Outside of helping to close the Atllantic Gap, what can Ireland contribute to WW2?

[Sport25ing]

The title say it all - outside of closer harbors for convoys to dock, and airbases for ASW, what can the nation of Ireland contribute to the war effort. And how could it impact the Allies (for exemple, many Irish in OTL joined the British Army ranks - so less Irishmen joining the British Army, slighty less action from the UK in some areas?)

 

[sparky42]

Pretty much a net drain really. No matter when significant resources would have to be diverted while given the state of the DF nothing more than a token force would be ready till late in the war.

 

[NHBL]

A net drain--except the bases make it a net gain, I'd say.

 

[alspug]

If you've ever had a fight with the Irish you know they love a good scrap and don't back off once provoked. Bases are irrelevant compared to the USA Disporia and the political will it entails.

 

[Parmenion]

Some extra manpower may do well for the british in the late war.

 

[NHBL]

If you've ever had a fight with the Irish you know they love a good scrap and don't back off once provoked. Bases are irrelevant compared to the USA Disporia and the political will it entails.

VERY good point--getting the Irish lobby on board might help the British a LOT.

 

[Dorknought]

what can the nation of Ireland contribute to the war effort.

Hopefully not being involved in many Blue on Blue encounters:

 

[Evermourn]

Nothing at all to do with the thread, but the fit of those helmets in the first picture looks appalling, all kinds of angles and the chinstraps are in all different places. Is that normal for helmets of this period? Very uncomfortable looking.

 

[sparky42]

Hopefully not being involved in many Blue on Blue encounters:

Most of those Vickers helmets were replaced during the war anyway in OTL, by the time any Irish force would be ready they would be gone.

 

[MKD]

what can the nation of Ireland contribute to the war effort

Extra manpower for both fighting and civil activities. Would the allies risk conscription? There might also be extra foodstuffs that can support the civilian population/enhance the ration a bit. Finally the Irish government could remove diplomatic relations from Nazi Germany.

( they could also refrain from prosecuting those men who did fight for the allies! )

 

[Lascaris]

The title say it all - outside of closer harbors for convoys to dock, and airbases for ASW, what can the nation of Ireland contribute to the war effort. And how could it impact the Allies (for exemple, many Irish in OTL joined the British Army ranks - so less Irishmen joining the British Army, slighty less action from the UK in some areas?)

Roughly two infantry divisions.

 

[sparky42]

Extra manpower for both fighting and civil activities. Would the allies risk conscription? There might also be extra foodstuffs that can support the civilian population/enhance the ration a bit. Finally the Irish government could remove diplomatic relations from Nazi Germany.

( they could also refrain from prosecuting those men who did fight for the allies! )

It would be an Irish government that would decide on conscription and the answer would be no. And again the only ones that faced issues post war were deserters, not the rest that joined Allied forces.

 

[sparky42]

Roughly two infantry divisions.

Depends to a degree, while OTL a force of something like that was generated eventually it was horrible under quipped, not too mention that there would be much more demand from the Air Corps and forming an actual navy, both eating into the manpower and finances available.

 

[sparky42]

Nothing at all to do with the thread, but the fit of those helmets in the first picture looks appalling, all kinds of angles and the chinstraps are in all different places. Is that normal for helmets of this period? Very uncomfortable looking

If I remember the general caption for that photo you are talking very early in the War with a lot of raw troops, not to mention they weren’t exactly a funding priority before the war.

 

[Ijon Tichy]

If Ireland had been necessary to Allied victory, it would have been occupied by the allies the same way Iceland and northern Iran were occupied. End of.

 

[MKD]

And again the only ones that faced issues post war were deserters, not the rest that joined Allied forces.

Do you mean that those who joined the British Army were treated as deserters by the Irish state?

 

[sparky42]

Do you mean that those who joined the British Army were treated as deserters by the Irish state?

No those that joined the Irish military and then deserted. Which is what I posted, those that joined the British military directly had no such issue.

 

[Ijon Tichy]

And that was how it had to be. An army that doesn't punish desertion will cease to be an army in double-quick time.