Ian Keith Malone
Encyclopedia
Lance Corporal Ian Malone (8 December 1974 – 6 April 2003) from Dublin in the Republic of Ireland
was a member of the British Army
's Irish Guards
. He was the first person born in Ireland
to be killed in the Iraq War. Malone's funeral in Dublin was the first funeral with a uniformed British military presence in the Republic of Ireland since 1922.
background in the Dublin suburb of Ballyfermot
. The eldest of a family of five, Malone was educated by the De La Salle
Christian Brothers
Catholic school. He served in FCA, the reserve force of the Irish Army
. It is claimed that he applied to join the Irish Army as a regular soldier, but was rejected due to his age. but when he joined the Irish Guards
in 1998, a regiment of the British Army created in 1900 by Queen Victoria
he was 23 years old and the age limits for the Irish Army is over 17 years and under 25 years of age.
in October 2000 and served on Operation Agricola in Kosovo. He completed a piper's course in April 1999, and was a member of the pipe band. He also served with the Battle Group in Poland, Canada, Oman and Germany.
In November 2002 Lance Corporal Malone was one of a number of British soldiers interviewed on a Radio Telefís Éireann
documentary series, True Lives. Regarding his membership of the British Army, he said:
Malone was deployed on Operation Telic
in an armoured infantry section with Number 1 Company, Irish Guards, as part of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
Battle Group within 7 Armoured Brigade. Lance Corporal Malone was shot in the head by a sniper on 6 April in Iraq
during the Irish Guards' advance on the country's second largest city, Basra
.
, a local TD
, whose father had served in the Irish Guards. His funeral on 24 April 2003 drew large crowds, including senior politicians from the opposition such as Gay Mitchell
, TD. An honour guard of the Irish Guards in their full dress uniform was provided, though the coffin
was not draped in the Union flag
. Pipers from the British and Irish armies played at the funeral Mass
. His funeral was the first time since 1922 that uniformed British Army soldiers had been seen in Dublin.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
was a member of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
's Irish Guards
Irish Guards
The Irish Guards , part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland and the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities...
. He was the first person born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to be killed in the Iraq War. Malone's funeral in Dublin was the first funeral with a uniformed British military presence in the Republic of Ireland since 1922.
Background
Twenty-eight year old Ian Malone came from a working classWorking class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
background in the Dublin suburb of Ballyfermot
Ballyfermot
Ballyfermot is a suburb in the city of Dublin.Celebrities such as the famous Furey Brothers and the brilliant Keenan family have all resided in Ballyfermot.Ireland, located 7 kilometres due west from the city centre, and to the south of the Phoenix Park...
. The eldest of a family of five, Malone was educated by the De La Salle
Jean-Baptiste de La Salle
Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle or John Baptist de La Salle was a priest, educational reformer, and founder of Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools...
Christian Brothers
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation, founded in France by Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle and now based in Rome...
Catholic school. He served in FCA, the reserve force of the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
. It is claimed that he applied to join the Irish Army as a regular soldier, but was rejected due to his age. but when he joined the Irish Guards
Irish Guards
The Irish Guards , part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland and the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities...
in 1998, a regiment of the British Army created in 1900 by Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
he was 23 years old and the age limits for the Irish Army is over 17 years and under 25 years of age.
Military service
Malone was promoted to lance corporalLance Corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
in October 2000 and served on Operation Agricola in Kosovo. He completed a piper's course in April 1999, and was a member of the pipe band. He also served with the Battle Group in Poland, Canada, Oman and Germany.
In November 2002 Lance Corporal Malone was one of a number of British soldiers interviewed on a Radio Telefís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
documentary series, True Lives. Regarding his membership of the British Army, he said:
- At the end of the day I am just abroad doing a job. People go on about Irishmen dying for freedom and all that. That's a fair one. They did. But they died to give men like me the freedom to choose what to do.
Malone was deployed on Operation Telic
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
in an armoured infantry section with Number 1 Company, Irish Guards, as part of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and the senior Scottish regiment. It was formed on 2 July 1971 at Holyrood, Edinburgh, by the amalgamation of the 3rd Carabiniers The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) (SCOTS DG) is a cavalry regiment of...
Battle Group within 7 Armoured Brigade. Lance Corporal Malone was shot in the head by a sniper on 6 April in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
during the Irish Guards' advance on the country's second largest city, Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
.
Funeral
The removal of Lance Corporal Malone's body to a Catholic church in Ballyfermot was attended by hundreds of people, including Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor
Charles "Charlie" O'Connor is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South West constituency from 2002 to 2011. Mr. O'Connor is also a member of the AWEPA Governing Council....
, a local TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
, whose father had served in the Irish Guards. His funeral on 24 April 2003 drew large crowds, including senior politicians from the opposition such as Gay Mitchell
Gay Mitchell
Gabriel "Gay" Mitchell is an Irish politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Dublin constituency since 2004. He is a member of Fine Gael, part of the European People's Party, and a former Teachta Dála for the Dublin South Central constituency from 1981–2007. He was defeated by...
, TD. An honour guard of the Irish Guards in their full dress uniform was provided, though the coffin
Coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...
was not draped in the Union flag
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
. Pipers from the British and Irish armies played at the funeral Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
. His funeral was the first time since 1922 that uniformed British Army soldiers had been seen in Dublin.