UN troops kill 50 rebels in the Congo

[LordHalbert]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4310593.stm

I've never heard of the UN doing full scale battle (not since the Korean war that is).

Interesting news anyhow.

I've always believed that in order for the UN to be viable it needs teeth. A crack UN special forces group would be useful as well - well, that's not going to happen :)

[Marmot1]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4310593.stm

I've never heard of the UN doing full scale battle (not since the Korean war that is).

Interesting news anyhow.

I've always believed that in order for the UN to be viable it needs teeth. A crack UN special forces group would be useful as well - well, that's not going to happen :)


they do. In 60's in congo they even used air force.

[Rantanplan]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4310593.stm

I've never heard of the UN doing full scale battle (not since the Korean war that is).

Interesting news anyhow.

I've always believed that in order for the UN to be viable it needs teeth. A crack UN special forces group would be useful as well - well, that's not going to happen :)


they do. In 60's in congo they even used air force.

OMFG!!!AirForce!!!!!111oneoneone111

[moughoun]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4310593.stm

I've never heard of the UN doing full scale battle (not since the Korean war that is).

Interesting news anyhow.

I've always believed that in order for the UN to be viable it needs teeth. A crack UN special forces group would be useful as well - well, that's not going to happen :)


they do. In 60's in congo they even used air force.

the Irish and the Swede's fought a few large scale battle's in the Congo

[moughoun]

Fine Gael Defence Spokesman Dinny McGinley TD has today (Tuesday) welcomed moves to re-examine the bravery of Irish soldiers who fought at Jadotville, whose heroism has never been officially acknowledged.

"I welcome the Minister for Defence's reply to my Dáil priority question today, that a submission from a retired Army Officer who served at Jadotville is to be examined by a Board of Military Officers.

"The essential elements of the Jadotville Siege are simple and straightforward. A Company of the Irish Defence Forces, comprising roughly 150 men with only light arms, and outnumbered by at least 20 to 1, held their positions for five days against sustained artillery and aerial bombardment.

"During that time they inflicted casualties of over 300 on opposing Katanga Forces and held their positions until they ran out of ammunition, food and water. While a number of attempts were made to relieve them, even by Gurkhas, none were successful. The members of A Company showed tremendous courage, bravery and valour. As the Daily Mail stated at the time 'they fought like
tigers'.

"It is unbelievable that this glorious episode has been airbrushed out of Irish Military history. Unfortunately, many of these men have gone to their graves without their valour and courage being recognised.

"I am asking the Minister to make sure that any review will be completed in the shortest possible time, and that the bravery of these men should be recognised - 43 years is too long a period to have been overlooked and ignored."

Could this be the start of this country acknowledging the bravery of Defence Forces personnel on UN service. :|


it's been kind of airbrushed out of history here :cantbeli:

[sheroo]

In 1957 One Indian Army officer was given the highest medal of honor for his role in the congo.

Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria, was born on 29 November 1935, in Gurdaspur, Punjab. He was commissioned in the 1 Gorkha Rifles on 9 June 1957. After the Belgians quit Congo, a civil war situation developed in that country. When the United Nations decided upon military intervention to retreive the situation, India contributed a brigade of around 3000 men to the U.N. Force. In November 1961, the U.N. Security Council had decided to put a stop to the hostile activities of the Katangese troops in Congo. This greatly angered Tshombe, Katanga's secessionist leader, and he intensified his 'hate the UN' campaign. The result was more violence against UN personnel. On 5 December 1961, a 3/1 GR Company supported by 3-inch mortar attacked a road-block, established by the Katangese troops, between HQ Katanga command and the Elisabethville airfield at a strategic round about. The enemy road-block was destroyed and the Gorkhas established a UN road-block there.

When Captain Salaria in a platoon strength tried to link up with the Gorkha company to reinforce the road-block, he met strong opposition in the old airfield area. Heavy automatic and small arms fire was brought down on his force by the enemy from a dug-in position on the right flank. The enemy held the area strongly with two armoured cars and 90 men. Captain Salaria was not deterred by the superior enemy strength and fire power. He decided to take the enemy, head-on, to achieve the objective. The Gorkhas then charged the enemy with bayonets, khukris and hand-grenades. A rocket launcher supported them in the attack. In this sharp encounter, Captain Salaria and his men killed 40 of the enemy and knocked out two enemy cars. His bold action completely demoralised the enemy who fled despite numerical superiority and well-fortified positions. However, in the engagement, Captain Salaria was wounded in the neck by a burst of enemy automatic fire, but he ignored the injury and continued to fight till he collapsed due to excessive bleeding.

Subsequently, he died of his grave wounds. Captain Salaria prevented the enemy from going to the round-about thereby saving the UN Headquarters in Elisabethville from encirclement. His leadership, courage, unflinching devotion to duty and disregard for his personal safety were in the best traditions of the Indian Army. For his extraordinary leadership and devotion to duty, Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria was awarded the highest wartime medal, Param Vir Chakra, posthumously.

[futurepilot2004]

Could this be the start of this country acknowledging the bravery of Defence Forces personnel on UN service.

Lets bloody hope so, its well overdue.

[BTR-80]

I think the UN needs some heavy armour.

[futurepilot2004]

I think the UN needs some heavy armour.

all armour is provided by the separate nations serving in a particular mission ie Sweden provides the tanks in liberia.

[M203]

Sweden provided ground tropps in congo but also j29 tunnan aircrafts, beautiful planes and really great planes!
http://medlem.spray.se/superswede/F22/j29b_webkamo.JPG
http://medlem.spray.se/superswede/F22/j29b_4stweb.JPG
http://medlem.spray.se/superswede/F22/rote_fonster_web.JPG


Swedish general arrives in congo in a dc-6 escorted by j29:s
http://medlem.spray.se/superswede/F22/eskort_web.JPG

the six pilots that was involved in the first (but definately not last) attack in Congo
http://medlem.spray.se/superswede/F22/lindstrom_div_web.JPG

The aircrafts was also used as CAS when the swedish batallion attacked and "conquered" villages.

Because of the heat there was a problem to keep the beer cold. Therefore the ammo storage in the j29:s could be filled and then flown to 10000m altitude to cool the beers!

If you know swedish this page is great
http://medlem.spray.se/superswede/F22/olle_lindstrom.htm


Then SSG was involed in fighting i Congo a couple of years ago and was awarded a medal from France for it. Maybe fantassin can tell me what "caliber" the medal had?