Veterans want medals to recognise bravery of soldiers who fought in  Jadotville siege

Captain Noel Carey, left. with soldiers from "A" Company in Jadotville. Picture: Noel Carey

Former members of the Defence Forces are mounting a campaign to get medals awarded to those who were combatants in the bloodiest battle ever fought by the Irish Army on overseas operations — which took place 60 years ago this month.

They want a rule scrapped which puts a very short time limit in Ireland on announcing medals for gallantry, pointing that other countries have awarded medals for bravery many years after the acts took place, such as the Australians recent posthumous award to a World War Two seaman.