Congo Hell Cannibals Killed My Comrades ..and Ate Every One; Irish Soldier Who Survived Jungle Horror.And Still Waits for Medal

Byline: TOM PRENDEVILLE


A BRAVE Irish soldier who was captured in Africa while some of his fellow countrymen were EATEN by cannibals has spoke of his anger at being denied a medal - because he didn't get killed.
Joe Fitzpatrick and one other man were the only survivors of the horrific Niemba massacre in the Congo 44 years ago.
The savage event, which still haunts proud Joe to this day, saw nine Irish soldiers executed - and eaten.
But Joe wasn't deemed worthy of a medal for his services to his nation as a result of that event.
He was told the Military Star medal can only be given to those who die in action - but Joe managed to survive.
And he has told how the army even refused to give him a pension until he signed himself into an insane asylum after returning from the Congo.
Angry Joe told us: "The Irish army is only an officer's army. A soldier's duty is to do or die, not to ask the reason why. He's only there to stop a bullet, and there's always another man to take his place if he falls.
"For years after (The Congo) I had post traumatic stress disorder."
Joe Fitzpatrick and his pal Thomas Kenny survived the terrifying massacre in the vast province of Katanga, where tribal unrest threatened to explode into a civil war.
Holding the thin blue line in this inhospitable place were Irish UN peacekeepers.
On October 4 1960, the Irish 33rd Infantry Battalion had information that Niemba was being occupied by local Baluba tribesmen, and that …

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/CONGO+HELL+CANNIBALS+KILLED+MY+COMRADES+..AND+ATE+EVERY+ONE%3B+IRISH...-a0117403147 Byline: TOM PRENDEVILLE

A BRAVE Irish soldier who was captured in Africa while some of his fellow countrymen were EATEN by cannibals has spoke of his anger at being denied a medal - because he didn't get killed.

Joe Fitzpatrick and one other man were the only survivors of the horrific Niemba massacre in the Congo 44 years ago.

The savage event, which still haunts proud Joe to this day, saw nine Irish soldiers executed - and eaten.

But Joe wasn't deemed worthy of a medal for his services to his nation as a result of that event.

He was told the Military Star medal can only be given to those who die in action - but Joe managed to survive.

And he has told how the army even refused to give him a pension until he signed himself into an insane asylum after returning from the Congo.

Angry Joe told us: "The Irish army is only an officer's army. A soldier's duty is to do or die, not to ask the reason why. He's only there to stop a bullet, and there's always another man to take his place if he falls.




"For years after (The Congo) I had post traumatic stress disorder."

Joe Fitzpatrick and his pal Thomas Kenny survived the terrifying massacre in the vast province of Katanga, where tribal unrest threatened to explode into a civil war.

Holding the thin blue line in this inhospitable place were Irish UN peacekeepers.

On October 4 1960, the Irish 33rd Infantry Battalion had information that Niemba was being occupied by local Baluba tribesmen, and that train cargo was being confiscated and terrified train crew taken prisoner.

These alarming reports prompted the army to send in an Irish UN contingent to try and restore some semblance of order.

A patrol was immediately sent to investigate. On October 6 it entered the town only to find it looted, badly damaged and bodies scattered everywhere. The survivors had fled into the bush in fear of their lives.

The Irish patrol moved towards the town of Manono, an inhospitable Baluba stronghold hundreds of miles away, where it was believed the train crew were being held captive.

Niemba - a one street town - later came under the protection of the 33 Infantry Battalion. Although the train crew were never found and presumed dead, some bit of normality eventually returned to Niemba.

Under the command of Lieut K Gleeson, regular patrols were mounted in the surrounding countryside.

On November 8 , Lieut Gleeson left Niemba on a routine patrol - he and most of his men never returned.

Gleeson's 'A' Company included: Sergeant H. Gaynor, Cpl L. Dougan, Cpl P. Kelly and Trooper Anthony Browne. Ptes, T. Fennell, Gerry Killeen, M. Farrell and Thomas Kenny were also in the doomed 11 man patrol.

Following behind in a pick-up truck were Ptes Fitzpatrick and McGuinn. Armed with two light general purpose machine guns, Gustafs and rifles they weren't expecting any trouble.

Visiting friendly villages along the way, the soldiers reached the Luweyeeye River, and set about trying to repair a badly damaged bridge.

Unseen eyes, however, were watching their every movement.

Suddenly they became aware of a large group of Baluba tribesmen north of the river. Joe Fitzpatrick recounts in graphic detail what happened next.

"We were out on patrol when suddenly a huge crowd of bushmen dressed in leopard skins surrounded us.

"Lieut Gleeson said: 'Jambo we greet you in peace.' Then someone fired - it could have been the enemy or it could have been one of us, I don't know. Next thing the air became black as thousands of arrows shot towards us.

"Gleeson got an arrow in the left knee and left arm. His last command was: 'Take cover lads, we'll all be killed'.

"The Balubas surrounded us like a horseshoe and we withdrew into the bush. I could hear the Irish boys cursing and swearing with fear.

"Gerry Killeen the cook roared:-'Fitzie take cover we're going to be killed.' He was blue and yellow with the sweat pouring from him. I just froze when the tribesmen followed me with hatchets. I was only armed with a 303 rifle"

The tribesmen fired more and more poisoned arrows down on the Irish soldiers in an unrelenting assault on the men who had walked into their territory.

Gleeson's men killed and wounded dozens of Balubas, but eventually ran out of ammo, and were slaughtered on the spot.

Joe Fitzpatrick and Thomas Kenny, wounded with arrows and beaten senseless with clubs, were the only ones to survive.

"The sweat poured down my fingernails and the diarrhoea poured out of me with fright.

"I shot a Baluba who came through the bush after me. Finally they moved off," recalled Joe.

He remembered his pal Gerry Killeen being hit with a poison arrow, and moaning for someone to finish him off rather than face capture by the tribesmen, and all that might have involved.

"I couldn't do it," Said Joe.

"It was a horrible thing to have to think about doing. I thought it would be murder. I tried to pull the barbed arrow out of Ger's flesh. ' Pray for me Fitzie' were his last words."

Alone in the jungle with his dead pal, Joe spent a terrifying night in the lush undergrowth. Petrified, he was expecting to be captured at any moment and beheaded. Instead, the skies broke and a monsoon came.

Next morning he awoke to the sight of his rescuers.

They later searched for bodies, only to upon the sight of what looked like a sheet hanging from a tree. It was one of Joe's friends who had been scalped and whose penis had been cut off. Thousands of flies buzzed round the body.

His other comrades had been killed, had their bodies cut open and their hearts ripped out and consumed.

"They were cannibals, and thought that if you took out a white man's heart his power would go to them," said Joe.

"It was a very terrible thing that happened out there.

"It's with me every day because that kind of sight isn't just something that you can put out of your mind in a hurry."

Maj Gen C Von Horn, General Officer in Command of UN Forces in the Republic of Congo, said at the time: "Lieut Gleeson made efforts to greet the tribesmen, ordering his patrol not to open fire until it was fired upon first.

"This did not take long to come, and arrows were showered on the Irishmen, some of whom were hit.

"It is remarkable to observe that the Irish first tried friendly greetings, then, showing outstanding discipline, did not fire until ordered to do so when of course it was far too late"

Niemba was officially evacuated in November, the army's position having become untenable.

On November 30 , a DC3 Aircraft left the town of Albertville en route to Manono 200 miles away with a party of four officers and eight other ranks.

Their mission was to seize a number of Balubas known to have been involved in the Niemba ambush and bring them to justice.

Under the cover of darkness, they raided the homes of Balubas in a daring strike which could have cost even more lives.

They returned with seven captives, five of whom were later found guilty of murder in relation to the horror crimes committed against the brave Irish men.

Two were later released, their compatriots however, received appropriate sentences for the terrible crimes they had committed.

Joe says the images and emotions of that day still haunt him, and that there isn't a day goes past when he doesn't think of the courageous men who fought alongside him in the searing jungle.

But despite being a recognised and decorated soldier, he was told that if he had died in action out there he would have received a medal for the service he gave.

However that's not much use to a man who survived to tell the tale. All in all, Joe isn't much pleased with the way the Army has treated him and many of his comrades who have served abroad.

Some years ago a former senior figure in the Department of Defence told him he would surely deserve a medal only that he was alive.

That's not something that thrills Joe.

He said: "It was quite a time out there. After the Congo, my wife says to me what good is a medal to her if I'm dead?

"I say take it, sell it and get the price of a drink out of it."

Cannibalism still exists in Africa today

THE UN Security Council denounced the sickening Congo jungle practice of eating people after rebel soldiers ate a captive in 2002.

Rebel groups, which dominate the north eastern zone of the independent African country, launched a campaign of looting and killing in that year.

For their rewards they were promised freedom to do what they liked with captured women, and in some cases they even ate some of their captives.

In one case a pygmy family was caught and when questioned by the UN later, Amuzati Nzoli watched as his mother, sister, nephew and brother were dismembered.

At that stage he fled and has since become a hero among his own people.

Catholic bishop Melchisedec Sikuli Paluku brought the story to the world.

He said that of all the terrible tales he has told about the goings-on in darkest Congo, it's always the word 'cannibalism' which stands out.

The UN sent a team to investigate and rebel soldiers, who fight along tribal lines, vanished into the trees.

But information was gathered and recent cannibal atrocities were documented.

In some cases mothers talked about how their young children were cooked up in front of them.

One woman even told how her arm was cut off and cooked and partly turned into a drink, while the rest was eaten with beans and rice.

She told how the soldiers constantly threatened people by telling them they were going to eat their hearts.

CAPTION(S):

NOW AND THEN: Joe Fitzpatrick as a young soldier and today. Army chiefs have refused to give him a military honour while he is alive; HORROR AHEAD: Members of the Irish 33rd Infantry Battalion before some had their grim date with death; HORROR: This cannibal killed and ate members of a missionary team in Fiji in the late 1800s

Katanga,the simba uprising and all the attendant matters could be a rich source for modern Irishmen concerned about the race.Conor Cruise O'Brien who was the UN's political point man in the Congo promoted union with Britain in later life even standing as a unionist candidate for the Dial.While the Irish Army struggled to find an international role that would bring distinction dozens of Irishmen fought for various mercenary factions including for Bob Denard and John John Peters who actually took 48 Irish UN soldiers prisoner.At the same time mad Mike Hoare another Irishman was the officer commanding fighting against congo communists of patrice lummumba led in the field by contemporary hero of the Irish left Che Guevara.
The bottom line was the Irish people gained nothing from this experience,though I expect some Irish liberals will be gratified to know that Irishmen were eaten by starving Africans

Siege of Jadotville - Congo - 1961 - YouTube

This is the story of the other survivor.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/congo-massacre-survivor-army-must-tell-real-story-516794.html

The Congo deployment of the 1960s gave the Irish Army a sense of purpose.

Surely, they don't eat people now in the 21st century. :eek:
;)

But they also have eaten the French. What is he whining about?
;)


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/Dessalines.jpg/451px-Dessalines.jpg
I prefer white meat says distinguished nigger general.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1804_Haiti_Massacre

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2051431/Henri-Haiti-suspected-eating-Stefan-Ramin-tattoo-cannibal-tribe.html