Remembrance period marked by Glengormley Cadets

Glengormley Army Cadet Force has been paying tribute to the dead of two world wars and other conflicts.
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Despite the current restrictions which prevented members parading with the Royal British Legion (RBL), Cadet Hannah Douglas laid a wreath from the detachment and Cadet Emily McMullan laid a the wreath for the Royal British Legion at the Glengormley Cenotaph.

Cadet Douglas said: “Although the wreath laying was done in our own time, it was still a great honour to be doing so on behalf of our detachment”

The 1st (NI) ACF Battalion project this year was to research and tend the graves of war heroes in the area and in turn donating to the RBL. Many of the Glengormley Cadets took part by laying poppies in Carnmoney Cemetery.

Cadet Emily McMullen, Glengormley Detachment who laid a wreath on behave of the Royal British Legion.Cadet Emily McMullen, Glengormley Detachment who laid a wreath on behave of the Royal British Legion.
Cadet Emily McMullen, Glengormley Detachment who laid a wreath on behave of the Royal British Legion.

Staff Sergeant McMaster, Commander of Glengormley Detachment, said: “This has been a great project for the cadets and helps keep the history alive.”

One research project was on Major Hugh Colvin VC. Hugh Colvin’s family hailed from Aberdeenshire in Scotland, but he was born in Burnley on February 1, 1887. The son of a gardener, the family relocated to Romily in Cheshire when he was nine years of age. Hugh also became a gardener before leaving to join his sister’s family in Belfast, where he joined the 8th (King’s Royal Irish) Hussars as a private and saw six years service in India before WW1 broke out.

Hugh was commissioned in the field and gazetted into the 9th Battalion Cheshire Regiment. On September 20 1917 at Zillebeke, near Ypres he took command of two companies through heavy machine gun fire. He led them to assist another battalion and in the process he cleared as well as capturing enemy dugouts and machine gun posts single handedly or with some help from his men. He was credited with saving the line through his leadership and courage and was awarded the Victoria Cross. He survived the war and died on September 16 1962, He is buried in Carnmoney Cemetery, Newtownabbey.

Read a previous cadets story here

Detachment Commander Staff Sergeant Joanne McMaster laying a poppy cross at Major H Colvin’s grave.Detachment Commander Staff Sergeant Joanne McMaster laying a poppy cross at Major H Colvin’s grave.
Detachment Commander Staff Sergeant Joanne McMaster laying a poppy cross at Major H Colvin’s grave.

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