Comber Church of Ireland (St Mary’s)
First World War
1914 – 1919
TO THE GLORY OF GOD
IN EVER GRATEFUL AND CHERISHED MEMORY OF
THOSE FROM THIS CONGREGATION WHO
VOLUNTEERED FOR SERVICE WITH HIS MAJESTY’S
FORCES IN THE GREAT WAR
OF WHOM THIRTEEN ‘NOBLY FIGHTING NOBLY FELL’
AND SIXTY-TWO HAPPILY RETURNED
THE HEROIC DEAD
Bell J. Arthur
Bruce George J. DSO, MC
Campbell Edward
De Wind Edmund VC
Earney Henry
Harris James
Hiles Hector
Mullan Alex
McIlwrath Alex
McRoberts Thomas
Spence Jack M
Thompsett William
Walsh James
SERVED AND RETURNED
| Allen J J Cullimore | Harris Robert | |
| Allen James G | Harris William | |
| Bailie William J | Hiles Robert | |
| Bates F Norman | Humphreys William | |
| Baxter Robert MM | Irwin John | |
| Baxter William J | Kerr Robert F | |
| Bowman Henry | Lamont Robert | |
| Cairns Samuel | Manning Charles C MC, CF | |
| Campbell Frank | Mason David | |
| Campbell John | Mullan Charles | |
| Campbell Robert | Mullan George | |
| Cinnamond Hubert P MC | McBride James | |
| Cinnamond L’Isle P | McClure Robert H | |
| Crichton John | McClure Samuel | |
| Crilly David | McGreeghan Hugh MM | |
| Crilly John | McIlwrath James C | |
| Culverwell G Hugh | McKnight Alexander | |
| Culverwell J Stanley | McKeag Henry J | |
| Culverwell O Gerald | McWilliams Joseph | |
| Culverwell E Ronald MC | Nolan William | |
| Culverwell F Maurice | Redpath James | |
| Dunbar James | Roberts William | |
| Dunbar John | Roddy George | |
| Duff William | Shanks David J | |
| Dugan William | Skillen David | |
| Edgar John | Smyth George | |
| Fisher John D | Spence William | |
| Fisher Robert | Walsh Samuel | |
| Gordon William | Wells Samuel | |
| McConnell William | ||
| Baxter May | De Wind Edith C |
TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF
2ND LIEUT. EDMUND DE WIND VC
15TH BATT. ROYAL IRISH RIFLES
(AND NOV. 1914 – APRIL 1917 31ST BATT. CANADIANS)
WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION AT RACECOURSE REDOUBT
NEAR ST. QUENTIN 21ST MARCH 1918
AGED 34 YEARS
‘BE THOU FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH AND I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE’
THE TABLET IS FROM THE GERMAN GUN
FORMERLY IN THE SQUARE AND RECORDS THE DEEDS OF
EDMUND DE WIND
2ND LIEUTENANT 15TH BATT. ROYAL IRISH RIFLES
FOR WHICH HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE VICTORIA CROSS
FOR MOST CONSPICUOUS BRAVERY AND SELF-SACRIFICE ON THE 21ST MARCH 1918 AT THE RACECOURSE REDOUBT NEAR GROAGHIE FOR SEVEN HOURS HE HELD THIS MOST IMPORTANT POST, AND THOUGH TWICE WOUNDED AND PRACTICALLY SINGLE-HANDED, HE MAINTAINED HIS POSITION UNTIL ANOTHER SECTION COULD BE GOT TO HIS HELP. ON TWO OCCASIONS, WITH TWO NCOS ONLY, HE GOT OUT ON THE TOP UNDER HEAVY MACHINE GUN AND RIFLE FIRE, AND CLEARED THE ENEMY OUT OF THE TRENCH, KILLING MANY. HE CONTINUED TO REPEL ATTACK AFTER ATTACK UNTIL HE WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED AND COLLAPSED. HIS VALOUR, SELF-SACRIFICE AND EXAMPLE WERE OF THE HIGHEST ORDER