“Pte William McFadzean, 36th (Ulster) Division (109 Brigade), 9th October 1895-1st July 1916, Age 20, Victoria Cross.” McFadzean earned the VC for throwing himself on some live grenades that had fallen into the trench. To the left and right are the emblems of the 36th Division and the Ulster Volunteer Force.
Barbed wire divides the quadrants, with poppies providing an upper border and Ulster Banner and Union Flag below. In the top left is the A company mural from across the street. The bottom right reproduced (or at least is based on) an 1990s mural of the same name in Dover Place (lower Shankill) in Belfast. The other quadrants and centre contain images relating to the 36th (Ulster) Division and WWI. The two other images are from the low wall to the front right.
“In memory of all our fallen comrades both in the 1st WW Battle Of The Somme and the fight against republicanism from the officers and volunteers of Newtownards – East Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force. Gone but not forgotten.” WWI regimental flags are suspended above the memorial. The actual Scrabo tower, depicted in the left medallion, is visible to the right of frame.
“Dedicated to the memory of our lost volunteers who made the supreme sacrifice. Gone but not forgotten.” The inclusion of the PAF [Protestant Action Force] in this UVF/YCV mural in the Westwinds estate, Newtownards, makes it refer to the modern paramilitary force, but the flags on the right of the UVF emblem are WWI regimental flags, making it refer to the Ulster Volunteers. For a similar mix, see YCV-UVF-RHC.
The title of the post comes from the previous location of this Ulster Volunteers/UVF board. The image above is from Seymour Gardens, Londonderry, but previously the board was on the main road (Sperrin Park) in the Caw with a black background and title-board above, and side-fence of insignia. From the period of the Ulster Volunteers, the board features the Carson, the Clyde Valley, the Covenant, and the UDU (Ulster Defence Union) manifesto of 1893.
“On fame’s Eternal camping ground, the silent tents are spread, and glory keeps the solemn round, the bivouac of the dead.” Theodore O’Hara’s 1847 poem in memory of Kentucky soldiers who died in the Mexican War is use to commemorate “our brave fallen volunteers of the 36th (Ulster) Division, North Antrim Battalion (Ballymena).”
“Lest we forget. This memorial is dedicated to the men of the Willowfield Battalion, East Belfast regiment, Ulster Volunteer Force, who made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War 1914-1918. It stands on the site of the old Willowfield unionist hall, opened by Sir Edward Carson on May 16th 1913, as a drill hall and rifle range for Willowfield UVF. It was from this hall volunteers marched to Balmoral, from there to the green fields of France, some never to return. Sleep on, dear sons of Ulster, ’til the trumpet sounds again.”
“In memory of our fallen comrades Ulster Volunteer Force East Belfast.”
“In solemn remembrance we salute the brave men of Ulster. Without favour or reward they fought militant republicanism on its own terms. Their courage, dedication and sacrifice we will remember for evermore. Joe Long, Robert (Squeak) Seymour, Charlie Logan, Trevor King, Billy Miller, Tommy McDowell, Joe Shaw, Colin Caldwell, Harris Boyle, Wesley Somerville, Geoffrey Freeman, David Swanson, Sinclair Jonhston, Robin Jackson. This is a few of the many. For God and Ulster.”