William at the Island of Ireland Peace Park

[TLLK]

The Duke of Cambridge, Irish Premier Enda Kenny & Princess Astrid of Belgium at the Island of Ireland Peace Park in Messines #Messines2017

https://twitter.com/DeborahMcAleese/...26731554177025

The Island of Ireland Peace Park is located in Belgium.

Double post auto-merged: June 07, 2017, 02:07:36 PM

Prince William and Irish PM attend Battle of Messines centenary commemoration - Belfast Newsletter

[sara8150]

Solemn Prince William visits Belgium to pay tribute to Irish unionist and nationalist soldiers who fought side-by-side in World War One
Prince William marks centenary of Battle of Messines Ridge | Daily Mail Online
Double post auto-merged: June 07, 2017, 05:00:17 PM

Prince William and Irish PM attend Battle Of Messines Centenary Commemoration
Prince William and Enda Kenny attend Battle of Messines Commemoration | Royal | News | Express.co.uk

[Curryong]

All these World War One battles had such heartbreakingly high casualties, just dreadful, a completely unnecessary war IMHO.
However, I do find it odd in a way that the Irish PM should be at this commemoration in an official capacity. Firstly, and this is important, Irish regiments in the British Army, like for example the Inniskillings, fought throughout the war in many battles and several fronts, not just at Messines. So why just turn up to this one?
Also, and this must be clear to everyone there, until the early 1920's Ireland was ruled by the British and Irishmen, of whatever political stamp or creed, joined the British Army to fight on Britain's side. They were in British army regiments and took orders from British officers. There was no Ireland or Eire and therefore whatever casualties there were were British casualties, whether they were Scots, Irish, Welsh or English.
Australian, Canadian and NZ Governors General do sometimes turn up to these ceremonies because their soldiers fought in various great battles. However, they are part of the Commonwealth which Ireland is not, and these graves are in fact maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

These were brave men who fought, wherever they came from. There is no doubt about that. However, I do find it strange that the representative of a country which broke violently away from its neighbour, proved no friend to Great Britain in WW2, and whose soldiers fought under another flag, hated by many Irish at the time, should turn up to this commemoration.

[sara8150]

Royal Photo Op! Prince William Is Ready for His Close-up with Young Fan's iPhone in Belgium
Prince William Travels to Belgium to Honor Soldiers

[TLLK]

@Curryong-I did a little reading on the Island of Ireland Peace Park and from what I gathered it was created because there were so few monuments erected in Ireland to those who did fight in the Great War and WWII.

From Wikipedia

Because of the events of the Easter Rebellion in 1916 and the partition of Ireland under the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1922 and the Irish Civil War that followed it, little was done in the Republic of Ireland to commemorate the Irish dead from the Great War or World War II. Those countries who were engaged in the Great War all preserve the memory of their fallen soldiers with national monuments in the Western Front area. This led to some ill-feeling in the already crowded emotions of the conflict on the island, and perhaps was highlighted when Northern Ireland's community's Ulster Tower Thiepval in France was one of the first memorials erected.[1]

This Tower memorial, however, serves not to "redress the balance" but rather to recall the sacrifices of those from the island of Ireland from all political and religious traditions who fought and died in the war.[citation needed] It also serves as a symbol of modern-day reconciliation. The Tower houses bronze cubicles containing record books listing the known dead, which are publicly accessible copies of the originals belonging to the National War Memorial, Islandbridge, Dublin.

[Curryong]

Yes, TLLK, I do understand that, and it is of course, important that the land of their birth recognises the sacrifice of these brave men. This is especially so as it was such a politically sensitive subject for so many years in Southern Ireland. (I believe the same thing occurred for many years in India after Independence and indeed many ex soldiers there who had served in the (British) Indian Army were mocked and reviled by their fellow citizens for having done so, in some cases they had served for many years.)

I was probably a bit harsh on the subject, the consequence of waking up to another cold day in Melbourne! I loathe winters. Time for a Queensland holiday methinks, after my house repairs are finished!

[TLLK]

 :friends: No worries @Curryong. Get those repairs done and then enjoy your Queensland holiday!