ULSTER TROOPS FLY INTO WAR ZONE

[Wasp]

A CONTINGENCY of soldiers from Northern Ireland has arrived in one of the world's hotspots for a six-month tour of duty – and around 600 are set to join them in the coming weeks. The deployment sees the First Battalion Royal Irish Regiment travelling for a six-month tour to the Helmand province in Afghanistan, as part of the 16 Air Assault Brigade.

This will be a unique moment in the history of the unit, as it will mark the first time the troops will be taking a full company strength from their Territorial Army counterparts – the 2nd Battalion, now based in Portadown. It is the first full regimental overseas deployment of the Royal Irish Regiment since its formation in 1992.

In the Helmand province, the troops will be primarily focusing on mentoring and training the Afghanistan national army. They have been training for the past four months in a variety of locations across the UK to prepare for their mission.

The troops will leave in phased deployments from the new Battalion Headquarters from 1 Royal Irish at Ternhill in Shropshire. One local soldier currently getting ready for his trip is TA soldier Peter Drennan from Ballymena. The Wrightbus fitter is set to join around 100 men of 2 Royal Irish – several of them from the Ballymena area – who will meet up with full-time colleagues in the 1st Battalion for the tour.

Ranger Drennan said that the build-up training he and his colleagues had been enduring had prepared them for a tough few months, both physically and mentally.
“But we are fit, well-trained, keen and ready to go,” he said. “You meet guys with considerable experience of operations so that has helped prepare us for what to expect,” he added.

Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Cullen, said he was immensely proud of his men. “I am fully confident that the Rangers from 2 Royal Irish will meet the challenges ahead of them with professionalism and courage,” he said. “They are ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help the people of Afghanistan.

“These brave young men will operate as part of 1 Royal Irish, undertaking some of the same tasks and facing the same challenges as their full-time colleagues,” he added. His words of praise were echoed by a council in another part of the Province who have decided to send a letter of support to the RIR.

Banbridge council agreed to the move after the matter was raised at their monthly meeting last week by DUP councillor Junior McCrum, and seconded by the UUP’s Ian Burns.

Safe home boys.

[earl]

Indeed safe home.

[Wasp]

You just can't help yourself setanta can you? Always having a dig at anything Ulster.

[Wasp]

They do call themselves Ulster troops setanta, they are from here ffs. Do you know any of the Ulster troops?? I do and they refer to themselves as Ulster troops in the same way people talk about the police from Ulster, soldiers from Ulster or N.Ireland going to Kosove or Afghanistan etc.

Any mainland soldier I know refers to the Ulster troops, the Ulster lads and the Irish lads. These people are from here and if the article was Irish troops then you would think they are from the republic, although going where they were going you would know they weren't.

This thread is for those Ulster troops, if you don't like the name tough shit, don't post on it and try to show some respect that was shown to Irish troops going over seas. Slag and joke yes but showing your own bigotry over the title thread which shows where these soldiers are from is below the belt. No point trying to debate this with someone as narrow minded as yourself. Simply remove the thread for me if you can to save any hassle over wishing Ulster troops and their colleagues a safe return home. Just shows the depths of hatred on this forum. Just remove it please.

[Harry]

Safe home boys. The title is Royal Irish but they are from Ulster and consider themselves as such.

[Wasp]

No setanta you just can't help having a dig. Their true identity is as Harry has also said. They are from here and consider themselves as such. You can try and tell them what they are all you want but you are completely wrong. I jhaven't been caltonmized, I am extremely annoyed that you just can't either ignore the post or simply wish them all the best, instead you try and tell Ulster troops that they are not Ulster troops and you are showing therir true identity. What a joke if it wasn't such an insult.

[Harry]

setanta said:

Debths of hatred? You really have been Caltonised haven't you?
I was being pedantic not hateful. I don't hate them and I wish them all a safe return to their families.
BUT their name is Royal Irish and by calling them Ulster-whatever is trying to seperate them from their true identity.Which is why I was being Pedantic to correct the misrepresentation,

There's no need Setanta. You are being very provocative and i fully understand why WASP would blow his top. They are from Ulster. The vast majority of them would consider themselves to be from Ulster. WASP never misnamed the regiment, he simply stated that troops from Ulster were off to war, he could have said British troops and it would of been the same. It was a reference to where they come from not from what battalion or regiment they belonged to.

Who decided that you can now dictate as to what one's true identity is?? Are you telling WASP all these blokes are Irish and should call themselves Irish??

Hopefully you get my drift, just cos your a year older doesn't mean you have to get all troublesome

[earl]

I understand why WASP's annoyed. There's a time and threads to be pedantic on, and unfortunately, this ain't one of those threads.

[Wasp]

Thank you Earl, and Harry very well said mate.

[earl]

Barrosa
Other distinctions were gained by the 27th, 83rd, 86th, 87th and 89th. At Barrosa on 5 March 1811 Sergeant Patrick Masterson of the 2nd/87th (Prince of Wales's Irish) Regiment captured the first French eagle to be taken in battle. The regiment was subsequently restyled The Prince of Wales's Own Irish Regiment with the eagle as a badge of honour. That eagle is worn today on officers' cross belts. On that day also the regimental motto was gained as the Irishmen charged to the old Gaelic battle-cry Faugh A Ballagh! Clear the Way! The 2nd/87th played a major part in the defence of Tarifa some nine months later while the 2nd/83rd fought with distinction in the Battalion of Fuentes d'Onor (known to the soldiers as the Fountains of Horror).

Killaloe
The distinctive 'yell' given during the playing of today's Regimental March, 'Killaloe' has its origins in the Peninsular War. The drums of the Connaught Rangers would always pause during the playing of 'Brian Boru's March' for the 'yell' and Irish soldiers charging into battle terrified their French opponents with their wild Gaelic battle-cries, just at Masterson and his comrades had done at Barrosa.

Interesting stuff. I had heard at the exhibition in Collins barracks that by the 1800's 40% of the British army came from this island.