Coleraine

The Hell They Called Highwood

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It took Allied forces two months (July – September, 1916) to take High Wood (Bois de Fourcaux – wood of the pitchforks, as made from the chestnut trees (Great War Forum)) as part of the battle of the Somme. The commemorative mural shown here replaces an earlier UFF piece for the Coleraine 2nd battalion of the Londonderry-North Antrim brigade. On the third side is the emblem of the UDA, surrounded with an Ulster Banner and the flag of the independent Northern Ireland – previously there had been two Ulster banners.

Loughanhill Park, Coleraine

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Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney in flanders fields McCrae

Our Fallen Friends

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Five-part memorial from Freeman Memorial Flute Band (Fb) “in memory of our fallen friends, [UVF] Lt David Swanson, Vol Aubrey Reid, Vol Mark Dodds, killed on active service 2nd October 1975. Robbie Freeman, died 27th December 1997.” As is common to both republicans and loyalists, “active service” means a premature bomb explosion. Four people listed died in a car explosion at Farrenlester, just outside Coleraine – the three listed and a fourth who is variously named as Geoffrey, Robert, or Andrew Freeman. The date for “Robbie Freeman” is perhaps a relative (father?) of the Freeman who died in 1972.

Tullans Park, Coleraine

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Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney