Lower Iveagh District No 1 remembered in '˜War Years' book

As a young boy I attended weekly Sunday school, gospel meetings and band practice in Quilly Orange Hall.
William Henry Wallace jnr., a member of Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, killed in action at Ypes on Sunday 9th May 1915.William Henry Wallace jnr., a member of Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, killed in action at Ypes on Sunday 9th May 1915.
William Henry Wallace jnr., a member of Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, killed in action at Ypes on Sunday 9th May 1915.

On many occasions I looked at two large framed photographs hanging in the hall and thought nothing about why they should have had pride of place.

Having attended the Centenary Commemoration of the Battle of the Somme at the Ulster Memorial Tower on Friday 1st July where I spent time visiting war graves in France and Belgium, one of the framed photographs in particular has taken on a new significance for me. The photo was of Bro Robert McCandless, Ulster Division, and a member of Quilly True Blues LOL 442, who was killed at the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916. Hanging alongside Bro McCandless’s photograph was a photograph of Bro George Carson, 2nd Batt Black Watch, and a member of Quilly True Blues LOL 442, who was drowned in the River Tigris on 13th February 1917.

Bro McCandless and Bro Carson’s death are recorded in my book on Lower Iveagh District LOL No 1 (Lodges, History, Halls, Brethren, Banners and Bands). Published in February 2011, it contains a section entitled ‘War years remembered’ compiled by Bro Scott Carson B.A. (Chaplain of Dromara LOL No 12). This section is written in memory of brethren from Lower Iveagh District LOL No 1 who served and laid down their lives in the service of God and country in armed conflicts and includes extracts from a book entitled Dromore’s Great War Heroes by Jeffrey Martin B.Sc. (Hons). The following members of Lower Iveagh District LOL No 1 served in The Great War:

George Carson, 2nd Batt Black Watch, a member of Quilly True Blues LOL 442, drowned in the River Tigris on 13th February 1917.   (Reproduced from a photograph on display in Quilly Orange Hall.)George Carson, 2nd Batt Black Watch, a member of Quilly True Blues LOL 442, drowned in the River Tigris on 13th February 1917.   (Reproduced from a photograph on display in Quilly Orange Hall.)
George Carson, 2nd Batt Black Watch, a member of Quilly True Blues LOL 442, drowned in the River Tigris on 13th February 1917. (Reproduced from a photograph on display in Quilly Orange Hall.)

Bro George Johnston - Dromara True Blues LOL 12, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro Albert McDonald - Mount Ida LOL 26, Royal Inniskillin Fusiliers.

Bro William Gill - Mount Ida LOL 26, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro Thomas Fulton - Kinallen Purple Star LOL 247, Royal Irish Rifles.

George Carson, 2nd Batt Black Watch, a member of Quilly True Blues LOL 442, drowned in the River Tigris on 13th February 1917.   (Reproduced from a photograph on display in Quilly Orange Hall.)George Carson, 2nd Batt Black Watch, a member of Quilly True Blues LOL 442, drowned in the River Tigris on 13th February 1917.   (Reproduced from a photograph on display in Quilly Orange Hall.)
George Carson, 2nd Batt Black Watch, a member of Quilly True Blues LOL 442, drowned in the River Tigris on 13th February 1917. (Reproduced from a photograph on display in Quilly Orange Hall.)

Bro William Darragh - Ballaney LOL 287, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro Thomas Brown - Ballaney LOL 287, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro Robert McCandless - Quilly True Blues LOL 442, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro George Carson - Quilly True Blues LOL 442, 2nd Battalion Black Watch.

Bro S Martin - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro D T McKeown - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro W J Vint - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro W H Wallace - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro W J Elliott - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro R Ervine - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro T Graham - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro W Greer - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro J McKeown - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro G McKeown - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro S J Rainey - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro T Rodgers - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro W J Steele - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro R J Vint - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro W J Harwood - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Field Artillery.

Bro A Steele - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Royal Field Artillery.

Bro R Wallace - Waringsford Rising Star LOL 545, Argyll & Sutherlands Highlanders.

Bro Samuel Bryson - Drumiller LOL 582, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro William Gordon - Dromore Temperance LOL 730, Machine Gun Corps.

Bro Osborne James Armstrong - Dromore Temperance LOL 730 & St. John’s LOL 1982 (Canada), Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Bro John Ledgett - Dromore Temperance LOL 730, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro Bruce Hamilton - Dromore Temperance LOL 730, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro John Graham - Ballyvicknakelly LOL 828, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro Thomas John Bell - Ballyvicknakelly LOL 828, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro Samuel Archer - Ballyvicknakelly LOL 828, Canadian Infantry.

Bro John Hamilton Cunningham - Ballyvicknakelly LOL 828, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro Alexander Jones - Ballyvicknakelly LOL 828, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro Stanley Guiney - Ballyvicknakelly LOL 828, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro William Charles Allen - Ballyvicknakelly LOL 828, Canadian Infantry.

Bro Charles Allen - Ballyvicknakelly LOL 828, Canadian Infantry.

Bro Robert Jones - LOL 834, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro John Gourley - Skeogh LOL 861, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro Ernest Gourley - Skeogh LOL 861, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro Thomas Cochrane Snr - Skeogh LOL 861, Royal Irish Rifles.

Bro Fred Truesdale - Gransha Chosen Few LOL 1074, Royal Irish Rifles.

Scott records that members of the Orange Institution in Lower Iveagh District responded quickly to the call for enlistment in the Armed Forces in Britain and other Commonwealth nations at the outbreak of the Two World Wars. Many Brethren lost their lives during the first day of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916 as part of the 36th Ulster Division. Others served in different countries with English, Scottish and Canadian Regiments during the Great War. Whilst Orangemen from Dromore served in other conflicts since the Great War, it is unfortunate that there is no permanent memorial or roll of honour to these men in Orange Halls within the Lower Iveagh District. In more recent times, individual Orangemen have served locally in the Ulster Defence Regiment, Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The Brethren of Lower Iveagh remember and acknowledge the bravery and courage of these brethren who lost friends and colleagues in the fight against the enemies of Ulster.