Image courtesy of John “Ulsterboy.”
Belfast men listed on the Menin Memorial.
A Gate of Death and Glory.
Many monuments have been raised in various parts of the world to the honour of our Glorious Dead, but none has stirred the heart and gripped the imagination of the public in the same degree as the Menin Gate Arch; and to its noble “Hall of Memory,” hallowed with the names of 56,000 British heroes, the thoughts of countless bereaved will be concentrated during the two minutes’ solemn silence. Since the official opening by Lord Plumer, in the presence of the King of the Belgians, on 24th July last [1927], there has been a constant stream of British pilgrims to this beautiful memorial. By train, charabanc and private car, people have poured into Ypres. The signatures on the visitors’ book have averaged 500 a day, that number probably representing about one-third of the total who have made the journey.
In itself, of course, Menin Gate is not historic in the sense that the scenes of actual fighting a few miles away are historic, save for the fact that it was the focal point in that colossal waste of mangled desolation. It may be said that practically every soldier who fought in the defence of Ypres must at one time or other have passed through its narrow portals. Those who survived have been rewarded by the knowledge that their heroic efforts contributed to victory and kept us a free people, but to thousands, nay, tens of thousands, Menin was the gate of death. Many gallant lads marched through it to the rolling ground that leads to Hooge, strong, reliant and fearless in their manhood, never to return; or perchance to crawl falteringly back helpless wrecks, gasping and choking with poison gas slowly destroying their lungs, until, their strength completely sapped, they fell exhausted, only to die alone on the roadside. Alas! too frequently in the hateful mud and water-logged ground, churned up on every side by shell-fire, their identities were lost with their lives; and no man knows their grave to this day.
“They are not ‘Missing’; they are Here.”
ROYAL IRISH RIFLES
ADAIR, R. J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Brussels Street, Belfast.
ATKINSON, M., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Mersey, Street, Belfast.
ATKINSON, T., Lance Corporal, Royal Irish Rifles, Blaney, Street, Belfast.
BARKER, G., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Roundhill Street, Mountpottinger, Belfast.
BEST, R., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Ghent Street, Belfast.
BREADY, RICHARD, 9402, Rifleman, 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles was killed in action on 18 June, 1917. He was formerly Private, 6803, Army Cycle Corps. Richard was born on 18 February 1898, son of Joseph and Margaret Bready, 112, Ewarts Row, Crumlin Road, Belfast. When he enlisted the family were residing at 32 Mervue Street, Belfast. The battalion War Diary states; – ‘On 17th June the 2nd Battalion R.I.R. relieved the 8th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment in front line west of Warneton. A, C and D Companies in frontline, B. Company in support. On 18th June the diary states-in trenches (as yesterday)-casualties
Lieut. S. Mercer, WIA, Lieut. W. H. Calwell WIA, other ranks: -4 killed, 1 died of wounds, and seven WIA (wounded in action). In 1918 Richard’s parents received communication from the Infantry Records Office, Dublin, dated 26 January 1918 which stated that Richard had been buried at ‘N side of ruined farm on the North side of Gareeba Road, ½ mile E of Messines.’ His grave must have been ‘lost’ as Richard is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. [Information provided by Richard’s nephew Professor Albert Hamilton.]
BROWNE, A. V., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Argyle Street, Belfast.
BURNS, W., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Knockbreda Road, Cregagh, Belfast.
CAMPBELL, C., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Surrey Street, Belfast.
CAMPBELL, J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, King’s Road, Knock, Belfast.
CARLISLE, D., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Bristol Street, Belfast.
CLARKE, C., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Little Charlotte Street, Belfast.
COATES, R., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Argyle Street, Belfast.
COLLIER, D., Company Sergeant Major, Royal Irish Rifles, Belvoir Street, Belfast.
COLLINS, H., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Pernan Street, Belfast.
COTTER, W., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Copperfield Street, Belfast.
DICKEY, J., Corporal, Royal Irish Rifles, Davton Street, Belfast.
DUNNE, T., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Steen’s Row, Belfast.
ELLIOTT, C., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Disraeli Street, Belfast.
ELLIS, W., Corporal, Royal Irish Rifles, St. Kilda Street, Belfast.
FERRIS, S., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Crumlin Road, Ballysillan, Belfast.
FINN, W. J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Paris Street, Belfast.
FITZSIMMONS, P., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Raphael Street, Belfast.
FLYNN, W. G. A., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Glenbank, Ballysillan, Belfast.
FRAZER, W., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Northumberland Street, Belfast.
GRAHAM, R. H., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Lisburn Avenue, Belfast.
HAMILTON, H., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Moat Street, Donaghadee.
HARVEY, T., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Weir Street, Belfast.
HEANEY, J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, McQuillan Street, Belfast.
HENDERSON, W. A., Corporal, Royal Irish Rifles, Eighth Street, Belfast.
HOY, S., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles. Son of Samuel and Letitia Hoy, Upper Meadow Street, Belfast.
HUGHES, J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Moscow Street, Belfast.
JENKINS, R., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Ninon Street, Belfast.
JOHNSTON, H., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Carew Street, Ballymacarrett.
KENNEDY, J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Frederick Place, Belfast.
KENNEDY, W. W., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Island Street, Belfast.
KING, S., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Eighth Street, Belfast.
LOUGHLIN, R., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Clandeboye Street, Belfast.
LYNAS, W., Lance-Corporal, Royal Irish Rifles, Malvern Street, Belfast.
M’CAFFREY, T., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, College Street, Belfast.
M’CALLUM, J., Sergeant, Royal Irish Rifles, Pevril Street, Belfast.
M’CANLEY, R., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Hill Street, Dunmurry.
M’CARTHEY J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Mashona Street, Belfast.
M’CLELLAND, W. J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Bann Street, Belfast.
M’CLURG, W., Lance Corporal, Royal Irish Rifles, Urney Street, Belfast.
M’COMB, W., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, North Howard Street, Belfast.
M’CRORY, H., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Urney Street, Belfast.
M’CULLOUGH, J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Agincourt Avenue, Belfast.
M’DONALD, D., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Tomb Street, Belfast.
M’FALL, R., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Mill Road, Whitehouse.
M’FARLAND, G., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Rosebery Street, Connswater.
M’KEE, W. D., Lieutenant, Royal Irish Rifles, Cyprus Park, Bloomfield.
M’KENZIE, T., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Convention Street, Belfast.
M’KEOWN, J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Conlon Street, Belfast.
M’LEAN, R. G., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Fortuna Street, Belfast.
McILROY, WILLIAM, Lance-Corporal, Royal Irish Rifles, Aberdeen Street, Belfast.
M’REAVIE, W. J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Weir Street, Belfast.
MILLAR, R., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Harrison Street, Belfast.
MOAN, J. L., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Anderson Street, Belfast.
MORGAN, G., Corporal, Royal Irish Rifles, Chamberland Street, Belfast.
MULLAN, T., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Genoa Street, Belfast.
MURRAY, H., Corporal, Royal Irish Rifles, Seaforde Street, Belfast.
NAPIER, J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Beersbridge Road, Belfast.
NEILL, J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, The Lane, Whitehouse.
NELSON, R., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Dickson Street, Belfast.
O’DONOHOE, P. J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Waterford Street, Belfast.
O’RORKE, T., Sergeant, Royal Irish Rifles, Osman Street, Belfast.
ORR, W., Sergeant, Royal Irish Rifles, Belvoir Street, Belfast.
PARRY, W., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Upper Canning Street,
PATTON, J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Douglas Street, Belfast.
PHAIR, G., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Laganvale Street, Belfast.
POLLAN, R. K., Second Lieutenant, Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Taunton Avenue, Belfast.
RIDDELL, J., Lance Corporal, Royal Irish Rifles, Bathurst Court, Belfast.
SMYTH I., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, James Street, Belfast.
SOMERVILLE, G., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Saint Leonard’s Street, Belfast.
STEWART, T., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Brownlow Street, Belfast.
STUART, D., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Alexander Street, Belfast.
TORRANS, S., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Schumberg Street, Belfast.
TURLEY, J., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Cyprus Street, Belfast.
WALSH, T., Lance Corporal, Royal Irish Rifles, Gilbert Street, Belfast.
WILKINSON, K., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Belfast.
WILLIAMSON, F., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Kendal Street, Belfast.
WILSON, J., (6072) Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Tyrone Street, Belfast.
WILSON J., (13878) M.M., Rifleman, Royal Irish Rifles, Linwood Street, Belfast.
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