The Second World War in Northern Ireland

Lookout Post at Killough

The Lookout Post shown here is beside the old Coastguard Building at Killough.

Not the most spectacular of buildings but the design is interesting and on looking a little closer you can see that this is actually a Little Gem because a number of American Soldiers from WW2 have carved their Names and Home Cities into the Brickwork.

On the left is written "Cpl Joe Kirkpatrick, Laredo, Texas" with "Mack Luttrell, Sophia, West Virginia" on the right.

"John Malinowski, Pittsburgh, Pa" with possibly "Pvt" (Meaning Private) before his name is on the left with the next one saying "Tiny F****t" - Sadly the surname is difficult to read but he is from "Jackson City, Pa"

"Don Frederickson, Granite Falls, Minesota" - On researching this Soldier I have found reference on the Internet to his Widow having already been presented with a photograph of this brick which is commendable of all those involved.

The last photograph shows  "P F Mendosa, Amarillo, Texas" on the left side of this particular brick and what appears to be "Dorisl (?) Rochester NY, USA" to the right.

Shown above are Jack P? from Hollywood, California and what looks like Pvt. H.O. Goddard, 113 D Street, Eureka, California. (Thanks to  Aidy Hanna)

Drumbanagher House, Poyntzpass

Located at Newry Road, Poyntzpass this used to be a very large mansion and the grounds were used as billets by both American and British soldiers during WW2.

The general Officer commanding Northern Ireland, Lieutenant General H.R. Franklyn is seen abole with Lieutenant Colonel T.P.D. Scott who is the commandant of the School (Photographs from Imperial War Museum)

At Battle Wing Junior Leaders School Franklyn, Scott and Lieutenant Colonel P. Earle examine a Soldiers Pack.

Crossing a Flax Dam when under fire.

Live ammunition along with smoke being used in this exercise on 28th April 1942

This last picture shows Instruction taking place at Junior Leaders Course, 53rd Division Tactical School, Union Lodge, Poyntzpass (IWM Picture)

Dromantine House, Newry

Not far from Drumbanagher House on Drumantine Road, north of Newry is the site of Dromantine House.

Michael Flood Blaney, George Cross, Newry

This building at 56 Bridge Street, Newry is where Captain Michael Flood Blaney was born.

St Mary's Cemetery, Newry

These two Airmen were killed on 27th September 1941 when the Hudson AE577 they had flown from Canada crashed in neutral Eire.

Also buried here is Pilot Officer Air Gunner Francis Rogers who served with 218 Squadron R.A.F. Bomber Command.

Holts Building, Newry

1 / 5th Battalion the Welch Regiment were billeted at "Holts Barracks" in Newry.

This is where the soldiers were based. The Holts Building at the junction of Cecil Street and Edward Street in Newry. (Thanks very much to Swiper at WW2Talk for his help)

(Google picture)

Robert Joseph Williamson from Newry.

Training with a Universal Carrier using camouflage netting with a Peat Stack.

Use of camouflage in a Farm Yard. (IWM Photographs)

(Thanks very much to  Richard Hale for this Document.)

Starting in the centre of the three, this is the Headstone of Sidney Arthur Sharratt who was a Private Soldier serving with 1 /5th Battalion the welch Regiment who are shows at Holts Barracks, Newry immediately above. He was 24 years old when he died.

Robert Dixon was a Gunner serving with 110 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.

He was the Son of Benson and Margaret Annie Dixon of Mansergh, Westmorland.

Pilot Officer Herbert Charles Nigel Adams was serving with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and was the Son of Benjamin Samuel and Emily Jane Adams from Newry.

Troops of the 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment jump from their Universal Carrier during an Exercise near Newry on 26th April 1941. (IWM Photo)

Infantry Soldiers learning the art of Bridging. (Imperial War Museum Photographs)

Here are men of the 2nd / 5th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers using a Kapok Bridge.

This Training took place on 1st May 1942 near Newry

These pictures show Royal Engineers ferrying a Reconnaissance Car across a river by means of a raft on folding boats. (Imperial War Museum Photographs)

2 / 5 Lancastire Fusiliers training in the Newry Area on 18th February 1943 (IWM Photographs)

2 / 5 Lancashire Fusiliers crossing a sandbagged wall during Training in the Newry Area. (IWM Photographs)

A smoke screen is laid near Barbed Wire as the Soldiers approach with fixed bayonets (IWM Photographs)

2 / 5 Lancashire Fusiliers during a realistic exercise on 18th February 1943 near Newry (IWM Photographs)

The Battle Training Course covers a wide variety of conditions. Photographed on 18th February 1943 (IWM Pictures)

Bernish Road, Newry

Southwest of Newry, near Camlough Wood is Ballymacdermot Tombe.

This picture shows soldiers of the Ulster Home Guard on parade in Hill Street, Newry.(Picture from Book "Lifeline To Freedom")

Walter B. Hutto Killed in Action in Normandy.

Keys to Newry Air Raid Shelters

My photograph shows Keys of Air raid Shelters at Linen Hall Square and Needham Street in Newry (They are on display in Bagnals Castle Museum)

This Torch is on display in Bagnals Castle Museum, Newry. It was used on the M.V. Dorrien Rose, which was a Tramp Steamer, that took part in the evacuation of Soldiers from Dunkirk during Operation Dynamo beginning on 27th May 1940. when

Captain William Thompson was ordered to proceed to Dunkirk without delay and later recorded, 'and being almost dark it looked and sounded appalling. So I decided to reverse my course and to proceed until daylight presented a better opportunity of seeing what was happening ashore.'

A ship called "The Queen of the Channel" had been damaged and was singing. The soldiers who were aboard her were then ordered over the rail and told to jump across onto the fore deck of the Dorrien Rose which had come alongside. 

Four lifeboats were lowered by the stricken ship and some troops and crew boarded them and rowed to the Dorrien Rose before climbing up rope ladders to get aboard. 

The rescue attempt had taken 35 minutes during which Dorrien Rose was attacked three times by German aircraft!

Having taken on board an outstanding number of 904 men Dorrien Rose cast off from The Queen of the Channel at 0525 and headed for Dover towing the four lifeboats.

She arrived in Dover at approximately 14.30 having been attacked a further eight times by German Aircraft. 

Amazingly one of the last of the aircraft to attack her was shot down by the large number of Soldiers on board and the pilot bailed out!!

The Dorrien Rose took on water and supplies and returned Dunkirk the next day arriving in the harbour at 06.50

On the way she collided with a submerged object which delayed her arrival until the next morning on 30th May 0650 hrs. Captain Thompson took it upon himself to enter the harbour and after docking spent the next two hours collecting soldiers who were arriving in small groups. 

With 637 troops aboard and two very near misses the Dorrien Rose left the harbour. The Boatswain, Paddy McFadden recalled, 'The Channel was now a navigator's nightmare, with bouys missing, wrecks and wreckage all over the place.' He aslo said , 'Thats the first time that I've left Dunkirk without having to round up the crew out of the cafe's.'

Having landed her troops at Folkstone Dorrien Rose had to anchor outside the port and throughout the night German aircraft dropped a number of magnetic mines around her. These were disposed of by Royal Navy minesweepers later in the day.

Some of the Crew of Dorrien Rose were from the Newry and South Armagh area including, MURPHY, Bernard - Chief Engineer and O'HANLON, Terence - Mate - Both of whom were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross along with THOMPSON, William - Captain. (Information from ww2 talk)

'Down Memory Lane' by Ken Abraham (Thanks to Gavin McQuaid)

The American Red Cross operated throughout Northern Ireland and in Newry they used the Y.M.C.A. Institure in Hill Street.

Derryleckagh House, Newry

Derryleckagh lies to the East of Newry on the road to Mayobridge and was used by an Anti Tank Company and Cannon Company of 2nd Battalion, 38 Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, United States Army.

Two nissen huts remain to be seen. (PRONI)

AML Bombing Teacher Buildings, Greencastle

This complex is part of the greater Greencastle Airfield complex however these buildings are in such excellent condition it is only right to discuss them in their own right.

Situated on the Greencastle Road a short distance from Kilkeel, the complex consists of two AML (Air Ministry Laboratories) Bomb Teacher buildings, one of which is a double, as well as an ablution block and some other buildings.

To explain how the Bombing Trainer worked I have included the drawing below from an old 'Flight' magazine.

The information and illustration above are from Flight Magazine dated 3rd May 1934.

Here are the lower floor where the Pupil and Pilot were positioned as well as their Instructor. The steps to the Projection Room and an old Control Box on the upper floor.

Ballymartin Chain Home Low Radar Station

All of the three Services - Army, Navy and Air Force trained extensively throughout Northern Ireland and for the Royal Navy this included practice with their Naval Guns which were fired into the Annalong Valley.

Many shells remain within the valley as shown above. Be Aware These May Be Unexploded and DANGEROUS! (Thanks very much to Steven McCrea for these pictures)

Jim Gordon from Annalong and Convoy PQ17.

Jim Gordon was from Annalong and serving as Acting Petty Officer aboard S.S. Ocean Freedom which was the second of the thirty Ocean Class Liberty ships built and delivered in 1942 by Todd & Bath Iron S. B. Corporation, Portland, Maine, USA.

The ship was part of the ill fated Convoy PQ 17 which was the code name for an Allied Arctic convoy which on 27 June 1942  sailed from Hvalfjörður, Iceland, for  Arkhangelsk in the Soviet Union. 

The convoy was located by German forces on 1 July, after which it was shadowed continuously and attacked. 

The First Sea Lord Admiral Dudley Pound, acting on information that German surface units, including the German battleship Tirpitz, were moving to intercept, ordered the covering force built around the Allied battleships HMS Duke of York and the USS Washington away from the convoy and told the convoy to scatter however the Tirpitz raid never materialised. 

As the close escort and the covering cruiser forces withdrew westwards to intercept the German raiders, the merchant ships were left without escorts.

The merchant ships were attacked by Luftwaffe aircraft and U-boats and of the 35 ships, only eleven reached their destination, delivering 70,000 short tons (64,000 metric tons) of cargo.

During the German attacks Jimmy Gordon ran around different Gun Positions on the ship to ensure that all was well. He was then seen operating a twin barreled quick firing Colt 'Wimpy' which was on top of the wheelhouse. With a diving Heinkel attacking the ship Captain Walker, who had went up to the Wimpy position caught his foot in the lanyard of one of the P.A.C. Rockets.

P.A.C. Rockets were a defensive weapon against enemy aircraft. It was developed out of signal rockets. The rockets had a cable fitted with explosive charges. These were fired in the air with the intention of catching an aircrafts wings and propellers and detonate there. It was used as an auxiliary weapon to the well known baloons against aircraft.

The convoy disaster demonstrated the difficulty of passing adequate supplies through the Arctic, especially during the summer midnight sun.

Captain Walker got quite a shock at a Rocket launched with its trailing wire which took the port side wing off the Heinkel as the aircraft burst into flames and crashed into the sea.

A ships crew cheered and Jim Gordon shouted to the Captain 'Its my Wedding Anniversary today!' to which Captain Walker replied 'Count yourself honoured. You have had more than a 21 gun salute!'

The London Gazette dated 12th October 1943 shows Temporary Acting Petty Officer James Gordon DJ / X 193628 awarded the Distinguished Service Medal For Courage and Devotion to Duty while carrying vital supplies in a defensively equipped Merchant Ship'

The picture above right shows  Jim Gordon with his wife, Sadie, and his mother, outside Buckingham Palace after receiving his Distinguished Service Medal.

(Thanks very much to Mark Scott and Philip Gordon)

Prisoner Of War Camp at Gilford

Elmfield Estate at Plantation Road, Gilford was used as a Prisoner of War Camp during WW2.

Searchlight Battery near Banbridge

The building shown here can be seen at Corbet Road east of Banbridge. It is in reasonable condition and retains its white painted interior. It is interesting to note the sturdy roof to the entrance.

Miles Aircraft Factory, Banbridge

These pictures show the old Linen Mill at Castlewellan Road, Banbridge where the Miles Company produced their Aircraft.

This picture shows a Miles Magister involved in a Home Guard Training Exercise at Doncaster on 14th October 1940. (I.W.M. Photograph)

This is "A" Company, 4th County Down Battalion, Ulster Home Guard outside the old Baptist Church on Newry Road, Banbridge in February 1941 and on Parade through Banbridge town centre.

This picture shows the Ulster Home Guard in Banbridge availing of a Lorry for transport. The photograph was taken in 1940.

Mr. Bewley, Official War Correspondent of The Sheffield Telegraph Newspaper Visits Troops in Banbridge Area

These photographs were taken on 27th february 1941. Mr Bewley is seen speaking with Troops (Imperial War Museum Photographs)

The Unit involved was the 8th Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment in the Banbridge Area.

Here are Brownies marching past Belgian Soldiers who are standing at attention in Banbridge on Belgian Day 1944. (From Banbridge Days Gone By)

Edward Carson Hawthorne from Banbridge.

W/Sergeant Edward Carson Hawthorne served with the Royal Irish Fusiliers from 31st October 1939 until 19th January 1946.

The posed picture was taken at Ballykinler and shows Edward standing on the left with his Brother in Law, Billy Kelly standing second right.

The photograph above shows Soldiers being inspected in Banbridge by Major General Russell P. Hartle of the U.S. Forces.
(Thanks very much to Edward Cantley)

(Thanks very much to Edward Cantley)

The Gate Lodge at the entrance to Ballywillwill Camp as it looked during WW2 and how it looks now. 

(The Excellent ghost picture is thanks to Adam Surrey and Peter Graham)

I hope you can see the mountains in the picture on the left as this is a fairly good comparison photograph of there the camp stood.

I received these black and white pictures from a Mr Lonnie Honeycutt whose Grandfather, Joseph W. Acy was from St Amant, Louisiana, United States and had been stationed at Ballywillwill with the U.S. Army.

Of the pictures shown above, the top one is a view of part of the Camp with the second showing a Generator however if you look to the between the generator and truck in the background you can see the spire of Ballywillwill chapel.

Soldiers queue patiently for food in this "Chow Line". - (More photographs can be seen at  www.flickr.com/photos/meanpc/sets/72157629195954536 )

The final photograph shows American soldiers training in the Mourne Mountains with a Bazooka.

Bryansford House, which fell into disrepair and was demolished some time ago, was used as a Headquarters for the 5th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army between 15th February and 10th July 1944.

Tullymurry Railway Station

This was the old Tullymurry Railway Station where soldiers travelling to and from Belfast would board or disembark from their train with the rest of the journey to or from Ballykinlar Camp being done on the march.

Private Andrew Boyd Ledlie, Number 7017030 was serving with 56th Reconnaissance Corps, Royal Armoured Corps when he died on 9th September 1941.

His Brother, Flying Officer (Pilot) William was serving with 24 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

On 23rd October 1940 Flying Officer Ledlie was Co-Pilot of the only De Havilland Hertfordshire which was being operated by the Royal Air Force.

The aircraft took off from R.A.F. Hendon and was to travel to Belfast. On board were its crew of five along with six passengers. They were:-

Flight Lieutenant Edward Charles Norman JEFFRIES Pilot, Flying Officer William LEDLIE, Co-Pilot, Corporal Alexander Hamilton Knighton ROBERTSON,Wireless Operator
Leading Aircraftman Leslie Donald RUDLING Flight Rigger, Leading Aircraftman Wlater John WYNNE-HARLEY, Flight Mechanic.

The Passengers were:- Air Vice Marshal Charles Hubert Boulby BLOUNT CB OBE MC, Lieutenant Commander Michael Joseph TOOLE RN, Lieutenant (E) Thomas Gwyn James MATHIAS RN, Pilot Officer George GRANT, Pilot Officer Frederick Eustace STRONGE and Warrant Officer Alfred BERRY.

Air Vice Marshall Blount was Area Operations Commander of 22 Group and the purpose of the flight was to discuss Joint Training Exercises with the General Officer Commanding, Northern Ireland.

Shortly after taking off the aircraft crashed into some houses at Woodlands Way, Mill Hill, London with the loss of all on board.

Whyte Estate, Loughbrickland

It was very pleasing to see the notice shown above which has been erected on a building used by the Royal Artillery and 4th Belgian Infantry Brigade during the Second World War.

Killysuggan Graveyard, Newtownards