BILLY READY, from Newbrook Grove, Clonmore, Mullingar, who left Mullingar for the Congo as a 19 years old Army private, and was shot and wounded during the six-day Jadotville Siege, in September, 1961, will be laid to rest in Ballyglass Cemetery this Wednesday morning, after living long enough to see a serious injustice put right – something he had long sought to see achieved.
The late Sgt Ready, who was in his mid seventies, died at his home on Monday of this week, 7 November after battling bravely against serious illness for several years.
Billy Ready was one of those who sought for many years to see proper recognition given to the 155 Irish UN troops under Commdt. Pat Quinlan who were involved in the Congo siege. Against overwhelming odds, the Irish troops held out for six days at the mining town, without a fatality, while killing up to 300 of the attacking mercenaries and native gendarmes, Only when their ammunition, food and water ran out. after being left without any UN reinforcements or supplies, did they finally surrender and were taken prisoner by the Katangese and their allies.
Thanks to the full light thrown on the Jadotville events in the past decade, after former Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea acceeded to the campaign, and ordered an Army enquiry, Cmmdt. Quinlan and the soldiers were finally cleared of soldierly misconduct. The fine 2005 book by Mullingar man Declan Power The Battle of Jadotville, also helped greatly in telling the true story of the Congo events and circumstances, as did the feature film “Siege of Jadotville” this year, based on Declan’s book dramatically and accurately portraying what took place. This saw the Government award a Unit Citation for Jadotville, and Billy Ready was one of those in Custume Barracks, Athlone less than two months ago, when the citations were presented, to fully vindicate the reputations of Cmmdt. Quinlan and “A” Company in 1961.
Fifteen years ago, in making representations with Sgt. Bobby Allen and Gnrs. Tom Cunningham and John Flynn, Sgt. Ready described the lack of recognition as “a disgrace” and said they were forgotten by the Army, the Minister and the system. They were very hurt that their deceased commander Lieut Col. Pat Quinlan “who saved our lives but was treated very badly, never received recognition. He has passed away, but should still be acknowledged,” he said.
IUNVA MAN’S TRIBUTE TO SGT. READY
National Chairman of IUNVA (the UN Vets Association), Eddie Robinson from Mullingar was also involved in the long campaign to put right the ongoing injustices against the men who fought in Jadotville because of misinformed Army and Department of Defence attitudes at the time, and since. A personal friend of the late Sgt. Billy Ready for more than half a century, Eddie said this week it was sad to realise that with Billy Ready’s death, there are now just four remaining Jadotville veterans left in Mullingar, Tom Gunne, Billy Keane, Tom Cunningham and Jimmy Scally.
“At least these men and Billy Ready lived long enough to see the truth vindicated and their comrades and commander, Cmmdt Quinlan, all of whom put their lives on the line in 1961, given proper recognition and their gallantry recognised. But a great many other Jadotville veterans who had to live under an undeserved stigma for decades, died sad and lonely deaths, without seeing anything put right,” he said.
He pointed out that after Pte. Billy Ready, who was on sentry duty in Jadotville when most of the Irish were attending Mass, fired the first warning shot as the attack on them began, he was shot in the exchange of fire, as the Irish jumped into the trenches and fought back, Billy Ready wanted to continue on, and he was propped up, and continued firing, after getting medical treatment.
“He was very lucky as the bullet went through his thigh and stomach, but he was one of the most seriously wounded of the five or so injured in Jadotville. When you consider what those men achieved in the six day siege, left in an impossible situation, winning a ceasefire through their tellingly effective defence, and fighting on until they had no option other than surrender, the way they were afterwards officially treated was very hard to take.”
Eddie Robinson first met Billy Ready in 1964, when they went to Cyprus together, and served overseas with him on a number of subsequent occasions.
“We’ve been friends a very long time, and I can only call him a real gentleman, who never blew his own coals, or attacked those who let him down, but like some others of us, he realised the injustice done to those who fought in Jadotville, and tried to highlight the facts and have a wrong redressed,” he said. “The UN authorities let them down badly at the time, but our own people should have treated them better. A special medal is needed to mark their bravery at Jadotville,” he felt.
William Ready was actually born in Cavan, but when very young, his father and the family moved to Kildare and at fifteen, Billy joined the Army Apprentice School, After qualifying as a mechanic, he took up an Army post with S & T in Columb Barracks, Mullingar and from there, went to the Congo in 1961. As an active UN veteran, Billy Ready also served as the Deputy National Treasurer of IUNVA alongside Eddie Robinson for seven years.
FOOTBALLER
Eddie Robinson also recalled that Billy was a fine footballer, and played with Kildare at minor level, and then was part of the great team from The Downs, when they won five Senior Championships between 1968 and 1974, including three in a row in ’68. ’69 and ’70. “I’m going to miss him greatly,” Eddie concluded.
AUTHOR’S VIEWS
Mullingar journalist and defence specialist, Declan Power whose 2005 book, The Siege of Jadotville – The Irish Army’s Forgotten Battle, told the full story accurately and honestly, did the soldiers of Jadotville and Cmmdt. Quinlan a great service. His book contributed to their proper reinstatement and changed public opinion, especially since it was turned into a feature film this year.
Declan told Topic that when he met Billy Ready, one of the points he made was how hurtful it was to find other Army veterans treating them badly. When Billy attended an event in Dublin, in being introduced to another veteran, he found the man withdrawing his extended hand, when told Billy had fought at Jadotville.
“To be seen in such a negative light by your own was very hard on them, but now at least, everyone knows the truth, especially the families of these men, particularly those who died while still under a cloud, yet knowing that they fought so competently, skilfully and adroitly under a very good officer. The Congo situation was badly managed by the UN in 1961, without even an aircraft to support their ground troops,” he pointed out.”The Irish troops, some teenagers, had never fired a shot in anger, were there for peacekeeping work, and then came under serious attack. What they achieved deserved better, and at least the truth has now made that clear.”
It was Billy Ready – who is portrayed in the new film – who fired the first warning rifle shot, as the attack began, and was then hit in the thigh and stomach by an incendiary round, which set his clothing on fire. “The medic had to put out Billy’s burning clothes, but Billy did go back into the trench with his rifle, to fight on,” he confirmed.
Declan explained that the S &T personnel had a key role in the Congo, as they maintained the old armoured cars and their weapons, the Vickers machine guns, an essential element in the siege, as without them, they would have been overrun. Mr. Power said that in 2005, the men had received a scroll from Minister O’Dea after the eventual 2004 Army enquiry the Minister initiated and in the past few months, they received the Government’s unit citation, but he hoped they will eventually each get an appropriate medal.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS
The late Sgt Ready reposed at his home at Clonmore on Tuesday, until 8pm, and the funeral Mass, with military honours, will take place in Mullingar Cathedral at 10am on Wednesday, 9 November, with burial afterwards in Ballyglass Cemetery, with guards of honour provided by IUNVA and by ONE.
Beloved husband of the late Nora, Billy Ready is survived by his partner Daisy; sons Stephen and John, daughters Jacinta, Rosemary and Stephanie; brothers John and Larry; his grandchildren, great grandson, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nephews, nieces and other relatives and many friends and former comrades, to all of whom sympathy is extended.
May his kind soul rest in eternal peace.
