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ABOUT ME I started collecting when I was about 8 years of age, when I was given pieces from my paternal grandfather David McCallion. I remember as a young boy gas masks and helmets in my grand parents house as many homes in that time still had. One in particular, a civilian gas mask in a black painted tin which had been a powdered milk tin that was originally white with blue writing on, they were issued during World War 2 as part of rationing. Later on in life as my knowledge grew I found out that this had been common practice with the gasmask's, to give them better protection than the old issued cardboard box. Since then I have gathered all sorts of war time memorabilia relating to the services and to the home front. Another fond memory I have as a child was when we lived in Birmingham I visited my uncle Davy's scrap yard and got my hands on my first German helmet and badges. Also a good source for militaria was the ole flea market at the Bull Ring in Birmingham. When we came back home from living in England we would congregate as a family at Granny and Grandads every Saturday, it was common practice with all families back then. We would get to see Uncles, Aunts and Cousins on a regular bases and catch up, not like modern times when you only get to see relatives at births deaths and marriages. I also have fond memories of that time of being lifted up on to Grandads knee and being told of his time in the army. I feel very privileged that he was able to speak to me about his service. Time must have softened the harshness of the Great War, so that he could talk to me about it back then. The war to end all wars so they believed. Another memory I have was that in the next door neighbours garden there was an Anderson Air Raid Shelter which I would often sneak in too and would get told off as it may have been filled with rats. After a recent exhibition in Ballysillan, I have found out that the shelter still exist but is now covered over, a step back in time for me will take place in the near future. I will take some pictures and add to this site. Because of these times past my interest in history began, it grows with every day as I learn something new from the people I meet. Join me in my journey to discover our past and hopefully some day we will have our own War Museum here in Northern Ireland to preserve the past so that every one can benefit and learn from it. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the guys on the Great War Forum, World War 2 Talk and The Commonwealth War Graves Commission for your kind help and assistance I would also thank the Royal Ulster Rifles and Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Museums for the help with the research and to all those who gave permission to allow their material to be reproduced on here |
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WW1 FAMILY HISTORY |
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[Above] 56571 Pte William McCready Second from the left in back row who served with The Hampshire Regiment during the Great War awarded British War Medal and Victory Medal |
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3364 Pte Samuel White My maternal Great Grandfather, father of William and Samuel who served with the 2nd Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers during the Great War He was wounded on the 1st July 1916 Samuel lay buried for two days in the mud before being found and brought back to his own lines Discharged on the 1st October 1918 with a Silver Wound Badge Samuel had at some stage in france befriended a short haired small white dog which he called Verdun and brought back home with him After the War he embroidered a scene depicting the carnage in the trenches this apparently helped during is convalescence and to get over the shell shock he was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal and entitled to wear a wound stripe and two blue service stripes Some of the above information was taken from a tape recording made in 1996 by Florence Lutton Canada from her mothers words Florence Bailey Lutton nee White (below also taken from the tape) James White Killed in the Dardanelle's during the Great War (son of James White) (More details to follow) |
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WW2 FAMILY HISTORY A FAMILY AT WAR |
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[Below] 7012981 Rfn William White My maternal Grandfather, brother of Samuel who served with the 1st Battalion The Royal Ulster Rifles in India 1937-39 and later as they became part of the 6th Air Landing Brigade. Note the difference in spelling of the name White / Whyte this was due to lessons learnt in the first World War, The two brothers were not allowed to serve together in same unit so Sammy thought he would change the spelling of his name to dupe the Recruiting Sergeant, as it was Sammy was unable to serve with his brother Billy and went on to serve with the Norfolk's and was subsequently killed, the family home at this time was 8 Upper Mervue Street, North Belfast.
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[Below] Grandad Billy with Great Granny Emma
[Below] 5772633 L/Cpl Samuel Whyte He was Killed In Action at Dunkirk on the 27th May 1940. He was serving with the 2nd Battalion The Royal Norfolk Regiment as part of the rear guard, while the British Expeditionary Force was evacuated from the beaches by boat. He has no known grave. This is my Great Uncle who paid the ultimate sacrifice by laying down his life for both King and Country, and his comrades as many Ulster and Irish men did. It is very possible that Samuel was killed by the No3 Coy of the 1st Battalion 2nd SS Totenkopf Regiment Captain Fritz Knoechlein Officer Commanding who ordered the LE PARADIS Massacre. In 1948 Lieutenant Colonel Fritz Knoechlein was found guilty of this war crime and was hanged in Hamburg on 28th January 1949
Casualty Details Young Belfast Signaller Information has been received by his parents at 8 Upper Mervue Street, Belfast that L-Corpl. Samuel Whyte, serving as a signaller with the Royal Norfolk Regiment, has been reported as missing. L-Corpl. Whyte is 20 years of age. He joined the Army as a boy of 17, carrying on the tradition of his father, who served throughout the last war and was wounded in 1917. An elder brother, William is at present serving with the Royal Ulster Rifles in India, and five cousins, one of whom was yesterday reported missing are also serving with the B.E.F. The above extract was printed in the Belfast Telegraph on 26th June 1940.
In Memory of
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