Children of deserters not singled out for abuse

Dan Buckley’s analysis (Unsung Heroes of War, Jul 2) credits Robert Widders and his book as galvanising our campaign, which is untrue.

Indeed, the erroneous assertion of Mr Widders that deserters were courtmartialed after death created such a controversy that our effort has been singularly occupied since Jun 2011 rebutting his contention through the Letters pages of the Irish Examiner and other news media.

However, of equal concern is the allegation by Mr Widders, and repeated by Mr Buckley, that children of deserters were “singled out for particular abuse”. Irrespective of the reports into child sexual abuse, there is no extant research to corroborate the existence of a general policy initiative by the Irish government in which children of British soldiers were systematically and specifically targeted for (sexual) abuse, or so called “special treatment”, just because one parent was serving with British Forces, or that service with UK forces created a higher risk of abuse for these children in comparison to other children because of a perceived anti-British feeling within Ireland during the Emergency , and which no doubt would have surfaced within the reports into child sexual abuse and been proven some time ago.

Every child in those industrial schools/orphanages/homes was innocent, vulnerable and open to exploitation from predator paedophiles regardless of background. While it is obvious the debate surrounding the desertion issue will continue, nevertheless, in the interests of establishing some semblance of historical accuracy perhaps a more objective assessment of extant documentation etc within an academic environment might enable a more definitive conclusion.

Peter Mulvany

Co-ordinator Irish Soldiers Pardons Campaign (WW2)