War - Isaac Liggett

Two Weeks after Dunkirk
The Evacuation from St.Nazaier

My Father Isaac Liggett from Florence Court Edenderry joined the Royal Air Force on 22nd March 1939 six months before the war with Germany began.
Soon after the war started he was sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force, (BEF) he was stationed there for eight months and twenty days.
It was then the evacuation at Dunkirk began, but he and the rest of the RAF personnel he was with were not evacuated at Dunkirk.
They along with thousands others were not evacuated until two weeks later on the 17th June 1940 at St.Nazaire, he was in a line of RAF men boarding boats that would take them to the ships lying offshore.
He was with his two mates waiting to be taken to the ships, when their turn came his two mates were in front of him, when the man in charge of the loading said this boat is full. My Father said he wanted to go with his mates but he was put on the next boat. His mates were taken out and boarded the SS Lancastria along with about 800 RAF personnel as well as Army and civilians.
Just as the Lancastria was getting under way it was attacked by German dive bombers, it was said that a bomb went down the funnel and the ship was sunk, thousands lost their lives that day and my father never saw his friends again.
My father spent the rest of the war stationed at Lossiemouth Scotland, He was classed as a Fire Fighter and attained the rank of Corporal.
He remained in the RAF until he was discharged on the 21st June 1946 after serving the seven years he had signed up for.
Photo courtesy of Kenny Liggett.

Private Maxwell Stothers Grave

The Grave of Private Maxwell Stothers.

Bright Street

Edenderry.

This was between, Ellis’s Pub and Edwin May’s.

Maxwell Stothers, was one of Three Brother’s Killed in W.W.1. 9BN. R.I.F. service no. 14680, grave 111.B.6. Nicppo Communial Cemetery, near Baillieul. Nothern France. Died 7/10/1916.

Photo courtesy T Bonis

Private JOHN SHARPE

Private John Sharpe - Member of the 9th Batt. R.I.F.

He lived at 44 Carrickblacker Road. He was almost killed by a land-mine while training at Borden camp, England, in 1914 but escaped with a head injury to go right through the Great War unscathed.
At Messines Ridge in 1917 his good work with a Lewis machine gun earned him the Military Medal for gallantry in repulsing an enemy attack. He was born in Laurelvale in 1895.
He was a member of the 9th Batt.R.I.F & saw action at the Somme,Cambrai,Ypres & St.Quentin in which the “Faughs” added to their glory, and he once said he would not take all the money in Portadown to go through it again.
His head was still bandaged when he landed in France but preferred to be with his comrades rather than return home.
He said the War was very rough at times & after the Somme the dead were buried ten to each grave.
Major Rev.F.J.Halahan, MC was the Chaplain & not only was he a good padre but a good soldier as well. When he returned to Portadown after the War the Major gave him a reference for a job by writing: “A brave and gallant British soldier”.
He was married in Seagoe Parish church in 1920 & he & his wife Margaret worked for many years in Hamilton Robb’s Linen Factory.
He remembers working long hours for seven years at Bessbrook Mill for between 5/- to 10/-weekly. He was an ardent Portadown football supporter & was seen regularly at Shamrock Park.

Photo courtesy Jim Ellis

Front of Memory Card - 1916

This is a copy of the front of PRIVATE JAMES GORDON'S MEMORY CARD.
HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION AT THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME,JULY 1st,1916.

Courtesy Ross Raymond

Private JAMES GORDON

Private Gordon lived on the Carrickblacker Road,he served in 9th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers No.14217. James was a member of Clounagh LOL 9 and also a member of the UVF. He lost his life on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. Private Gordon served in 'C' company and was designated as a Verey Light carrier for the attack on the 1st July 1916.
He has no known grave but is commemerated on the Thiepval Memorial,Somme France Pier 15 Face A. His name is also included on Seagoe Parish Church War Memorial,Thomas Street Methodist Church War Memorial as well as the Portadown War Memorial.
Clounagh LOL 9 unfurled a banner on the 8th July 1921 featuring a portrait of Private Gordon and his comrade,Private Ephraim Sherman who was also a member of the lodge and he too paid the supreme sacrifice in the same battle.


PLEASE READ THE VERY MOVING REMEMBRANCE POEM BY HIS DEAR WIFE - ANNIE GORDON

Memory card courtesy Ross Raymond

ROLL OF HONOUR FOR DEAD OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR 1914 - 1918

EDENDERRY'S ROLL OF HONOUR FOR THE DEAD OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR
1914 - 1918

Bright Street
Private Jackson Stothers Royal Irish Fusiliers
Private Joseph Stothers Royal Irish Fusiliers
Private Maxwell Stothers Royal Irish Fusiliers

Carrickblacker Avenue
Captain Charles M. Johnston Royal Irish Fusiliers

Bridge Street
Private Samuel Dillon Royal Irish Fusiliers
Rifleman Thomas Ellis Royal Irish |Rifles
Private Nicholas England Canadian Forces
Corpl. Samuel Fox (junior) Royal Irish Fusiliers
Private Willoughby Frazer Royal Irish Fusiliers
Lieut. W. Osmond Green Royal Irish Rifles
Private W. Ernest Hall Royal Irish Regiment
Private Thomas J. Hewitt Royal Irish Fusiliers
C.Q.M.S. Johnston McAfee Royal Irish Fusiliers
Corpl. David Orr Machine Gun Corps
Lieut. Hamilton J. Robb Royal Marine Light Infantry
Rifleman Thomas G. Sloan Royal Irish Rifles

Carrickblacker Road
Major John G. Brew Royal Irish Fusiliers
Condtr. Malcolm P. Clow French Red Cross
Lieut. Harold E. Cowdy Royal Irish Fusiliers
Private James Gordon Royal Irish |Fusiliers
Sergeant Samuel Gracey (M.M.) Canadian Forces
Private Albert Graham Royal Irish Fusiliers
Corpl. Robert Whiteside Royal Irish Rifles

Century Street
Private Samuel Clayton Royal Irish Fusiliers
Private William Milligan Royal Irish Fusiliers
Private George Weir Royal Engineers

Florence Court
Rifleman James Gracey Royal Irish Rifles
Private Henry Sinnamon Royal Irish Fusiliers

Foundry Street
Private James Lamb Royal Irish Fusiliers
Rifleman Thomas F. Mighton Royal Irish Rifles

James Street
Private John Matthews Australian Forces
Private David Porter Royal Irish Fusiliers
Private James W. Sharpe Royal Irish Fusiliers

Joseph Street
Rifleman Joseph Malcolmson Royal Irish Rifles
Private William J. Allen Royal Irish Fusiliers
Private Thomas Cordner Royal Irish Fusiliers

Stewart Avenue
Lieut. Jack Collen Royal Air Force

Watson Street
Private William Malcolmson Royal Irish Fusiliers

We wish to thank Sarah McCann for undertaking the research work.