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Ulster's V.C. Heroes of the Great War...

27 July 2016

The Ulster’s V.C. Heroes of the Great War Exhibition of Paintings will go on display in the Discover Ulster-Scots Centre from Monday 1st August 2016.

During the Great War, 628 Victoria Crosses were awarded to servicemen from the UK and its overseas Empire: 19 of these were awarded to men from Ulster families, fighting with British, Canadian and New Zealand forces on land and sea. Incredibly, 4 were earned in one day, 1st July 1916.

To mark the achievements of these gallant Ulstermen, the Ulster-Scots Agency commissioned a series of portraits by renowned local artist Philip Armstrong, which form the basis of this exhibition.

The portraits were also used to create a poster depicting all 19 Ulster V.C. winners together, which along with a poster reproducing the famous JP Beadle painting of 1st July 1916 was issued to every school in Ulster in the summer of 2016.

Visitors to the Ulster's V.C. Heroes of the Great War Exhibition of Paintings will also have an opportunity to obtain a copy of an accompanying booklet on the V.C. recipients.

The Discover Ulster-Scots Centre is located at The Corn Exchange Building, 1- 9 Victoria St, Belfast, Antrim, BT1 3GA and is open from Monday to Friday (10am to 4pm) Entry is free.

Further information is available by contacting the Discover Ulster-Scots Centre on (028) 9043 6710.

The 19 Ulster's V.C. Heroes of the Great War commemorated in the Exhibition of Paintings are:

1.              Sgt David Nelson (Royal Artillery) of Stranooden, Co Monaghan.

2.              Major Earnest Wright Alexander (Royal Field Artillery), whose mother was from Belfast.

3.              Pte William McFadzean (Royal Irish Rifles), who was born in Lurgan and lived in Belfast.

4.              2nd Lieut. Edmund de Wind (Royal Irish Rifles), from Comber, Co Down.

5.              Lt. Col. Richard Annesley West (North Irish Horse), whose father was from Fermanagh.

6.              2nd Lieut. Hugh Colvin (Cheshire Regiment), whose parents came from Ulster.

7.              Sgt James Somers (Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers), from Belturbet, Co Cavan.

8.              Pte James Duffy (Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers), from Gweedore, Co Donegal.

9.              Pte Robert Morrow (Royal Irish Fusiliers), from Newmills, Co Tyrone.

10.          Commander Edward Barry Stewart Bingham (Royal Navy), from Bangor, Co Down.

11.          Pte Thomas Hughes (Connaught Rangers), from Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.

12.          Sgt Maj Robert Hill Hanna (Canadian Expeditionary Force), from Kilkeel, Co Down.

13.          Rifleman Robert Quigg (Royal Irish Rifles), from Bushmills, Co Antrim.

14.          2nd Lieut. John Spencer Dunville (Royal Dragoons), whose father was from Holywood, Co Down.

15.          Capt. Eric Norman Frankland Bell (Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers), from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.

16.          Pte James Crichton (Auckland Infantry Regiment), from Carrickfergus, Co Antrim.

17.          Lieut. Geoffrey St. George Shillington Cather (Royal Irish Fusiliers), whose parents were from Ulster.

18.          Lieut. James Anson Otho Brooke (Gordon Highlanders), whose father was from Co Fermanagh.

19.          Capt. John Alexander Sinton MD (Indian Medical Service), whose parents came from Ulster.