In members of the Irish Naval Association received a VIP invitation to the opening of the Peace Tower in Messines. This invite came from Paddy Harte T.D. as a thank you to our association for setting up and training their Peace Tower committee and staff in Computer and for setting up their website.

During our visit to Messines we were informed that 4 of our members had relatives who were killed in the great war 1914 – It was natural that as we were here to commemorate the Irish North and South of Ireland who died in WW1 That we also find the graves of the relatives of our 4 members. Here are the details

Con and Paddy Donovan’s Father died when they were young children 3 and 4 years, this was very sad as their Grandfather was killed in WW1 when their Father was only 4 years old. Con had always wished he could travel to France and find his Grandfathers grave. So while in Messines we set-off to find the Grave. Although it was late in the evening, it turned out to be a small cemetery so we spread out to search for the Grave. It was great when we heard the call “We found it”

A proud moment for Paddy and Con as they march to the Grave

An emotional time for Con and Paddy as they lay their wreath on their Grandfathers Grave, probably the first time anyone visited in 83 years

Paddy being the eldest had the honour of laying a wreath on his Grandfather’s grave after 83 years,

The original headstone on Corporal Patrick Donovan’s Grave

In loving memory of our Grandfather

Members of the Irish Naval Association render honours

Lt.Cdr (retd) Robert Mulrooney escorted by SPO Hugh O’Neill and PO John O’Neill lay a wreath Corporal Donovan’s on behalf of the Irish Naval Association

A quiet moment of prayer from Paddy and Maura and Betty and Con Donovan

William Lyons R.I.P. In Noyelles-sur-l'Escaut Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord 5 Kilometres south-west of Cambrai is the Grave of W. J. Lyons killed in action on 8th October 1918 aged 23 years. Uncle of our member Liam Lyons. Liam already had details of the Grave and Grave number so it was not too difficult to find.

Private W.J. Lyons Killed 5 weeks before the War ended

Liam Lyons (centre) escorted by Lt.Cdr. Mulrooney (retd) and SPO O’Neill

Lt.Cdr Mulrooney President of the Irish Naval Association lays a wreath in memory of all those who lost their lives in WW1.

Terry Cummins (left) and Liam Lyons

The Thiepval Memorial, a Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November On this memorial is the name of Mat Comiskey’s unle Patsy

Matt Comiskey and wife Mary lay a wreath at the memorial

L/R Pierse O’Connor, matt Comiskey and Ray Murphy (President)

Guillemont and Ginchy The battle of the Somme commenced on the 1st of July 1916 and ended on the 18th of November On the Thiepval Memorial are displayed names of soldiers who were killed on the Somme. One of these is 9574 Pte. Patrick Keegan, 9th Bn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Patrick's actual name was Patrick Comiskey and his siblings were my father Jimmy and their sisters Bridie and Peggy. Patrick - or as he was known Patsy - attempted to join up twice before under age and his mother had him returned home. On his third attempt (again under age) he used his mothers maiden name and was successful. After his basic training, probably in the Curragh he was sent overseas and was killed at Ginchy on the 9th of September He was 17 years and 3 months old On the 9th of September 90 years to the day that Patsy was killed, I attended with a large contingent from the Irish Naval Association, ceremonies in the two villages, Guillemont and Ginchy, in memory of the men of the 16th Irish Division and I was delighted to accept on behalf of the Comiskey and O'Malley families a parchment in acknowledgement of Patsy's part in the freeing of Ginchy from German occupation. I was delighted on the occasion to be accompanied by my brother Tommy and my cousin Kieron O'Malley both of whom are also nephews of Patsy as well as Darach Murphy who is a grandnephew and also my wife Mary and Tommy's wife Carmel. We laid a family wreath at this ceremony and the President of the Naval Association Lt. Cdr. Bobby Mulrooney laid wreaths at the ceremony and also at the Theipval Memorial on behalf of the Association for which the family are most grateful. Matt Comiskey

Matt Comiskey received a parchment from the Mayor of Ginchy

Matt with his brother Tommy and wives, and nephews

Matt shows the President his Uncles inscription on the Memorial

Willie Mynes a member of the Naval Association for many years always had a wish to visit the Menin Gate at Ypres where his Uncle Tom lost his life during World War One and his name is listed on the Menin Gate memorial with thousands of others who have no known grave. In keeping with the format of our visits to Belgium and France the Naval Association honoured the relatives of our members who lost their lives during the terrible slaughter that was WW1.

The Menin Gate at Ypres

Willie Mynes with escorts SPO O’Neill and PO John O’Neill

Lt.Cdr. Mulrooney (retd) lays a wreath on behalf of the Irish Naval Association

Willie Mynes and wife Una view the wreaths

Wille points out his Uncles name on the Menin Gate

Our visit to Guillemont and Ginchy for the 90 anniversary to commemorate the first major victory of the Allies in WW1 which comprised the men of the Irish 10 th Irish Division (mainly Catholic) and the Ulster 36 th Irish Regiment (mainly Protestant )

The Peace Tower at Messines

The President of Ireland Mary McAleese in the presence of Queen Elizabeth and the King of the Belgiums unveils the memorial to the 22,000 Irish who lost their lives in WW1

Roy Skinner following his retirement from the Royal Airforce moved to Waterford and joined the Naval Association. While on our trip to the Battle Sites of WW1 he produced documents he had in his possession for over 36 years which he found in a burned out cottage in Scotland that many years ago. In this tin Box was a photo of a Scottish Soldier killed in WW1 as his personnel documents and notification of his death sent to his mother indicated. His photo shows him with his Mother. Just before our trip Roy received information fom the UK on the young soldier.

Roy was informed the young Scottish Soldier was 21 years old Private A Macaskill 5477, 9th Div. Coy Army Cyclist Corp who died on the 12th February He was son of Mr. W. and Mrs. A Macaskill, Ardelve, Kyle, Ross- Shire. He was buried in the Gunners Farm Military Cemetery, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium. Row K grave 6.s. With this info we set off to find the Cemetery and Grave. We found the cemetery so I went alone with Roy to find the grave while our party remained on our Bus. This was to allow Roy a few moments on his own. We had the number of the Grave and we found it. Roy was left on his own for a few minutes. With tears in his eyes he was heard to say as he laid the photo on the grave “I bring you your mother as I promised all those years ago”

Roy emotional as he places the photo on the young soldiers grave

The Irish Naval Association honour young Macaskill

Following a prayer and two Scottish songs, Honours are rendered

Private A.Macaskill, Army Cycle Corps, Killed 12 th February 1916 aged 21 years

There is always a happy ending to a great story. On my return home from the trip to Belgium and France I contacted some of the Scottish Newspapers I thought might be interested in this story of Roy Skinner. I received a call from Lynne Kennedy of the West Highland Free Press Newspaper in Skye, who thought it was a lovely story. Lynne then made contact with Roy Skinner. Lynne set out to find some relative of Pvt. Macaskill. following an extensive search Lynne found a relative of the Scottish Soldier, Roy was able to return these sentimental documents to the soldiers family. For her part in the search and for the feature story of Roy Skinner and Pvt. Macaskill, Lynne Kennedy won the Scottish best feature writer 2007 for her article on Roy Skinner.

Lynne Kennedy won the Scottish best feature writer 2007 for her article on Roy Skinner.

End of slide show presentation and our tribute to the relatives of our members who died in WW1 Life is put a blink of an eye lid so as the Sun goes down we shall remember them Terry Cummins (Irish Naval Association)