Le corone di papaveri ed i tributi floreali furono lasciati la scorsa settimana per segnare il 22° anniversario della morte dei soldati James Cummings e Fredrick Starrett, uccisi dall’IRA in Royal Avenue, nel centro di Belfast, il 24 febbraio 1988.
I due soldati, entrambi ventiduenni quando furono uccisi, morirono mentre erano di pattuglia, quando l’IRA fece detonare una bomba radiocomandata nascosta dietro i tabelloni pubblicitari.
Starred si trovava nell’UDR da soli 4 mesi. Era un predicatore laico e membro della Sandown Free Presbyterian Church a East Belfast.
Cummings era arruolato da due anni, ed era membro della Johnston’s Golden Star Orange Lodge.
Per onorare la memoria dei giovani soldati, entrambi orangisti, gli Ulster Defenders of the Realm LOL 710 organizzano una marcia annuale e un servizio memoriale l’ultimo sabato di febbraio.
La marcia, partita quest’anno il 27 febbraio da East Belfast, ha visto la partecipazione di circa 500 persone.
Le corone ed i fiori, lasciati all’albero davanti a Castle Court, sono state trovate divelte lunedì mattina. Si ritiene che il vandalismo è avvenuto durante la notte tra domenica e le prime ore del lunedì. I resti dei fiori sono stati rimossi.
Un portavoce della Country Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast ha condannato il danneggiamento del memoriale e parlato di “vandalismo settario”, dicendo: “Le corone ed i fiori erano state lasciate in Royal Avenue per onorare la memoria di due fratelli uccisi dall’IRA, che hanno servito con coraggio nell’Ulster Defence Regiment.
“Le preghiere ed i pensieri del Ulster Defenders of the Realm LOL 710, gli organizzatori del servizio annuale durante il quale vengono deposte le corone di fiori, sono con le famiglie, preoccupati che questo vandalismo settario senza dubbio aggiungeranno dolore al loro dolore”.
Tratto da News Letter
UDR memorial vandalised
Poppy wreaths and floral tributes were laid last week to mark the 22nd anniversary of the deaths of soldiers James Cummings and Frederick Starrett, who were murdered by the IRA on Royal Avenue in Belfast’s city centre on February 24, 1988.
The two soldiers, who were both 22 years old when they were killed, died on mobile patrol when the IRA detonated a remote control bomb hidden behind hoardings.
Mr Starrett, who was engaged to be married when he was murdered, had been in the UDR just four months. He was a lay preacher and member of Sandown Free Presbyterian Church in east Belfast.
Mr Cummings had served with the regiment for two years before his death, and was a member of Johnston’s Golden Star Orange Lodge.
To honour the memory of the young soldiers, who were both Orangemen, the Ulster Defenders of the Realm LOL 710 organise an annual march and accompanying memorial service on the last Saturday in February.
The memorial march, which this year left from east Belfast on February 27, saw around 500 people meet in the city centre to lay the floral tribute.
The wreaths and flowers, placed at a tree opposite Castle Court, were then found torn apart on Monday morning. It is believed the vandalism took place some time between Sunday night and the early hours of the following morning. They have now been removed.
A spokesman for the Country Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast condemned the damage to the memorial as “sectarian vandalism” and said: “The wreaths and flowers were placed in Royal Avenue to honour the memory of two brethren murdered by the IRA, who had served bravely with the Ulster Defence Regiment.
“The prayers and thoughts of Ulster Defenders of the Realm LOL 710, the organisers of the annual memorial service when the wreaths were laid, are with the families concerned as such an act of sectarian vandalism no doubt added hurt to their ongoing grief and pain.”