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Contact details

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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Sapper Howard Benson Edwards

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  • #16
    Strange thing today

    I went to Google street maps in Belfast and traveled some routes from 30 years ago. Never seen it since those days !

    Started by chance on the Monagh bypass where we actually had a shoot. It was from Ballymurphy estate as it was called at the time in 1985 and a house on the Monagh road, all open ground to the bypass at the time. A big machine gun (M60) opened as the old personal carriers (Pig) slowed driving up the hill.

    They fired a few short burst at us. It almost took some ones head off but we had a lucky day.

    The boys deployed and assaulted the position with great courage. QRF up in seconds but the bad guys got away. I looked at the tracer marks on the Pig later. So close to his head. Lucky day!

    The following months/years were also interesting !

    Never been there since but found it on Google street maps today ! How strange !

    The street and houses look like someone has spent a lot of money !

    No sign of Fort Whiterock up there on the left as one approaches the hill top. The SF base is all gone !

    Turn right into Springfield road towards the city, past Kelly Corner ( bad place for an issue which I once had ) Go down the street and its all smart houses which have clean red bricks with new red roofs. Lots of money spent. As I Google down into Springfield Road looking for my old SF base … its long gone !

    This is good. Probably many years ago. Normal life, as it should be for all.

    It got so nasty and for so long. But its over, thanks to some brave souls.

    Its unfair, its unjust and its simply tragic, for mothers, fathers, wives and kids who have lost loved ones.

    The MOD forget, but some of us do remember.


    This is Sapper Howard Benson Edwards day …..


    Keep it going !


    T

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    • #17
      You will see a lot of changes mucker. Lots of new houses and factories and the changes to the city centre have to be seen to be believed. But some of the old favourites still have the same layouts. The big difference is that they are now clean. No street or garden rubbish. No abandoned cars or burnt out stuff. and most noticable, especially in the 'murph .... hardly a sign of those pro republican slogans daubed on every wall. Its as if it had never happened.
      But our memories tell a different story.
      You cannot fight a war with one hand tied behind your back.

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      • #18
        TMR;-
        This is good. Probably many years ago. Normal life, as it should be for all.

        It got so nasty and for so long. But its over, thanks to some brave souls.


        Don't you believe it my friend, I don't and I am sure a lot of others on this website will feel the same. Just like the current Ebola outbreak, it goes quiet for years but is still simmering away just waiting for the right conditions to break out again. Just read the reports from N Ireland forum, it isn't full peace, but a lot of good but quietly scared people are convincing themselves that it is. Thats my opinion anyway.

        Merry Xmas all the same
        "What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.”
        Salman Rushdie

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        • #19
          Originally posted by damoclese View Post
          TMR;-
          This is good. Probably many years ago. Normal life, as it should be for all.

          It got so nasty and for so long. But its over, thanks to some brave souls.


          Don't you believe it my friend, I don't and I am sure a lot of others on this website will feel the same. Just like the current Ebola outbreak, it goes quiet for years but is still simmering away just waiting for the right conditions to break out again. Just read the reports from N Ireland forum, it isn't full peace, but a lot of good but quietly scared people are convincing themselves that it is. Thats my opinion anyway.

          Merry Xmas all the same
          I travel to the province at least four times a year and visit close to Derry and believe me there are still 'Problems' ongoing. Every night and sometimes on day news there are reports of pipe bombs hijackings shootings and the good old punishment squads (remember those little darlings)? It's a simple fact that these local news fillers are not reported on the mainland so the troubles are over. Peace reigns, Oh yeah says who..........???

          Comment


          • #20
            If I never see the place again it will be too soon. In the seventies, in Belfast and Londonderry you could sense that the little sods throwing stones would soon be sporting Armalites and such. I firmly believed that I would never see an end to the "Troubles" in my lifetime so I was pretty surprised when "peace" fell like a blanket of snow over the province. For years I believed it was over, then I started reading the newsfeed on the forum. The bigotry seems to be alive and well, the gangsters are probably still making a nice little earner and people continue to be maimed and killed. Maybe I was right the first time? Not in my lifetime.

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            • #21
              well done mate

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              • #22


                Looking a bit mouldy around the edges again but as can be seen, someone from his family now visits so I'll leave it to them now. RIP Howard.
                Visit tree 49/189 @ the NMA and say hello.

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                • #23
                  REmembered

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                  • #24
                    Yes, definitely a few new ornaments than there were on the original visit. Good to see.
                    You cannot fight a war with one hand tied behind your back.

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                    • #25
                      Originally posted by On1on View Post


                      Looking a bit mouldy around the edges again but as can be seen, someone from his family now visits so I'll leave it to them now. RIP Howard.
                      Speaking with my boring-head on, they're supposed to have that bloom of patina. It's important that the age of the memorialisation is evident.

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                      • #26
                        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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                        • #27
                          Originally posted by Wolgrub View Post
                          Speaking with my boring-head on, they're supposed to have that bloom of patina. It's important that the age of the memorialisation is evident.
                          Not sure the CWGC would agree, they spent a fair bit doing 'em all up in France and Belgium for all the commemorations this year.

                          Unfortuneately this one is directly underneath a tree and when it rains/snows it drips down and the muck splashes up which is why I used to scrub it every year. On others where it's worse you can hardly read any of the inscription so it's Hobson's choice.
                          Visit tree 49/189 @ the NMA and say hello.

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Go with what you feel is right and thank you.
                            Spanners do it with their tools.

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                            • #29
                              Originally posted by On1on View Post
                              Not sure the CWGC would agree, they spent a fair bit doing 'em all up in France and Belgium for all the commemorations this year.

                              Unfortuneately this one is directly underneath a tree and when it rains/snows it drips down and the muck splashes up which is why I used to scrub it every year. On others where it's worse you can hardly read any of the inscription so it's Hobson's choice.
                              True enough, I suppose.

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                              • #30
                                In memory of Private David James McCahill
                                The Gloucestershire Regiment.
                                In memory of Gunner William John Marks
                                91st Field Regiment. The Royal Artillery.

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