Four Ards men were killed in action together on this day in 1916. James Calvert, David McConnell, Charles Newell and John Tate were members of the Royal Irish Rifles,13(Service) Battalion. A fifth Rifleman Hugh McClure would die later on 22/10/1916 as a result of injuries. William Gorman, a chemist’s son from Bangor, died serving with Canadian Infantry in 1917. William Freeman from Cookstown, survived the Battle of the River Plate in 1939 when his gun turret was hit. He served with 14 other men from NI in HMS Exeter. A motor cycle racer on the Cookstown 100 he died serving in HMS Leonian in 1944 and is remembered in Malta. That same day John Nelson from Belfast was on board Handley Page Halifax DK192 OO-N that came down in North Yorkshire. RAF men took part in his funeral in Belfast. Photo – A beautiful sight on a winter’s night – HMS Tyne berthed in the Pool of London alongside HMS Belfast.
Remembrance NI - Every day is a Remembrance Day 