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Effective today, the contact details for the Northern Ireland Veterans' Association have changed to the following

The Secretary
57 Mortimer Street,
Derby.

DE24 8FX

Email: membership@nivets.org.uk
Web: www.nivets.org.uk
Mob: 07368 293729

NIVA Administration.
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Gnr Clifford Loring

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  • Gnr Clifford Loring

    Today my thoughts go back 36 years and the loss of such a young lad. Clifford Loring may well be the youngest fulltime serving soldier to be killed on duty in Ulster, You had to be 18 to be there, Clifford was still 17 when he was posted to our rear party from the School of Artillery, we were already over the water.
    His 18th birthday came up, I was never clear if it was on the Friday or Saturday but they put him on the ferry from Liverpool on Friday evening, arriving on Saturday morning he was legally and officially 18. He whent straight to our lads at the bus depot, the Regt was split between several different locations then.
    He whent on his first patrol on Sunday, a VCP, Steve sent me the official report and it seemed much as we knew at the time, a sniper fired, hitting the shoulder of the flak jacket worn by the Sgt before hitting Clifford in the head. What it does not say, the Sgt was our oldest member, having done 22 and on extension so Clifford was easily young enough to be his son, he was devastated. Clifford was rushed to hospital and put on life support but to no avail, he never regained conciousness.
    I remember clearly a group of us, Roger B. Mick S.wee jock. BFJ, Ringo and a few others sitting around discussing the chain of events and having a beer, as you do. It was 1971 so none of this touchy feely stuff. It was Ringo, not usually the most verbose of men, who put it best when he said he was not sure whether he was shocked at losing one of ours or ashamed because he did not know him . That was the thing, only those on rear party and a few at the bus depot had a chance to meet him, even his own squad had only met him the day before he was shot.
    He was no more than a day or two past his 18th and he was gone,without us getting the chance to know him, no happy memories or funny stories to remember him by, it seemed especially cruel.
    so Clifford was gone, but not forgotten.
    Spanners do it with their tools.

  • #2
    We Will Remember Them

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    • #3
      So sad ...

      We Will Remember Them

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      • #4
        Young to Vote To Young to Die

        Sad, Before my time but I understand to well how young he was. RIP

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        • #5
          RIP a brave man.

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          • #6
            lest we forget
            In memory of Sgt Anthony Stephen Butcher
            my dad my hero
            sua tela tonanti
            tree number 2995


            babybio18@nivets.org.uk

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            • #7
              His tree is one of the weeping ash trees and is immediately behind the main standing stone. I happened to mention to the staff at the NMA last Monday that the new branches were reverting back to upright and needed taking out. I hadn't got around to reading his entry in Lost Lives so thank you for sharing that with us.

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              • #8
                A young life taken. We shall not forget.

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                • #9
                  WE WILL REMEMBER THEM....

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                  • #10
                    Gnr Clifford Loring

                    It is a comfort to know he has a tree dedicated to him, thanks Rita. If anyone sees it at the service, throw him a salute from Spanner.
                    I must try harder to get back there one day and visit the grove myself.
                    Spanners do it with their tools.

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                    • #11
                      cliff

                      It is that time of year mate, not forgotten.
                      Spanners do it with their tools.

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                      • #12
                        WE WILL REMEMBER THEM


                        bobc...........

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                        • #13
                          RIP.

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                          • #14
                            51 years have gone by but we will not forget him, since I started this post I have twice visited the Ashgrove and stood by his memorial plaque for photos, not forgotten,
                            Spanners do it with their tools.

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                            • #15
                              Be who you are and say what you feel...
                              Because those that matter, don't mind.
                              And those that mind, don't matter!

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