HMS BULWARK is affiliated to the Royal Irish Regiment and the troops, seven from Northern Ireland and an eighth originally from Dublin, joined the ship in Spain for a routine "Look-at-life" familiarisation visit. But when BULWARK was called to assist the international rescue mission, they immediately volunteered to help alongside their Royal Navy colleagues.
Speaking from the docks at Lissamol, Cyprus, where hundreds of evacuees were due to disembark today (Friday), Major Alan McDade said the Royal Irish troops would stick with the operation until the end:
“This was supposed to be a six-day look at life at sea, but within hours of joining the ship in Barcelona, expecting to sail back to Devonport, it became clear that we were heading for the Middle East.
“I told the soldiers that if anyone wanted to leave before HMS Bulwark set sail they could, but no-one did, they all wanted to help out.”
The Royal Irish soldiers are from the 2nd Battalion based in Palace Barracks, Holywood, Belfast, the 3rd Battalion based at Drumadd Barracks, Armagh, the 4th Battalion based at St Lucia Barracks, Omagh, and two Territorial Army soldiers from the Royal Irish Rangers. Major McDade said:
“The original plan was for us to go into Beirut harbour with the Royal Marines and secure the area around the ship in case it was attacked when it docked.
“However, as the operation went smoothly the team were re-deployed with three of our soldiers, all fully qualified medics, helping out with evacuees in the ship’s sick bay, four other soldiers carried out deck patrols.”
"This ship may not be the QE2 but it’s the Royal Navy’s best"
WO Ken Mack, Royal Irish Regiment
Royal Irish Warrant Officer Ken Mack said his soldiers were not slow to get involved with the Royal Navy crew of Bulwark in taking care of those wanting to reach the safety of Cyprus. He said:
“We joined in straight away with the routine of the sailors on the ship and yesterday we loaded just under 1,300 people at the dockside in Beirut.
“Everyone was very happy to see us: they were tired and hungry and we gave them some food and a quiet night as we sailed away to Cyprus. This ship may not be the QE2 but it’s the Royal Navy’s best.”
Under the co-ordination of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, all three services have been working together in the relief effort. The Royal Irish soldiers were as unused to their new role as they were to this part of the Mediterranean - but were glad for the opportunity to do their part.
WO2 Mack, from Lisburn, said:
“Its been an experience for everyone: this is quite a new ship and not many of the Navy guys had taken part in an operation like this before. Its certainly not something that we would have got to experience back in Northern Ireland.
“Its something we’ll remember for a long time; thankfully we were in the right place to do a job and to make a difference.”
The Royal Irish's Regimental Colonel, Colonel Mark Campbell, said:
“I am immensely proud of these soldiers, all of whom volunteered to take part in a rescue operation in a dangerous part of the world. This properly illustrates, if any such illustration was needed, the adaptability and resourcefulness of the Royal Irish soldier.”
More than 1,000 British citizens have been evacuated from Beirut to Cyprus by HMS Bulwark, which at the time of writing was being refuelled and re-supplied in Cyprus in preparation for a return journey to Lebanon.