In 1917 Sub-Lieutenant Ian McCormick fell serving with the Royal Naval Division at Beaumont Hamel on the Somme. The twenty-one-year-old was the son of the Belfast City sollicitor. He is remembered on war memorials at Strandtown and St Columba’s Parish Church, Knock. The Royal Naval Division was comprised of sailors in infantry role. The RND fought in all the major theatres in Europe. To the chagrin of some of the army brass, the RND maintained naval traditions in the trenches…including beards. John Wilson from Lurgan is remembered on the Menin Gate and John Donnelly from Blackwatertown fell at the Somme. Both served in the Royal Irish Fusiliers. An 18 year old WW2 RUR commando fell in the Netherlands. On this day in 1943, Patrick Ward died in Tunisia with the Royal Ulster Rifles, and in 1944, James Pickavance of the Royal Ulster Rifles and No. 6 Commando died at Limburg in the Netherlands. This day in 1965, Sir Winston Churchill died. He was the First Lord of the Admiralty in two world wars and arguably the greatest British Prime Minister ever. He said. ‘A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.’ Photo – HMS Gladiolus Flower-class corvette of WW2. Launched in Middlesbrough the first of 294 Flower Class Corvettes built for ASW & Convoy duties with the Royal Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, the US Navy, the RNZ Navy and several others. All but one of the ships are gone but thankfully HMCS Sackville is preserved in Halifax, Canada.
Remembrance NI - Every day is a Remembrance Day 