Army chief set to visit blast site

A SENIOR army officer will make a nostalgic trip to the Lebanon next weekend to a spot where he was nearly blown up by a mortar.

Brigadier General Pat Hayes, who is general officer commanding 1st Southern Brigade, was lucky to escape with his life when the mortar blew up near the UN observation post in Kiem, on March 10, 1978.

Brig Gen Hayes is flying out today to be with 158 of his troops over the St Patrick’s weekend. The vast majority of the troop serving with UNIFIL are from Collins Barracks, Cork.

His trip coincides with a medal presentation to the troops which will be undertaken by the UNIFIL commander, the Italian Major General Graziano Caudio.

Some 81 of the troops will be getting a UNIFIL medal for service for first time.