We were originally of Scottish Blood

My life in Pictures

Last Update 22 June 2009

World War 1
Many brave men went off to fight and many never returned.

* New and under construction *

13th. Royal irish Rifles

26th. July 1931 Conway Square and a crowd await the arrival of the 13th. Royal Irish Rifles


William Graham, Grandfather of my old friend Derek Graham.
E.Mail from Gordon Graham, Derek Grahams Nephew; I have a really old one of my great grandfather who was soldier apre first world war wearing the uniform of Carsons army ..he eventually went to war and although wounded  a number of times at Mons he survived.  Many thanks Gordy,. Derek

SIMMS, JOHN MORROW 1854-1934

John Simms was born in Newtownards, County Down, and was educated at Queen's College, Belfast, and in Edinburgh, where he studied theology, afterwards becoming a Presbyterian minister. In 1887 he was appointed an army chaplain and served in the Sudan and in South Africa. In the First World War he was principal chaplain to the British forces in France, with the rank of major-general. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George and a Companion of the Order of the Bath. In 1919 he became Moderator of the General Assembly, and in 1922 member of the Westminster parliament for North Down, retaining his parliamentary seat until 1931. He was the King's Honorary Chaplain. He died in Newtownards. In his obituary The Times said of him: 'He was no mere arm-chair minister, but shared the risks and hardships of military life'.

More soon