The 33rd Battalion was the second Irish contingent to serve overseas following the United Nations’ request for Ireland to provide troops to the proposed peacekeeping mission. They served in the Congo between August 1960 and January 1961. The codename given to the airlift of 33rd Battalion personnel was Operation Sarsfield.
Below we can see eight members of the Niemba patrol in No.2 Platoon, A Company assigned to chalk No. 7. Chalks 5 to 10 were scheduled to move to Republic of the Congo on 18 August 1960. Of the three men not listed here, Tpr. Browne and Pte. Killeen were under HQ Company (A Company) and Pte. Farrell was with No.1 Platoon (A Company).