#4
Post
by harry palmer » 22 May 2003, 15:23
“ On 17th February 1937 the Irish Bandera left Caceres for the front. Two days later they suffered their first casualties.
At 0830 as they approached Ciempozuelos, A Company, who were in the lead, observed a party of about 40 troops moving towards them. As they were in a war zone, and shells were falling nearby, caution was in order. The company deployed, and after a brief consultation Captain Beauvais, the Spanish liaison officer , decided that the others were friendly. It was decided that a small group should advance to meet them. Captain O’Sullivan , Captain Beauvais and three others went forward. A few paces from them, Captain Beauvais saluted the officer in charge and announced “Bandera Irlandaise del Tercio.” Instantly, this captain drew his pistol and fired point blank at Beauvais but missed him. Someone shouted “The enemy” and they doubled back under a hail of fire. The Spaniards, Captain Beauvais, and Sgt Calvo died instantly. The others got back. A company, opened fire and in the brief engagement that followed Lt Tom Hyde was killed by a burst of MG fire.
This incident was the result of a tragic misunderstanding. The “enemy” were a group of Falange militia from the Canary Islands, part of the nationalist forces. Apart from four Irish killed twenty islanders died.”
“SOME CATHOLIC MOORS”, V, Ennis
The Irish bandera was badly let down by O’Duffy himself whose style of leadership was characterised by constant drunkenness and long absences from his command post. They in fact fought competently in two further engagements before they were sent home by Franco, who in fact stipulated that the non commissioned ranks could stay if they wished. They were unfairly branded “fascists” when they got home and adopted a low profile; some of their children were not aware that their fathers had fought in Spain. Many Irish fought with great distinction on the Republican side, ironically as part of the British battalion, which at one stage was commanded by Dublin man Frank Ryan.
O’Duffy was interned on the outbreak of World War Two by the Irish government but was released due to ill-health. It is now known that he offered his services to the Wehrmacht ,but the Germans were not enthusiastic.It was also recently revealed that he was having a covert homosexual affair with Irish actor Micheal MacLiammoir, the Graham Norton of his day. He died in 1944.
