Gilford War Memorial, Gilford, Co. Down

The Gilford War Memorial stands at what locals know as Allan's Corner. This corner is the junction of main roads to Gilford, Banbridge and Tandragee. Mr. James F Wright oversaw the placing of the memorial.

Mrs. Upritchard of Elmfield Castle, Gilford, Co. Down unveiled the memorial commemorating those who died in World War One. Of around 400 men from the town, 62 gave their lives and are remembered on the granite tablet inlaid with marble. An inscription reads:

To the memory of our Fallen Heroes.

Gilford War Memorial — The war memorial in Gilford remembers those from the village and nearby townlands who gave their lives in both World War One and Two. Photo taken on 10th September 2016.

Second World War Memorial in Gilford, Co. Down

During World War One Gilford and District Comforts Fund for Soldiers and Sailors formed in the Co. Down town. Later, formed the Gilford and District Prisoners of War Fund. Both activities came to an end in 1918 and the groups put remaining money in the funds towards the erection of a war memorial. Local collections added to the funds.

The names of 22 men from the Gilford area who died during World War Two appear on the memorial.

Last Name	First Name(s)	Rank	Regiment
Berry	Joseph	Marine	Royal Marines
Bradbury	Graham	Sergeant	Rifle Brigade
Clayton	James	Corporal	Royal Air Force
Craig	William John	Able Seaman	Royal Navy
Crangle	William Boyd	Private	Highland Light Infantry
Duke	Gilbert Noel	Sergeant	Royal Air Force
Fitzwilliam	Samuel		Royal Air Force
Fullerton	Andrew	Rifleman	Royal Ulster Rifles
Major	Richard	Sergeant	Royal Air Force
McBurney	William Ashwood	Rifleman	Royal Ulster Rifles
Tomlinson	Joseph	Driver	Royal Army Service Corps
Reilly	Francis Patrick	Flight Sergeant	Royal Air Force
McCoo	John	Rifleman	Royal Ulster Rifles
McCrory	Robert Getgood	Sergeant	Royal Air Force
McKelvey	William Murray	Lance Corporal	Highland Light Infantry
Quinn	John	Able Seaman	Royal Navy
Sinton	Arthur Buckby	Flying Officer	Royal Air Force
Smyth	Maxwell	Corporal	Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Spratt	Joseph	Leading Signalman	Royal Navy
Webster	Christopher John	Lance Corporal	Royal Army Service Corps
Woods	Reginald Bryan	Lieutenant	Army Air Corps
Watson	Henry de Landre	Flight Lieutenant	Royal Air Force

Joseph Berry

Marine | PO/X 4370

Marine Joseph Berry of Tullylish, Co. Down died on 25th November 1941 when HMS Barham went down in the Mediterranean following a torpedo attack from U-331.

James Clayton

Corporal | 970707

James Clayton from Gilford, Co. Down was a prisoner of war at the brutal Japanese Sandakan Prisoner of War Camp in Borneo when he died on 2nd March 1945.

Gilbert Noel Duke

Sergeant | 1063676

Sergeant Gilbert Noel Duke died on 14th February 1942 while training with the Royal Air Force. Known as Bertie, his grave is in Knocknamuckley, Co. Armagh.

Samuel Fitzwilliams

Airman

Samuel Fitzwilliams served in the R.A.F. before contracting tuberculosis and returning to Gilford, Co. Down where he died on 20th October 1940.

Andrew Fullerton

Rifleman | 7013832

Rifleman Andrew Fullerton of Gilford, Co. Down died between 29th May 1940 and 2nd June 1940 during the British Expeditionary Force's retreat to Dunkirk.

Richard Major

Sergeant | 1074283

Richard Major of Ballynagarrick, Gilford, Co. Down died on 15th August 1943 when Halifax HR745 came under attack from the Luftwaffe over the Bay of Biscay.

William Ashwood McBurney

Rifleman | 7046106

Rifleman William Ashwood McBurney of Banbridge, Co. Down died at Le Mesnil in Normandy on 9th July 1944 while serving in 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles.

John McCoo

Rifleman | 6985059

Rifleman John McCoo of Gilford, Co. Down died on 13th June 1944 while serving in the Battle of Normandy with 1st (Airborne) Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles.

John Quinn

Able Seaman | D/J 27783

Able Seaman John Quinn of Gilford, Co. Down served in both World Wars before his death on 28th August 1942 on the Navy's Destroyer Dept Ship HMS Hecla.

Arthur Buckby Sinton

Flying Officer | 119279

Arthur Buckby Sinton died on 26th June 1943 aged 27 years old when his Boulton Paul Defiant went down during a Mandrel mission over Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Maxwell Smyth

Corporal | 6977646

Corporal Maxwell Smyth from Laurencetown, Co. Down died on 29th March 1942 while serving with 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in Burma (Myanmar).

Joseph Tomlinson

Driver | T/13009997

Driver Joseph Tomlinson from the town of Gilford, Co. Down died on 24th May 1945 while serving with the Royal Army Service Corps in the Second World War.

Henry de Landre Watson

Flight Lieutenant | 148537

Flight Lieutenant Henry de Landre Watson served with RAF 48 Squadron at the time of his death on 26th February 1947 on a routine flight from Singapore.

Christopher John Webster

Lance Corporal | T/87268

Lance Corporal Christopher John Webster of Gilford, Co. Down died on 17th July 1944 while serving with 531st Infantry Brigade Company, RASC in Normandy.

References

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