The “Shankill Boys” were the roughly 700 men of the West Belfast battalion of the Ulster Volunteers who were almost all killed at the Somme. (This board – or a previous copy of it – was previously in Carnan St.)
As with all of the Belfast battalions, West Belfast had a “USSF” [Ulster Special Service Force] – its emblem is in the top left of the second board, below. (See previously USSF and Shankill Protestant Boys.) The other emblem is that of the ‘Greengairs Thistle Flute Band’. Although the background comes from WWI, the roll of honour lists modern-day volunteers from the UVF. Thomas Chapman, James McGregor, Robert McIntyre, William Hannah, and Robert Wadsworth are portrayed in Carnan Street – see C. Coy Street. The modern-day C Company, formed in 1974, is named after the Four Step Inn, which was bombed in September 1971 (see Four Step).
Sugarfield Street, west Belfast, adjacent to the Vanguard Bears board and a poppy cross.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2016 Peter Moloney
M13094 M13095
