WWI – Page 17 – Extramural Activity

Victoria Crosses

2011-06-262024-12-16Extramural Activity2 Comments

“Only by remembering these men, and others like them, can we ever repay their memory.” Nine Victoria Cross recipients from the 36th (Ulster) Division in World War I are honoured in this board on the Shankill at the Co-Op (which was previously across the road in Crimea Street).

The nine are (from 1917 and 1918) E[dmund] De Wind, E[rnest] Seaman, C[ecil] L[eonard] Knox, N[orman] Harvey, (from 1916) G[eoffrey] St. G[eorge] S[hillington] Cather, W[illiam] F[rederick] McFadzean, E[ric] N[orman] F[rankland] Bell, R[obert] Quigg, and J[ames] S[amuel] Emerson.

The illustrations come from Cyril Falls’s book The History Of The 36th (Ulster) Division (from Project Gutenberg).

The poem In Flanders’ Fields is by Canadian John McCrea.

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Copyright © 2011 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Lay Them Away On The Hill Side

2011-06-262024-12-16Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Lay them away on the hill side/along with the brave and the bold/Inscribe their names on the role [sic] of fame/in letters of purest gold.” The Ulster Tower at Thiepval commemorates the WWI dead of the 36th (Ulster) Division. The words, however, come from a song about James Daly, who was executed by firing squad for taking part in a 1920 mutiny of the Connacht Rangers in India in protest of the activities of the Black and Tans. Above (and below – not shown) are the insignia and names of UVF volunteers from UVF South Belfast 2nd battalion – see Lay Them Away On The Hill Side.

On the side of The Hideout, Pine Street.

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Copyright © 2011 Extramural Activity
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Their Name Liveth For Evermore

2011-06-222024-12-16Extramural Activity1 Comment

The apocryphal book of the Bible ‘Ecclesiasticus’ reads, “their bodies are buried in peace, but their name liveth for evermore” (44:14). The last clause is here applied to 910,000 “British empire casualties” from the Great War, including the Ulster Volunteers and Young Citizen Volunteers raised by “Sir Edward Carson” (here looking like Al Capone) which became the 36th (Ulster) Division and particularly the Royal Irish Rifles and fought at the Somme 1916.

Apsley Street, Donegall Pass, south Belfast.

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Copyright © 2011 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Reichskriegsflagge

2010-10-012024-12-15Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The upper flag appears to be the Imperial War ensign of Germany from 1903-1919, with a Prussian eagle holding a crown and sceptre in the centre, and an iron cross in the canton (CRW Flags).

Ardoyne, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2010 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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UVF 3rd Battalion North Belfast

2008-10-212025-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The UVF memorial garden in Mount Vernon gets a new wall, with poppy crosses on either side of the gate (see the previous wall). On the mural, the battles that the 36th (Ulster) Division took part in are listed on either side of the silhouetted soldier: Ypres, Fricourt, Cambrai, Thiepval, Messines, Beaucourt, Somme, Albert, Flanders, St Quentin, Bailleul, Courtrai. Although the mural is in Mount Vernon, the scroll at the top says “Tiger’s Bay”. The memorial stone is to the “3rd battalion, north Belfast”. A plaque would later replace the poppy cross to the left of the gate.

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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Somme 1916

2008-03-192024-12-15Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Soldiers from the 36th (Ulster) Division go over the top at the battle of the Somme on July 1st, 1916. Glenvale Park, Glynn.

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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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20th Century Northern Ireland

2005-10-092024-12-16Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is an in-progress set of images of the original “Wheatfield Project” panels on the Ballysillan Road, depicting the 20th century in loyalism. The crown on the YCV symbol and the tombstones and Ulster tower have not been finished and Carson’s statue will be added to the foreground of Stormont.

Later on, an info board would replace the first two panels, and the order after it would be Ulster Day, then Carson signing the covenant, then a new double-sized panel of Fernhill House, and then the rest as above, but with the order of the Sunningdale and UWC strike panels reversed.