IRWIN, William Duncan

Sergeant, 2nd Batt., Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Service No: 4459560
Died: 16/03/1944

Interred in Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery
Remembered on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

William Duncan Irwin was born in Belfast on 25 June 1893 at the home of his maternal grandmother 145 M'Donnell Street. He was the son of William Henry Irwin, a tailor, and his wife Annie (nee Mathers). The fifth of their eventual nine surviving children, the family had been living there since his parents marriage in 1883 but had by this time moved to Larne and where now living in Adelaide Terrace.

Between 1897 and 1900 the family returned to Belfast and where living in Upper Frank Street at the time of the 1901 census before moving again to Ulsterdale Street where their last child was born in 1905. By 1911 the family had moved to Victoria Avenue in Bangor

In November 1912, William enlisted with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Reserves (SN: 2867) where he gave his occupation as Assistant Steward. He gave the family home at this time as Somerset Avenue, Bangor. Curiously his age is recorded as 17 years and 9 months.

He was mobilised on 6 August 1914 and posted to the 4th Battalion. Appointed Lance Corporal on 1 December 1914 he was further promoted Corporal in March 1915, Lance Sergeant in November 1915 and Sergeant in May 1916.

William was then posted to the 7th Battalion in June 1916.

He was admitted to hospital Dublin with suspected TB but was diagnosed with bronchitis before being discharged on 25 February 1918.

He was then transfered to 3rd Battalion in May 1918.

In January 1919 he was transferred to No 11 Officer Cadet Battalion at Pirbright and gazetted as Temporary Second Lieutenant on 8 March 1919. However he didn't serve as an officer for long as he was then demobilised to Class Z reserve on 10 March 1919.

In September 1919 sailed for America where he became a salesman for American Mills of New York.

He worked there for a number of years. Records show him returning home in August 1923 before returning to Newark, NJ, from Liverpool on 8 September 1923.

He later returned to sea in 1932 working as a waiter until at August 1939 sailing on various vessels such as the Llanstephan Castle, Oronsay, and Grantully Castle.

He re-enlisted in the Second Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and served in the Middle East. He took ill and died in No. 64 General Hospital, Alexandria on 16 March 1944 and was buried in Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery.

CORRY, George Stanley

Flying Officer (Pilot), 225 Sqdn., Royal Air Force 
Service No: 49879
Died: 26/07/1944
Age: 23

Interred in Florence War Cemetery
Recorded on family memorial in Bangor Cemetery

Born in 1921, George Stanley Corry was the eldest son of Herbert F. Corry and his wife Isobella (nee Kirklands).

Educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Stanley was also was a member of the Queen’s O.T.C. While at Inst. he played rugby and won several prizes for swimming and life-saving.

He enlisted with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in 1940 and received a cadetship to Sandhurst in April, 1941. Later that year he was commissioned in the North Irish Horse, and transferred to the R.A.F. in 1942. After receiving his wings he was promoted Flying Officer in mid 1943.

On the morning of 29th July 1944 his parents received an airgraph from him only to recieve a telegram that evening to inform them that their son had been killed on active service in Italy.

At the evening service in Trinity Presbyterian Church on Sunday, 30th July, the minister Rev. W.G. Wimperis said:— “Flying Officer Corry... was a fine, intelligent and handsome youth. He was destined for a useful career and had an aptitude for languages. A sincere Christian lad, he would doubtless have lived a useful life and filled an honourable place in a needy world. But the need of his country was paramount; he responded to the call and has laid down his life for us at the early age of 23."

Killed in Action
CORRY – Killed in action in July 1944, Flying-Officer George Stanley Corry, R.A.F., elder son of Herbert F. Corry, 27, Bryansburn Road, Bangor. Very deeply regretted.

Northern Whig and Belfast Post, 8th August 1944

CAMPBELL, Ian Gordon

Flight Sergeant, 619 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Service No: 1489683
Died: 24/03/1944

Interred in Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery
This family headstone is in Bangor Cemetery

Ian is commemorated
on the memorial in Trinity
Presbyterian Church, Bangor

John (Ian) Gordon Campbell was born in Bangor on the 7th September 1913. He was the second son of Samuel Campbell and Jane M. Campbell (nee Armstrong). His father was a draper and the family lived on Main Street in Bangor.

He attended Bangor Grammar school along with his brother William. His headmaster Mr. Maurice Wilkins in writing an obituary for Ian records that "I well remember the morning in November, 1923, when his mother brought him, a small boy of ten years, with his elder brother Billy, to join Bangor Grammar School. Billy, quickly catching sight of faces of friends he knew, pushed in through the open door, eager for new experiences, but the little fair-haired brother was shy, ran back, and would not leave his mother's side. A bargain had to be made that he should have his freedom for the day and come to-morrow. So to-morrow he came and from that day never looked back till he fell fighting in the cause of justice and the freedom of mankind. He was a bright and apt pupil, and in 1929 he passed Northern Ireland Junior Certificate with three credits. After that, to our regret, he left us."