Sacrifice of Dromara men honoured in Ballynahinch

The committee hopes to add names of the fallen to the memorial once it is restored and one of those names will be that of local man Corporal Of Horse Brownlow “Hugh” Glass Ervin.

Corporal Ervin hailed from Dromara, where his descendants still live on the family farm, and served with the Household Cavalry / Royal Horse Guards.

He enlisted in Belfast on February 20, 1906 at the age of 19 and was tragically killed in action at Zanvoorde Ridge in Belgium on October 30, 1914.

His body was never found. However, his name is on the Household Cavalry Monument at Zandvoorde, Menin Gate in Ypres Belgium and on the family headstone in the graveyard at Second Dromara Presbyterian Church.

As part of the commemorations, the Ballynahinch War Memorial Restoration Committee is also reproducing a poster originally printed to announce the unveiling of the war memorial in 1934.

The original poster was printed by Leader Press Dromore and the committee have reproduced it with a limited run of 60, which will be sold to raise money for the Ballynahinch War Memorial Fund.

Down District Council is funding the greater part of Ballynahinch’s imminent War Memorial restoration. However, public subscriptions will still be needed, for example to complete a granite surround. Granite square setts in various sizes are now available, with prices beginning at £5. Donors will receive a certificate acknowledging their subscription.

The book. ‘The Reminiscences of Captain D.J.Bell of Ballynahinch’, has been reproduced and is available to purchase, at a cost of £5 and War Memorial fund badges are now on sale at £3 each and are available from various Ballynahinch businesses.