ASKEATON

DURING WORLD WAR 2

(1939-1945)

(the following information is taken from the local ABC news 1990 edition)

Between 1939 and 1945 Ireland experienced one of its darkest periods since the 1916 rising.

with the outbreak of world war 2 ration books were issued, petrol and sugar were rationed.

there was no white flour and half an ounce of tea for each person. no imported fruit got in.

a number of civil defense organizations were set up in this country. at the time the L.S.F. (local security force) was established with the idea of assisting the gardai in the event of an emergency. duties of this force consisted mainly of setting up alternative methods of communications, guard duties at a number of key points such as the post office, garda barracks, explosive magazine at Southern Chemicals, as well as doing nightly patrols of the Shannon particularly at the New Quay and Beigh Castle.

originally the force was under the control of the Garda Siochana. drill sessions were carried out in the ball alley (the Banquet hall) of the Desmond castle when the late Morgan Crowe acted as instructor.

(The Banquet hall)

The askeaton company of the L.D.F. consisted of 120men approx. each man of the company was issued with a uniform, a rifle and thirty rounds of ammunition. weekly training sessions were carried out at some of the following locations, Ballysteen, Newbridge, Borrigone.

With in the force there was an engineer with special responsibility for the demolition of the bridges in the event of an invasion. the bridge at askeaton as well as all the bridges over the river Deel and maigue were bored and chambered to receive the explosives in preparation of demolition. special explosives for the job were stored at the magazines at askeaton and at croom. the main task of the askeaton coy. in the event of an invasion was to blow up the bridge and then man the pill boxes strategically located at the west and north of the town. (most of the pill boxes can still be seen today) for this task askeaton coy. was to be reinforced by the 49th battalion from limerick city.

As the war continued the L.D.F. became more absorbed under the wing of the regular army. training was stepped up and the force became proficient in the use of a wide range of weaponry, explosives, commando tactics. askeaton coy. was regarded as one of the more advanced and efficient units in the command. 

the force had permission from the late Milo Sheehy of courtbrown to use a section of his land overlooking the Shannon as a firing range. normally a series of targets would be erected and placed so the spent bullets passing through the targets would be deflected out over the river. occasionally whenever a boat appeared on its way up to limerick all shooting had to be suspended until the boat passed out of sight.

The L.D.F. was a great local unpaid force they spent many long nights using their vigilance in the protection of askeaton.