“The Somme Remembered” War Horse

Mon, July 11, 2016

“The Somme Remembered” War Horse

Pictured with the warhorse exhibit is Ballymoney Royal British Legion Member, John McLaughlin.

Ballymoney and District Cultural Heritage Society, in partnership with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, The Royal British Legion Ballymoney Branch and Building Communities Resource Centre developed a three day event, “The Somme Remembered”.

Based in Ballymoney Showgrounds last weekend (30th June-2nd July), the three day event brought huge crowd interest. Military displays featuring Irish Regiments of the Great War, World War I vehicles and memorabilia along with family fun activities gave the public a sense of the life and times of war, with re-enactments showing soldiers in the trenches and a field hospital made it a top family fun weekend for all.  

David McCallion from the Ballyclare based history organization “War Years Remembered” provided a magnificent war horse backdrop at the Ballymoney District Cultural Heritage Society “The Somme Remembered” event. This consisted of mounted cavalryman from C Squadron 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, who were the first into battle at the Somme.  

Ironically the Irish Calvary were “First to Fight and First to Die” just before Armistice was signed, George Ellison from the 5th Royal Irish Lancers was the last soldier to be killed in action during WW1. He is buried in St Symphorien Cemetery, two miles east of Mons, not more than a few feet away from the very first soldier killed in the Great War, Pte John Parr.

ENDS