Criticism over UVF wreath at cenotaph

Criticism over UVF wreath at cenotaph

16 November 2016

A DUP councillor has criticised those who placed a wreath on behalf of the UVF at Ballynahinch War Memorial at the weekend.

The wreath, bearing the message ‘From the officers and members of East Down battalion, Ulster Volunteer Force: Lest we forget’ was placed at the war memorial by a group of men after dark on Saturday night.

A second wreath, dedicated to ‘fallen soldiers’ and left in the name of The Loyal People of Ulster, was left at the same time.

They were moved to the back of the war memorial by the organisers of Sunday’s Remembrance Day ceremony before the official wreath laying began.

Ballynahinch DUP councillor Garth Craig, who laid a wreath on behalf of Newry Mourne and Down Council on Sunday, said he was concerned that Sunday’s ceremony was not the right place for the UVF memorial.

“I have consistently condemned paramilitary activity irrespective of which side of the community it comes from,” he said.

“While I respect that everyone has a right to remember those close to them who have lost their lives, it is not the time nor place for a paramilitary organisation to do this at the War Memorial close to Remembrance Sunday. 

“The very fact that the wreath 

was left on Saturday night seems to indicate that those responsible knew that it was not the proper thing to do.”

Vincent Fullam, vice-chairman of Ballynahinch War Memorial Committee which recently raised tens of thousands of pounds to replace the cenotaph, said he feared the UVF wreath “created a problem.”

“The War Memorial belongs to everybody in Ballynahinch and many people in the town contributed to making it,” he said.

“We were absolutely delighted with the crowd and people from far and wide who came on Sunday and by the number of people who congratulated us on the new memorial. I would be concerned that this creates a problem.”

A spokesperson for The Royal British Legion, which organised Sunday’s event in Ballynahinch, said it had no responsibility for local cenotaphs and war memorials.

“However, Remembrance ceremonies and services on Remembrance Sunday and November 11 honour the memory of servicemen and women, past and present, who are no longer with us and mark the human cost of conflict,” she said.