ONE of the last veterans of the ‘Emergency’ has died.
James Callan from Rooskey near Convoy passed away on Wednesday. He was 94.
Mr Callan was a former member of the Local Defence Force (LDF), a military organisation that existed from 1939 until 1946.
The LDF was a volunteer branch set up to support the Gardai and the Permanent Defence Force during the Emergency period. By 1941 the LDF had over 88,000 members nationwide, among them James Callan. He served with the Letterkenny Battalion which is known to have drilled in Trinity Hall and Rockhill House. After the war ended, the LDF was disbanded and replaced by the Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil (FCA), now the Army Reserve.
For their dedication during a turbulent period in Irish history, members of the LDF were presented with Emergency Service Medals. Until last year and out of the tens of thousands handed out, only one medal remained unclaimed.
In James Callan’s case, he stayed with the Defence Forces for a further two years after the disbandment of the LDF, serving in Athlone from 1947 until 1949 with the Fourth Field Engineers.
He then left Ireland and moved to Coventry where he became a prominent figure among the city’s Irish community. He worked for many years with Coventry City Council and was a founding member of the Four Masters GAA Club.
James Callan inspecting the troops at Finner, accompanied by Captain Fred O’Donovan.
After moving back to Ireland, James settled in Rooskey. And it was only through a chance conversation with neighbour Ian McConaghy that the story of the unclaimed medal – the last of its kind held by the Defence Forces – came to light.
Ian began a campaign to unite his elderly neighbour with his award and last year his crusade bore fruit when James was invited to Finner Camp to collect it.
There he was given a guard of honour and saluted by members of the Defence Forces for his efforts during the years of the Second World War.
Among the guard of honour was Captain Neil Ledwith who helped trace records of James Callan’s service.
Paying tribute to the 94-year-old, Captain Ledwith said it was his privilege to be able to help unite him with the accolade he fully deserved.
“James Callan served in the Letterkenny Battalion of the Local Defence Force during the Emergency period. This unit was stationed in Trinity Hall and trained there as well as in Rockhill House.
“During this time James, as well as thousands of other men, volunteered to serve and if required, fight to defend their country against aggression from whichever quarter it came.
James proudly displaying his LDF medal with Captain Fred O’Donovan at his side.
“After the Emergency, many of these servicemen like James did not speak of their role and nor did they seek plaudits, they played their part quietly and professionally. Albeit many decades after it was due, it was a privilege for me to document the service and contribution that volunteers like James and thousands of others of his generation made towards the defence of the State by photographing the awarding of James his Emergency Service Medal.”
James Callan’s funeral was held in St Mary’s Church, Convoy, on Friday. He was laid to rest afterward in a family plot in the old cemetery.
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