This day in 1915, William Cosgrove, an Irishman, won the VC as the Allies land at Gallipoli (Painting) and two men – Kewill and McCann – from Londonderry died. The same day two from Dungannon died near Ypres, James Arthurs was serving with Canadian infantry and Patrick Donnelly with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Both are named on the Menin Gate and Dungannon War Memorial. Also interred in White House Cemetery, St. Jean-les-Ypres, Belgium is Newmills, Dungannon soldier Private Robert Morrow of the 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers which he joined in 1911, and was awarded the prestigious Victoria Cross “for most conspicuous bravery near Messines Ridge on the 12th April 1915”. He repeatedly went into trenches where men had been buried in the debris and brought the men to safety all the while being under constant heavy enemy fire with total disregard for his own welfare. Robert survived his brave act for 14 more days until 25th April when he was wounded at St. Julien and succumbed the following day the 26/04/1915. Robert’s name is inscribed on the Dungannon War Memorial and on a special memorial tablet to him in Carland Presbyterian Church, Co. Tyrone. In 1941 Hugh Gamble, Edward Moore and William Graham, Gunners from Bangor and Newtownards, died in Greece and are named on the Athens Memorial. A fourth Gunner Thomas Porter from Londonderry also died that same day at El Alamein. In 1943 Flight Sergeant (Pilot) John Tait from Holywood was lost on a night raid, bound for Duisburg just north of Dusseldorf. The aircraft was hit by flak on its outbound leg, and crashed near Doetinchem in Holland. Veteran Anna Schofield from Ballinderry was one of the first Australian Army nurses to serve in the Middle East during World War II.
Remembrance NI - Every day is a Remembrance Day 