Remembering the Anzac Forces with connections to Northern Ireland

Anzac Day

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand. The day commemorates all Australian and New Zealanders who served and died in wars and conflicts. Anzac Day takes place on 25th April each year. This day first marked the contributions of Australian and New Zealand forces' sacrifices in Gallipolli during The Great War. This was the first campaign that lead to major casualties for Anzac troops. The acronym stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

Many nations across the world observe Anzac Day commemorations. These include Australasian nations such as Cook Islands, Niue, Pitcairn Islands, and Tonga. Smaller services take place across the world. Since 2009, a Northern Ireland event has taken place at The Ballance House, Glenavy, Co. Antrim. Many Anzac troops came to Northern Ireland for training and mobilisation. Some would not return home.

Australian burials in Northern Ireland

Many Australian service personnel trained in Northern Ireland while attached to British units, in particular flying with the Royal Air Force. Several graves of Anzac forces can be found across the province of Ulster.

Archibald Dethridge Campbell

Sergeant | 400858

Sergeant Archibald Dethridge Campbell died on 1st February 1942 when his Hudson AM604 came down after clipping trees near RAF Aldergrove, Co. Antrim.

David Farquhar Capel

Pilot Officer | 404602

Pilot Officer David Farquhar Capel served in the Royal Australian Air Force and was with R.A.F. 220 Squadron at Ballykelly when he died in the FK207 crash.

Eric George Clarke

Warrant Officer | 404206

Warrant Officer Eric George Clarke served in the Royal Australian Air Force. He died when Avro Anson N5372 came down after striking Knocklayd Mountain.

Francis Aloysius Connell

Flying Officer | 421168

Flying Officer Francis Aloysius Connell served in the Royal Australian Air Force with attachments to the RCAF and RAF before his death in November 1943.

Hugh Gavin Fraser

Pilot Officer | 402051

Pilot Officer Hugh Gavin Fraser died on 1st February 1942 when his Hudson came down at RAF Aldergrove, Co. Antrim. He survived a lucky escape in Australia.

Anthony Joseph Gallagher

Flight Sergeant | 410595

Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant Anthony Joseph Gallagher flew in No. 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit, RAF when Halifax EB134 crashed in November 1943.

Donald Murray Gibson

Flight Sergeant | 413982

Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant Donald Murray Gibson died on 15th May 1943 when Bristol Beaufort EL131 crashed at Castledawson, Co. Londonderry.

Robert Hugh Gillian

Flight Sergeant | 37399

Robert Hugh Gillian died on 6th March 1943 as Avro Anson LV153 crashed in the Sperrin Mountains, Co. Tyrone. The Australian navigator was 27 years old.

Charles Loxley Harris

Flight Sergeant | 411702

Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant Charles Loxley Harris died on 15th May 1943 when Bristol Beaufort EL131 crashed at Castledawson, Co. Londonderry.

Allan Stewart Johnston

Flight Sergeant | 409125

Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant Allan Stewart Johnston flew with RAF No. 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit when he died in Ireland on 7th November 1943.

John Russell Keane

Flying Officer | 409839

Australian Flying Officer John Russell Keane was flying with No. 5 Operational Training Unit from RAF Long Kesh, Co. Down when he died in November 1943.

William Wilson Kirby

Sergeant | 416768

Sergeant William Wilson Kirby (416768) served in the Royal Australian Air Force. For a time during World War Two he flew from a base in Northern Ireland.

Ross Wellesley Lindeman

Sergeant | 493141

Sergeant Ross Wellesley Lindeman served in the Royal Australian Air Force. While flying with 153 Squadron, he died on 25th January 1942 in Co. Londonderry.

Norman Francis Dougald McCallum

Flight Sergeant | 418001

Australian Flight Sergeant Norman Francis Dougald McCallum died on 29th November 1943 and is buried alongside fellow crew members in Lisburn, Co. Antrim.

William Murray Mullins

Flight Sergeant | 418542

Flight Sergeant William Murray Mullins served with RAF No. 5 Operational Training Unit when he died on 29th November 1943 in an air crash over Co. Antrim.

Alan Gilbert Potter

Flight Sergeant | 417302

Flight Sergeant Alan Gilbert Potter (417302) served in the Royal Australian Air Force. He died on 23rd July 1943 in a training accident over Co. Antrim.

Vernon James Pither

Sergeant | 408512

Sergeant Vernon James Pither served with the Royal Australian Air Force. He died on 20th July 1942 in an aviation accident near the Giant's Causeway.

Alan James Pryde

Flying Officer | 436583

Australian born Pilot Alan James Pryde died on board Liberator KG896 on 19th March 1945 in a Royal Air Force training accident in Northern Ireland.

Tom Harrison Raven

Lieutenant | S/4667

While serving on HMS Sarawak with the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve, Lieutenant Tom Harrison Raven died on 31st March 1945 in Belfast Lough.

George Hilton Sansome

Flight Sergeant | 423386

Flight George Hilton Sansome of the Royal Australian Air Force flew with RAF No. 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit when he died in Ireland on 7th November 1943.

William John Sharp

Pilot Officer | 418883

The grave of RAAF Pilot Officer William John Sharp is in Irvinestown, Co. Fermanagh. The Consolidated Catalina JX242 navigator died on 20th November 1944.

Alfred Frank Sherry

Flight Sergeant | 418982

Flight Sergeant Alfred Frank Sherry died on 9th January 1944 when Consolidated Catalina FP193 crashed half a mile away from Boa Island, Co. Fermanagh.

Richard Henry Sproge

Sergeant | 427266

Sergeant Richard Henry Sproge served in the Royal Australian Air Force. The 22-year-old died when his plane came down in Co. Antrim on 27th March 1944.

Thomas Charles Stevens

Sergeant | 9452

Royal Australian Air Force Sergeant Thomas Charles Stevens from Ballarat, Victoria died on 29th March 1943 when Beaufort AW277 crashed in Northern Ireland.

Kenneth John Taubman

Flight Sergeant | 424560

Flight Sergeant Kenneth John Taubman of New South Wales, Australia died on 8th August 1944. He served in R.A.F 290 Squadron in Northern Ireland at the time.

John Joseph Walsh

Flight Sergeant | 422770

Australian airman Flight Sergeant John Joseph Walsh was the only fatality in the crash of Vickers Wellington LB247 on 5th November 1943 in Co. Londonderry.

Stanley Donald Wills

Flight Sergeant | 400746

Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant Stanley Donald Wills served in RAF 153 Squadron at RAF Ballyhalbert, Co. Down when he died on 26th May 1942.

Leslie Woods

Flight Sergeant | 414859

Royal Australian Air Force Flight Sergeant Leslie Woods died on 28th November 1943 during a training flight with No. 7 OTU in Portballintrae, Co. Antrim.

Falkner Cotton Young

Sergeant | 404354

Sergeant Falkner Cotton Young from Queensland, Australia died in Northern Ireland on 1st February 1942 while training with RAF 220 Squadron at Nutts Corner.

Australians born in Ulster

William Carnegie

Corporal | WX705

Corporal William Carnegie was born in Ballycastle, Co. Antrim and served in 2/11 Battalion Australian Infantry at his time of death on 19th April 1941.

John Charles Murphy

Private | VX61153

Private John Charles Murphy of Derry/Londonderry died on 16th March 1944 while a Prisoner of War with the Australian Infantry in Camp 4, Thailand.

New Zealander burials in Northern Ireland

Frederick Hugh Anderson

Pilot Officer | 404880

Pilot Officer Frederick Hugh Anderson flew with RAF 153 Squadron who reformed at RAF Ballyhalbert on 14th October 1941. The pilot was from New Zealand.

John Gouinlock Anderson

Flying Officer | 416624

Flying Officer John Gouinlock Anderson of the Royal New Zealand Air Force died when Vickers Wellington HF838 came down near Bolea in Co. Londonderry.

Allen Millar Cameron Bayne

Petty Officer | FX 76845

The Bayne family emigrated to New Zealand. Allen Millar Cameron Bayne served in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm at the time of his death on 17th February 1943.

Henry Gordon Coombe

Warrant Officer | 421266

Warrant Officer Henry Gordon Coombe died on 24th June 1944 when Liberator FL977 came down in bad weather on Binevenagh Mountain approaching RAF Ballykelly.

Edward Lindsay Darrell

Warrant Officer | 422693

Warrant Officer Edward Lindsay Darrell served in Fermanagh with the Royal New Zealand Air Force at his time of death on 21st September 1944.

Arthur Reginald Davis

Sergeant | 414730

Royal New Zealand Air Force Sergeant Arthur Reginald Davis died on 15th May 1943 when Bristol Beaufort EL131 crashed near Castledawson, Co. Londonderry.

Keith Thomas Devery

Sergeant | 416683

Royal New Zealand Air Force Sergeant Keith Thomas Devery died on 15th May 1943 when Bristol Beaufort EL131 crashed near Castledawson, Co. Londonderry.

Lloyd Sidney Dyer

Flight Sergeant | 415185

Flight Sergeant Lloyd Sidney Dyer served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He was fatally injured on 5th March 1943 close to R.A.F. Long Kesh.

Alwyne James Galvin

Flying Officer | 417044

Pilot Flying Officer Alwyne James Galvin served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force when his De Havilland Mosquito crashed in Co. Down on 14th March 1944.

William Ivan Holmes

Flying Officer | 416205

New Zealand born Pilot William Ivan Holmes died on board Liberator KG896 on 19th March 1945 in a Royal Air Force training accident in Northern Ireland.

John Samuel Hornby

Sublieutenant

Acting Sublieutenant John Samuel Hornby of Wanganui, New Zealand was 21 years old when his Supermarine Seafire came down in Co. Tyrone on 10th October 1945.

John William Hughes

Flight Sergeant | 41436

Flight Sergeant John William Hughes of the Royal New Zealand Air Force died when Vickers Wellington HF838 came down near Aghanloo Airfield, Co. Londonderry.

Harold Eric Hunter

Flying Officer | 402060

Royal New Zealand Air Force Flying Officer Harold Eric Hunter died on 16th March 1942 when Wellington X3599 came down in the Mourne Mountains, Co. Down.

Trevor Arthur Kemp

Flight Sergeant | 422412

Flight Sergeant Trevor Arthur Kemp from New Zealand died when Vickers Wellington Z1313 collided with Divis Mountain near Belfast on 24th November 1943.

Alexander McLaughlin

Flight Sergeant | 422972

On 16th November 1944, Flying Fortress HB787 came down in Norfolk, England. On board was RNZAF Flight Sergeant Alexander McLaughlin, buried in Co. Antrim.

John Hugh Nurse

Sub Lieutenant

Sub-Lieutenant John Hugh Nurse served with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and was based at RNAS Eglinton, Co. Londonderry when he died on 19th November 1943.

William Russell Rattray

Pilot Officer | 41938

Pilot Officer William Russell Rattray was a 22 year old pilot from Canterbury, New Zealand serving with the Royal Air Force when he died on 11th March 1942.

Thomas William Taylor

Sergeant | 405529

Sergeant Thomas William Taylor (405529) of the Royal New Zealand Air Force died on 21st August 1942 as a result of a crash in Co. Antrim.

Wilson Twentyman

Pilot Officer | 413913

Pilot Officer Wilson Twentyman served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and flew in No. 7 Operational Training Unit at his time of death on 20th July 1942.

Francis Augustine Weaver

Sergeant | 412292

Royal New Zealand Air Force Sergeant Francis Augustine Weaver died on 28th August 1942 while transporting a plane between Canada and the U.K.

Rex Samuel Wilson

Sub-Lieutenant

Sub-Lieutenant Rex Samuel Wilson of New Zealand died on 2nd August 1945 while serving in Fleet Air Arm 891 Squadron based at Eglinton, Co. Londonderry.

New Zealanders born in Ulster

Andrew Cecil Dick

Ordinary Seaman | 3228

Ordinary Seaman Andrew Cecil Dick was born in Strabane, Co. Tyrone. He died on 29th March 1942 while on board HMS Trinidad with the Royal New Zealand Navy.

John Gilmore

Private | 29318

Private John Gilmore served in 18th Battalion New Zealand Infantry although he was born in Belfast. He died in Germany on 16th August 1944.

William Patton

Seaman

William Patton served with the Merchant Navy during the war. At the time of his death, he was listed as a New Zealander but his family came from Co. Down.

References

Australian Times BBC Northern Ireland Belfast Newsletter Lisburn Today The Ballance House Wikipedia