Carrickfergus WW11 veteran and former footballer prepares to mark 100th birthday

William (Billy) Boyce was joined by four generations of his family on Friday ahead of the milestone celebration. Colleagues from RAFA Carrickfergus branch had the opportunity to extend best wishes too and the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Peter Johnston, presented Mr Boyce with a silver poppy.

Born in St Auben Street in North Belfast, on November 7, 1920, Billy was the second of five children (two boys and three girls) born to William and Alice Boyce. Two of his sisters are still living, Frances (98) and Marie (94).

Joanne Macfarlane, Billy’s granddaughter, takes up the story: “Before joining the RAF Billy was a plater with Harland & Wolff Shipyard, Belfast. When war broke out he was keen to join up and he chose the RAF, in which he became an aircraft electrical technician. He often said to us that they all worked really hard to ensure that the aircraft were in tip top condition to ensure that the pilots had the best possible chance of surviving when engaging enemy aircraft.”

Betty Stewart, Billy’s daughter, said: “It was around the time of the outbreak of WWII, whilst stationed in the Fortwilliam area of Scotland, that Dad was to meet a young girl from nearby Elrig village by the name of Jane McGhie. Jean, as she was known, was a Royal Navy Wren and their courtship was to survive various postings and the rigours of the war. Jean always referred to Dad as Bill, and so it was that Bill and Jean became man and wife on the 15th March 1945, just as the war was coming to an end. They went on to have three children, Maureen, Betty and Billy.”

Following demob from the RAF in 1947, Billy and Jean settled down in Northern Ireland. He worked with Service Washing Machines and more notably with Standard Telephones & Cables.

Betty added: “In 1948, he had signed to play football for Carrick Rangers and was a goal scorer in the Amateur Cup winning team of that year. It was to be the start of his long association with the Rangers, though he did play for other Irish League clubs, including Crusaders and Portadown, before finally hanging up his boots. He went on to be a great supporter and servant of Carrick Rangers and assisted the club in a variety of ways becoming a board member of the Taylor’s Avenue club in 1981. Following retirement Billy developed a flair for oil painting, a hobby he thoroughly enjoyed and went on to become a gifted and talented artist. At the age of 74 Billy lost his beloved Jean, his wife and partner for 53 years, when she passed away on the 16th August 1998.”

Later, Billy decided to attempt to fill some of the void of Jean’s passing by becoming a member of Carrickfergus branch of the RAF Association. Wing Commander Noel Williams, branch chair, said: “We were delighted to be invited by the Boyce family to be part of the celebrations to mark the 100th birthday of our esteemed member. Billy has been a stalwart of the RAF Association for many years, and local people will remember him manning several of the RAFA Wings Appeal stalls that have featured in local supermarkets. He took part in Battle of Britain parades, acts of remembrance and Wings Appeal collections, and at the latter he was ever popular for engaging with the public and relating some of his wartime experiences to the younger people who wanted to chat to him. He often formed a very successful double act with veteran colleague, 96-year-old David Moffatt, who himself was a Lancaster Bomber rear gunner, when they would ‘hold court’ in a supermarket collection stall regaling the Wings donators of tales of daring do and humour.”

Joshua Macfarlane, Billy’s great-grandson, concluded: “Papa’s 100th birthday celebrations will be very different to what we were all planning because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but his family, from daughters Maureen and Betty, son Billy, grand-children, Joanne, Paul, Nikki and great-grandchildren, Adam, Aaron, Patrick, Alex, Caitlin and myself, will have a smaller party than we intended, and will have a whole lot of very happy memories to talk about and look back on.”

Cllr Johnston presented Billy with the award at Burleigh Hill Care Home in Carrickfergus. Council’s veterans’ champion, Alderman John Carson, was also in attendance . The first citizen said: “I’m sure William’s family are tremendously proud of him and I’m delighted to be here not only to mark his 100th birthday which is a very auspicious occasion but also to present him with this hand crafted silver poppy of remembrance. The silver poppy is a token of the appreciation of the people of Mid and East Antrim to mark William’s service with the RAF during World War Two.”

Click here to read: East Antrim public responds with £20k during Covid-hit Wings Appeal

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