A chara, – Mark Hennessy’s long adulatory piece (Weekend Review, November 6th) on stories of Irish people who deserted from the Defence Forces to join the British armed services during the second World War, or the National Emergency as it was referred to here, lacks perspective. While I respect those people, honouring them should not accompany any attempt to denigrate this State.
The second World War put the sovereignty of the new State to the greatest test. It faced possible invasion from Germany, its coloniser Britain and even the Allies. The deserting soldiers might have been party to an invasion by the British army. In the end, through national solidarity, Ireland “repulsed” threats from all sides, maintained its neutrality, while at the same time co-operating with the Allies. Its Army, under Gen McKenna, played no small part in its defence, given the meagre resources at its disposal.
Under Army discipline, after the war/Emergency, those who deserted the Army and returned home naturally had to face some penalty.
In my recent biography of Éamon de Valera, I deal with this episode and conclude, “Nearly 6,000 personnel of the Defence Forces were dismissed for desertion in time of National Emergency pursuant to the terms of the Emergency Powers Order 1945 or of the Defence Forces Act 1946”.
The conduct of the war/Emergency was one of de Valera’s greatest achievements. – Is mise,