Former soldiers reject official version of Congo events

An investigation by the Defence Forces has found that a young soldier who received the State's highest military honour died while trying to save his colleagues in the Congo, despite contradictory statements by the men he is supposed to have saved.

Trooper Anthony Browne was killed with eight of his colleagues on a UN tour of duty in November 1960. They were attacked by several hundred Baluba tribesmen at Niemba, in the Congolese province of Katanga, resulting in the worst ever loss of life for the Defence Forces.

Trooper Browne, a 19-year-old from Dublin's south inner city, was posthumously awarded An Bonn Mileata Calmachta (Military Medal for Gallantry) in September 1961. The other eight men killed were also posthumously honoured in 1998.

Trooper Browne was honoured after it emerged he had laid down his own life to save the life of his colleagues Pte Thomas Kenny and Pte Joe Fitzpatrick. He supposedly fired his gun to attract the attention of attacking tribesmen on to himself and away from Pte Kenny, who had a wife and child back home.

However, Mr Kenny last night told The Irish Times Trooper Browne did not save his life.

"I was hit by poison arrows and I was lying bleeding in a grove. Browne crawled in to where I was and out the other side. He got out of the ambush scot-free. I saw him going."

Mr Kenny (68), O'Hogan Rd, Ballyfermot, Dublin, confirmed that he heard a gun being fired as he lay on the ground. However, he said by the time he heard the gunfire Trooper Browne "was long gone".

Mr Kenny said a search party should have been sent into the jungle after the ambush to look for him, Pte Fitzpatrick and Trooper Browne. He believes Trooper Browne's role was embellished by the military authorities so he could be honoured almost a year after his death.

"A nice little story was made up that Browne saved my life so they could honour him. It was all part of the cover-up," he said.

He believes Trooper Browne was killed for his money three days after the ambush as he attempted to buy food from locals in the jungle.

An appendix to the 33rd Battalion Unit History supports this version of accounts.

It was told by locals to the Irish Army search party which eventually found Trooper Browne's remains in November 1962 in a village three miles from the ambush site.

Joe Fitzpatrick (65), Inver Rd, Cabra, Dublin, last night supported Mr Kenny's account. He was angry that while those who died were honoured after their death, neither he not Mr Kenny have been.

The traditional version of accounts regarding Trooper Browne's role was also recently challenged by military author David O'Donoghue in his book The Irish Army in the Congo 1960-64, published by Irish Academic Press in October.

Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea ordered a review of military archives following the book's publication. That review has now concluded it is most likely Trooper Browne died at the ambush site after saving the lives of his colleagues.

In reply to a parliamentary question from Finian McGrath TD, Mr O'Dea said:

"Information from Baluba survivors in Manona hospital in 1960 led investigators to believe that Trooper Browne was killed at Niemba and that his body had been removed from the scene by the ambushers.

"It was a Baluba custom that they bore off from the field of battle their most courageous victim."