Wartime Sacrifice

During the Wars, a number of members of Fitzroy Avenue, Donegall Pass and Crescent congregations served in the Armed Forces.

Copies of the 1911 Ireland Census return for the home addresses of many of the men from the three congregations who served in the Great War can be viewed by clicking here.

 History Documents:

 

One Man's War (City Week Jim Maultsaid) (1,647KB) 21/07/2009, Jim Maultsaid was a member of the Crescent congregation who maintained a diary throughout the Great War - he also produced sketches documenting life in the war zone. In June 1966, the City Week newspaper ran a series of articles entitled One Man's War about Jim Maultsaid's war experiences - this is the first three of the four articles. Canadian Servicemen (3,180KB) 15/06/2009, The PCI Roll of Honour entries for the Crescent and Donegall Pass congregations include the names of men who served with Commonwealth or American units. These documents contain the enlistment papers (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca) for those who served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, the insignia of the units with which they served and, for those killed, the relevant page from the Canadian "Books of Remembrance" (www.vac-acc.gc.ca). Great War Letters Cards - Transcript (128KB) 08/06/2009, This document contains transcriptions of cards and letters sent from France to a Mrs Smyth (111 University Street) by her son, Gordon Dill Long Smyth, and his best friend, Eric Craig; Gordon and Eric were both killed in action within one year of each other. The Smyth family attended Fitzroy Avenue Presbyterian Church and we are indebted to Mr Pat Geary of Friends' School for preserving and transcribing these documents which provide a personal insight into the Great War. PCI Roll of Honour (1914-1919) - Crescent Donegall Pass and Fitzroy Avenue (378KB) 21/04/2009, This document contains the pages from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland's First World War Roll of Honour book for the three congregations that now make up Fitzroy Presbyterian Church Crescent Memorial Book (1,956KB) 06/04/2009, Memorial Book from Crescent Presbyterian Church (which was later amalgamated into Fitzroy) commemorating all who fought and died in the Second World War

History Audios / Videos:

Hugh's Story A soldier's experience of the Great War, written and narrated by Philip Orr (author of "The Road to the Somme") Nigel Henderson, 19/05/2009

Newspaper Clippings:

A selection of newspaper clippings relating to WW1 servicemen from the Crescent, Fitzroy Avenue and Donegall Pass congregations can be viewed by clicking here - more articles will be added to the collection over the coming months.

Jim Maultsaid was a member of the Crescent congregation who maintained a diary throughout the Great War - he also produced sketches documenting life in the war zone. Many of his sketches appear in Philip Orr's book, The Road to the Somme. In June 1966, the City Week newspaper ran a series of articles entitled One Man's War about Jim Maultsaid's war experiences - the first three of the four articles can be viewed by clicking here.