An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is an armed combat vehicle protected by armour, generally combining operational mobility with offensive and defensive capabilities. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked. Tanks, armoured cars, assault guns/armoured self-propelled guns, infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers (APC) are all examples of AFVs.
The Easter Rising, also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the aim of establishing an independent Irish Republic while the United Kingdom was fighting the First World War. It was the most significant uprising in Ireland since the rebellion of 1798 and the first armed conflict of the Irish revolutionary period. Sixteen of the Rising's leaders were executed from May 1916, but the insurrection, the nature of the executions, and subsequent political developments ultimately contributed to an increase in popular support for Irish independence.
The Patria Pasi is a Finnish-made six-wheeled armoured personnel carrier (APC) originally designed for Finnish Defence Forces. The first version was produced in 1983 and serial production began in 1984. It was designed to operate with ease of use, simple structure and low-cost maintenance. The basic appearance and configuration of Patria Pasi is similar to most wheeled APCs. The XA-180 and XA-185 versions are fully amphibious while the XA-203 is not.
In Ireland, the National Day of Commemoration commemorates all Irish people who died in past wars or United Nations peacekeeping missions. It occurs on the Sunday nearest 11 July, the anniversary of the date in 1921 that a truce was signed ending the Irish War of Independence. The principal ceremony is held at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland.
The Defence Forces are the armed forces of the Republic of Ireland. They encompass the Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, and Reserve Defence Forces.
The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) —or CVR(T)—is a family of armoured fighting vehicles (AFV)s in service with the British Army and others throughout the world. They are small, highly mobile, air-transportable armoured vehicles designed to replace the Alvis Saladin armoured car.
The Queen's Own Yeomanry (QOY) is one of the Army Reserve light armoured reconnaissance regiments.
The Panhard AML is a fast, long-ranged, and relatively cheap armoured car with excellent reconnaissance capability. Designed on a small, lightly armoured 4×4 chassis, it weighs an estimated 5.5 tonnes, and thus suitable for airborne deployment. Since 1959 AMLs have been marketed on up to five continents; several variants remained in continuous production for half a century. These have been operated by fifty-four national governments and other entities worldwide, seeing regular combat.
The LAV II Coyote and the related Bison are armoured cars built by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada for the Canadian Forces. They are a later generation of the LAV-25 and of the same family as the Australian ASLAV, as all are part of the Light Armoured Vehicle family produced by General Dynamics Land Systems of Canada and based on the MOWAG Piranha 8x8. Bison vehicles have also been used by the Australian Army and the US National Guard.
The FV432 is the armoured personnel carrier variant in the British Army's FV430 series of armoured fighting vehicles. Since its introduction in the 1960s, it has been the most common variant, being used for transporting infantry on the battlefield. At its peak in the 1980s, almost 2,500 vehicles were in use.
The FV603 Saracen is a six-wheeled armoured personnel carrier built by Alvis and used by the British Army. It became a recognisable vehicle as a result of its part in the policing of Northern Ireland as well as for its role in the South African government's enforcement of apartheid. It is still in use in secondary roles in some countries.
The Armoured Brigade is a Finnish Army training unit located in Parolannummi, near Hämeenlinna, in southern Finland. The brigade specialises in training armoured and anti-aircraft troops. In case of mobilization, the Finnish Defence Forces would field one armoured brigade. The war-time armoured brigade has a strength of around 5,700 men, and fields 63 main battle tanks, 110 infantry fighting vehicles, circa 100 armoured personnel carriers, mainly of Soviet origin, and roughly 70 other armoured vehicles. However, the remaining war-time armoured brigade is being phased out and replaced by smaller mechanized battle groups. The new mechanized battle groups will field the Leopard 2 MBTs that are not included in the organization of the contemporary war-time armoured brigades.
A huge number of M113 Armored Personnel Carrier variants have been created, ranging from infantry carriers to nuclear missile carriers. The M113 armored personnel carrier has become one of the most prolific armored vehicles of the second half of the 20th century, and continues to serve with armies around the world in many roles.
Throughout its history, the Irish Army has used a number of armoured fighting vehicles.
The TATA Kestrel, also known as the WhAP , is an armoured personnel carrier family developed by Tata Motors Limited and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It was developed to replace age-old Soviet-era BMPs and APCs in service with the Indian Army.
The centenary of the Easter Rising occurred in 2016. Many events occurred to mark the occasion. Note that Easter Day fell on 27 March in 2016 and on 23 April in 1916. The Rising began on Easter Monday, 24 April 1916.
The 1916 Centenary Commemorative Medal is a military decoration awarded by the Government of Ireland to personnel of the Irish Defence Forces who served in 2016 to honour the legacy of continued service by the military to the state since its foundation and in recognition for the role they played to commemorate 100 years since the 1916 Easter Rising.
In the aftermath of the Easter Rising of 1916, 77 women were arrested. They were detained at Richmond Barracks, Dublin before being sentenced, released or transferred to other prisons. The 77 Women quilt was created to commemorate these women during the centenary of the Rising.
Theobald Wolfe Tone FitzGerald was an Irish army officer and painter.
