Ulster, like the rest of the United Kingdom was intimately involved in the Second World War. Londonderry, the furthest western port in the United Kingdom was involved in the Battle of the Atlantic from the start of the War, right up to 1945, when the remainder of the German U-Boat fleet sailed up the River Foyle and surrendered in the harbour at Londonderry.
Belfast, was bombed in 1942 causing quite a bit of damage and killing quite a number of people. The Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim, set up a fund to provide some financial assistance to the many families left homeless as a result of this attack.
Once America came into the War, on the side of the Allies after Pearl Harbour, they began to ship materials and men to the United Kingdom via Ulster. And as their troops arrived, they were accommodated locally, and those who were Masons were welcomed into our local Masonic Lodges where they got a warm and friendly welcome. Also present in large numbers were Lockheed technicians, who were based on a number of our local military airport, receiving fighters and bombers from the States, readying them for transfer to the RAF and training RAF technicians on the servicing and maintenance requirements for these new types of planes. By 1943, troops and equipment were being moved across to the south of England in readiness for the invasion of France in 1944.
However, before they finally left Northern Ireland, the troops and Lockheed staff decided to in food and liquid supplies in sufficient quantities to provide a thank you party to all the local lodges for their hospitality to the incoming Americans. To that end they brought in turkey, and bourbon and rented the Husband Memorial Hall, in Frederick Street Belfast on the evening of 15th March 1943. And to mark the occasion, the Lockheed technicians produced two large, illuminated scrolls, with panels to receive signatures from all the visiting Irish Masonic Brethren and their hosts from Lockheed and the American military. One scrolls was presented to Right Wor Bro John W. Gilmour, PGM of Antrim received one copy, which is currently preserved in The Provincial headquarters in Templepatrick and the other copy was sent to The Honourable Franklin D. Roosevelt President of the United States of America, who eventually placed it in a small second world war museum in the lower ground floor of the Whitehouse, where it too survives to the present day.
Brigadier – General Eugene W. Hill commanding general U.S. Forces Northern Ireland was the senior American soldier present and he gave thanks to all the local Lodges for their welcome to the incoming American troops. Also present was Rt Ex Supreme Grand King of Ireland the Rt Hon Sir Milne Barbour D.L. M.P. with many other senior Provincial Brethren from across the Province. This was a major Masonic event in the city of Belfast, in the middle of the war. And in May of 1943, our Provincial Grand Master John W. Gilmour took the unusual step of writing to President Roosevelt, commending the action of both Lockheed and the Military during their time in Ulster. And when the war finally came to a close, a special church service for “The Victory of Allied Forces in Europe” was held in the Assembly buildings on Sunday the 10th June 1945.
Robert Bashford