BELFAST RB BOOKLET 2020 - Flipbook - Page 79
Ci t y of Belf ast Grand Bl ack Chapt er - Dem onst rat i on Bookl et 2020
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, WITH ALL WHO SERVE
"At the going down of the sun and in the morning; we will forever remember them …"
FIFTY YEARS AGO, ON WEDNESDAY 1ST APRIL 1970 THE ULSTER DEFENCE REGIMENT
OFFICIALLY BEGAN ITS MILITARY SERVICE IN THE COMBINED BRITISH ARMY OPERATIONS
AND SECURITY DUTIES THROUGHOUT NORTHERN IRELAND.
During the twenty-two year lifetime of the Regiment, one hundred and ninetyseven members of all ranks were murdered in cold blood by sectarian and
cowardly IRA terrorist attacks, with a further sixty-one former soldiers being
killed after they had retired from full active service.
Within the Capital City boundary, a total of twenty-four soldiers from the
local 7/10th Belfast Battalions, were murdered by the IRA. Many throughout,
were also fellow members of the Loyal Orders, as well as personal friends and relatives.
With the majority of these dastardly atrocities, being part-time service-personnel, the
unfortunate victims were undoubtedly, singled out, fingered and targeted for the gunmen
and bombers, by republican sympathisers within the same workplace!
Another five soldiers were later murdered after they had transferred through, following the merger
with The Royal Irish Rangers on July 1st 1992, to form The Royal Irish Regiment; whereby the
former UDR Battalions were then tasked with Home Service duties; until their ultimate disbandment
in 2007.
The unique service and sacrifice of the Ulster Defence Regiment and later the Royal Irish
Home Service, was officially recognised by Her Majesty the Queen's award of the
Conspicuous Gallantry Cross to the Royal Irish Regiment on 6th October 2006 as well as
being captured for posterity on canvas (bottom left) by the renowned military artist, London
born, Terence Cuneo.
During World War II, Cuneo himself served as a sapper in the Royal Engineers but he had also
completed a small number of commissions for the War Artists' Advisory Committee, providing
illustrations of tank and aircraft factories where he met and became good friends with fellow
artist Cyril Parfitt. At the same time, Cuneo was also commissioned by the Foreign Office to
produce anti-Nazi drawings and cartoons, after which an exhibition of his war works was held at the
Palaquin Fine Arts gallery in 1942.
A significant point in his career was his appointment as the official artist for the
Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, which brought his name before the public
worldwide with further success being achieved through his regimental commissions and
battle scenes as well as additional portraits of the Queen, and following the successful
outcome of WWII, Field Marshal
Bernard (Monty) Montgomery.
From 1953 his works incorporated a
small mouse, which soon became his
new trademark and although the image
can sometimes be difficult to spot, many
folk simply enjoy scouring his paintings
to find one, including the memorable
image (left) of the UDR patrol engaged
in an old outhouse and field search, with
RUC support.
IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN - 77 - AND THE FUTURE OF THE LIVING