New Jadotville report recommends only one medal award

The independent review group set up to re-examine whether medals for gallantry and distinguished service should be awarded to soldiers who served at the Battle of Jadotville 60 years ago has recommended only one medal award.

Its report, which was published earlier today (Thursday), concluded that there was a prima facie case for a posthumous award of the Distinguished Service Medal to Comdt Pat Quinlan, who commanded 'A' Company of the 35 Infantry Battalion in the Congo.

However, it did not recommend that medals should be considered for the 33 other Jadotville personnel who had been recommended for medals for gallantry or distinguished service in the 1960s but had not been awarded them.

It said advocating bravery awards for some of the Jadotville troops had left other veterans "feeling their contribution during the Battle of Jadotville was less than adequate."

It also said that interventions to seek the awarding of specific medals for some had diminished "the integrity and status" of An Bonn Jadotville, the medal awarded by the state to all 'A' Company veterans, and their families, in December 2017.

Among the other recommendations in the report was that there should be a specific recognition, in Athlone, for the support provided by parents, wives and families residing in Athlone, Galway, Mullingar and elsewhere during the Battle of Jadotville.

The report of the independent review group said it "strongly recommends" that a plaque in their honour be affixed to the memorial in Custume Barracks for ‘A’ Company personnel.

In addition, the report said the Defence Forces should consider expanding its mental health and wellbeing strategy to support "the wider Defence Community of serving personnel, veterans, and their families."

In also recommended that this September's 60th anniversary of Jadotville "should be a State-led event" which would place veterans and veterans' families at the centre of the ceremony.

The independent review group was established by the Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, last December.

As part of its work, it engaged with Jadotville veterans and their families, carrying out ninety-three formal interviews, which were recorded and will become part of the collection cared for by the Military Archives of Ireland.

The report stated that, in recent years, much of the public discussion about Jadotville had been influenced by the fictionalised account in the 2016 Netflix film, The Siege of Jadotville.

It also said the level of international interest in the events at Jadotville had been exaggerated.

Minister for Defence Simon Coveney is due to speak about the report in the Seanad this evening.

PHOTO: Commandant Pat Quinlan, in front, wearing the cap, who commanded the troops in Jadotville.

* For more details of, and reaction to, the Jadotville report see next week's Westmeath Independent.