Editorial: Honour for an Ulster war hero a reminder of the sacrifice for peace

​A local war hero who has been honoured for his role in the Second World War is living testament to the sacrifice of so many Ulstermen in the pursuit of freedom and peace.​

George Horner, who was just 17 years old when he took part in the Normandy landings, was officially honoured yesterday by Mid and East Antrim Borough council.

The Carrickfergus man was given the Freedom of the Borough on his 99th birthday, just days after a mural in honour of those who landed at Normandy was unveiled in his hometown.

A double celebration was held for Mr Horner, in a town rightly proud of the service of its soldiers down through the decades.

That a 17 year old would go to war in such circumstances now is almost unthinkable. That is due in no small part to the bravery of young men like George Horner all those years ago.

Keeping the memory of servicemen and women alive is important, not just to honour what they did for us all – but as a reminder to younger generations of the sacrifice that was given then for the peace we have today.

Until Ukraine was invaded by Russia, the idea of trench warfare on European soil seemed to have been consigned to the history books. Sadly, the aggression by President Putin toward his Ukrainian neighbours shows that the post-war consensus that our borders and territorial disputes should be settled peacefully, has been shattered.

In an unstable world, with various threats to the United Kingdom and President Trump’s attitude to old alliances like NATO questionable at best, understanding the impact of conflicts like WW2 on every day people is more relevant than ever.

The people of Carrickfergus have not forgotten their war heroes, and nor should any of us.