April 28. MM for Ballymena man in Canadian forces Vimy Ridge action. Roll of Honour

In 1915 William Gilliland, a young Lieutenant from Londonderry, in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, died at Gallipoli. By December the regiment had erected a tablet in his memory in All Saints Church, Clooney. Edward McGeown from Dunmurry in the same regiment also died in 1915. Two NI men serving with Canadian forces died this day in 1917. Samuel Hall emigrated from Belfast and worked in Winnipeg. Hillsborough-born John McCarthy was a policeman with 3 years service in the RIC. He joined up at Brandon, Manitoba. Both are remembered at the Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. (Photo). Arthur Holmes from Ballymena served with Canadian Scots. He was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in dressing wounded men under shell fire. He died doing these duties a few days later on April 28. John Quinn from Comber, a Sergeant in the Royal Marines Light Infantry and RM William Smyth from Belfast are named on the Arras Memorial. This day was the most costly day for fatalities in the history of the Royal Marines. In 1943 Irish Guards Sergeant Tom Pearson, Military Medal, died in Tunisia. “Big Tom” played as goalkeeper for Hull City and Derby County before moving to Belfast to Glentoran Football Club in 1937. He played 98 games for Glentoran FC before joining the Irish Guards. Guardsman Isaac Walker from Moira also died in the same action.