On a solemn Saturday morning, the 1st Shankill Somme Association paid tribute to the memory of Sergeant Thomas George Wortley, a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice during the harrowing years of the Great War.
The annual memorial parade and service, a cherished tradition, took place in Carrickfergus on June 6 2009, as the community gathered to remember and honour the life of this courageous soldier.
Sergeant T.G. Wortley, a valiant member of the 14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles – Y.C.V, lost his life on June 7, 1917, during the Battle of Messines.
His unwavering commitment and sacrifice in service to his country left an indelible mark on history, and each year, the community of Carrickfergus comes together to ensure that his legacy lives on.
The parade commenced from the carpark adjacent to Carrick Castle, with the members of the Shankill Somme Association proudly marching through the town’s streets.
Led by the stirring notes of a piper, the procession wound its way through the town to the hallowed ground of the local graveyard.
At the graveyard, a poignant service took place, hosted by the ‘Friends of the 36th Ulster Division, Carrickfergus’.
Friends, family, and members of the community gathered to pay their respects and remember the sacrifice of Sergeant T.G. Wortley and his fellow soldiers who fought gallantly in the Great War.
As a symbol of remembrance and gratitude, wreaths were carefully laid at the foot of a memorial.
The haunting melody of the bugle playing the Last Post echoed through the air, reminding all present of the sacrifices made by those who served their country in its hour of need.
Sergeant T.G. Wortley’s name is etched in history, and his final resting place lies in the Spanbroekmolen British Cemetery, location C.10 France.
Alongside him rests Rifleman James Sharpe, another Carrickfergus man, who also fell on that fateful day.
Sergeant Wortley’s legacy lives on not only in the history books but also in the hearts and minds of the people who gather each year to pay their respects.
The annual memorial parade and service serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by countless individuals during times of conflict and their enduring impact on the communities they left behind.
As the bugle’s mournful notes drifted away into the wind, the memory of Sergeant T.G. Wortley and all those who served alongside him remained steadfast, a beacon of courage and dedication that will forever be honoured by the people of Carrickfergus.