Letter: 2025 is a time to celebrate once again Northern Ireland’s contribution to victory in 1945
A letter from Stevan Patterson:
As a full and equal member of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland not just played a part equal with any of the other home nations of our great United Kingdom during the Second World War but far exceeded the requests made of her time and time again.
As Lord Carson, prime minister of Northern Ireland, said when war was declared, it was “Northern Ireland’s opportunity to show loyalty and play our part”.
This we certainly did, coming to the notice of great wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, who in a speech in 1943 praised the loyalty of Northern Ireland when the United Kingdom stood alone in 1940.
Northern Ireland’s many natural resources came into play; the deep water ports and large inland loughs proved crucial in the Battle of the Atlantic.
The rivers, beaches, mountains, hills, forests and hedgerows for training by over 300,000 members of the military in the build-up to D-Day.
The innovators bringing advancements through science to medicine, weapons, agriculture, transport, shipping, radar, communications, flight, and every other possible area of research and development.
Those who served volunteered for service; conscription was never introduced here, it was not needed.
Over 38,000 would serve in the British Army, Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, both at home and abroad – many not receiving the recognition they rightfully deserved for the often unrecorded acts of supreme bravery and the giving of the most valuable thing anyone has to give, their lives.
Although only one Victoria Cross was awarded to a person from Northern Ireland in the war, sailor James Joseph Magennis VC, a number of others deserved the award.
I’m thinking especially of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair Mayne and I hope that will soon be rectified.
Those serving also providing much needed wartime leadership roles in the forces to make best use of men, battle plans, strategy and resources.
There was the manufacture of items for the war effort from the small factories in every village, town and city to those mega factories turning out linen for clothing, textiles and ropes; the manufacturing of munitions, tanks, planes and ships. In agriculture, farmers answered the call and produced 20% of the United Kingdom’s vital food requirement.
Be it from the resolve of the Northern Irish people from every walk of life to stand up for what’s right and play their part from the farm gate to the factory as the darkness of evil, oppression and tyranny spread like a plague across the world led by fascist dictator Adolf Hitler and his Axis powers.
While some countries claimed neutrality to the proper and just cause for world freedom from 1939-1945, Northern Ireland and our finest generation proudly and resolutely took action to defeat and draw back the curtain of evil.
In this, the 80th anniversary year of Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan, it is a time to remember and celebrate once again with honour and pride the amazing contribution Northern Ireland played on the road to victory.
Stevan Patterson, Castlederg