Members of the Artillery Club and the Defence Community
The Artillery Club’s Committee extends Christmas Greetings to all Gunners both serving and retired, in particular those Gunners who are deployed overseas serving in the cause of peace, and also to the wider Defence Community who supported the Club in the advancement of its objectives during 2022.
The photograph used in this year’s Christmas E-card is of the Defence Forces Headquarters Officers’ Mess, with Christmas decorations on the main door, and one of the two Sikh cannons, captured during the Anglo – Sikh wars, flanking the entrance to the Mess.
This particular Christmas, our thoughts and prayers are with Private Seán Rooney’s family, loved ones, and friends, with his peacekeeping comrades serving in the 121 Infantry Battalion (UNIFIL), with the families of the other 87 personnel of all ranks who died on overseas duty, and with all serving and retired personnel of the Óglaigh na hÉireann especially those from the 2 Brigade and the 27 Infantry Battalion. Ar dheis Dé to raibh a anam dilís.
A total of 548 Defence Forces personnel, including 13 Gunner Officers, will spend this Christmas away from their families in 11 countries throughout the world, serving with the UN, EU, NATO – PfP and OSCE.
Personnel serving overseas during Christmas, include Gunners of all Ranks who are Keeping Those Limbers Rolling Along in Lebanon, on the Golan Heights, in Kosovo, Brussels, New York and elsewhere.
During the course of the festive season, you might find time to peruse the Artillery Club’s website, especially the photo gallery, which includes recent events such as the Disbanded Units’ Annual Mass, the Artillery School’s Annual St Barbara’s Prayer Service, the Club’s Annual General Meeting and St Barbara’s Day Lunch.
Le gach dea-ghuí don Nollaig agus don Athbhliain
With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
Pat
Colonel Patrick White
President
The Artillery Club