Deaths Overseas

By Pro IUNVA On Sunday 8 Jul 1979, a small number of personnel from 2 HQ Coy UNIFIL HQ were sunbathing on rocks near Tara Camp at Naqoura when Pte Philip Grogan (19) and Pte Thomas McKinley (19) were washed off the rocks by a large wave. Irish and French personnel entered the water to…

By PRO IUNVA Tpr Michael Kennedy was born in Oct 1949 and he grew up in Gracefield, Portarlington on the Co. Offaly side of the town, he was the third youngest of six children. In Dec 1966 he joined the DF at the Curragh Training Camp. His father, Henry, had served in the Cavalry Corps…

By PRO IUNVA On 23 Jun 1981 Pte Niall Byrne (21), C Coy 49 Inf Bn was killed in a traffic accident when a Land Rover in which he was travelling in as front seat passenger overturned, the driver suffered non-life threatening injuries.  A DF statement said one of the vehicle’s wheels went off the…

From PRO IUNVAOn 14 Jun 1993 CQMS Declan Stokes (39), 28 IrComp (Irish Component, Camp Comd, UNIFIL HQ) collapsed while playing in an inter-unit football match at Haris in South Lebanon. He was evacuated by helicopter to the UNIFIL Hospital at Naqoura but he was declared dead at the hospital from a heart attack. His…

From PRO IUNVAPte Brendan Cummins (23), HQ Coy, 20 Inf Gp UNFICYP, died from natural causes on 11 Jun 1971. He had been admitted to Princess Mary’s Hospital, RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus for treatment for heart disease and he passed away after an operation. His parent unit was 2 Inf Bn and he was on his…

By PRO IUNVA On Monday 10 Jun 1968, Cpl James Fagan (28) Armd Car Gp 10 Inf Gp was killed in a road traffic accident at Pano Zodia, Cyprus. He was taken to the mining company hospital at Pendayia, Xeros where he died after five hours. He was the 33rd member of the DF to…

By PRO IUNVA This article tells of the killing of Comdt Thomas P Wickham, an unarmed UN observer who was shot dead fifty five years ago on 7 Jun 1967 during the Six Day War (5 – 10 Jun 1967). Comdt Thomas P Wickham (48) was a native of Dublin and he joined the DF…

From PRO IUNVA At 0504 hours of Monday 31 May 1999, Pte William (Billy) Kedian (21), C Coy, 85 Inf Bn was killed by shrapnel when an 81 mm mortar round exploded in post 6-42 Brashit. Two mortar rounds had been fired from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and De Facto Forces (DFF) Compound W144….

PRO IUNVA  On Saturday 31 May 1980 Sgt Edward (Ted) Yeates, A Coy, 47 Inf Bn UNIFIL died when the Panhard APC he was travelling in overturned. He was the patrol commander and he was in the turret when the accident happened. The vehicle patrol was returning to Coy HQ at Brashit (6-16) from the…

From PRO IUNVA On Sunday 21 May 1989, Sgt Charles Forrester, died in his sleep from natural causes at Al Yatun, South Lebanon while serving with Recce Coy, 65 Inf Bn, UNIFIL. He was the 31st DF member to die while serving with UNIFIL. His home unit was the 2 FA Regt, McKee Bks, Dublin,…