Men receive top awards

Men receive top awards

15 April 2015

TWO local men have been honoured at a formal ceremony at Hillsborough Castle, each receiving one of the highest accolades that can be conferred on members of the army Reserve Forces and Cadet movement.

Crossgar man, Captain David McKeown, who serves with the 204 (North Irish) Field Hospital, and sergeant major instructor, Gareth Townley, who is detachment commander of the Ballygowan Army Cadet Force, both received the awards from the Lord Lieutenant for Co. Down, David Lindsay.

Both men were presented with the Lord Lieutenant’s Certificate for Outstanding Meritorious Service Above and Beyond The Call of Duty – an award which is second in importance only to one presented by Her Majesty The Queen.

The Citation which accompanies his award describes Captain McKeown as an Officer who has ‘given an inordinate amount of his personal time to the unit’ and who has enjoyed ‘an exemplary career’, giving ’13 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Reserves’.

The high level of medical expertise and nursing skills which Captain McKeown brought to his unit and shared with others is also highlighted although with his ability to build knowledge in several specialist areas.  

Captain McKeown received the Volunteer Reserve Medal in 2012 for completing ten years of dedicated, inspiring and un-interrupted service to the Reserves.

Captain McKeown will retire this month.

Mr Townley originally joined the ACF as a Cadet and his passion has remained undiluted.  

Today his Ballygowan Detachment is numerically the strongest in the Battalion and its young members have an impressive list of achievements gained under his tutelage.

It is his proud boast that the Ballygowan Detachment has won the Company Military Skills competition for the last three years in succession, but he is equally proud of the young people’s commitment to community engagement – a recent bag pack for example raised £1,700 for Help For Heroes.

“Sergeant Major Instructor Gareth Townley is an exceptionally dedicated member of the Army Cadet Force whose loyalty, selfless commitment and unstinting devotion to ACF duty fully warrant,” said his citation.