- Type of Memorial
- Stone of remembrance
- WMR Reference Number
- 79024
- Description
- An upright roughcast granite stone with a polished inner section on which a commemoration is engraved in gold lettering below the regiment's insignia. Alongside the stone, which is approached by a flagstone path, is a block of granite on which an information plaque is fixed. To the rear of the memorial is a raised gravel bed, bordered by granite stones. On top of the bed is a series of identical rectangular granite tablets, each bearing the insignia and the name of a deceased soldier. A larger granite stone with the insignia is placed alongside the bed. The bed is flanked by saplings with individual commemorations. A grey granite bench is placed to the right-hand side of the stone, bearing the insignia and name of the regiment. The memorial is situated alongside the Ulster Ash Grove (WMR 51105).
- Inscription
- [Stone]: THE/ULSTER/DEFENCE/REGIMENT/CGC/ 1970-1992/IN/ PROUD/ REMEMBRANCE/ OF ALL THE/ MEN AND WOMEN/ OF THE/ ULSTER/ DEFENCE/ REGIMENT/ WHO GAVE/ THEIR LIVES/
AS POPPY PETALS GENTLY FALL/ REMEMBER US WHO GAVE OUR ALL
[Plaque]: THE ULSTER DEFENCE REGIMENT (CGC)/ 1970-1992/
THE REGIMENT BECAME OPERATIONAL ON 1ST APRIL 1970. ITS ROLE WAS TO SUPPORT THE/ REGULAR ARMY AND THE ROYAL ULSTER CONSTABULARY IN PROTECTING THE PEOPLE OF/ NORTHERN IRELAND AGAINST SABOTAGE AND ARMED ATTACK./ THE REGIMENT WAS COMPOSED OF SEVEN BATTALIONS, ONE IN EACH COUNTY AND ONE IN BELFAST./ LATER THIS WAS INCREASED TO ELEVEN BATTALIONS./ INITIALLY THE MEN AND WOMEN SERVED PART TIME, AND AS THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES INCREASED,/ NEARLY HALF THE MEMBERS WERE DEPLOYED ON FULL TIME DUTIES./ THE REGIMENT SUFFERED HEAVILY, 193 MEN AND 4 WOMEN WERE KILLED ON OPERATIONS, IN THEIR/ HOMES AND AT THEIR WORK PLACES. ANOTHER 63 FORMER MEMBERS WERE ALSO KILLED BY TERRORIST/ ACTION./ ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DEFENCE REVIEW IN 1990 WAS/ THE ULSTER DEFENCE REGIMENT SHOULD BE MERGED WITH THE ROYAL IRISH RANGERS/ TO FORM A NEW REGIMENT, THE ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT./ THE MERGER TOOK PLACE ON 1ST JULY 1992./ IN OCTOBER 2006, HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN COMMEMORATED THE 50,000 MEN AND WOMEN WHO/ HAD SERVED IN THE ULSTER DEFENCE REGIMENT AND THE HOME SERVICE BATTALIONS OF THE ROYAL/ IRISH REGIMENT WITH THE UNIQUE COLLECTIVE AWARD OF:-/ THE CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY CROSS/ "AS A MARK OF THE NATION'S ESTEEM"/
[Individual tablets]: IN MEMORY OF/ (Name..)/ DIED (Date...)
[Seat]: THE REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION OF/ THE ULSTER DEFENCE REGIMENT CGC