Loughries Men Remembered - Newtownards District LOL No. 4

Transcription

LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
Through our long-established partnership with Castle Gardens
Primary School, Newtownards, this Great War artwork was produced
as part of the history project in July 2015.
THE GREAT WAR AND ITS LEGACY
CHAPTER THREE
Loughries Men
Remembered
At the commencement of the Great War,
Loughries True Blues LOL 1948 had 18 registered
members. 13 were to serve King and Country.
Five were killed in action, eight were to return home,
six of whom were wounded. Here are their stories.
Loughries memorial bannerette,
unveiled at the Somme Museum, Conlig, Newtownards, April 2016.
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Loughries A5 Text Page AW v7.indd 22-23
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
Alexander Cairnduff (Carnduff)
6th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers
Rifleman (12652)
Images: Lodge roll book,
War records and cuttings from
the Newtownards Chronicle.
Alexander Carnduff was born around 1894/5 and lived at 40 George’s Street
Newtownards, the eldest child of Joseph and Mary, who had five more children:
William, Grace, Samuel, Mary and Malcolm.
Alexander married Mary (Minnie) Mawhinney on 8 August 1903 in First
Presbyterian Church in Newtownards and his occupation was a quarry labourer.
Their home was 22 George’s Street Newtownards and they had 4 children: Joseph,
Sarah, Alexander and Grace.
Alexander joined Loughries True Blues LOL 1948 in June 1911. It is unknown
when Alexander enlisted, however he is recorded as serving with the 6th Battalion
Royal Irish Fusiliers. On 1 August 1915 he was posted to the Balkans (Gallipoli)
serving with the 10th (Irish) Regiment. The 6th (Service) Battalion was formed at
Armagh in August 1914 under the command of the 31st Brigade in 10th (Irish)
Division. On 2 November 1916 it was absorbed into the 5th Battalion.
Alexander was wounded on two occasions and later discharged on 3rd July 1919
(Class Z Reserve).
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
David John Keilty
Images: War records and gravestone in Dundonald Cemetery
(image supplied by Nigel Henderson).
2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles
Rifleman (2/10117) – Died of Wounds
David John Keilty was born on 16 March 1894 in East Street Newtownards, the
only child of David John Keilty (snr) and Maggie Keilty – nee Speers. His parents
had married in Greenwell Street Presbyterian Church, Newtownards. Maggie
Kielty died and his father later remarried Mary Ann Brown, on 1 May 1908 in
Donaghadee. This marriage produced a daughter, Roberta, born in 1910. The
family lived at 53 and later 49 East Street Newtownards.
David John Keilty (jnr) joined Loughries True Blues LOL 1948 in 1914. His father
was Worshipful Master of the Lodge in 1914, having joined in January 1903.
David John Keilty (jnr), who worked as a labourer, married Agnes Browne on
25 November 1915 at St. Aiden’s Church of Ireland, Belfast. He enlisted in
Newtownards with the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.
Rifleman David John Keilty died of his wounds – gunshot wound of head,
secondary haemorrhage and heart failure - in the Military Hospital at Victoria
Barracks in Belfast on 16 September 1916, aged 22. He is buried in Dundonald
Cemetery (plot F6.427).
David John Keilty is commemorated on Newtownards and District War
Memorial, in the Presbyterian Church of Ireland Roll of Honour for Greenwell
Street Presbyterian Church and the Belfast Book of Honour.
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
David Reid
4th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles
Rifleman (4/7080)
Images: War records and cuttings
from the Newtownards Chronicle.
David Reid was born on 10 May 1896 in Portaferry, he was the second son born
to Arthur (a gamekeeper) and Lizzie. His siblings were William, Isabella, Hugh,
John and Barbara.
He enlisted with the 4th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles and then transferred into
6th (Service) Battalion – formed at Dublin in August 1914 under the command
of 29th Brigade in 10th (Irish) Division, who moved to the Curragh in February
1915 until May 1915.
David was posted to the Balkans (Salonika) on 20 September 1915 with the 10th
(Irish) Division. He was wounded and later discharged (Silver War Badge No.
350206) on 12 March 1918.
A report of David’s wounding appeared in the Newtownards Chronicle on
4 November 1916, under the headline ‘Newtownards Casualties’. David was
awarded the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
David Reid joined Loughries Orange Lodge during 1918 – he went on to serve
as Lodge Secretary. He was thought to have been residing in William Street,
Newtownards.
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
James Armour
Rifleman No. 7/1449
Images: Lodge roll book, Ulster Covenant
signature, War records and cuttings from
James Armour was born on 25 November 1878 in the townland of Ballyrea,
Newtownards, the eldest son of Hugh and Mary Armour. On 7 May 1904 he
married Eliza Jane Cromie at Ballyblack Presbyterian Church. They initially lived
in townland of Cunningburn and subsequently moved to 120 Greenwell Street,
Newtownards. They had 3 children and James worked as a general labourer.
James joined Loughries True Blues LOL 1948 in July 1896. There were two
other Armours mentioned in the roll book, George and John, who were probably
relations of James.
James signed Ulster’s Solemn League Covenant at the Town Hall, Newtownards,
and his wife, Jane, signed the Ulster’s Women’s Declaration on Ulster Day
Saturday 28 September 1912.
He enlisted in the Army on 12 November 1914, with the 7th Battalion Royal
Irish Rifles. The 7th (Service) Battalion, The Royal Irish Rifles was raised at
Belfast in September 1914 as part of Kitchener’s Second New Army and joined
48th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division.
James Armour’s medal record reveals that he was sent to France on 21 December
1915 and discharged on 2 May 1918. His name is recorded on the Roll entitling
him to the War Badge No. 407404 (wounded serviceman).
On 17 March 1917 it was reported in the Newtownards Chronicle that Rifleman
James Armour had been dangerously wounded on 7 March 1917 and was at
present in No. 2 Casualty Clearing Station in France.
James Armour is recorded on the Roll of Honour at Greenwell Street Presbyterian
Church, Newtownards.
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
James Shields
Images: Ulster Covenant
signature and War records.
Rifleman (4/6495)
James Shields was born in Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim around 1875. He joined
the British Army in Belfast in January 1894, aged 19, having served for a short
time in the Antrim Artillery. He was 5ft 7 ¼ tall, weighed 151 lbs, with brown
hair and brown eyes, and his religious denomination was stated as Church
of England.
His army papers reveal that he signed up for ‘7 years with the colours and 5
years in the Reserves, or, if a man completes his 7 years’ service while beyond the
seas, then for 8 years with the colours and 4 years in the Reserve’. James served
at home for 1 year before being posted to the East Indies from 1895 to 1899.
From mid-1899 until 1902 he served in South Africa during the Boer War. He
transferred into the Army Reserve in November 1902. He was awarded the
Queen’s South Africa Medal and King’s South Africa Medal.
Whilst waiting to officially transfer from regular army to the reserves he met
and married Jane Gourley in 4th Newtownards Presbyterian Church on 17
October 1902. They had a son, James Shields Jnr, born 19 October 1903. They
lived initially at 6, Church Terrace, subsequently moving to 71 Movilla Street
Newtownards.
James Shields signed the Ulster Covenant at the Town Hall, Newtownards, and
his wife Jane signed the women’s declaration on Ulster Day 1912.
James signed up for the Army Reserves on 8 March 1912 at the age of 37 and 1
month, and was accepted into the 4th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. He remained
on standby for 5 years. It was stated that he was of very good character.
On 8 August 1917, aged 44, he enlisted
again and in May 1918 was sent to France
with the Royal Irish Regiment. He was
transferred to the Labour Corps finally
being discharged on 22 February 1919.
He received the Victory Medal and
British War Medal.
He was the Deputy Master of Loughries
True Blues LOL 1948 in 1926.
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
James Smyth
Rifleman (18/690) – Killed In Action 9 August 1916
Images: James Smyth’s grave in Belgium, family grave at Killinchy Non-Subcribing
Presbyterian Church (image courtesy of Nigel Henderson), War Memorial in
First Newtownards Presbyterian Church, Lodge roll book, War records and cutting
James Smyth was born at Killinchy, Co. Down in 1892, the son of Mary Smyth.
Little is known of James other than records suggest that he lived in the Scrabo
area of Newtownards with his mother.
He joined Loughries Trues Blues LOL 1948 in 1912, becoming Deputy Master
in 1916.
Rifleman James Smyth enlisted with the 18th (Reserve) Battalion Royal Irish
Rifles in November 1915. It had been formed in Holywood, Co. Down, in April
1915 as a Reserve Battalion.
He was posted to France on or after 1 July 1916, with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish
Rifles of the 36th (Ulster) Division. He was killed in action on 9 August 1916 by shell
fire whilst holding the line in the Messines area and is buried in the Ration Farm
(La Plus Douve) Annexe, Belgium, grave III A 7.
He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal posthumously.
James Smyth (Smith) is commemorated on the First Newtownards
Presbyterian Church Roll of Sacrifice and on the family headstone in Killinchy
Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church graveyard.
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
Robert James McGreechan
Images: Ulster Covenant signature,
War records, cuttings from the
Newtownards Chronicle. Photograph of
R.J. McGreechan with his mother Mary
(courtesy of Margaret Graham).
Lance-Corporal 4/7605
Killed In Action 7 July 1916
Robert James McGreechan was born on 16 November 1885 at Newtownards,
the second eldest of nine children born to father Robert James (snr), a labourer,
and Mary McGreechan, nee Johnston. The 1901 census reveals the family lived
at Church Street, Newtownards. In 1911 census the family were living at 19 Ford
Street Newtownards. There were a number of different spellings of the surname
– Magrehan, Magreehan and McGreehan.
Robert James McGreechan (jnr) joined Loughries True
Blues LOL 1948 in October 1903 and according the roll
register, he was a regular attender, although he did not
take lodge office. He worked as a labourer in Dickson’s
Nurseries Newtownards and he married Miss Catherine
Mawhinney in First Newtownards Presbyterian Church
on 11 October 1915. He signed the Ulster Covenant on
Ulster Day Saturday 28th September 1912 at the Town
Hall, Newtownards.
Robert enlisted in 1915 at Newtownards with the
4th Battalion RIR - (Extra Reserve) which moved on
mobilisation to Holywood, with detachments going
on coast defences, then moved to Carrickfergus in
April 1915. He was posted to France with the 25th Division and reached
the rank of Lance-Corporal.
Robert wrote home regularly, sadly in his last letter that he sent home he asked
how his mother’s headaches were, sending two rows of kisses for ‘wee Minnie
and wee Ellen’ – he further wrote that he had sore blisters on his feet and went
on to say ‘I hope by God’s help pulling me through that I will be spared to see
the old town again’. By the time the letter had arrived back home Robert James
McGreechan was dead.
Robert James was killed in action on 7 July 1916, aged 30 and is commemorated
on the Thiepval Memorial France (Pier 15a Face 15B). He is also commemorated
on Newtownards and District War Memorial.
Robert James McGreechan’s descendant Bobby Magreechan is a present member
of Loughries True Blues LOL 1948.
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
Robert Lowry
Lance-Corporal 18,111
Killed In Action 1 July 1916
Images: Lodge roll book, War records,
cuttings from the Newtownards Chronicle.
Robert Lowry was born on 28 October 1894 in the townland of Ballyalton,
Killinchy. The family moved to the townland of Ballywatticock, Newtownards.
Robert was the eldest of 11 children who were born to father Robert, a farm
labourer, and mother Mary Elizabeth, nee McDowell, who were married on
1 December 1893 in Killinchy Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church.
Before the outbreak of the war, Robert Lowry worked as an agricultural labourer.
He was a member of the Guild and Bible Class at Ballyblack Presbyterian Church,
where he was also a member of the church library. Robert joined Loughries True
Blues LOL 1948 in January 1912. His father, Robert Lowry snr, and his brother
William Lowry, who became lodge Treasurer in 1914, were also members of the
lodge. Robert became lodge Secretary in 1914.
The Ulster Covenant was signed by Robert at Newtownards Town Hall on
Ulster Day 28 September 1912. Robert was a member of the A Company of
the 2nd Battalion of the North Down Regiment of the Ulster Volunteer Force.
A character report stated that his ‘cheerful spirit and unselfish nature made him
friends – he was kind hearted, intelligent and manly’.
Robert enlisted in September 1914 at Newtownards, becoming a member of
‘B Company’ the 13th (County Down) Battalion the Royal Irish Rifles. He was
one of a contingent of 120 men who enlisted together and duly passed their
medical examination. He served in the 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster
Division) and was posted to France, serving as a Lance-Corporal.
The evening before the battle of the Somme Robert wrote a letter to his parents
expressing his concern for those back home. Robert Lowry was posted missing in
action after the first day of the Battle of the Somme. His family waited desperately
to hear news, however in February 1917 their worst fears were realised. The
family received official news that Robert ‘missing since 1 July, now reported killed
in action, place unknown’.
He was killed in action on 1 July 1916, aged 21 and is commemorated on the
Thiepval Memorial France (Pier 15a Face 15B).
Robert Lowry is commemorated on Newtownards & District War Memorial and
the Roll of Honour of Greenwell Street Presbyterian Church, Newtownards.
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
Samuel Hutchinson
11th Battalion (South Antrim Volunteers)
Royal Irish Rifles
Rifleman (18/946)
Images: War records, cutting
Photograph of Samuel Hutchinson
(courtesy of the Harper family).
Samuel Hutchinson was born on 18 December 1893 at Newtownards. His father
James worked as a labourer; his mother was Mary Ann Hutchinson née Paden.
Samuel also worked as a labourer and married Elizabeth McCann on 17
November 1912 at St. Mark’s Parish Church, Newtownards. They lived at a
series of address including 126 Mill Street and 3 Circular Road, Newtownards.
Samuel joined Loughries True Blues LOL 1948 in early 1911. His father James,
who was lodge treasurer in 1912, and his brother John, had previously joined the
Lodge in May 1909.
Samuel enlisted on 15 November 1915 in Belfast with the 18th Battalion, Royal
Irish Rifles, which was formed at Holywood in April 1915 as a Reserve Battalion,
from depot companies of 11th and 12th Battalions.
His wife died tragically on 18 July 1916, aged 28 of pneumonia, in Newtownards.
He later remarried and lived at 11 Zion Place, Newtownards.
During the Battle of Langemarck in August 1917 (3rd Battle of Ypres) in
Belgium, Samuel was wounded in action, receiving gunshot wounds to his neck.
He returned home for a period and was later discharged onto class Z Reserve.
It was noted that his regimental
conduct sheet had 1 minor
transgression in October 1917
in that he remained out of army
barracks after 12 midnight and
was subsequently punished by
the loss of 3 day’s pay.
Today, Samuel Hutchinson’s
descendants Anthony, Stuart
and Christopher Harper,
are present members of
Loughries True Blues
LOL 1948.
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
William Lowry
1/9th (The Dunbartonshire) Battalion
Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders
Private 2017
Images: War records and
Ulster Covenant signature.
Photograph of William Lowry
(courtesy of Mark Anderson).
William Lowry was born on 19 June 1896 in the townland of Ballyalton, Killinchy,
Co. Down. He was one of eleven children born to Robert, a farm labourer, and
mother, Mary Elizabeth McDowell.
William Lowry joined Loughries True Blues LOL 1948 in July 1909, serving
as treasurer in 1914, and later, as Deputy Master of the Lodge. His younger
brother Robert was also a member of the Lodge. William Lowry signed the
Ulster Covenant at Newtownards Town Hall on Ulster Day 28 September 1912.
William enlisted on 27 October 1913, and was posted to France on 19 February
1915, with the 27th Division. William was wounded and was on home furlough
when news came through to the Lowry family that Robert Lowry, William’s
younger brother, was declared as being killed in action on 1 July 1916.
William was later discharged due to injuries sustained in battle on 13 August
1917 – subsequently the Silver War Badge was issued (224022). William was
awarded the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Soon after his discharge from the army, William married Maggie Jane Boyd
at St. Mark’s Parish Church on 2 January 1918, giving his profession as a
discharged soldier.
William is commemorated on Greenwell Street Presbyterian Church Roll of
Honour, where he is listed as living at Wallace’s Street No. 1 (Front Deed).
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
William Robert Strain
Images: Lodge roll book and War records.
2nd Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers
Rifleman (17357)
William Strain was born in the townland of Herdstown, Donaghadee on
7 January 1889. His father Joseph was a farmer and his mother Jemima was a
farmer and seamstress. His parents had a total of seven children and lived at 33,
then 21 Herdstown, Ballycross, Donaghadee.
He joined Loughries True Blues LOL 1948 in July 1909.
William joined the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers, which had been formed in
August 1914 from 82nd Brigade in 27th Division. He was posted to France on
23 March 1915 and later discharged on 10 July 1919. There is no indication that
William was injured during service.
William was awarded the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Loughries Lodge records show William R. Strain joining the Lodge in July 1908, and
another William R. Strain joining the Lodge in July 1909. There is no minute book
for this period, only a roll book, and therefore it can only be assumed that there were
two William R. Strains in the Lodge. Both were born on the outskirts of Donaghadee
therefore we may assume that they were cousins. District Lodge records show that
William R. Strain served as Deputy Master of Loughries Lodge in 1926.
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
William Robert ‘Cully’ Bell
Royal Irish Rifles
Private 3/12487
Killed In Action 14 December 1914
William Robert Bell, known as Cully, was born in Newtownards on 28 July 1875.
He had one brother, James, and his mother was Mary Bell.
Images: William Robert Bell’s grave in
France. War records and clippings from
During the research for this booklet it
was established that William Robert
‘Cully’ Bell’s name was recorded
incorrectly on the Roll of Sacrifice in
Newtownards Orange Hall.
He joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 5 November 1892
and served overseas for eight years. He was invalided home
and discharged from the army on 22 December 1901. William
Bell’s army record was immaculate and he was a first class
marksman. During his service he earned the Indian Frontier
medal with 2 clasps in 1895.
Following his discharge from the army he returned home to
Newtownards and lived for a short time at Little Francis Street,
Newtownards with his grandmother Martha O’Brien.
William joined Loughries True Blues LOL 1948 in April 1908. His brother James
was also a member of the Lodge, having joined earlier in 1907. In September
1914, William re-enlisted into the army at Newtownards with the 3rd (Reserve)
Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles. He was posted to France on 8 November 1914 with
the 8th Division.
William Robert Bell was killed by a German sniper on 14 December 1914. The
Newtownards Chronicle reported his death in February 1915 where he was described
as a ‘staunch member of LOL 1948 Newtownards, and his brethren regret the
loss of a loyal member of the Institution’.
His name is on
Panel 42 and 43 at
Le Touret Memorial
France (North East)
Le Touret Military
Cemetery Memorial,
Richebourg-l’Avoue,
France.
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
Images: Ulster Covenant signature, War records
and clippings from the Newtownards Chronicle.
William Robert Strain
Rifleman (3/6769)
William Robert Strain was born in Donaghadee on 12 May 1882. His father was
William Strain, and his mother Agnes Strain née Fowles.
William, who worked as a labourer, married Annie Gilliland on 13 January
1909 in 2nd Newtownards Presbyterian Church and settled in South Street,
Newtownards.
William and Annie signed the Ulster Covenant and Ulster Declaration on Ulster
Day 28 September 1912, at the Town Hall, Newtownards.
Rifleman William R. Strain enlisted with the
3rd (Reserve) Division Royal Ulster Rifles and
was later posted to France on 30 April 1915.
William was wounded and invalided home
and, having recovered, he re-joined his
Battalion in France. Later it was reported
in the Newtownards Chronicle that William
was reported missing since 21 March 1918.
A communication had been sent to his wife
Annie Strain of 45, South Street confirming
that her husband William was a prisoner of
war in Germany.
William Strain was awarded the Victory
Medal, British War Medal and the 1914–
15 Star (campaign medal).
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
A selection of poems taken
from the pages of the Newtownards
Chronicle during the Great War.
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
Orange activities during the war
During the war, Orange activities struggled with many members of the lodges
away fighting at the front.
The County Down Grand Orange Lodge meeting which was held in Saintfield
Orange Hall on 13 May 1915, passed the following resolution: ‘It was
unanimously decided that owing to the war and the death of a large number of
officers belonging to the Orange Order it would be unseemly to hold the usual
demonstrations on 12 July, and that the anniversary be marked only by religious
observance on Sunday 11 July’.
In Newtownards a united Orange and Protestant service was held, which was
addressed by Rev William Wright DD, the minister of First Presbyterian Church,
who said that ‘great numbers of the Orange body were on the battlefield or in
preparation for it’.
On 12 July 1916 instead of the usual parades a five minute’s silence was held all
across Ulster at noon to remember those who had fallen at the Somme.
At the 1917 annual service of Newtownards District, which was held in Regent
Street Methodist Church, the Rev John Linahan of Bangor, recalled the events of
1 July 1916. ‘At the battle of the Somme, their own young men of Ulster, mindful
of their father’s deeds of long ago at Derry and the Boyne, had valiantly fought
for the Empire and for the cause of freedom and justice … many of those who
had fallen were members of the Orange Institution’.
Twelfth of July parades resumed in 1917 and Lord Dunleath said that ‘we have
assembled once more this afternoon to celebrate the old victory of the Boyne …
we desire to commemorate at the same time the glorious heroism displayed by
our Ulster Division on the 1st July 1916’.
One of the resolutions at the field stated: ‘We associate with pride, in the midst
of our sorrow, the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne, with that of the Battle
of Thiepval and the glorious heroism there shown by the Ulster Division on 1
July 1916’. Bro C. W. Dunbar-Buller spoke on the resolution: ‘one thing missed
was the younger members in the procession, many are at the war fighting bravely.
Some have passed away but I am sure that those who returned to us when the war
is over will come back keener Orangemen than ever’.
Newtownards District Master, T. R. Lavery, seconded the resolution, in his
speech he said: ‘Was there to be no atonement for the slaughter at Thiepval,
where it is reported 7,000 of our Ulster heroes, many of them Orangemen, some
wearing Orange sashes, died for faith and fatherland, with the grim battle-cry on
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‘Over the Top’, depicting the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles,
painted by Brian Jamison of Ballywatticock.
their lips of ‘No Surrender’ … The
first of July, already an honoured
anniversary with Orangemen, will
for the future assume, new glory,
henceforth Ulster would celebrate
with joy mingled with tears, the
glorious deeds of valour of that
heroic band of her sons who, amid
the hail of death, advanced, wave
after wave, driving before them the
power of the German army’.
In 1917 the Newtownards District
Master, Thomas R. Lavery,
requested that each lodge would
submit names of members serving
or killed during the Great War
for a planned roll of honour for
the District. He confirmed that
he would bear the cost of having
memorials made.
The Roll of Honour in the Memorial
Room of Newtownards Orange Hall.
It contains a number of inaccuracies.
Thanks to the research carried out for
this project, the actual Loughries names
have now been confirmed.
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LOUGHRIES LOL 1948
At the Newtownards Orange District service held at First Presbyterian Church
on 7 July 1918, Bro Rev Dr Wright said: ‘The Orange Order had contributed
more men to the army, according to population, than any church or organisation
or body of men, perhaps in the United Kingdom – men who went voluntarily,
able and willing to fight’.
The Orange Arch in North Street, Newtownards, was draped in purple fringed
with black, had the inscription on one side ‘In Memory of our Ulster Heroes’ and
on the other ‘No Surrender was their cry’.
The Ulster Tower
The Ulster Tower is a memorial to the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division. It is
located very near to the famous Schwaben Redoubt which the Division attacked
on 1 July 1916. The front lines were at the edge of Thiepval Wood which lies
to the south-west of the road between the Thiepval memorial and the Ulster
Tower. The casualties suffered by the 36th Division on 1 July were over 5,000
in total, almost half of their strength. The tower is a copy of Helen’s Tower at
Clandeboye in County Down, where men of the 36th Division trained.
The 1919 District service was held on 6 July at St Mark’s Parish Church. Bro
Rev L V Uprichard said: ‘It would be unforgiveable if at this service we forget
to honour the memory of those gallant lads of the Ulster Division … in the
years to come the heroes of the Ulster Division will be linked with those men
who also fought for liberty under William of Orange’. At the Twelfth of July
demonstration, held in Holywood, Lord Londonderry commented on the new
banners saying that he was pleased to see them remembering the Somme.
Ex-servicemen
became
very
frustrated when
the
Council
could not agree
to spend money
on a District War
Memorial and in
the mid 1920’s
a group of local
ex-servicemen
built a ‘Snow
War
Memorial’
in protest at the
Council’s inaction.
Snow Memorial, Court Square, Newtownards, 1924.
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Orange Memorial, France.
Ulster Tower, France.
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Loughries Men Remembered - Newtownards District LOL No. 4

Transcription

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