On this day in WW2 three RN men from NI were lost in the destroyer HMS Eclipse, mined in Agean Sea. Lt Col O’Neill from Shane’s Castle, serving with the North Irish Horse died in Italy. His father fell in WW1. NI men from Carrickfergus and Downpatrick returned to serve with Canadian and New Zealand regiments.
Representing their comrades who died on this day
1914
+ARMSTRONG, Robert
South Lancashire Regiment, 2nd Bn. Private. 6799. Died 24/10/1914. Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
1916
+McGRATH, Henry
Royal Scots Fusiliers, 8th Btn. Private.16466. Died 24/10/1916. Aged 22. Henry was born about 1894 in Coalisland, County Tyrone. Son of Francis and Elizabeth McGrath, of 2, King St., Port Glasgow. Karasouli Military Cemetery, Polykastro, Thessalonika, Greece. Scottish National WM, Port Glasgow WM
+PORTER, Leslie
RFC. Captain. Died 24/10/1916. Aged 34. 45th Sqdn. Husband to Kathleen Porter, of Tordeerna, Helen’s Bay, Belfast. Arras Flying Services Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
1917
ROBINSON, Hugh
Canadian Infantry, 49th Batt. Private. 782432. Died from wounds in the stomach and back at a Canadian field ambulance on 24/10/ 1917. Private Robinson, who emigrated in 1912, enlisted in May, 1916, and had been eleven months in France, was the third son of Hugh and Margaret Robinson, of Tobercorn, Ballykilbeg, Downpatrick. Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No 3, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
1939
+BIGGER, Reginald Austin
RAF. Sergeant. 580320. Died 24/10/1939. Aged 24. 77 Sqdn. Son of William Austin Bigger and Mary Clark Bigger, of Holywood, Co. Down. Runnymeade Memorial, Panel 1, Surrey.
1940
+SHARVIN, John Edward Redmond
RAF. Sergeant. 550430. Died 24/10/1940. Aged 22. 269 Sqdn. Son of Senan Sharvin, J.P., and Martha Sharvin, of Strangford. Runnymeade Memorial, Panel 19, Surrey.
1942
+ATKINSON, Harry McConnell
New Zealand Infantry, 21st Bn. Private. 14712. Died 24/10/1942. Aged 29. Son of Harry and Sarah McConnell Atkinson, of Carrickfergus; husband to Ethel May Atkinson, of Levin, Wellington, New Zealand. El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt
+BAIRD, John
Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), 5th Bn. Private. 7013288. Died 24/10/1942. Aged 23. Son of Hugh and Mary Baird, of Omagh, Co. Tyrone. El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt
1943 HMS ECLIPSE
HMS Eclipse was an E-class destroyer that saw service in the Atlantic, Arctic, and Mediterranean theatres during WW2, until sunk by a mine in the Agean Sea on 24/10/1943.
+BOWEN, Thomas J
RN. Leading Seaman. Died 24/10/1943. Age 25. HMS Eclipse. Son of late Paul G and Mrs RR Bowen, Ballymoney St., Belfast. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 10/12/1943). Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 78
+McPHERSON, Robert John
RN. Petty Officer Stoker. D/KX 85045. Date of Death: 24/10/1943. Age:32. H.M.S. Eclipse. Son of John and Sarah McPherson, of Newtownstewart. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 81
+DUNLOP, Patrick Francis
RN. AB. D/JX 363148. Died 24/10/1943. Age 27. HMS Eclipse. Son of late Mr and Mrs John Dunlop. Step-mother resident at Crumlin St., Belfast. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 17/12/1943). Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 79
1944
+O’NEILL, Shane Edward Robert
North Irish Horse. Royal Armoured Corps. Lieutenant Colonel. 36738. Died 24/10/1944. Aged 37. 3rd Baron O’Neill. Son of Capt. the Hon. Arthur Edward Bruce O’Neill, M.P., and Lady Annabel O’Neill, of South Kensington, London; husband of Lady O’Neill, of Shane’s Castle, Randalstown, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. Lord Lieutenant of Co. Antrim. His father fell in the 1914-1918 War. Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Italy
VETERANS
ARMSTRONG, Christopher
RN. Leading Stoker. Survivor HMS Recruit. On 01/05/1915 Recruit was patrolling with sister ship Brazen in the southern North Sea, 30 miles south-west of the Galloper Lightvessel off the Thames Estuary, when she was struck by a single torpedo fired by the German submarine UB-6. Recruit broke in two and sank quickly with the loss of 39 men, 4 officers and 22 crewmen were rescued. The Royal Navy search for this submarine resulted in the Battle off Noordhinder Bank, in which two German torpedo boats were sunk. Enrolled 21/07/1910 for 12 years. War service in Yarmouth, Eclipse, Acteon, King Edward VII, Dido and Apollo. Served to 14/04/1921. Born Belfast 24/10/1891. Conlon St., Belfast. ADM 188/881/7435
CALDWELL, George
RMLI. Private. 17084. Plymouth Division. Enlisted 31/08/1914. Served in HMS Ajax and HMS Caesar. Wounded. Invalided 24/10/1917. A plumber. Born Belfast 10/05/1897. Enfield Street, Belfast. Woodvale – PCI RH. ADM 159/160/17084
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