - Amnestied on the 14th May 2013:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent - Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace:

IN DECEMBER 2013, STUDENTS IN THE USA EMAILED THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1: What was the Irish Soldiers Pardon Campaign?

ANS: The Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign (WW2) was a campaign effort put together to obtain some form of redress for servicemen who allegedly deserted the Irish Defence forces during world war two to fight against the Nazis and Japanese, and whom in August 1945 were dismissed en masse and in absentia by the Irish government pursuant to Emergency Powers Order (No 362) 1945, which included dismissing those who had already been killed in action.

2: What was your involvement in the 2013 Irish Soldiers Pardon Campaign?

ANS: I initiated the campaign in May 2011 and managed the campaign effort as a team project from the outset until its conclusion in June 2013.

3: Why did you initiate 2013 Irish Soldiers Pardon Campaign?

ANS: It was the right thing to do. The cordial response from the Irish public to the Queens visit to Ireland in May 2011, suggested that there would be a chance of success to seek redress from the Irish government for these blacklisted soldiers and their families. There was a legacy of hurt within family history which was still extant and needed to be resolved. One had previous experience organising a campaign for pardons for executed Irish born British world war one soldiers and was confident that the current Irish Government (Fine Gael/Labour coalition) would be open to resolving historical and sensitive issues within the context of the ongoing peace process. (See: Irish Examiner 16 March 2021: President Michael D Higgins has told Britain’s Queen Elizabeth that her visit to Ireland in 2011 was “a moment of healing": https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40245236.html) (See: Irish Independent Letters 10 September 2022 'Young Republicans In UCD were the first to suggest the Queen's visit to the Garden of Remembrance' See also KBC UCD Students Motion adopted November 09, 1994).

4: How did you participate?

ANS: Made the submission, funded the project throughout, designed the website, the leaflets, constructed the legal arguments and organised the petition online and on the streets outside the general post office in Dublin etc. Managing the campaign from the outset in May 2011, until its successful conclusion in June 2013.

5: Did you meet any resistance in the campaign?

ANS: Yes. Initially there were vociferous objections through the letters page of the press and argument was proffered that the defence of the state and loyalty to their oath was paramount. Some of these contributors who objected to any resolution to the pardons issue lacked an understanding of Irish military law. Irrespective of various moral force arguments being promulgated as to whether individuals joined UK forces or not Irish defence force personnel alleged to be deserters post war were subject to Irish military law and as such a court-martial had jurisdiction in which to try and punish any person for an offence against military law, committed by such person while subject to military law, and was the appropriate legal forum to adjudicate in each case. Dail Eireann/Irish Parliament cannot stand as judge, jury and executioner, is not a military court of law and no amount of side stepping or obfuscation of the English language on the part of these objectors could have changed that fact. The enactment of an Emergency Powers Order on the 8 August 1945 by the de Valera government to deal with the military offence of desertion was a cynical political exercise which deprived a military court of its jurisdiction, demonstrating an utter contempt for any rights that defence force personnel may have had pursuant to the Irish constitution. The issue has always been about political interference in dealing with the military offence of desertion which inevitably led to an injustice because the due process inherent in a court-martial and which is a distinct feature and judicial attribute of an Irish military court of law was not observed by the de Valera government post war. There were on street threats during the petition signing but they were only made by a handful of individuals. The majority of people were in support.

6: What was the outcome?

ANS: The introduction of the Irish Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Act (No 12) 2013 initiated by Minister for Defence Mr Alan Shatter TD on behalf of the Irish Government is an unprecedented and historically significant legislative act which exonerates members of the Irish defence forces who went AWOL (absent without leave) and joined UK or allied forces during world war two, and vindicates the campaign strategy.

7: What were the attitudes towards the soldiers during World War II?

ANS: There was a general anti-British view in Ireland and those that joined UK forces would have been viewed by many as traitors.

8: What were the attitudes towards the soldiers after World War II?

ANS: They would have been regarded as traitors. Survivors and their families post war would have kept a low profile and got on as best they could. Many had to emigrate back to the UK and other parts of the commonwealth as they could not get a job in post war Ireland because of the barring order.

9: Have the attitudes of Irish citizens changed since the campaign?

ANS: Yes. The campaign prompted a debate which contributed to a better understanding of the history of these men and their families and the conditions they had to undergo in post war Ireland.

10: In your opinion, were the soldiers justified in joining the British Army?

ANS: The legal issues as to the rights or responsibilities of defence force personnel who went absent without leave to join allied forces in the fight against the axis powers should have been adjudicated by the military courts and not by politicians. However desertion in any army is a serious offence and such offences are determined by the military courts/tribunals. During world war two, the threats to international peace presented by the Nazis and Japanese would suggest that a greater good was served by men joining UK or allied forces in the fight against fascism. Although these men went absent without leave to join in the fight they did not go absent to run away.

11: In your opinion, was Ireland justified in its desire to remain neutral?

ANS: Yes, absolutely. De Valera had no choice. However Irish neutrality was benevolent in support of the allied war effort.

12: In your opinion, was the government justified in its treatment of these soldiers?

ANS: No it was not justified. There were other constitutional ways to deal with the issue. Irrespective of the emergency legislation that was introduced in 1939, those accused of desertion had a right in law to adduce evidence in their defence. The Emergency Powers Order introduced by the Irish Government in 1945 to dismiss and punish personnel was NOT an adjudication by military tribunal. In fact the post war Irish Government had for the sake of political expediency subverted the function of the military courts to deal with allegations of desertion which denied servicemen their constitutional right to due process in a military court.

13: Is there anything else you feel is important for us to know about this topic?

ANS: Please Note: In 1977 President Jimmy Carter, issued a broad amnesty to draft evaders and argued that their crimes were forgotten, not forgiven. This qualification made clear that the purpose of his amnesty was not to erase a criminal act, nor to condone or forgive it, but simply to facilitate political reconciliation. In contrast, the Irish Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Act (No 12) 2013 initiated by Minister for Defence Mr Allan Shatter TD on behalf of the Irish Government, is an unprecedented and historically significant legislative act which exonerates members of the Irish defence forces who went AWOL (absent without leave) and joined UK or allied forces during world war two, and at the same time provides immunity from prosecution for others. By excluding compensation the Act also alleviates any financial burden that might have been levied upon the state, and accompanied by an apology, comprehensively and unambiguously obliterates the imputation of guilt imposed by the introduction of Emergency Powers Order 362 on the 8th of August 1945. The Defence Forces (Second World War Amnesty and Immunity) Act (No 12) 2013 is an Amnesty and not a Pardon. A Pardon is the forgiveness of an offence, whereas the construct and effect of this amnesty and immunity legislation is to exculpate all concerned from allegations of desertion thereby removing the stigma of dishonour associated with being blacklisted. The Minister for Defence, Mr Alan Shatter TD, supported by his staff and members of Dail and Seanad Eireann, are to be congratulated for having the political courage and integrity in bringing the Amnesty and Immunity Act to a successful conclusion and is an occasion of historical significance. In the full knowledge that they have now been formally recognised and honoured as part of the collective remembrance of the island of Ireland the last of our old soldiers and their families can live out the rest of their lives with some semblance of honour restored.

IRISH SOLDIERS PARDONS CAMPAIGN (WW2) - TELEVISION/RADIO BROADCASTS: 2011-2013

● BBC Radio 4: August 2012: Pardon For The Disowned Army: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBS0mM-tryA&feature=youtu.be

● BBC One Show: 28 August 2012: Britain's Irish Soldiers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUHLBfy04Vw&feature=youtu.be

● NDR Fernsehen Hamburg: November 2012: The Long Road To Rehabilitation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVBNIgo6kHQ&feature=youtu.be

● British Forces TV: 07 May 2013: Pardon for Irish Troops Dubbed Deserters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJeZ1I-Vc40

● TV News Compilation: 07 May 2013: Announcement of Amnesty and Immunity Legislation re Irish Defence Force Personnel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBttXQETqIA&feature=youtu.be

● Voice of Russia UK: 08 May 2013: Irish Deserters Finally Forgiven: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnNdiF5IAIg&feature=youtu.be

● BBC News-Europe: 07 May 2013: WWII Irish 'deserters' finally get pardons: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-22425684

● CBS TV: 24 May 2013: Forgotten Irish Soldiers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cspyo4Zju-U

● RTE News: Saturday 15 June 2013: Conclusion of the Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign (WW2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A4azvahxpw&feature=youtu.be

● ARTE TV: European TV Channel: 05th November 2025: A TV programme re Irish Army deserters during the WW2, broadcast on the European TV Channel ARTE TV, is available on the internet via the link below: The short segment on Army Deserters is from 37minutes. 14 seconds into the broadcast and is approximately 07 Minutes long. Although in French and German the programme will assist to highlight the issue to a European audience.
https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/120086-122-A/invitation-au-voyage/
https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/120086-122-A/stadt-land-kunst/

NEWSPAPERS/ARTICLES:

● 03 January 2012: BBC News UK: Irish government promises action on WWII deserters: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-16387821

● 08 January 2012: Germany: Der Spiegel: heldenhafte-deserteure: (Heroic Deserters): Pdf Copy: https://www.spiegel.de/politik/heldenhafte-deserteure-a-a7b670ac-0002-0001-0000-000083504596

● 23 March 2012: Irish Medical Times: Process was legally flawed from the outset:

● 12 June 2012: REUTERS: Ireland pardons soldiers who deserted to fight Hitler: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ireland-wwii-idUSBRE85B1AB20120612

● 13 June 2012: The Guardian: Irish Second World War Deserters Pardoned: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jun/12/irish-second-world-war-deserters-pardoned

● 13 June 2012: France: Le Figaro: Dublin Pardons Deserters from 1939-1945: https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2012/06/13/01003-20120613ARTFIG00740-dublin-pardonne-aux-deserteurs-de-1939-1945.php

● 13 June 2012: Belfast Telegraph: Republic to officially pardon 4,500 soldiers who deserted: https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republic-of-ireland/republic-to-officially-pardon-4500-soldiers-who-deserted-28759918.html

● 07 May 2013: RTE News: Apology and amnesty for World War II soldiers who were branded deserters: https://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0507/390710-soldier-amnesty/

● 07 May 2013: Irish pardon deserters who joined Britain in WWII: https://apnews.com/general-news-8d852bd7967c4ae78cab110367e1300e

● 07 May 2013: The Guardian: Unionists welcome pardon for Irish who joined British army to fight Nazis: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/07/ireland-pardon-soldiers-british-army

● 07 May 2013: Irish Mirror: Irish soldiers who joined the British Army in World War II have received a State apology: https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/thousands-irish-soldiers-who-joined-1874528

● 08 May 2013: The Times-London: Pardon for Irish troops who fought the Nazis: The-Times-London-08May2013.pdf

● 08 May 2013: Mail On Line: Irish soldiers branded deserters for fighting alongside Britain in WWII are finally pardoned. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2320615/Irish-soldiers-branded-deserters-leaving-neutral-army-fight-Allies-WWII-finally-pardoned.html

● 08 May 2013: ABC News Australia: Ireland pardons World War II 'deserters': https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-08/ireland-pardons-world-war-ii-deserters/4677408

● 08 May 2013: News.com Australia: Ireland pardons WWII soldiers who deserted: https://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/ireland-pardons-wwii-soldiers-who-deserted/news-story/20d9233cf15ee91d94fe0604e28abf35

● 10 May 2013: The Herald: Deserters Honoured: “HAVE WE FINALLY FIGURED OUT WHO THE REAL TRAITORS WERE”: by Gerry Gregg:

● 15 June 2013: Irish Examiner: Pardoned soldier attends memorial: https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30597589.html

● 15 June 2013: Commemorations:

● 16 June 2013: Sunday Independent: Wreath-laying marks end of Irish pardon campaign:

● 17 June 2013: New Zealand: Napier Ceremony for Irish Soldiers who Fought in WW11: Hawkes Bay Today:

● 21st September 2025: Letter - Irish Sunday Independent: Dev's Barring Order A Disgrace: