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History of the U.V.F.
Formed to oppose the implementation of Home Rule by military
force if necessary, James Craig and Sir Edward Carson were prominent members
of its leadership. Guns were procured and landed at Larne in April 1914. The
outbreak of World War 1 and the suspension of Home Rule resulted in the UVF
becoming the 36th (Ulster) Division of the British Army. The division was all
but wiped out in the Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916). The UVF was
re-established in 1966by Gusty Spence, amongst others. It immediately declared
war on the IRA but was banned by Northern Ireland Prime Minister Terence
O`Neil in June of that year. It called a cease-fire in October 1994 under the
auspices of the Combined Loyalist military Command.
Since 1912 until the present day, the Ulster Volunteer Force
has produced volunteers - both men and women - who had the courage and honour
to make the supreme sacrifice of giving up their lives that others may have
their religion, liberties, freedoms and laws safeguarded.
Volunteers who suffered thousands of casualities and
fatalities while fighting for King and Country in foreign lands during the
First World War at a time when Britain denied them.
Volunteers who laid down their lives whilst on active
service in the war against the violent Irish Nationalist/Republican movement
and those who were incarcerated in Crumlin Road, Longkesh, Magilligan and
other concentration camps - their only crime being loyality.
Volunteers who forced Sinn Fein/I.R.A. to withdraw their
military actions in the shape of the present ceasefires brought about by
methods of terrorizing the terrorist. A hard but necessary lesson for the
violent Nationalist/Republican movement to learn and one which cost many lives
to both sides.
We salute them and hope they are never called upon again to
make any futher sacrifices.
FOR THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD AS WE THAT ARE LEFT GROW OLD.
AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM NOR THE YEARS CONDEMN AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN
AND IN THE MORNING WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM
FOR GOD AND ULSTER