STEVENSON, Henry

Henry (Harry) Stevenson was born in Ballyholme on 7 July 1893, the son of James Stevenson, a labourer and his wife Jemima (nee M'Gowan)

He enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in May 1915 (Service No 405119) although his Attestation papers recorded he had served 4 months with the 109th Regiment.

He listed his profession as tailor as was also recorded in the 1911 census.

Returning to Canada after the war the family memorial records he died on the 7th May 1947 "from wounds received in 1914-1918 war."

HANNAY, Herbert (Bertie)

Flight Sergeant (Pilot), 51 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Service No: 754380
Died: 12/06/1941
Age: 21

Mentioned in Despatches 

Interred in Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery, Holland
Remembered on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

Hertbert Hannay is recorded on the
Second World War Memorial Window
in First Bangor Presbyterian Church

Herbert Hannay (known as Bertie) was born on 28 February 1920 at 37 Prospect Road, Bangor. He was the son of William Herbert Hannay, a farmer, and his wife Rosa Hannay (nee Curragh).

His parents were married in 1911 in First Presbyterian Church, Donaghadee and Herbert was the youngest of their four known children his siblings being: William Henry Montgomery (b1911); Sarah Montgomery (b1913); and Jenny Winifred (b1915).

Bertie attended Main Street Boys’ Public Elementary School and Bangor Grammar School (where he was a scholarship student) after which he worked for the Century Insurance Company in Belfast.

Herbert joined the RAFVR in 1939 at No. 24 Elementary & Reserve Flying Training School (E & RFTS) which was operated by Short & Harland on behalf by the Ministry of Defence at Belfast Harbour Airport (now the George Best City Airport).

The Northern Ireland RAFVR had a basic programme, which consisted of the students attending lectures, marching drills and other military exercises twice a week at the RAFVR Headquarters at Saxone House in Donegall Place, Belfast and at weekends they attended No. 24 E & RFTS at Sydenham for flying training.

Over 300 young men joined the RAFVR between the 1 January 1939 and 1 May 1940. On 3 September 1939, 140 of them, including Herbert and his brother William (who served as a Sergeant-Observer), were called into full time service and posted to various RAF stations in England for further training. 92 of them were Killed in Action. Forty-eight of them survived.

A Roll of Honour for them was unveiled at Royal Belfast Academical Institution (RBAI) in May 2019. 

On 10 June 1940, Herbert married Thomasina Eleanor (Ena) Weir in Whitewaltham Parish Church, Maidenhead, Berks. Ena's  parents were Mr and Mrs Robert Weir of Farnham Street, Belfast.

An Armstrong Whitworth Whitley in flight c1940

At 23:06 hours on 11 June 1941, Bertie was the co-pilot and one of five crew members on board an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mark V aircraft (Z6657) that took off from Dishforth airfield in Yorkshire.  Just over four hours later they were shot down by a German night-fighter and they crashed near Noord-Brabant in Holland. The five crew members who died were:
   Sergeant John BRADSHAW (1355770) Wireless Op [RAF]
   Sergeant James Edward GITTINS (937720) Observer [RAF]
   Flight Sergeant Herbert HANNAY (754380) Pilot [RAF]
   Sergeant Cyril Gerrard HUMBLE (939951) Wireless Op [RAF]
   Pilot Officer Paul Edward SNYDER (J/3732) Pilot [RCAF]

Writing in Bangor Grammar School's Gryphon Magazine, Maurice Wilkin's, a former headmaster, wrote: "Herbert (Bertie) Hannay was also a scholarship holder, a boy of genial and attractive character, who took part with zest in every school activity and was universally beloved..."

A silver bowl bearing the inscription "Hannay Memorial Bowl" was presented to Bangor Grammar School by his parents to be awarded annually for the best performance in the Ulster Schools Sports competition.

ROLL OF HONOUR

HANNAY — In proud and loving remembrance of our dearly loved youngest son (Bertie), Flight/Sergeant/Pilot Herbert Hannay, R.A.F.V.R., killed in action over Holland, June 12, 1941,
"Ever in our thoughts.”
Always remembered by his loving Father; Mother, Brother, Willie and Sister, Sadie, 39 Prospect Road, Bangor.
HANNAY — Treasured memories of my brother (Bertie) Flight/Sergeant/Pilot Herbert Hannay, R.A.F.V.R., killed in action, June 12, 1941.
“Beautiful memories, dearer than gold.”
Ever remembered by his Sister and Brother-in-law, Jean and George Mattthews, Groomsport Road, Bangor.

Co Down Spectator, 13 June 1953

CROZIER, William

Rifleman, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Service No: 6025
Died: 19/05/1917
Age: 29

Interred in Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery
Recorded on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

William Crozier is recorded on the
Bangor Parish War Memorial
in St. Comgall's Church

William (Willie) was born Frederick William Crozier on 11th March 1888 in Carrickblacker, Co Armagh. He was the son of William Crozier, a coachman, and Henrietta Crozier nee Neill.

He was the fifth of their six children. He was also the second child of the family to bear that name, the other being their second child who died the year before aged 9.

The family moved to Bangor in the late 1890s after the birth of the youngest child Elizabeth (known as May) who was born 1895 and were living in 72 Castle Street at the time of the 1901 census.

The family was still living in Castle Street by the time of the 1911 Census in which William was recorded as a gardener. He was employed at Bangor Castle were he worked for many years.

William enlisted in the Royal Irish Rifles serving in the 13th Battalion with the Medal Roll suggesting he enlisted in the 11th Battalion before transferring and went to France with the 36th Ulster Division in October 1915.

William was wounded at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 with the reports giving the family address at this time as 4 Castle Cottages in Bangor.

He recovered from his wound and returned to active service but was killed at Kemmel Hill on 19 May 1917.

Wlater, William's older brother, served with the 5th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.

 

Photo of CWG courtesy of Colin Crozier.

MAGINNIS, Hugh

Ship's Cook, S.S. Wileysike
Died: 09/05/1918
Age: 38

Interred Bangor Cemetery

Born in Bangor, son of Hugh and Jane Maginnis.

Photo of ss Wileysike (from Clive Ketley on www.tynebuiltships.co.uk)

S.S. WILEYSIKE
The ss Wileysike (Reg No: 95248) was an lightly-armed British cargo ship. On the 9th May 1918, while en route from Glasgow to France with a cargo of coal, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U54 when 8 miles SW of St Ann’s Head, Wales. She went down with the loss of 4 lives: Hugh, David Davies (Wales), George Pettinger (Yorkshire) and Rafael Diaz (Mexico).
    She was built in 1888 by the Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Company and, when sunk, was owned by the Wileysike Steamship Co Ltd (WS Miller & Co) of Glasgow.

WILLIAMS, Thomas Warwick

Died: 2nd May 1931
Age: 58

Interred in Bangor Cemetery

Thomas Williams was born in Dublin c1873 the son of John Williams and Charlotte Akermann.

In 1896 he received a commission as Second Lieutenant in the 5th (Irish) Liverpool Regiment (formerly the Liverpool Irish).

While the regiment itself was not sent to South Africa on the outbreak of the Second Boer War, over 220 men volunteered to go – of these 100 formed a service company attached the the Royal Irish Regiment. This company served for ten months and returned to Britain in November 1900.

A report in the Liverpool Daily Post of 18th May 1901 on the return of the "Liverpool Volunteers" by a Captain Thomas states, "We arrived at Cape Town on 16th March [1900], and went into camp at Green Point... Whilst here we met the Service Company of the 5th Irish, under Captain Williams."

Thomas was wounded during the campaign and was awarded the South Africa Medal with clasps for Wittebergen, Cape Colony and Transvaal.

In the 1911 census he is recorded as living in Southwell Road, Bangor, with his mother and two sisters.

On the outbreak of the Great War he volunteered to serve again.

After the war Thomas took up a role with the Ministry of Pensions, becoming Chief Area Officer in 1923. Also that year, on 27th September 1923, he married Miss Edith Brice.

He had a keen interest in sport and was a member of the Bangor Recreation Club, Bangor Rugby Football Club, Ward Park Tennis Club and the Bangor and Kirkiston Castle Clubs.

He died on 2nd May 1931.

WILLIAMS – May 2, 1931, at his residence, Inishowen, Shandon Park E., Bangor, Thomas Warwick Williams, Captain, late The King's Liverpool Regiment, and Chief Area Officer, Ministry of Pensions, Belfast, the much-loved husband of Edith Williams. Funeral private. No flowers please.

Belfast News-Letter, 4th May 1931

GRATTAN, Angeline

Civilian Casualty
Died: 16/04/1941
Age: 18

Interred in Bangor Cemetery

Angeline Grattan was the daughter of Andrew and Matilda Grattan and lived at 40 Ashley Gardens Bangor. On the night of 15th April 1941 the German Luftwaffe carried out the second of three air raids on Belfast. Some of the bombers missed their targets and several outlying areas where hit– one being Bangor. Angeline along with her mother Matilda and her sister Shelagh were killed in the raid.

Funeral of Raid Victims

The funeral took place yesterday to Bangor New Cemetery of Mrs. Matilda Grattan and her daughters, Shelagh (20) and Angeline (18), who lost their lives as the result of enemy action. A service was held in St. Comgall’s Catholic Church, Brunswick Road.
    The chief mourners were Mr. Andrew Grattan (husband and father), his married daughter, Mrs. G. O’Connell, of Galway, and her husband; another daughter, Miss Kathleen Grattan, and Mr. B. M’Kinney.
    Three sons, Messrs. Robert, George and Andrew, are abroad.
    The Mayor, Councillor W. M. M’Millan, and the Town Clerk, Mr. R. M. Moore, represented the Council and residents of the town. The services were conducted by the Rev. T. MacGowan, P.P., and the Rev. A. R. MacNabb, B.A., C.C.
    The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. Jacob O’Neill, undertaker, Dufferin Avenue, Bangor.

    Northern Whig, 19th May 1941

GRATTAN, Shelagh

Civilian Casualty
Died: 16/04/1941
Age: 20

Interred in Bangor Cemetery

Shelagh Grattan was the daughter of Andrew and Matilda Grattan and lived at 40 Ashley Gardens Bangor. On the night of 15th April 1941 the German Luftwaffe carried out the second of three air raids on Belfast. Some of the bombers missed their targets and several outlying areas where hit– one being Bangor. Shelagh along with her mother Matilda and her sister Angeline were killed in the raid.

Funeral of Raid Victims

The funeral took place yesterday to Bangor New Cemetery of Mrs. Matilda Grattan and her daughters, Shelagh (20) and Angeline (18), who lost their lives as the result of enemy action. A service was held in St. Comgall’s Catholic Church, Brunswick Road.
    The chief mourners were Mr. Andrew Grattan (husband and father), his married daughter, Mrs. G. O’Connell, of Galway, and her husband; another daughter, Miss Kathleen Grattan, and Mr. B. M’Kinney.
    Three sons, Messrs. Robert, George and Andrew, are abroad.
    The Mayor, Councillor W. M. M’Millan, and the Town Clerk, Mr. R. M. Moore, represented the Council and residents of the town. The services were conducted by the Rev. T. MacGowan, P.P., and the Rev. A. R. MacNabb, B.A., C.C.
    The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. Jacob O’Neill, undertaker, Dufferin Avenue, Bangor.

    Northern Whig, 19th May 1941

GRATTAN, Matilda

Civilian Casualty
Died: 16/04/1941
Age: 54

Interred in Bangor Cemetery

Matilda Grattan was the wife of Andrew F. Grattan and lived at 40 Ashley Gardens Bangor. On the night of 15th April 1941 the German Luftwaffe carried out the second of three air raids on Belfast. Some of the bombers missed their targets and several outlying areas where hit– one being Bangor. Matilda and her daughters Shelagh and Angeline were killed in the raid.

Funeral of Raid Victims

The funeral took place yesterday to Bangor New Cemetery of Mrs. Matilda Grattan and her daughters, Shelagh (20) and Angeline (18), who lost their lives as the result of enemy action. A service was held in St. Comgall’s Catholic Church, Brunswick Road.
    The chief mourners were Mr. Andrew Grattan (husband and father), his married daughter, Mrs. G. O’Connell, of Galway, and her husband; another daughter, Miss Kathleen Grattan, and Mr. B. M’Kinney.
    Three sons, Messrs. Robert, George and Andrew, are abroad.
    The Mayor, Councillor W. M. M’Millan, and the Town Clerk, Mr. R. M. Moore, represented the Council and residents of the town. The services were conducted by the Rev. T. MacGowan, P.P., and the Rev. A. R. MacNabb, B.A., C.C.
    The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. Jacob O’Neill, undertaker, Dufferin Avenue, Bangor.

    Northern Whig, 19th May 1941

LEE, Edward Elliott

Captain, Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Service No: 104897
Died: 19/12/1946
Age: 53

Interred in Bangor Cemetery

Edward Elliott Arthur Axford Lee was born in Dublin on the 21st June 1893. He was the son of Edward E. Lee and Eliza Lee (nee Axford) and the eldest of their six children. His father was a tobacco merchant operating out of premises at 23 Wellington Quay in Dublin, and Edward grew up at the family home in Lower Gardiner Street.

Working as a Solicitors Clerk when war broke out, Edward joined the Officer Training Corp and went to Sandhurst. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers on 26th June 1915 and had attained the rank of Captain by the end of the war. His brother, Harold, enlisted in the 10th Battalion in December 1915.

In July 1916, he married Ida Florence Hayes with whom he had three children and after the war he returned the the law. In the early 1920s, moving first to Craigavad, he took up a position as a law searcher at a legal firm in Arthur Street, Belfast.

Edward was a Freemason and in 1923 he became a founder member of the Ardath Lodge in the Freemasons Hall in Arthur Square in Belfast. It was also at this time tragedy struck the family when in August of that year they lost their 5-year-old son Teddie when he was struck by a motor car.

On the outbreak of the Second World War, Edward was recalled and commissioned into the RAOC and in 1941 took up the position of Commanding Officer of the Returned Stores Dept. in Templemore Street which was in the Ballymacarrett district of Belfast.
Edward died suddenly at his home on the Holywood Road, Belfast on 19th December 1946.

LEE – December 19, 1946, at his residence Hayeslee, Hollywood Road, Belfast, Captain EDWARD E. LEE, R.A.O.C., to the inexpressible grief of his Wife and Family. Funeral to-morrow morning (Saturday), at 10-30, from the above address to Bangor New Cemetery.

Belfast Telegraph, 20th December 1946

                                       ___________________________________

DEATH OF CAPTAIN E. E. LEE.

Captain Edward E. Lee, officer commanding the Returned Stores Depot, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Templemore St., Belfast, has died suddenly at his residence, 208 Holywood Road.
    Captain Lee was at Sandhurst in 1914, and served in the first World War with the 3rd Royal Dublin Fusiliers, attaining the rank of captain. Between the wars he carried on business in Arthur Street as a law searcher, and was well known in Belfast legal circles.
    In October 1939, Captain Lee was re-commissioned with the R.A.O.C., and served in England for a year before taking up his position in Belfast.
    He was a founder member of Ardath Masonic Lodge.
    Captain Lee is survived by his wife, a son, Flight-Lieut. Arthur E. Lee, R.A.F., and a daughter, Mrs. William Lynn, who resides in London.

Belfast Telegraph, 20th December 1946

                                       ___________________________________

Death of Captain E. E. Lee

The death has occurred suddenly at his residence, 208 Holywood Road, of Captain Edward E. Lee, O.C., the Returned Stores Depot, Templemore Street, Belfast.
    Captain Lee served in the 1914-1918 War with the 3rd Royal Dublin Fusiliers, attaining the rank of Captain. Afterwards he carried on business in Arthur Street as a law searcher and was well-known in Belfast legal circles. He was recommissioned with the R.A.O.C. in October, 1939.
    Surviving are his wife, a son, Flight-Lieut. Arthur E. Lee, R.A.F., and a daughter, Mrs. William Lynn, who resides in London.

Northern Whig and Belfast Post, 21st December 1946

                                       ___________________________________

Funeral of Captain E. E. Lee

Captain Edward E. Lee, 108, Holywood Road, O.C., Returned Stores Department, Belfast, was on Saturday interred in Bangor Cemetery with full military honours. Chief mourners were Flight-Lieutenant Arthur E. Lee, R.A.F. (son), and Mr. H. F. Lee and Mr. Victor Lee, (brothers).
    The War Office was represented by Major-General C. Causdale, C.B.E., and among those present was Lieut.-Colonel S. H. Hall Thompson, Minister of Education, an old friend of the family.
    The funeral arrangements were carried out by Thomas Johnson & Sons, Ltd., Bedford Street, Belfast.

Northern Whig and Belfast Post, 23rd December 1946

DORAN, Patrick Edward

Civilian Casualty
Died: 26th October 1942

Interred in Bangor Cemetery

Royal Marine Special Police Reserve. Husband of K. Doran of 106 High Street.

Police Roll of Honour Trust
Special Reserve Constable Patrick Edward Doran
Died 26 October 1942
Killed in an enemy air raid at Bangor, Co. Down, duty status unknown.

EARLEY, Joseph Gerald

Sergeant, 78 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Service No: 970686
Died: 01/03/1941

Recorded on Runnymede Memorial
Recorded on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

KEANE, Ernest John

Able Seaman, HMS Egmont
Service No: 225455
Died: 06/08/1915
Age: 26

Interred in Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery
Recorded on the CWGC headstone for his brother Stephen in Bangor Cemetery

Ernest John Keane was born on 7th December 1887, in Clandeboye, Bangor. He was the son of Richard Keane, Station Officer in the Coastguard and Elizabeth Keane nee Sumner.  The family were living in Whitehead when his mother Elizabeth died in 1900. His father and family later moved to Bangor where they lived in Dufferin Avenue.

Ernest joined the Navy as a Boy on 3rd December 1903 serving on a number of of vessels including the Empress of India and Arrogant and on 7th December 1905, his 18th birthday, signed on for continuous service as an Ordinary Seaman.

He was serving on board HMS Egmont when Britain joined the Great War before transferring to HMS Blenheim then to HMS Adamant from 1st August 1915 (his last ship according to his service record and not Egmont as given on CWGC.org)

The depot ship HMS Adamant with submarines alongside at Mudros © IWM (Q 13841)

He died on 6th August 1915 in 21st General Hospital Alexandria from enteric fever and was interred in Chatby Military and War Memorial Cemetery in Alexandria.

Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery

His death is also recorded on the memorial to his brother Stephen in Bangor Cemetery. When a headstone is erected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, a family was given the opportunity to pay for a personal message to be inscribed on it. It appears the family used this to remember Ernest although the reference to submarine “B9” does not show up on his record. It should be noted that the vessels he served on HMS Egmont, Blenheim and Adamant were submarine depot ships so it is possible he spent some time on board that vessel.

KEANE, Stephen Vincent

Ship's Steward Assistant, H.M.S. Victory
Service No: 347362
Died: 25/01/1916
Age: 25

Interred in Bangor Cemetery

Stephen Vincent Keane was born in Helen’s Bay, on 11th July 1890. He was the son of Richard Keane, chief Boatswain at the Coastguard Station and Elizabeth Keane nee Sumner.  Stephen was only 10 when his mother Elizabeth died in 1900, the family then living in Whitehead. His father and family later moved to Bangor where they lived in Dufferin Avenue.

Stephen joined the Royal Navy in Portsmouth on 6th December 1905 as a Ship Steward’s Boy serving first on HMS Victory. His brother Richard enlisting the following day. On his 18th birthday, 11th July 1908, he then signed on for contiuous service as Ship Steward’s Assistant.

British light cruiser HMS Glasgow at Valparaiso in Chile before the
Battle of Coronel on 1 November 1914.

He served on various ships and on the outbreak of war serving on HMS Glasgow which took part in the Battle of Coronel and Battle of the Falklands.  In December 1914 he then transferred to HMS Canopus which then took part in the Dardanelles campaign.

HMS Canopus which fired the first shots of the Battle of the Falklands before transferring to the Mediterranean where she took part in the Naval operations in the Dardanelles campaign.

Stephen took ill and on 5th May was transferred to hospital at Malta were he was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and invalided home on 9th June 1915.

He died at home on 25th January 1916, his father passing only two weeks earlier, and was buried in Bangor Cemetery.