Activity Point 7 - War
The following section provides an overview of life in Warrenpoint through World War I and World War II. Thanks to Newry and Mourne Museum, Newry Reporter Archives and Old Warrenpoint Forum for information and images.
The Years Before the War
• Before WW1 Ireland was on the brink of Civil War.
• Nationalists and Unionists were divided over the issue of Home Rule.
• Unionists feared the religious and economic consequences of an Ireland governed by Catholics.
• On Ulster Day, 28 September 1912, Unionists signed the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant.
• In 1913 both sides formed their own private armies.
• Unionists – Ulster Volunteer Force
• Nationalists – Irish National Volunteers
Rights of Women
• Women's’ suffrage was also a contentious issue in the area.
• Both Newry and Warrenpoint established Suffrage Societies.
• In 1913 the Newry Suffrage Society had 48 members while the Warrenpoint Suffrage Society, which predated Newry, had 58 members.
• The Warrenpoint Suffrage Society was led by Dora Mellone.
The Ulster Volunteer Force Parading into Narrow water Castle, 1914
Recruitment
• The first men to leave for service in the war were reservists who had served in the Boer Wars or in other parts of the then British Empire.
• A recruitment committee was set up for the Newry area led by two local solicitors; William Johnston
(Warrenpoint) and Alexander Fisher (Newry).
• The leaders of both the Nationalist and Unionist communities encouraged their supporters to enlist.
• The National Volunteers enlisted in the newly created 10th and 16th Irish Division, while the Ulster Volunteers joined the 36th Ulster Division.
• Locally, despite the former political difficulties over Home Rule, there was a united approach to recruitment.
• The Nationalist and Unionist bands joined in recruitment drives and farewell parades to recruits
leaving for war.
• Most enlisted in the Army while some enlisted in the Navy with a few men joining the newly formed Air Force.
• In 1917 the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corp was formed.
• This allowed women to support the soldiers at the front by driving, cooking, working as mechanics and typists, freeing men up for the front line.
National Volunteers
A company of the Warrenpoint National Volunteers armed with rifles and fixed bayonets, visited Rostrevor on Sunday evening 25th April 1915, during a route march. After a short bivouac the men were put through some rudimentary elements of military training in due readiness for any Teutonic aggression and afterwards left for Warrenpoint.
Recruitment in Warrenpoint
A detachment of the North Irish Horse, reviewed by Lord Wimborne, the newly appointed Viceroy of Ireland
Lady Wimborne greeting the mother of a soldier of the Great War
An All Ireland War Demonstration on 7th July 1915
Trains were organised from Dublin and Belfast to join in the recruitment rally in Warrenpoint
Industrial War Front A shipyard in Warrenpoint making concrete boats
War memoir (Narrated by PJ McVeigh, St Colman’s College) – giving us insight into life in Warrenpoint leading up to WW2.
Warrenpoint American Red Cross Club
This building was where the 5th Infantry Division, United States Army had it's Red Cross Club. It is located in Church Street, Warrenpoint.
The original interior featured a mural by Private Romaine E. Wallace, shown putting the final touches to his artwork.
United States Army in Warrenpoint
Soldiers from the United States Army, 5th Infantry Division, on parade in the centre of Warrenpoint. Note, the American Flag, centre right.
A crowd gathers to watch the marching band.
Soldiers in Warrenpoint
Soldiers at McGivern’s Amusements in Warrenpoint. Examination of the Soldier’s uniforms, suggest they may have been Belgian.
Private First Class Paul Fonteaut, U.S. Army with Lilly Gallagher (Quinn) with the man on the right of the picture believed to be Hugh Hanna who was from New York. (Thanks to Old Warrenpoint Forum)
The Warrenpoint Air Crash, 15th July 1944
On 15th July 1944 two aircraft from 290 Squadron Royal Air Force, based at Newtownards, were entertaining a crowd of spectators at Warrenpoint during a Civil Defence Demonstration when disaster struck.
(Newspaper clipping used with the kind permission of the Old Warrenpoint Forum)
The Warrenpoint Air Crash, 15th July 1944
The aircraft involved were a Miles Martinet TT1 (Number MS626), which was used by the Royal Air Force specifically for the role of towing targets and an Airspeed Oxford (Number LX 598) which was a twin engined trainer aircraft.
There were misty conditions while the display was taking place and then, while one aircraft was climbing over the town the second aircraft approached from the direction of Carlingford Lough. It appears that the pilots saw each other at the last minute and both attempted to take evasive action with one climbing and the other diving however this was not to be as the tail sections struck each other and as an explosion occurred in the sky pieces of both aircraft rained down.
Miles Martinet TT1
Some sections of wreckage from the Martinet landed in the Church Street and Queen Street area of the town however most crashed at Duke Street and Church Street, where the cockpit was found with the deceased crew inside.
The Airspeed Oxford fell into Carlingford Lough near to the swimming baths and the bodies of the 3 Pilots who were killed were recovered and taken initially to the Charlotte Street Morgue then on to the Mortuary at Daisyhill Hospital in Newry.
Airspeed Oxford
Auxiliary Fire Service, Warrenpoint
(Photograph used with the kind permission of the Old Warrenpoint Forum)
Production “Landing Craft Tank” Vessels in Warrenpoint
The Smith & Pearson Company produced "Landing Craft Tank" or "L.C.T." vessels at Warrenpoint. These were very similar to the more common Landing Craft which were to be seen in large numbers specifically in the Pacific Theatre as well as Normandy and the Mediterranean but with the added capability to carry Tanks to shore.
L.C.T., ordered in 1943, shown being launched.
On one particular occasion Miss Florence Clements, who was a Typist for the Company, was asked to officially Launch one of the L.C.T's with considerable coverage by the local press.
Florence is shown above with Rear-Admiral Richard Hugh Loraine Bevan C.B., M.V.O., K.B.E., D.S.O
Rear-Admiral Richard Hugh Loraine Bevan Inspecting Naval personnel
L.C.T. 872 is shown in this photograph and it is interesting to note that this was commissioned on 21st August 1945. (Images used with the permission of the Old Warrenpoint Forum)
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