The idea, originated and being carried out by Mr. Alex Hueston of having the names of all the soldiers and war-workers from the village and district of Castledawson permanently pre­served for posterity in a realistic manner, was carried a step further during the past month, when an additional forty or more soldiers’ photos were made into lantern slides. These, together with those slides already made, were exhibited to a crowded audience in the Presby­terian old school, on Friday evening, a brief account of the family connections and war record of each being supplied by Rev. Robert Caldwell, B.A., Presbyterian minister.

Rev. Robert Kirkpatrick, B.A, rector, occupied the chair.        

The following variety programme was first gone through and was much appreciated;- Chorus; “The Maple Leaf,” The Choir recitation, “Dolly’s Mamma,” Jeanie Mawhinney; dialogue, “The Rival Orators,” Willie and Leslie Graham; recitation, “Please,” Kathleen Davison| duet, “Lead Me,” Rev. Robert and Mrs. Caldwell; recitation, “A Boy’s Troubles,” Tommy Tipping; chorus, “Red, White and Blue,” The Choir; recitation, “The Glove and the Lions,” Andrew Tipping; sketch, “The New Schoolmaster,” Jim Davison, Bob Meaning and Hector, Wilkinson; chorus, “The Sailor’s Prayer,” ; The Choir; recitation, “Grandpapa’s Spectacles,”  Anna Bradley.

An interesting account of his experiences as a Y.M.C.A. worker during five months’ with the troops in France, was given by Rev. W, T. Brownlee, Methodist minister; and his graphic word picture of the life and incidents of the war area, punctuating the ghastliness and horror of killing, was listened to with rapt attention. One of the greatest inspirations,”he con­cluded, “that it was possible for a Christian minister to experience, was to be out there assisting, to make life easier for our brave heroes, to whom the most sacred words in the language were “Home” and “Mother.” In a brief refe­rence to the Temperance question, he said that there was no drunkenness among our soldier Boys, who were sober, moral and cheerful defenders of the world’s civilization. (Applause.)                         

The following photos of soldiers and War-workers were then, exhibited: Staff-Sergeant-Major Willie J. Hueston, Sergeant Clement Hueston (wounded), Corporal Watson Hueston, Rifleman Robert Hueston (wounded and unfit since), Private Edward Hueston, all five sons of Mr. William John Hueston, Grovehiil; Captain John A. Keily, (twice wounded), Capt. David H. Kelly (severely wounded and mentioned in despatches), Lieut. W. Kelly (gassed), Lieut. J. Millar Kelly, R.N.R. (awarded bronze medal for valour, by King of Italy, for action with submarine), all four sons of the late Mr. David Stronge Kelly, Castledawson ; Rev. Robert Johnston, Chaplain in Halifax, Nova Scotia (brother-in-law of the Kelly officers); Privates Robert Leslie, Hugh Leslie, James Leslie, Alex. Leslie, and Willie Leslie (missing), sons of Mr. Moses Leslie; Private John Johnston (killed), and Stoker Win. Johnston (twice torpedoed), sons of Mrs. B. Johnston, Tamnadace; Private Henry Leslie (gassed), son of Mr. Henry Leslie, Aughrim; Robert J. Leslie (killed), son of the late Mr. Tom Leslie; John Leslie (killed), son of Mr. Robert Leslie, Leitrim; Sergeant George Charleton (brother of Rev. R. Charleton-also shown-formerly minister of Castledawson), and the latter’s two sons, Capt. W. Denham Charleton (severely wounded), and Lieut. Wallace Charleton; Major Thomas Graham (who came from China and enlisted as a Private early in war), son of a former stationmaster at Castledawson; Lieut. Sam. Garvin (killed at Gaza), grandson of Mrs. James Garvin, Tamna­dace, and another grandson, Lieut Jim Garvin (died of wounds); Lieut. White, and Privates Sam and John White {brothers), sons of Mr. J. White, Tullinkesay; Privates Jim M’Kendry (missing), and Stewart M’Kendry (Americans), sons of Mr. Charles M’Kendry, Toberhead; Privates William and Tom Trainor, sons of Mr. Robert Trainor, Drumlamph; Privates Jame Stewart, Willie Stewart (wounded), and Jack Watt, cousins of M’Kendrys; Lance-Corporal Robert Woods (twice wounded), and Private Sam. Woods, sons of Mrs. Woods, Bridge Street; Signaller George M’Cracken, son of Mr. Joseph M’Cracken, Hillhead; Privates James Mawhinney (severely wounded), Sam Mawhinney {severely wounded), and Eddy Mawhinney, sons of Mr. Ed. Mawhinney, Tamnadace, himself a veteran of the Afghan war; Privates Tommy Woodend (killed), and Arthur Woodend (wounded), sons of Mrs. Woodend, Boyne Row ; Nurse Lucy Sampson (V.A.D;), Corporal  George Sampson (twice wounded), Private John Sampson; the daughter and two sons of Mr. George Sampson, Leitrim; Lance-Corporal Tom Pickering, son of Mr. Thomas Pickering, Tamnadace; Miss Bella Fulton (hospital office worker), daughter of Mr. James Fulton, Drumlamph ; Miss Edith Brown (munition worker), and Corporal Robert Brown, daughter and son of Mr. W. Brown, Castledawson; Privates Marshall Watterson, (missing), and George Watterson (killed), sons of  Mrs. Watterson, Aughrim; Privates Andrew Davison (lost arm), and Joseph Davison, sons of Mr. William Davison, Farmhill ; Privates Jack Harte (Military Medallist), and Edward Harte, sons of Mr. John Harte, Castledawson; Lance-Corporal George Garvin (first Castledawson casualty, Military Medallist), son of Mr. W. J. Garvin, Anahorish; and uncle, Private John Mawhinney; Col. Creighton Lindsay, R.A.M.C. (C.M.G. and twice mentioned in despatched) ; Corporal Fred Lindsay, sons of late Mr. Stewart Lindsay, Islandbawn; Private Alex. Macaulay (prisoner in Germany), and Corporal John Macaulay, brothers of Mr. H. A. Macaulay, Moyola school; Gunner Tom Lennox, son of  Mr. Robert Lennox, Annaghmore; Private George Bell (R.I.C volunteer, severely wounded), son of Mr. Joseph Bell, Bellshill; Private Joseph M’Combe, (photographed on Hill 70) brother of Mr, Matt. M’Combe, Lakeview, Annaghmore; Sergeant Bob Martin, son of Mr. William Martin, Leitrim; Private T. J. Taylor, formerly of Castledawson; Private Francis Heuston, son of Mr. John Hueston, Toberhead ; Corporal H. Browm, son of Mr. Isaac Brown, Toberhead ; Private John Anderson, son of Mr. William Anderson, Toberhead; Private Adam M’Kelvey (died of wounds) ; Private Sam Campbell, Toberhead ; Lance-Corporal W. J. Hammond, Castledawson ; Private W. M’Cool, (missing) son of Mr. Archie M’Cool ; Private Alex. M’Corroll, con of Mr. Alex. M’Corroll, Toberhead ; Private Robert Wirght, (Wounded) Downey’s borough ; Private Tom Smith, formally of Lietrim ; Private Leslie Mann, (killed) , son of the late Mr. H. C. Mann, Fairview ; Sub-lieutenant Matthew Anderson, son of Mrs, Anderson, postmistress; Private John Evans, son of Mr. Robert Evans, The Green ; Private John Havre (twice wounded and gassed), husband of Mrs. Hawe, Gastledawson; Private Jim Milligan (severely wounded), son of Mr. Alex. Milligan ; Private Tom Hueston, son of Mrs. Heuston, The Green; Private Bob Donnelly, son of Mr. John Donnelly, Leitrim; Lance-Corporal Willie Shanks (Military Medallist), grandson of Mrs. Mary Ann Shanks; Private Francis Lennox (killed)  Private Willie Lennox, sons of the late Mr. W. G. Lennox Aughrim ;- Privates John and Robert Speers, sons of Mr. W. Speers, Drumlamph; Lance-Corporal Hiram Kerr (twice wounded), son of the late Mr. B. Kerr, Broagh ; Private Jim M’Fadden, son of Mr. Thomas M’Fadden, Broagh; Private Thomas Derby, son of the late Mr. W. G. Derby, Aughrim House; Private Sam Ellis (missing), The Strand; Private Jack M’Cleery, son of Mr. W. G. M’Cleery, Aughrim; Private A. Robinson, son of Mr. Wm. Robinson, Annaghmore; Sergeant George Weir (wounded), son of late David Weir, Toberhead; Private H. Mawhinney, son of Mr. John Mawhinney , Leitrim; Private David Fulton (twice wounded), son of Mr. John Fulton, Annaghmore; Private James M’Knight (came from Australia to enlist, and voluntarily underwent operations to become fit), Tullinkesay; Private Sam Morton, son of the late Mr. Solomon Morton, Ballynocker; Private Tom Sampson, son of Mr. George Samp­son, now of Tullinkesey; Private William Ellis (killed), whose Wife resides in Creagh.

The excellent photos of Col. R. P. D. S. Chichester, Moyola Park, late Commander of the Y.C.Vs (invalided from France), and of Mrs. Chichester (recently created on Officer of the British Empire), were received with much applause, and brought the exhibition to a close. On the motion of Mr. Samuel Irwin, seconded by Mr. H. A. Macaulay, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman; Rev. W. T. Brownlee, and the contributors, and the meeting terminated with the National Anthem.

It is to be noted that the foregoing soldiers do not constitute more than the half of the district’s contribution to the country’s forces, and it is to be hoped, that the co-operation of friends and relatives may enable Mr. Hueston to have the features and fame of every Castledawson soldier, whether Ulster or Irish Division, embalmed on a lantern slide for the benefit of future generations. It will be noticed that some of the families-notably the names of Hueston, Kelly and Leslie-have given every son to the army ; that the district has provided a large number of commissioned officers, and that its sons have proved their exceptional bravery in an army of heroes, as evidenced by the number of those decorated for valour or mentioned in despatches for out-standing deeds. In every British force, whether operating in France, Africa, Greece or Palestine, or upon the waters of the North Sea, there may be found Castledawson men, many of whom have come from foreign lands and every corner of Empire at duty’s call.