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Even the longest day has its end.
| Irish Militia List 1800'sRoyal South Down (Light Infantry) MilitiaThe 5th Battalion of The Royal Irish Rifles was formerly the Royal South Down (Light Infantry) Militia. ROYAL SOUTH DOWN (Light Infantry) [No. 112] Head Quarters, Hillsborough. LlEUT. COLONEL COMMANDANT. William Brownlow Forde, late e/67F.JP.&DL 14 NOT. 54 MAJORS. Charles Arthur Forde 3 Nov. 64 Thuraas Waring 16 Sept. 68 CAPTAINS. John White 10 Oct. 67 Andrew Vesey Davoren 13 Apr. 58 Charles Hawker 21 June 65 Alfred Hill, late Capt. 68 F. 22 June 65 Gen. Fox Grant, late Capt.62 F. 5 May 68 F.C. Visc. Newry 7 Dec. 68 LIEUTENANTS Rich. Ravenscroft Nelson 10 Mar. 58 Geo. B. Hamilton 21 Oct. 64 Deane Conway Taylor 22 Nov. 62 Ad¡. Capt.—James Balcombe- late of 67 F4 Feb. 60 Otr Mstr.—John Macgroarty 12 Mar. 58 Surgeon.—George Croker 9 Jan. 55 Asst.Surgeon.—J. Rutherford Kirkpatrick. MB 14 Oct. 57 Blue Facings. | LINKS: From Raymond Kelly's site: Banbridge, WW1 Volunteers Dromore District War Memorial Grave Location for Holders of the Victoria Cross in Co. Down Eddies News Extracts Details of almost 25,000 members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland who fought in WWI. The Irish in Uniform Patrick Quinn Former POW, Speaks on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the End of the Korean War Banbridge War Memorial Names of the Fallen 1914-1918 from Raymond Kelly's site Military History Grave Location for Holders of the Victoria Cross in Co. Down The Royal Irish Rangers http://www.royalirishrangers.co.uk/uniform.htmlGenuki UK has a very good list of resources on their Military pages: http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/MilitaryRecords.html http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/MilitaryHistory.html |
| The Americans in Ulster during World War Two. | A few minutes before 8am on Sunday 7th December 1941, Japanese aeroplanes struck America’s biggest naval base, Pearl Harbour. President Roosevelt called it an " act of infamy " and declared war on Japan. The USA were now involved in the war. America’s involvement was to have a dramatic effect on the outcome of the war, but it was also to have a serious effect on the lives of thousands of people in County Down. On the 30th of July 1942, Kilkeel RAF station, as it was then known, was officially opened, five months after construction had begun. Over the next year the aerodrome proved invaluable as a stop over facility for aircraft on their way to and from Britain. It was also used as an emergency runway. Another important role played by Greencastle was that of a training school for air-crews, newly arrived from the US.
http://www.ulster.ac.uk/thisisland/modules/ww2/experiences.html
| PHOTO GALLERY OF GREENCASTLE AIRFIELD | http://worldwar2airfields.fotopic.net/p32701867.html
| THOMPSON, JOSEPH H. | Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Army, 110th Infantry, 28th Division. Place and date: Near Apremont, France, 1 October 1918. Entered service at: Beaver Falls, Pa. Born: 26 September 1871, Kilkeel, County Down, Ireland. G.O. No.: 21, W.D., 1925. Citation: Counterattacked by 2 regiments of the enemy, Maj. Thompson encouraged his battalion in the front line of constantly braving the hazardous fire of machineguns and artillery. His courage was mainly responsible for the heavy repulse of the enemy. Later in the action, when the advance of his assaulting companies was held up by fire from a hostile machinegun nest and all but 1 of the 6 assaulting tanks were disabled, Maj. Thompson, with great gallantry and coolness, rushed forward on foot 3 separate times in advance of the assaulting line, under heavy machinegun and antitank-gun fire, and led the 1 remaining tank to within a few yards of the enemy machinegun nest, which succeeded in reducing it, thereby making it possible for the infantry to advance.
| Members of the armed forces killed on duty since World War Two | Searches of the Roll of Honor which provides information up to 31 December 2006, can be performed at: http://www.forcesmemorial.org.uk/roll-of-honour.asp http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUKL1264245020071012
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| The head of a County Down firm which constructed a new memorial to the armed forces in Staffordshire has spoken of his pride at its completion. McConnell and Sons of Kilkeel built a £6m stone circle and engraved on it the names of 16,000 service personnel. It honors thousands killed in combat and training since World War II, as well as those killed in the Troubles.
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