Today in 1916, in the final act of the First Battle of the Somme, after two days of hard fighting at the Battle of Ancre, Lt Col Freyberg of the Royal Naval Division was awarded the Victoria Cross. A Kiwi of immense bravery, he had led the Hood Battalion attack, capturing their 1st and 2nd objectives, and had been wounded twice. The RND were sailors in an infantry role. Thomas Lannigan, a Belfast Gunner, survived the retreat to Dunkirk and died defending England from Luftwaffe attacks in 1940. He was one of five brothers who served in the forces during World War Two. Frank Daly from Coleraine died in Italy in 1943 with the Inniskillings. He is remembered at Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy. Three submariners with NI links died on this date in 1940 and 1944. Charles Morrison from Bangor and Joseph O’Neill from Lurgan were lost in HM Swordfish in 1940, and Jack Acton from Belfast in HMS Thule in 1944. First World War veteran Samuel McCausland served in the RNAS Armoured Car Brigade in Russia. William McCalla, an RN reservist, was a frequent competitor in Ulster T.T. Races pre-war. Photo – Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Mark VB of 243 Squadron. Oil on plywood by Barrie Allan Frank Clark (1970s). Fleet Air Arm Museum.
Remembrance NI - Every day is a Remembrance Day 