Gallaher and Company, Belfast 

The tablet commemorating fatalities and those who served from the firm was unveiled on 2nd June 1948 by Captain John Hugo Russell CBE, 3rd Baron Ampthill. John Russell, who had served with the Royal Navy in both world wars, was the Production Director at the Gallaher factory and is the first name in the “Served” section.

Although there is a civilian air raid fatality commemorated on the memorial tablet, there should perhaps be two fatalities commemorated. Benjamin Kennedy of 33 Earl Street, adjacent to the Gallaher factory, was recorded as being a tobacco worker when he died at York Street on 16th April 1941, aged 19, and was buried in Carnmoney Main Cemetery on 20th April 1941.

The ten fatalities are listed by service:

Royal Navy (2), Army (4), Royal Air Force (3), Air Raid Fatality (1).

The names of the 335 employees who served and survived are also recorded by service:

Royal Navy (36), Army (145), Royal Air Force (45), Royal Marines (3), Merchant Navy (7), Women’s Royal Naval Service (14), Auxiliary Territorial Service (7), Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (44), Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (1), Voluntary Aid Detachment (2), Women’s Voluntary Service (2), Nursing (20), National Fire Service (6).

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Signalman Wallace Boyd McCappin

(P/UD/X 1362, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, HMS Esk)

Whilst laying mines off the Dutch coast, HMS Esk struck a German mine, and a subsequent explosion amidships caused the ship to break in two. HMS Esk quickly sank with the loss of 127 crewmen on 1st September 1940. Signalman McCappin was 22 years old and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. He is also commemorated on a family memorial in Carnmoney Cemetery. He was born on 3rd January 1918 at Upper Mervue Street to Robert McCappin, a riveter, and Jane McCappin (nee McClean).

Petty Officer Alexander McIlwaine

(D/M 35507, Royal Navy, HMS Caroline)

Alexander McIlwaine died at 26 Jellicoe Avenue on 25th June 1946, aged 54, and is buried in Carnmoney Cemetery East. He was living in one of fifty houses built by the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust at Jellicoe Avenue for veterans of the Great War.

Alexander McIlwaine was born on 15th June 1892 at Dunfane near Kirkinriola to Robert McIlwaine, a baker, and Jane McIlwaine (nee Anderson). He was a flax bundler when he enlisted with the Royal Navy (Number J.5236) as a “Boy” on 4th August 1909 and was established as an Ordinary Seaman (Number M.35507) on 15th June 1910. He attained the rank of Regulating Petty Officer and served on HMS Bellerophon at the Battle of Jutland. The last ship on which he served was King George V and he was invalided from the service due to pulmonary tuberculosis on 2nd September 1925, having served for over 15 years. His service in the Great War is recognised on the memorial tablet for First Ballymena Presbyterian Church. Alexander married Elizabeth Dundas on 12th February 1925 at First Ballymena Presbyterian Church. He returned to naval service on 20th April 1940, serving on HMS Caroline until 6th January 1943. 

Alexander McIlwaine died at his Jellicoe Avenue home on 25th June 1946, aged 54. He was a member of the Postmen Ex-Servicemen’s Association, the Three Brothers Masonic Lodge 775 and Royal Arch Chapter 755 in Ballymena. Alexander left effects totalling £810 (approximately £27,900 in current terms) to his widow, Elizabeth. Elizabeth McIlwaine was living at Jellicoe Avenue when she died at Belfast City Hospital on 17th April 1962, aged 63. Alexander and Elizabeth McIlwaine are buried in Carnmoney Cemetery East. Also buried in the plot is their son, Ernest, who was living at Jellicoe Avenue when he died on 11th September 1970.

Gunner Leonard Edgar

(1475599, 23 Battery, 8 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery)

Leonard Edgar was Killed in Action on 23rd May 1940, aged 24, and is buried in Wimereux Communal Cemetery in France. His death was confirmed in September 1942, and he is commemorated on a family memorial in Belfast City Cemetery.

Leonard Edgar was born on 24th March 1916 at 58 Brookmount Street to Leonard Edgar, a joiner, and Sarah Ann Edgar (nee McIlroy). He married Norah Goward on 25th August 1937 at St Matthew’s Church of Ireland, Woodvale, and they were living at 71 Brookmount Street in 1939. He was survived by Norah and their two-year-old daughter, Leonora.

Serjeant Thomas Bullock

(3593582, 94 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery)

Thomas Bullock died on 8th April 1945, aged 38, and is buried in Sage War Cemetery in Germany.

Thomas Bullock was born on 28th May 1906 at Teutonic Street to William Bullock and Charlotte Bullock (nee Mahon). Thomas Bullock married Edna May Beattie on 22nd August 1936 at Great Victoria Street Presbyterian Church.  Edna and their infant son were living at 32 Britannic Street when Thomas died.

Gunner Albert Kinnon

(1459544, 8th (Belfast) Heavy Artillery Regiment, Royal Artillery

Albert Kinnon was Killed in Action on 8th February 1944, aged 37, during the Battle of Admin Box. He is buried in Taukkyan War Cemetery in Myanmar/Burma and is commemorated on a family memorial in Carnmoney Cemetery East.

Albert Kinnon was born on 14th September 1906 at Shannon Street to Thomas Kinnon and Georgina Kinnon (nee Brown) and the family lived at 81 Unity Street in 1911. Albert married Agnes Gould on 9th July 1928 at St Michael’s Church of Ireland, Craven Street, and they lived at 77 York Park, Belfast.

Captain James Charles Skelly

(265920, 82 Assault Squadron, Royal Engineers)

James Charles Skelly was Killed in Action on 1st November 1944, aged 25, when his tracked landing vehicle was hit whilst coming ashore at Westkappele during the Battle of the Scheldt. He is commemorated on the Groesbeek Memorial in The Netherlands.

James Charles Skelly was born on 1st March 1919 at 119 Limestone Road to Samuel Skelly, a window cleaner, and Louisa Skelly (nee Whyte), who were living at 154 Limestone Road when their son died.

Flight Sergeant Thomas Colquhoun Edmonds Berkeley

(754377, 85 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve)

Thomas Berkeley Died on 14th June 1941, aged 24, when his Boston Havoc aircraft failed to return from an operational flight, and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial in England. He is also commemorated on is commemorated locally on Cookstown War Memorial and on the Roll of Honour for Molesworth Street Presbyterian Church.

Thomas Colqhoun Edmonds Berkeley was born on 2nd October 1916 to James Lowry Berkeley and Eleanor Berkeley (nee Paden) of Poplar Hill, Tullyhogue, Tyrone. One of his brothers, Lowry Berkeley, a manager at the Gallaher factory, was in the Ulster Home Guard whilst two sisters, Miss Eleanor Veronica Berkeley and Miss Gladys Berkeley, served with the Women’s Royal Naval Service.

Sergeant Herbert Reginald Megarry

(745111, No. 6 Service Flying Training School, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve)

Herbert Reginald Megarry was undergoing pilot training when he died in a flying accident in Oxfordshire on 18th May 1940, aged 20, and is buried in Bangor Cemetery. His Harvard aircraft spun to the ground after the engine stalled following a steep turn. He is also commemorated on the Bangor and District War Memorial and at St. Comgall’s Church of Ireland in Bangor.

Herbert Reginald Megarry was born on 4th May 1920 at Ravenhill Avenue to James Herbert Megarry, a warehouseman, and Harriett Megarry (nee Bailie). Herbert worked in the Engineering Department at the Gallagher factory before joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Sergeant George Albert McGarvey

(969452, 455 (Royal Australian Air Force) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve)

George Albert McGarvey died on 7th November 1941, aged 20, and is buried in Heverlee War Cemetery in Belgium. Sergeant McGarvey was the Wireless Operator and Air Gunner on a Hampden aircraft from RAF Swinderby failed to return from an armed reconnaissance flight towards Cologne. The three other members of the crew also died.

George Albert McGarvey was born on 16th December 1920 in Dublin to George Edward McGarvey and Ellen McGarvey (nee Cossar). His father had served with the Royal Engineers and was a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Irish Rifles at Victoria Barracks when he married Ellen Cossar on 18th April 1918 at the United Free Church of Scotland in Lower Abbey Street, Dublin.

William John Lancaster

William John Lancaster was a son of William Raynard Lancaster and Eliza Jane Lancaster (nee Duncan) who had married in Belfast in 1909. William Reynard Lancaster served with the Royal Sussex Regiment from November 1893 to July 1909. He served in India for eleven years, being awarded the India Medal 1895, with Punjab Frontier and Tirah 1897-98 clasps. William was a boilermaker when Eliza Jane gave birth to a daughter, Margaret Sophia Mary, at Little Corporation Street in June 1912. William John Lancaster was a tobacco worker when he married Margaret Gordon (Nellie) Dornan, a smoother, on 22nd December 1934 at Ulsterville Presbyterian Church.

They were living at 27 Lisburn Avenue when William was injured at the Gallaher tobacco factory and died at the Mater Infirmorum Hospital on 5th May 1941. He was 30 years old and was buried in Belfast City Cemetery on 7th May 1941, but there is no memorial at the plot. The description on the tablet implies that he died in the factory. William left effects of £120 7s. 6d. to his widow Maggie Gordon Lancaster. His parents were living at 17 Greenmount Street in 1939, and they were living at 67 Downview Bungalows when they died. William Reynard Lancaster died on 26th February 1951, aged 74, and Eliza Jane Lancaster died on 14th February 1960, aged 85.

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Acknowledgements

The photograph of the Gallaher Limited War Memorial Tablet is from a history of the firm called “Smoke Signals” (available to access at the Linen Hall Library).

The photographs of the CWGC headstones in overseas graveyards are from www.findagrave.com

The photograph of Thomas Berkeley is from the Cookstown War Dead website (www.cookstownwardead.co.uk)

The photograph of Albert Kinnon is from www.findagrave.com

 

Research by Nigel Henderson.