Fighting 69th WWI

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Niner
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Fighting 69th WWI

Post by Niner » Mon Mar 09, 2020 9:35 pm

You probably know the movie. St. Patrick's day coming up. Father Duffy, Pat O'Brien played him in the movie, got another medal a hundred years ago today.

https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn ... d-1/seq-6/
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Aughnanure
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Re: Fighting 69th WWI

Post by Aughnanure » Tue Mar 10, 2020 1:35 am

Reminds me of Father Phillips who was tossed out of Korea for disobeying a lawful command.
He was considered to have been taking too many risks and was forbidden to go out in front of the line again, unfortunately the Colonel and some visiting Brass were observers when an ambulance jeep, making a dash to pick up wounded, swerved at a shell hole, slewed around and revealed the Padre clinging to the blindside.

Packed and on a plane to Japan in record time!!

This happened before my time but it was a well-known story and I knew the Padre in Japan where he had a Japanese parish church as well as being Padre to the local Army camps.

First time I went to Mass at his church, he kept the troops for a bit of a talk after the service, which he finished by saying "You can all go now, the girls are safely on their way home!".

He was a down to earth bloke, ran a Starting Price book on the Sydney and Melbourne horse races and, when he came up to the Battle School, would advise those going down to Kure for a weekends leave which brothels were going to be raided by the MPs and which ones were said to have VD.
Challenged about this sort of advice he said that it was not only his job to save souls but also bodies if he could.
Self Defence is not only a Right, it is an Obligation.

Eoin.
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Re: Fighting 69th WWI

Post by DuncaninFrance » Tue Mar 10, 2020 4:39 am

Not so much a man of God but a true Humanitarian.
I do not believe in any religion and so I only found time for the few Regimental Padres that I knew with God as an assistant not a Boss :cool: :cool:
Duncan

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Re: Fighting 69th WWI

Post by Aughnanure » Tue Mar 10, 2020 5:32 am

The CofE Padre in 3RAR was also a down to earth bloke.

He'd been a Signaller in WWII so had an interest in us sigs other than religion.
Once when asked why, as a 'man of God' he carried a pistol (he could use it too) he said that if ever confronted by the ungodly who would shoot him, he'd get in first but would give the Last Rites if time permitted!!

We had regular talks given by the various Padres and an OD one said to us that the first woman we had intercourse with was our wife forever despite marrying someone else in a recognized ceremony.

One lad made a loud exclamation and the Padre said "Anything troubling you lad?"
"Yair," says the lad "I've forgotten who me missus is".

That about brought things to a close.

Back in the lines, the platoon commander asked if we'd learnt anything, one lark said: "Yes, Sir, steer clear of virgins".
Self Defence is not only a Right, it is an Obligation.

Eoin.
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Re: Fighting 69th WWI

Post by Niner » Tue Mar 10, 2020 6:14 am

Good stories Eoin. The chaplins sometimes were as loyal to combat battalions over the years as the men. The original battalion chaplin from Vietnam makes every Regiment reunion connected to the outfit I was attached to. He made the official prayer at the memorial service for the only stand alone battalion reunion ever that I promoted back five years ago. He is a Protestant minister of some kind.....I never knew or asked what flavor. The only time I remember him clearly was in Vietnam and I was trying to get some sleep on an air mattress in a tent at a firebase in the Plain of Reeds after being up all night in the TOC bunker. I woke up as the chaplain was using the tent for a service and when I woke up he noticed me and he stopped what he was saying to the group and apologized for waking me up. I got up and found another place to sleep.
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Re: Fighting 69th WWI

Post by Niner Delta » Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:48 pm

I did not grow up in a religious family, the closest we got was my parents yelling, "Good God,
what did you do now?" My high school records said I was Buddhist, they said I couldn't do that, but
then gave in. Army dog tags said I as a devout "No Pref" (no preference), I figured if I was dying, it
was no time to be picky about chaplains. In Nam, my buddy gave me a black rosary with a cross on it,
I wore it because I figured, why not it couldn't hurt, and it looked pretty cool, all shiny black.... :mrgreen:
Went to church a couple of times in basic just to get out of work details, yes I was being a hypocrite.....
but I was only 19. Have only been to church a few time for weddings (including mine)
in the last ..... OK, my whole life........ :shock:


.
:USA:

Peace is that brief, quiet moment in history.......... when everybody stands around reloading.
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Re: Fighting 69th WWI

Post by Niner » Tue Mar 10, 2020 10:10 pm

I went to one of those out of details Sunday services at Benning in basic. It wasn't even a religious service. They herded us into a movie theater and showed some movie produced by some non denominational religious group that showed a family of actors having some religious crisis that was made good in the end by praying. It didn't even make any sense at the time.
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Re: Fighting 69th WWI

Post by Aughnanure » Sat Mar 14, 2020 6:09 pm

One more story about Padre Phillips.

Saturday morning at Haramura Battle School was when Weapons Inspection parade was on, at the same time the Padre said Mass for the Catholics who, of course, were excused the parade.

On the second Saturday, there were a lot more Catholics, Joe Phillips welcomed them and said that it was nice to have such a rollup and that he always welcomed "Saturday Catholics", the only proviso was that he would ask them not to take Communion as that was restricted to baptized Catholics.

Another on the CofE bloke (I wish I could remember his name).

Our Company Commander in "D" Coy had blotted his copybook by entering the Officers' Mess hut somewhat under the weather, addressing the Colonel:
"G'day Spin, you old bat" and firing two rounds from his pistol through the roof.

'Spin" was not amused and the OC was banned from the Mess, except for the evening meal, until further notice (it eventually cost him a years seniority as the occurrence couldn't be kept 'in house').

Now enter the CofE Padre, he was banished for a week from the Mess and sent to share the OC's tent, seems that he upset the Colonel by disobeying a lawful command.
Lights out was at 2230 hrs and the Officers used to quietly drink on till 2300, but the Padre decided to play the piano and Spin sent word for him to desist, he did for a few minutes but then started up again at full thump.

Spin was not amused and the upshot was the banishment of the Padre and strict enforcement of Lights Out for the Officers.
The Colonel's batman told us that some of the officers complained and that "Spin" told them that if LIghts Out applied to him and the rest of the Battalion then, from now on it applied to all.
Self Defence is not only a Right, it is an Obligation.

Eoin.
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