
The Newfoundland Escort Force Bell honours the sacrifices made protecting merchant convoys during World War II. Three bells were commissioned by Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy veteran associations. The bells are housed in Derry, Halifax, Nova Scotia and St John’s, Newfoundland. In 1944 William Brodie of LIsburn died over Berlin, targeting German industry. Andrew McConnell of Ballymoney also died in the same raid which caused the death of around 1,000 civilians and destroyed many objectives such as Joseph Goebbels’ Propaganda Ministry. Thirty-five Bomber Command planes failed to return. One of our veterans today is James Majury of Doagh and Belfast who served in WW1 with the North Irish Horse. He was gassed and sustained a shrapnel wound to his left eye. On 30/01/1919 he was discharged, being no longer physically fit for war service. Thomas returned to Belfast and lived until his nineties.