Defence against Nazi invasion

Sir,– In my response, published in your issue of February 16, to Ian d’Alton’s letter of February 13th that contained the remark about Hitler having only to send “a platoon of girl guides to take Ireland”, I deliberately confined my remarks to setting out the formations, strengths and capabilities of the Army during the second World War and the restrictions the Germans would have faced in attempting an invasion. However, the letter from CDC Armstrong of Belfast of February 21st forces me to go into greater detail.

In stating that Cork harbour could have been defended by a brigade, I was obviously aware that an Irish brigade not only consisted of three battalions but also had an artillery regiment and company, battery, and squadron sub-units of various corps. A brigade in Cork would have been deployed in the inner harbour covering the quays and docks. The entrance was covered by four forts each having coastal artillery (as a matter of interest, two of these guns were handed over some years ago to the British authorities and moved to Belfast Lough, at Grey Point, I think. I was present when one of them was installed and fired.)

Needless to say, I was well aware of the presence in the North of British divisions, and later of US forces, and of the coverage of the sea approaches to Ireland provided by the Royal Navy and of the air approaches by the Royal Air Force. It was the totality of all these factors that caused the abandonment by the Germans of Operation Green. In fact, I believe that it may never have been seriously considered for action. – Yours, etc,

DONAL O’CARROLL,