‘We are prepared and ready’: Donegal soldiers primed for Lebanon mission

Family ties run deep in a deployment of soldiers from Donegal getting ready to head for war-torn Lebanon.

The 125th Infantry Battalion, comprising around 380 soldiers, 20 per cent of whom are from Donegal, will rotate into south Lebanon in November to relieve the current battalion stationed there in a Unifil peacekeeping mission.

Tensions are on a knife-edge in Lebanon and 300 Irish soldiers were recently caught in the middle of intense crossfire.

The dangers are obvious and Lieutenant Colonel Shane Rockett, the Officer Commanding of the 125th Infantry Battalion, admits that there are a lot of challenges with the mission.

“There is a lot going on in the Middle East a the moment,” he says. “There are multiple challenges there. The biggest challenge will be getting our people there and relieving the group that is there in south Lebanon at the moment.

“After that, it’s establishing ourselves in the mission area, developing our operational routines so we can carry out our framework operations.”

Lt Col Rockett, a father-of-two who is the Officer Commanding of the 28th Infantry Battalion at Finner Camp, is preparing for his ninth overseas mission.

So uncertain is the current situation in the area, it remains uncertain if the 125th Infantry Battalion will be able to go as scheduled with rotations having been suspended for the month of October. As things stand, they are ready and willing.

A 19-year-old from Killybegs, Private Máirtín Heraty, is the youngest soldier in the battalion. Back in March, he was working in a fish factory in the south-west Donegal fishing port when he enlisted in the army.

A rifleman, Private Heraty says he is “excited” for the trip, although he admits that his family and friends are anxious about his deployment.

“I feel like I am well prepared,” he says. “It’s a challenge, but this is what I signed up for.”

Private Máirtín Heraty

Siblings Declan, Shaun and Breena Diver from Moville, all Defence Forces Privates, are readying for their first overseas mission together.

“It’s the first time traveling with any of us together,” says Shaun, who has been overseas three times previously, twice to Lebanon and once to Syria. “Training has been very thorough and we all feel ready to go.”

Shaun and Declan, who is going overseas for the second time, are going as Mowag crewmen.

“We’ve run through everything that we can go through,” Declan says. We’re ready to go.”

The 22-year-old Breena, who is in force protection, is content to have her brothers by her side.

“It’s nice to have them there,” she says. “It’s daunting there at the minute so it’s good to have them there.”

Father and son, Battalion Sergeant Major Paddy Enfield and private Adam Enfield will deploy together.

“It’s an honour that my own son has decided that he wants a career in the Defence Forces,” Paddy says. “It’s a great honour.”

Private Adam Enfield and Battalion Sergeant Major Paddy Enfield

Having first served overseas in 1992, he is a veteran soldier.

“The nature of our job is that we go to environments like this,” he says. “The training has been very important and the team has gelled really well. Everything that has been laid down is going like clockwork.”

His son Adam is looking forward to serving alongside his father.

“It’s something that not many people get a chance to do,” he says. “The training has been tough, but it’s very beneficial for what we’re going to do.

“There is a bit of ease knowing that dad is going over. We’ll be there for each other.”

In advance of their deployment, the Battalion conducted a Mission Readiness Exercise (MRE) in the Glen of Imaal, which completed three months of preparatory work. They have practiced and honed a broad range of skills for their role including armoured force protection, patrolling and mobility, surveillance, communications, medical and operational expertise.

The troops of the 125 Infantry Battalion are being put through their paces in a variety of realistic exercises. The Mission Readiness Exercise puts commanders and soldiers through a demanding series of scenarios based on the current situation in Lebanon and potential threats that may be encountered in the volatile mission area.

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In the last number of days the troops have faced a series of scenarios involving simulated explosive strikes, air mobile helicopter drills, anti ambush tactics, detailed operational planning and medical evacuation exercises.

“This is the nature of our job,” Lt Col Rockett says. “This is what we do as soldiers. I think that we have to take strength from the fact that we are well trained, we work well as a group together and we are prepared and ready for whatever operations we find ourselves involved in.”