The Republic of Ireland is set to pardon 4,983 deserters from the state's Defence Forces who absconded during the Second World War to fight for the UK and her Allies. Following the war, those who had done so were dismissed from the Irish forces and disqualified for seven years from holding any employment or office paid for by the state.
Irish Defence Minister Alan Shatter today apologised for their treatment, stating that "On behalf of the State, the Government apologises for the manner in which those members of the Defence Forces who left to fight on the Allied side during World War II, 1939 to 1945, were treated after the war by the State."
The full story is at www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18414191 www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/republic-of-ireland/soldiers-branded-deserters-pardoned-16171409.html and www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0612/breaking47.html.
COMMENT: About bloody time.
Chris
Check out my Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)
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