Emergency Precautions

at

Don’t try anything stupid, Herr Hitler

Nor you neither, Mr Churchill.

Names those APCs, anyone?

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13 thoughts on “Emergency Precautions

  1. TypeONegative

    Armoured cars, built in-house by the Irish Defence Forces on Leyland chassis.
    Not as impressive as it sounds, considering they spent 12 years developing them and decades tinkering with the design trying to get them right.
    British Tank Museum has a charming and quite unbiased chap talking about them here
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4d5-Q6vbQM

    1. Slightly Bemused

      That was really interesting! Thanks for the link. Main criticism: please pronounce Howth correctly!

      I did get a tour of the Military Museum on the Curragh, which included one of these. They truly are a big machine!

      In the same museum they have the older Rolls Royce based armoured car Sliabh na mBan that is said to be the one in the convoy where Michael Collins died. Also a big machine, and leaks oil all over the place.
      Back in the day, they could not make gaskets that could stand the heat expansion and contraction without failing, so many old Rolls engines relied on heat expansion sealing: once the engine was up to operating temperature the metals expanded and created a proper seal.Used a lot of oil (which reminds me, must top up my own car) but surprisingly effective.
      They used a similar thinking on the US aircraft Blackbird.

      1. Slightly Bemused

        They are not, they are purely armoured cars. They are not designed to carry troops, merely to provide support and cover for convoys and such.

  2. Franco and Friends

    Lucky there are no statues of Gen Hugo McNeill or else Leo Varadkar would be looking to have them taken down given that McNeill led a secret and unauthorised negotiation to solicit German help for Ireland during WW2 just like Seán Russell did….

    ‘In 1940, as the wartime state of ‘Emergency’ mobilised the country to defend its neutrality, he briefly took charge of G.1 training branch of general staff, and became assistant chief of staff for a third time. McNeill’s personal approaches to the German legation during the winter of 1940, for assistance in the event of a British invasion from Northern Ireland, made his position on neutrality ambiguous to say the least, but incurred no official consequences. In June 1941 he became GOC 2nd (Spearhead) Division, a command comprising three brigades based in Dublin and later in Maynooth. He commanded them as the invading ‘Redland’ forces in the legendary Blackwater manoeuvres at Fermoy, Co. Cork (September 1942), against the local ‘Blueland’ forces (1st Division based in Cork, commanded by Maj.-gen. Costello). McNeill was romantic and demonstrative by nature; his spectacular military pageants at Dublin’s Theatre Royal, and later at the RDS, brought a rousing and satisfying public response.’ Patrick Long, ‘McNeill, Hugh Hyacinth (‘Hugo’)’, Dictionary of Irish Biography.

  3. Gabby

    Up Dev! He organised military parades like this in Dublin and Cork to impress the British and American ambassadors that gallant little Eire was ‘prepared’ for a possible German invasion. Mind you, the Panzers would have shot those flimsy armoured cars to pieces in no time at all. The potholed country roads in Eire would have delayed a German advance however.

    1. delacaravanio

      The Germans would, or could, never invade. They didn’t have landing craft.

      The real risk was the IRA basically rising up with German weaponry, “uniting” Ireland and allowing the Germans into the ports as a thank you. That would have created a real problem for the British in shipping. This is the very reason the British “invaded” iceland (they just showed up one day). The Irish government had to look like they were taking the IRA threat seriously. Hence internment and the like.

  4. Truth in the News

    Neither the British or Germans had any intention of invading as the British had the
    North in their grip, why spread out their army and defend what could not be easily
    defended and supplied, and as to the Germans, the logistics of maintaining a
    garrison and supplying it, would bog down the best part of 250 thousand military
    The Irish Army with the instructions of Dev played both sides adeptly seeking
    military equipment, we also supplied the British with Food during the War. their
    thanks just after War was tariffs on agricultural produce and this lasted to the
    mid 60’s

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