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ROGER CASEMENT BRANCH OGLAIGH NAISIUNTA NA hEIREANN Roger Casement Branch Roger Casement Branch of ÓglaighRogerIssue 04-11 Náisiúnta Casement na hEireann Branch Teoranta (ONET) of ÓglaighSeptember Náisiúnta na hEireann Teoranta6 (ONET) 2011 www.oneaircorpsbranch.comrch 201 /16 Ma ue 01 , b2e0r2, 02019 TheIss MDeacrcehm BranchLink Chairman: Michael Delaney Phone 087 2259023 /2109 e 013/ BranchHon. Secretary: Chairman:Branch Chairman: MichaelNoel Murphy Delaney Denis Barry Phone:087 087225 01 2979023 8212709 0929 Issu The Link Hon. Treasurer:Hon. Secretary: Patrick Lynch Noel PhoneMurphy 083 087 1470659 6342941 PRO: Treasurer: Peter Mc PatrickPatrick Glynn LynchLynch Phone: 083083 086 147147 401 06590659 1154 The Link Link Editor:PRO: PaddyPRO: Peter PeterO’Meara McWWW.oneaircorpsbranch.com GlynnMc PhoneGlynn Phone: 086Phone: 8500316 086 086401 4011154 1154 Link Link Editor: Editor: Paddy Paddy O’Meara O’Meara E: [email protected] Branch President: www.oneaircorpsbranch.com E: [email protected] Honorary Branch President: James Nolan James Nolan Phone:353 1 8212709 E: [email protected] email: onerogercaswww.oneaircorpsbranch.comementbranch@gmail.comwww.oneaircorpsbranch.com BRANCHEditors AGM Note Branch Chairman: L Hon.Secretarynk Hon.Treasurer PRO: The Roger CasementThe featuredBranch AGM articles was inheld this in editionthe NCO’S of The Mess Link Casement include Paddy O’Meara Brendan Downey a contribution Eamonn from Tierney Peter Mc Glynn Aerodrome on Thursday January 16th, 2020. There were a good number Ph. 086 8500316 Ph. 01of members8420958 in attendance. F-Sgt Ollie The Ph. Mc meeting 01Keown 8475206 was on chairedthe present by Deputy day AirChairman Corps Ph.086 4011154 New [email protected] [email protected] O’Meara Apprenticein the [email protected] absence technical through training illness programme of Chairman [email protected] Michael can Delaney. take the apprentices to Degree level. This item will be Chairman The meeting wasof attended great interest by the Branchto former President Apprentices. Jim Nolan Also and included by the is an article contributed by Clive Geraghty into the CEO of ONE Ollie O’Connor who addressed the meeting and gave an Elected various Parades and Inspections which were part of Denis Barry was unanimously interesting account of developments and innovations proposed to improve Life in the Air Corps in times past. elected as the new Branch Chairman to replace the outgoing Chairman the general conditions being put in place by ONE to assist disadvantaged Other news items concern the enjoyable Annual Michael Delaney. former members of the Defence Forces. Christmas Lunch and the Annual Memorial Parade in Denis was a member of the 29th Apprentice Class (1965) and later spent As the outgoing Chairman was stepping down, a new Chairman, Denis Limerick for the three Air Corps members which were 2 years as an instructor in the Technical Training Squadron following which Barry was elected. All the other outgoing officers were willing to continue killed in a tragic road accident in 1940.The regular Air he was posted to the Helicopter Squadron. He left the Air Corps in 1974 to in office and were unanimously re-elected. The new Chairman thanked Corps News item has been kindly provided by Capt. join Aer Lingus where he remained until his retirement in 2005. Denis has the outgoing Chairman Michael Delaney for his hard work and dedication during his three yearsSean inMcCarthy office. and a short report on the Branch AGM been an active member of the Roger Casement Branch and is a member Pat Behan was electedis provided Procurement by Branch Officer Secretary and will Noel manage Murphy. all requests of the MuseumMembers working party. of the Roger Casement Branch, Patrick Sarsfield Branch and the We wish him every success in his new position as Branch Chairman. for uniform items. Lower Ormond Branch, Nenagh who attended the commemoration parade Many thanks to Capt. Sean McCarthy, Air Corps Press on the Dublin Rd, outside Limerick at the memorial to the three Air Corps Officer and to F-Sgt Willy Barr, Photo Section for their Obituary: Sgtmembers Archie who Raesidewere killed in a tragic road accident in December 1940. continued support. Archie was a member of the 1955 Air Corps Branch Clothing Price List Apprentice Class later joining the Drawing A very enjoyable reunion and Christmas lunch was held in the West County Hotel on December 10, Office of Annualthe Aeronautical Christmas Engineering Lunch: 2015. The GOC Air Corps was represented by Lt-Col John Maloney. We were delighted that Fr Jerry Carroll was able to attend following his Section at Air Corps Headquarters. period of duty with the U.N. in the Middle East. He had an interest in movie-making having Branch Blazer Crest €10.00 Members of the learnt the techniques from his Dad. ONE Ties €20.00 1956 Apprentice Having filmed some events in Baldonnel Branch Head-dress €25.00 such as “Wings” presentation ceremonies class who will he came to the notice of Col. W.J.Keane Cap Badge €10.00celebrate their 60th OC Air Corps which led to his selection as the first Irish Airman to serve Epaulette Sliders €08.00anniversary pair with the United Nations. Archie was the first official Military photographer in 2016 with the 32nd and 33rd Battalions in the Congo. Contact: L/R : In July 2004 Archie’sL/R, bookFinnbar The Lyons,Congo –Richard 1960 was Murphy, published Paddy and Goodman,launched Frank Donnelly, Mick Delaney (Chairman), Denis Barry.Paddy Donnelly, Pat Behan, Procurement Officer.Paddy O’Meara, by Brig-Gen. Ralph James and provides a graphic and historical account of the role of the Peacekeepers at the time. 087 663 2076 Noel O’Kennedy, Archie was a keen musician as a trumpet player and wasUpcoming a founder Events Noel Madigan. member of the Airchords Showband, He later founded and promoted the first Air ScoutsFr troop JerryThursday in Carroll Weston with AirportDecember Branch and Chairman was 5th active Finnbar Annual not only Lyons. Christmas in the Roger Lunch West CountyUpcoming Hotel, Chapelizod @1300hrs. Events Casement Branch where he used his skills as a graphic artist and designed Annual Mass for deceased members: the Branch’s BlazerSunday Crest as December worn by the members, 8th at 1400hrs. he was also President of Post 27 Portlaoise IUNVA. He was involved with theBranch design and provision Sunday May 10th, 2020, Casement Aerodrome at 1000 hrs. Limerick. Annual commemoration ServicePresident for the 3 Air Corps of the UN Peacekeepers Memorial in Portlaoise and with the memorial Annual Trip to the Somme ceremonypersonnel for Col. Jameswho lost Fitzmaurice their lives a former in a OCtragicJim Air NolanCorps.road accident in Archie1940. clearly The touched service many is arranged people during by the his Patricklifetimepresents and Sarsfi will beeld greatly Branch. Members of the Branch will participate in the annual Memorial Service missed by his former colleagues and friends butMrs particularly Addie by his wife in Guillemont, Somme on July 1st. This will be the 11th year of Venue, Old Dublin Rd. Limerick. AssemblyPatterson at Herberts with Pub Bernie, their Children and Grandchildren.at 1345 hrs. Archie was buried with full participation. There is one vacant place available at this time. Contact honours in Mountrath Cemetery Co. Laois on Januaryher Certificate 14th, 2020 with the Branch Secretary if interested. graveside music being provided by a piper from theof Air Associate Corps Pipe Band. Paddy Kennedy who returned from New Branch AGM: Thursday JanuaryMembership 16th, 2020. York for the event and J.J. Murphy. Ar dheis lamh Dé go raibh a Anam dílis. NCO’S Mess Casement Paddy Aerodrome O’Mearaof the at Branch. 2000hrs.Finnbar Lyons with Lt-Col John Maloney. Edition sponsored by a Edition sponsored by the Archie designed the RogerAll members Casement invitedBranch Blazer to attend. member of the 1950 Crest Edition sponsored by a member of the 1959 Apprentice Class 1949 Apprentice Class Apprentice Class and a member of the 1953 D/E Class Link 3 2019.indd 1 25/11/2019 11:06 Edition sponsored by a member of the 1959 Apprentice Class. Gormanston Air Station - Part 1 - Denis Barry (1965 Apps) For every Apprentice leaving the Apprentice School after two years and for every DE after completing initial training, it was like a dreaded sentence to be told by a higher authority that you were being posted to Gormanston or “The Burg” as it was referred to by some, unless of course you were originally from the area before joining up, then you were going home. We were all regaled with the stories of Gormanston, how isolated it was from civilisation, how derelict the buildings were and how primitive the conditions were, it was like a backwater with little going for it. However, anyone who served their time there grew to appreciate what it really was and wouldn’t have swapped it for anything. Here was heaven away from prying eyes, military duties at a minimum, a great bunch of comrades and of course a certain “Red Coat” holiday camp a short distance away where it was possible to supplement the meagre pittance of army pay by taking a part-time job. So far so good, now let us examine what Gormanston Camp was and how it came about; When WW1 broke out on August 4th, 1914 the airplane which was in its infancy was recognised as a potential boost to the armed inventory of both sides. On the British side the RFC (Royal Flying Corps) which The next activity occurred in 1940 when the camp was occupied was basically a combined army/navy unit was charged with the permanently by personnel who were part of the huge increase in the responsibility of introducing the airplane into the order of battle which it military establishment called up to defend our shores on the outbreak did with great success over the battlefields of France.