The family of Pat Quinlan, the Irish Army officer who led A Company during the famous siege of Jadotville, has refused to accept a medal on his behalf unless his men also receive medals.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has offered Colonel Quinlan’s sons the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) on behalf of their father, who died in 1997. However, the medal is in the Military Archives as the family has repeatedly informed officials they are not interested in receiving it.
The defence of the isolated Irish camp at Jadotville by A Company, under then-Commandant Quinlan’s order, is widely regarded as a exemplar of military tactics.
Over four days in September 1961, Irish troops in the Congo as part of a UN peacekeeping mission held out against overwhelming odds while inflicting heavy causalities on thousands of Katangese gendarmerie and Belgian mercenaries attacking their positions. None of the 156 Irish troops were killed during the four days of fighting. They were eventually taken as prisoners of war after running out of ammunition.
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Despite their achievements and various campaigns over the years, the siege of Jadotville was largely ignored by the Irish military and government officials. Col Quinlan recommended 33 soldiers for individual medals for their actions during the battle. However, none were awarded.
Public interest was renewed following a 2005 book by journalist Declan Power and a 2016 Netflix film starring Jamie Dornan as Col Quinlan.
In 2017 A Company received a unit citation, and all its members, living and dead, were awarded a specially created medal: An Bonn Jadotville. No individual bravery medals were awarded.
In 2021 an independent review group recommended awarding only one medal: a DSM for Col Quinlan.
Last November Mr Martin, as then minister for defence, wrote to Col Quinlan’s son Leo Quinlan, who is himself a former Irish Army officer, to inform him a medal board had decided to officially award the DSM posthumously to his father.
Last month Leo Quinlan wrote back, informing the Taoiseach the family will not accept the medal as it is based on the “flawed” independent review group report.
He told the Taoiseach his father greatly respected his troops who showed great dignity, courage and professionalism during the battle. Col Quinlan, if alive, would never accept a medal unless his men received one too, he said.
Mr Martin said he respects the decision, and Col Quinlan’s medal and citation will be held in the Military Archives for if the family’s position alters.
This was the third time the family turned down a medal on Col Quinlan’s behalf. The family was initially due to receive the medal in 2021 at a ceremony at which a DSM would also be awarded to then chief-of-staff, Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett, on his retirement.
In 2023 Vice- Admiral Mellett’s successor, Lieut General Seán Clancy, again offered the family the medal but it declined.
About 34 of the men who fought at Jadotville are still alive, including five who were recommended for medals by Col Quinlan. Many suffered with issues such as post-traumatic stress and alcoholism in the decades after the battle. Two of the soldiers were just 15 years old during the siege.
For years they received little acknowledgment from the public or the State. In some circles they were seen as cowards for their eventual surrender.
Officials were keen not to draw attention to the incident which was compounded by UN intelligence and communications failures at command level.
Following the 2021 report of the independent review group, Vice-Admiral Mellett apologised to the A Company veterans. “It is a matter of much regret to me that the values which we hold so dear were not evident in the manner in which Óglaigh na hÉireann failed to embrace the veterans of the battle of Jadotville on their return from service in the Congo,” he said.
