North Irish Horse parade

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Members will attend The North Irish Horse commemoration of the Battle for the Adolf Hitler Line.

On Saturday 20 May 2017, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant for the County of Antrim, Joan Christie, OBE will be in attendance for a poignant commemoration of the bloody battle, along with the Canadian Defence Attaché, Colonel R Radford CD.

They will undertake an act of remembrance and wreath laying to recall how many members of what is now B (North Irish Horse) Squadron of The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry died in action during the battle, on 23 May 1944.

The North Irish Horse Regiment went into battle supporting Canadian infantry in Italy in 1943.

The battle achieved its aim – but at a terrible cost - with over 1,000 Canadians killed or missing and 34 officers and men of the North Irish Horse Regiment killed, 36 injured and 25 tanks destroyed.

The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Councillor Audrey Wales MBE said: “It is vital we never forget the heroism of those who fought in such battles as the Adolf Hitler Line and remember all they went through.

“The unit’s Churchill Tanks - that were so integral to breaching The Adolf Hitler Line - were actually constructed in Carrickfergus and last year, Council appropriately honoured B (North Irish Horse) Squadron by granting them the Freedom of the Borough,” Cllr Wales added.

The Commemoration of the Battle for the Adolf Hitler Line takes place on Saturday 20 May at 10.30am at the Carrickfergus Cenotaph with an act of remembrance being followed by a parade to St Nicholas Church, Carrickfergus for a service of remembrance.

A parade to the Town Hall will see Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant and Council Members taking the salute, followed by a reception in the Town Hall.