War Years Remembered
Video report of an interview with Davy McCallion, founder and curator of the War Years Remembered exhibition, which features a wide range of authentic WW1 and WW2 military artefacts which he started amassing as a young boy.
WW1 War Horse War Years Remembered Museum
I'm visiting the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare. Here are War Horses in full military kit readied for battle. There was appaliing losses of horses during the First World War and also horrifying levels of suffering to these beautiful innocent animals.
When war began in 1914 the British army possessed a mere 25,000 horses. The War Office was given the urgent task of sourcing half a million more to go into battle. They were essential to pull heavy guns, to transport weapons and supplies, to carry the wounded and dying to hospital and to mount cavalry charges. In the first year of war the countryside was emptied of shire horses and riding ponies, a heartbreaking prospect for farming families who saw their finest and most beloved horses requisitioned by the government.
The families who lost them, and the grooms, infantrymen and cavalrymen who took charge of them and helped train them up, all tell their stories. It was a traumatic change. Transported to the ports, they were hoisted onto ships crossing the Channel before being initiated into the horrors of the front line either as beasts of burden or as cavalry horses. Some men formed close relationships with the horses, but they could do little to prevent the appallingly high death rate due to exhaustion, shelling and front-line charges. Some were harsher in their attitudes; under constant threat of death themselves and having lost close comrades, they became hardened to the loss of their horses.
The supply of horses needed to be constantly replenished and the main source was the United States, with the British government arranging for half a million horses to be transported across the Atlantic in horse convoys. Between 1914 and 1917 around 1,000 horses were sent from the United States by ship every day. They were a constant target for German naval attack, with some lost en route. The horses were so vital to the continuation of the war effort that German saboteurs also attempted to poison them before they embarked on the journey.
The tragic fate that befell most of the horses was not lost on the British public, who petitioned the government to improve animal welfare during the war. The RSPCA and the Royal Army Veterinary Corps were both active in treating injured horses and trying to prevent unnecessary suffering. But the horses were so vulnerable to artillery and machine gun fire, and to harsh winter conditions in the front line, that the losses remained appallingly high. Indeed, the loss of horses greatly exceeds the loss of human life in the terrible battles of the Somme and Passchendaele.
However, through all the suffering and heartbreak, the close relationship between the men and their horses shone through. They did their best to care for them in the most testing and tragic conditions. Some men became as close to their horses as to their fellow soldiers and their loss was felt as deeply. All had their own names, personalities and histories, never to be forgotten.
At the end of the war some of the surviving horses were sold as meat to Belgian butchers, being regarded as unfit for any other purpose. But for the few that returned home there was a joyous welcome and reunion. It would be the last time the horse would be used on a mass scale in modern warfare.
WW1 & WW2 Allied Service Uniforms Ballyclare
I'm visiting the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare. Here is a selection of the various WW2 service uniforms on display. There are some American uniforms too.
1942 Ford General Purpose Willy's Jeep War Years remembered
I'm at the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare. Here is one of a number of WW2 vehicles on display.
The Willys MB (commonly known as a Jeep or jeep, formally as the U.S. Army Truck, 1/4 ton, 4x4) and the Ford GPW are four-wheel drive utility vehicles that were manufactured during World War II.
Produced from 1941 to 1945, it evolved post-war into the civilian Jeep CJ, and inspired both an entire category of recreational 4WDs and several generations of military light utility vehicles.
Type 1/4 ton 4×4 utility truck
Place of origin United States
Production history
Manufacturer Willys-Overland (MB) Ford (GPW)
Number built
MB: 359,489
GPW: 277,896
Specifications (MB and GPW same[3])
Weight 2,453 lb (1,113 kg) empty
Length 132 1⁄4 in (3.36 m)
Width 62 in (1.57 m)
Height 69 3⁄4 in (1.77 m)[2]
Engine Willys Go Devil engine
Transmission 3 spd. x 2 range trf. case
Suspension Live axles on leaf springs
Fuel capacity 15 US gal (12.5 imp gal; 56.8 L)
Operational
range 300 mi (482.8 km)
Speed 65 mph (105 km/h)
Lewis Gun, Lee-Enfield Rifles, Sniper, Rifle Mirror
I'm visiting the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare. These are the Lewis Gun and the Lee Enfield rifle that were widely used in the First World War.
The Lewis gun (or Lewis automatic machine gun or Lewis automatic rifle) is a World War I-era light machine gun of US design that was adopted and mass-produced in the United Kingdom, and widely used by British and British Empire troops during World War I. It continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War. It is distinctive because of its wide tubular cooling shroud around the barrel and its top mounted drum-pan magazine. It was also widely used as an aircraft machine gun, almost always with the cooling shroud removed, during both world wars.
Weight 28 pounds (13 kg)
Length 50.5 inches (1,280 mm)
Barrel length 26.5 inches (670 mm)
Width 4.5 inches (110 mm)
Cartridge .303 British
.30-06 Springfield
7.92×57mm Mauser
Action Gas-operated
Rate of fire 500–600 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 2,440 feet per second (740 m/s)
Effective firing range 880 yards (800 m)
Maximum firing range 3,500 yards (3,200 m)
Feed system 47- or 97-round pan magazine
30-round detachable Bren magazines
Sights Blade and tangent leaf
Weight 4 kg (8.8 lb)
Length SMLE: 44 in (1,118 mm)
Barrel length MLE: 30.2 in (767 mm)
SMLE: 25.2 in (640 mm)
Cartridge .303 Mk VII SAA Ball
Action Bolt-action
Rate of fire 20–30 aimed shots per minute
Muzzle velocity 744 m/s (2,441 ft/s)
Effective firing range 550 yd (503 m)[2]
Maximum firing range 3,000 yd (2,743 m)[2]
Feed system 10-round magazine, loaded with 5-round charger clips
Sights Sliding ramp rear sights, fixed-post front sights, dial long-range volley sights; telescopic sights on sniper models.
The Lee–Enfield bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle was the main firearm used by the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century. It was the British Army's standard rifle from its official adoption in 1895 until 1957.
A redesign of the Lee–Metford (adopted by the British Army in 1888), the Lee–Enfield superseded the earlier Martini–Henry, Martini–Enfield, and Lee–Metford rifles. It featured a ten-round box magazine which was loaded with the .303 British cartridge manually from the top, either one round at a time or by means of five-round chargers. The Lee–Enfield was the standard issue weapon to rifle companies of the British Army and other Commonwealth nations in both the First and Second World Wars (these Commonwealth nations included Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and South Africa, among others)
1940s Air Raid Siren
I'm visiting the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare.
This section of the exhibition is dedicated to the War on the Home Front. While the fighting men were away how did the folk at home cope? What was life like for them?
This is the way a 1940s Air Raid Siren sounds.
Every village, town and city in the United Kingdom used to have a network of dual-tone sirens to warn of incoming air raids during World War II, which were later put to use as warnings for nuclear attack during the Cold War. With the end of the Cold War, the siren network was decommissioned in 1993 and very few remain.[citation needed] These sirens, mostly built by Carter, Gents Tangent, Castle Castings, and Klaxon Signal Co., have 10 and 12 ports to create a minor third interval (B♭ and D♭ notes) and are probably the world's most recognized World War II air-raid siren sound. In fact, recordings of British sirens are often dubbed into movies set in countries which never used this type of siren.
Where they do remain, they are mostly sounded on receipt of a severe flood warning for an area from the Environment Agency. Broadmoor Hospital has use of 13 sirens which are tested weekly. Sirens are also used for public warning near gas or nuclear power plants, nuclear submarine bases, oil refineries and chemical plants.
WW2 Royal Enfield WD/C Side Valve 350 Dispatch Rider motorbikes
I'm at the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare. Here is two fine examples of 1940s WW2 Royal Enfield WD/C 350 Side Valve dispatch rider bikes on display. I believe that these bikes were used by the RAF.
Side-valve single.
Based on the prewar 350 cc side-valve bike, this model was supplied in large numbers to various military services and countries around the world, from 1939 to 1941. Postwar, many reconditioned bikes appeared on the civilian market.
Britain's War Heroes - Paddy Mayne [2/2] CLIP
Britain's War Heroes - Paddy Mayne [2/2] CLIP
11th Hour: a poem by Robert Millar
A poem for Remembrance Day 2018 by Ballyclare poet Robert Millar
WW2 1940s Living Room Life on the Home Front
I'm visiting the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare.
This section of the exhibition is dedicated to the War on the Home Front. While the fighting men were away how did the flok at home cope? What was life like for them?
This is the way a 1940s living room would have looked like.
WW2 Uniforms of the Home Front
I'm visiting the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare. Here are the various uniforms of the Home Front Services. Police Fire Service Queen Alexandr's Army Nursing corp, Civil Defence and Ulster home Guard.
WW2 Bofors 40 mm anti aircraft gun War
I'm at the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare. Here is one of a number of WW2 weapons on display. It is a Bofors 40 mm Anti Aircraft gun made in Swededn and used throughout the UK against Hitler's bombers and fighters.
The Bofors 40 mm gun, often referred to simply as the Bofors gun, is an anti-aircraft/multi-purpose autocannon designed in the 1930s by the Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors. It was one of the most popular medium-weight anti-aircraft systems during World War II, used by most of the western Allies as well as by the Axis powers. A small number of these weapons remain in service to this day, and saw action as late as the Gulf War.
Trench life views and British Army uniforms
I'm at the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare. A few views of what it migt have looked like in the trenches.
WW1/WW2 Vickers Machine Gun
I'm at the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare.
The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. The machine gun typically required a six to eight-man team to operate: one fired, one fed the ammunition, the rest helped to carry the weapon, its ammunition and spare parts. It was in service from before the First World War until the 1960s, with air-cooled versions of it on many Allied World War I fighter aircraft.
The weapon had a reputation for great solidity and reliability. Ian V. Hogg, in Weapons & War Machines, describes an action that took place in August 1916, during which the British 100th Company of the Machine Gun Corps fired their ten Vickers guns continuously for twelve hours. Using 100 barrels, they fired a million rounds without a failure. It was this absolute foolproof reliability which endeared the Vickers to every British soldier who ever fired one.'
Type Medium machine gun
Place of origin United Kingdom
Service history
In service 1912–1968
Used by Widely used, see Users
Wars World War I
Chaco War
World War II
Indo-Pakistan War of 1947
1948 Arab–Israeli War
Korean War
Congo Crisis
South African Border War
Production history
Designed 1912
Manufacturer Vickers
Produced 1912–1968
Specifications
Weight 33–51 lb (15–23 kg) all-up
Length 3 ft 8 in (1.12 m)
Barrel length 28 in (720 mm)
Crew three man crew
Cartridge .303 British
Action recoil with gas boost
Rate of fire 450 to 500 round/min
Muzzle velocity 2440 ft/s (744 m/s)
Effective firing range 2,187 yd (2,000 m)
Maximum firing range 4,500 yd (4,100 m) indirect fire
Feed system 250-round canvas belt
Lt Col (Paddy ) BLAIR MAYNE WALL MURAL Newtownards
This wall mural sited near Movilla Cemetery where he is buried, is dedicated to the 2WW, North African campaign exploits, of SAS founding member and local hero Blair Mayne from Newtownards.
( I am including a Youtube link to my other Blair Mayne video which shows his grave and the statue erected in Newtownards to his memory
link youtube.com/watch?v=0MLVWuPs-6k )
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER & 3 Bars
List of Gallantry / Campaign Medals & Awards
D.S.O. ... Middle East .... 20/2/42 Rank Lieutenant
1st Bar - Sicily .... 21/10/43 Rank Captain / Temp Major
2nd Bar - Normandy .... 29/3/45 Rank Major / Temp Lt. Colonel
3rd Bar - North West Europe .... 11/10/45 Rank Lt Colonel
1939 - 45 Star.
Africa Star with 8th Army Bar
Italy Star
France & Germany Star
Defence Medal
War Medal with MID Oak Leaf
Mentioned in Dispatches
Operation Exporter June/July 1941, Litani River 11 (Scottish Commando)
Legion D'Honneur
Croix De Guerre with Palm
WW2 1940s Scullery
I'm visiting the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare.
This section of the exhibition is dedicated to the War on the Home Front. While the fighting men were away how did the folk at home cope? What was life like for them?
This is the way a 1940s scullery ( pre dates kitchen ) would have looked like. Note one of the first fridges using dry ice to cool food stuffs.
1944 D Day 2 Sword Beach Morris Gun Tractor
I'm at the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare. Here is one of a number of WW2 vehicles on display. This is a Morris Gun Tractor used to pull a 25 Pounder Field Gun and carry it's ammunition shells. This particular vehicle is the only surviving vehicle in Ireland that was present on Swrod Beach at Normandy on D Day 2.
Morris C8
The Morris Commercial C8 FAT (Field Artillery Tractor), commonly known as a Quad, is an artillery tractor used by the British and Commonwealth (including Canadian Army) forces during the Second World War. It was used to tow field artillery pieces, such as the 25-pounder gun-howitzer, and anti-tank guns, such as the 17-pounder.
Type Artillery tractor
Place of origin United Kingdom
Production history
Manufacturer Morris and others
Number built 10,000
Specifications
Weight 3.3 long tons (3,400 kg)
Length 14 ft 8 3⁄4 in (4.489 m)
Width 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
Height 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m)
Crew 1 + 5 passengers
Armour none
Engine Morris EH, 4-cylinder 3.5 litre (214ci) petrol engine
70 bhp (52.2kW)
Suspension Wheel, 4 x 4
Operational range 160 miles (257 km)
Speed 50 miles per hour (80 km/h)
Christmas Truce (recounting the 1914 truce at Plugstreet/Ploegsteert)
During Christmas 1914, German and British troops along the Western Front entered 'no man's land' to the sound of Silent Night/Stille Nacht and other carols, to share seasonal greetings and even a game of football with the opposing troops. 100 years on as the world commemorates the centenary of the First World War, the Christmas Truce of 1914 is remembered as a breakthrough of peace amid such a terrible conflict.
Filmed at the Bairnsfather cross, near Plugstreet/Ploegsteert in Ypres, Belgium - the site where the truce is reputed to have begun and commemorated by the ‘Khaki Chums’ in 1999 - Steve Bassett recounts the remarkable story of the 1914 Christmas Truce.
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1941 Irish Army Carlow Ford Mk V1 Amoured Car
I'm at the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare. Here is one of a number of WW2 vehicles on display.
This is a 1941 Irish Army Carlow Ford Armoured Car.
In 1941 Thompson & Son, Carlow built twenty eight more Ford armoured cars. Twenty one of the armoured cars were built on new chassis and the other seven built on Ford lorries withdrawn from service. These 28 armoured cars were similar to the Ford Mk V but had a Thompsons built turret and the new vehicle was named the Ford Mk VI armoured car. The turret was armed with a Vickers .303 machinegun.
The first major overseas deployment of Irish troops was to the Congo in 1960 as part of the UN force ONUC. In 1961 an Armoured Car Group with eight Ford Mk VI armoured cars was flown to the Congo. Three more Ford Mk VIs were sent out later that year to the Congo, 2 of which had their turrets removed and a pintle mounted Bren light machine gun fitted in its place. The Brens on the two Ford Mk VIs were replaced in the Congo with Browning .30 machine gun. In 1962 the UN provided the Irish with twelve new Ferret armoured cars to replace the Ford Mk VIs. In 1964 six of the Ford Mk VIs were handed over to the Congolese Army.
The 17 Ford Mk VIs in Ireland were retired in the early 1970s.
Belfast Blitz Searchlight with ATS operator
I'm at the wonderful, War Years Remembered exhibition/museum, based at Ballyclare. This is one of a number of WW2 large items on display. Here is a searchlight that survived the onslaught of the Belfast Blirz. Beside it stands it's ATS operator. ( Auxiliary Territorial Service )
The Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS; often pronounced as an acronym) was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War. It was formed on 9 September 1938, initially as a women's voluntary service, and existed until 1 February 1949, when it was merged into the Women's Royal Army Corps.
A Belfast ATS woman's story
Contributed by Judith Webb /Beryl James
Location of story: Belfast and Oswestry and Chester and Shrewsbury
Background to story:
ArmyArticle ID: A5302793
Contributed on: 24 August 2005
In 1939 I was living in Belfast, where my father, who was a Regular Officer in the Royal Army Pay Corps, had been stationed since 1937, and I, at his wish, enlisted at Victoria Barracks Belfast on 2nd September 1939 for 4 years Local Service i.e. you lived out of barracks but could not be posted elsewhere.
I was called up on 25th September - graded Clerk and was paid the handsome sum of 8/- a week. I had been getting 17/6d a week as a clerk in a school office.
I started as Shorthand-typist in Q Branch NID HQ in Victoria Barracks. Q Branch dealt with all aspects of quartering - movement of troops, billeting them, feeding them, etc. Personnel then were a DAQMG (regular officer), two staff captains, a RSM (regular) in charge of the office, two male civilian clerks and five shorthand
typists (ATS Volunteers). We all had to sign the Official Secrets Act.
My army number was W/23613. We were issued with, and always wore, uniform which consisted of a khaki tunic and skirt, a hat, two shirts, a tie, two pairs of khaki bloomers, two vests, two pairs of khaki stockings and a pair of shoes. And of course a gas mask which you carried in a haversack at all times.
Until January 1940 I lived at home, but as soon as war started my father was posted to England and in January my mother followed him and I lived in digs.
At work, we were kept busy. The army was expanding rapidly and Q Branch had the job of typing movement orders, trying to fit whole battalions into non-existent accommodation, etc. etc. Everything had to be recorded in at least triplicate, paper, especially carbon paper, was scarce. Correspondence was still formal, especially to the War Office where letters had to begin Dear Sir, I have the honour to refer to etc. and finished I have the
honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant.