This is the anniversary of the 1945 cessation of war in Europe. The German Chief-of-Staff, General Jodl, signed Germany’s unconditional surrender to the western allies and Russia at 2:41am. In 1915 The mail ship Lusitania was sunk by a U boat off Ireland. Edward Mockler serving with Canadian infantry was injured at the Battle of Langemarc. He died of his wounds in Cambridge this day in 1915 and his remains were brought home to Ballinderry. In 1917 three more NI men in Canadian forces fell in France. They were John Boyd from Lisburn, William Boyd from Crumliin, and Samuel Whiteside from Gilford. A father and son from Portrush serving with the Royal Irish Rifles died in service in 1918. James Diamond died in Belgium on this day, his father Joseph had died in hospital in England in February. In 1943 Flying Officer Norman Keel from Belfast died at Moose Jaw, Canada. Donald Stewart, RN, from Derry, died in a Japanese PoW camp near Yokohama. Captured at the fall of Hong Kong, he was one of four brothers to serve, one of two to die.
Remembrance NI - Every day is a Remembrance Day 