WEST BELFAST VOLUNTEERS

  THE 1ST JULY 1916 

 

THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME 

I AM NOT AN ULSTERMAN HE WROTE BUT YESTERDAY THE 1ST JULY AS I FOLLOWED THEIR AMAZING ATTACK I FELT I WOULD RATHER BE AN ULSTERMAN THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD.

MY POSITION ENABLED ME TO WATCH THE COMMENCEMENT OF THEIR ATTACK FROM THE WOOD IN WHICH THEY HAD FORMED UP BUT WHICH LONG PRIOR TO THE ASSAULT WAS BEING OVERWHELMED WITH SHELL-FIRE SO THAT THE TREES WERE STRIPPED AND THE TOP HALF OF THE WOOD CEASED TO BE ANYTHING BUT A SLOPE OF BARE STUMPS WITH INNUMERABLE SHELL HOLES PEPPERED IN THE CHALK.

IT LOOKED AS IF NOTHING COULD LIVE IN THE WOOD AND INDEED THE LOSSES WERE HEAVY BEFORE THEY STARTEDTWO COMPANIES OF ONE BATTALION BEING SADLY REDUCED IN THE ASSEMBLED TRENCHES.

WHEN I SAW THE MEN EMERGE THROUGH THE SMOKE AND FORM UP AS IF IN PARADE I COULD HARDLY BELIEVE MY EYES . THEN I SAW THEM ATTACK BEGINNING AT A SLOW WALK OVER  NO MAN,S LAND AND THEN SUDDENLY LET LOOSE AS THEY CHARGED OVER THE FRONT TWO LINES OF ENEMY TRENCHES  SHOUTING NO SURRENDER BOYS .

THE ENEMY,S GUN-FIRE RAKED THEM FROM THE LEFT AND MACHINE GUNS IN A VILLAGE ENFILADED THEM ON THE RIGHT BUT BATTALION AFTER BATTALION CAME OUT OF AWFUL WOOD AS STEADILY AS I HAVE SEEN THEM AT BALLYKIINLER,CLANDEBOY OR SHANES CASTLE ...

SPENDER'S EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT OF THE BRAVE ULSTER VOLUNTEER FORCE IN ACTION AT THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME 1ST JULY 1916. 

ONE OF MANY DRAWINGS FROM ZERO HOUR 1ST JULY 1916 THE SOMME

OUT OF SOME 690 SHANKILL MEN WHO ENLISTED WITHIN THE RANKS OF THE 9TH BATTALION ROYAL IRISH RIFLES THE WEST BELFAST VOLUNTEERS .U.S.S.F. ONLY 69 WOULD RETURN TO THERE ULSTER HOME LAND

           

WEST BELFAST VOLUNTEERS

FOR KING AND EMPIRE 1914-1918

SOME GAVE ALL!

          

British Commonwealth Memorial Plaques

Mid way through the First World War it was announced that next of kin of all soldiers from within the British Commonwealth, whose deaths were attributable to the War would receive a memorial plaque and scroll.

In 1917 a competition was announced to obtain a suitable design and 800 entries were eventually received. The winner, Mr. E. Carter Preston of Liverpool England was chosen in 1918. He was awarded a prize of 250 pounds sterling currency.

A Mr. Manning Pike directed manufacture of the memorial plaques at the 'Memorial Plaque Factory' set up at Acton London England. Some later plaques were made at Woolwich Arsenal London.

Each plaque had the name of the soldier commemorated, individually embossed (although later some were engraved) as part of the design. The soldiers full name was given without any indication of rank or honours to show equality of sacrifice of all those who lost their lives.

A scroll seven inches wide by eleven inches in height was designed to accompany the plaque and was of thick paper bearing the following message -

'He whom this scroll commemorates was numbered among those who, at the call of King and Country, left all that was dear to them, endured hardness, faced danger, and finally passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice, giving up their own lives that others might live in freedom. Let those who come after see to it that his name is not forgotten.'

The plaques were enclosed in an envelope measuring five inches square, the flap of the envelope was embossed with the royal coat of arms. This in turn was enclosed in a thick cardboard container for dispatch to the next of kin, included was a small 'with compliments' slip. Over the years, many plaques have now found a place with collectors of military memorabilia.

A MORE COMMON NAME FOR THE PLAQUES WAS THE WIDOWS PENNY.  

A COLLETION OF THESE PLAQUES CAN BE SEEN AT THE FERNHILL HOUSE MUSEUM GLENCAIRN BELFAST HOME OF THE WEST BELFAST VOLUNTEERS 1912

LEST WE FORGET !