Senator in plea for recognition of deceased Mayo soldier

A MEMBER of the Oireachtas has expressed his annoyance that Mayo soldier, Private Billy Kedian, has still not been honoured for military service 24 years after being shot dead while on peacekeeping duties in Lebanon.

Billy, a native of Station Road, Ballyhaunis, was killed by shrapnel when two mortar rounds were fired from the Israeli Defence Forces and De Facto Forces Compound at his post in Brashit on May 31, 1999.

Senator Ger Craughwell commented in The Irish Sun on a story about Billy Kedian and others in the Defence Forces who have lost their lives and have never been recognised for it.

He hit out: "We allow our soldiers to die. It is no secret that I served in the British Army.

"One of the things I learned as a recruit was the battle honours of the regiment. I learned about the great men of the regiment who died in service. We do not do that in Ireland.

"Lieutenant Colonel Ernán Naughton, who is retired, said recently that every Chief of Staff who retires gets a distinguished service medal. For what? For doing his job.

"Should every private soldier who served for 40 years, who was never charged and who did his duty every day, get a distinguished service medal? They have debased the medal to the point of it being worthless.

"Yet, Billy Kedian is entitled to a military medal for gallantry. He gave his life to save 14 men. Paddy Kelly from Athlone was shot by the IRA during the Don Tidey kidnapping. The garda who was beside him got the gold Scott medal.

"Paddy Kelly got nothing. Dick O'Hanlon, Martin Fahy and two others saved John O'Connor while they were under fire and they got nothing. They did not even get a 'thank you'.

"The time has come to write to the Minister for Defence, Deputy Micheál Martin, to ask him to force the Chief of Staff to order a complete review of the acts of valour, as has been done in every country in the western world, to see who we have missed out on and that includes the people of Jadotville."